“Is that so? You don’t even know her and you’ve judged her. She can’t help who her brother is but damn it if she didn’t risk her life to get us the information she did. She saw someone hurting in her ER and she gave up her entire life to help. That says more than any background check you could have.” Cade had wanted to pop his brother in the nose more than a few times in his life but never more than that moment.

“You’re bringing her home to live in the same house as my wife and child. I won’t apologize for checking her out. The Pack is my responsibility too. I had to be sure you weren’t thinking with your dick.”

Megan hit the brakes a bit hard then and Cade saw the flash in her eyes in the rearview.

“Fuck. You. If you don’t like it, move your ass out. I won’t have my wife, my mate, treated with anything less than the respect she’s due. She’s your Alpha, Lex.”

“I know.”

“What?”

“She’s on the level. She’s my Alpha and she’s due my respect.”

Cade turned and glared at his brother. “You got me in trouble with her over this?”

“HA!” Megan exploded from the front seat. “You got yourself in trouble asking about Nina right after Lex snubbed her. She might be little but the both of you better wear a cup for a while.”

“I didn’t snub her. I just wanted to get a feel for what she was like. She’s strong. A tiny little thing for Christ’s sake, but tough. I suppose you don’t deal with the hell of an ER for years without being hard. She just sounds so soft and gentle.” Lex chuckled. “She and Nina are going to clash.”

“I know. But Lex, my responsibility is Grace. So Nina has to deal. Her week is nearly up. I can’t keep Grace from living fully in her own house.”

“Her week is up tomorrow and she’s already chomping at the bit to get up and move around. The doctor was over this morning and everything seems fine with the baby. I suggest we back off and let the two of them find their way through this. Nina loves you and she only wants the best for you and the Pack. Pellini had her brother killed.”

“Warren Pellini did. Grace had nothing to do with that. And Nina has a f**king criminal record, I didn’t flip out about that. What has Grace done except have the bad luck of who she was born with?”

The cars began to pull up the long drive to the house. Two more checkpoints had been added since the declaration of war so it took longer than normal and by the time Megan got the car pulled into the garage, Grace was already on her way inside with her bags being carried by one of the other wolves.

“I’ve decided to assign Evan to you, Cade and Dave will work with Grace. It’ll be best that way. He knows her and likes her. She’ll be more comfortable I think. Someone needs to think of her comfort,” Megan snapped before she got out and scanned the area while Lex and Cade went into the house, following the noise.

The nerve of the man. Grace sat as far away from Cade as she possibly could, right between his mother and grandmother. She wasn’t going to run in and check on Nina, that was for sure.

Lex disappeared and Grace could tell Cade wanted to follow but instead approached her. She turned to listen to his grandmother but Cade just knelt at her feet and took her hands in his.

“Honey, would you like a tour of our house? See the deck in the moonlight? Let me apologize?”

She withheld an undignified snort but his grandmother laughed. “Very nicely done, Cade. Your grandfather would have been proud. Saw him on his knees like that to me more than once. I suggest jewelry to go with it next time. And there will be a next time, Grace. That’s who the Warden men are.”

Beth put her arm around Grace and squeezed. “Things won’t be easy for a bit. I know people will judge you for your name. But your name is Warden now and they’ll have me to contend with. Go on, forgive him and then go meet Nina. She’s having a bit of a sulk I imagine. I’ll go in when you two go on the tour. I’m sure you’ve heard this but I’ll say it too, Nina is a good person. She’s protective and she loves this Pack. She’s had Cade to herself for a long time and she won’t want to share at first but she’ll realize she has to. Because Cade is yours as surely as Lex is hers. Now that you’ve got an anchor perhaps you might understand that a bit more. I don’t make excuses for rudeness, believe me some people named Lex and Nina are going to hear from me on that score. But I do believe in second chances and I hope you do too.” She kissed Grace’s temple and waited for Grace to look at Cade, sigh and hold out her hand to let him help her up.

Grace did understand a bit. She felt a connection to Jack, even with the distance. He felt hers in some sense and if they all lived under one roof it would have been more difficult. But still, Cade was hers, even if he was being an ass.

He tucked her hand in the crook of his arm and led her through to the kitchen. A woman’s touch was evident in the large space. Not a decorating choice she’d have made, but it wasn’t bad.

“The kitchen.” He opened French doors and they went out onto a huge deck that wrapped around the entire back of the house.

She moved to the railing and looked out over the trees and the city beyond in the distance.

“Beautiful isn’t it? This is all Cascadia land. Safe to run on at any time. We’ve stepped up security of course but just let Dave know and feel free. I’d like to run with you but if I’m not around.” He shrugged. “I’m sorry. I really am. I didn’t mean to make you feel bad. I ripped Lex a new one in the car on the way back. He realizes he misjudged you and I expect he’ll say the same to you himself. I love you, Grace. I want you to be happy.”