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“It doesn’t matter. Riaz is her alpha; Renata is an omega. You, on the other hand, match him in a way that transcends dominance levels. A woman he could be proud to—”
“Gwennie!” Riaz called from the back. “Where do you want the last crate? Your pantry is full.”
“It’s for you,” she laughed. “You think I’d order the gourmet peanut butter and not get a case for you?”
Satisfied laughter preceded Riaz’s re-entry into the room. “You’re too good to me, sweet. I’ll send Arno to grab it tomorrow.” With a kiss to the old woman’s cheek, Riaz turned his attention to Cortana. “Ready to go, or did you want to finish your cone?”
Chapter Sixteen
Cortana’s blush nearly did him in. The slight pinking on her cheeks before she dropped her gaze in shyness had his wolf howling. Saving her the embarrassment of throwing it away, Riaz grabbed what was left of the cone from in front of her and made quick work of it.
“Problem solved, Draculette.”
The genuine smile that spread her lips wasn’t aimed at him, though, it was aimed at his elderly packmate. “Thank you, Gwennie. The flavor, by all accounts, was lovely.”
“I bet it was. Now off you pop, you two. I’ve gotta close up before Claude calls and wonders where I am.”
“You need any help?”
Riaz was happy to stick around to assist. Taking the hand he offered, Gwennie rose and patted him lovingly on the shoulder.
“No, alpha, I’ve taken up too much of your time already. And with organizing, no less. Your tail might fall off if I ask any more of you. Go on, now, before the Pupcups melt off.”
With a kiss to her cheek, they were on their way. Two minutes later, Cortana had nestled in behind him on the bike, her toned arms hugging his waist. The bike roared to life, taking them back toward pack lands and into the night.
“Gwennie is pack?”
“She was born seventy some odd years ago to two members of my pack,” he confirmed. “But she chose to remain mortal instead of becoming wolf.”
“That must have been difficult.”
“It is.” Admitting it wasn’t nearly as difficult as living it. “But it’s also a blessing. Gwen has lived a full life, enjoying the merits of mortality and savoring life in the way most wolves could never comprehend. Her children and grandchildren walk the earth in far bigger numbers than anything we’d ever see in our immortal lifetimes, and she’d enjoying the simple comfort of aging alongside a man who is her equal in every way.”
Cortana was silent for a beat before responding. “You sound envious.”
“Do I?” He frowned thoughtfully, his focus turning inward. “Perhaps I am. Once changed, you and I both know there is no road back to mortality.”
They fell silent as he drove out of Estes Park and into the mountains just outside city limits. Winding through the snake-like roads, Riaz pondered what she’d said.
Was he envious of mortality?
Unlike Gwennie and his packmates, he’d never been given a choice. Immortality had been thrust upon him without his consent or understanding. Neither the change itself nor the aftermath had been pretty.
He’d struggled with the loss of his human life and the sudden influx of another entity within him. His wolf had urges and desires that often mirrored his but were far more instinctual. Occasionally, they had clashed.
It was one of the reasons he led his pack with a more instinctive leadership style. By taking into account the wilder sides of their nature, they could harmonize instead of humanize. Wolves didn’t want a bulleted list of reasons not to go rogue; they required strong, supportive leadership that’d address their needs when they arose. Pack life wasn’t just about the whole—it was about the individual, too.
Despite killing the rogue earlier today, his wolf hadn’t been fully satisfied. It’d been too long since he’d truly let the creature run without reining him in to keep pace with a partner. Few could match his speed, and though Aidan was one of them, Riaz’s alpha was seldom available these days for a sprint through the woods.
The true reason was that his wolf was intent on one thing and one thing alone: his mate. He growled in frustration.
Cortana would not readily accept him as her mate; she’d made that perfectly clear. Despite his wolf’s yearning to take her as a mate, Riaz didn’t want to risk her outright rejection. Knowing she had no desire to be beside him would slowly drive him into darkness. He’d dreamed of it, trusting someone to love him so much that he could lay himself raw at her feet, all his secrets exposed, and still find acceptance from them. Riaz would never take the chance of losing that dream forever.
“You’re quiet.” Cortana’s words startled him back to the present. “Are you thinking about your family? Before you become a werewolf?”
“My family?”
“Gwennie mentioned something about your family. Did something happen to them?” Her voice was soft, cautious even, but it didn’t stop his heart from falling out of his chest. “Or did they hurt you?”
