Vera wanted nothing more than to be back on her couch with a book.

The atmosphere at the Kategan’s house was happy and bustling with excitement. Vane grilled on the outdoor barbeque while his pregnant mate Sarina sat nearby chatting with her best friend Alison. Rome, the youngest of the brothers, sipped a beer and talked over the grill to Vane.

The scene was nice, almost perfect, but Vera Kategan felt a grueling pain in her stomach. It wasn’t from anything physical though but something far deeper and emotional. Something that she didn’t want to think about but her mind wouldn’t let her forget.

Two of her three brothers were mated and disgustingly happy, but she wasn’t happy. Happy for them, yes. She could honestly say that. While she was concerned for her older brother Darien, she knew better than to be overly worried. If there was any man who could take care of himself, even in the worse of situations, it was Darien. He wasn’t just a rock, but a solid boulder of stability. His stomach probably wouldn’t get sick at the sight of Sarina’s rounded belly.

It was petty and stupid; she was petty. Why she couldn’t just be happy and content with her life was the agonizing question that had been driving her lonely nights. But now that was all going to change.

Vera shimmied her way into a lawn chair and crossed one leg over the other. “Big bro, we need to chat business.”

All conversation stymied to a stop. It was hard, but she barely managed to maintain her aloof smile. Vane flipped the burgers over before answering.

“What business is that?”

“The treaty with the vampire clan is coming up soon. With Sarina pregnant, I think it’d be a smart choice to send me so that you can stay here with her.” If she thought the atmosphere was still before she was wrong. It was absolutely suffocating now, and all those unnerving eyes were focused on her.

“Actually, I was just going to take Sarina with me.” Vera shot a quick glance to Sarina as if searching for confirmation that his mate was indeed very pregnant. Judging by the big round belly she had, going on she was pretty sure she was.

“Wait, wait. Are you telling me, Master Alpha, that you’re willing, and happy, to take your near—to-bursting-pregnant mate into possible enemy territory.” Her brother’s vicious growl was accompanied by the spatula in his hand snapping in half.

Vera shrugged and leaned back in her seat. “I prove my point. You can’t go. You’ll be beating every vamp’s face that even looks in her direction let alone raises a voice during the negotiations.” Sarina nodded at her with a smile. At least she had one person on her side; Sarina didn’t look like she enjoyed the idea of going either.

“She’s right Vane. Maybe you should let her go. Just send Darien with her,” Rome said and took a sip of his brew.

Vane’s shoulders stiffened. He was practically growling when he answered, “I can’t send Darien with her. He’s gone on a journey. Why don’t you go with her, Roman?”

Everyone started speaking at once. Vera’s half-shout was the only one to get through it all. “What the hell do you mean he’s gone on a journey? You’ve got to be kidding me. I just saw him back at Rome and Alison’s mating ceremony. He looked fine.”

Vane’s lips pressed flat. “Yeah, well apparently he’s not fine. And he needs time to himself. He told me he was leaving two weeks ago.”

“Mother fuck,” Rome cursed, “he’s been gone that long, and you haven’t even told us?” Alison stood and rushed over to her mate to wrap her body around his. The tension in his body relaxed instantly. Vera felt that hard pain in her gut again. Not again, dammit.

“He told me not to say anything if I didn’t have to. So I didn’t. I respected his wishes. Now get over it. All of you. Lumara, do you need anything?”

It was shocking how soft and sweet his voice got when he spoke to his mate. Her cheeks were high with color when she shook her head no at him.

The crunch of footsteps on gravel brought all conversation to a halt. Vera didn’t think this could get any harder, but at the sight of Jackson Marsh, she knew there was no hope of turning tonight into a good one.

“What the fuck is he doing here?” The dark threat coming from Rome was true enough that Vera went to stand between her brother and the human.

Though why she should even give a shit, she wasn’t sure. It was only because she didn’t want the cops called.

She watched Jackson’s jaw clench so hard she was surprised it didn’t snap. “I was invited.”

Rome couldn’t hide his surprised reaction. “By who?”

Jackson looked behind Rome and nodded to a pink-faced Alison. Rome looked down at his mate and back at Jackson before finally, stubbornly nodding. He turned towards his mate and grabbed her by the shoulders as if he wasn’t sure he wanted to pull her close or shake the hell out of her.

“Why did you bring him here? You know how I feel about this.”

“Baby, I asked him to come because this is a family barbeque and no matter how unhappy you are with him he still means a lot to you. I know it, and I think you do too. I don’t blame him for what happened, and you shouldn’t either. Sandra was put there to set him up; it was on purpose. It was Conlin’s fault, baby. He planned it all.”

Rome shook his head and pointed a hard finger at Jackson. “He should have known better. He does know better than to let some pussy sway him. He was a fucking soldier for Christ’s sake. He fought in a war, but couldn’t do his duty and protect my mate when she was in danger.”

“Fuck this—” Jackson muttered and spun around to leave.

“No, wait!” Vane’s hard voice broke through the atmosphere like a true leader, an Alpha. When he spoke all eyes and ears turned to him. “He stays. This fight between you and him has to stop sometime. Listen to your mate, Rome.”

Sarina stepped forward and held out her hand to Jackson who shook it, reluctantly. He looked like he was greatly regretting his decision to come here, and judging by the withering glare he sent Alison, he’d probably been misinformed about his welcome.

“Come on, take a seat, grab a beer,” Sarina said. Jackson nodded, but his eyes swung not to the beer but to her.

Her stomach clenched with an all new feeling now. Damn. She hated this man. She didn’t even know what it was. They’d hardly ever spoken and yet the man ground on her nerves like a pain in the ass. He grabbed a beer and took the seat closet to hers then scooted it another few inches closer.

He was seriously trying her patience.

The man had to be a mind reader, because he knew all the moves to piss her off. Purposely crossing her leg away from him, she turned away and pretended that the big, hunky human wasn’t sitting next to her. Hunky? Oh, God, she’d actually just thought that. Shoot me now, God, please.

“Vane, about what we were discussing, I really think I’d make the perfect liaison. I’ve gone with you all the times in the past; I know the treaty like I do my own handwriting. Plus it’s safer sending just me than risking your own mate.” She knew she’d hit the right mark when he sucked in a deep breath.

“Fine, you can go as ambassador but Rome will go with you.” Vera was saved from protesting by Rome.

“I can’t go. Alison and I have tickets for Italy. Remember, I told you about this? It’s our honeymoon, and I’m not going to have her miss out on it when I know Vera is more than capable of doing this.” Vera sent her brother a thank-you smile and he winked back at her.

Vane flipped off the grill, started plating the burgers, and grilled corn. The smells were good enough to have her stomach growling. Vane set the plates down and crossed his big arms as he turned to her. Uh oh. She knew that face. Whatever he had to say wasn’t going to bode well for her.