39. Epilogue

Much to his surprise, Riaz had discovered that his vampire temptress was indeed faster than he was. Even with his four-paw advantage, the Mistress of Shadows beat his wolf every time they challenged each other.

While the beast beneath his skin protested the perceived weakness, the man very much enjoyed it. He would continue to shorten his stride when he ran with his packmates, as any alpha would, but his daily private runs with his mate had no restriction. He could finally give in to the freedom of the sprint, the untampered speed. He hoped it was a metaphor for their lives together: she'd be there by his side through it all.

He shifted back into human form to wash off the sweat of the run, mulling through what the night would bring. These days, he had a schedule to keep. Wonders would never cease.

The way Cortana had fit into his life and that of the pack was nothing short of miraculous. She was the driving force behind innumerable improvements in the den—things he hadn't even known could work better—and his pack was the happier for it. She complemented him perfectly. He continued to focus on the pack's emotional balance while honoring their wolf needs, and she was right behind him with the next barbeque or an outdoor movie screening. All of it was fastidiously scheduled—and he wouldn't have it any other way.

Today, she'd put her organization skills to the test once more, meticulously arranging everything for the ceremony in just a few short hours. Though an inkling of anxiety threaded through him, Cortana had assured him that he was worthy of the undertaking.

A secret smile stretched his lips. With it being her birthday, she hadn't planned everything. Riaz still had a few tricks up his sleeve. After his shower, he checked on his treasures once more, pretending not to hear her sneaking in behind him.

The two figures in his hands caught her attention. "My wolf!"

"Present!"

Snorting, Cortana reached around him and snagged the wolf—and the bat. The howling wolf ceramic had been intended to mirror Riaz's mahogany count, but instead had come out a blood red color.

"I'm a bit bitter about that, Blood Queen," jeered Riaz. "That looks way more like Gadriel than it does Fluffy."

Smirking, Cortana's attention shifted to the ceramic bat and her eyes widened in surprise. The bat was glazed an icy blue with brown and orange polka dots, its little teeth a startling red.

"I thought you were doing it all in light blue?"

Riaz's cheeks began to hurt from his wide grin. "I was—and then I decided to add a few splashes of color. Obviously red because of your mournfully depressing dietary restrictions, but take a guess why I added the spots?"

She didn't think too long. "Brown for your eye color, and orange for your wolf."

"Clever deduction, my Sunlight-Deprived Mate." He nodded, his throat thickening. "I added them so that you have a little bit of me with you wherever you go—even if you fly away."

"I'm not going anywhere Riaz. You're my home now."

Cortana put down the figurines and lowered her lips to his, claiming him unrepentantly right there on top of his desk. As his body kicked into overdrive, he pressed his chest into hers, needing the feel of her body against his.

A mewl of desire escaped her throat; her fingertips digging into his waist when she grabbed at him. Their mating bond blazed between them, a warm intense feeling overwhelming the passion that siphoned through it. Slowly, their kiss became a tender embrace, her head falling to rest on his chest as she smiled down at her new ceramic tokens.

"How long have you had them?"

"All this time. I saved them for your birthday. I know they're not combs, but …"

Another kiss captured his apology. Every ounce of tenderness and love she felt for him poured through their bond, making it even more sweet. She wanted him, just as he was; no matter his flare for the dramatic or his too-kind heart, she saw a hero beneath it all.

"You're going to make us late, Fluffy," she whispered against his lips moments later. "To be continued?"

"There she is, Coffin Queen out to save the day with her scheduling."

One eyebrow quirked. "I'll have you know this is a very special day, Riaz, and not just because it's my birthday. After the ceremony and the pack celebration, we can continue this—just you and me. Besides, I've got something much more delectable in mind for my birthday treat."

The devilish look that entered his eyes had Cortana laughing and slapping him companionably on the shoulder.

"Blood, Riaz. Blood."

Desire was a sudden pang in his gut, and he gave her a look that said he longed to throw her back on their bed and have his way with her. He'd been anticipating this day for weeks.

Riaz nuzzled his nose into her neck and breathed deeply, "Happy birthday, Cortana."

Her breathy sigh filled the air between them. "After four centuries, I had no idea there was another life worth living. A better life." For Cortana, that was as sappy as it got. "And with a dog, no less."

"Aw, you like Fluffy."

"Yes, I love Fluffy, just like I love you." Another peck on his lips before she pulled back. "And now we really need to go. It isn't every day the sweetest, fluffiest alpha wolf in the entire world bites a new packmate for the first time."

Joy and pride flooded through the mating bond between them, and Riaz let it fill him up. With Cortana by his side, everything had seemed to fall into place, and he'd never been happier. Behind them on his desk, a ceramic wolf and a bat nestled perfectly together, their colors oddly complementary.

Sometimes, life just needed a few polka dots.