Page 22 of Hunted By the Wolves
Dorian moved to the window after Rafe disappeared into the other wing, scanning the city by habit.His reflection stared back—eyes darker, wolf close.
Christian Bidois was still out there.
And somewhere beyond him, something bigger was paying attention.
Dorian welcomed the hunt.
Chapter Five
Morning came quietlyto the ninth floor.
Not with alarms or urgency, but with scent.
Butter browning.Citrus zest.Coffee blooming rich and dark through the open space.
Rafe paused just inside the living area, momentarily thrown by it.
Riley stood barefoot in their kitchen, hair pulled back messily, dressed in jeans and a long sleeved t-shirt with the sleeves pushed to her elbows as she moved between the counter and the stove with calm, practiced confidence.The long table had already been set—real plates, cloth napkins, cutlery placed with care.Not survival food.Not convenience.Intention.
She glanced up when she sensed him there and smiled, a little sheepish.“I hope you don’t mind.I ...kind of went all out.”
Dorian appeared at Rafe’s shoulder, equally silent, equally still.
“I noticed,” Rafe said, voice low, amused despite himself.
“I always loved cooking,” Riley said, flipping something delicate in a pan without looking at it.“My mom taught me young.Said it was a way to make a place yours, even if you didn’t stay long.”She hesitated, then added, lighter, “Turns out I like staying long enough to finish a recipe.”
The words landed softly.Domestic.Intimate in a way that had nothing to do with touch.
Rafe moved closer, leaning against the counter opposite her.He watched her hands—confident, precise, efficient.No wasted motion.He recognized that kind of competence.
Dorian poured coffee, slid a mug toward her without comment.She accepted it like she’d always belonged there.
“Why did you become a medic?”Rafe asked.
She considered, then shrugged, one shoulder lifting as her gaze drifted briefly to the window.“I wanted to be useful where it counted.No politics.No spin.I didn’t want to argue about budgets or optics while someone was bleeding out in front of me.”Her mouth curved, not quite a smile.“All I knew was that when someone’s hurt, you help them.Or at least you try, and you live with the outcome either way.”
