Jenner grinned wickedly and poured Nicole a third beer the second she drank down the last of her mason jar.
Vera jerked her chin to her glass and beamed. “I made the beer.”
“Oh, she makes a mean moonshine, too,” Lena bragged proudly. “She’s teaching me and Elyse. One of the perks to having a mad scientist as a sister-in-law. Or…future sister-in-law.”
Link warmed Nicole from her middle out when he pushed his empty plate aside and draped his arm over her shoulders, then kissed her temple, right here, for everyone to see. Cheeks flushing with pleasure as the others smiled and gave each other knowing looks, she snuggled against Link’s side and asked Vera, “When is the wedding?”
“Oh,” Vera drawled out, lifting her shoulder to her ear in a half-shrug. “The wedding doesn’t feel so important right now.” She ghosted a quick glance to Link, then began spooning another portion of food onto her plate.
Link growled softly beside Nicole. “Vera, I don’t like you putting off your big day because of me.”
“You’re more important.”
“I’m not. And besides, I want to stand for Tobias when he says his vows to you. If this doesn’t work—”
“It will,” both Nicole and Vera said at the same time with the same amount of determination infused into two simple words.
Vera’s eyes locked on Nicole’s, and a challenge sparked there for just an instant before the fox shifter nodded and allowed a tiny smile. Vera swallowed hard and arched her gaze back to Link. “Nicole and I say you’ll be fine, so you will. The wedding can hold while I work on you.”
Link shook his head. “Vera, I know you. You’ll put off building a family to obsess over my cure—”
Vera slammed her palm against the table, and her eyes blazed a fiery gold. “You are my family, and I will be goddamned if I lose you. Tobias and I will marry when this is through, and I’ll wear that pink jeweled dress I always dreamed of, and it’ll be extravagant and fit for an Alaskan princess, and you will still be here, standing beside Tobias as we say our vows. And your eyes won’t look like a fucking demon’s anymore.” She slammed the spoon down in the pot and said, “Nicole, can I talk to you alone?”
“Of course,” Nicole whispered, pulling her napkin from her lap and setting it gently on the table. She leaned over and sipped at Link’s lips, smiled her adoration for him, then followed Vera down a hallway off the main room.
Vera was right. Link’s eyes were still that bright white color, and the snarl in his throat had been constant since they’d come into the house, which was unsettling, because he seemed more relaxed. It shouldn’t be like this. He shouldn’t feel so riled up around the people he loved more than anything.
Vera stopped in front of a room, her chestnut brown curls twitching with agitation. “I’m sorry. This isn’t how I imagined it would be to meet you. I prayed for you, you know. I didn’t know what your face would look like, or your personality, but I prayed for a mate to come save him.” Vera’s shoulders sagged as she leaned against an open door frame to the bedroom. She slammed her head back. Her eyes were raw and rimmed with tears when she lowered them to Nicole. “Save him.”
With a heartbroken sound clawing its way up her throat, Nicole hugged Vera up tight. “We will. We have to. I need him.”
“Good, then you will stay with him as much as possible. Calm his wolf. Calm him. Be there for him. Become his anchor to this world. And whatever you do, keep him away from the other McCalls. They feed the insanity in each other. Link has lasted this long because he cut himself off from them.”
“Okay, I will. I promise.”
“The temperature is set to drop tonight, and I don’t want you traveling all the way back home in it. I need to run some tests on Link anyway. Check how his body is handling the McCall Reset.”
“Vera, there was a lot of blood earlier.”
Vera eased back and grasped her hands. “He can take more than you think. His inner wolf gives him the ability to heal from a great deal. Did you bring extra clothes?”
Nicole laughed thickly. “Link had me pack an overnight bag just in case we got drunk over here.”
“Ha! Good, because after the last few weeks, I think we should all let loose. Link especially. You two can have this room tonight. Tell me if you need anything. Tobias is one of those overly prepared men who hoards two of everything. You should see our extra toothbrush drawer. Two of every color, and most of them with sparkles because he knows I like girly shit.”
Nicole squeezed her hands. “Vera?”
“Yeah.”
“I’m glad you’re helping him, too. I love him more than anything.”
Vera inhaled deeply and nodded. “I know. I can see it in the way you look at him. Link is lucky to have found you. Now, let me see that claiming mark.” She turned Nicole in her hands and pulled at the neck of her sweater, then peeled the bandage off.