Carolline shut the door behind her, after she walked into Devon’s bedroom. She let out a breath and let her mind go blank for a moment. The evening’s events were damn near overwhelming for her. Too many people. Too much tension. She didn’t have these kinds of problems when she lived alone. Excusing herself near the end of story time, while Devon read to a nearly asleep Tabitha, gave her a limited amount of time to decompress. There was a lot to think through after this evening.

She needed to figure out what she wanted to say to Devon about the unexpected visit of his ex-in-laws, and what she had overheard at the door. There was little doubt that it had to do with Sasha’s parents’ sudden arrival. That much she knew.

She wasn’t the only one shocked to see Devon lead strangers out to the backyard. Confusion, nervousness, and a myriad of other emotions spread through the group upon their arrival. There was curiosity on her part, as well. The uptight and standoffish people were clearly human, and not used to being around shifters.

The children, well, Tabitha and Sebastian, had been beside themselves with excitement and anticipation…along with a smidge of nervousness, when the couple stepped through the door. Marcus took a more reserved, protective stance; keeping close to his brother and sister, but standing out of reach of his grandparents.

The other adults simmered with anger and unbridled wariness. Jack bristled at the edge of the lawn. His eyes never leaving them. Russell and Judith were friendly, but not overly so.

As for the couple, the man vibrated with barely disguised excitement. His stony façade broke when his eyes landed on the children. A smile tugged at the corners of his mouth, which he couldn’t seem to wipe away. His hands flexed and relaxed, like he wanted to hold the kids and never let go. If it had just been him, Carolline felt the visit would have been a more relaxed and welcome affair.

It was the woman that immediately put them all on edge. The tension running through her was palpable. Her distaste for shifters easy to read in the lines on her face. The rigidity of her body. The tone of her voice the few times she spoke.

The atmosphere, because of Tracey, was a powder keg ready to go off at any moment. After too many minutes passed with no one stepping forward to alleviate the situation, Carolline took it upon herself to break the ice.

She had plenty of experience with people like Tracey in the shifter world, who were actual shifters. Ignorant to an entire class of humanity and with the firm belief they were better than the rest.

From experience, she knew to keep as much distance between herself and the couple. If not physically, then at least mentally. She didn’t elaborate on her presence in the home, or correct their assumption she was anything other than the woman who saved the children. Not trusting her instincts had gotten her in trouble once in her life, and she vowed never to go against her gut again. She would keep her cards close to her chest, until time dictated otherwise.

“Until then, and I’m sure it won’t happen in the next ten minutes, I think I’ll get ready for bed,” she murmured to herself. Grabbing her pajamas, she went into the bathroom, allowing her thoughts to run free as she brushed her teeth and changed clothes.

Did she have the right to pry? To know what the dynamic was between Devon and his in-laws? What went on between Devon, Sasha, and her parents that ended with her parents never seeing the children before now? Was it something Devon insisted on? Was it their own bias toward shifters that kept them from the sweet children she was just getting to know? Or was it their fear of having shifters in their lives that kept them away?

She was reluctant to dive in head first and find out, but wasn’t she part of the situation now? Hadn’t she allowed herself to become part of the family when she took the mating bite from Devon? Isn’t that how it worked?

There would be no answers until she confronted Devon. Sussed out how much information he would give willingly.

Carolline walked out of the bathroom in time to see Devon come into the bedroom. He eased the door shut, letting the soft click fill the space between them. Neither moved. Neither said a thing. They both stood, studying the other. His face was a blank mask, and she didn’t know him well enough to be able to read between the lines.

As she had before, she moved first. With her dirty clothes clutched in her hand, she made her way to the laundry basket, shoving them in. Her move prompted Devon. He walked silently across the room and into the bathroom without a word. Within minutes, the water came on and she made the decision to crawl under the covers to wait. No need to not be comfortable for the impending conversation.

Back propped against the headboard, covers pulled to her waist, and hands folded in her lap, she bided her time, putting her questions in order of relevance in her mind. Thankfully, it didn’t take long for Devon to emerge.

He was stripped down to his boxers, making a mouthwatering tableau. Muscled thighs flexed and shifted, drawing her attention. Her gaze travel up, catching on toned abs, then broad shoulders. In any other situation, he would be irresistible. In all honesty, he was irresistible, but she couldn’t allow him to distract her.

Clothes were tossed in the laundry basket before he joined her beneath the covers. He turned toward her a bit before plucking her hand up and threading his fingers with hers.

“What do you want to know?”

“Everything. I’m just not sure where to start. Do I begin with how that appeared to be the first time the kids have ever seen the Jordan’s? Or, do I start by asking for the background on your relationship with them? Or, how about how everyone was on edge the entire evening because something was not right with that woman?”

Devon nodded. “Quite the dilemma. I can see why you’d have a hard time figuring out what to go with first.” His brows furrowed and a flash of indecision passed through his eyes before they cleared. “Let’s start with something easy. That was, indeed, the first time the kids have ever seen their other grandparents. They’ve never been part of their lives, part of our lives since we found out Sasha was pregnant before we got married.” He paused and frowned. “No, that isn’t the truth. Sasha got back in contact with them several months before the accident. She’d been spending time with them in Cheyenne, but not taking the kids on her visits.

“They didn’t approve of me, and she was afraid they wouldn’t react well if she took the kids with her before she warmed them up to the idea. They didn’t like that I was a shifter, and they disowned her on the spot when they realized she wouldn’t terminate her pregnancy. That never was an option, by the way. My kids are my life whether they were full-blooded or mixed. Anyway, she’d hoped to bring them around to wanting to see the kids. I think she’d been close to it too. She talked about her desire to take Sebastian with her on her next trip. Felt they were finally ready to meet the kids, but only one at a time. Seb would have been the easiest since he isn’t in school, though Marcus really should have been first.”

“Why didn’t they show up after the accident? I would have thought they would want to connect with the last pieces of her.”

Devon shrugged. “My guess? They were grieving. They lost the daughter that they had only just allowed back into their lives. Before I came along, they were her world. She didn’t have any boyfriends before me. I got the impression Tracey was jealous of the time Sasha spent with me. Philip wasn’t as bad. He was protective and wary, but he was happy that she was happy.”

“They do seem to have differing personalities. From the small amount of interaction I had with them, it felt like Tracey was the dominant in the relationship. Philip put on a good front, but he constantly took his queues from Tracey. Small touches that stopped him. The clearing of her throat when he got caught up with the kids.”

Devon shook his head. “I didn’t notice.”

“I know,” she said, smiling fondly at the memory of him keeping a watchful eye. The protectiveness and love he had for the kids was oddly a turn on for her. Endearing him in her heart one action at a time. “You were busy keeping an eye on the kids. So was Jack. And so were your parents. I felt confident they would be safe, and decided to observe the Jordan’s. There’s something not right about them, but after what you said, maybe that weird feeling makes sense. They had to be nervous, and Philip vacillated between reserved demeanor and unbidden excitement.” Carolline pursed her lips, taking a moment to gather her words for what she felt needed to be said next. She sucked in a breath and glanced down at her hand threaded with Devon’s. “Tracey,” she paused and looked up at him.

“Go on. I want to hear your thoughts on her,” he said gently. “You’re a fresh pair of eyes when it comes to them. I’d like to see what someone without prior knowledge of everything thinks. I’m afraid I’ve let time and Sasha wear me down and change my opinion of them a bit.”

“Okay,” she nodded. “Tracey smelled of anger and disgust, even to my inferior sense of smell. I think, on some level, she still blames you for what happened to Sasha, even though you couldn’t have prevented the accident.”

Devon cocked his head to the side, a look of surprise on his face. “You know what happened?”

“Not all the details, but enough. She was struck by a drunk driver while heading back to Garden from Cheyenne. Her death was instantaneous.”

He swallowed hard and nodded. “She didn’t feel a thing. At least that’s what I was told. What I know as a doctor, and reading all of the reports I could get my hands on.”

Carolline brushed her free hand against his cheek. Sympathy and pain tugged in her chest for him. It had to have been hell reading about his wife’s death. “I’m sorry,” she whispered.

He took a shuddering breath and shot a weak smile at her. “I’ve had time to deal with it. To move passed it.”

“There is no moving passed it, Devon. The death of a loved one, especially someone you have picked to be your partner for the rest of your life, isn’t something you can brush aside after a small amount of time.”

“I know. She’ll always be part of me, but I need to move on as much as I can. It’s been a few years and I have the kids to think of. And you, now.” He brushed his thumb over the back of her hand. She squeezed his in return.

“Enough of this tonight. I think we should get some sleep.” He let go of her hand and started to turn for the nightstand light.

“One more thing,” she piped up before he could turn off the light.

He glanced at her over his shoulder.

“We aren’t telling them I’m your mate.”

Devon opened his mouth, then snapped it shut. He probably realized she’d heard his entire conversation with his father with that one simple statement.

“I agree with you, but not about not telling me. It’ll be too much for them, in my opinion. Finally meeting their grandchildren after finding out they were nearly snatched away. Coming to terms that they’ve missed out on so much, and possibly realizing that if they’d stayed a part of your lives, Sasha may never have had that accident. Not to mention what you’re going through. You’re the one here to answer all the questions the kids will have. The one that will need to smooth the roads between your family and them. If you don’t accept Philip and Tracey, there’s a good chance the kids won’t either, no matter how much they want to.”

“You don’t mind?”

“No. I even thought about moving back to my house for a bit.”

Devon whipped around to face her. “NO!” Devon’s eyes blazed with the denial. She felt his agitation building around him.

“I only thought it would be easier. The Jordan’s will be in and out of their lives. That adjustment won’t take as much time. They won’t be here permanently. Me, on the other hand.” She shrugged.

“No. I won’t have it. You’re my mate and you need to be here. You are part of this family and here to stay.”

“But, the Jordan’s, if we aren’t telling them, and I agree that we shouldn’t, they’ll want to know why I’m here all of the time. They seemed to accept your reasoning tonight, but how long do you think that will hold up?”

“I don’t know, but we’ll deal with it as it comes. Right now, while they’re in town, we stick with you being a family friend and savior. Once we’re more comfortable, we’ll tell them the truth if it becomes an issue.”

“When it becomes an issue,” she stressed. Carolline leaned forward and placed a soft kiss on his lips. “But for now, okay. I can agree to that.” She scooted back and slipped down under the covers.

Devon smirked like he’d won an argument, then turned out the light. He shifted under the covers and gently nudged her onto her side. His arm draped over her waist and pulled her back into him, nuzzling into her hair as he got comfortable. He let out a sigh of contentment, and she felt the tension drain from him. “Thank you,” he whispered. Within minutes, he was sound asleep. His steady, even breaths blew gently across her neck. A pleasant little shiver skated down her spine at the feel of it.

Being snuggled up against the man would take some time getting used to, but she supposed she could. Devon soothed a part of her she didn’t know needed soothing. It was a calm, a peace, settling deeper and deeper into her soul. Carolline smiled to herself and let the feeling take over. Falling asleep faster than ever within the safety of her mate’s arms.