Marco swung her up in his arms and carried her to their bed. Catherine saw it was an incredible masterpiece of antique Italian furniture. A huge four-poster bed that looked to be even bigger than a regular king-size.

He laid her down gently into the soft, yielding mattress. He picked up the phone next to the bed and said something in Italian she didn’t understand.

“Marco, this thing is a work of art.” Catherine sat up to get a better look at her surroundings, noting that even though the bed was soft, sitting was still uncomfortable. “This whole room is amazing. And did you pick this mattress so that when you take your well-spanked mate to bed she would be more comfortable on her back?”

He chuckled. “Well, and I fear often-spanked mate.”

“Not funny.”

“Perhaps. But you are in charge of whether or not you get disciplined.”

“Pfft. We both know I’m not always going to do what you tell me.” She reached for a robe that had been lying across the bed and put it on.

“Yes, we do; and we both know that even when you are being disciplined you become aroused.”

“As do you,” she said pointedly.

“Indeed. But your mere presence inflames my lust.”

She rolled her eyes and snorted.

He grinned at her. “I’m glad you like the room, but you are free to change anything in our room or in the house that you feel would better suit you.”

“Are you kidding me? You don’t mess with an iconic design and interior like this. It’s stunning... and it’s all real, isn’t it?”

Marco laughed. “It is indeed, but it is your home now so change whatever you like. There is a large warehouse with furniture and other things and if nothing there suits you, buy whatever you like.”

“Just like that, buy whatever I like?”

“Yes, my Catherine, whatever you like.” He leaned down and kissed her. “I want you to be happy. You have given me so much. I do not want you to ever regret your choice.”

“I never had a choice,” she said softly. “From the moment you touched me, I was lost. I realized you were everything I’d ever wanted. I should tell you, there hasn’t been a boy born in my family for many generations.”

“My Catherine, although ours is a wholly male-dominated society, female children are rare and are revered. But I will tell you as long as you and our children are healthy and safe, I will be the happiest of men.”

There was a soft knock on the door. Marco called for the person on the other side to come in. Giovanni, beta for the DeMedici pack, entered the room.

“Catherine, this is Giovanni. He is beta to our pack and my most trusted friend.”

Giovanni approached Catherine, taking her hand in his and rubbing his forehead against the back of it before kissing her hand. “Mistress,” he said with great reverence. “We are all so glad our alpha has finally found you and brought you home.”

“Thank you, Giovanni. Between you and me, he didn’t give me much of a choice.”

Giovanni chuckled. “Of course not. He is alpha. His word is law.”

“So he tells me,” Catherine said, smiling. “But between you and me... I’m not buying it.”

“Your mate is as spirited as she is beautiful, my alpha. I wish you both the happiest of pairings.” He turned to Marco. “The doctor you requested should be here shortly. Both of you look to be in good health and fine spirits. May I ask why you sent for him?”

Catherine pulled the rolled collar of the robe away to reveal the fresh wound. She knew that Giovanni would have been able to see the area as Marco brought her into the villa. Understanding the importance of marking, Catherine was certain Giovanni would have made note of its absence earlier.

“I see. You do us the greatest honor, Mistress. It is no small thing to leave your humanity behind. Shall I send Valentina and some of the other women to attend your lady?”

“Yo, Giovanni?” He turned back to her. “Best to ask me if I want attending and if so, by whom.”

“Catherine,” Marco growled quietly. “You will not use the sharp side of your tongue to Giovanni. He is beta to our pack and only sought to see to your comfort. Apologize.”

“So tell me, Giovanni, what are the chances he won’t spank me this close to the change?”

Giovanni chuckled and shook his finger at her. “Do not seek to place me between the two of you, Mistress. I will always side with our alpha.”

“Geesh, a girl can’t catch a break.”

Marco growled and Catherine felt his annoyance growing.

“Your alpha has no sense of humor. That being said, I do apologize. Marco is right, being snarky with you was uncalled for. But if I’m not going to be feeling good, I’d rather not have people around me I don’t know. I’m sure I’ll be fine with just the doctor.”

Marco put his arm around her and kissed the top of her head. “You will not be just with the doctor. I will be at your side until you have completed the transition.”

Catherine looked up and saw the concern on his face. She turned to Giovanni.

“Perhaps you could create some problem requiring his assistance. I fear if you don’t he may scare the hell out of this doctor... or is he one of us?”

Giovanni smiled. “He is one of us, Mistress. It is helpful to have a doctor who is familiar with our differences from humans.”

“That would make sense. Thank you, Giovanni. Please let everyone else I look forward to meeting them dressed in something other than a bedsheet.”

Giovanni smiled and left the room.

“So... how do I know the change is starting?” she asked quietly.

Marco stretched out on the edge of the bed and pulled her into his embrace. “You will feel a chill and then warm up very quickly. Your surroundings will be on a sort of soft focus and you will pass out. Then I will keep watch over you until you wake.”

“With a massive hangover.”

“Yes, but we will be prepared to help with that as well.”

“How long does it take?”

“It depends. In cases such as yours, where the person making the transition wants the transition, usually just a few days, although I will insist that you follow the doctor’s orders regarding your recovery.”

“Does Giovanni take bribes?” she giggled.

He chuckled. “No, and he tells his alpha if his mate tries.”

“And does Giovanni have a mate?”

“He does indeed. Valentina. I fear the two of you will get on all too well.”

“What do you mean by that?”

Marco smiled and kissed her. “Valentina has a penchant for misbehaving. I fear the two of you will inspire each other.”

Catherine giggled. “Sounds like my kind of girl.”

“That’s what I’m afraid of.”

Catherine explored their room while Marco made a few phone calls necessary to the running of the vineyard. The room was truly a masterpiece with opulent furnishings. The bath was a good size and the free-standing tub and shower massive. Both looked like they could easily hold more than two people. The small adjacent room was a well-appointed walk-in closet.

“Marco? What are we going to do with my loft in SoHo?” she said, standing in the doorway.

“What would you like to do? We can keep it and perhaps try to get to New York annually.”

“Do we ever have business in New York?”

He nodded. “Occasionally.”

“Could we keep it and offer it to members of our pack to use to vacation? I hate the idea of selling it or subletting it, but I also know it is expensive to maintain just because.”

Marco crossed the room and folded her into his embrace. “Just because it would contribute to your happiness is all the reason I need.”

She looked up at him, prepared to make a sarcastic retort when she realized he was speaking the absolute truth. She hugged him close and pulled his head down, capturing his mouth with hers. “God, I love you,” she said.

He smiled. “And I you, my Catherine... who didn’t think she wanted to be my Catherine.”

“You are never going to let me live that down. And oh, God, Griffin saw it as did others at the hotel.”

“As I said, the stories about the DeMedici pack’s glorious American mistress will grow to legendary status.”

“No one knows about the train, do they?”

“Some know I had to chase you down and caught up with you there. The rest they will surmise as you are here with me now.”

“I don’t suppose the odds are that I can just peacefully die during the change.”

“No, my Catherine. I fear you will have to wake and take your place as my mate.”

“I can tell you this... I’m going to stay up in our room when I can’t sit down comfortably.”

“You will not,” said Marco sternly. “It is your place to help guide and watch over our pack. That you cannot do from our room. When you have a sore bottom you will simply add a pillow to sit on.”

“The hell I will. You have already caused me enough embarrassment.”

“You forget—your women live within the same parameters as you. It is not uncommon to see at least one woman needing the extra addition of a cushion.”

There was another knock and Marco called for the person to enter. A lovely woman with dark hair, light olive skin, and smiling eyes entered the room.

“Marco, Gio wanted you to know the doctor has arrived. He assumed you’d want him set up in here, but wanted me to double check.”

She turned toward Catherine and approached her. As had Giovanni, she took Catherine’s hand in hers, rubbing her forehead against it before kissing it.

“Greetings, Mistress. I’m Valentina. Giovanni is my mate.”

Catherine smiled. Valentina’s words were carefully measured and respectful, but she could sense a kindred spirit behind the demure façade.

Catherine turned to look at Marco. “You were right to be afraid, my love. Be very afraid. Valentina and I are going to be the best of friends and cause all kinds of trouble.”

“Do you really think so?” Valentina asked, sounding all too eager.

Catherine’s smile grew broader. “Count on it. Let me get this pesky change behind me and we’ll see what we can’t get up to.”

Marco rolled his eyes. “Giovanni and I will need to come up with a plan designed especially to deal with naughty mates who conspire together.”

“Pfft,” Catherine said, dismissing Marco and making Valentina giggle.

“Valentina, go back down and let Gio know he was right to assume I want Catherine in our bed.”

She hugged Catherine. “I wish you the easiest of transitions and I will see if I can’t come up with something for us to do when you have recovered.”

Valentina left the room before Marco could respond.

“You do know that within the hour, every woman within our pack will know that their alpha’s mate is not in the least bit afraid of him.”

“And should they want me to be?”

“No,” he admitted. “The best mistresses are strong and capable. Their acceptance of their mate’s authority is seen and received as a great gift. As Gio said, they are already glad that you are with us and the women will be more so now that they have a leader. Although be careful you do not lead them into too much mischief. Remember that their mates will hold them accountable and in the same manner I hold you.”

“As long as you ensure that they get forgiven the same way I do, I’m sure they won’t mind.”

Marco laughed. “That is between a man and his mate and is not something into which I pry.”

Another discreet knock came on their door, to which Catherine responded. It was Giovanni again.

“I have the doctor with me.”

Catherine stepped forward. She thought she might as well start letting it be known that she was not under Marco’s thumb.

“Don’t just stand there, let the man in.”

Giovanni opened the door and ushered the man in.

He looked at Marco. “May I approach your mate?” he said with great respect.

“Excuse me, Doctor? I’m your patient and what he wants has little to do with it,” snarked Catherine, who was beginning to think that managing other people’s expectations was going to be more difficult than managing Marco himself.

“Forgive my mate. She is new to our way of life and fails to understand that a male wolf does not simply approach an alpha’s mate—especially when said alpha is already concerned for her safety. And you have my permission to do whatever is necessary to help make my mate’s transition as easy as possible.”

It was Catherine’s turn to roll her eyes as Giovanni tried to stifle a laugh.

She turned toward him, “Seriously, Giovanni, you need to invent something to take his mind off this.”

“I fear, Mistress, you are your mate’s only concern at this time and his attention will not be diverted,” Giovanni said, smiling.

“Then send Valentina back up here. I’m sure she and I can think of something.”

Marco laughed at the somewhat confused look on the face of his beta. “I fear I should make an apology to you, my dear friend, ahead of time for whatever mischief my mate leads yours into. They met and much like when I first caught her scent, they recognized each other immediately.”

Giovanni shook his head. “You couldn’t have been fated to a nice quiet girl who thinks only to please her mate?”

Both Marco and Catherine laughed in unison. “I fear not, old friend.”

Giovanni shook his head and then his finger at Catherine. “I suppose then I shall go and enjoy the relative quiet of the next few days as you transition.” He departed the room.

The doctor approached Catherine. “How are you feeling, Mistress?”

“Actually I’m a bit chilled.”

Marco and the doctor looked at each other knowingly. The doctor walked over to the bed and began to remove things from his bag.

Valentina poked her head in the room. “Mistress?”

“Valentina, please, it’s Catherine.”

Valentina grinned. “I saw you were wearing Marco’s robe and noticed you didn’t seem to have anything with you. I brought you one of my nightgowns. I thought you might be more comfortable.”

“Thank you, Valentina. That was so kind of you. I think I’m going to grab a quick shower and put it on. I have enough time for that, don’t I?”

“Perhaps, but I think it advisable that either Valentina or your mate accompany you in case you get dizzy.”

“Valentina,” Marco said softly, “go downstairs and let Gio know I am not to be disturbed unless it is an extreme emergency and let the rest of the pack know their mistress is beginning the change.”

Catherine could see Valentina was worried. “Tell the women a new day is dawning and then make sure someone has a big plate of scampi ready when I wake up.”

Valentina rushed over and hugged her new friend. “You will have all of our thoughts and prayers.”

Marco went with Catherine into their bath and stayed with her as she showered and then put on the beautiful silk nightgown.

Marco saw her tremble and sway a bit as the nightgown settled around her. “Dizzy?”

“Yes. Is it starting so soon?”

He nodded. “Often when the change is initiated by being marked, the transition is accelerated.”

Before she knew what he was about, Marco swept her up in his arms and carried her to their bed, where the doctor had set up an IV. Catherine turned her head as the doctor inserted the needle and then lay back in their bed.

For all her bravado, she was glad when Marco stretched out beside her and held her close. The last words she heard before she lost consciousness was Marco telling her he loved her and would be waiting when she opened her eyes.