Brock rolled out of bed, careful not to disturb Elsie. He’d already kept her up half the night, but he couldn’t feel sorry for that. The way she moved against him, the way she’d tilt her head back and moan: it was all burned into his memory and there was no way he would ever regret it.

That being said, she had to be exhausted. She’d been running for a full day and she’d changed for the first time. The energy needed to change from one form to another was always taxing. In his wolf form, he wouldn’t feel it at all, but the exhaustion always crept up once he was human again.

He wouldn’t be surprised if she slept the entire day. Grabbing some sweatpants and the first t-shirt he saw, Brock slipped from the room.

The sun was already high in the sky, brightening the entire cabin. Lana and Gloria sat at the table in the kitchen, their conversation abruptly halted by his entrance.

“Brock,” said Lana. “Good morning. I trust your mate is feeling better.”

If he didn’t know better, he’d think Lana was actually concerned about Elsie. “She’s doing okay. I’m going to let her sleep as much as possible. It’s been a stressful few days.”

Lana nodded. “She should rest. Has she been sleeping okay?”

The question seemed innocent enough, but Brock knew the deeper meaning behind it.

“Elsie isn’t one of us. She’s not dreaming about the queen.”

Lana raised one brow but didn’t say anything. Gloria stepped in before Brock could get defensive. “Drop it, Grandma.”

Brock gave Gloria a look of appreciation and his heart dropped. Her normally perfectly done black hair was a mess. Her bright blue eyes were red rimmed, with dark circles masking their normal shine.

“Have you heard from Dani?” he asked as gently as possible.

Gloria gave a quick jerk of her head as a no. He wanted to say something to make her feel better, but there was nothing to say.

When Dani confessed what she’d done, he exploded. He screamed and cursed. He might have thrown something in rage, but he couldn’t remember what. Lana or Gloria must have cleaned up the debris while he was searching for Elsie because the cabin was now in perfect condition.

Dani had cried and begged for forgiveness before screaming right back at him. She said the monarchy was stupid and no one should have ever put him in power. Eventually she grabbed the keys to Russell’s pickup and drove off.

Brock and Russell had been too busy coordinating the search for Elsie to give much concern to the teen who almost got her killed. But that was two nights ago.

Now they had no idea where Dani was or who she was with. She hadn’t even called her mother to let her know she was okay.

“She’ll call,” he said weakly. In all honesty, he’d been hard on her. She’d deserved his rage and knew better than to deal with Derek. Father or not, she’d been warned her entire life about his character. Dani deserved to be screamed at.

That didn’t make Brock feel better now that the family was fracturing apart.

Gloria nodded in acknowledgment, but she didn’t look too hopeful.

Russell’s loud footsteps sounded on the stairs and Brock was grateful for his brother’s presence. Russell understood him. He didn’t have a mate of his own, but he understood the urges and possessiveness that went along with the claiming. He might not be Elsie’s biggest fan, but at least he would have Brock’s back.

“How is our newest wolf?” Russell grabbed a cinnamon roll off the counter.

“Sleeping it off.”

Russell nodded good morning to Gloria and gave Lana a quick and respectful kiss on the forehead before he turned back to Brock. “How long has she been able to turn?”

“She said last night was the first time. She wasn’t expecting it. I get the idea her mother left a lot out when telling her about her ancestors.”

“Sounds like a wonderful family you have mated into.” Lana smiled.

Brock shook his head at his grandmother. “I have known Elsie for years. She is one of the smartest and most capable people I’ve ever worked with, not to mention the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen. Believe me when I tell you that mating her was the best decision of my life.”

He didn’t give Lana a chance to insult Elsie anymore before he walked out into the warm spring air.

He took a second to remind himself he loved his grandmother and regain his composure. The screen door banged shut and he looked over his shoulder to see Russell. “Don’t let her get to you, man.”

Brock shook his head. “It’s not just her. It’s everyone. You aren’t exactly her biggest fan. Lana hated her on sight. Gloria will never be able to look at her the same after what Dani did. Hell, besides me, Dani was the only one of us who liked her.

“Why? Elsie’s amazing. What is it about her that drives everyone crazy?”

Russell thought about it for a moment before he answered. “I think it’s just too sudden. Mom and Dad were together fifteen years before they mated. Not until he was sure she would survive the queen’s curse. Not that she did, but he was convinced she would survive. We didn’t even know you were seeing anyone before you brought us your half-dead mate last week. You can’t blame us for being skeptical.”

Brock shook his head at the explanation. He knew Elsie’s introduction had been sudden, but she didn’t deserve the cold reception.

“None of you gave her a chance,” he said, knowing it was too late to ease Elsie into his family.

“She’s smart. She’s strong. She got away from Cullen in less than a day and managed on her own and fought through the exhaustion to make it back here. That says a lot about her character. It’s only a matter of time before Lana sees that.”

Before Brock could thank Russell for his support, the crunching of a car moving up the driveway had Brock and Russell both turn to the noise.

Without a word, they both sprinted to the approaching vehicle. Before it stopped, Brock’s stomach dropped. It wasn’t Dani.

The sporty red Mustang braked within inches of Russell’s prized Porsche and Brock heard Russell growl at the threat to his baby. The driver’s door opened; a high heel and well-shaped calf emerged.

Russell wasn’t swayed by the image as he aggressively took a step forward. Brock grabbed Russell’s arm, halting his progress. “Stay back,” he whispered.

“Give me one good reason.”

“That’s Elsie’s mother.”

Rebecca emerged fully from the Mustang and looked to Brock with a big smile on her face. “Brock! Welcome to the family, son!”