She nodded. “That and the bite on your neck that you’re showing off like a teenaged boy.”

He laughed and kissed her quick but hard. “Baby, this mark is hot. You’re hot. I’ve never had a bite before. Of course I want to show it off. Now come on, let’s go inside.”

Milton came tearing around the house to greet her, goofy grin and all, and she squealed in delight. “Hi, Milton! Oh, I missed you!” She got to her knees and hugged him. She turned and caught Nick’s look of horror. “Nick, this is Milton. Milton, this is Nick.” She smooched Milton’s nose and went on seriously,

“Nick’s uptight but quite okay once you get to know him. I fear he is freaked out by your lack of a leg.”

Nick smiled despite himself. How could he deny her a thing that clearly made her happy? Even if it was a three-legged dog. He bowed low. “I am pleased to meet you, Milton. Any dog of Tracy’s is welcome in my Pack.”

Milton looked him up and down and nodded, tongue hanging out the side of his mouth. He leaned forward and licked Nick’s hand. Nick tried to pretend that it didn’t touch him and Tracy tried not to fall over dead at the utter cuteness of her two bestest guys.

Nina came around the house with Haley and Chris, Sarah and Ben’s children. “Hi, Stinky! I see your mom is here with your new dad. I’d make him buy me a pony if I were you.”

The kids looked up at Nina, decided she was hilarious and laughed loudly as they spilled over to where Tracy and Nick were standing with Milton.

“Uncle Nick! You didn’t tell us that Tracy had a dog!”

“I’m sorry, guys. A terrible oversight on my part that I will not repeat.”

“Have you been playing with Milton?” Tracy asked Haley.

“Oh yeah, he’s the funnest dog ever. Well, the only dog I’ve ever played with really. And he’s great. He runs and gets the ball and it doesn’t even bug him that he only has three legs and he gets the ball all gooey with his slobber and then Chris tries to gross me out with it but he’s just a lame boy ‘cause that doesn’t gross me out at all.” Haley had to stop to take a breath after that run-on sentence but the smile never left her face.

“Tell you what. When Nick and I move into our new house and Milton comes down to live with us, you can come and play with him any time your mom and dad say it’s okay.”

Nick reached out and squeezed her hand.

“Really? Cool!” The kids jumped around and Milton followed suit, barking.

“He’s safe to leave out here? He won’t hurt the children?” Nick asked as the kids ran into the side yard with Milton.

“He’s a gentle soul. He would kill or die to protect them but he’d never hurt them.”

He kissed her temple. “Thank you for making the kids feel welcome at our home.”

She looked sideways at him, surprised. “You think you’re the only person family is important to? Of course I wanted them to feel welcome. They’re my niece and nephew now too and they seem like great kids.”

Sarah was standing on the porch and Tracy looked up at her. Nina reached out to grab her arm.

“Can I talk to you a second?”

“Sure.” Tracy turned to Nick. “I’ll be up in a minute.”

He caressed her cheek. “All right. I’ll be waiting. I see that Gabe is here too, surrounded by females.”

He laughed and Tracy felt a stab of jealousy.

She and Nina walked down the yard a bit, out of hearing of the wolves on the porch. “What’s up?”

“You tell me. I thought we’d hear from you today but nothing. I know you’ve been f**king like crazy, but what gives? I thought you were my Best Friend Forever?”

Tracy laughed and hugged Nina. “Just like Lucy and Ethel. You are my BFF, goofus. And we have been f**king like crazy. It is so totally like sexual crack! But we had a bit of trouble last night and then the tri-bond. It was so…intense. I didn’t expect it to be so… I didn’t expect to feel so deeply for Gabe. It scared me.”

“Well, I know you’re not blind so you must see that I’m just a bit in love with Cade. Not anywhere near what I feel for Lex, but a part of me yearns for Cade and I’m guessing it always will. Lex knows. Of course, he also knows that Cade and I would never do anything to hurt or betray him. It’ll get easier to process over time, Stinky’s mom. And you want to elaborate on thetroublefrom last night?”

Tracy told her about the overheard phone call and Nina looked back over her shoulder at Sarah, who winced slightly. “That blonde bitch had the nerve to talk shit about you to Nick? Oh uh-uh! You’re coming back home with us right now!”

Tracy took Nina’s arm, which had been gesticulating wildly, and laughed. “Nina, it’s okay. Nick and I talked for a long time about it and worked through it. I believe him when he says he just wanted to share his happiness over the bond with his friend. I don’t like that he called her his best friend, but I’m hoping that over time he’ll think of me that way instead.”

“And what about her?”

Lex came out onto the porch, sensing Nina’s anger, and began to move toward them both.

“Shit. Listen, please let me work this out. Lex will just try and protect me and I need to do this on my own.”

“What is going on?” Lex demanded curtly and over his shoulder, Tracy saw Cade come out onto the porch, followed by Gabe. Nick looked worried.