Chapter 17 - Cliff

Lingering rain clouds sheltered Sunday morning from yesterday. After Robyn and I had run through the forest, we stopped at the mechanic shop inside pack territory to catch our breath. Something about seeing her sweaty and worked up had renewed my desire to make her feel like I was here for the right reasons.

That meant proving my dedication to her.

I traded a look with my sister, who nodded with a grin. She nudged Robyn and said, "So, has Cliff told you about our traditional mating ritual we do down south?"

Robyn adjusted her plate at the kitchen table. "No, I don't think he has."

"It's a wonderful event," Faye explained, "the whole pack gets into it."

"Is that so?"

Faye beamed while grabbing a napkin to dab Sydney's mouth. Robyn smiled gratefully. Sydney waved her fork, causing both women to stare sharply until she stopped.

I tried not to smile too much. It was nice seeing Robyn get along with my sister while my best friend helped me finish up the dishes. I went to the table, collected the empty plates, and kissed Robyn's head. Her face burst with splotches of red as she wiped the area on her head where I had kissed her.

"Yeah, it's fantastic," Faye continued, "and I think it might be something neat to introduce to your pack here."

I set the dirty dishes in the sink while Hector cast me an uncertain glance. It was like he was thinking what I was thinking— Will she go for it?

"I remember when I did the mating ritual with Hector," my sister recalled. "It was…magical. I don't think I've ever experienced anything like it since."

Hector smiled. "You don't mean that."

Faye sighed lovingly. "Oh, but I do."

Hector scratched his head. "Wait, so the sex hasn't been as good since then? Because last week, you didn't complain about—"

I swatted my best friend on the arm. "Hey, maybe you should stop while you're ahead, buddy."

Faye turned so pale that I could have probably swapped her face out with the full moon. Robyn coughed and then covered her mouth. The way her eyes turned to slits told me she was trying really hard not to laugh out loud.

Sydney poked at her remaining pancake. "What's sex?"

Robyn jumped from her chair. "Hey, how about cartoons with your niece?"

Faye laughed nervously. "I think what your Uncle Hector meant to say was checks and how those checks were bad last week because they couldn't be cashed and—"

Hector twisted a kitchen towel between his hands. "Wait, it was bad? Faye, baby, come on…"

Robyn ushered Sydney out of the room to join her niece in the living room, where she was bouncing contentedly in her bouncer in front of the television. I rubbed my forehead while Faye chuckled awkwardly. Her face was redder than a ripe tomato. Hector was twisting that towel so hard that I knew I would have to replace it when he was done with it.

"Babe," Faye whispered, "the sex has been great. I was just telling Robyn how that experience is probably a once-in-a-lifetime thing."

Hector held Faye by the waist. "But it's good, right?"

"Yes, it's good."

I tapped my forehead once with my palm. "Okay, I don't need to hear this from you two."

Robyn returned with a mixed expression that I couldn't quite read. It was like she was frowning and smiling at the same time—or maybe one of those expressions was fighting to take over. I wasn't sure.

"Maybe we don't talk about that in front of the kids?" Robyn asked with a breathy chuckle. "I'm sorry. I don't want her to, like, repeat those words and—" She sighed. "Sorry. I know it's ridiculous."

"It's not," Faye said while rushing to her side. "Hey, it's not ridiculous at all. I'm sorry about that. Right, Hector?"

Hector nodded. "Right. Sorry. It won't happen again. I got a little, uh…insecure there for a second. My entire bad."

I laughed. "I don't think I've ever seen you look so concerned."

Faye chuckled. "I mean, it was kind of funny."

I held my stomach as I tried to control my incoming laughter. "It was hilarious . Come on, look at his face. He's still scared!"

Robyn playfully pushed my arm. "Stop making fun of your one and only friend here."

"Hey, you're my friend." I wrapped my arm around her waist, relieved when she leaned into me. "What do you say?"

"About what?"

I squeezed her gently. "About the mating ritual? I can bite you, or you can bite me if you want."

She idly touched her lower lip. "Is it true mate bites can protect people?"

Faye nodded as she slid her arm around her mate's waist. "I've definitely noticed a feeling of security ever since I got my bite."

"That could be useful to us," Robyn said while taking my hand. "You know, because of Sydney and all."

"Right, because of Sydney," I agreed flatly. "I would also like to bite you because I care about you."

She smiled weakly up at me. "That's nice to hear."

"I can say it more often."

"Maybe. Yes."

I chuckled as I pulled her into an embrace. "When was the last time we just hugged each other like this?"

"Didn't we hug yesterday?"

"Not while we were racing to the mechanic shop."

She chuckled. "Yeah, you lost. I get it. I wouldn't want to be hugged either."

Faye and Hector laughed.

I stepped back and held her shoulders loosely. "Hey, I thought we agreed that you lost."

"Nope. We didn't." She grinned so wide that I thought she would explode into chuckles. She just looked too tickled with herself. "Then, you fell into that mud puddle and got stuck."

"I didn't fall," I murmured. "I slipped because it was slippery."

Robyn reached for my hands and held them loosely. "Right. It was slippery. Whatever you say."

"That is what I say."

"And what I say is…" She glanced at Faye and Hector, then focused on me again. "I say I want to do the mating ritual with you."

I bent my knees like I was preparing to jump. "Yeah?"

"Yeah."

"Amazing." I scooped her up and spun her around, feeling lighter than air. "Fantastic. Spectacular ."

She patted my shoulder while giggling. "Down. Down, boy ."

"Can't. Won't."

"Ugh, save me."

Both girls giggled loudly from the living room. It brought me right back to earth, right back to the house that housed the two girls I cared about most in this world—aside from Sierra, who wouldn't know the difference, seeing as she was a baby now.

I was a daddy to another precious little girl. I wanted to treat her like I had been treating Sierra. And since I had catching up to do, I grabbed Robyn's hand and tugged her into the living room with me, leaving our guests to sit among themselves in the peace and quiet of the kitchen.

Sydney had her eyes hooked on the television that displayed some kind of whacky cartoon in a chunky block style. Sierra babbled and gurgled from her bouncy seat. She gave me a wide-eyed expression, giggled, and then waved her chunky hands at her cousin. Sydney mindlessly reached for a rattle toy and shook it.

Robyn caught my elbow. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. I just don't want to miss this."

Whimsical music played on the television. Sydney laughed, which made Sierra giggle, adding to the adorable mixture of silly sounds that encompassed the living room. Idle chatter wafted from the kitchen where I heard Hector whisper sweet things to my sister.

" Timmy and Amy's Fun Time Show? " Robyn asked. "You don't want to miss that?"

"No, this ." I motioned to the girls. "Watching them…just exist."

Robyn grinned warmly. "Yeah, it's cute, right? They mimic each other."

"I'm glad they're getting along."

"Me, too."

I stroked her cheek, feeling the way she shivered under my touch. "Faye told me about yesterday."

"What about yesterday?"

I frowned apologetically. "I didn't mean to snap orders at you, Princess. I just feel better having your support and help. You know these people. You relate to them better than anyone. You're the key to me being a good Alpha."

She opened her mouth, blinked rapidly, and then promptly shut her mouth. After a second, she bowed her head and sighed. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you sooner."

"I'm sorry I wasn't trustworthy enough for you to tell me."

"It's not that. I just—"

I held a finger to her lips. "Robby— Princess , I was not acting like the mate you needed. I was trying to act like a good Alpha."

"But you're supposed to act like a good Alpha."

"I'm supposed to act like a good mate, too."

She smiled while nuzzling her cheek into my palm. To feel this again was unreal. I had to make sure I didn't mess it up. This time, I had to be better than good.

I had to be phenomenal.

"So," she sighed while wrapping her arms around the back of my neck, "tell me about this mating ritual."

"Well, it might sound a little outdated, but…"

She arched her right brow. " Outdated? "

"Okay, maybe I should use a different word."

"If this involves some sexist crap from the twenties…"

I laughed. "No, it's not like that at all!" I frowned uncertainly. "I mean, I don't think it's sexist. Or from the twenties."

"Okay, I'm listening."

I pulled her over toward the desk and sat her down, leaning against the desk to keep the girls within my line of sight. While I was sure Hector and Faye were watching from the kitchen, I didn't want to assume they would just watch my daughter without me asking.

When I was sure that the girls were sufficiently entertained, I focused on Robyn. "It's a glorious ritual that brings the whole pack together. We separately prepare for the night with our friends before heading for the woods."

"Sounds like a kegger."

I chuckled. "Sure, if you want it to be." I shrugged. "I'm sure someone has done it."

"So, we convene in the woods. And then?"

"And then I chase you."

She smiled, licked her bottom lip, and then nipped the right side as her cheeks flushed red. "You chase me?"

"While you wear a doe mask."

"And do I want to be caught?"

I smirked. "I don't know, Robyn. Do you want me to catch you?"

"That depends on what happens when I get caught."

"I guess we can always find out."

Her smile radiated excited curiosity as she took my hand. "Alright, let's do it."