My head was tight and throbbing. What the hell happened to me? The air was heavy with the scent of cinnamon and rosemary—Petunia's healing balm. A smell that meant someone, probably me, had gotten the snot beaten out of them.

I didn't feel like it though. That was the benefit of the plant fae's balm, but the downside was that it was like a sleeping pill on steroids when it hit you. I didn't remember much from after Robby attacked me, but I felt like I had been zonked out forever. My body was stiff, like I had been in one position for too long. Questions started to meander around my mind. How long had I been out? Where was my daughter?

I blinked open my eyes. The world around me was bleary and unfocused. I saw a hazy person-shaped outline nearby and blurted the first words at the forefront of my mind.

"Where's Ana?"

"It's okay, just rest," a distinctly male voice said to me. "Ana's with me. She's safe."

The voice was soothing. I knew I could trust him completely. I closed my eyes and eased back against the couch with a faint smile.

Wait. Who was that? I opened my eyes once more, although I stayed completely still. My cat stirred within me. It pushed through and cleared the fog from my vision and mind. I blinked and saw Ben standing there holding my child. Our child.

The very man who had just put us both in mortal danger was smiling and rocking my daughter in his arms. I knew it wasn't fair of me, but I wanted to hop up and take her back. It was his involvement with my old pack that put us in danger in the first place.

"You want to tell me how you got involved with my old pack?" I snapped.

"Because I was looking for you." Ben looked up from Ana with a furrowed brow.

"Why would you go see them?"

"I just told you, Aly." He sounded exasperated, like it was all so obvious, and it made my hackles rise a little. I was the one who deserved to be exasperated. He didn't even realize that he had put us in danger.

"How am I supposed to believe you didn't lead them to me on purpose?" I bit out. As the words left my mouth, I could taste how false they were. You know he didn't, Aly.

"Seriously?" he asked, incredulous. "How about the part where I rescued you?"

"Rescued?" I snorted. "I didn't need your help. I had it under control."

Ben grinned as if I had just told a joke. What did he find so amusing?

"It didn't look that way from where I stood," he said.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"No matter how tough you are, it was two against one." His voice was light at first, but it soon tightened with anger. "You were lucky I came back to help. Would it kill you to say thanks?"

"Thanks?" I scoffed. "Why would I thank you?"

"Maybe because I helped you?"

"You're the very reason I had to fight them, Ben. How the hell don't you realize that?"

"What?" His anger was diluted by confusion.

"They were talking to you, Ben! You!"

Ana stirred in Ben's arms when I shouted. I immediately wanted to reach out and grab her from him. The only things that stopped me were the tender way he held her and the look in his eyes.

"I don't know why they were acting like we were best friends. I swear to you, I vaguely remember seeing them when I went to see your old pack, and that's it. Look, I don't know why they attacked you, but—"

"Because they're the reason I'm in Fayoak. I escaped. And you expect me to believe you and them showing up at the same time is just a . . . a coincidence? Forget all that bullshit about my emails and your spam folder. Did they pay you? Is that it?"

I saw the hurt flash in Ben's eyes before it morphed into anger and I immediately regretted my words. I'm such an idiot. I swallowed deeply and looked off to the side. I had just told myself that I knew he had no idea what was going on, but I lashed out at him anyway. Because that was what I did. Lash out first, ask the real questions later. The best way to build healthy relationships.

"Really? That's what you think of me? That I'm a goddamn mercenary? So what's my story, Alysse? 'Cause you seem to have it all worked out. Go on, tell me . . . I'm all ears."

Ana stirred again and let out a little cry. Ben bounced her in his arms and looked down at her. The moment I saw Ben's expression melt as he gazed at her, I felt even worse for slinging accusations like it was my job. I just couldn't seem to stop.

I struggled to sit up on the couch. If I was going to argue with him, I wanted to be able to look him in the eyes. But my body was fighting me. It wasn't just the pain. My whole body felt sluggish from the balm. How much did she slather on me?

I almost laughed as I met Ben's gaze, but I was still too angry. He looked torn between concern and anger as he reached out one hand to help me up—like he couldn't stop himself from helping me. It was as if he wanted to reach out for me, but was so mad that he wanted to let me struggle on my own.

It didn't seem to faze him that his arms were full of Ana. His hand hovered in front of me as I had barely started to lift myself up. I snarled, daring him to touch me, when a pair of wrinkled hands push me back down to the couch. One whiff of the scent and I knew who it was.

I looked up with a sigh as all my anger seemed to drain out of me. "Do you mind, Peter?"

The old man's brows were raised and his lips pursed. "I'm under strict orders from Petunia to, and I quote, 'keep that pigheaded girl from doing something stupid.'"

I smirked at him. "Pigheaded? That one's new."

Peter shrugged. "I think she's running out of ways to call you stubborn. I know you want to fight me right now, and, from the sound of things, this young man, too, but maybe put that energy into healing, eh?"

I cursed under my breath. He was right. They both were. The Greenhavens had welcomed me as family the moment I arrived in Fayoak. Fortunately and unfortunately, this meant they knew me as well as family. Petunia wasn't wrong to think that I would do something stupid and undo all her healing as soon as I woke up. In fact, it was highly likely.

That still didn't mean I liked being told what to do. I ground my teeth together as I settled back down into the couch.

"Fine, but know that I'm very unhappy about this."

Peter moved around the couch to perch on the coffee table. "Duly noted. Now, if you two are going to continue yelling at each other, why don't you let me take this little one to some place less noisy?"

Ben's eyes turned silver, then back to his rich chocolate brown. "I'm done arguing. But maybe I should go someplace else to let Aly cool off."

"No," I said, exhaustion clawing at me. "You don't have to go. Look, I'm sorry I freaked out on you. I'm sure you didn't mean to lead them here. I just thought that I had finally put them in my past. I thought they'd given up."

I studied his face and saw his jaw clench. I wondered what was going on in his head. I looked up at the ceiling as if it held the answer. I only found more questions. What was going on in my head? How could I have ever thought someone so good and honest could do that to me?

Before that night we shared, we had really only studied together. We hadn't even been on a single date, but we had spent a lot of time together. It took a lot of study sessions to get through the material when we spent the whole time making eyes at each other.

Ben was simply a good person. Too good for someone like me. He was the sort of guy that older women would look at, nod, and say, "That boy's mother sure raised him right." If Ben gave his word, he kept it. If he said he had your back, he would run through a burning building, barefoot, to keep you safe. He looked at me with concern that I knew I didn't deserve. God, I had issues.

"Why'd you have to escape?" Ben asked quietly, a hint of tension in his voice. "Was it really that bad?"

"It was probably worse than you think. They—" I paused as Ben's cell phone started to ring. He shifted Ana to his shoulder as he dug his phone out of his pocket. I tilted my head, noting, in that motherly part of my brain, how comfortable he was with her.

Despite my sour mood and aching body, my heart warmed at the sight. I had no doubt that Ana recognized her father on some primal level. Her soft, content expression said it all. I wrinkled my nose slightly at my sickly-sweet thoughts. Having a baby had made me so sentimental.

Ben watched his phone ring.

"You going to get that?" I asked as I raised my brow.

Ben's surprised look met mine. I wondered if he forgot the rest of us were here.

"No, it's fine. My cousin will leave a message."

"You can answer it."

Ben smiled, his dimples creasing his cheeks. "Thanks, but I'll call him back later."

"Aren't you worried it's important?"

"Nah, David likes to call and check up on me. If it's urgent, his brother will text."

"They text you for emergencies? That seems, um . . . backwards?"

He shrugged as he slid his phone back into his pocket. "That sounds about right for the two of them. They're weird. They also like to talk. If I'd answered, God only knows how long I'd be on the phone with them."

"Speaking of weird family members," I murmured, "has anyone called Sophie? I'm guessing not since she hasn't barreled in here to mother all over me yet."

"Ah, yeah, Petunia said to wait until you woke up," Peter replied with a chuckle. "She said Sophie would get in her way."

"She wasn't wrong." I shifted slightly on the couch and all eyes focused on me. "Oh, c'mon, I just need to get my phone."

"Just take it easy for once, Aly," Ben said with a sigh.

"I'll take it easy when I'm dead." I harrumphed pointedly and summoned up whatever strength I had to fish my phone out of my pocket. Phone in hand—and my body screaming in pain—I gave them a triumphant grin. "See? Nailed it."

Peter didn't look convinced. Neither did Ben. Ana did me a solid and kind of opened her mouth in what could be called a smile and I smiled back at her. That's my girl.

I scrolled through my contacts and hit my sister's name. It rang, then rang some more. I furrowed my brows together. Since when did my sister not answer her phone? Just before it was about to go to voicemail, the call was suddenly answered, but I heard nothing but frantic rustling.

Finally, Sophie's breathless voice said, "Aly? Something wrong?"

I arched a brow even though she couldn't see me. Someone had obviously been very busy with a certain handsome fae. Those two couldn't keep their hands off each other.

"Hey, Soph," I drawled out.

"What's going on?"

"Always with the questions." I let out a small laugh. "Calm down, I'm alright. I'm at the Greenhavens' right now. We've got problems though."

"Problems?" Her voice was tense. She probably already knew what I was going to say.

"Some of the old pack has come to visit Fayoak and their greeting made it pretty clear why."

"Did they hurt you?"

"Yeah, but—"

The call suddenly ended and I sighed.

"Did your sister just hang up on you?" Ben asked as if he couldn't believe it.

"Yeah. All she heard was that her baby sister was hurt. Of course she wouldn't let me explain that I was okay."

"I remember you talking about how overprotective she was."

"Yep, that's Sophie for you. Weird, just like those cousins of yours."

"Only Alysse Addison would think people caring about her is weird."

I ignored his comment, but I narrowed my eyes at the truth I heard in it. He wasn't wrong, but that didn't mean I liked hearing it. I was already hurting, we didn't need to add mental anguish to my list of ailments. Thankfully, it wouldn't take Sophie long to get here. My sister had moved in with her lover-boy, Alex Greenhaven, who lived in the Greenhavens' guesthouse. I eyed the door, expecting her to burst through any minute.

Peter followed my line of sight and laughed heartily. "Sophie's on her way over, isn't she?"

"Yup."

Sure enough, as I had predicted, Sophie came barging through the front door moments later, still struggling to button up her shirt. Peter's wide eyes quickly found great interest in the woodgrain of the coffee table. Ben's brows rose to his hairline, then he shot me a knowing grin and gently covered Ana's eyes.

"Way to embarrass everyone, Soph," I said with a snort.

Moments later, Alex came scrambling through the door. He quickly looked around the room. Once he saw that everyone was fine, he thrusted a hand into his blonde hair and doubled over to catch his breath.

"You only managed to get your pants on, huh?" I called out.

"Your sister is just . . . so . . . fast," Alex wheezed.

Sophie looked between us, a little guilty, then shrugged. "I had to make sure you were okay."

I huffed a little and rolled my eyes. "I told you I was fine."

"Like that time you broke your arm while out bike riding and insisted it was just a sprain? Even as tears were streaming down your cheeks?"

Ben laughed. "That sounds like Aly."

Sophie's eyes darted to him. I saw her nose twitch as she scented the air, then her eyes went wide with shock. She looked at me for confirmation. I nodded and she looked back at Ben.

"You're . . ."

"Yep," he confirmed with a grin.

Alex walked up beside Sophie, his breath finally calm and even. "Uhh, you mind clueing in the uninitiated?"

"I'm Ana's dad."

"Oh."

"What?"

"It's . . . nice to meet you."

The air in the room was suddenly stifling. I hadn't spoken much about Ben to anyone here in Fayoak, except for Charlie. On the few occasions I did talk about him, it was mostly to bitch about him being a deadbeat. Awkward.

Alex was looking off to the side. Peter was still staring intently at the coffee table. My sister, however, was giving Ben a death glare that stood a strong chance of actually killing him. Ben looked more bewildered than ever. I knew I had better say something before they came to blows.

"As it turns out," I quickly explained, "there was a reasonable explanation for his absence. So, if you could just, like, forget all those terrible things I said . . ."

Ben frowned. "What things?"

"Best not to dwell on it," Peter chimed in with a chuckle.

Alex snickered and I shot him a glare.

"Anyway," I continued loudly, "you're not here to talk about Ben. Well, we kind of are. Since Ben led our pack to us."

"That's right, isn't it?" Ben frowned at me. "I forgot that I'm a mercenary who was paid to track you down. Thanks, Aly, that isn't still a fresh wound or anything."

"You're a what?" Sophie hissed out.

"Take it down a notch, Soph." I sighed. "Ben, I'm sorry I said that, okay? I was mad. I didn't mean it. This has just been . . . a mess."

"A very entertaining and noisy one," Peter added. Real helpful. Thanks for that.

My sister shook her head and exhaled loudly as she plopped down on the couch across from me. "It's a long story. It's enough to say that our old pack was bad news."

Alex joined my sister on the couch, slipping his arm around her shoulders. She tilted her head toward his and he planted a kiss on her hair. A small flicker of envy burst to life inside me when I saw her relax against him. I couldn't help it. Some part of me wanted that so badly.

But there I was, moments earlier, trying to make Ben feel guilty about tracking me down in Fayoak. I was excellent at making sure I could never get what I wanted. I took the phrase I'm my own worst enemy very seriously. Even though I was painfully aware of my faults, it didn't help me much. I kept making the same mistakes.

"How many showed up?" Sophie asked.

"Just two. Robby and Seth."

I could see Sophie try to riddle out who they were, but she never really associated with the new members of our pack.

"They're part of the new Alpha's inner circle," I said with a groan as I pulled myself into a seated position. Ben and Peter darted toward me and I gave them each their own specially tailored glare. "Knock it off. I'm not in that bad of shape."

Alex arched a brow at me, a faint smile tugging at his lips. "Ah, yeah, silly us. There's just something about bruises and dried blood on a person's clothes, y'know?"

"Yeah, yeah, I get it. But I'm good." And I really did feel great, all things considered. Petunia's balm had obviously been working its magic for a while. "How long was I out, by the way?"

Peter looked at the big grandfather clock in the back of the living room. "A couple of hours."

"Jesus, you shouldn't have let me sleep that long. Ana needs to eat and—"

"I took care of it. I even changed her." Ben's voice was bursting with pride.

"Seriously?" I gave him a suspicious look.

"Yeah, seriously. I did a lot of babysitting back in the day. My mom was tight with the purse strings."

"Huh. I never would've guessed."

"Can we please talk about the real issues here?" Sophie interrupted. "Aly, you and Ana are staying with me until we figure this out. We don't know how far the pack is going to go. Maybe it'll just be a repeat of . . ."

Edward. That was the name she didn't want to say. The psychopath from our old pack who had been obsessed with her. He earned himself a brutal death after his tango with a certain plant fae. Robby and Seth got off light in comparison.

"Cool it, big sis." I fought to keep my smile in place. I didn't want her thinking about that. Not when she was so happy. "I'll be okay soon enough. Petunia already doped me up with her balm."

"That's all well and good, but you'll be safer with us."

"Fine. You're gonna make me say it." I sighed. "I don't want to have to listen to you two going at it all the time."

My sister bristled and Alex grinned.

"We do not—" she began.

I cut her off with a flat look. "Soph. C'mon."

She looked off to the side with a frown. Alex kept on grinning.

"Aly," Ben said, drawing my attention back to him, "this place isn't safe. I still think you should leave with me—"

"Leave with you?" Sophie practically shouted, her nostrils flaring. There went all my effort to keep her calm.

"Yeah." Ben shot her a glare with a challenging arch of his brow before he continued, "Like I was saying, Aly, I still think you should leave with me. My pack would be safer for you and Ana."

I narrowed my eyes. "We've already discussed this."

"I know, but it was worth one more shot. I'll let it go for now, but if you're not going to leave with me, you need to stay somewhere safe."

"See, Aly?" Sophie calmed slightly, although she still seemed miffed. "The father of your child agrees."

"Don't 'father of your child' me," I scoffed. "My home is perfectly safe. You used to live there, remember?"

For a moment, Sophie seemed to realize she had painted herself into a corner, but she barreled right on through anyway. "I don't care. We know people from the old pack are here now. It's not safe anymore."

"Ben can stay with me," I blurted out. My eyes widened as I processed what I'd just said.

Where had that come from? Even though he had brought trouble to my door, I knew Ben would protect me. I trusted him. That was just the truth of it all. As far as my sister was concerned, he was a big, strong shifter, so it'd likely get her off my case.

"If that's not enough for you, I'll have Charlie come stay, too."

I saw Ben's eyes flash silver. "I can protect you without that ogre's help."

I wanted to roll my eyes, but whatever. He was just helping my case.

"See, Soph? Ben can handle it."

The question I had for myself was whether I could handle having him in my house or not. The way I reacted when I saw him in that hardware store told me that I couldn't. My eyes ran over him as he held Ana.

It was amazing how holding a baby could make an already gorgeous man look even hotter. My cat, of course, was in complete agreement. Ben's chiseled jaw was apparently the one thing we could always agree upon.

However, I had a feeling my inner cougar and I were going to have a long night of fighting ahead. I was supposed to be mad at him for leading my pack here, but how was I going to keep my hands to myself when the two of us were alone?