Chapter 17

(**Irina’s POV**)

I spend the rest of the afternoon with Sebastion in his office. He showed me the smaller office that will be mine, helps me set up my profile on the computer, then he trains me on how he likes things done. There are a few file cabinets in his office nicely hidden within the wall paneling, much like the bathroom is. I learned he also has a small closet where he keeps a few suits, shoes, and jogging clothes.

He claims they are in there for when he makes a mess from coffee or lunch, but from the way Arianna spoke about Gia, I have a feeling there were other reasons. My mind wants to know more about the woman who brought Sebastion to his knees, well according to his sister she did. He seems much stronger than she gives him credit for. Gia wasn’t his mate, and he didn’t control himself. Yet, here I am, his second chance mate, and he has fought his wolf for control countless times.

Last night he held back from marking me as his. The amount of willpower needed to do that while in the throes of passion is staggering. He held back. Why? I think it is because he knows I am not ready for that step. Then there is the fact that once he marks me, our scents will be forever intertwined with each other. Any werewolf that catches our scents will know we are mates.

Eric following me around will smell that and tell Vicktor. Now he will only smell Sebastion and sex all over me. That is what Vicktor wants, me fucking Sebastion at every chance I get. I will gladly play that part of his game, the rest I am done with. I have given my full trust to Sebastion. With the photo Arianna gave him, he now has proof that my story is true. I know that there is still doubt in his mind thanks to his twin. Doubt that I am not sure I can make go away.

If I were in their shoes, I would doubt my story too. There is nothing to guarantee I don’t double cross them. I can see where Arianna is coming from. She thinks I will get Sebastion to trust me by using sex as a weapon, then lure him into Vicktor’s trap. Had they had not caught me yesterday, I might have considered it, even knowing that Sebastion is my mate.

However, the instant his scent hit me, I knew there was no way that I could follow through on my mission. Leaning he has allies that know about The Collectors was the best thing I have heard in years. Seeing those vampires yesterday proved that these people are serious about breaking supernaturals out of the collections they are in. I just hope they know or have an inkling of how widespread the organization truly is.

I only know what I do because of the few times I overheard snippets of his conversations with Issac or one of his colleagues while he was on the phone. He wasn’t aware that I was listening because I always walked into the room on the scheduled meeting times. Never early or later, always right on time. I learned my lesson for both. Vicktor’s temper is vile and often ends in bloodshed.

I look up from my seat in front of Sebastion’s desk to look at him. His eyes look tired, his brown hair is a mess from him raking his fingers through it in frustration, and the top three buttons of his shirt are undone. I would go to him and massage his shoulders, but that ended with us having sex downstairs during lunch. Well, it was what got us both aroused during lunch anyway.

“What has that frown on your face?” I ask him. I place the note pad I was taking notes in on his desk, then stand to grab water from the minibar.

“There have been some problems at our textile factory in Virginia. I may have to travel there to work out the issue with the distributers. There is a labor strike going on with the drivers of one of our major distributors,” Sebastion tells me without looking up from his computer.

I grab the water bottles, place one in front of him, then try to step back. Before I can, he grabs my wrist, then makes my heart beat faster at the gesture he makes. He turns my arm so my wrist is up and my palm is open towards the ceiling. The feather-light kiss he leaves in the center of my palm as he strokes my wrist has me parting my lips on a sigh.

This sweet and romantic side of Sebastion is breath-taking.

He lets my hand go with a shy smile on his face as he looks back to his computer. I go back to my seat to look through the file he slides across the desk. The file is for the distributor in question, so I put in in the tray on the corner of his desk for important documents. He will want it out of the way, but close at hand.

“Will I need to go with you to Virginia?” I ask him after putting the file away.

Sebastion looks up at me surprised, like he hadn’t thought of that yet, “Oh, well in normal circumstances I would have my assistant come with me, yes, but this isn’t a normal situation. I am not even sure how long I would need to be out there for, or how long Vicktor will be out of the country. Would it be dangerous for you to come with me?”

“Vicktor gave me a deadline of two months to get you to where you trust me enough that I can deliver you to his trap. I am surprised those vampires didn’t tell you that,” I tell him with an arch to my brow.

“Ghost told me everything Vicktor said to you. I know about the deadline, but not how long Vicktor will be gone. I could send Arianna to deal with this issue. She can make it a family vacation of sorts, taking Flynn and Callie with her. That will get them off Vicktor’s radar for a few weeks while she deals with the distributor,” He tells me.

“Why does that make you look angry? Will she put up a fight?” I ask him with a frown.

“This part of the business is mine to deal with. We split up all the companies with in Drakos Enterprises between the two of us equally. This mill is my responsibility. Putting it on Arianna makes me feel like I am proving her right by shirking my duties for a woman,” Sebastion tells me, then stands to walk to the wall of windows.

Well, now that pisses me off. Arianna is instilling more and more self-doubt in him with each passing hour. All because of Gia and my sudden appearance.

(**Sebastion’s POV**)

I stand at the window to collect my thoughts. The sidewalk below is full of people walking fast to get where they need to be. Traffic is light for this time of day. The sudden blast of anger from behind me has me turning around to face Irina. I feel dread in the pit of my stomach at the look in her eyes.

I can feel the growing tension between my twin and my mate will be a big problem. I have no idea how to defuse the situation without causing more anger between them. Hell, I am not even sure how I am going to solve the issues between Arianna and myself. I have so much anger in my heart right now for my twin. However, I think I will need to shove that aside and focus on the mistrust she has for Irina.

Until the situation with Vicktor Treadstone comes to an end, I have a feeling the issue will remain hanging over all of our heads, with me in the middle. I can tell already that Irina is just as headstrong and determined as Arianna is. This will be a battle of wills, one that my sister never had with Gia. They kept their distance from each other as much as possible.

“Look, I get where your sister is coming from given what little you have shared with me, but you need to stop letting how she thinks of you affect your decisions. She isn’t in your shoes, hasn’t had your experiences. All she can do is judge you from the outside of something she never lived through. Stop letting her get in your way. Now, before you say anything, let me finish,” Irina tells me as she stands from her seat to walk to me. “I understand that she is your sister, your best friend, you twin. I get that you two have a bond like no other, but that doesn’t mean she gets to treat you how she did today.”

“I have fucked up my life in so many ways, Irina. Arianna has had my back through all of it in every way, or at least I thought she did. I never shirked my responsibility to our company, but I have left some areas of my pack to flounder in my otherwise occupied mind. In my mind I failed them all,” I tell her.

“Did you ever once let any harm come to your pack members? Did any of them ever go hungry, homeless, jobless, or in need of anything at all?” She asks me. Her ice-blue eyes boring into mine like she was demanding something from me.

I frown as her questions go through my mind. I mull over each of them, searching my memories for any situation where there could have been an answer that would show how much I failed them. Each time I came up with nothing. Not once in all the years I have been Alpha of Redwood Pack, did any of my members encounter situations Irina asked me about.

I had provided homes for new and old members alike. Jobs within the pack for every one and jobs outside the territory for those who wanted them. Food was never an issue as the territory had many farms for produce, and as werewolves we hunted our own meat in the surrounding forest, never taking more than we needed.

I helped my father set up so much of what we have now while I was in training to take over his title. It has needed some fine tuning from time to time, but overall, my pack is prosperous. We have had the occasional rogue attacks, but they had ever killed anyone. I work closely with Flint and his scouts to ensure the borders are secure.

Only once have our borders been breached by someone other than rogues. Gia knew how to get in and out without being seen. I have remedied that problem. Irina was caught by one of Flints scouts a few miles from the western border. My pack is safe. After concluding that Irina had a very valid point, I nod my head at her and smile.

“I get what you are saying to me. I let Gia cloud my mind, but I didn’t fail my pack the way Arianna is insinuating. Lust and love are powerful emotions, but I never let either of them come between me and the duties I hold with my pack and my company. Thank you for making me see that, Irina,” I tell her.

“Now if you still feel it would be best to send her to Virginia, do that. Tell her what you told me about putting her and her family out of the current danger for the time being. It isn’t dumping your work on her if you put it that way. If she is so concerned about the pack and her family, she will understand what you are trying to do by sending her to Virginia instead of going yourself.” Irina takes the last step that separates up, brings her hand up to cup my face, “You have enough stress that I have put on you without having to worry about your sister’s safety.”

“Do you think you will be followed home tonight, even though Vicktor is out of the country?” I ask her as I lean my face into her palm. The touch of her soft skin is so soothing to me.

“Probably not, since Vicktor gave me the two-month deadline to get my mission done. Why do you ask?” She looks up at me with a smile tugging the corner of her lips.

“I want you in my bed tonight, but since I know having you in my territory will be dangerous, I will come to you instead. I have some calls to make, then time with Jace at bedtime, but I will come to you after.” Tell her while staring into those amazing eyes of hers.

“I am not sure that is wise, I am pretty sure Vicktor has my apartment bugged with listening devices and cameras,” She tells me quietly.

“Fuck,” I groan as I am disappointed by her words, but she has a point.

“We don’t want him to see us together like that this soon or he will move up the timetable. I want to be with you tonight too, but we will have to settle for spending our time together here where he can’t hear or see us.” Damn her logic.

“Well, then on the chance that he is having you followed tonight, I think you should leave the building first. Let’s not be seen leaving at the same time like yesterday. This game of his is going to drive me crazy, but we will do all that is needed so we will have the time to find Zasha. I will make the call to Rayne on my way home to ask about spells to locate her,” I tell Irina as I pull her close to me, wrapping my arms around her to hold her close.

Irina surprises me by leaning up to me, bringing her lips to mine. I had a feeling she would get angry again at the mention of Rayne, but instead she kisses me fiercely, as if she is erasing any thoughts of the other woman from my mind. It works instantly. My hands grip the back of her shirt as I hold her even tighter to me. My mouth devouring hers in a hungry kiss that sends shivers down my body as I crave more of her.

The mate bond flares between us, hot and bright as we get lost in each other. I know I will do anything to prove my worthiness to this woman. She has claimed my heart and soul in ways that only a mate can. Completely.