“You would make such a bad motivational speaker. Your son gets that from you. Don’t quit your day job.”

Bran frowned at her but Veso chuckled. “I got that joke.”

“I wasn’t kidding,” she muttered. “I understood the gist of it though. Act like they’re mean dogs. Stare them down, don’t turn my back on them, and act bigger than they are if they look like they might attack me.”

“Who gave you that advice?”

“I don’t know. I think I saw it in a movie,” she admitted.

“Just stay at my side and follow my orders.” Veso squeezed her hand.

“Be submissive like a good little mate. Got it.”

“That’s not what I meant. If I say get behind me, be at my back. If I say duck to avoid being splattered with blood, then you—”

“Try not to puke. I remember when you got creeper blood on me. Trust me, I’ll duck. I also don’t want to be hit with a flying body part. I remember your fighting motto.”

“My son has one?”

She met Bran’s curious stare. “Off with their heads.”

He chuckled. “That’s good.”

“I thought you’d like it. Do you enjoy ripping heads off too?”

“It depends on whose.”

“Good answer.” She sealed her lips, grateful her father-in-mate seemed to like her. She wanted to keep her head on her shoulders.

The uphill climb didn’t do wonders for her already aching leg muscles. She managed to avoid limping though or grimacing in pain when they reached the top. One thing was for sure. She’d get plenty of exercise living with Veso. All of them were so in shape for a reason.

The sight of a large group of people distracted her from her discomfort. Oh boy. Here we go. Veso and his father came to a halt at the line of trees, keeping them there.

Lorn stood on the back porch, easy to spot. He turned his head, looking in their direction. His voice rang out across the clearing. “I called this meeting for a few reasons. I’ve invited representatives from the other clans to visit us. I’m not certain of the exact date yet since it’s going to take time to plan, but I’ll accept suggestions for amusing our guests while they’re here. I want everyone to feel a part of this.”

One man loudly cleared his throat. “Why would you do that?”

Lorn turned his head to the right. “Because we are mending relationships with the other clans. You have your friends over for dinner. That’s exactly what we’re going to do.”

“They could attack us,” a woman called out.

“They didn’t start shit with us. Decker caused the friction,” Lorn snapped. “He’s no longer your leader. I am. I refuse to live with the threat of war always shadowing us. No more! If you have a problem with that, challenge me.”

Kira stepped from the sidelines and approached Lorn. She stopped a few feet behind him. He reached back and pulled her forward, his mouth moving but the words too low for Glen to hear. Kira nodded, then let her gaze travel over the gathered crowd.

Kira’s voice rose loud and clear. “How many of you have lost children? Brothers? Fathers? Mates? And for what? So Decker alone could gain power. How did that make your lives better? Most of you have family ties to the other clans and have worried about their fates. War between VampLycans serves no purpose but to cause more grief. Peace with the other clans is best for all of us.”

“I know I’d love to be able to visit other clans without their women acting as if I’m rabid. None the ones here are my mate, and damn it, winters are long,” a man yelled.

Some of the crowd laughed.

“I don’t get it,” Glen murmured.

“I’ll explain later,” Veso mumbled.

She nodded.

“I will make peace with the other clans. That’s how it’s going to be.” Lorn waited a few seconds before he spoke again. “The laws we were once forced to follow are archaic. Garson made an excellent point. It’s been difficult for some of you to find mates if they weren’t born in this clan. Decker’s actions made us unwelcome to visit other clans. Not only will peace with the other VampLycans make them less leery of us, but we need to adapt to modern times. Veso has found his mate and we are going to welcome her into our clan. She’s human, and her name is Glen.”

There were some growls and gasps from the crowd.

Veso gripped her hand and pulled her away from the trees, striding into the clearing. A few men near the back turned, either hearing or sensing them approach. Glen’s heart pounded but she felt safer knowing her mate and his father stayed on each side of her. They stopped about ten feet from the back of the group. More heads turned and Glen became the center of attention.

“No!” A woman shoved through the group. She was pretty, probably in her thirties, and the death glare she sent Glen made her shiver.

One of the men in the back stepped in her path, blocking her from getting any closer. “Don’t, Brista,” he hissed.

The woman turned her glower on Veso. “You wouldn’t even test a mating with me but you bit a human? You fucked her?” She spat on the ground. “Traitor!”

Veso snarled. “Don’t use that tone when talking about my mate.” He released Glen’s hand. “I’ll kill anyone who tries to touch her.”

“Glen is a part of our clan now,” Lorn announced. “That’s final. Veso isn’t a traitor because he found his true mate. Glen was kidnapped by the Vampires, and they escaped together. I’d welcome any mate you found as well, Brista. It’s time to let old prejudices go.”

“Of course you’d say that,” a blond man shouted. “You always had it bad for Kira when she was still human. You’re going to ruin this clan by encouraging the sexual deviants! What’s next? Allowing our men to fuck humans from the nearby towns? It’s sick! You’re sanctioning him to breed with that thing.”

Veso stormed toward the blond. Glen tried to grab his arm but Bran jerked her to his side, leashing her wrist with his firm grip. All she could do was watch as people, including Brista, scampered out of his path. The blond man shoved a few of the ones nearest him and met Veso.

Lorn was there suddenly, getting between them. “Stop!”

“He called my mate a thing!” Veso’s voice came out gruff and Glen didn’t have to see his face to know he’d gone a bit hairy. She spotted it spreading down his bare arms. It looked as if he was about to shift forms.