“He’s not going to understand our culture or our rules. You remember how it was with Nina.”

“Well, uh, yeah! Someone tried to kill me at the first dinner I attended as your mate.

Excuse me but that’s an issue with you people, not with humans.” Nina came into the room, looking pissed off.

“You can’t deny it’s been difficult because you were human when we mated. That’s all I’m saying,” Lex countered.

“No it isn’t what you’re saying at all. What made things difficult, Lex? Werewolves burned my house down, killed my brother and turned me without my consent in a fight to the death because someone insulted my dead brother and I was supposed to apologize.

That’s not an issue of me being human. That’s an issue with just how undemocratic werewolves are and how they cling to the old ways that used to protect them but aren’t necessary now.”

Tegan listened to her sister-in-law and agreed. Had agreed, especially since that night Nina had been torn apart and no one could move to help her.

“I’m not having this conversation again, Nina. It’s been two years. Let it go.” Cade made a cutting motion with his hand.

Nina looked shocked and stood. “You’re right. And I said afterwards that I’d never be able to trust you again on the level I did before that, Cade. Thank you for reminding me.”

“Nina! That’s unfair.” Cade stood and Tegan sighed.

“I’m done here. Nina’s right about whose issue all of that really was. Cade, you’re wrong. You did what you did that night and I understand why, but we need to change our ways. I’m going to get to work. Goodnight.” Tegan leaned in and hugged Nina, who was caught off-guard but accepted the support gratefully.

Silent and surprised, they watched her leave the room before she heard them taking up the argument anew.

Tegan walked through the house and did a security check. Everything was fine and after an hour, she went out and chatted with Peter for a while, listening to night sounds.

But something wasn’t right. Tegan changed into wolf form and moved around the perimeter that surrounded the house until she got to a spot on a vista about a quarter of a mile away.

Someone had been there. Another wolf. Two. She didn’t recognize the scent so it wasn’t a Cascadia wolf. Tegan went over the whole area, scenting a trail down from the vista to a dirt road that they often used when the Pack came up for casual weekend runs.

A car had been there about three hours before. When she’d first arrived. Damn. Peter should have noticed this and she didn’t relish having to deal with Lex over such a huge failure. Peter would surely get his ass in big trouble.

Worse, she smelled gun oil at the vista where it was obvious someone had been camped to watch the house. It wasn’t a close enough spot to snipe through the windows.

Lex had been very meticulous with the plans when he’d designed it, taking great care to situate the house on a high point, out of all but surface to air missile range. On top of that, their security existed in concentric rings, layer upon layer of failsafes for protection of the house and the property around it. Still, the spot where she’d scented the intruders was close enough to monitor the comings and goings into the property.

She followed the trail of the car out to the road and lost the scent once she hit the entry to the drive to the main house. Too many other vehicles had been in and out to keep track.

Trotting back the way she’d come, Tegan rechecked to be sure no one else was around before getting back to the house and changing back.

Knowing Lex would want to hear of this immediately, even if it was four in the morning, she gave Peter a glare and motioned him inside. She then buzzed Megan and Dave and the other guards, telling them to meet in Lex’s office in ten minutes before finally contacting Lex.

He came into his office five minutes later, stone faced. Tegan knew that face, she wore it then herself.

“Tell me,” he said simply as he sat down.

“Intruders. On the vista up the road. I scented two. They’d been camped there for a few hours, probably starting at eleven or so and stayed until about two. I followed their scent to the back road and down to the main road, losing it when I got to the main drive.

They weren’t our wolves and at least one of them had a gun.”

Lex’s eyes narrowed. “Who had outside duty tonight?”

Peter walked forward, eyes down. “I did, Enforcer. I failed. I’m sorry.”

“Two strangers with a gun within a mile of this house. That’s a failure all right.” Lex looked to Tegan. “Why is it you discovered this and not him?”

“I went outside to compare notes for the shift. It was in the air. It just wasn’t right. I shifted and checked the outer perimeter.” Tegan shrugged. There was no way to sugarcoat it. Peter had f**ked up. Every outside shift should include a run around the outermost perimeters. “There is no excuse for such a lapse and I take responsibility for it.

The team is mine when I’m working.”

“I appreciate that, Tegan, but this is not yours to own. Peter has been in the Enforcer guard for fifteen years. He got lazy and that could have gotten someone killed. We know Pellini is out to hurt us. We can’t afford this kind of lapse.”

Tegan had to fight her wolf not to completely submit to the Enforcer wolf. The anger radiated off him in waves. This was not her sweet and concerned brother. This was Lex Warden, legendary Enforcer, boogeyman to all naughty wolves everywhere.