Guilt twisted through me. She didn’t understand why I’d suddenly left her. Why it was necessary. To her, it didn’t matter. All that mattered was that the most stable person in her life had left and hadn’t come back for a few days.
I closed my eyes, resting my cheek on top of her little, downy head. She smelled good. Like summer breezes and baby powder. It was probably the laundry detergent they were using for her clothes, or maybe her baby wash.
I turned to the suddenly quiet room to find Mathan, Riggs, Taco, Drew, and Alistair all watching my reunion with my niece.
“Thank you,” I told them. “Thank you for protecting her and looking after her. I’m sorry I left so suddenly. I was afraid I wouldn’t be able to if I didn’t just go, and I knew you all would look after her well.” I shifted my gaze to Riggs, who was staring back at me with a guarded expression. “Especially you. Thank you.”
Taking a deep breath, I let my shoulders relax and felt the ball of fear in my stomach release.
Finn and Orion came in, one on each side, helping Matteo.
I went to hand Alanna to Riggs to help as well, but he handled it instead, stepping in to assist his First to a couch.
Finn put his hands on his hips, taking a look around. “You guys okay here? Any other intruders on your property?”
Riggs shook his head. “Not since the last time we reported to you.”
Finn nodded. “Mind if Orion and I take a look? Sometimes lion and wolf shifters can scent something bears can’t.” He said it with a smirking smile that Riggs didn’t rise to, but I couldn’t help but laugh at. The competition between the shifters was alive and well. It was unusual for an alpha lion shifter to agree to investigate something with another alpha, though—especially a wolf shifter. Cats and dogs, after all.
“By all means. Mathan, go with them.”
“Yes, Alpha.”
The three of them left as I sat gingerly on the seat next to Matteo. I gave Alanna a toy to keep her occupied. She took it, but I could tell she was humoring me. She kept one eye on me at all times, as though afraid I was going to disappear on her again.
“Alpha, I’ve returned your mate to you, safe and sound,” Matteo said, his voice rough and weak.
Riggs’ eyebrow raised. “I’m grateful. If only you could have brought yourself back in the same condition.”
Matteo closed his eyes and shrugged, smiling faintly. “Apparently, I sleep like the dead.”
“Not funny,” I muttered. Too soon. Much too soon. I’d really thought he wouldn’t make it. He still looked like he might not.
“Knock, knock,” a female voice said, pushing open the door, which had still been open a crack. “I’m here for Matteo.”
Matteo smirked, still with his eyes closed. “Don’t let Rhys hear you say that. That elf terrifies me.”
Taco snorted, nodding. “Have you seen his night powers? I almost peed my pants the first time I saw him bring those bad boys out.”
Dice chuckled. “Can you believe he shaves using his powers?” She shook her head, bringing a small bag with her, then setting it down between Matteo and me on the couch. “You don’t look so hot,” she told Matteo.
“Rude,” he said, deadpan, and she laughed, turning to me and holding out her hand.
“I haven’t had a chance to meet you yet. My name is Dice.”
I freed up an arm to shake her hand. “Piper.”
Her eyes lit up. “Woman of few words. I like that.” She turned back to Matteo. “Alright, let’s see what you’ve gotten yourself into.”
Riggs brought her a chair, and she sat, staring at Matteo for a long moment before she leaned back with a sigh. “You’re a mess.”
He smiled wryly. “Thank you.”
She laughed. “The reason you’re not healing is because your cells were damaged. The healer who worked on you did the best he could, but you have cellular damage that your shifter genes are having difficulty repairing. I’m going to have to hit Rhys up for a healing potion—and you know how cocky he gets about them, Matteo. This is very inconvenient for me.” The tone of her voice was teasing, making Matteo smirk.
“He is a powerful elf, Dice,” he said.
She made a shushing gesture, looking around the room as if he could pop up out of nowhere. “Shhh. If you stroke his ego, he shows up suddenly. Keep your voice down.”
