Owen Tremaine stared at the paperwork in front of him, seeing none of it. He and his team had been onsite for less than a year, and already four of his teammates had gotten married. Max was still out on his honeymoon. None of that was what he’d been expecting when he pulled the group together and came out here. Kit and Rocco were going to be dads again in a few months. Hell, Owen was sitting at the very desk where he’d written love letters to a dead woman.

But Adelaide Jacobs was no longer a figment of his lost past. She was his now, in flesh and blood; only logistics were keeping them from sharing the same last name.

It was their turn to tie the knot. He was done waiting.

He checked his phone to find her. She was in the new greenhouse that Blade had the construction crew build while they were there working on the basement.

Owen went outside via the French doors in his office and crossed the lawn. The day was crisp but mild for an early January morning in Wyoming. The greenhouse sat near the caretaker’s house that Jim and Russ lived in. It was a huge monstrosity of a glass dome and reminded Owen of the conservatory at Addy’s mountain house. She’d naturally gravitated toward it—not because she missed anything about her old place, but because she liked getting her hands dirty in a garden.

A wall of moist, hot air wrapped around him when he stepped inside. Fans created an artificial breeze, rustling the leaves of the banana and lemon trees.

Addy looked up and smiled. He’d never thought to have her back in his life, yet here she was, beautiful and thriving, like the plants she tended.

Today was the day.

“Look”—she lifted a heavy leaf on a vine to show him something growing out of its faded flower—“we have baby zucchinis starting. And the butter lettuce is almost ready for harvesting.” She hurried to another area in the big greenhouse and held her hand under the framework of a strawberry bed that somehow had the berries hanging upside down. “The boys planted these a few weeks ago and the strawberries are already starting.”

Owen smiled at the wonder in her eyes. She spent a lot of her days in here, working on the indoor farm for the household. He pulled her into his arms. “I need to talk to you.”

Worry flashed across her face, but she hid it with a smile as she set her hands on his arms. “Okay.”

“When can I make you Mrs. Tremaine?”

She relaxed. “That’s up to you. We could go get our marriage license tomorrow. Then we could go to the justice of the peace anytime. I don’t want to make this a big deal. I get a little panicky thinking about having another wedding ceremony.”

“We can make it low-key, but I want to have that first dance with you, so it needs to be more than a run to the JP. I used to play that dance with you through my head, pretend what it would have been like, before I lost you. That was my go-to daydream when things were stressful.”

She rubbed his arms. “I know. You wrote about that in one of your letters to me.”

“And I’d like my dad and your brother to be with us. Jax needs to walk you down the aisle. Let’s find out when they can get back here.”

“This is sounding like a big deal.”

“Not really. Just family.”

“And team and cubs.”

“Which is just family.”

“Maybe we could all go out to Mama Rosa’s for supper to celebrate. Make it easy on everyone here.”

“Or we could have them cater it for us here. I don’t want you stressing about this. We can hire an event group to do the whole thing. Setup. Take-down. Cleanup. Decorations. Music. All of it.”

“That’s a lot of money.”

“Not for our wedding. And it’s less stress on the team, especially since they’re still recovering from the last wedding.” He smiled at Addy, hoping to ease the tension rolling in waves from her. “Now what about wedding rings?”

She actually flushed a little. “I was looking through Hope’s wedding magazines and found a jeweler I like in Denver. They have just the ring I want.”

He smiled, warmed to learn she’d been thinking about their wedding. “And what does this ring look like?”

“It’s an emerald-cut aquamarine with two diamond baguettes.”

“An aquamarine as a center stone? Not a diamond?”

“Cecil gave me a diamond. I don’t want that again. Besides, the aquamarine reminds me of your eyes, so having it with me all the time is like having you with me.”

“I like that.” He sighed. “I can’t believe I’m going to suggest this…but why don’t you pick out some wedding dress photos from those magazines and give them to Val? He can have his friend who owns the bridal shop source them and bring them up for you to try on. The other ladies may want to pick something out too. She can bring all of that up for you to select from.”

“I didn’t want to make such a big deal out of this.”

“It is a big deal. It’s our wedding. I want it to be amazing. I want it to wipe out any memory you have of your first ceremony, which wasn’t a wedding at all, but it’s holding that spot in your head.”

“Nothing about that day was good. Nothing. I try not to think about it at all.” Her blue eyes deepened, in that odd way they had of changing with her emotions, a side effect of her modifications.

“Use our wedding to purge that from your mind.”

She nodded slowly, mulling it over. “Okay. I will.” She wrapped her arms around his waist. “Is there anything you specifically want included or excluded? A meal or cake preference? Colors or themes?”

“I just want my dance with you. Everything else is gravy.”

Owen called Jax on his walk back to the house. “Hey,” he said when the call was picked up.

“Owen. Your dad’s here with me. I’ve got you on speaker. S’up?”

“Dad.”

“Son.”

Perfunctory greetings done, Owen cut to the issue. “Wynn phoned her folks and asked them to come back. They said they couldn’t until you gave them approval.”

“Which I didn’t give,” Jax said, “for reasons I’m sure you can understand, given the circumstances.”

“I need them here.”

“Tell me about the situation you’ve going on there,” Jax said. “Something about an invisible intruder?”

“Yeah. Someone or something has been physically accessing the house. Can’t catch him on camera—he interferes with electronics. Cameras aside, he’s able to hide himself somehow. We could walk right past him and not know it.”

“That’s why I stashed the Ratcliffs,” Jax said. “There are things we don’t know about, things we’ve only heard about through gossip and anecdotal evidence. The urban legends that are growing around these human modifications indicate these changed beings are capable of extra-human behaviors.”

“Can you do unusual things, Dad?” Owen asked.

“Not that I know of. I was changed in a lab environment where the doctors monitoring me were trying to establish a control against which the physiology of other changed beings could be measured. I’m about to start my training. I will say that I do have urges and impulses, intuitions that I didn’t have—or wasn’t aware of—before being altered.”

“Have either of you heard of a man called Bastion?” Owen asked. “He speaks French.” Silence. A big, pregnant silence.

“Is that who’s been coming to your headquarters?” Jax asked.

“I believe so. At least, that’s how he introduced himself to one of our team members.”

“We know some things about the study in which he was modified. He’s part of a group the Ratcliffs had in their sights.”

“Had?” Owen asked.

“Yeah. The study went on for a long while,” Nick said, “but ultimately imploded, and its participants, including Bastion, got lost over time. He’s one of a small group of men who were changed then sent to work for a private military consulting firm that operates in South America and the Middle East several years ago. Lethal motherfuckers, Owen.”

“After their modifications, half the company went bad, half stayed good,” Jax added. “It’s unclear which half he’s on.”

“Bastion’s in a group led by a guy named Liege,” Nick said. “We don’t know their legal names. They called themselves Liege’s Legion. We don’t know much about this group. It appeared they’d broken apart and had gone their separate ways. Rumor has it that Liege and several of his men are here in the U.S., but we haven’t been able to substantiate that yet. If it’s true, they may be getting the band back together.”

“‘Several’ men isn’t much of a legion,” Owen said.

“Considering they can operate as effectively as a unit ten times their size, they’re enough as they are,” Nick said.

“Why are they here?” Owen asked.

“That’s unknown at this point,” Jax said. “We think they’re after the scientists who changed them.”

“Was that the Ratcliffs?” Owen asked.

“No.” Sounded as if Nick had moved closer to the phone. “But the Ratcliffs have the broadest knowledge about these human modifications and the players involved. And they’re some of the last researchers the Omnis haven’t yet terminated. Plus, they’re well connected in Omni scientific circles. Even if the scientists responsible for the Legion’s enhancements have been ended, the Ratcliffs may be able to recover their research.”

“I need talk to the them so I can learn how to deal with these guys,” Owen said. “What are their known capabilities?”

“They each have different skills and strengths,” Nick said, “but all of them have enhanced mental abilities that allow them to manipulate physical things and mental conditions in those they encounter. Bastion is thought to have enhanced abilities around telepathy and electromagnetic projection.”

“How is that possible?”

“We’re still learning,” Nick said. “These enhancements are proof regular humans are capable of far more than science has even speculated. It’s thought this group was given several doses of nanos programmed to modify neural networks, giving them access to their full capabilities, basically rewiring their brains for maximum use. The range of abilities of Liege’s Legion isn’t fully known. We suspect they can utilize a psychic network, which is intensified by the number of warriors in their mental network.”

“If I were you, Owen,” Jax said, “I’d relocate. Fast.”

“That’s not going to happen,” Owen said. “We have families here, kids starting school soon, wives with businesses. Our lives are here.”

“And the Legion’s found you. You’re fucked if you stay there. I can give you safe harbor. All of you.”

“Like you did with the other prides Ace sent your way?”

“Exactly.”

“Good to know.” Owen sighed, packing that info away for a future discussion. “You said the Ratcliffs might be able to get a hold of the research this Legion is looking for. Make that happen. With that in hand, we at least have some leverage.”

“Roger,” Jax said. “I’ll put a team on it.”

“Good, because in other news,” Owen said, “Addy and I are getting married, hopefully before the end of this month. We’d like you here for that.”

“I’m happy for you, son,” Nick said.

“Pretty damned short notice, bro,” Jax grumbled.

“Couldn’t help that,” Owen said. “The timing just worked out for us to do this now.”

“Of course we’ll come out,” Nick said. “Thanks for including us. Let us know when you have a firm date.”

“Addy wants Jax to walk her down the aisle.”

“Fine. We’ll be there,” Jax said.

“And while you’re here, we can have a chat with my team about the Legion and what our options are.”

“It’ll be a short chat, ’cause you only have two choices: either take the modifications and go into hiding while you adjust to them, or get out of the fight altogether. There is no middle ground in this.”

Neither of those choices were real options. Owen ended the call.

He and his team were good at what they did, but they weren’t good enough to fight a group of men like Bastion, whose skills made his crew look as if they were playing a game of tag in the middle of a busy freeway.

Addy finished up in the greenhouse as quickly as she could. She filled a basket with the produce she’d harvested for the day. After she took it in to Russ in the kitchen, she washed her hands and went into the living room. She was jumping out of her skin, dying to share her news with someone. She didn’t have to wait long; Mandy was the second person to come for the noon meal.

“I’m so glad I’m not the first person here,” Mandy said, smiling. “I already hit Russ up for a snack an hour ago. They’re going to start deducting a food stipend from Rocco’s pay before this pregnancy is over.”

Addy laughed. “How are you feeling?”

“Right now? Starved.” Mandy chuckled. “Overall, though, not bad for a first pregnancy and knowing nothing at all about what to expect.” She tilted her head as she studied Addy. “You look awfully happy.”

“Owen and I are getting married. I mean, we knew we would, but he wants to set a date.”

Mandy let out a shout of delight and hugged her. “That’s wonderful news! I’m so happy for you both. And the boys. This will be great for them.”

Addy, still holding Mandy’s hands, nodded vigorously. “Sometimes it’s hard to understand how everything has turned around for us. I’d given up on him and my dreams and any kind of a future that I wanted. And now this.”

“Oh, stop it.” Mandy pulled her hands free to wipe her eyes. “You’re going to make me cry. I cry at everything now. You’re just proof that miracles do happen. And since we’ve been through so many weddings already, we’re expert at doing them. We’ll have to get with the others and put a plan together.”

“I’d love that. Owen wants us to hire a wedding planner to do most of the work, just to make it easier on everyone.”

“Not necessary. We can do it—but, of course, it’s your choice.”

“We’ll talk. I think I do want to go that route, but it still means I need a lot of help selecting a planner and making different choices of things.”

“What date where you thinking of?”

“We’ll set one as soon as we find an event planner who can do it quickly. A couple of weeks? Three, maybe?”

“That could be tight for a planner, but we’ll help you find one who can take it on. Ivy knows a lot of them.”

“Ivy knows a lot of what?” Ivy asked as she came into the living room.

“Addy and Owen are getting married as soon as possible and want to hire a wedding planner,” Mandy replied.

Ivy’s whole face brightened as she turned to Addy. “You guys are ready to set a date?”

Addy laughed and nodded as Ivy hugged her.

“Oh, we have so much to do!” Ivy said.

“We don’t want this be a burden,” Addy said. “We’re hoping the event planner can take most of it on.”

“But we still have to settle on decorations, menus, dresses—all of it!” Ivy stopped and gave Addy a wary glance. “You will let us help you, won’t you?”

“Yes. Please. We’ll decide what we need to, then hand it over to the planner to execute.”

“When were you wanting to do this?” Ivy asked.

“ASAP,” Mandy said, chuckling as she linked her arm through Addy’s.

“Owen suggested having Val’s friend bring up some options for our dresses,” Addy said. “So after we settle on a wedding planner, I think that would be the next step. And then Owen and I have to go shopping for rings, but I think I found the one I want.”

“Did you?” Mandy asked, excitement in her eyes. “What does it look like?”

“I’ll show you.” Addy went over to a stack of magazines that still sat on top of one of the side tables in the living room. She was glad Jim hadn’t cleared them away—he’d seen her looking at them several times. She grabbed the one with the jeweler’s ad. “Here it is.”

“Ohhh. Very nice. And they have a store in Boulder.”

“Right.” Addy nodded.

“You could borrow my aquamarine necklace and earrings—knock out something borrowed and something blue at the same time!” Ivy offered.

“Well, whenever you’re ready to go down there,” Mandy said, “just let us know. We can take care of the boys.”

Addy looked into Mandy’s green eyes as a stunning realization hit her: she had friends. Real friends—people who hadn’t known her before a couple of months ago but who would drop what they were doing to help in any way that they could. How rare and wonderful was that?

“Thank you.”

Others came into the room then, and each was given the news. Hugs and chatter and happy tears were everywhere. In the midst of the mayhem, she looked up to see Owen watching her with his somber eyes. Seeing her, a smile eased his expression.

He crossed the room and pulled her into his arms. “Jax will be coming out for the wedding.”

“That’s good news. So why the worried face?”

He shook his head then kissed her forehead. “That’s just my resting happy face. You know. For show.”

Owen went back to work in the den after lunch. He nodded at Kelan, the last of the group to come through on their way to the bunker.

Kelan paused before leaving the room. “Hey—I wanted to say congrats to you. I’m glad you and Addy are getting married. Do you know when the wedding’s going to be?”

“We’re still talking about that.”

“Have you written your vows?”

“No. I have to write vows?” Owen frowned. He caught the shift in Kelan’s demeanor. “Fucking tell me, K. Is there something I’m supposed to do that I don’t know about?”

“Your wedding is your wedding. It isn’t for me to tell you how to do it.”

Owen sighed, then came around his desk to lean against its edge. “No, it isn’t. But you have an opinion?”

Kelan made a face as if he was hesitant to say anything. “Ceremonies are important, Owen. We don’t go through life alone—our ancestors and spirit guides travel through it with us. Our ceremonies deliver important messages to them.”

Owen crossed his arms. “I don’t know my ancestors. Or about any spirit guides.”

“Yes, you do. Our research into the Omnis has uncovered much about them and their place in the resistance. You are the son, grandson, and great-grandson of fighters. You are what you are because they were what they were. Your wedding honors them as much as it does you and Addy. This is not a casual occasion.”

“Shit.”

“And Addy has been through hell.”

“As have I without her.”

“Mm-hmm, but you’re a warrior. It’s your job to carry hell on your shoulders.”

Owen sighed and rubbed the space between his eyes. “So what do I do?”

“You write the words that speak from your heart to hers. And you say them in front of us to show her how you honor her, to show her that we also honor her.”

Owen nodded at the wide leather cuffs that Kelan wore on his wrists. “You haven’t made your vows public.”

“No, because the claiming ceremony was between me and Fiona. When we marry, we’ll share our public vows.”

Owen held Kelan’s gaze. “So I have to make a show out of this wedding.”

“It isn’t a show, it’s a reveal. You bare your soul to her and she to you. And we are your witnesses. I’d help you with this, but only you can come up with what you wish to reveal. It’s your words and your emotions—it’s all you. And all Addy.”

“Okay. I’ll give it some thought.”

Kelan gave Owen a sympathetic smile, then left him alone in the office. Owen considered his advice. He couldn’t really argue with Kelan. He didn’t know about the ancestors part, but he did agree that Addy deserved a day honoring her.

Hell, she deserved a lifetime of being honored.