“Thank you, Jack. Please be safe.” Grace sat up but Cade put his arm around her, over her br**sts and she leaned into him.

“You too, sweetheart. I only hope my mate is half as special as you are.”

And with that, he grabbed his bag, slipped on his shoes and was gone, leaving them there alone.

She was safe and their bond was complete. For a moment Cade let himself be totally satisfied.

“How about a bath? I’ll wash your hair and get to all those hard to reach spots.” He kissed the top of her hair.

“Extra hot?”

“Small price to pay to see you naked and wet, I must say.” Standing, he continued to hold her as he made his way toward the bathroom. He liked how small she felt against him, as sexist as it probably was, he had to admit he dug their size difference. Especially because he knew it didn’t have a darned thing to do with her strength.

Chapter Seven

“It’s going to be just fine,” Dave said as he moved in front of Grace. Dave had become Cade’s full-time guard when Lex had met Nina and Megan was Nina’s guard. Not wanting to complicate matters any further by raising resentment against Grace if he took Megan from Nina, Cade ordered Megan, who was now the head of Lex’s Enforcers, to appoint a guard for Grace immediately upon their return.

Cade didn’t know if it would be just fine or not, but he appreciated his cousin’s sentiment nonetheless. Dave had taken to Grace right away. The two were a lot alike, Dave very rarely said anything unless he had to either. Dave could snap a neck with lightning speed of course, and he topped nearly seven feet tall, making Grace look even tinier, but still.

“What are you snorting about?” Grace asked as he grabbed her hand and kissed it. They were making their way off the plane and toward the satellite room where he could see a whole mess of Wardens gathered.

“Nothing. Have I told you how beautiful you look?”

“Only fourteen times. But fifteen won’t hurt. Look, I’m not going to run away. This won’t be easy of course, but you’re mine and I didn’t make it through med school and get through every day in an emergency room without breaking by being a pushover.”

Her hair was pulled back and a delicate strand of freshwater pearls lay against the pale skin of her neck. Her sweater was cashmere, the slacks a soft wool. She looked elegant and regal. She looked like a queen.

He saw his parents. His mother wore a big smile and pushed away from the group to approach with her hands open to take Grace’s.

“Grace, honey, this is my mother, Beth Warden.”

“I’m so pleased to meet you, Grace. Welcome to our family and to our Pack. We’ve waited a long time for you.”

Well that was easier than he thought. His mother’s support would go a long way toward how any of the other wolves would feel about Grace.

“Welcome to Cascadia. I’m Henri, Cade’s father. Be at home in our family.” He bent and kissed each one of Grace’s cheeks after giving the official words to welcome her to the Pack.

Lex walked forward. “Nina is still in bed. She insisted I come.” He gave Grace a once over and Grace raised one of her eyebrows and gave him one right back, her arms crossed over her chest.

The group remained silent until Layla pushed forward. “Get over it, Lex,” she muttered before looking to Grace. “My goodness, you’re lovely. I’m Layla and we’re so glad to have you. We have better manners than this. I apologize.” She jerked her head toward Lex.

Grace stepped forward and took Layla’s hands. “Thank you.” She looked to his parents. “And thank you. Your welcome means a lot to me. I didn’t have any real family life since the Pellinis were shunned from Great Lakes. I left my family and lived outside the world of wolves.”

“Let’s get out of the open, please.” Dave put a hand at the small of Grace’s back and urged them all forward.

“Yes, let’s go home. Nina will be anxious.”

“How’s she been?” Cade asked his brother quietly. Grace tensed up and pulled away from him and he gritted his teeth a moment.

“Worried.”

At the cars, Grace had positioned herself next to Dave with his father on her other side. “Why don’t you ride with Lex?” she asked blandly before turning back to his father who got the pretty smile he should have received.

Megan smacked his arm and shoved him in the other car. “You’re both total f**king idiots,” she growled as she pulled away, following the other cars back to the house.

“What?”

“You, Lex, I should kick you in the junk for not even welcoming your Alpha to the Pack. Your brother’s mate. Asshole! And you, Cade, what is your problem? You didn’t even introduce her to Lex. No, you asked about Nina.”

She took a corner sharply and he had to hold on.

Lex swore colorfully. “I had her checked out. She’s clean. She’s been working at the public hospital for four years in the emergency room. She graduated at the top of her class. She could be making a hell of a lot more in private practice, by the way. She took a leave of absence seven months ago. No arrest record. Lots of public service. Started a program getting medical services out on the streets to the homeless population.”

“You did a background check on my mate?” Outrage at his brother coursed through Cade.

“I did a background check on my mate too. It’s what I do, Cade. Your judgment is clouded by the mate bond. Mine isn’t.”