CHAPTER THREE
Nestled in the booth against the window, Riley drummed her nails on the scratched tabletop as she stared out through the glass. From there she had a clear view of the street and the diner’s parking lot. So far there was no sign of the person she’d agreed to meet.
Maybe they should have chosen a different venue, she thought as she rubbed at her aching temples. The sounds of country music, burgers sizzling, and cutlery clinking were aggravating her hangover headache. Really, she had only herself to blame.
True to his word, Tao had remained in the SUV. Proud as any dominant female, she couldn’t help but bristle a little at his insistence on accompanying her to protect her, but she knew it was a wise move. There didn’t seem to be any anti-shifter groups loitering around, but not all the radical humans carried banners and chanted bullshit. Some kept a low profile. The majority, however, were openly violent and destructive.
They called for shifters to be confined to their territories, electronically chipped, prohibited from mating with humans, limited to only one child per couple, and placed on a registry like damned sex offenders. Many went as far as bombing packs, prides, and flocks in an effort to “cull” the shifter population.
Shifters had retaliated by forming The Movement—people who hunted extremists and fought violence with violence. They had eliminated many of the radical groups and forced others into hiding. Humans rightfully feared them, but the prejudiced assholes didn’t seem to be smart enough to back down. It was an ongoing battle.
Hearing her phone beep, Riley dug it out of her pocket. There was a message from Jaime, but she didn’t open it. She’d read it later when—
Her head snapped up as the bell over the door rang and three familiar ravens entered, letting in a brief blast of traffic noise. The one in front did a quick scan of the diner. Spotting Riley, she smiled and made a beeline for her booth. No sooner had Riley risen to her feet than she was pulled into a tight hug. “You’re freakishly strong for someone so small,” said Riley.
Laughing, Lucy pulled back. “It’s so good to see you. Video chatting just isn’t the same.” She had almond-shaped eyes, high cheekbones, and dark, straight hair—traits she’d inherited from her Native American ancestors.
Lucy gestured at the two indomitable-looking males behind her. Like Lucy and Riley, they had a slight blue tint to their hair that was typical of raven shifters. “Hugh and Duncan are my assigned bodyguards for the day,” said Lucy. As the daughter of the Exodus Flock Alphas, she never went anywhere without protection.
Riley smiled at the Beta and his son as they each gave her a brief hug. Drawing back, she asked, “How are you?”
Hugh patted her shoulder. “Good, thanks. Mad at you for staying away for four years, though.”
Duncan’s mouth curved. “I’ll be better when I’m home.” He’d never much liked leaving his territory. “But it’s good to see you, Riley.”
“Good to see you both too.” Her raven was also glad to see them; she’d missed the flock, especially Lucy, who’d been a close friend since childhood. Riley slipped into the booth and gestured for Lucy to sit opposite her.
“We need a little privacy,” Lucy told Hugh and Duncan. The males took a booth that was out of earshot, but they didn’t look happy about it.
Before Riley could speak, the waitress appeared and asked, “What are you having?”
“Just coffee, thanks,” replied Riley. Any other time she would have found the meringue pie inside the glass dome mighty interesting. But thanks to the aftereffects of the tequila, the smells of meat grilling and onions frying were churning her stomach rather than giving her an appetite.
“I’ll have the same,” said Lucy.
The waitress disappeared with a nod, the soles of her shoes squeaking on the checkered tile floor.
“So . . . what’s it like living with wolves?” Lucy asked.
“Fine, I guess. You’d like them. They’re good people.”
“But you’re coming home at some point, right? Dammit, I promised Mom and Dad I wouldn’t pressure you. Honestly, I’m not here to bug you to come home . . . though I won’t lie and say I wouldn’t do it if I thought it would work—peer pressure doesn’t work on your stubborn ass.” Lucy rested her elbows on the table. “As I’m sure you know, the anniversary of your uncles’ mating is coming up.”
Riley nodded. She’d already bought them a gift and a card, fully intending to post them soon.
“My parents have organized a last-minute surprise party for them to honor it,” Lucy continued. “It would be great if you could come. Your uncles would be overjoyed.”
Riley tensed, feeling mentally cornered.
As if sensing that, Lucy leaned back a little to give her space. “They miss you, Riley.”
“And I miss them.” Riley absolutely adored Ethan and Max Porter. Ethan was her mother’s brother and had mated Max before Riley was born. After her parents’ death when she was just four, her uncles had taken her in and raised her. She’d kept in contact with them since leaving the flock. They did a lot of video chatting and even met up occasionally, but she hadn’t seen them in over ten months. Her raven missed them as badly as Riley did. “The surprise party is a good idea, and I’m sure they’ll be thrilled about it.”
Lucy smiled, as if assuming Riley was consenting to attend.
“But I’m not sure my being there would be the best idea.”
Lucy’s smile faded. “Why not?”
“A party should be fun and exciting. If I waltz in there, it would stir up old memories.”
“Yeah, but not in a way that would ruin the party. Everybody’s missed you. They’ll all be ecstatic to see you.”
Riley shot her a skeptical look. “Everybody? Really?”
“Look, four years ago, when emotions were running high, there were a few people who blamed you for what happened—no, they wanted to blame you; they needed someone to take out their grief on. But a lot of time has passed; they realize that they were wrong. Shirley will probably always blame you purely because it relieves her son of any wrongdoing, but I don’t think she truly believes you’re at fault. Not really.”
Riley wasn’t so sure about that.
“The only other person who won’t be particularly welcoming is Cynthia. You two have never seen eye to eye and she might worry that you’re back for Sawyer.” Lucy snorted, adding, “As if. But this isn’t about them. This is about you and your uncles.”
The waitress appeared with their coffees, and the smell thankfully didn’t upset Riley’s stomach.
Once they were alone again, Lucy lifted her cup. “Come to the party, Riley. Come for the weekend and have a proper visit. If you were honest, you’d admit that you miss all of us too. Not only that; you miss home.”
Shaking the packet of sugar, Riley sighed. Like her raven, she did miss her flock, and she did miss Sedona; the flock’s territory had been Riley’s sanctuary, her safe place . . . right up until the end, anyway.
“Just a weekend. Then you can come back here to be with the wolves if that’s what you want.”
Riley sprinkled the sugar into her coffee and stirred it. “I don’t know, Luce.”
“I talked to Sawyer. I told him I was coming to see you today.”
“And?”
“He said he figured someone would invite you and that I shouldn’t take no for an answer.”
Well, that was a surprise. “Did you point out that his girlfriend wouldn’t like it?”
“I wouldn’t go as far as to say that Cynthia’s his girlfriend. One of the things that made you and Sawyer eventually gravitate to each other was that you were both the most dominant unmated ravens in the flock. Without you around, Cynthia’s the most dominant; I’d say that’s all the appeal she holds for him. But Cynthia’s set on keeping him because she knows he’s next in line to be Beta. She’s always wanted to be Beta female.”
Riley blew over the rim of her cup. “Does she know you’re here?”
“Hell no. If she knew, she’d tell your uncles and ruin the surprise just to be a bitch. I haven’t told many people because I was worried your uncles would find out and get their hopes up that you’ll come. I’ve sworn Sawyer to secrecy—he won’t break a promise.” Lucy put down her cup. “Did you plan to never come back to Sedona?”
“Of course not.”
“Well, then, if you would have returned at some point, what better time than for your uncles’ party? They’d love it. It’s been four years since you were home, Riley. That’s too long to stay away.” The sticky fake leather cushion squeaked as Lucy leaned forward and grabbed her wrist. “Please come.”
The bell over the door rang once again. Riley looked up and stiffened as none other than Tao strolled inside. Motherfucker. He flicked Hugh and Duncan a brief assessing look, and then the son of a bitch stalked straight to her. He didn’t speak. He bent down, curled a hand under her chin . . . and kissed her. Kissed her kissed her.
Utterly shocked, she didn’t fight him. Didn’t move. Then the shock gave way to anger and she drew back, ready to hiss a reprimand. But as his eyes flared with a warning, instinct stayed her hand. Tao would have no problems with causing a scene. Hugh and Duncan would no doubt intervene, which could lead to fighting.
“Hey, baby.” Tao slid in the booth beside her. “I was driving by and saw you in the window.” Taking a sip of Riley’s coffee, he flicked a glance at Lucy. “Everything okay here?”
It took all Riley’s self-control not to pour the hot liquid all over his head. “Fine.”
Tao sensed her irritation and, admittedly, felt the urge to smile. Instead he studied the female sitting opposite them. He’d watched their conversation avidly through the window, seen Riley’s conflicted expression and Lucy’s pleading one, and he’d worried she was trying to coax Riley into returning to the flock. Tao wasn’t good with that.
He also wasn’t good with the fact that two male ravens had had their hands on her, so he’d been sure to make a possessive display. She might not be his, but he didn’t want anyone else thinking she could be theirs. “Introduce us, Riley.”
Gritting her teeth, Riley tried to shift a little away from Tao, but his hand clamped on her thigh. It was her body’s reaction that made her freeze. Raw need pooled in her lower stomach. “Tao, this is a good friend of mine, Lucy. Lucy, this is Tao—he’s the Phoenix Pack’s Head Enforcer.”
“Ah, you’re the Alphas’ daughter,” said Tao. “Riley’s told me about you.” The lie fell easily from his mouth and seemed to make Riley bristle. “She said you’ve been friends a long time.”
Wide-eyed, Lucy said, “We have. Sadly, she hasn’t mentioned you to me, which is very disappointing.” Her eyes slid to Riley. “I’m assuming you haven’t mentioned him to your uncles either, because a little thing like this wouldn’t have slipped their minds.”
“And how are Ethan and Max?” asked Tao. “Bored after retiring from their enforcer roles?”
“I think they might be a little bored,” Lucy replied with a smile. “Other than that, they’re fine. Although they miss her like crazy.”
“Well, considering they raised her, I’m not surprised.”
Riley fairly goggled at him. He’d said he knew only “basic facts,” but he was reeling off plenty of details.
He put down Riley’s cup. “You’re a long way from Sedona.”
“I came to invite Riley to the surprise party we’re throwing to celebrate the anniversary of her uncles’ mating. You should come too.”
“Thanks, I’d be happy to go with her.” Tao squeezed Riley’s thigh when she opened her mouth, most likely to object. She snapped it shut, so he stroked her thigh in reward.
“Great.” She patted Riley’s hand. “Your uncles will be thrilled to hear you’ve met someone, even if he’s not a raven.”
“Lucy,” Riley drawled.
“You want them to hear it from you, I get it.” She took a long gulp of her coffee and then rose. “I’ll try to remember not to mention it, but I may just forget if you miss the party.”
“That’s mean.”
“That’s me.” Edging out of the booth, Lucy said, “The party takes place on Friday; that gives you a little time to think on it. You could arrive that day so your presence is as much of a surprise as the party. Then you could stay for the weekend. Seriously, Riley, they’d love to see you. It would make their year.” Her eyes slid to Tao. “It was good meeting you. Take care of her for me.”
Hugh and Duncan said their goodbyes to Riley as they followed Lucy out of the diner—sparing Tao only a curious, unfriendly glance. With a sigh Riley let her head fall back and rubbed her aching forehead.
“Going by the way you were so easily invited to a party that’s taking place on your flock’s territory, I’m guessing you were never banished.” Tao had suspected as much, but he’d never been able to find out for sure. “Did you officially leave the flock?” It was one thing to leave for a little while and a whole other thing to become a lone shifter.
“Check your nose, Tao, because I’m pretty sure it’s in my business.”
His mouth kicked up into a smile. “It was a simple question.”
“You seem to know plenty, so I’m surprised you have to ask.”
“I won’t apologize for looking into your background, not when I did it to be sure that you and the rest of our pack are safe.”
“Your pack, you mean.”
Tao snorted. He didn’t believe for one second that she’d leave. She’d found a place for herself there and she was also too attached to Savannah and Dexter. “Don’t insult my intelligence, Riley. Even before you were offered a place in the pack, you had no intention of returning to your flock. If you had, you wouldn’t have gone to the homeless shelter. You wouldn’t have asked Makenna to help you get a job and an apartment so you could blend in with humans. Now lower your hackles—all I’m asking is if you officially left the flock.”
Knowing he’d keep bugging her, she sighed. “No, I haven’t.”
With a tone as sensitive as he could manage, he asked, “What happened to your parents?” He hadn’t been able to uncover the cause of their deaths. “It would be best to have the details, since I’m going to this party—”
Her head snapped around to face him. “You’re not going to the party.”
“I was invited. It’ll be nice to meet your family.”
“You hate outsiders.”
“I don’t hate outsiders. I just have no time for them. They’re none of my concern. But you are. Come on, you’re not going to make me go alone, are you?”
She growled. “You’re not going. And I’m done talking about it.”
“Pity for you that I don’t give up so easily.”
“You should. My past isn’t as interesting as you seem to think it must be. And neither am I.”
Tao wrapped a strand of her gorgeous hair around his finger. He fucking loved her hair. “I think you are, but I won’t know for sure until you drop that guard of yours.” He put his mouth to her ear. “I’m getting around that wall you have up, Riley. Just letting you know so you won’t be surprised when you find me there.”
“Go floss your teeth with your itsy-bitsy cock, Fenris.”
Tao tilted his head. “You know . . . I just realized I’m not the one who’s riled for once. I feel funny.”
“You are such an asshole.”
“Yeah, I know.” He dug out some cash from his pocket, set it on the table, and got to his feet. “Come on, let’s get out of here before your head explodes.”
She pushed out of the seat, eager to get away from the scents and sounds of the diner. She didn’t bother complaining when he linked his fingers with hers as they walked to the door. There seemed little point when he wouldn’t release her hand anyway.
Outside, he guided her across the lot. Just as they neared the SUV, the doors of a black Lexus parked beside it swung open. Four humans exited the car—all big and well dressed, with hard faces. There was something very shady about them that made her raven release a low, guttural rattle.
Tao came to a halt, suddenly radiating menace. “There a problem?” he drawled. His wolf pushed against Tao’s skin, watchful and prepared.
The tallest and leanest of the group gave a surprisingly charming smile. “Not at all. I’m Ramón Veloz. And you’re Tao Lukas, the Phoenix Pack’s Head Enforcer.” Eyes the color of dark lead cut to Riley. “And you are Riley Porter. I’ve recently made it my business to know as much as I can about your pack.” His gaze slid back to Tao. “I’d like a meeting with your Alphas.”
The expectation of obedience in his tone rubbed Tao’s wolf the wrong way. From the dark pinstriped suit to the shiny leather shoes, this human had “mobster” written all over him. “Not sure why you think that would interest me.”
Ramón’s face hardened. “It should interest you. This meeting is necessary.”
“My Alphas won’t consent to it without good reason.” And they’d want to check the guy’s identity and history before even considering it.
“I’m not an extremist, if that’s your concern.” Ramón smoothed a hand down his tie. “In fact, I have a proposition for your Alpha female. One I think she will be happy to accept.”
Tao had to admit he was intrigued. He hid it, though. “What’s that?”
“My brother, Dion, is ill. Very ill. The doctors can’t do anything for him. I need the services of a healer. I’ve heard that your Alpha female is quite a powerful one. She will be paid well, of course.”
“What do you mean by ‘ill’?”
“He has an inoperable brain tumor,” Ramón replied, voice surprisingly dispassionate. “He’s been given just four months to live.”
“I’m sorry to hear about your brother,” said Tao, “but my Alpha female can’t help him. She heals wounds, not fatal diseases.”
“I’ve heard differently.”
Tao had no idea what the guy meant by that, since, as far as he knew, Taryn had never healed an illness.
Ramón fished a shiny business card from his pocket and held it out to Tao. “Here is my card. Pass it on to your Alphas and explain my situation.” His expression turned grave. “Be sure to impress upon them just how serious a situation this is, Mr. Lukas. I’m relying on you. Can I do that?”
Tao took the card. “You’re not part of my pack, so no.”
Ramón smiled. “I think I could like you.” Turning, he slid back into the rear seat of his car. “I look forward to hearing from your Alpha female.”
“She can’t help your brother,” Tao told him.
“We’ll see.”
With that, one of the other humans closed Ramón’s door and the three of them hopped into the vehicle.
Watching them drive off, Riley said, “Well, that was unexpected. Did you notice they were all armed?”
“I noticed,” said Tao.
“I don’t like his arrogance or sense of entitlement. He’s fully expecting Taryn to do exactly what he wants without question. Think she will?” Personally, Riley didn’t think so.
“I strongly doubt it. Let’s go find out.”
One look at their faces and Taryn knew something was wrong. Frowning, she straightened on the recliner at the end of the sectional sofa. “What is it?”
Others from the pack were scattered around the living room; some were seated on the huge, bulky sofa while others sat in armchairs. Like their Alpha female, they switched from relaxed to alert in a single second.
Tao came to a stop in the center of the room, glad when Riley stood beside him rather than finding herself a seat. “Just as we were coming out of Mo’s Diner, we were approached by a human named Ramón Veloz.”
Muting the TV, Trey said, “Who?”
“Ramón Veloz,” Tao repeated.
Taryn pursed her lips. “Never heard of him.”
“Well, he’s heard of you,” Tao told her.
Her brows raised. “Me?”
“His brother’s dying of a brain tumor,” Tao explained. “Ramón wants you to heal him. Says he’ll pay you.”
Jaime, who was perched on Dante’s lap, looked at Taryn. “Could you even do that?”
“Not without killing myself in the process,” Taryn replied.
“Even if you could, it wouldn’t be advisable to help,” said Rhett, who was tapping away on the keys of his laptop. “I heard of a healer who helped humans in exchange for money. She had people lining up, which would have been profitable for her except it drained her to the point that she became seriously weak and sick herself. That didn’t stop humans from harassing her for help.”
“What did you tell him?” Trey asked Tao.
“That she wouldn’t be able to help,” Tao replied. “He didn’t believe me. Someone’s told him that Taryn can help, and their word seems to mean more to him than mine. He’s expecting your call.” He handed Ramón’s business card to Dante, who then passed it along to Trey.
“I’ll call,” began Trey. “I’ll inform him that we can’t be of any assistance.”
“Shit,” hissed Rhett.
Trey frowned. “What?”
“Ramón Veloz,” said Rhett, eyes on the screen of his laptop. “The guy’s allegedly a drug lord. He’s also suspected of having his hands in gun smuggling, human trafficking, and prostitution rings. The police have never been able to pin anything on him, though.” He paused as he tapped a few keys. “He has a brother, Dion; the guy works for Ramón and is a person of interest in several murder cases.”
Taryn raised a brow. “Well, now I don’t feel bad that I can’t help him.”
Dante drummed his fingers on Jaime’s thigh and said, “This Ramón guy could be a problem if he proves persistent. People like him don’t like being denied what they want.”
“I don’t give a shit what he does or doesn’t want,” said Trey, expression hard. “Taryn can’t help him. It’s as simple as that.”
Jaime looked from Tao to Riley. “What were you guys doing at Mo’s Diner anyway? Was it a date? Tell me it was a date.”
Riley rolled her eyes at the little matchmaker. “I was meeting someone from my flock.”
There was a short silence as people exchanged glances.
“You didn’t say your old flock,” Trey observed.
“I never really left it. And I never once implied that I had,” Riley reminded him.
After a moment Trey said, “True enough. What flock is it?”
“The Exodus Flock from Arizona.”
“I’ve heard of it,” said Trey. “Are you going back?”
“Only for the weekend. The Alphas are throwing a surprise party for my uncles. I want to be there.”
“You talk about them with affection in your voice,” said Dante. “Yet you don’t live within the flock. Why?”
Not at all eager to revisit the past, Riley hesitated. But these people had been good to her, she reminded herself. They’d been patient when she refused to speak of it all these months. Most importantly to her, they were good to Savannah and Dexter. She could share the truth with them. It would also be a lot easier to talk about while Greta, Zac, and the little ones weren’t in the room. Greta would make snide comments, and the story would only upset the younger pack members.
“I got along fine with most of the kids in the flock, but my closest friends were Lucy and Wade.” Riley licked her lips. “Sadly, Wade was one of those people destined to go through life being emotionally bruised over and over. He was extremely sensitive, so he felt things deeply, too deeply. He was also thin-skinned and highly introverted, which made him socially anxious. To add to that, he was the most submissive raven in the flock—he was particularly submissive for a male. All that made him the butt of a lot of jokes. Growing up, I spent a great deal of my time defending him from others, mostly his cousin, Alec.”
“There was a boy like that in my old pack,” said Taryn. “The other wolves made his life hell.”
“Most of the kids in the flock did the same to Wade,” said Riley. “He didn’t get tougher as he got older. He became more and more withdrawn until he eventually stopped talking to me or Lucy. He stayed in his cabin most of the time, playing video games. We suspected he was depressed and told his mom about it, but she shrugged it off.
“One night I was at a house party. It was Alec’s twenty-first birthday and pretty much everyone in our age-group was there—no parents, no Betas, no Alphas, no enforcers; just a bunch of kids celebrating that they could legally drink. I was supposed to meet Lucy there, but I couldn’t find her inside. The music was loud, so I went into the kitchen to call her cell phone. I hadn’t even dialed her number when I heard it.”
“Heard what?” asked Jaime.
“Bang.” Riley swallowed hard. “I’m not entirely sure where Wade got the gun, but he shot and killed every kid there. It all happened so fast. I should have shifted and flown off, but I heard one of them shout Wade’s name and I thought that meant he’d turned up at the party—that made me freeze, wondering what the fuck I could do to help. I didn’t think for a single second that he was the one holding the gun. Not until he came into the kitchen. His eyes . . . they were dead. No rage, no thirst for violence. I swear, it chilled my blood.”
Riley paused in surprise as Tao’s hand squeezed hers. “I tried to talk Wade into putting the gun down, I asked him not to shoot. He frowned at me as if I was stupid, said he’d never hurt me, and then he just walked out the back door. People came to help, but by then he’d shifted and flown off into the mountains.”
“Did they track him?” asked Trick, leaning forward.
“The Beta, Hugh, found his dead body a couple of days later,” said Riley. “It looked like he’d died from dehydration, according to Hugh. He could have survived if he’d stayed in his avian form, but I think he wanted to die.”
Makenna wrapped her arms around herself. “God, that’s horrible.”
“There’s more,” Tao sensed. “I can understand you leaving the territory while the memories are too fresh, Riley, but not why you’d stay away for four years. There has to be more.”
She rubbed at her nape. “A lot of people were grieving. They’d lost sons and daughters. And as much as they were glad that I was okay . . .”
“They resented you for it,” Makenna finished.
Riley lifted one shoulder, asking, “Who could blame them? Of course they’d be wishing their own child survived. I could understand that. But Wade’s mother, Shirley . . . well, she didn’t want to face what her son had done. And you know what? I can understand that too. But she went too far—she accused me of putting him up to it. She said I must have taken advantage of his depressed state and made him act against his nature.”
Jaime gasped. “That’s crazy.”
“She made it sound very believable. I mean, I was the only survivor. Why shoot the others and not me? She implied I could have taken Wade there, watched while he did it, and then helped him get away. Some of the grievers were angry enough to want to believe that so they could have a living, flesh-and-blood person to rail at. Ravens are extremely protective of their young—it’s in their bones. Those deaths rocked everyone, made the parents feel like they’d failed their children. They wanted a whipping boy, someone they could project all that guilt onto.
“I was worried it would come to a point where someone finally did choose to believe it, so I left before things were said that couldn’t be unsaid.” And because she’d needed the time and space to deal with her own grief. “I’d always wanted to do a little traveling anyway. Most avian shifters do.”
Dominic tilted his head, asking, “Why didn’t you go back?” It was odd seeing him without his usual impish grin.
“Every time I thought about it, it just didn’t feel right,” said Riley.
“Of course it didn’t feel right,” said Taryn. “A shifter’s territory is their safe place. That event tainted it for you. And you no doubt felt betrayed by the very people who should always support you. I wouldn’t be in any rush to return either.” She blew out a breath. “You’re truly ready to go back, even if it’s just for the weekend?”
Riley nodded. “It’s time.”
After a moment of silence, Taryn asked, “When do you need to leave?”
“Friday.”
Makenna winced. “Can’t you leave on Saturday instead?”
Riley frowned at Makenna’s worried look. “Why?”
“Taking a trip on Fridays leads to misfortune,” Makenna said sagely.
Ryan closed his eyes, sighing. Makenna was incredibly superstitious and saw signs everywhere. Ryan, however, was a very practical person who believed superstitions were completely illogical.
“Sorry,” said Riley, stifling a smile, “the party’s Friday.”
“I’ll text Shaya and ask if there’s any chance you can borrow Nick’s friend’s private jet,” Taryn said, referring to the Mercury Pack Alphas. The packs were very close, especially since Roni had originally been a Mercury wolf, and so they shared Roni and Marcus. “We’ve done it a few times,” Taryn added. “Where in Arizona does the flock live?”
“Sedona, Arizona.”
Trey rubbed at his jaw. “The question is . . . who do you take with you to Sedona?”
Riley frowned. “I don’t need anybody to come along.”
“None of us go anywhere alone, Riley,” said Trey. “You know that.”
“I was invited,” announced Tao. “Lucy asked me to come.”
“Ah, well, then it makes sense for you to go,” Taryn said to him.
Shaking her head, Riley insisted, “I really don’t need protection.”
“Like Trey said, we don’t go anywhere alone,” said Dante. “The ravens aren’t going to like having a strange wolf on their territory. Tao’s a Head Enforcer—that’s a position people take note of, and it would make anyone very reluctant to fuck with him.”
“What about Kye?” asked Riley. “Tao’s his bodyguard.”
“And I take that position very seriously,” said Tao, “but someone else can take over for a couple of days. You can’t go there without protection, and you know full well I’m not going to hang back here while you leave our territory for the weekend, so why are we wasting time discussing it?”
Turning to fully face him, Riley folded her arms. “Lucy might have invited you, but I didn’t.”
Tao gave a careless shrug. “Doesn’t change the fact that I’m going.”
“Tell me honestly, how much of that story did you already know?”
“Most of it,” Tao replied. “I didn’t know you’d been at the shooting or that anyone had even thought to pin the blame on you, but I did know there was one.”
Trick frowned at Tao. “You knew . . . and you didn’t tell us?”
He shrugged again. “It was Riley’s story to tell.”
Dominic arched a brow. “So it was okay for you to know, but not the rest of us?”
“I dug up her story because I needed to be sure that everyone—including Riley—was safe from her past. I wasn’t going to turn her story into a subject of gossip; she didn’t deserve that.” Tao turned to Riley. “Someone’s got to go with you. I want it to be me. If that isn’t what you want, I’ll stay behind.”
“Really?” asked Riley.
“No, but it seemed like a nice thing to say.”
She did her best to fight a smile, but she knew her lips twitched. “I’m done here.” Riley could argue with him all she wanted, but it wouldn’t make a damn bit of difference. The stubborn wolf wasn’t going to relent. “Where are the kids?”
“Baking cookies with Grace and Lydia,” said Makenna. “They got bored with me.” She pouted, making Riley laugh. All the pack members enjoyed spending time with the kids, but Makenna was always the most eager to do so.
Riley walked out of the living room and through the tunnels until she came to the spacious and modern kitchen.
Savannah looked up and grinned, her hands covered in dough. “Riley, look, we’re making cookies!”
“Cool, I want to help.” Riley spent the rest of the day with them, baking cookies, drawing pictures, and going for a run near the river.
Later that evening she guided them into their small bedroom, smiling as she breathed in the scents of baby powder, fresh linen, and crayons. What had once been a plain guest room was now a charming children’s room. Colorful posters of cartoon figures were tacked to the walls, books were stacked on the niche in the cave wall, and paper, crayons, and coloring books were scattered on a small desk.
As per their usual routine, she helped them change into their pajamas and then switched on the closet light and left the door ajar. Savannah grabbed a stuffed wolf from the overflowing toy box and Dexter chose a small red car before they crawled into their narrow beds.
Riley pulled the soft comforters over them and then knelt on the rug between the beds. “On Friday I need to leave here for a few days.” It would be best to tell them now before they heard it from someone else. It would be the first time she’d been away from them since first meeting them at the shelter, and she suspected it would be hard for all of them.
Savannah clutched the stuffed wolf tight to her. “Leave?”
“Only for the weekend. That’s not long.”
“Why?” asked Dexter, voice low and wary.
“I’m going to see my uncles,” said Riley. “They’re having a party and I’d like to be there.”
“I like parties,” declared Savannah. “Can I come?”
Riley gave her a rueful smile. “Not this time, baby.”
Savannah pouted. “You won’t go alone, will you? Taryn says we shouldn’t go places alone.”
“Tao’s coming with me.”
Savannah’s cute little face scrunched up. “But he’s mean to you.”
“And I’m mean to him.”
Savannah chuckled. “Me too.”
“You’ll be back?” asked Dexter, fiddling with his car.
Riley nodded and said firmly, “I’ll be back.”
The cub held her eyes. “You promise?”
Her chest ached at his plea. “I promise,” she vowed. And that right there answered the question of just how hard it would be for them and for Riley if she left the Phoenix Pack for good. It would be agonizing.
She’d loved the kids since the moment Dexter offered her a stale cookie while Savannah touched her hair, seeming mesmerized by the color. People tended to be wary of ravens, but they hadn’t shown any such wariness. Only curiosity and a loneliness she could relate to. She’d bonded with them in a way she hadn’t with anyone other than her uncles.
Leaving them to sleep, Riley gently closed their bedroom door and headed to her own room. God, she was tired. Dog tired. But for her there was a super-big difference between tired and sleepy. She could be absolutely exhausted and in serious need of rest, but that didn’t mean she’d feel sleepy. Often she lay there for hours, staring at the ceiling and praying that sleep would take her, but she’d be wide awake.
She’d had idiopathic insomnia since childhood, so she was kind of used to it. That didn’t make it any less of a pain in her ass. Since she felt far from sleepy now, she didn’t bother hopping into bed. Instead she stripped naked and went out onto the balcony. Opening her arms wide, she shifted. Bones cracked and popped while her body shrank and her raven surfaced.
The avian shook, settling into her feathers. Then she opened her wings wide and flew.