something bigger now that we’ll have Trey and Derek there, and each of us will need some office space for Pack business.”

“If we bought the house, we could enlarge the pool house, make it into a residence for Derek and Trey.”

“Yes. But what about our children?” Nick said seriously and Tracy realized that she wasn’t freaked out by the idea.

“We’ll talk about some ideas once this is over.”

Gabe grinned and moved toward her but the front door opened and Julie returned with Milton and Derek.

* * * * *

They decided to tackle the issue head-on. Nina had faxed over what she found but it wasn’t as bad as they’d thought. The National Enforcer wasn’t in deep to Pellini the way that Ben and Sarah were, thank goodness. They could catch the situation early and push Pellini out before he gained any more influence. Or so they hoped.

The National Pack house was in a freaking mansion on Beacon Hill. Tracy was blown away by the place as they entered through the front door. Templeton Mancini, the National Alpha, strode into the hall and swept Tracy into an embrace before she could say a word.

He kissed both cheeks, grinned at her eyebrow ring and looked her up and down before nodding and finally looking at Gabe with approval and then back to her with a wink.

“Hello, sweetheart! Congratulations to you. A tri-mate bond with one of my wolves, I’m very impressed and proud. You’ve got all the archivists atwitter, you know. Told me yesterday that yours is the first tri-mate bond in forty years. Welcome!”

Templeton was six-feet eight-inches tall and at nearly seventy, he was as spry as a man forty years his junior. He quite literally was the strongest wolf in the country and it radiated off him in a way that Tracy could feel physically. No one would be challenging this man and winning for a good decade or so.

He turned his attention to Nick and shook his hand. “Congratulations to you as well. On both your mating and becoming Alpha of Pacific. It’s a heady thing, isn’t it? You can feel all your wolves needing you, needing your guidance and strength. Some days it feels like a millstone, others like a true gift.”

He strode over to Gabe and patted his back and hugged him. “I can feel it in you too. I think that this doesn’t bode well for me and my Mediator.” Templeton eyed Gabe carefully.

Gabe laughed. “I should have known. I plan to resign my position in National to take on membership in Pacific full-time. I can help out from time to time but I need to be near my mates. Need to run my Pack.

But I want to talk to you about something before I resign officially.”

“Okay. I’m anxious to hear what the story is with you all becoming Alpha. Come on through, the others are in the living room.”

Gabe followed and Nick and Tracy walked in behind him. There were three other wolves sitting in the room and one female standing near the couch, who beamed when they entered.

“Gabriel! You’ve brought your sweet little mate.” She rushed over and kissed Gabe and then turned to Tracy. “Honey, I’m Carla Mancini and we’ve been waiting for you for a long time. I can see the difference in Gabe already.”

Tracy smiled. “Thank you. I’m the lucky one here really.”

“Piffle!” Carla said with a snort. She eyed Nick and kissed him on the cheek as well and ushered them all to a couch. “You’re a blue-blooded wolf from a fine, strong bloodline. Nick is as well and Gabe is incredibly strong and intelligent. You’re going to make some amazing babies.”

Tracy laughed then and took the drink Templeton handed her.

“Oh, where are my manners?” Carla turned to the two wolves sitting across from where Tracy and Nick were. “This is Jack Meyers, the Enforcer and Tina Elder, the Fourth.”

Tracy gave them both the inclination of her head they deserved to be accorded by their rank and noted the warm smile Tina wore and the look of apprehension Jack had. She wished for a moment that she’d brought Shelley with her to flutter her lashes at him to catch him off guard.

“Please give Lex my regards. He’s something else, your brother,” Jack said and Tracy felt a bit more hope that perhaps he wasn’t as far gone as they thought he might be.

“I will. He said you two met at some kind of training given by the FBI a few years back. He was impressed.”

Jack’s left eyebrow rose slightly. “It was a good training. Lex, of course, outdid everyone on the course.

Damned excellent tracker, probably the best in the country.” Belatedly his eyes moved to Nick and he colored slightly, making Nick laugh.

“It’s okay. I know. Be glad he lives across the country from you and he’s not your brother-in-law. It’s a good thing I’m Alpha now, Lex casts a pretty big shadow.” Nick was good-natured but still strong.

Tracy liked that. He wasn’t as serious as Lex had been before Nina.

“Man could get a damned complex from Lex Warden,” Jack rumbled. All of the males laughed and the females looked at each other with amused smiles.

After they’d made small talk for half an hour or so, Gabe leaned forward in the way Tracy had come to recognize as his mediation stance. His body seemed relaxed, hands either loosely clasped between his knees or one holding a pen. But his eyes missed not one detail and she sensed the coiled-up energy in his muscles. He’d be able to spring in to action at any moment.

“What is it, Gabe? Speak freely.” Templeton leaned back and crossed his legs.

“There’s trouble in the Pack ranks, Alpha. I’ve been approached by several Alphas in many Packs nationwide, either in person or via phone, about their concern with Warren Pellini and his growing influence in National.”