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Riaz cocked his head. “I’m never aggressive.” A snort from Cortana had him grinning. “Despite my mate’s ringing endorsement, yes, I’ve seen a few signs. So how is our glorious alpha king planning to get the rest of the dens upgraded?”
“Aidan volunteered my services as beta extraordinaire. Since he doesn’t want to chance a challenge, he’s having me work as a liaison between the dens and the Raeth instead.”
The subtle flaring of Riaz’s nostrils was the only indication of his displeasure. “And Aidan didn’t want to come to me first?”
“Perhaps because he knew you’d say no.”
Cortana’s lips thinned. “Are you comfortable with it, Ava? Being Remmus’ tour guide?”
“I’ll have to be,” she said. “It’s rare that Aidan asks for anything, and I’m happy to do what I can for the good of the packs.”
The shrewd vampire looked at her mate, and Riaz sighed. “So you’ll be using Remmus as a way to desensitize yourself? As long as you’re okay with it, I am. If you want to stop at any point, you just say the word.”
“I’m certain I’ll have many words,” she replied.
“Shall I summon the Raeth?”
No sense in delaying the inevitable. “If you must.”
Reclining in his chair, Riaz thumbed a text, and ten seconds later a fissure of air signaled Remmus’ arrival. It was a handy skill to have … if he weren’t so obnoxious about it.
The sandy-blond male had teleported directly in front of Ava, wearing a lopsided grin.
Her eyes widened as familiar panic swelled within her. The haunted screams of her past escaped the locked box in her mind. Caught off guard by his sudden entrance directly in front of her, she unintentionally gasped.
Instead of allowing her reactions to run away with her, she made a conscious effort to breathe through the fear reflex and steady her heartbeat. Looking at him in a detached way was the key. If he wasn’t a Raeth, what would she think of the man?
Standing several inches above six feet, Remmus was built like a finely-tuned tank: sinewy muscle banded over long limbs, and his massive shoulders narrowed to a lean waist. He’d rolled up the sleeves of the cashmere sweater that’d stretched over his torso, revealing corded forearms. A tattoo spanned upward from his left wrist and disappeared beneath the soft material. The blue-grey ink depicted a raging river, hemmed in by lush evergreens and boulders. The artistry of it was breathtakingly beautiful. Up close and personal, she noticed something she hadn’t before: he had a dimple in one cheek. Every inch of Remmus screamed danger and sex appeal, even when his casual air and lazy personality defied it.
His fragrance taunted her senses with the sudden intake of breath. Spearmint, fresh and revitalizing, snaked down her throat and into her lungs. What she didn’t expect, however, was the treacherous wave of desire that followed resolutely in its wake.
Being attracted to the fool wasn’t much better than being afraid of him.
Growling, she willfully took a step back, letting her wolf voice her displeasure. Nostrils flaring, she scowled at him when he removed his aviator sunglasses. Glittering a breathtaking seafoam green, the Raeth’s eyes were locked on hers like a taunt.
“We meet again, Blondie.”
The words tickled her ears like a sensual caress. Against her better judgement, her wolf’s growl turned into a whimper at the sound of his deep voice. “My name isn’t Blondie, Raeth.”
“What a coincidence. My name isn’t Raeth!”
“I don’t care what your name is.”
He mimed a dagger to the heart, but his handsome features were alight with humor. “You wound me, Blondie. And in front of the lovebirds, no less.”
Riaz grinned. “Nice to see you, too, Remmus.”
“Always a pleasure, wolfy.” The Raeth sent a saucy wink to Cortana. “Hey, little leech. How’s mated life treating you?”
“Rather well.”
“Glad to hear it, love.” He leaned forward conspiratorially, whispering, “If you need anything, you know I’m just a call away.”
Fortunately, Riaz took the flirtation at face value, and chucked a muffin at Remmus’ head. Though Ava would’ve loved to see blueberries smeared across his face, the infuriating flirt gamely caught it out of the air and stole a bite.
“All in good fun. How long have you two been mated now?”
“Half a year,” Cortana replied. “You’ve been out of touch, Remmus.”
