“You’re his mate, Megan. You’re enough simply by existing. But more than that, look at yourself. He’s so lucky to have you. You will fight for him and be the best thing that ever happened to him.” Layla sniffled as she said it and Megan had no doubt her sister meant every word. Even if she wasn’t sure she believed it herself.

Shane had been talking to Adam about serving as their anchor when Megan’s anguish swept through their bond and nearly felled him. Urgency made his heart pound. He had to help her.

This bond thing came with a lot of stuff he hadn’t really thought out, wasn’t sure he wanted it but it was too late. He was all bound up in her and she with him. It was good, he liked it even as he resented it. Way down deep he struggled with what he’d been taught and what he felt.

“Shane, are you?” Adam looked concerned.

“I am. This is all new. I don’t quite know how to process it.” He looked around, worried, but she wasn’t anywhere in view. Neither were any of her sisters. Maybe he’d just give her a call to check in.

He pulled out his phone but realized he didn’t even have her number. “I don’t have her number.” He looked back to Adam. “Have you seen Megan?”

“Not since we started talking. Is everything okay with her? Can you feel something through the bond?”

“I’ll call Lay, she probably knows where Megan is.”

Layla’svoice, when she answered, was taut. “This is not a good time.”

“What’s going on? Is Megan with you?”

“He’s calling you?” He heard Megan speak in the background.

“Tell me what’s going on? She sounds upset. Put her on.”

“Believe me, you don’t want that. We’re on our way back right now,” Layla said and hung up.

What the hell?

“Something is up, Megan sounded pissed off in the background but I don’t know why.”

Adam laughed. “Well, let’s hazard a guess, shall we? You called her sister instead of her.

Her sister who you have seen naked and had sex with. This has to be for her.”

“I didn’t know her number. I didn’t even know her before this afternoon! How can I have called her? And I didn’t know when I served asLayla’s anchor I’d be mated to her sister.

I’m barely even a damned werewolf. I didn’t ask for any of this.”

“Well, I’m sorry you got stuck with me. And I’m really sorry you seem to be so horrified by what you are. By what I am.”

He closed his eyes at the sound of Megan’s voice. At the hurt there. He turned around to face her and felt some hurt of his own when he reached toward her and she stepped back.

“I don’t feel like I’m stuck with you. I was just frustrated. I heard you in the background, I knew you were upset. I hated not knowing why.” He was constrained by everyone looking on, damn it.

Adam stepped smoothly into the fray by hugging Megan. When he stepped back he cupped her face in his hands. “Congratulations, honey. I know this is hard and it was totally unexpected but it’s a gift. Don’t forget that, okay? Why don’t we all get to eat?

Calm down. You only heard part of the conversation. The rest was me being honored to be asked to be your anchor. That is, if you’ll have me?”

“I can’t deal with this,” Megan said so quietly Shane had to strain to hear it. The pain in her voice, the confusion was clear though.

Adam put his arms around her and swayed a bit from side to side. “Why don’t the three of us go somewhere? Hmm? Where it’s quiet and we can talk this all through. It’s been a big day and you’re both caught off guard. Come on, honey. You’re upset and there are a lot of people out here.”

Layla watched Shane through wary eyes and he hated it. He hated that he couldn’t just talk this over with her without making everyone else upset.

Megan looked up and he only wanted her, make things right for her, for the two of them.

“What do you say? We can meet up with your family later on. Will you accept Adam as your anchor?” He moved to her, brushing the hair from her forehead and he felt her anguish unknot at the simple gesture. What a strange and comforting thing the bond was.

He knew, had heard, that the bond was intense but words couldn’t do it justice. Part of him wondered how in the world his mother could feel this for his father and yet not love all of him. He wondered if his father resented it.

“Let’s all go to my room. I’ll need to stick close to Nina but I’m sure she can keep her mitts off the door and leave us alone. We can talk there.”

She took the hand he held out and Adam sent him a smile and moved to her other side.

Layla and her sisters kept a watchful eye on them as they moved back inside the hotel.

Chapter Four

She stepped aside and motioned them both into the room. It wasn’t a suite or anything so there wasn’t much space to sit or hang out other than the bed. It seemed oddly intimate but Megan supposed far beyond that if she was going to actually have sex with Adam too.

Not like she had much to complain over, Adam shared theRosario genes and was just as

handsome as Sid and Shane were. And she knew him. Knew him better than she knew Shane, which was comforting and disconcerting all at once.

“Shane, you understand that Adam is part of my extended family right? We’ll see him all the time.” She tossed her things off the bed and patted it. They joined her, Shane making sure his leg touched hers.