His mate was an incredible person. He just hoped he was worthy of her.

“Alex?”

Bunny turned toward the door, shocked to find his father standing there. He should have known his parents would rush to their niece’s side. “Dad?”

Will Bunsun walked into the room, his wife following behind him. “What the hell happened?”

Barbra Bunsun smacked her husband’s arm. “Will! Keep it down.” She rolled her hazel eyes, but grabbed her only son, pulling him down for a hug. “Ryan’s parents called us. Sweetie, you should have called.”

Bunny sank into the comfort that was his mother. She always smelled of cinnamon and home. “Hey, Mom. I wasn’t sure you were still up. I planned on calling in the morning.”

“You could have called to tell us about Chloe. And you should have called us the minute you found your mate.” Only a mother could look at someone the way Barbra Bunsun was looking at him. Her eyes narrowed and he flushed, wondering why he felt guilty. He hadn’t done anything wrong.

“We caught the first flight out.” Will hugged his son. “There’s no way we’d let you go through this alone, Alex.”

“Thank you.” Bunny blinked back tears. Of all his cousins, he was closest to Ryan and Chloe, and seeing her battered body had hit him hard. God, he loved his parents. William Bunsun might run an extremely busy company, but he always put his family first. “Where’s Eric?” He was surprised that his brother wasn’t right behind his parents.

“Aunt Laura and Uncle Steven are with Chloe and Ryan. Uncle Ray and Aunt Stacey stayed behind with Eric to help run the business.” His mom pulled his face around. “Ryan told us we owe Chloe’s life to Mr. Ducharme, and that we could find you here with your mate.” She looked over at the man on the bed, her gaze snagging on his sleeping mate. “Green hair?”

Will chuckled. “You were expecting something else?”

Barbra Bunsun gave her husband an astonished look. “I’m surprised he didn’t go for a Japanese blonde with two pigtails on her head and an insane love of fried rice.”

Bunny rolled his eyes. He did not have a Sailor Moon fetish, no matter what that therapist had said. “Mom.” He winced. He hadn’t sounded that whiny in years.

Leave it to his mother to have him feeling ten years old again.

His mother patted his cheek. “That’s all right, dear. I’m sure she’ll fit right in.”

God he hoped so. And he hoped the rest of the family was as welcoming as he knew his parents would be. Because so far Tabby was anything but ordinary.

Tabby sipped the sucky hospital coffee and waited for Alex to step out of his cousin’s room. Julian had insisted that she go check on her, but she didn’t feel comfortable in there with everyone else. Chloe’s parents were hovering over her and, despite how shitty Tabby felt about it, she found herself jealous. Tabby’s parents had never cared that much for her. If they had cared at all, they’d never have abandoned her to the streets when she was fifteen.

“Here, this might make it a little better.”

Tabby glanced at Alex’s mother, wondering again at the sight of the smaller woman. The beautiful woman next to her looked nothing like a mom. She looked like a model, her eyes a startling light hazel, her skin a creamy bronze. The only imperfections were the laugh lines around her eyes and mouth and the light smattering of freckles across her nose. It was those laugh lines that showed her the resemblance between Bunny and his mother. “Thanks, Mrs. Bunsun.”

“Barb, sweetie. And don’t thank me until you’ve tasted that.”

Tabby looked down at the cherry danish in her hand. “Hospital cafeteria?”

“Yup.” Barbra sighed and leaned against the wall. “So. You’re mated to my son.”

Tabby winced. “Almost.”

Thin dark brows rose, questioning her without saying a word.

“He bit me before we followed the ambulance. Just pushed the jacket aside and bared fang, right in public too.” She took a bite of the cherry danish. She then took a nice, long sip of the coffee so she wouldn’t choke on the dry pastry. She tried desperately not to make a face. It had been a nice gesture, but dear God.

“Um. Is there a convenience store around here?”

Barb’s lips twitched. “Bared fang, huh?”

“Mm-hmm. That’s as far as we’ve gotten, though.” Tabby froze, her gaze sliding away. “You’re…all right with that?” Hadn’t Alex told her that Tabby was Outcast?

“Are you all right with it?”

Tabby thought of her hotter-than-hell mate and nodded. “Oh, yeah. I’m fine with it.”

Barb smiled, looking relieved. “I was worried. My parents freaked when they found out my mate was white. They didn’t speak to me for weeks.”

Tabby snorted. “My parents are the least of my worries.”

Barb’s expression turned sharp. “Is there a problem I need to know about?”

Tabby threw away the inedible danish. She’d eaten better food out of garbage bins. Someone needed to smack the hospital nutritionist upside the head. “I’m Outcast.”

Barb blinked. “Hmm. What for?”

She studied her mother-in-law, relieved to see no condemnation in the other woman’s face. “For being a thief.”

Barb waved her hand. “And? Details, hon.”

“Long story short? I was dating the Alpha’s son. I snuck into his room to fool around, got caught sneaking out. The Alpha assumed I was there to rob him and wouldn’t listen to what I was saying. His son didn’t even try to explain things to his father.” Her lips twisted in a smile. “The Alpha never heard anything he didn’t want to anyway. No one bothered to speak up for me and the Alpha Outcast me. I roamed for about eight years as a wolf and finally landed in Halle. I’ve been here ever since.”

Barb studied her for a moment, her whole body relaxing. “Then we’ll have to fix it.”

Tabby blinked. How did you fix the unfixable? “How’s Chloe?”

Barb sighed, the tension returning to her shoulders. “Not good.”

She took hold of Barb’s hand and squeezed. “I’m so sorry. Is there anything I can do to help?”

“Yeah.” Barb’s smile was weary. “Take good care of my son.”

Tabby nodded, her eyes following Barb all the way back to the hospital room door.

“Tabby?”

Tabby grinned as her friend’s sweet voice flowed over her. Glory was standing there in one of her colorful peasant skirts and glittery tops, her pale blue hair done up in a sweet-looking ponytail. She looked like a pixie gypsy. “Hey, girl.

What are you doing here?”

Glory held up Tabby’s gym bag. The bangles on her wrist jangled and her grin was wide and sparkling. “Not quite the way we’d envisioned you spending last night.” She giggled. “Okay, bringing you work clothes after your night of debauchery, yes. Bringing you work clothes after a night in the hospital, no. And hey, no walk of shame, right?”

“Thanks a lot.” Tabby rolled her eyes, but just the presence of her bubbly friend soothed her. It was hard to be upset when Glory was around. “Is Cyn all alone?”

The store had opened over an hour ago.

“She posted that we were closed for a family emergency and moved the appointments we had to later in the week.” She handed Tabby the bag. “I’m sorry to hear about your boyfriend’s cousin.”

“Thanks.” Tabby headed toward Julian’s room. She’d rather change in his bathroom than in the public restroom. And there was no way she was going into Chloe’s room, not with all those people in there. Julian would guard the door for her while she changed. He was one of the few people she truly trusted to keep her safe.

“Where is your new man, anyway?”

Tabby shrugged. “Alex is getting some sleep finally.” And hadn’t that been a battle and a half? He’d argued with everyone but his mother until the woman had pinched his ear and literally dragged him off for some rest. He was due back any minute now. “Oh, I almost forgot. Julian’s here.”