38. Chapter Thirty-Eight

A week and a half later, the Raeths were still missing in action. Aidan, having been adopted by Raeth parents at the tender age of two, had notified the remainder of the immortal dignitaries about the temporary gap in communication.

Apparently, following the influx of heat hormones, each Raeth would be instinctually drawn to another. Mate-bonded couples would isolate together, and single Raeths would approach someone they trusted and spend the duration of the heat with them.

Laughing, Riaz shook his head. No one had heard from the Raeths—or their other-species mates—since that fateful day during assembly.

"What are you laughing about, Fido?"

Twinkling eyes caught his as his mate looked over her shoulder from where she was gathering personal belongings. Smirking, he replied, "At our Raeth friends. Aidan says they won't get any respite for another week at least."

One corner of her mouth pulled up. "Poor, poor Raeths. Fully given over to the wild side of their nature during the heat phase. Must be truly horrendous."

"Oh, I'm not worried about the Raeths. I'm worried about their mates; the ones who aren't of their breed like Rukia and Blair and Lucius. Who even knows if they'll survive two or more weeks stuck with a Raeth in heat?"

"I guess we'll find out."

Zipper grinding up another bag, the vampire huffed a sigh, and Riaz looked her over in earnest. He could see the melancholy that clouded her expression, the slight rigidity that accompanied her movement and tensed her shoulders.

"Cortana."

"What did I do?"

Riaz offered her a sad smile and pulled the bag from her grip before setting in on the bed, forgotten. "If you don't want to leave the City—and your House—we can make it work, Pet. I know you had a life before me, and I won't begrudge you for wanting to keep it."

In a rare showing of vulnerability, her eyes misted. "It isn't that, Riaz. I just feel awful leaving after everything that's happened. Drake is still suffering from the sunlight poisoning and his penthouse will take weeks, if not months, to repair after the fire. I'm his second in command and I feel like I'm abandoning him at the worst possible time."

When her resolve crumpled and she rested against his chest, Riaz pressed a kiss into her hair. "Then don't leave yet. Nothing says you have to abandon them. I'm not pressuring you to relinquish everything you know and love. I'd never do that."

Grasping her shoulders, he gently pulled her away from him to look her directly in the eye. "These are your people, your pack, and I would never stand in the way of you caring for them. You want to stay, you stay. We'll make it work." With a smirk, he added, "And if we have to pay Remmus for professional taxi services, I'm sure we can work it out."

"That Raeth is obsessed with food; all we'd have to do is feed him in payment."

"There you go. A wet smile is better than no smile. Ava probably won't be happy with the development, but I think it'd be good for her to get used to having a Raeth around. Especially someone like Remmus."

"Yes, she's used to goofballs who are cookie-motivated. I wonder where she got that extensive experience?"

Riaz grunted a laugh. He was more worried for Ava than he cared to say. The woman had spent most of her life deathly scared of the other immortal breed, and as a good alpha and friend, he would do everything in his power to help her process it and increase her comfort level with them.

"Yes, I think of all the Raeths, having Remmus around could be good for Ava." At Cortana's responding smile, he straightened. "Come on, Pet, time's a-wastin'. Besides, if we don't pack up at least a fourth of your obscenely large heap of shoes on this trip, I swear my wolf will have a coronary."

"Ha!"

Cortana's hip connected with his, shoving him off balance before taking advantage and knocking him backward onto her queen size bed. Leaping atop his chest, her knees bit into his shoulders, holding him against the comforter.

"My totally reasonable heap of shoes and I were quite content before you entered the picture, Mr. Wolf. Don't stand between me and my favorites."

"I thought I was your favorite."

"There's quite a difference between my favorite footwear and my favorite mate."

Riaz couldn't help but ask for clarification. "You have several mates, do you?"

"Only one perfect one. That's all I need."

When her lips descended on his, all good packing intentions were lost.

***

Three days and several plane rides later, Riaz and Cortana were bathing in the soft moonlight of Estes Park, their steps measured and slow while they walked the well-beaten path to the den together.

Pack territory had been saved from wildfires, thanks in large part of Toni. When he'd offered her the gratitude of an alpha, the young Elemental had raved about his daring rescues in New York, and officially classified them ‘even stevens'.

Whatever that meant.

He had wanted to play hide and seek again to celebrate their return, but of course his mate had other ideas. He had to admit that following behind her did have its advantages: the view, for one, was spectacular.

Cortana was suitably shocked when she'd walked into his spotless office. Eyes wide and blinking, she gaped. "What happened to your office?"

Riaz walked past her and sat at the desk, leaning back in his chair. "I rage cleaned it after you left."

Masking the laughter that threatened, her head swiveled on her neck. "Where are all the papers and your piles o' fun?"

"Stored away, with an organization system approved by my betas. I even let them back some of it electronically." He raised his chin defiantly. "See? I can do stuff."

This time, the laughter escaped. "You can do stuff, huh?" She walked around the desk, lifting herself onto the gleaming surface to stare directly into his eyes. "I thought your method was ‘working for you and your wolf?'"

"I never said my method was perfect, Pet."

Emotion egged her on, the need for him to ravish her atop his desk almost painfully strong. Hormones kicked into gear, and for a second, she wished she'd closed the door on her way in and they didn't have to worry about anyone interrupting their rendezvous.

But they did have company—and Cortana wasn't a fan of public displays of affection.

Chuckling into the kiss, she retreated. Confusion momentarily splashed over his features before his eyes flicked up and over her shoulder to lock on their incoming comrade.

Ava.

Though weary from the grueling pace she must've taken, Ava's shoulders no longer held the tension that'd knotted them when the Raeth had appeared in her office. "Alpha. I wanted to inform you that I've returned. And to congratulate you both on your mating."

As with any good wolf, she'd have known when her alpha had mated, and to whom. Riaz beamed and replied, "Thanks, Ava, though I think I got the better end of the deal."

"Oh, you definitely did," Cortana said with humorous sincerity, the half-smile aimed in his direction following the comment only succeeded in making him beam even brighter.

"Aw, what a tragically sappy display of love." Plopping into a guest chair, Ava swung a booted leg over the side and changed topics. "What's this I hear about you giving away the keys to our den to a Raeth?"

Cortana didn't miss the way Riaz bristled momentarily. "Cortana needs to be able to get back and forth to D'Ancouer easily. Remmus was the logical choice."

Blank, Ava's features continued to sear into Riaz's, and instantly, Cortana knew what plagued her wasn't merely superficial. Something far deeper had jaded her against Raethkind, and the protective side of her nature rose to the surface.

"Do you not want him here, Ava?"

The question, quiet but composed, caught Ava off guard. "My past is … difficult, Cortana, and Raeths were never kind to me. But it's a means to an end, and I wouldn't deny you the ease of teleportation to ensure your pack is well cared for."

"I appreciate that, Ava, and if you ever need to change that arrangement, please tell me."

"Of course." The other woman offered them a bittersweet smile. "In other news, I've dug into what we could find at the plant. They didn't leave much, but in their haste to clear out, they forgot to clear the filing cabinets in the basement. We found a few things worth pursuing."

"Like what?"

"There were several mentions of a sister facility near St. Louis," she revealed. "It's worth looking into."

Riaz nodded. "Good. I want to see this through. We can ask for help from a teleporter when they're … available. In the meantime, we can level the facility here—warn them away in the future, at least."

"I agree. It's important to send a strong message," Cortana echoed. "The Raeths can help with the logistics."

Shuddering faintly, Ava said, "On that lovely note, I think I'll go do some yoga and eat a cow or something."

"Fine." Riaz waved her out. "Get outta here, you mangy wolf. I'd like to get back to necking with my mate."

After she left and closed the door behind her, Cortana turned to her mate, concerned for the other woman. "Will she be okay?"

"She'll never grow if we don't water the seed." A shrug. "And she's held that seed hostage for eight centuries."

"Good. But now, I intend to make good on your promise."

Popping up on her toes, she pecked a kiss on his full lips, happy to see the smile spread across them in her wake. Before he set upon her with a hungry grin, she pressed one hand into his chest, conflicted. When he paused with a question in his eyes, she spoke again.

"Will you unbraid my hair?"

A strangled noise sounded in Riaz's throat, his eyes pinching in—was that fear? Gaping like a fish, he suddenly cleared his throat in a nervous tick.

"Me?"

"Is there another wolf you'd allow to paw at me?"

Snapping his mouth closed and instantly donning an indignant expression, he shook his head forcefully before settling and studying her in earnest.

"I ... I don't want to accidentally hurt you, Cort."

"I trust you." He went to protest, but Cortana cut him off. "And it doesn't matter if you hit a tangle or snag a finger, Riaz." Letting sincerity bleed into her voice, she implored him, "Please."

Though hesitation lingered, he inhaled and nodded. Before she turned around, she caught sight of his expression: the man looked as though he were about to defuse a bomb. A chuckle threatened, but she caught it in her throat before it could escape and undermine the wolf's concentration.

Careful, so very careful, he unwound the tie at the bottom, the ends nearly brushing her waist. Now free, Riaz's fingers gently sifted through the thick brunette tresses, gradually working up from the bottom toward her scalp.

Each gentle pull caressed her scalp, sending pinpricks of pleasure racing over her skin. At no point did she resort to the fear that'd previously marred the experience, her only emotion one of contented delight.

It'd been bliss since they'd begun their lives together, eagerly jumping into this phase of their lives with both feet.