She did notice the small, all-female contingent hovering around Gabe and pointedly ignoring her, but she tried not to let it bother her. Gabe was her anchor and hers on a level those skanks could never understand.

Gabe watched her all evening. The light shone off her skin and hair and she seemed to glow with her happiness. She was so beautiful and animated and he wanted to kick Nick’s teeth in for having her.

Tracy Warden should be his, damn it.

“So are you going to be around Portland a lot more now that you’re her anchor?” one of the females who’d quite obviously been rubbing against him all night, asked him.

“Well, probably. I like it here. It’s a nice change of pace and scenery from where I live in Virginia.”

“So please explain her appeal. What is it? She’s gawdawful, like Hot Topic exploded or something.

Who pierces their face? A guy like Nick gets snatched up by her?”

Gabe heard the whispered discussion from behind him and turned slowly.

The other wolf continued, oblivious to Gabe’s presence. “She thinks she’s better because she comes from Cascadia. We’ll see how it feels for her now that she’s down here where every damned female in this room has had her mate.”

“I think you’d best close that nasty mouth of yours,” Gabe said in a low growl and the three wolves who’d been gossiping jumped.

“Uh, oh. What’s it to you anyway?” one of the lesser wolves said, the light of too much alcohol and not enough brains in his eyes.

“Excuse me? Are you not speaking of your new Second in a derogatory fashion and now addressing me in that same disrespectful way?” Discipline at Pacific was sorely lacking, that much was clear.

Ben approached with Nick. “Is there a problem here?”

“We were just talking. We didn’t mean anything by it!”

“What’s going on, Gabe?” Nick asked.

Gabe looked to be sure Tracy wasn’t nearby before he spoke. “Just some of your wolves shooting off about your mate.”

Nick glared at the other wolves, who looked down, not bold enough to challenge their Enforcer.

Tracy, seeing the gathering of males with concerned faces, got up and went over. “What’s going on?”

“Nothing, baby.” Nick put his arm around her but she caught the looks the others were wearing.

“Okay. If you say so.” She knew it was a lie but she didn’t want to cause trouble. She just wanted to make the night a success.

Nick saw that and smiled at her, kissing her temple. “I like it when you’re this easy.”

Tracy laughed. “I’ll show you even more easy later,” she murmured into his ear.

“She isn’t worthy of you, Nick! Why are you all bending over for her?” One of the females who’d been sending Tracy dirty looks all evening stepped forward.

“What? You jealous that I’m getting bent over and not you?” Tracy asked, moving forward and directly into the personal space of the other female.

Shelley, the redhead whose scent had been all over Nick’s sheets, laughed. “She’s got you there, Jo.”

Tracy took the other woman’s measure. There hadn’t seemed to be any animosity and the redhead had been friendly and open toward her so she judged that she wasn’t a threat. Interesting, that.

She cut her eyes back to the incredibly stupid blonde who was challenging her. It was lunacy. Tracy was Second in the Pack and came from a powerful line of wolves. She was clearly far more dominant and capable of tearing Blondie apart. More than that, mates were mates, it wasn’t like jealousy would change the biological connection between her and Nick.

“I saw your little act out there on the porch,” Blondie hissed. “You think you can just waltz in here and take Second?”

Tracy snorted and stepped in closer. She could feel Nick’s tension and no small amount of arousal at her back. “Did you now? You sure are fascinated with me. What’s your problem anyway?”

Ben touched her shoulder and she turned, growling, and he backed off. “Tracy, let’s just calm down.”

Nick pushed between his brother and Tracy, muscles tensed. “Don’t touch her, Ben.”

“She should calm down? What kind of Pack is this, anyway? A far lesser wolf disrespects her and she’s the one who needs to calm down?” Gabe growled, tense from the sight of Ben’s hand on Tracy’s

shoulder and Tracy’s growl of defense. He stood at Nick’s side, ready to defend them both if necessary.

Nick looked at Gabe and then back at Tracy and over to Ben. Everyone was still for a moment as Ben stood there, nose to nose with Nick.

Tracy sighed and turned back to Blondie. “You have a problem with me? Fine. It’s a free country. But don’t think to challenge me. You don’t have the slightest hope of winning. And even if you could, you don’t have a chance in hell with Nick. Sour grapes don’t look good on you.”

She turned and leaned into Nick’s body. “Back off, babe. It’s over now. I don’t want you fighting with your brother,” she murmured into his ear.

“We don’t need this drama, Tracy. You’re the new person here. You just need to understand that a new Pack member is slightly upsetting.” Ben’s tone was patronizing.

Suddenly Gabe was at her back and things began to really slide out of control. “Perhaps you can explain Pack governance to us then? A Second should allow herself to be disrespected because some female won’t be f**king Nick anymore? And so Tracy is the one who brought the drama? Over there on the couch trying to make friends?”