Alpha’s Challenge

by Lauren Dane

  She sighed. He was an Alpha, a worrier and he clearly cared about his family. They’d only been together a few days so she could get past a few missteps until they got used to each other.

  “I love you too, Cade. And I forgive you.”

  He kissed her softly as the sound of the trees in the wind wrapped around the noise from inside. The beating of hearts soothed her jangled nerves.

  “Let’s see the rest.”

  He took her back inside, showed her the security offices where Lex’s Enforcers worked and back up to his office. Around a corner and large double doors stood open and she saw her bags.

  “This is our room. I’m sure you’ll want to change the decor. It’s been this way since the house was finished ten years ago. On the opposite side of the house from Lex and Nina, by the way. Bulletproof glass on the windows and there are special sensors on the deck. Motion lights, all that jazz. So we get the quiet but it’s locked up tight over here too. I’m giving you one of the Mercedes to drive, by the way. At first though, I’d ask that you be escorted everywhere. We’ll get you to the lab within the next few days. But I want you to myself for a bit.”

  “The lab?”

  “I assumed you’d want to be there. If I’m wrong, well, you can do anything you’d like. Stay home, work. Whatever.”

  Grace leaned into his chest, loving the way his arms automatically slipped around her. “No. I want to work in the lab. I just didn’t want to make any assumptions.”

  “You’re obviously qualified, Grace. You did the work with Warren’s virus samples, you’re the logical choice. I spoke with our lead researcher briefly this morning and he’s quite interested in meeting you. We sent the data ahead and he says you took a lot of risks.” He frowned down at her as she looked up into his face.

  She shrugged. “I did what needed to be done. I wish it had been more but he had so much security when I finally got access it was hard. I shouldn’t have left so early.”

  “Stop that right now. I wouldn’t have met you if you’d waited. You’re mine, fate brought you to me, Grace. You’re where you need to be. Do you want to rest or go back out?”

  “Let’s go and meet Nina.” She sighed. The woman needed to know a few things. First that Grace was her Alpha. Second and more importantly, Cade was hers and the time for two sort-of husbands was over. And hell, everyone seemed to really like Nina so she’d have to give the woman a fair shake.

  “You sure?”

  “Yes.”

  He smiled and kept his arm around her as he guided her back across the house to where Lex and Nina’s room was.

  Nina’s face split into a grin when she saw Cade but she frowned when she caught sight of the tiny, classy, beautiful woman at his side. He had his arm around her like she was a precious and fragile thing. Their bond emanated from them and it hit her square in the gut.

  Lex had explained to her that the background check was clean and that Grace Pellini had done a brave thing and risked her life to help them. Nina had to give the woman props, what she’d done scared the hell out of her just hearing it and after knowing what Warren Pellini’s thugs had done to the Enforcer of Great Lakes, it was even more frightening.

  Still, Nina felt territorial. This was her house and she’d known and loved Cade longer.

  Lex stood and lowered his head to them. “Grace, I wanted to apologize to you for my behavior earlier. It was rude and beneath me and you deserved better. Welcome to Cascadia and to our family.”

  Grace touched the back of Lex’s neck and Nina actually growled. She hadn’t meant to, she’d just wanted to think a growl at that miniature Audrey Hepburn and her freaking regal-looking clothing and those damned pearls.

  Cade’s gaze shot up and met hers and Grace finished touching Lex’s neck before standing back and stepping around him to look Nina square in the face.

  Well, she might be no bigger than a Pomeranian, but Tiny there was a fucking Alpha through and through. Amber-colored eyes took Nina in from head to toe, cool and assessing.

  “You must be Nina. Did you have something to add?”

  If she thought she was getting an apology, she was out of her mind. “No.”

  “I’d hoped to be surprised. I suppose I’m too old to be surprised anymore.” She turned to Lex and nodded. “Apology accepted. If you’ll excuse me, I think I’ll go make some tea.” Those eyes landed on Nina again. “I could say it was a pleasure to meet you, or something similar but equally false. But we both know that’d be a lie. Instead, let me say, I’m here to stay. You get your rest, the baby needs it.”

  She turned on her expensive little heels and left the room, head held high and Nina sort of liked the little bitch.

  Cade shook his head. “Nina...”

  “Don’t you Nina me, Cade Warden. I was here first. I won’t apologize for watching over my dudes.”

  “I’m not your dude. Grace is right, rest up. I’ll see you in the morning.” He turned and left and Lex looked at her with a sigh.

  “Beautiful, you know I can refuse you nothing. You know I adore you and the baby you carry. But you can’t go on like this. It’s not good for you or the baby. And she’s not half bad you know. He’s not yours.”

  She saw the hurt flash in his eyes and reached up to touch his face. “Alexander Warden, I love you. You. You know of course, Cade and I are fond of each other and the tri-bond was very close for us. But the way I feel about you has never, ever been in doubt. I’m getting stretch marks just for you. I even let you tell your mother tonight about the baby, didn’t I? She’ll never leave me alone now.” Her mother-in-law had the worst case of grandbaby lust of anyone she’d ever known. She had grandchildren already, two of them, and still it wasn’t enough. Beth was greedy.

  “You have to let go of him, Nina. She’s good for him. It’s the way of things. Having him with us without a mate meant he led a whisper of a life while you and I had a full one. That’s not love. That’s selfish.”

  She smiled. Her dude was wicked smart for such a big tool. “I hate when you’re smarter than me. Does she have to be so fucking pretty and classy? All, I’m a doctor and I wear pearls and shit? And what, is she like one of those miniature dolls the rich girls kept in glass cases? She’s teeny! What’s up with that?”

  He snorted but the beginning of his smile returned. “You’re looking for things to not like about her.”

  “She’s a Pellini, Lex. That’s enough. They killed my brother.”

  “She didn’t have anything to do with that. No more than you had anything to do with Rey when he broke the law. I adore you and I know you want what’s best for this Pack. You’re going to have to get along with her. Hell, I’d wager you’ll even like her. If you give her a chance.”

  “Hmpf. Maybe.”

  * * *

  Cade caught up with her in their room as she tossed a suitcase on the bed and unzipped it.

  “I realize you’re worried about your sister-in-law. I’m a doctor, I know how risky it is for humans turned wolf in the first week. But I don’t share, Cade. Period. I won’t live that way. If that’s what she expects, that expectation needs to be eradicated. If that’s what you expected, you need to say so right now so I can leave.” The eyes that greeted his sparked with fury.

  She might look sweet but she got right down to the point. In truth the way she’d acted with Nina flipped his switch in a major way. She truly was his mate, truly was an Alpha.

  “Grace, honey, I’d kill any wolf who suggested sharing. I don’t share either. Jack got his taste but that’s it forever. You’re mine. I’m yours. You’re not going anywhere. And hell, neither is she. You handled her just fine. She’ll respect your strength and when she thinks about it, she’ll realize she’s being silly and stop being a bitch.”

  “She’d better, Cade.” She paused, staying there with the bed bet
ween them. “Do you love her?”

  He felt her uncertainty, her pain and could do nothing else but go to her and fall to his knees. “I love her, yes. She’s my anchor bond and my sister-in-law. More than that, she’s my friend. She’s been with me through a lot of stuff. She’s the other half of my brother. Lex and I may be at odds every now and again but he’s my best friend.” He put his arms around Grace’s waist and breathed her in.

  Her body remained stiff as she processed what he’d said.

  “But that wasn’t your question, was it? Do I love her romantically? Sexually? Like I love you?” He looked up into her face and she touched the side of his jaw, softly, gently. “No. At one time, I think I did. Or I thought I knew what it was to love. Partly it was the link, I’m sure Jack feels deeply for you and over time that would grow. Partly it’s because Lex and I are brothers. Our feelings for each others’ mates would be complicated by our biological link to each other. What I feel for you, Grace, nothing in the universe could have prepared me for. There’s no issue of choice, of choosing between you and anyone else. I’ve chosen. I chose the moment I saw you the first time. I don’t want you to hurt, Grace. If the idea that I would take my eyes from you for a single moment bothers you, rest assured, that’s not the case.”

  She got to her knees, facing him and kissed along the line of his jaw. “Good. Now I won’t have to maim you in your sleep and start a whole new level of Clan war. I love you too, or I wouldn’t stay here and deal with this business.” She stood and held out her hand. “Now, come on, we have a house full of people to entertain.”

  “I’m so going to nail you when everyone leaves.” He looked her over with a wicked grin.

  “I’m counting on it.”

  Chapter Eight

  Grace bustled around the kitchen the next morning, her muscles sore in all the right places. She reached up to brush her fingertips over the spot on her neck where Cade had bitten and marked her as he took her from behind only an hour before.

  He’d woken her up, hunger on his face and they’d made love with silent intensity as the sun came up and warmed the room and their bare skin. The man was quite inventive in bed. Which was nice given her vanilla past. The sex she’d had before had been all right but fairly uninspired. Sex with Cade was full of wonderful surprises and it was just a few days in. The next years held all sorts of promise.

  “Well now, that’s an interesting look on your face.” Lex strolled into the kitchen.

  “Good morning. Your brother makes me smile, what can I say? I’m making breakfast, are you hungry? Has Nina eaten yet?” She stirred the eggs, before turning the bacon and bending to check the biscuits in the oven.

  “You make it pretty impossible not to like you.”

  She turned and looked at him. He grinned back, looking a lot like Cade at that moment and she shook her head. “I’m not the enemy, you know.”

  “I do know that. I’m truly sorry for being so suspicious and not being warmer toward you. And if you wanted to share your breakfast with me and Nina, I’d appreciate it. I was just coming down before she woke up. Today is the all clear day so she’ll be pushing me to let her up.”

  She turned back to the stove and pulled the eggs off the flame before spooning them into a large bowl. “You can put this on the table if you like. I’ve got shredded cheese, diced tomatoes and some salsa and green onions there too. Plates are out. Coffee is made although hold off for Nina until she’s checked out. The caffeine can agitate blood pressure in former humans.”

  In another few moves, she’d pulled out the biscuits and covered them with a towel and had finished with the bacon and hash browns. Wolves did love a big breakfast and she was usually in too great a hurry to treat herself to one at home.

  “Grace? Honey, your cell phone is ringing,” Cade called out as he came downstairs toward the kitchen.

  “I’m down here,” she replied, moving to meet him at the bottom of the stairs. He kissed her quickly and handed her the phone.

  “Hello?”

  “Is it true?” Warren screamed into the phone. She held it away from her ear.

  “Is what true, Warren?” She’d known this moment would occur, in fact, had wondered why it’d taken so long. At the same time, she was glad there were several states between them just then.

  Cade and Lex both moved to her, each man touching her to calm her.

  “You betrayed me! You bitch, I’ll kill you for this,” Warren snarled, his oily veneer stripped away. She’d seen him like this a few times before, once when he’d nearly beaten her to death when she was a teenager.

  “For what, Warren?” Why she was deliberately baiting him she didn’t know. Maybe he’d have a stroke and die, saving everyone the trouble of a war.

  “You’ve mated with Cade Warden, you’ve given him information about my labs. Don’t think I didn’t know.”

  “Well, as it happens, I’d made an appointment to give the National Pack Aligned wolves the information about your little secret torture program and when I walked into the room Cade was there and he turned out to be my mate. I didn’t plan that part, only the part where I exposed your sick and disgusting predilection for bringing pain to others.” Her voice remained utterly calm. “And now here I am, Alpha of Cascadia. Golly, funny how that works, isn’t it?”

  Lex snorted a laugh and Cade just shook his head and held his hand out for the phone. She shrugged and handed it to him. As far as Grace was concerned, she was done playing games with Warren so let Cade take over if he chose.

  “Why hello, Warren. Or, should I say, brother? You’ve been a very naughty boy. Imagine putting sweet Grace in a position of having to come to us with your data. And what data it is. My, if you weren’t marked for death before that for daring to hurt my sister and bringing so much misery to the world because you weren’t born an Alpha for real, like me, you’d have earned it with this information. Now. We’ve established a few things. First, Grace is my mate and my wife and she’s now Alpha of Cascadia. That means she’s mine to protect and has the position and power of this Pack behind her. It would be very silly of you to attempt to harm her. We’ve also learned you’re outmatched and if you were smart, you’d give it up and get out of Dodge. Sadly, every single experience I’ve ever had with you proves that you’re a little boy dressing up in his daddy’s clothes. They don’t fit, Warren. You’re not an Alpha. You’re just a sad little boy, twisted and marked for death. Don’t call my wife again.”

  He disconnected and handed Grace the phone.

  “Well, breakfast will be cold. Come on.” She patted Lex’s arm and leaned in to kiss Cade and walked past them both into the kitchen. “Lex, you sit. I’m going to take this in to Nina.”

  Lex started to speak but she shook her head. “No. It needs to be done. I’m a doctor and I’m the Alpha here and this silliness needs to be overcome if we’re all to live in the same house. It’ll be better if you let me do this on my own.”

  Grace made up two plates, heaped them both with food. Poured two glasses of juice and another of milk and put them on a tray and headed up to deal with Nina once and for all.

  When she toed the door open Nina sat on the bed, a book in her hands. “About time.” She looked up and frowned. “Oh.”

  “Yes, yes, you were expecting Lex but you got me. Good thing I’m a doctor who’s dealt with pregnant wolves enough to know if you can get out of bed. Not that I’d let you without your own doctor’s okay. I don’t want to step on any toes.” She put her own plate down and handed Nina the tray. “Eat.”

  “I’m sure the Pack doctor will be here soon. You don’t need to stay. I’ll wait for her.”

  “Oh shut up. God, you’re a pain in the ass. What’s your deal anyway? You’re gorgeous, you have a great man like Lex, the Wardens love you. And yet, you have some unreasonable thing about me. Well, too damned bad. I said
eat. Or are you going to be so stupid about this you withhold nutrition from the baby?”

  Nina narrowed her eyes but began to eat anyway. “Cade’s a good cook.” Nina smirked and Grace laughed.

  “Yes, he is. But in this case, I made breakfast.” She dabbed her mouth with her napkin and settled in. “Look, here’s the deal. Cade Warden is a strong, sexy, smart wolf. He’s also mine. Not yours. Never was yours. He’s your brother-in-law and your Anchor. I hope you enjoyed having sex with him because it’ll never happen again and we both know it. More importantly, he knows it.” Grace held up her hand to keep Bitchface silent. “Oh please, don’t waste my time with denials.”

  “You think I’m gorgeous?”

  “Needy too apparently. Anyone with eyes can see it. All that hair and the skin and the boobs. God.”

  “So you keep the bitch all stored up so you can spring in on people at your whim?” Grace liked Nina despite herself. Still.

  “Better than just spewing it all over the place at random. Did you get an extra helping of boobs at the expense of your common sense or what?”

  Nina actually laughed out loud. “You’ll make me choke on these rubbery eggs.”

  “Rubbery? I thought they were good? And you’d better hope your precious Pack doctor knows the Heimlich. I wouldn’t want to waste it.”

  “Oh good one.” Nina continued to laugh. “Fuck. I think I may actually like you. Damn you and your teeny little hide.”

  “That’s good, I thought I might have to kick your ass and that would make Cade unhappy. I hear he bakes cookies when he’s unhappy though. Hmm. Too bad you’re all with child and stuff.”

  “Oh dear, I think, yeah, I think we may end up being BFF. Oh what is the world coming to? They’re good cookies though. Damn, I really wanted to hate you. You and your cute little Audrey Hepburn thing. What’s up with that? Do you practice being all dignified and stuff?”

  “Like in front of the mirror? No, it comes naturally. Some of us simply have it. And others—” Grace paused and sighed, looking at the other woman “—don’t. Now eat your eggs or I’ll order daily enemas.”