I couldn't help but admire her as she slept peacefully at the Boswell's house. She was so beautiful, like an angel. Her kindness radiated even in her sleep. I wanted to reach out and take her hand in mine but I didn't want to overstep any boundaries. Not yet, at least.

Two warm, comforting arms wrapped around me as I sunk into my chair. I grabbed one hand and brought it to my lips. The closeness to my mate unlocked the uncontrollable desire that I had been bottling in ever since the gala when we marked her but I couldn't really do anything about it until we were alone. For the time being, I had to settle for enjoying her presence. Then again, I was never the patient kind, so I grabbed her hand and pulled her down towards me.

I caught her off guard, the surprised gasp giving her away as she finally relaxed in my lap. She was usually so cocky that stunning her like this made me smirk. I lifted her chin and sunk my lips into hers. Goddess, how did I ever think that I could resist her? That I could deprive myself of her taste?

My hands explored her back as they roamed underneath her top, needy for contact with her skin. Our tongues battled for dominance and I had to contain myself from moaning when she greedily bit my lip to the point that she nearly drew blood.

She pulled back and smiled at me, placing her hand on my cheek.

"Thank you," I murmured as I took her soothing scent in.

She laughed and, goddess, her laughter was magnificent. I sounded like some lovesick puppy but nearly losing your mate really did wonders for making you appreciate what you almost lost.

"What for?"

"For being there for her," I said as I nodded towards my mother, who was resting in bed. Once again, surprise was written all over my mate's face.

She sat up and tucked a long strang of her hair behind her ear, fixing her gaze on my face like she was trying to figure out some cryptic message. "I haven't even told you anything yet, so how can you be thanking me?"

"Because I know what you are like." My fingers caressed the delicate, silky skin on her face, my fingertips tingling with every movement. "You were ready to do everything you could to protect my sister before you even knew there was a bond between us and I am sure that you tried to be there for my mother too."

"It's hard not- your mother has such charisma. I can finally see where the good parts of you come from," she grinned, teasing me, but she was right. My mother was my only ray of sunshine while I grew up as a Macalister. Darkness settled in my life when she was taken away from me and it was only thanks to those close to me, like Nat and Aiden, that it did not consume me.

I looked at my mother as she lay calmly before us. I finally had her back but the fact that she did not seem to remember her family tore me into pieces. It was not like I was the type to believe in happy endings but I held onto the hope that she might regain some of her memories like I was holding on for my dear life.

"Do you think she will ever remember?"

The vulnerability in my voice surprised even me. It was so rare for me to let anyone in on my emotional turmoils, but this was not just anyone I was baring my heart to. In the relatively short time that we had known each other, my mate had already seen most of my dark, tormented side, and none of it had sent her running yet.

Her fingers tousled my hair when she ran her hand through it. She looked me in the eyes and I could see the pain she felt. "I don't know, Rafe. My parents tried to see if they could unlock her memories but they said that her mind had buried them so deep down that warlock magic cannot help in her case. Her amnesia was her brain's way of protecting her from the trauma of losing her wolf and no one can know for sure if she will ever get her memories back."

That was certainly not the answer that I was hoping for but I had to be at least grateful that she was alive.

"My parents are happy to help her settle in," Riley continued while I sat there, pondering what I could do. "My mum has been thinking about opening a gardening business for a while now and she told me she would need some help with it. Plus, the house next door is being rented."

Goddess, in the time that I had been sitting there, wallowing in my self-pity, my brilliant mate had already been considering how to best support my mother. It felt bitter-sweet to wonder what I had done to deserve a mate like her when I had failed my mother.

"What if we bring her back to Scotland?"

"We can't do that, Rafe- the shock of it all would be too much for her. This is the best option, really. My parents can keep an eye on her and we can visit her as often as you want."

I ran my thumbpad over Riley's hand, appreciating once again the softness of her skin before I brought it to my lips.

"You are amazing, do you know that?"

"Dear God, has hell frozen over? Did I just receive a compliment from the almighty Alpha Rafe Macalister?" Riley exclaimed as she feigned shock and then giggled. "I might have heard it once or twice but you can keep going."

Her laughter filled up the room once again.

"Don't get too cocky, mate, or I might have to do something about it next time that you and I are alone. Then you will see what amazing really means," I growled playfully but the truth was that I could barely contain the burning needed inside me to have Riley again.

Our bond demanded completion of the mating ritual, so it was impossible not to feel lustful whenever we were around each other ever since Aiden and I marked her.

She seemed to feel the same way because her eyes sparkled with mischief. "Ha, I would like to see you try, Macalister. I'm still not convinced that you can handle me."

Before I could reply to her challenge though, a gentle female voice brought us back to reality.

"Riley?"

My mate sprung out of her seat and rushed over to my mother's side as she slowly came to her senses.

"Where am I? What happened?" Her tone was uncertain and she trailed off as she spoke. Her beautiful blue eyes were now full of wariness. She blinked rapidly and glanced around, looking for answers.

"My parents' guest room. There was an accident at the mansion, Michelle," Riley gently squeezed her hand, easing her in before she told her the full story. "The ceiling in the courtyard caved in right where you were standing but, thankfully, you weren't hurt."

My mother's eyes widened. The loud gasp that escaped her lips was quickly covered by the hand that flew to her mouth. "Oh my goodness, is Mr Mark okay?"

Riley had briefly told me that my mother and Markolf had become close over the years, especially as she didn't know the truth about what had happened to her, but the panic written across her face was like a stab to my heart. She was not meant to care for the creature that had torn her away from her family and yet, here we were.

I wanted to speak but Riley subtly raised her hand to stop me, taking the word instead. "He didn't make it, Michelle."

"No! That can't be true!" Her voice suddenly lacked strength and I could see her lips tremble, even as she pressed them together.

The whole scene before me was pure torture. Even from beyond the proverbial grave the cambion was causing my family pain and my hands were tied because telling my mother the truth was not an option if I did not want to risk her well-being, which I evidently didn't.

I couldn't even comfort her because I was just a stranger to her.

"I'm...sorry for your loss, Michelle." Saying those words was one of the hardest things that I had ever done in my life.

My mother snapped her head towards me, only just noticing my presence. She studied me so intensely that I wondered if she was perhaps slowly remembering her life before losing her wolf. Remembering me.

But I should have known better than to have had my hopes up.

"Who is this young man, Riley? I do not think we had met before. Did he know Mr Mark?" She was still distraught over her former boss's fate, but I could also see that she was curious about my identity.

"This is someone very close to my heart, Michelle." Riley looked at me and nodded for me to join them, which I did. My heart was pounding from the sheer proximity to the woman who I thought I lost forever seventeen years earlier. "Rafe is the person who saved you from the crumbling ceiling."

"Oh," my mother exclaimed at the revelation. "I guess I owe you my life, Rafe."

I couldn't bring myself to say anything as I battled with the mixed emotions that I felt. If only she knew how I had let her down...

"Come closer, dear." She stretched her arms out, inviting me to grab her hands and to sit next to her.

The moment we touched, I remembered my whole childhood. The warmth of her embrace. Her love and care. My mother was my world and her touch felt like home, even if someone else had now claimed that spot.

"Now I understand why you were not interested in Mr Mark, Riley- I can certainly feel the connection between you and this young man," she smiled at both of us before the sadness returned to her face. "I just wish I could have helped save Mr Mark."

I tried my best not to growl in order not to scare or anger her in any way, but it was impossible to watch her somehow blame herself for the demise of that psychopath without saying anything.

"With all my respect, Michelle, your boss was..." I paused, carefully considering what I was going to say next, "not a good man."

I expected her to jump to defend him fiercely like I knew she had done tirelessly for countless pack members as Luna of our pack but, instead, she stared straight into my eyes as if she was trying to get to the bottom of my soul.

"I should disagree with you, Rafe, but something in your eyes tells me that you have your reasons to say this. I can't shake off this feeling that I should trust you." I had to control my hands to hide their trembling when she took them with her small, slender hands. "I can sense that you are a good man and you would not lie to me. It almost feels like we've known each other for a long time. I can't explain why. Weird, isn't it?"

The emotions overwhelmed me and I was about to crumble but Riley's hand on my back immediately brought calm to my soul.

"Michelle, mind if I have a word with Rafe outside? I'll be right back," Riley reassured my mother as she ushered me out of the room while I waved my mother goodbye.

I drew in a breath when we stepped into the hallway. It wasn't until we left the room that I realised the emotional toll of everything that had just happened. And here I was, thinking that I was immune to feelings.

Riley's hands wrapped around my neck and she brought her lips up to mine, the featherlight kiss making me hungry for more. The need was not just physical- I need my mate, my other half, to keep myself together.

Yet, I could deny that my hands were itching to grab her butt, lift her up and bring her closer to my hardening cock. Goddess, what was this woman doing to me? Neither place nor time mattered whenever I was with her.

"I see that you are feeling better," she smirked when she eyed the bulge in my jeans. "I was trying to comfort you but I guess there is no need."

I wrapped my hand in her hair and I pulled her in for a rough, desperate kiss. "Thank you...again," I muttered with gratitude when I finally pulled away.

"I really should come up with more reasons to have you thank me because I can get used to this. And more." The little devil winked at me. "In the meantime though, maybe you should head back to Scotland while I stay a bit behind to explain things to your mum and help her settle in. Aiden is already there- he wanted to give you some alone time with your mother but there is nothing more you can do for her at the moment, Rafe. Let me help her."

Although I appreciated what she was doing, the idea of having her away again from Aiden and me was not one that I was keen to embrace and I was sure that Aiden was going to feel the same way.

"Last time we left you, things didn't work out well for any of us," I tried to argue.

"Yes but the threat is gone now, and I think it would be best for everyone if I help your mum and you head back."

"The nutters are never gone, Moreau- who knows which lunatic might decide to try and separate the three of us again."

Riley chuckled at my overprotectiveness, although I could see that she found it endearing. "I think that, by now, not even your exes would be stupid enough to try and meddle with our triad's bond." She kissed me again, her lips setting mine on fire. "I promise that I'll be back later tonight. My dad can teleport you now and he can drop me off in the evening, once I am done. Deal?"

She gave me that innocent look of hers and I couldn't really say No when she looked at me like that, even if I knew that she was anything but innocent.

I tugged her soft hair, forcing her to look up, which gave me perfect access to the spot on her neck where I had marked her.

"Fine," I growled and grazed the mark with my teeth. Her skin erupted in goosebumps of pleasure and I knew I had her full attention now. "But you are coming straight to my packhouse and you better bring everything you need to stay for a few days. Actually, fuck the last part- you won't need clothes for most of your stay, and that's a promise."

The smell of her arousal was so intoxicating that I had to fight the urge to rip her clothes off then and there, and I did not really want to get on Victor's bad side again.

"I'll hold you to that, wolf boy." She ran her hand over my chest and all the way down to my crotch- squeezing it, which made me groan- before she sauntered back into the room.

The evening could not come fast enough.