Chapter 14

(**Sebastion’s POV**)

When I heard Arianna talk to Irina the way she did, something primal inside my head snapped. How dare anyone speak to my mate that way. How dare my sister say such awful things to my fucking mate. This will be addressed right here and now.

“Let’s take this to my office,” I tell her. Then I grip Irina’s hand, pulling her along with me, giving her no choice but to join in the conversation to come.

Once we are all in my office, I walk Irina to my desk and push her down in my chair. The glare she gives me lets me know she doesn’t appreciate being pushed around. I will deal with that later, but for now there are bigger issues to deal with. First, being my sister’s out of character behavior, hateful words, and low opinion of me. The last part can take a back burner to all the rest.

“Sebbie, can we talk alone?” Arianna asks me.

“Sit down,” I tell her, pointing to the sofa, “NOW!” I growl at her when she doesn’t do so right away.

Arianna closed her mouth, then did as I demanded. I hate that there is a need to treat her like this, I will apologize for this later, but right this moment my anger surpasses my need to make her feel better.

“Now, before you say anything more that paints me and my mate in an unpleasant light, I want you to think about what you said to Irina.” I tell her, then I turn to face Irina, “I owe you an apology, one you don’t know you deserve, but one I must give. This morning I allowed my sister’s words to instill doubt in my mind about your true intentions. Arianna expressed to me the same sentiments she said to you. I was angry, but I allowed her words to worm their way into my mind.”

I walk to the wall of windows by my desk, turn so I can see both of their face before I continue with what I have to say. Arianna is still seething with anger, glaring at me and Irina. Irina is looking at me in surprise at my confession. I know I don’t have to tell her any of this, but I want to be fully transparent with her, she deserves that from me.

“I spent the long ride to the bottom floor thinking over everything from yesterday. You showing up here, us being mates, and you being Vicktor’s envoy to bring me down. I doubted your sob story was real, I douted why you decided to flip on your boss, and I reflected on what brought you to Redwood last night.” I looked at Irina as my words sunk in.

Hurt, anger, and rage flashed across her beautiful face. My heart constricted knowing my words of doubt did that to her. My anger flared towards my sister, knowing that it was her words that put those thoughts in my head, or at least fed them and allowed them to grow.

“However, I had a visitor this morning that made all those doubts go away. I felt like a complete asshole for thinking what I did. I had one doubt after he left, but that quickly vanished when I remembered how you interacted with Jace.” I walked to Irina after I said the last part.

“What was the reason for doubting why I told you the truth” She asked me.

Here goes that worst part, “I doubted that you have a child. I questioned her existence.”

Irina recoiled from me like I had slapped her. I deserve that. “Why? Did the vampires not see her with Vicktor last night?” She asked me. Tears spilling down her cheeks.

“That brings me to you,” I say as I spin around to face Arianna.

“Why? What does her made up sob story have to do with me? I am not fooled by her tears,” Arianna fired back at me.

“The vampires followed Irina to meet Vicktor last night. They listened in on their conversation. Know what they found out?” I ask her, walking towards her.

“They confirmed she is telling the truth. Vicktor is using her to take us down. You want to know what she didn’t tell Vicktor?” I questioned further.

“That she is your mate?” Arianna asked, “That would give him more power and leave her with nothing to use against you.”

“Irina didn’t tell him anything. She confirmed she got the job, but gave **NOTHING AWAY**” I scream at her.

“That means nothing, Sebbie. It means she is biding her time until she has something more to give him.” Arianna laughs.

“Ghost confirmed Vicktor said he was taking Zasha with him to France, which for your information, Arianna, is why Irina came to me last night. Neither of us owe you and explanation of our actions, and I will do better to shut you out from now on.” I turn away from her as her face goes pale. I turn back to Irina.

“You said they didn’t see Zasha with Vicktor last night. Did they follow him to the airport this morning? Was she with him then?” Her eyes were hopeful as she asked me those questions.

“Vicktor left you last night, went to his office building from there, then to his penthouse for the rest of the night. Not once did they see a child with him. He left from his penthouse this morning and went straight to the airport, no once stopping to retrieve Zasha. He lied to you Irina, I am sorry,” I tell her.

Her eyes go wide as what I say hits her, then her knees crumple, but I rush to her before she hits the floor. “She is still in the city then,” Irina sobs into my chest. Her entire body shakes with her cries.

“Yes, but where?” I ask her.

“Sebbie,” Arianna’s voice makes me look up to look at her.

“Can we be done with your shit for now? I will deal with it later,” I tell her.

“Seb, my reasons are valid, even if they are not proved true.” She says.

“Please, Ari, enough. Irina isn’t Gia. I know how you see me now, so if it is all the same to you, can you please leave us?” I ask. I turn my attention back to my sobbing mate.

“You will regret this, and our pack will pay the price for it, again.” Arianna yells at me. Then she does as I ask, leaving me alone with Irina.

“Do you really doubt all I said?” Irina asks be after the echo of my office door being slammed fades.

“I did for a moment, but I am sorry that I let her get to me like that.” I try to soothe her by rubbing circles over her back, but she isn’t having it and pushes away from me.

“I know you have every reason to doubt me. Honestly, I don’t blame you at all for that doubt, but I would **NEVER** lie about my child. I have done horrible things for Vicktor, all of which makes me a monster too, but Zasha is innocent in all of this. Believe me, I have put myself at substantial risk trusting you and your sister,” Irina stares at me with so much emotion in her eyes.

I close the distance between us, bringing my hand up to cup her cheek, “I saw the way you looked at Jace this morning. The pain in your eyes when you watched him run to me was real. I want to help get your daughter back. I am so sorry that I doubted your story, even if it was only for a moment. Where in the city would he keep her?”

“I have never known where he keeps her. He always keeps her close when I am on missions. When I am not he only lets me see here once a month in his office. I have no clue where in the city his collection is. I never knew where it was,” She whispers.

“Do you have anything of hers? Like I lock of hair?” I ask.

“In a locket at my apartment, why?” Irina frowns at me.

“Remember the witches I told you about? I can call Rayne back to see if she can send one to help find her.” I tell her.

“I don’t think I like that you are friends with your ex-mate,” Irina says. She stepped away from me, then walked to the panel that hid the bathroom, closing the door behind her as she went inside.

Oh, I guess I should have seen that one coming.

**Idiot** Aries says.

**Shut up** I growl at him.

“Look, I told you that Rayne is just a friend. Yes, she is my ex-mate, but we barely know each other. I never loved her or spent time with her in any way that would be sexual,” I tell her as I walk to lean against the wall next to the bathroom door.

**Except for the dream you pulled her into** Aries reminds me.

Damnit, I forgot about that.

Irina opened the door and just glared at me. Was she jealous of Rayne? Why was she jealous of a woman how was never in my heart that way? How can Irina be jealous of Rayne when she admitted to me she is still in love with her first mate, Gustav? This entire situation has gotten so murky with all these emotions she claims not to be ready for.

“Call your ally, ask if she can help, then we wait. I am going to down to the file room to do some mind numbing work. I will see you at lunch or if you have any other tasks for me you know where I will be.” She walked past me to go do her work.

**Idiot** Aries says again.

**Will you shut up?** I slam the mental barrier closed. I have had enough of his crap today.

(**Irina’s POV**)

I spent the ride down to the file room calming down. The sudden surge of jealousy at the mention of Rayne, Sebastion’s ex-mate, was something that shocked the hell out of me. Fuck, he has done it already. Sebastion has snuck into my heart when I least expected it. I am not ready. Right? I am not ready to have some other male replace Gustav in my heart.

**Sebastion can never replace Gustav, but don’t you think we deserve to give him a chance?** Anya asks me.

**We have only loved one man and his wolf. What if I forget Gustav while I fall into Sebastion?**

**He will always be with us, Rina. Zasha is a piece of him that will live on. Gustav isn’t lost to us completely** She tells me.

**IF we ever get her back. Vicktor keeps her so close all the time. It seems almost impossible to ever be free of that bastard**

**Give Sebastion and his allies a chance, Rina. He is a father who recently had a taste of the main we live through daily. I think he will do everything he can do to help us get her back.** Anya reminds me of what Sebastion told me about Jace’s kidnapping.

I busy myself with straightening the first filing cabinet for the rest of the morning. The mind numbing work accomplishing what I hoped it would. All I saw were serial numbers, dates, and names for hours. It was only when my stomach growled did I realize it was nearing lunchtime. I move out into the main aisle to look at the clock on the wall near the desk.

It is past noon. That made me frown. I thought Sebastion would come down like I told him to this morning. I wondered if he got busy with work or if he wanted to put distance between us after my little freak out about Rayne earlier. I can’t say I blame him much for that. I can’t have it both ways. I can’t keep him at a distance to protect my heart and be jealous of a woman he never loved at the same time.

I am very curious about Rayne now that I think about it. Why had she chosen to not accept the mate bond with Sebastion after he found her again? Why had she chosen another man over her true mate? I know there is much more to the story than Sebastion has told me. That makes me want to know more about her all that much more.

How will I react if I ever meet her? Will I be able to become friends with her like Sebastion has? How was it so easy for him to accept her and her lover as allies now? I am brought from my musing as the elevator dings, making me look over to see who it will be.

When the doors open, Sebastion steps out holding a bag and two cups. He has a nervous expression on his face, making me frown. What could make him nervous? Me? Is he still concerned with my reaction earlier? Well, fuck, that wasn’t what I expected from him. I thought he would brush it off as the overreactions of the emotional mess that is me.

Sebastion walked to the desk to place the bag of food and drinks down. He rolls his shoulders to loosen some tension. Then he turned to face me, his eye look tired. I make up my mind on the spot. I have added so much stress to this man’s life from the moment my scent hit his nose. I may not be ready to love Sebastion, but there are other ways to care about him.

I walk to him, grab his hand, then pull him to the chair near the side of the desk. He looked at me with a surprised look, but sat willingly when I gently pushed him to sit. Once I had him where I wanted him to be, I circled around behind bringing my hands up to his shoulders. I knead, massage, press my fingers into the muscles of his neck and shoulders.

He stiffened when I first started, but gradually relaxed as I continued. The moan that slipped through his lips as I felt his tension easing away made things low in my belly tighten. I wasn’t thinking of sex when I started, but that moan from him makes me think of all we can do down here alone. In the back of my mind, I also know that sex won’t solve our issues.

I would like nothing more right now than to have Sebastion lift my skirt, bend me over the desk, and fuck me until everything but the two of us falls away. Yet, I know my wants may need to take a back burner to the bigger issues at hand. Spending the afternoon having sex with my mate will not make all my troubles disappear.

Oh, but the fun we can have.