They got in the pickup truck, and Den drove off as if he knew exactly where they were headed. She guessed he had been here before and knew the lay of the land. That was handy.

  Sunny was really starting to feel the exertion of the past hours. She reached into her bag and found the painkillers she detested but still needed, from time to time. When the pills rattled in their plastic bottle, Den looked over and frowned.

  “I’m sorry, princess. Are you okay?” Now, he looked concerned.

  “Yeah, I’ll be all right. I just get really stiff when I don’t move around enough, and sometimes, it hurts.” She rattled the bottle of pills and made a face. “I hate these things, but sometimes, they really do help. I’ve weaned myself off of them, for the most part, but I still do need to take them occasionally.”

  Den looked grim when she peered over at him. “I’m really sorry. You move so well that I forget what you’ve been through. I promise to take better care of you from now on.”

  His words really surprised her. It was as if he felt somehow responsible for her physical condition. His concern was nice but unnecessary. She had been taking care of herself for a long time. Her parents had helped her through the worst of the injuries from her accident, but her recuperation was her responsibility. No one could do it for her. Physical therapists had helped, as had the medical people, especially the doctors who had put her back together again after the accident, but the rest was up to her. She had accepted that long ago.

  She was still processing her thoughts when he rounded a curve and turned onto a much smaller road. It was a driveway, she realized. Within moments, a very large house appeared before them, and he parked the car not far from the entrance. Then, he turned to her.

  “Do you want to take one of those now,” he asked, gesturing toward the pill bottle still in her hand, “or can it wait until we’re inside?”

  “Inside,” she decided, putting the bottle back into her bag.

  Maybe she wouldn’t need it after she moved around a little. If she could just work out the kinks in her muscles, maybe the pain would go down to a tolerable level. Den nodded and got out of the truck. Before she could even open her door, he came around to the passenger side and opened it for her. He helped her down from the high truck with solicitous attention.

  As her feet hit the ground, the front door of the home opened, and a familiar woman came down the steps. A woman Sunny had already met via a video call.

  “Sally?” Sunny asked, surprised to find the former detective here in Wyoming. Sunny recalled she hadn’t really asked where Sally was. She’d just assumed Sally was somewhere on the West Coast.

  “Sunny.” Sally paused a few feet from Sunny and just looked at her. “I’m so glad to see you in person. I didn’t quite know how to talk to you about the serious stuff over video. The thing is…”

  Sunny had a sudden flash of insight. Her mouth opened, and words came out that only registered as she spoke them.

  “You’re my family.” There was no doubt in Sunny’s mind.

  CHAPTER TWELVE

  She had thought Sally looked awfully familiar when they had spoken earlier, but she couldn’t place why or how. Now that they were face-to-face, it was obvious. They were related. Somehow, Sunny actually had living family. It was a minor miracle, and something she had never expected would happen.

  “I’m your sister,” Sally admitted, and the final piece of the puzzle settled into place. Yes. That felt right.

  “I never knew I had a sister,” Sunny admitted, tears gathering behind her eyes. They were happy tears, to be sure.

  “I never did either,” Sally replied. “It wasn’t until I saw the family tree that I knew.”

  “Den did say something about a family tree, but I’ve never heard of such a thing. I don’t really know much about what I am or what I can do. Besides making flowers bloom and talking to the trees, that is.”

  “That’s already a lot. I grew up and lived for most of my life in the city. Until I came here, I didn’t really know much about trees at all. I had never heard their song. But I always did have a way with plants and gardens. I had just never been in a forest or understood the complex nature of its organization.”

  Sunny was feeling stunned. “I can’t believe I have family. I can’t believe you’re my sister,” she whispered.

  That did it. Sally rushed forward, and Sunny met her, and they hugged and hugged. Tears flowed, laughter burbled, and a smile stretched Sunny’s face so wide she thought it might stay that way forever. When they finally broke apart, long minutes later, Sally kept her arm around Sunny’s shoulders and turned her toward the house.

  “Come on, I want you to meet everybody. Especially your brother-in-law.” Sally laughed, and Sunny couldn’t help but join in. They walked up the steps arm in arm, and Sunny was aware of Den following behind with her overnight bag.

  Sally led the way into the big house, introducing Sunny to everyone they encountered. Sunny was fairly certain she was going to have trouble remembering all the names, but she tried her best. Sally led her back through the house along a long hallway that led to a closed door. She knocked once and opened it, and Sally could see it was an office.

  A handsome man sat behind a large mahogany desk. He was on the phone, but the minute he saw Sally, he ended the call and stood. He walked around the desk, and Sally let go of Sunny, moving into his arms, hugging him tight. After a moment, she turned in the man’s arms and faced Sunny.

  “Sunny, this is Jason, my mate. Jason, this is my baby sister, Sunny.” Pride sounded in every syllable, and Sally’s expression was filled with joy.

  Sunny felt not only welcomed but cherished, and tears threatened again. She had a feeling this was going to be a very emotional day.

  Jason leaned forward, holding out his hand towards Sunny. She took it, liking the firm hand grasp and tempered strength of the man. It was clear he loved Sally a great deal.

  “Pleased to meet you, Sunny. Welcome to the family.” His smile was warm and open, and she felt tears gather again. Yep. Today was going to be a teary one, but in the best possible way.

  “It’s great to meet you too, Jason. Alpha. I’m sorry. I don’t know much about Pack life or etiquette, except for the little that Den has told me. Please forgive me if I make mistakes. I promise to learn, if you give me a chance.”

  “You’re family,” Jason said firmly. “You can’t do anything wrong. Not here. And don’t worry. Within a few days, you’ll know more about Pack life than you probably want to know.” Reassured by his attitude and good will, Sunny relaxed a little. “Now, how about I take Den off to chat with my brother and his guys while you two catch up?” Jason moved around Sally, leaving her with a peck on the cheek and motioned to Den.

  “I’ll just leave your bag here for now,” Den told Sunny, putting her overnight bag on the table next to the couch along the side wall of the big office. “Do you need anything? Water? Something to eat?” he asked solicitously, and she remembered she had been going to take one of her pain pills.

  But, she realized, she didn’t need it now. The pain had receded, as she had hoped it would, with movement.

  “No, it’s okay,” she told Den, smiling at him. He was such a good man. So thoughtful of her comfort. “I’ll be fine. Thank you though.”

  Den tipped his imaginary hat to her. “All part of the service, ma’am.”

  She laughed at his reply, and he followed the Alpha wolf out the door, closing it behind him. That left her with her long-lost sister, Sally.

  “Boy, have I got a lot to tell you,” Sally said.

  Sunny couldn’t wait to learn what Sally knew about their mysterious shared origins.

  *

  Den went out of the office with Jason, shaking his head. He really did need to speak with both Jason and Jesse. Since meeting Sunny, his circumstances had changed drastically. Finding one’s mate changed everything. Jason and Jesse both had mates. They would understand.

  He also needed to brief them on what he had been able to discover about the attacks on Sunny. Brian had been doing some digging as well as surveillance, and he had forwarded his findings. It made for interesting reading. Den hadn’t had a chance to look at it all yet, but the little bit he’d seen as he scrolled through email on his phone had piqued his interest.

  To his surprise, Jesse and his mate, Maria, were waiting in the common room of the Pack house, sipping coffee. Jesse was a lot more relaxed since finding his mate, and Den had been jealous of the man until just recently. Now, Den fully understood that satisfied look on Jesse’s face and the way his intense manner had changed.

  A mate did that. She made life easier. She brought joy and peace where there had only been tension and work before. Den understood now, after finding Sunny, that there was so much more to life. She was his reason for living now. Even if she never accepted him as her mate, he would love no other. Sunny was it for him, and only her happiness mattered.

  “I suspect you have something to tell us,” Jason said as they arrived at the table where Jesse and Maria were sitting.

  “I’ll leave you boys to it,” Maria offered, standing. “I want to check on a few things while I’m here.”

  Den knew that Maria was a doctor. A veterinarian, actually. She looked after animals and, since joining the Pack, people who could turn into animals. Caring for others was part of her nature and her calling. Den remained standing until Maria had left, then sat across from Jesse, next to Jason. He made sure he had their full attention before he dropped his bombshell.

  “Sunny doesn’t know it yet, but she is my mate.” There. He’d said it out loud.

  Den hadn’t really planned that these men should be the first to find out, but he didn’t really mind. The Moore brothers had been friends of Den’s for years. They were close. So close that Den had been seriously seeking to join their Pack. A cougar among wolves. It seemed incongruous, but it would have worked.

  Now that he’d found Sunny, though, he had to take her comfort into consideration in all things. Her adoptive parents lived in Sacramento. She might very well want to stay there to be near them. Or she might want to move to Wyoming to be with her sister. Until they’d had time to talk about things and make some decisions, everything was up in the air.

  The Moore brothers congratulated Den. He could tell they were sincerely happy for him. Every shifter understood how important, special, and rare it was to find one’s mate.

  “I guess this means we’re all family now,” Jason said. “Our mates are both related to yours.”

  “Hot damn, we’ve got a cat in the family,” Jesse said, grinning like a fool.

  “Just remember this cat has claws and can climb trees,” Den teased back, all in good fun.

  They all laughed then got down to business.

  “By the way, there never really was any question,” Jesse stated, looking at Den. “Your spot in the Wraiths was pretty much guaranteed. If you still want it, it’s yours. But I suspect your new mate will have something to say about your decision, and I completely understand that.”

  “Thanks, Jesse.” Den felt honored to know that he had been so easily accepted among the elite group. “And you’re right. It’s going to depend on where Sunny wants to go and what she wants to do.”

  “Understood. I just wanted you to know you’re welcome on the team, if you still want in.” Jesse nodded, and Den nodded back. There was no need to say any more on the matter.

  “Now, about this threat to your mate.” Jason changed the subject.

  What followed was a long discussion about everything they had been able to learn in the short time they’d had to study the problem. Much to Den’s surprise and relief, both Jesse and Jason had set their people to work on the issue as soon as they’d found out about the danger Sunny was in.

  He was gratified to learn they’d put so much effort into Sunny’s safety even before they’d met her. Then again, she was related to both of their mates, even though they’d never met. Sunny was important to their mates, which made her important to them as well. That’s how it worked among shifters and one of the reasons why the Packs and Clans were all so tightly knit.

  Den stayed with the men for a few hours, discussing matters.

  They devised a plan that gave Den hope in case trouble had followed them all the way here. He didn’t think it had, but just in case, it was good to know the Pack would have their backs. He also broached the subject of Sunny’s parents. They were still away at their art retreat, but they were due to return to their ranch in just a couple of days.

  Brian had reported that the intruders had made their way onto the ranch property but left when they realized Sunny had escaped. Still, the ward had been breached, and the ranch wasn’t really safe anymore. Not until the ward was replaced with something stronger, if possible.

  Jason was going to see how it worked out between Sally and Sunny, though indications right now were very positive. He had his feelers out, as did Jesse, to investigate the people who had adopted Sunny more in-depth. They’d already done a cursory investigation, just to find Sunny, but no one had turned up any information that Sunny’s adoptive parents were magical.

  From all appearances—and the existence of the ward around their property—it seemed that they were. They might be flying low under the radar, but there was magic there. Or at least the understanding of magic. Either way, more needed to be known about the people who had adopted Sunny. If they checked out, Jason had suggested they might be welcome to visit the Pack house, which was a big step.

  It was rare for a wolf Pack to allow strangers into the heart of their territory, and the Pack house was most definitely the heart of this group. It was a place that allowed the group to gather together and share communal meals and celebrations. In large Packs, like this one, there was also always space for those who needed a place to stay. Jason had extended the invitation to Den and Sunny to stay there, in fact, which was both a statement of trust and friendship.

  *

  Sunny felt like she was living a dream. Sally was everything she ever could have wished for in a sister. Not that she’d ever known she actually had a sister. Her past had been a complete mystery until now. Actually, it still was a mystery, though she felt in her heart that Sally really was her sister. There was just a sort of instant recognition that told her it was true.

  Sally had taken her outside to talk quietly on the wide back deck that led down from the Pack house into the nearby woods. They had both admitted to being more comfortable outside where they could hear the whisper of the wind through the trees.

  “I could show you where Leonora is waiting,” Sally offered. “It’s not too far, as the crow flies. We could walk there.”

  Sunny wanted to go, but she was concerned about her limitations. Since her accident, she couldn’t really move that well, or as fast as other people. Yet, she hated to admit her weakness to this vibrant woman. Sunny wanted her newfound sister to like her, not to pity her.

  “Maybe a leisurely stroll?” Sunny asked hopefully. “I was cooped up in the cockpit for a bit too long, and I’m still feeling rather stiff.”

  “Sure thing. There’s no rush. It’s a nice walk. We just have to be back here by dinner, or the men will make a fuss.” Sally made a face, and Sunny laughed as they both stood from their seats and headed down the steps of the wide deck that ran the length of the back of the Pack house.

  “There’s a wolf following us,” Sunny said after they’d entered the trees. She wasn’t worried, exactly, but she didn’t know the rules of this place yet. The trees didn’t seem all that concerned, so she wasn’t worried, just unsure.

  “Oh, that’s just Arlo. He’s one of Jesse’s guys,” Sally said off-handedly. “Apparently, even the Alpha bitch isn’t quite free to roam alone on Pack lands.” Sally raised her voice so the wolf following them could hear, then rolled her eyes. “These guys still don’t get it. I was a cop. I still go around armed. I am fully able to take care of myself, but they insist I have a babysitter if I step a foot away from Jason.” Sally stopped walking and shut her eyes, shaking her head as if in frustration, then reopened her eyes. “Okay. I know it’s a sign of respect and care. I get it. It’s just…hard to get used to. I was always a very independent woman. When you grow up in foster care, you learn to take care of yourself. Having a shadow all the time just feels a little stifling.”

  A giant wolf trotted out of the trees alongside their path and sat at Sally’s feet, looking up at her with an adoring expression on his furry face. Sally looked down at him and wasn’t able to keep from smiling.

  “Arlo, you are an infuriating man. You know I can’t ever stay mad at you when you do the hurt puppy routine. Though how something as enormous and deadly as you can carry it off, I’ll never understand. Come along, if you wish.” Sally turned to her and asked, “You don’t mind, do you, Sunny?”

  CHAPTER THIRTEEN

  “I don’t mind,” Sunny replied, eyeing the giant wolf with a healthy respect.

  The trees said he was okay, so she wasn’t afraid…exactly. But she was keeping a wary distance from the giant wild creature. She had never seen such an enormous wolf in her life! In fact, she’d never seen any wolf up close, but this one was gigantic.

  They walked along for a while, the wolf bounding ahead at times then falling back to dog their steps. Literally. Sunny had never had a dog. Her parents had a small colony of barn cats on the ranch, but no dogs. They’d had a few other kinds of animals at various times. A few chickens, a trio of alpacas and a pet potbellied pig someone had asked them to take since it had outgrown their place.

  Sally walked with Arlo, and Sunny was finding it hard to keep up, but she didn’t want to say anything. She just did her best to ignore the pain and keep moving.