“You look like one of those Hollywood starlets from the forties.” Tracy stepped back. “Perfect. You’re ready to go. I’ll tell everyone and we can get started. Are you all right?”

Grace nodded. “I am. I’ve been ready since I walked into that room and laid eyes on Cade the first time.” He’d been so breathtakingly gorgeous, her hormones had done the samba.

She’d nearly jumped out of her skin when she carefully walked toward the stairwell leading to the meadow out back where everyone waited. Jack stood there wearing a tux and grinning.

“I came to walk you to Cade. That okay with you?”

Tears sprang to her eyes. “Oh! Yes, more than okay, it’s wonderful. Thank you. It means so much to me.”

He bent and kissed her, just a brief brush of his lips over hers. “It’s my pleasure, Grace. I love you. Don’t panic, we all three know our place in this little triangle. But it pleases me to make you smile that way. And I wouldn’t miss this day. I have to fly back out again to do some business down south and then in a few more places to check out what our Enforcers are doing with their training. But for the next four hours or so, I’m here for you and Cade.”

She took the arm he held out and they walked together.

Cade stood there, sheltered by an arch marked by intricate carvings. Wolves, she discovered as they got closer. Real wolves stood at attention all around the area, guarding her entrance into Cascadia.

Most of the ceremony went by in a blur. Grace felt as if she were underwater. Cade looked amazing there, a breeze ruffling his hair. He wore no shirt, a ceremonial nod to giving his mate the shelter of his body and his Pack.

She spoke words older than her people’s presence on the continent and at some point she’d been handed a sharp blade. The slice into her flesh, the metallic scent of her blood hitting the earth and the subtle shift in the air as Cade’s joined hers at their feet.

Howls on the breeze.

Her dress sliding from her skin as she stepped from it. Standing naked under the sky until she’d slipped her skin and looked at the world through wolf eyes.

And then they’d run.

Far. Far as the earth beneath her feet welcomed her, as the Pack took her in and she became Cascadia with a surety her wolf recognized and became quieted by.

As wolves, Cade took her, his teeth buried in the fur at her neck.

She reclined in the soft loam of the forest floor and watched the wolves, her wolves run and play, enjoy themselves. It was one of the first truly carefree moments she’d witnessed since she’d arrived in Seattle and it made her heart glad.

Cade stood on the deck, drinking a glass of wine, watching the stars. It’d been the second best day of his life, right after meeting and claiming Grace. She’d looked like a little smidge of heaven as she’d floated across the grass in that pink dress. So feminine and beautiful with flowers in her hair.

She’d loved their rings and had gifted him with such a smile, his heart had stuttered. How he’d gotten so lucky in the midst of all this turmoil he didn’t know but he didn’t plan to question it.

“Cade, I’m sorry to bother you, Templeton is on the phone.” Megan came out onto the deck.

Grace stirred from her chair where she’d been curled up like a kitten, just watching him as he watched the sky. They’d retreated to their room earlier and had made love for hours. His muscles were relaxed, languid as he turned to her.

He gulped down the wine and held his hand out to her and she took it.

They sat in his office, he didn’t want her far so he pulled her into his lap and she’d just made herself comfortable.

“Okay, what’s up?” he asked, stroking an idle fingertip up and down Grace’s arm.

“I’ve got Maxwell on the line as well as Georges from Siskiyou. Are Nick and Gabe there?”

“Yes,” both men answered from across the room.

“Well I’ll get right to it. Warren Pellini was in contact an hour ago. He’s called A Challenge of Council.”

A collective intake of breath left the air in the room electric with tension.

“Is that even legal? He’s shunned. Technically he’s not in any position to use the old laws against anyone,” Gabe said quietly.

“We don’t have to honor it. Not technically. But he’s made the Challenge publicly and has agreed to call his wolves off if he loses. The war would be over,” Templeton said.

“But at what cost? Why even let Warren Pellini cherry pick our laws when it suits him? He’s the one who broke Palaver.” Anger coursed through Cade. And some concern.

“Two humans were murdered today in Los Angeles. It’s most certainly Pellini Group wolves who did it. Ripped apart and left in the foothills east of downtown. The FBI has been in contact through Agent Benoit. This is increasingly difficult to manage. They want it to end or they’ll get involved. Benoit told me higher ups are discussing legislation that would register the entire werewolf population. This isn’t like the old days when we could simply fight pitch battles out in open fields. Humans are everywhere and Warren is involving them to protect himself,” Jack said simply.

“So you’re saying you’re going to do this, Templeton?”

Grace turned and stood, moving behind him and beginning to knead his shoulders.

“I’ve been poisoned,” Templeton said simply.

Cade leaned forward, as did the other wolves in the room. “What? What?”