“Well that’s a good thing! We have a bonding ceremony to do and if anyone ruined that I’d be very unhappy.”

Grinning, Tegan turned to her grandmother, reaching out to hug her. “Hey, Grandma.

How are you today? Come and sit. Are you hungry?”

Megan pulled out a chair and everyone else moved to grab things and offer them to her grandmother who relished the attention with a serene smile.

She turned her gray eyes to Ben and raised a brow. “You’re a fine looking specimen.

You and Tegan will make very beautiful babies in a few years.”

Ben actually blushed. Tegan put a hand on his shoulder. “Grandma, this is Ben Stoner. Ben, this is my grandmother, Lia Warden.”

“It’s an honor to finally meet you, Mrs. Warden. Tegan speaks of you quite warmly all the time. I can see where the Warden sisters get their looks now.”

Now it was her grandmother who blushed and then giggled like a young girl. Tegan looked at Megan and Nina and they shrugged and watched, fascinated, as Ben charmed the hell out of their grandmother.

After about an hour of back and forth, her grandmother turned and nodded. “He’s worthy. I’m going to pay a visit to your mother later this weekend, Ben.”

Ben paled and Tegan grimaced. “Do you think that’s such a good idea, Grandma? I mean, she’s…well, not very happy I’m a werewolf.”

“The ceremony is in less than a week. She avoided the lovely dinner at Jillian’s restaurant the night before last. But from what I understand, she’s been put on a new medication for her blood pressure because it might have interacted with her cholesterol pills and exacerbated her negative feelings about our race. And so there needs to be a set to. This cannot go on. This woman cannot be allowed to make what should be the happiest day of your lives one bit sad because she refuses to cooperate.”

“Grandma, perhaps you should let Ben and Tegan work this out,” Cade said gently but with the Alpha behind it.

She looked at him and rolled her eyes. “Cade, I changed your poopy diapers, boy, don’t try that Alpha voice on me. Your grandfather was the Alpha of this Pack for longer than you’ve been alive and then your father, a man I raised. As far as I’m concerned, that makes me Alpha be default. So poo. It doesn’t compel me to want to do anything but rap you upside your head for even trying to control me.”

Nina snickered.

Tegan looked to Ben. “Are you okay with this?” She would defy her grandmother if Ben needed her to and she saw he understood that and relaxed.

“Like I said, I don’t know what’s going on with her. My dad says she’s calmed down a lot yesterday. The doctor said it would be a bit before there’d be any difference if the pills were the issue. She and I talked for a while Friday night and she was still very opposed to the idea of me marrying you but she didn’t seem so extreme about it. I hate this. I hate that she’s hurting you and not welcoming you into the family. I hate that you can’t meet my mother and have to deal with this stranger. If your grandmother can help, I’m all for it.” He looked to her grandmother. “And I’m sure you’ll be gentle with her.”

Her grandmother waved that away and Tegan hid a grin. “In any case, I’ve spoken with Mrs. Stoner on the phone and she is meeting me for coffee at Jillian’s restaurant in three hours. It’s a public place and one she’s familiar with so I’m hoping it being on her turf will help her. I won’t have it. My girl has suffered too much and this day will be perfect. I will it and so it will be.” That regal chin jutted high and Tegan got to her knees and put her head in her grandmother’s lap. Like she had many times, her grandmother sifted her fingers through Tegan’s hair soothingly.

“I love you, Grandma.”

“I love you too, sweetheart. It’s going to be fine, I promise.”

“I hope so.”

Ben went to work later on after spending a few hours first thing that morning having breakfast at Cade and Lex’s place. He loved watching Tegan interact with her family. She was easier as the days went by, as she got used to her old self again and embraced her new life. He saw the change in her, it only made her more beautiful to him.

He went over some security stuff with them and Benoit via teleconference. Gabe had given the FBI some very detailed information about the building the NC would be held in. It was right in the heart of the city so on one hand, they felt it would be safe from too much overt violence from Pellini, on the other hand, Ben worried about how exposed the building was in general.

Benoit and Ben would go in a few days early to stake out the area and find some good places to dig in and observe. Gabe was also able to help with that. Jack had forwarded some information about a condo building across the street that faced where the meetings would be held and offered to plant some listening devices after the initial sweep the Packs would make upon arrival.

Now if only Tegan would stay home and far away from the danger. Ben snorted as he walked down the hallway to another meeting, like that was gonna happen.

He tried not to think about the meeting that Lia Warden set up with his mother, only hoping it would go well and his mother would see some sense. If anyone could handle themselves it was the grand dame of the Pack.

Ben was sure he’d hear all about it one way or another when he got home from work that night.

Chapter Fourteen

The ceremony began at sundown on the third Saturday in April. It was brisk but not cold and Tegan’s outfit had been top secret. Ben laughed with Lex and Cade as they all waited on the top of a hill looking over a meadow south of the house.