Cade looked at her after hour four had long passed and must have seen through her calm façade.

“I think it’s time for a meal and some rest. Templeton, Carla, thank you for your hospitality.” He stood and bowed deeply toward the retiring Alpha couple. Grace had been shocked to see how much older Templeton looked in the wake of his poisoning. He’d recover, but never quite regain his vitality as it had been before.

Her in-laws stood, along with Nina and Lex and a gazillion other Nationally Allied wolves, all in painstaking order of rank.

“We’ll send a car for you in the morning. We won’t know the location until half an hour before. You and Warren will be taken first, at sunup, to the site and sequestered until it’s time for the Challenge. Representatives of the Argent Pack will handle all the details. You may each take one guard. As Lex will be taking your place as Alpha of Cascadia, I offer Jack, as he’s your Enforcer once you take my place.”

Jack stepped forward. “It would be my honor to stand as your guard, Cade.”

Cade shook his hand. “Accepted. And Jack, I’m going to win so keep your paws off my wife.” He winked but the words held an edge.

Part of the reason she’d told him that day instead of waiting until after the Challenge was male wolves grew even more protective and violent when their mates were pregnant. Which gave him even more of an edge in the ring tomorrow. She’d given him the vaccine the week before and she hoped like hell it would be all right. At that point, they didn’t know exactly what Warren would have or even how Cade’s system would synthesize the virus and vaccine when and if Warren used it. And he would, she was certain of it. But Cade would bite his ass and infect him and Grace wouldn’t shed one damned tear for Warren.

After they finally escaped to Gabe’s condo, Grace took her shoes off with a sigh.

“Sit your butt down, Grace. Dinner will be ready shortly, the whole family will be here and you’ll need the energy. Can I tell them?”

He looked so sweet she couldn’t have refused him anything. “Go on. I figured you would.”

He practically skipped and she laughed. It didn’t take long for Wardens by birth and their mates to begin to trail in. Layla and Sid, Tracy, Gabe and Nick were staying there with them so all they had to do was come downstairs. Beth and Henri were next door with Lex and Nina along with Megan. Dave was with Grace and Tegan entered with Ben.

“Wow this is some big gathering. Dang, Mom, you sure had a lot of kids.” Lex winked at his mother who rolled her eyes.

“It’d be nice if it didn’t take a Challenge to the death to get you all together like this. Now let’s sit. Gabe’s former personal assistant had this catered and it smells fabulous!” Beth shooed everyone to the huge table that’d been set out in the large dining area.

Before long, everyone was eating and chattering and Grace just watched the people who’d become her family. They all made her smile.

“Oh, so one thing I forgot to tell you all,” Cade began and everyone quieted, turning to him. “Grace is pregnant.” He turned to his mother, who was already crying. “You’re going to have grandchildren coming out your ears, Mom.”

“Just the way I like it.” Beth put her hand on Grace’s. “This is wonderful news. A good omen. I know their grandmother will agree.” Cade’s grandmother had a terrible fear of flying and they hadn’t wanted to risk her taking a train so she was back in Seattle holding down the fort.

“How long have you known?” Nina asked, a huge smile on her face.

“Just since this morning. I had a feeling and so I did a few quick blood tests. I’ll still come to deliver the baby. You’re almost two months ahead of me so we’ll be fine.”

“Well it sucks that we can’t be knocked up at the same time in the same house. Imagine the hormone-induced chaos we could have created.”

“Yeah, gosh, I’ll be sorry to miss that.” Cade snorted and put another pork chop on Grace’s plate. Her caloric intake would have to go way, way up so she just shrugged and started to eat it.

More pregnancy talk seemed to take the focus off the Challenge and in a way, Grace was glad. She really didn’t want to think about it.

The family didn’t stay overly late but there was a sense of expectancy. Everything was changing. After the Challenge, Cade would take on a huge new office, they’d move, Lex would ascend, babies, new houses, so much change, a lot of it good, especially the end of the war part.

Cade walked everyone out but asked Lex to wait. He and his brother went up to the roof garden and sat.

“If something happens to me tomorrow, I know you’ll be able to hold Pellini off and keep Cascadia lands. But, look after Grace for me. She’ll go to Jack, that’s only normal and he’ll do right by her. But my child, I want my child to know he or she is a Warden.”

Lex looked up at the sky. “Of course.”

“My will is in order. My belongings will go to Grace and I’m sure she’ll make sure the family gets what it needs. I’ve deeded my share of the house to you and Nina. You’ll find it in the desk drawer when you get back. Don’t argue. It’s a house you designed and you’re the Alpha now.”

Lex sighed, annoyed, but held his tongue.

“I love you and trust you with my life, my wife, my child, my Pack. You’ll do me proud, you’ll do Cascadia proud and there’s no one I can imagine who’ll lead better. Let Nina help, not like you’ll have any choice in that. But she’ll help you open the doors, modernize and make changes that’ll better Cascadia.”