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“I see my reputation precedes me,” the Raeth replied. Extending a hand, the two men shook. “Remmus, at your service.”
“Oh, to the contrary,” Dominick jeered. “You’re in her service now.”
Ava let her fist sail into the alpha’s shoulder. “You’re not helping.”
“Can’t have our esteemed Lady Legend mate with just anyone,” the dark-haired male replied. “Did you know, Remmus, that your mate here was part of the original pack? Aidan’s right-hand woman for centuries before she galloped off into the sunset for other packs?”
“I haven’t heard nearly enough to whet my appetite on that front, so please, fire away. I love a juicy story.”
“She’s one of the reasons our breed survived those early years. What with Seth, Sagan, and Aidan all desperate for territory and letting their wolves run the show, she was the one peacemaker they all trusted.” Dominick grinned as Ava slapped a hand over her face. “She’s werewolf aristocracy, my friend.”
Remmus gaped. “I had no idea I was in the company of greatness.”
She elbowed him, fighting the blush. “Come on, now. Let’s get this HVAC sorted out. You can tell war stories after we’ve finished.”
“Fine.”
Dominick gestured for them to follow him, leading them into the building. Catching Remmus’ eye as they strode behind him, the Raeth gave her a mocking bow and mouthed, “Legend.”
As they walked, a memory sparked in Ava’s mind. “Hey, Dom? Do the clanless Raeths still own that nightclub downtown?”
“They do, but it’s not downtown anymore. They’ve changed venue a couple of times since the last time you went there. We have a couple of lone wolves and a few Elementals who help out at the new spot, though.”
Whenever Ava visited Dominick, she had visited the immortal nightclub with someone she trusted in tow to keep her grounded if her fear got the better of her. She always held out the hope of finding the trio of clanless Raeths who’d murdered her village there, especially since it seemed to be a gathering point for so many of them.
Now that she had the scent of the clanless Raeth associated with the Citizens, she could try to spot his trail—if he’d ever been there. “I wouldn’t mind a lift to check out the new place after we’re done here.”
Dominick showed them to the HVAC, but watched intently as Remmus got to work. “What exactly are you doing? Aidan said something to do with code, but he never fully explained.”
“Essentially, I’m uploading a firewall to your system. Drake’s HVACs weren’t protected, mainly because we didn’t have any idea that was their play. Newer units like yours are connected to your network, but don’t typically have—or need—firewall protection.”
Characters flashed on the display as Remmus continued his process. “What I’m doing is adding both intrusion detection and scanning the existing code to make sure it’s not compromised.”
Remmus flinched, and the machine beeped.
Confusion and consternation inched through their mating bond. While Ava frowned at the Raeth kneeling before the machine, Dominick didn’t notice.
“Well, the help’s appreciated.” He stood and walked to the door. “Let me know when you’re finished, and I can drive you to the nightclub.”
Ava waved him off, then refocused on her mate. In the time she’d looked away, a bead of sweat had appeared on his brow.
“Remmus?”
“Just a headache.” His voice was tight. “Struggling a bit with this one.”
She inched toward him. “Anything I can do?”
He winked at her. “Not unless you magically develop technopathic skills in the next few minutes. Unfortunately, this might take a bit. Go on, challenge Dominick to a wolf race. Seems like he’s got some hero worship.”
“That he does.” She pressed a kiss into his cheek, then straightened. “I’ll be back shortly.”
Dominick was overjoyed when she asked for a run and they quickly put paws to the grass. As exhilarating as it was to challenge the alpha to a speed contest, the entire time she was beside him, her mind was on Remmus.
The male wolf had taken her on the long circuit and happily showed her parts of his territory she hadn’t seen before. By the time they returned, it was nearing dark. She shifted back to her human form, bounding up the stairs with Dominick.
Remmus was already waiting inside. The Raeth was chatting with several pack members, looking delighted by the company. The moment he noticed her, he grinned, but directed his statement to the alpha beside her.
“All set, boss.”
