As promised, the teenager who introduced herself as Niamh showed her around the house. Tania was secretly glad that Ace left them to it, heading to her office once they got inside. 

"I'll show you upstairs first, because we don't want to disrupt the soufflé-making process." 

The girl was serious about her soufflés. Tania wondered if she'd be kicked out of the house if she admitted that she'd never eaten one. 

There were nine bedrooms on the first floor and five on the second, all larger than any place she'd ever stayed in, and Niamh pointed to the upper floor, explaining, "That's the alphas' rooms. No one but Rye and Ace go up there. Not even Zack, now he's big enough to have his own bedroom." 

They headed back downstairs, and this time, she was shown a gym, an indoor pool, and two offices; one of them was occupied by Ace, Princess still in her arms, and the man Tania supposed was Rye, her mate. She didn't even need to think about it; their bond was obvious, even to someone like her. It wasn't just the matching tattoos, or their energies—Rye seemed just as intimidating, but somehow, her instinct told Tania that Ace was the one she had to watch out for. 

"Sorry to intrude." 

"No intrusion," Rye stated. "If the door is open, anyone admitted in the house can come in. You're Tania, the vet, is that right?" 

"That'd be me." 

Rye nodded. "Ian tells us you've had family issues. We certainly understand that. You're very welcome to stay in the lake house for now, if it helps." 

Tania hesitated. "I can't impose that way." 

He shrugged. "Your call. We'll be out shortly for drinks. Can you ask Jas if she'd make cocktails, Niamh?" 

"Oh, can I have a real one?" 

"No," said Ace. 

"I'm fifteen. You guys totally drank at fifteen. I know, I heard the stories." 

"No," she repeated.

"Yes, you did. I remember when Daunte said you guys stole your dad's expensive stash of rum and got so drunk you were sick all over the carpet." 

"You can't have an alcoholic cocktail," Ace said firmly, "because you aren't done with your homework yet. Go do your algebra and then we'll talk." 

The girl beamed. "Really?" 

She'd taken the word out of Tania's mouth. Was she really letting a fifteen-year-old drink? 

"Have you known me to go back on my word? Math first." 

"Pinky promise!" 

Forgetting all about her, the girl rushed to the next room. Tania started to follow her. "Don't look so disapproving. Regular human laws don't apply to sups. Besides, we process alcohol differently; it took twelve bottles to get my brother and me sick. And we learned our limits." 

Tania winced. "It's not my place to judge." 

"But you're judging anyway." 

Ace didn't seem pissed; it sounded like a simple statement. 

"My father is an alcoholic," Tania said. "I'm not fond of drinking in general." 

"Understandable. But instead of hiding our alcohol, and forbidding the kids from trying it, I will let them try it, supervised. My parenting choice." 

Her tone all but said, "what are you gonna do about it?" 

"Sure."

Shit. Now, the head of the pack probably thought she was a boring, judgmental bitch. She left before she could dig a bigger hole, following Niamh to the next room.