“What? I turned around to congratulate you and you were gone. Mom said you were coming right back so we waited but you never came back. Shane is looking for you.”

“Why are you here?”

“What is up your ass?” Layla narrowed her eyes at her sister, who narrowed them right back.

“You’re up my ass. Rubbing yourself all over Shane. You’re married! And he’s mine.”

God she sounded like such a bitch.

Grace sat down on the bench and pulled Megan down beside her. “You, over there and shut up for a minute.” She pointed to Layla who started to argue but Tracy and Nina pulled her back. Tegan sat next to Megan with a sigh, putting her head on Megan’s shoulder.

“Oh, honey, I know where you are right now.” Grace looked over at Nina who nodded back at her. “When I met Nina and she was such an insufferable cow, it was horrible. I knew Cade cared about her and I could see how much she cared about him. It sucked.”

“I was pregnant and you just pranced into my house all tiny and cute. Who wouldn’t hate you?” Nina snorted and Grace laughed.

“I am tiny and cute, aren’t I?”

Megan laughed at their back and forth. They were so close, despite the distance.

“You can’t think I’d ever do anything with Shane? Even if you weren’t his mate, I’d never do that. I’m hurt you have such a low opinion of me, Megan.” Damn if Layla didn’t still look gorgeous even as she was angry.

“I don’t care. I’m sorry, Lay, but I don’t care if you’re hurt. You f**ked my mate. He’s seen you naked. He loved you before me. That sucks. It sucks and I can’t apologize for it.

It’s always about you, damn it. Oh poor Layla with her hurt feelings. Well let me make you feel better. You have a man who adores you. Who didn’t even flinch to move his entire life toSeattle to be with you. I have a man who adores you and who I doubt will want to move toSeattle and I am SECOND of the Pack and I really get the feeling my mate, a man who could move, isn’t going to want to. So f**k you, Layla. Okay? That makes me petty and small but I just don’t care.”

She got up and Lay did too as everyone watched carefully. “You’re acting like a spoiled brat. He’s lived outside a Pack his whole life. He’s been raised to be suspicious of what we are. Of what he is. His mother has done a number on him, let me tell you. The first time he changed she punished him! She’s raised him to think his wolf is unnatural and wrong and his father loves her so much, so much he’s simply let Shane be estranged from what he is. This is going to be hard on him. You’re not even giving him a chance.”

Rage and humiliation coursed through Megan. Disbelief that any mother would do that.

But it didn’t overcome everything else. “You’re acting like a self-righteous bitch. Why is this about him? You should be thinking about me. But you’re not because Layla is the center of Layla world. Oh how dare I not be available when you decided you congratulate

me. Poor Shane, my goodness let’s not let him feel bad. Gosh between you and your f**king feelings andand Shane and his f**king feelings you might not even remember who he’s mated to. I’m sure he’s having a hard time with it.”

“You both need to be smacked. Megan, honey, you know I adore the hell out of you, but you’re jumping to conclusions about Shane, aren’t you? And you, Layla, come on, how would you feel if your sister had slept with Sid and had an anchor connection to her? Of course she’s upset. Both of you, knock this shit off right now before you say you can’t take back.” Nina stood and got.

“I don’t care. Smack me. I know enough to have felt his emotions once we completed the bond. He’s panicked about me but thrilled when she rubbed herself all over him. Is it too much to ask that I get a mate who adores me the way your men adore you? I’ve been patient! Each one of you has found someone and I never begrudged that. I was genuinely happy when you found them. It’s bad enough I have to live in the shadow of Miss Gorgeous Perfect over there and now I get her sloppy seconds. Lucky me.” Megan knew she was losing it but she couldn’t seem to stop saying it.

“Perfect? Oh my God! Megan, look at yourself, you goddamned overachiever. You’re Second in our Pack. You’re the youngest female to ever hold such a powerful spot.”

“By two minutes,” Tegan said, trying to break the tension. She was Second in the Great Lakes Pack.

Layla waved it away. “You’re kick ass and super smart and you’re blonde and you have those damned arms like Linda Hamilton did in The Terminator, the second one where she was all nutty and tried to kill the doctor with a pen. Right about now that’s reminding me of you too have br**ststhat’ve fed two kids. I can’t believe you’d be jealous of me.

That’s the dumbest thing I’ve ever heard.” She grabbed Megan’s arms and gave her a little shake. “I love you. I would never do anything to hurt you purposely. You or Sid or the kids, the Pack, or Shane for that matter. I hate that you’d think so little of me.”

Megan slumped, hating that she would too.

“I’m sorry.”

Layla started crying and hugged her. “I’m sorry too. This should be a happy day for you.

I know he’s happy to have found you. I know you guys can make it work.”

“I’m scared.” Damn it, she was. Even if she hated to say it out loud. Her sisters surrounded her again. “What if we can’t make it work? What if I’m not enough?”