“Sure,” Riley replied. “I’m guessing Tao told you.”
“He was about to, but Greta had already admitted what she’d said by then. I’m mad at her, but I’m mad at me too for not considering that she’d do that.”
“I can imagine how pissed you must be at us all for not mentioning it,” said Jaime. “Rightfully pissed. But please don’t be upset with Makenna—she didn’t even know.”
Roni gestured to herself and Jaime. “We weren’t part of the pack when all that stuff happened, but we knew a little about it. We should have told you.”
“Yes, we should have,” Taryn agreed. “I didn’t say anything because it sounds like a big deal, doesn’t it? It sounds like there must have been some great unrequited love, but it was never like that. Ask any of the guys or even Grace, Lydia, and Hope—they’ll all tell you the same thing. Tao doesn’t and has never loved me the way a guy loves his mate. I wanted you to see that for yourself before I told you about the imprinting thing. I should have known Greta would get there first, the bitch. She actually seems a little ashamed of herself.”
Makenna tipped her chin toward the lake. “She’s over there, sulking.”
Riley almost laughed. “Sulking?”
Taryn nodded. “Tao won’t talk to her. She’s devastated.”
“He won’t talk to her?” Riley echoed.
“Not since ripping her a new asshole a few minutes ago,” said Roni. “She hurt you. That’s not acceptable to him. It’s not acceptable to any of us.”
Jaime joined her hands, as if in prayer. “So, can you forgive us all for being too busy at matchmaking to not consider that some old dragon would use the past to dig her venomous claws into you?”
Honestly, Riley had already forgiven them. She could see why they’d kept it from her, and she had to admit that she might have done the same thing in their shoes. All that really mattered to her was that Greta was wrong, that it was Riley Tao wanted, no one else. Still, she pretended to consider it. “I guess so.” Smiling at their relieved expressions, she stood. “I don’t suppose you’d all mind watching over the kids for a minute, would you? I need to let my raven out.”
Standing at the mouth of the cave, Tao watched Riley and the other females talk. He wasn’t checking on her because he’d suspected she’d snub them or refuse to accept their apologies—he knew Riley was a better person than that. But he’d just wanted to watch her face as Taryn spoke with her, wanted to be sure she fully believed what she heard. It was important to Tao that she didn’t have any doubts about him or whom he wanted.
Trick sidled up to him, his gaze on the females. “Looks like blood won’t be shed.”
“I already explained everything to Riley,” Tao told him. “She knows I don’t want Taryn and that no one meant to hurt her.”
“I hope you’re not planning to ask Riley to imprint.”
Tao scowled, muscles bunching tight. “Why?”
“Because you’ll later find it embarrassing when you realize she’s actually your true mate.”
Tao exhaled heavily. “Trick—”
“Riley is your true mate, Tao. Do us all a favor and just accept it.” Exasperated, Trick shook his head. “I’ve no idea how you can’t see it.”
“Judging by the number of couples I’ve seen mate over the years, recognizing your true mate isn’t as simple as you seem to think it is.”
“It can be. People let their personal shit get in the way. Marcus had the same trouble with Roni. I told him to just listen to his wolf, but he insisted on dwelling on what the Seer told him. Both he and Roni would have sensed the mating bond straightaway if they’d listened to their wolves.”
“My wolf didn’t like Riley at first.”
That took Trick by surprise. “Seriously?”
“Seriously. My wolf likes people to respect him. She isn’t impressed by authority and finds joy in testing my patience. He didn’t like that at all. He’s crazy about her now, but it took him a while to really warm up to her. So if we’re going by your theory that all we have to do is listen to our animals, Riley’s not my true mate at all, or my wolf would have adored her from minute one.”
Trick was quiet for a minute. “It doesn’t make sense that he didn’t like her in the beginning. I’m positive that female is your true mate.”
“Do you think you’ll so easily recognize your own true mate when he or she comes along?” Tao asked him. Trick was openly bisexual.
“I’ll know,” he stated, confident. “My wolf will know.”
“Have you seen what she’s done to me!”
The shriek had them both turning. And gawking.
“Oh good God,” muttered Trick, shoulders shaking.
Marching up the cliff steps, Greta planted herself in front of Tao, bird shit dripping off her head and shoulder. “Look what she did to me!”
“Technically it wasn’t Riley,” said Trick. “It was her raven.”
Ignoring that, Greta glowered at Tao. “You want to be with her? You want to be with someone who would do this and find it acceptable?”
A smile curved Tao’s mouth. “Yeah, I do.”
“Hopeless,” she clipped, stalking away. “Hopeless, the lot of you.”
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
Two weeks later Tao and Riley were snuggled together on the plush sofa of the playroom, drinking coffee and eating a cookie she’d grabbed from the snack cart. The room was cute and spacious, with stuffed animals, books, and all kinds of toys. Forest-themed murals decorated the walls. Paper butterflies and birds dangled from the ceiling, which also featured glowing stars and planets.
The playroom was especially good for when the weather was bad. Earlier, Riley and Tao had spent an hour in their animal forms chasing and herding the kids around the woods. The children had been extremely disappointed when it started to rain and they had to be brought inside, but having the playroom to go to softened the blow.
Most of Tao’s attention was on the basketball game that was playing on the wall-mounted TV opposite the sofa, but Riley preferred watching the kids play. At that moment Savannah was trying to stop Kye from undressing a doll, while Lilah was having a one-sided conversation with Dexter, who was flicking through one of the plastic toy boxes.