Luna hadn’t called him. Colin took that information like a sucker punch to the gut. She’d planned to handle George Trevelyan on her own, without his help and support. And for that, he had only himself to blame.

Why should she call him? He’d constantly reinforced the idea that his precious obligations took precedence over her needs. He’d warned her that his life was in Scotland, not here with her.

But the moment he’d walked into the sitting room and discovered Trevelyan there, his priorities had shifted, and they were never shifting back. Luna was the center of his existence. If that interfered with his obligations, so be it.

George quickly covered his surprise with a genial smile. “I swear the world gets smaller every day, MacDowell. Apparently a trip across the pond is nothing more than a long commute for you.”

Colin walked into the room. “Something like that.” There was so much he wanted to say to Luna, but he had to keep his attention on George. He flexed his hands, fighting the urge to take George apart physically. But breaking him mentally would be much more effective and wouldn’t break up the furniture.

“If you’d told me you were coming, I’d have sent Knox over to SeaTac.”

“No worries. I managed.” Colin had deliberately chosen a different air taxi service because he’d wanted to surprise Luna. He hadn’t realized he’d surprise George, too. Excellent bonus. “So what’s going on, here? I only caught the tail end, but it sounded as if you were threatening my manager.”

George adopted a regal stare. “As the Trevelyan pack alpha, it’s my job to police the Seattle Were community. Luna is a disruptive influence. It’s in everyone’s best interest, including yours, for her to leave Seattle.”

“Nice speech.” Colin kept his voice and his gaze steady. “Is that the same one you gave Sophie twenty-eight years ago, or have you refined it since then?”

Luna gasped, but Colin didn’t lose focus. This was a pitched battle between alphas, and maintaining eye contact was crucial. By doing that, he detected a slight flicker of an eyelid that told him George wasn’t as calm as he appeared.

Yet George’s reply was nonchalant. “I haven’t a clue what you’re talking about.”

“Then let me jog your memory. Twenty-eight years ago, a beautiful human female caught the attention of two Weres, cousins, in fact. The more competitive of the two was rejected in favor of the other. Rejection didn’t sit well with him. He talked the woman into leaving by claiming that if she stayed, she’d ruin her chosen sweetheart’s life.”

A muscle in George’s cheek twitched. “Nice try, but it didn’t happen like that.”

“Maybe not, but Edwina and Jacques remember that you took Sophie’s rejection hard. They’ve always wondered why Sophie left so abruptly. One minute she was nuts about their son, something that did worry them, by the way. But then, all at once, she hopped on a train.”

“You’re lying.” All the affability left George’s expression. “You haven’t talked to them.”

“Once I realized that it made no sense for Sophie to have left of her own accord when she was mated with Byron, I wondered who might have talked her into it. During a layover in Chicago, I phoned Edwina.”

George’s eyes glittered. “Edwina’s losing it. You can’t trust anything she says.”

“Don’t you say that about my grandmother!” Luna started toward him.

Colin put a restraining hand on her arm. “He knows that’s not true, Luna. He’s bluffing, but it won’t work. Edwina and I had a long conversation, and we both agreed that if Byron had told anyone about mating with Sophie, it would have been his cousin, the Were he loved like a brother.”

George’s face turned gray.

“If I had any doubts about your role in this tragedy,” Colin continued, “your actions today erased them.”

Luna’s breath hissed out. “You.” The word was filled with equal parts of horror and loathing. Fingers curled, she lunged at George.

Colin grabbed her around the waist and held on tight. “Don’t. He’s not worth it.”

She struggled in his grip. “But he’s responsible for my father’s death! He deserves to pay for that!”

“Don’t you think I pay for it every day of my cursed life?” George’s face twisted with agony.

“Oh, I’m so sorry for you!” Luna’s breathing was ragged. “What about the price my father paid? And my mother? And my grandparents? And me?”

“How could I know he’d go after her? I told him she didn’t love him anymore, that she didn’t want to live as a Were. Why didn’t he believe me? If he’d believed me, he’d be alive!”

Heat came off Luna’s body in waves. “He didn’t believe you because he knew she would always love him, that they were mated for all time.”

George began to shake. “I get that now, but back then, I didn’t understand…God…the wreck…the blood…” Burying his face in his hands, he wept.

Colin had looked forward to this moment with relish, but now that it was here, he took no pleasure in George’s complete humiliation. He just wanted the Were out of his sight. “I’ll call Knox,” he said. “He’ll take you home.”

“God, no.” George’s shoulders quivered. “I can’t face my son right now.”

Luna stepped away from Colin, and he let her go. Although she might have been ready to claw George’s eyes out a moment ago, Colin didn’t think she’d do it, now.

She took a shaky breath. “Sit down, George,” she said. “Get yourself together.”

His eyes red and his face damp with tears, George located the chair he’d recently vacated and sank unsteadily into it. He glanced once at Luna and looked away. “Every time I see you, I see Sophie. That’s why I wanted you gone.”

Luna folded her arms. “Let’s not forget the plan to buy Whittier House when my absence made Colin lose interest in the project. Don’t pretend it was all about your guilt.”

George coughed. “Okay, I admit that was a consideration.” Reaching in his back pocket, he took out a handkerchief and began mopping his face. “But now I’m finished.” His whole body sagged. “Once this gets out—”

“Maybe it doesn’t have to get out,” Luna said.

Colin glanced at her in surprise. “Don’t forget that I’ve talked to Edwina.”

“And how did she react?”

“She’s upset.” He directed his attention to George. “And she expects you to atone for what you’ve done, which means clearing Sophie’s name and welcoming Luna fully into the Trevelyan pack. However, once she finds out that you tried to drive her granddaughter out of town…”

“She’ll want my head on a platter,” George said.

Colin nodded. “Yes, she will. And I’m prepared to hand it to her.”

Luna looked at Colin. “But we don’t have to tell her about this.”

“Why wouldn’t we? The bastard deserves whatever he gets.”

“I agree, but think about it for a minute.”

Finally he understood her intention. Although she’d been put through an emotional wringer, she’d kept her wits about her. She was even smarter than she was beautiful, and that was saying something. “No, I guess we don’t.”

George stared at both of them in amazement. “You would do that?”

“Yes,” Luna said, “on the condition that you throw all your support behind the Whittier House Inn, without—”

“Done! I’ll do whatever you say. I’ll—”

“Wait.” Luna held up her hand. “I’m not finished. Colin and I welcome your support, but there can be no more discussion of buying in. We didn’t want to be part of your empire before, and now we’d rather drink battery acid than be in business with a weasel like you.” She looked at Colin. “Right?”

“Damn right.”

George blew out a breath and stood. “Okay.” He offered his hand first to Luna, and then to Colin. “It’s a deal.”

Colin shared a triumphant glance with Luna. He’d never been more proud of her, or more desperately in love.

Luna held herself together until the helicopter lifted off the helipad, taking George Trevelyan back to Seattle. Wind from the whirling blades buffeted her as she stood next to Colin, who’d tucked his arm securely around her waist.

As they watched the helicopter rise up over the trees, she allowed herself to lean into his solid warmth. “That was intense. Thanks for showing up.”

He tightened his grip. “I’m the one who should be thanking you. I was willing to let Edwina and the pack take him down, but thanks to your quick thinking, we have him right where we want him—on a tight leash.”

“Yes, but y’all handed me the leash.” Glancing up at his profile, she felt her heart constrict. He meant far more to her than he should under the circumstances. “That insight about my mother was brilliant. I wish I’d thought of it.”

He turned, slid both arms around her waist, and gazed into her eyes. “I can’t take credit for the insight, either. My brother Duncan came up with it.”

“Then please thank him for me. I have a much better image of my mother, now.” She rested her hands on his broad shoulders and looked into his face. She never grew tired of doing that. “And how is that situation with your brother, by the way?”

“He’s breaking up with Molly.”

“And you’re happy about that, I’ll bet.” So Colin had efficiently subdued his brother’s rebellious impulse. She felt a prick of disappointment. Colin’s prejudices were still firmly in place.

“I’m happy only because she wasn’t his true mate.”

“You’re absolutely sure she’s not?”

“He’s sure, and that’s what counts.”

She nodded, but she wondered if Duncan had simply caved under pressure and told his older brother what he wanted to hear. Colin could be extremely convincing, as she knew first-hand.

He started to say something, then shook his head and glanced away.

“What?”

He looked into her eyes. “I wish you’d called me when you knew George was coming. I understand why you didn’t, but I still wish you’d called to let me know.”

“I wasn’t about to bother y’all when I didn’t know what he wanted.” This laird of Glenbarra had a lot of nerve, but then he was a pack alpha, so it probably went with the job. “Speaking of calling, I wish you’d called me to say you were flying back here, and I don’t understand that at all. Why the hell didn’t you?”

“I wanted to surprise you.”

“Mission accomplished. I thought I was hallucinating. You had no reason to be here.”

He pulled her closer, surrounding her with his heat, his scent, his charisma. “I had every reason to be here.” His gaze searched hers. “I’ve been an idiot, Luna. I hope someday you’ll forgive me.”

“For what?” Something in his expression was different, and he’d never called himself an idiot before. That wasn’t particularly laird-like. She wondered what he was leading up to. Then a horrible possibility occurred to her. “Please tell me y’all didn’t sell Whittier House.”

“No! I wouldn’t do that.”

She let out a breath. “For I second there I was really scared. So what am I supposed to forgive, then?”

“My arrogance, my meddling, my stubbornness, my insufferable snobbishness.”

“Oh.” She paused while she debated whether to be honest or not. Honesty won out. “I have to admit you’re guilty of those things, but I—”

“Just don’t reject me yet.” His plea was reflected in his amazing blue eyes. “I know I have flaws, but give me a chance to redeem myself.”

“There’s no rejection going on. Y’all and your flaws are still welcome in my bed anytime.”

He reached up and cupped her face in his hand. “And that makes me a very lucky chap, indeed.” He stroked her cheek with his thumb. “But I want more than that, lass.”

“More?” She blinked in confusion. “Look, I’m not into bondage.”

He smiled. “Neither am I.”

“Then what is it y’all want?”

His smile faded and his gaze intensified. “A mate, Luna.”

Her body vibrated as if she’d touched a bare electrical wire. She opened her mouth to speak, but nothing came out. A mate? She must have misunderstood.

He took her face in both hands and looked into her eyes. “I know why you’re confused. I’ve done a fine job of convincing you we don’t belong together. So now I have to convince you that we do. Let’s start with this.” He lowered his mouth to hers.

As a persuasive technique, it worked like a charm. After a few seconds of the loveliest kiss he’d ever given her, she was willing to believe anything he said.

He ended the kiss slowly and raised his head. His smile was heartbreakingly tender. “I love you. And I mean to reform so that you’ll love me back.”

“But I already do.” She clutched his shoulders and prayed this wasn’t a dream, but he felt very real.

His eyes filled with joy. “I can’t imagine why that’s so, but I’d be a bloody fool to question it.” He started to kiss her again.

“Wait! What about Scotland?”

“Scotland?”

“You’re the Much Honoured Laird of Glenbarra!”

“So I am. And I may need to make regular trips there, even if Duncan takes on more responsibility for the place. But I won’t ask you to leave the island. I know how much it means to you.”

She wrapped her arms around his neck. “Just try leaving without me, mister.”

“You’d want to go?”

“Providing y’all would want me there.” Belatedly she realized she might not be totally welcome.

“I do. I’ll be proud to introduce you as my mate and the Lady of Glenbarra.”

“But I won’t be the one they would have chosen.”

“No.” His expression hopeful, he met her gaze. “At least not at first. But if you’re willing to make trips over there, we could work together to open some minds, and that would be a good thing. I realize I’m asking a lot of you, but—”

“I’m up to it.” As she said that, she knew it was true. She no longer needed constant contact with this island. It could serve as her base as she helped her newly tolerant mate spread even more tolerance in his homeland. “Y’all once told me I might be destined for more than a secluded life on Le Floret.”

“And so you are, my lady.” His lips hovered over hers.

“My lady. I like the sound of that.”

“I’m glad.” He brushed her lips with his.

“Think of it. I’m going to have a Scottish title.”

He lifted his head and grinned at her. “If I’d known you’d be so taken with the idea, I would have started with that instead of listing all my failings.”

“What failings?”

He laughed. “Now, lass, I’m not perfect and you well know it.”

“Y’all are perfect…perfect for me.” And to prove it, she pulled him down for the steamiest kiss in her short but extremely eventful kissing history.