Adam arrived looking extremely concerned. He wasn't sure what to expect, and he became even more worried as she recanted the day's events. He saw the green package as she broke down and, shakily, lit up another cigarette. He could have stopped her but at that moment the stench of the cigarette smoke was the least of Adam's worries. They were all werewolves; a little second-hand or even firsthand smoke wouldn't hurt them.

"Why didn't you tell me this sooner?" He asked

"Because I… I was afraid… afraid of what you would do if you knew how fucking damaged I am."

She leaned her elbows on the small bar-height table in the kitchen, her head rested on her hands, and she stiffened as Adam's hand came to rest between her shoulder blades.

He didn't say anything about her use of profanity, after the day she'd had, he was willing to let it slide as he did her resorting to smoking to help her deal with it all. He'd deal with the smoking once he dealt with what she was using the tobacco to cope with.

"Mon Dieu, s'il te plaît, aide-moi à être fort!" she said, a shaky whispered prayer for strength "Je ne peux pas faire ça seul!"

Adam might not have understood what she had said, he didn't speak French, but he knew a desperate plea when he heard it, and her tone was as raw and desperate as he'd ever heard.

"Let us in." Adam's voice in her ear was a warm caress that coaxed her to do what, for some reason, never dawned on her to do. "Let your pack help you."

She hesitantly reopened her pack bonds and felt them rush to her. Wordlessly they demanded to know why she'd shut them out when she needed them. Ben was at the forefront, but she could easily pick out Warren, Mercy, Adam, and Arielle.

"I'm not alone am I?" she asked putting the cigarette down in the ashtray and turning to Adam her eyes glistening with tears. She then looked at Ben, she had felt him almost immediately when she reopened her end of the bond. Felt something she couldn't name flowing from every part of him.

Did he love her? If so, did she reciprocate the feeling? She didn't have the answers to those questions, all she knew was she longed to be held again, and Adam's embrace didn't quench that desire, not the way Ben's had earlier.

Adam watched as Jordan pushed him away and Ben came to her. He hugged her and Adam saw her guard slip further as if there were more between Jordan and Ben than either of them understood.

He knew Jordan was young, barely 24 as of that day, and less than a full year changed. Ben wasn't old either, though he was older than Jordan, and he had been a werewolf for years giving him an understanding of things Jordan lacked.

Adam would have to have a long talk with Ben about what he was getting into with Jordan. See if Ben understood why Jordan had asked for space. He was pushing into things she was too young and undereducated in the ways of werewolf romance to understand. He had frightened her and likely on some level still did, but she was too weak to keep him out and Ben needed to tread carefully. Needed to teach her and guide her until she understood what she felt. Needed to keep in mind omega meant she didn't take orders from anybody, not even the Marrok, Bran Cornick, himself.

They went back to Adam's house and Adam pulled Ben aside as Warren and the others spoke with Jordan. Adam had assured her he didn't mind her smoking, he just asked that she didn't do it within his home where his mate and children could be exposed to the smoke that would be toxic to them. She understood and agreed to his terms.

The wolves were appalled at the way Jordan's mother treated her. It was like it didn't matter how badly damaged she had been at the time, and still was, all that had mattered was that she didn't save Jacqueline from herself. A task that would have been difficult for Jordan when she was healthy, impossible as bad as Jordan's mental health had been.

"That wasn't fair to you," Warren said hugging her. "You were hurt too, don't forget that."

Jordan nodded into Warren's shoulder. She couldn't quite hear the conversation between Mercy and Adam and didn't feel the need to try too hard to figure it out. It wasn't her business what her alpha and his mate were talking about. She didn't mind the feeling of being embraced by him.

Ben stiffened as Adam grabbed his arm and gave him no choice but to follow him into his office.

"I know, I need to give her space."

"No… that isn't what I was going to say," Adam replied simply. "I realized something today, she doesn't understand what she feels around you, but I figured it out, she… she has fallen for you."

"But…"

"Ben I see it and I see you feel the same way about her, but you have to be careful with her, she's young, newly changed. We have to teach her about being a werewolf. The alpha in New Orleans didn't teach her everything she needed to know." Adam sighed.

"You're right," Ben replied.

They left Adam's office to see Jordan on the phone with someone.

"Seriously, are you fucked?" she said to the person on the other end in an exasperated tone that said someone had said something extremely stupid.

"Jordan you can't block your mother."

"Yes, Dad, I can, and I did." She replied in anger. "and if you don't stop standing up for her when all she does is tear me down about Jacqueline I will block you as well."

"Jordan you were her older sister, we thought you would take care of her."

"I am still your daughter as much as she was, what about me, Dad, who was supposed to take care of me?" she demanded in tears then paused for a moment "You know what you and mom both can get fucked!"

She hung up the phone with a finality that gave Adam the impression that her father might be blocked soon as well.

Ben walked up to Jordan and took her into his arms as the sobs overtook her. Warren caught her phone before it went crashing to the floor, not that an impact with the carpet would do much damage but it was better safe than sorry.

"It's okay, Joey, you've got family right here," Ben whispered into her hair.

Jordan nodded then hid her face in Ben's shirt. Come to find out, no one had called her Joey since before her sister's death and she missed it more than she was willing to admit to anyone.

Jordan's phone rang again, and she hesitantly answered it realizing it was Adrian, the new alpha of the New Orleans pack.

"' Ello," he said, "Jordan I've got a question for you, chère?"

"What is it, Adrian?" Jordan made a point to say the name of the person on the other end to assure the werewolves around her that this was someone she was okay talking to.

"Did you really tell your daddy to 'get fucked'?" the amusement in the voice on the other end was not lost on those around her.

"Yes, Adrain, I did… but…"

"Non, mon chère, no explanation needed, I remember how yo' parents acted after what happened to Jackie. If they were still at it I'd say he deserved it."

"Okay, but please don't tell me that's de only reason ya' called me."

"Non, chère… I called to wish you a Bon anniversaire from myself and all o' da Big Easy pack. We wish ya all da best in Washington."

"Thank you, Adrian, tell everyone I said thank you." She gave a watery smile as the call ended with Adrain reminding her that she was still loved in New Orleans by those who knew her.

It was close to one in the morning when Ben and Jordan returned to her house.

"Look if you need anything let me know," Ben told her and started to leave for the night.

"Ben, I… I know this sounds strange after I pushed you away a while back … but could you please stay with me?" Jordan asked looking away from him insecurely.

"Of course, but I don't understand… what is wrong?"

"Ben I just… I don't want to be alone right now and… and I didn't want to impose on Adam, not after he just welcomed a baby." She looked away insecurely and Ben pulled her into his arms.

"Of course." He said as he held her "I'm right here."

That one night of Ben staying at Jordan's turned into the next month. He had gone home the next morning and packed a bag of clothes and toiletries to last him quite a while at her place. Adam didn't question Ben's decision to remain with Jordan, if she didn't have a problem with it then it was okay.

It was also becoming clear that Ben's presence had a way of helping Jordan move past the demons that still haunted her from her change and her sister's death. That was something Mercy wouldn't have believed he could have done before Jordan arrived in the pack. It was becoming clear that she and Ben were becoming more than just friends, though how far they would go was up for debate.

That Sunday Jordan was sitting among the pack members that had shown up for breakfast when someone launched the best idea any of them had heard for Jordan.

"You said you aren't feeling your old psychology major anymore, right?" William, one of the other wolves, asked.

"Yeah, why?" she replied in obvious confusion.

"Have you ever thought of opening your own restaurant?" William continued leaning his elbows on the table.

Jordan looked at William with one raised eyebrow.

"My sista thought I could have done it" Jordan replied, "But how would I get the money to do somethin' like that?"

"My uncle has a place he's looking to rent out in the business center of Kennewick, it's already set up to be a restaurant. I could put a word in and maybe get you set up there for a song."

"I'd still need capital for things like ingredients, advertising, and a whole host of other things," Jordan replied.

Darryl looked at Aurielle who nodded curtly but Adam beat him to the response.

"That is where pack comes in. I'll get our accountant to look at things and see if we can find you a reasonable small business loan to get you started." Adam replied.

"Yeah, and if you notice there is a criminal lack of Cajun food in the Tri-Cities, you could corner the market," Warren added.

Jordan looked around in surprise, she hadn't thought that so many would support the idea of her opening a restaurant instead of finishing out her master's degree. There was an air of hopeful excitement in the room as they waited for Jordan to respond to the question of whether she was going to try to open a restaurant or not. She took a deep breath to steady herself.

"Yes, I'll do it." She replied.

It took months for her to get everything organized for the restaurant. She was nervous as opening day rapidly approached, but she had Ben by her side and that seemed to steady her.

The grand opening went swimmingly, and Jordan was the talk of the town. Warren was right, the market was ripe for the picking for someone like Jordan to swoop in and become the place to go for Cajun food.

The restaurant was packed, and Jordan was standing on a stage she had set up for potential live bands.

"Thank you all for coming, I hope you will continue to come and enjoy this place for years to… come..." She trailed off as Ben joined her on the stage looking nervous. Then he went down on one knee and the whole room fell silent.

"Jordan Devereaux, before you I never thought I'd care about a woman but now… I can't imagine spending my life without you."

"Ben… what are ya sayin?" she asked

"Jordan, will you marry me?"

Jordan's eyes welled with tears.

"Oui… Yes… yes, I will" she replied.

Ben put the ring on her finger and embraced her tightly as the crowd roared its approval.

The End