I look up at the sound of a knock on the door. Marrok's wife head appears around the door.

"Ms. Michelle," I smile, motioning the woman inside. "I hope all is well out there."

"Your father is good at pushing my mate's temper but I sent him to be with Tala."

"What do I owe the pleasure?"

"I would like to talk to you about Tala."

"What about her?"

"Are you aware of her past?"

"Everyone has a past," I sigh, struggling with the cuffs of my dress shirt. "She doesn't have to concern herself with me finding out hers."

"Does everyone have to endure their father pimping them out for fifteen years?"

I stare at the blonde woman.

"Wolves present twice. Once as either wolf or human and again as our dynamic."

"Dynamic?"

"Alpha, Beta, or Omega," she states, taking my wrist into her hands. Working the buttons there, "Between the ages of eleven and thirteen is when the we have our first change. It's an exciting time for the pack when a new pup joins the pack run for the very first time. The innocence and freedom of just running…hunting…being in the woods. By the time we're fifteen, the hormones hit us and our dynamics come into play. It is not as bad for Omegas as it was years ago. Mark is very adept, for a man of his age, at adjusting his rule with the times. There are still those old school thinkers who see them as good for one thing. John Layfield was as old school as they come." She switches wrists. "He found out his daughter was an Omega and he developed a plan to use her "disadvantage" for his own gain. So, he had some mutts in his pack pay him to rape her every heat. She was assaulted almost twenty-four seven for five days straight every month." Stepping back, she looks up into my eyes. "That was a shit ton of trauma to overcome in six months."

"Why are you telling me this?"

"She wants to do this…Go through with this marriage because she is strong willed. She wants to be over the trauma but I'm sure you can tell…"

"She's not exactly there," I supply.

"The mating process in the Packlands is a bit more intimate and less physical than a bear's marriage. I know what bears expect on their wedding nights and I don't think she can fulfill her obligations. I wanted you to know why."

"I don't expect anything from Tala that she's not willing to give. I know trust between our people is tentative but I have no plans of hurting Tala."

"Keep it that way. My mate does not care about the royal bloodline. He will destroy every member of your royal house for that girl."

"Why?"

"He loved her mother. Everyone has a past," she shrugs.

X

"This is us," I smile, motioning to my new home.

She stares through the windshield at the house before glancing at the surrounding smaller houses. "I would have thought the bear's prince would have more privacy."

"Right now you have seven guards. When you…If you decide to wean that down to four, they will move into those."

"How will I choose?"

"However you feel," I smile encouraging. "Come on, let's go in. I'll give you the grand tour."

"What if none of them like me?"

"Four," I state unlocking the front door.

"What?"

"That's how many of the seven volunteered as your guard. I don't know about liking you but there are bears willing to give you a chance, Princess." Holding out a hand, I wait to allow her the chance to decide if she wanted the contact. The ceremony was the first time physical contact had occurred, the soft touch of the wolf waking my other self. My grizzly watching her through my eyes, content with the choice I had made. The kiss she granted me pulls a grunt of pleasure from inside and her fingers stroke along my sides soothingly.

She slides her hand into mine pulling me from my thoughts. "I'll try to do the same for them."

"That's all we can hope for," I state guiding her inside. "Welcome home, Princess."

She walks to the center of the living room, eyes sweeping around. "Everything is new."

"Yeah."

Her head drops slightly.

"Is that a problem?"

"No. It's your…"

"Our," I correct. "We're in this together."

"I know I was forced on you. I'll try to…"

"We were forced on each other. Doesn't mean that we have to be miserable. We can hope for a friendship."

"We can," she nods.

"What is it, Tala?"

She shakes her head.

"We can't do this if we're not honest with each other."

"Do you want to bond with me? Even…Even as damaged as I am."

"I would never force…"

"I'm not talking about sex. I know sex can be meaningless. I'm talking about bonding."

"I don't understand."

"It's different for us. It's more about keeping your pack…um your people… safe and comfortable."

"I want that. I don't want you to be afraid here. I just don't know how to…"

"Fix me," she supplies.

"Make you feel safe or comfortable. I don't know anything about you. Can we start by learning about each other?"

"Okay," she whispers.

"Let's start with why everything being new is a problem."

"Umm…I was just hoping that maybe I would…uh…" she swallows hard. "Your scent. I was hoping to be surrounded by it immediately. To condition myself to it. To know that…To trust that I am safe."

"You are."

She nods.

"What else?"

"Do you have a small area. Closet or pantry that you don't use."

"Do I look like my pantry goes unused?"

She snorts softly.

"I don't know about closets though. May I ask why?"

"I need a nest."

X

I sit in the floor staring at my sleeping wife as she lays in spare closet in our room. The door to said closet sits against the far wall, along with two broken shelves from inside. The look on the woman's face as I rip half the closet out to accommodate her has my inner beast preening with pride.

"Uncle Braun."

"Hey guys," I smile as my niece wraps her arms around my neck.

"Sorry," Hannah smiles from the doorway. "I know you're in honeymoon mode right now but they wanted to see their new aunt one last time before we head…Orsin no," she snaps as the cub scurries into the closet.

"Hello Cub," Tala mumbles sleepily, throwing the blanket open so the boy could hug her. "You really shouldn't rush in on sleeping wolves."

"Grandpa says wolves sleep like dogs. I wanted to see."

"Father really is an idiot," I mutter under my breath.

"Sometimes we sleep in our wolf form," she smiles sitting up. "I don't think that would be a good idea right now."

"Why?"

"Because I would change back in my sleep and be naked," she states pulling a giggle from the boy.

"Orsin, come out of there."

"Hello Hannah," Tala smiles, settling just outside her nest. "Ursula. Oh," she breathes as the older cub throws herself at the wolf. Tala's eyes jump to me as the girl whispers in her ear, a tight smile on her face. Dropping her head, she whispers back before releasing the girl. Ursula plops onto Tala's lap, Orsin joining his sister.

"I didn't mean to interrupt anything," Hannah smiles.

"Not an issue," Tala ducks her head.

"The guards will be here soon to meet Tala so we're just relaxing," I smile up at my sister. "Just enjoying our afternoon."

"The cubs just wanted to say goodbye."

"We're going home," Orsin explains. "We live in the North."

"I know. I'm going to miss my favorite bears."

"I see where I rank," I chuckle. "I only destroyed my closet for you."

She ducks her head.

"We'll be back in a few months to see you again," Ursula whispers. "Mom said we can read about the wolves so we will know how to act. We got books from the library."

"You don't have to change the way you act because of me," Tala states softly.

"We're just trying to make you more comfortable in your new home," Hannah explains.

Tala chews on her lip as she studies the floor in front of her.

"Is there anything we should be aware of," Hannah asks. "Physical contact, is that a no-no in the Packlands?"

"Depends on the wolf," Tala shrugs. "Some don't want to be touched. Some, only certain people can. Some it is all they want. I'm somewhere between the second and third, despite…" She glances at the cubs in her lap. "My past. I had a few affectionate wolves help me overcome my issues with being touched."

"The cubs?"

"Are fine. You are fine. Braun is. I'm sure when I get to know more bears the list will grow. But…"

"But," I coax.

"Please be patient," she states, glancing up at my face. "I am trying. I'm working through my fear. Not because of anyone but because of how I am. And don't be angry when I can't meet your eyes. That is just a wolf trait. I mean no disrespect."

"We're not angry, Princess. We just don't understand it and neither will our people. Bears can't trust someone who won't look them in the eye. You have to understand that."

"Braun," Hannah hisses and Tala flinches back slightly.

"I'll try."

My sister glares at me as the room falls silent.

"We need to get going. Braun, I will talk to you later. Tala, I hope you enjoy your new home and I can't wait to see you again, Little Wolf."

Tala nods.

"Cubs."

"Bye Aunt Tala," Orsin states, hugging the wolf tightly.

"I'll miss you," Ursula smiles, kissing her aunt's cheek.

"Braun," Tala whispers once the house is cleared.

"Yeah?"

"How long until my guards get here."

"Should be within the hour."

"Would you sleep with me?"

"What?"

"Just sleep," she corrects. "I just…need…just want to be near you. You smell exhausted too. I just thought…I don't know."

"I am exhausted but I don't think I'll be able to sleep right now."

Scooting closer, she looks up at me. "Can I lie beside you?"

"Of course, Princess."

She stretches out, her head pillowed in my lap. Pressing her nose against my torso she inhales deeply and I tense as she runs her nose along my abs. "Please. I've put my trust in you. Please, give me your trust."

"You have it, my beautiful wolf," I smile down at her as her breathing evens out with sleep.

X

A knock sounds on the front door pulling me from my thoughts.

"Guards," Tala mumbles.

"They're early."

"I'm getting up."

"No Princess, you're royalty. You work on your own timetable. They don't get to show up early and have your attention."

"But…"

"No, buts," I slide from beneath her. "I will handle the bears. You do whatever you want."

"Shower."

"Through there," I point.

"Thank you, Husband," she smirks.

Opening the door, I find Dana.

"Hey Grizzly Bear," she grins, throwing herself into my arms.

"Dana," I smile. Something inside me cringes at the contact.

"Where's the wolf?"

"In the shower. Stop," I state as she attacks my throat. "Stop it."

"Why?"

"I'm a married bear."

"To a wolf. Doesn't count."

"Does to me." Dropping the smaller blonde.

"Come on. You know that wolf can't take care of you."

"She doesn't have to," I growl. "She does bring an end to the war."

"That's all she does."

"That's all she needs to do."

"Let's take this back to your rooms at your true house," she grins, taking my hand. "Tell the wolf that you have something to do."

"We're not doing this anymore. I am staying here with my wife."

"Married bears take lovers all the time."

"Wolves don't. I will not break my wolf's trust this early in our marriage."

"You will come back to me, Grizzly."