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Neither one disrupted the span of silence that followed, searching the other’s eyes for any signs that could point to regret or shame.
Riaz was the first to break the stalemate. “The den is hosting a party tonight. Say you’ll come.”
“A party?” She tugged anxiously on the end of her braid. “What for?”
“One of our pups is turning five.” Pride straightened his spine as he shook his dreadlocks out of his face. “And you know what they say about werewolf parties.”
She frowned. “What?”
“That we have a real howlin’ good time.”
Cortana was impressed the wolf had said it with a straight face, but when her lips twitched, he broke into a full-on grin.
“When?”
He lazily glanced at his watch. “Ten minutes.”
After she’d waved him off to take care of whatever alpha party duties he might have, she quickly went back to her rooms to change. Stripping off her workout attire, she changed into a navy-blue A-line dress—and then proceeded to question her choice several more times. Finally convinced it was acceptable, she escaped her chambers and turned toward the great hall where the sounds of celebration already announced that the werewolves would be letting loose tonight.
Like a magnet, her eyes were drawn to Riaz. Two children, both younger than ten, were hanging off him like monkeys and making about as much noise. One had circled little arms around his neck, the other dangling from the alpha’s outstretched arm. Riaz was beaming, the infectious joy on his face making her lips curl in response.
One by one, he threw each of them high into the air, earning outrageous laughter while he easily caught them. Even after several airborne acrobatics, they continued tugging on his pants with pleas for flight. She leaned up against a wall, admiring the general merriment that they’d clearly put up in less than an hour.
When the music began, a thumping base with barely audible words, she knew the party had started. While she’d been invited, Cortana wasn’t quite comfortable mingling just yet, preferring to remain on the sidelines before she dove into the throng.
It wasn’t meant to be.
Red-haired Gadriel settled onto the wall next to her. “We wolves love a good party, almost as much as we like food.”
“Oh yeah?” Smiling, she gave the redhead a sidelong glance. “And are you a big fan of buffalo burgers, too?”
A flare of interest lightened his features. “Riaz tried to feed you, did he?”
“Tried being the operative word,” she replied. “Vampires don’t eat regular food.”
“Pity. Wolves love to feed—”
He stopped dead, his eyes fixed on something out ahead of them, in the middle of the hall. Following his gaze, she found Riaz staring at Gadriel. Something dark rippled behind his intent, though he gave no outward signs of warning. And just like Gadriel, Cortana had frozen, sensing the danger.
When Riaz’s attention was captured by the birthday boy at his feet, Gadriel visibly shuddered. “Fates, woman, what a spell you’ve cast.”
“Me? What did I do?”
“My poor alpha has fallen prey to your sarcasm and charms.” He clucked his tongue, then offered her his hand. “Come, let us prompt the beast into action.”
Eyes thinning to slits, she regarded the invitation with suspicion. “What do you mean, ‘prompt’?”
“Allow me to show you.”
With a suave move, he swung her onto the dance floor, making her dress spin around her like in a movie scene. Other couples swelled behind them instantly, trapping Cortana on the dance floor with the debonair wolf who’d coiled her in his arms.
“Should I be worried?”
His sparkling sapphire eyes positively glittered with amusement. “You have nothing to fear, Cortana.”
Her eyebrows hit the ceiling, reading between the lines. “And you?”
“Oh, I’m fairly certain I’ll be growing a new pair of arms before the night is over. It’ll be worth it.”
