“Just feel them out for now, Nick.” Ben frowned for a moment and relaxed. “Nina Warden and the youngest sister will be there along with Lex and one of the guards for Nina. How many people are you taking?”

“I’ll take one of my men as backup. I have no doubt that the Mediator will have a full retinue of guards and I’m not fooled by how hot Nina Warden is. She’d rip my throat out as soon as look at me if I threatened hers. I haven’t met the youngest sister, is she a guard too?”

“No. Not the youngest one. Cade says she’s just administrative help and he didn’t sound like he was hiding anything. If she’s female, I’m guessing you’ll charm her. But don’t screw this one, Nick. The last thing we need are two angry Wardens down here ready to kill the wolf who hurt their baby sister.”

Nick shrugged. “Like I can help it. But you know, I do have control over my cock, thank you very much. Sheesh.” He grinned at his brother, who snorted. “I’m off. I want to grab some coffee before I get there.”

He saw his personal assistant and one of his guards in the hall and they all headed out.

* * * * *

“I can’t believe you made us get up at five.” Tracy held on to her latte like it was her lifeline as they drove up the winding drive to the resort.

Nina laughed. “He said early. And you slept for most of the way here.”

“I had to keep my eyes closed to keep from seeing you maul each other. Jeez. The honeymoon is over. I thought you weren’t so hot for each other after the first six months.”

“I’ve got news for you, sweetie, this mate thing is like sexual crack. I think I know why your mom was so unhappy all those years. Your dad was gone so much, she must have gone up the walls. Not being around Lex for long periods of time makes me very unhappy and when I’m with him I just want to touch him, nuzzle and snuggle with him. It’s irresistible.”

“Blech! So I’ll be all horny like you two are all the time?”

Lex chuckled. “Is being horny a bad thing?”

“I suppose not if you have a mate to satisfy your urges. But really, do you have to do it in front of me and Megan?”

“Jealous?” Nina smirked at Tracy over her shoulder and laughed.

“I am!” Megan said and patted Milton’s head.

“Wow, this is some place,” Tracy said as they pulled up to the main building. The drive had taken them up a hill into dense foliage. The grounds were landscaped in a lush manner so that even though it was full winter, it was still green.

There were some lovely water features and what looked to be a hedge maze that Tracy thought she’d take a look at later on.

The main building was done in the Craftsman style of architecture, dominating the grounds with its natural wood beams, and beautiful stained glass in the windows. Tracy loved the signature style, it felt very indicative of the spirit of the Northwest. She saw that there were many small outbuildings in the same style grouped all over the grounds.

“I’m going to check us all in, I’ll be right back,” Lex said and leaned over and kissed Nina. “Stay out of trouble. Megan, shoot her if she looks like she’s going to get out.”

Nina sighed and flicked his ear.

Once he’d walked into the building, she turned to look at her sisters-in-law in the backseat. “So, let’s take Milton for a walk.”

“No. We’ll wait. Come on, he’s going to have a stroooohh…” Megan’s eyes glazed over. The other two women followed her gaze and saw the men getting out of the cars just over from where they were parked.

“Holy hot studly dude,” Nina breathed as she watched the man in the dark suit get out of the Porsche.

“Correction, holy hot studly wolf. That’s Nick Lawrence. I met him briefly when Lex and I were on our road trip down to San Francisco this last summer.”

“I’m all sweaty all of a sudden. And we have to sit in a room with him for a day or so? Whew, that’ll be a treat. Maybe we should make up stuff to have to mediate. I bet he’s cute when he’s mad.” Tracy snickered.

“The others with him aren’t so bad either,” Megan murmured, checking out the other wolf she guessed was a guard and one who looked like a sexy accountant. “Man, I need to get laid.”

Nina laughed, surprised. “Well, well, well! All three of them certainly look like prime mattress material.

Go for it, Megs.”

Lex walked out of the building and stopped when he saw Nick. Back in the car, the women watched as they talked for a few moments.

“Ugh, I feel like the little woman sitting out here in the car! Gah! Well, at least Lawrence walks like a man with not much to hide. He’s a ladies’ man though.”

“How can you tell? Jeez, you can’t be that good.” Tracy leaned forward between the seats.

“He has a cocky walk. A loose, self-confident walk. He’s extraordinarily good-looking and well-groomed. He’s got the chick magnet sports car. It only stands to reason. Plus, he’s the second son.

He has the freedom that the oldest one wouldn’t have had. Look at the difference between Cade and Lex. Don’t think I don’t know what Lex was like before he sniffed me.”

Lex walked back to the car and looked suspicious when they all got quiet but for stifled giggles when he got inside. “What is going on?”

“Nothing. I was just saying that Nick Lawrence was a ladies’ man and explaining how I knew. Get us checked in all right?”