He looked at his watch and she stiffened. She didn’t want dinner out to be yet another thing he had to shove into his schedule. He was under enough pressure.

“Another time. I’m tired actually.”

“Honey, how can I make you happy?”

She smiled and hoped it reached her eyes. “I am. I said that already a few times. Let’s just go home and I’ll get dinner there.”

He looked as if he struggled for words and then simply put an arm around her shoulders, sitting back next to her.

Once back at the house, she wasn’t surprised to stumble upon over a dozen people in their living room. While Gabe, Tracy and Nick had left for Portland earlier in the afternoon, it seemed the rest of her extended family was visiting.

Jack sprawled on a club chair and grinned as they came into the room. “Hey there, shortstuff and her mate.”

“Hello, Jack.” Cade pulled her closer and she resisted the urge to roll her eyes.

“Hey, handsome. I figured you’d gone back to Boston, this is a pleasant surprise.” She grinned. She did like the look of him there all ridiculously handsome and dangerous at the same time. “How long can we hog you for?” She moved to him and kissed his cheek.

“I need to get back tomorrow first thing. I wanted to help Lex with a little problem we discussed earlier. It’s taken care of now so I need to get home to relay some information to Templeton.” His blue eyes flashed. They must have found something wrong with the company that sent out pilots for the plane.

“Ah. Okay. Why don’t you and Lex join me in my office for a few minutes.” Cade turned to her. “I’ll be with you in an hour or so. Be sure to eat, Grace.” He cocked his head and she rolled her eyes for real.

“Go on. I’ll see you in a bit.”

“I was thinking about making dinner. Shall we toss something together?” Megan stood from where she’d been surreptitiously staring at Jack.

“Good idea.”

They started preparation, Grace tossing some chicken and steak onto the indoor grill while Megan and Nina worked on side dishes.

“He’s very handsome. But Boston is a very long way away.” Grace looked at Megan as she sliced onions.

“He’s smoking hot, that’s what he is. Good God. I have to ask, naked?”

Surprised, Grace laughed. “Well, um, I didn’t see all of him. Just certain parts. Those parts were more than adequate. He says he doesn’t have a girlfriend right now.”

“I’d nail him. If I was single and not knocked up and stuff.” Nina shrugged with a grin.

“He’s only got eyes for Grace right now.” Grace looked up, alarmed, but Megan shook her head. “No, don’t worry. It’s natural. You just did the tri-bond with him a few weeks ago. In a while it’ll ease up for him maybe. And if I’m still horny and hot and we’re in the same state at the same time, I’ll jump him then.”

“But you’d rather find your mate?” Grace turned the meat.

“Sure. I’m getting older, I want that connection you all have. At this point, dating seems pointless.”

Later, after dinner, after Grace had said her good nights and retired to the solitude of their bedroom, she thought about what Megan had said. A biological gift in many ways, the older a werewolf got, the harder it was to live without a mate. She’d been so consumed by her job and then dealing with Warren she hadn’t really had a romantic life. For wolves like Dave and Megan fully immersed in Pack life surrounded by mated couples, it had to be much more difficult.

She read in bed for a while, not wanting to sleep until Cade finished up. His hour had long since passed but she understood all this stuff was complicated and took time. Still, she realized how much of her life he’d filled up when she missed his presence so acutely.

Cade quietly entered the room and saw her sleeping, a book open on her lap. His hour had turned into four as they’d discussed the traitor who’d sold information about their whereabouts to Warren Pellini. That information had nearly killed his wife and sister.

Lex and Jack had gotten their information and the man was no longer a threat. He was no longer anything. The pilot checked out, lucky for him, but they’d no longer use a service and Lex would do all the piloting for Cascadia higher-ranked wolves until the war was over. Jack would go back on a plane Templeton was sending out and the other Packs had been notified of this issue and were instituting their own safety measures.

She’d been upset earlier. He knew the smile she’d given him wasn’t real but he had too much on his mind and he knew she understood that too.

Standing there, looking at her in his very large and formerly empty bed, she put things in perspective. His impatience at this war was more personal. Warren Pellini’s bullshit stopped him from being able to have alone time with his woman. She spent her days in the lab and he in one meeting after another, one call after the other.

With a quiet sigh, he turned off the lights and headed to the bathroom to take a shower before joining her in bed.

But she apparently had other ideas when she stepped into the enclosure with him about five minutes later.

“Look, I’ve got the big bad Alpha all alone and helpless,” she murmured before kissing his chest just over his heart.

“Should I fear for my virtue?”

She laughed and took the soap from his hands. “Let me get your back.”

Dutifully, he turned and closed his eyes as she touched him. He choked on a gasp when her hands moved around to his belly and then she grabbed his cock.