Chapter 14
watched as Jacquelyn sat fidgeting in her hospital bed. Her skin was healing so fast and it was itching like crazy. So on top of being nervous about meeting her father in just a matter of minutes she was also itching like she had a bad case of fleas.
"Are you okay, Jacquelyn?" Fane asked her.
Jacquelyn looked at him sheepishly. "Just nervous and itching. My skin is healing so fast and the scabs are driving me crazy."
"Do you want me to see if they can give you something for the itching?" he asked her.
"No wolf-man, anything they give me will probably make me sleepy. I will just have to deal."
Fane and Jacque turned their heads at the sound of a growl from a human throat. The sound was coming from Jen. She was rubbing her back vigorously against the wall. She actually looked like a horse scratching itself against a tree. Jacque thought about pointing this out, but held her tongue when Jen started spewing expletives.
"I feel like my skin is crawling with little ants it itches soooooo bad!" Jen ground out as she continued to attempt to assuage the itching by rubbing her back against the wall. Sally opened her mouth to say something but promptly shut it when Jen's head whipped around. "One word, one word Sally Michelle and so help me you will have to sleep with one eye open for the rest of your life for fear that I will steal all your dolls and make them do unholy things, take pictures, and then put them on your Facebook page with the caption 'I still play with dolls'.” Jen was breathing hard after her rant.
"Jacque, I think we should tie her up when she spends the night with us, just to be on the safe side," Sally told Jacque dryly.
"Word," Jacque answered, using the slang she and her two best friends were so fond of.
"I think I would have to agree with your sentiment, Sally," Fane added.
"Watch it, Cujo. Just because you're hot doesn't mean I won't retaliate," Jen growled, still trying to allay the itching of her healing skin.
"Wolf," Fane muttered, as Jacque patted his hand, "I'm a bloody wolf."
The door to the room swung open and Decebel walked in and froze. He stopped cold at the sight of Jen growling and rubbing against the wall. She looked at him and nearly snarled. "Do you not know how to knock? And what the hell are you staring at? Haven't you ever seen a girl being groped by a wall before?"
"Not one who was so obviously enjoying it," Decebel answered without inflection.
Sally looked at Decebel, shaking her head from side to side. "The safest road at this point is to maintain neutral, in a non-threatening stance, and for the love of all humanity do not engage the beast. Just keep your mouth closed."
"Right, well I just came to get you and Jen and take you to another room so that Jacque can visit with her father," he told Sally.
"He's here?" Jacque squeaked.
Decebel looked at her and nodded. "He is on his way up now." He turned back to Jen and Sally and simply said, "Come."
Sally began to follow. Jen, of course, could not be that cooperative. "Oh, I'm sorry, did I miss something? Am I wearing a dog tag that indicates I should be walking on all fours and responding when a big grumpy ass werewolf tells me to come?"
Decebel turned and growled, "One of these days your mouth is going to write a check that your cute little ass can't cash." Decebel thought this would render her speechless but he should have known better.
"Oh, don't worry fur ball, I plan to be writing that check out in your name." With that she winked at him and hobbled past a dumbfounded Decebel, IV pole and all.
Sally turned and patted Decebel on the arm. "Good try, chief, but you are sparring with a master in her craft, and didn't we just discuss not provoking the beast? Geeze, try to save someone's life and they just throw it out the window," Sally continued to mutter as she walked past Decebel, her hands in the air as if to show her surrender to another's stupidity. "I'm done, finished, and if you hairy, testosterone filled, egotistical, snarling, drooling, flea infested werewolves want Jen to neuter you in your sleep than far be it from me to stand in your way."
Decebel turned and looked at Jacque. "Your friends have issues. Serious issues."
"You have no idea," Jacque said, shaking her head as Decebel turned to follow her two best friends out. "Good luck with that," she hollered before the door closed.
"Well, that was interesting," Jacque told Fane.
"Interesting definitely, but something is up with Decebel and he isn't exactly the most forthcoming wolf. Figuring it out is going to be like trying to figure out who shot Kennedy."
Jacque looked at Fane and grinned, "You know about Kennedy?"
He laughed, "Why wouldn't I?"
"You're from Romania," Jacque said with a 'duh' look.
"Like I told you, I studied American history. My parents wanted me to know more than just Romanian history."
"I guess that once we are in Romania and start school, I will learn all about Romanian history?" Jacque asked him.
"You will learn a lot about Romanian history as it pertains to the pack. It is a lot of information, but important since you will one day be the Alpha female."
"Ugh, don't remind me, it really freaks me out," she whined.
"My silly Luna, you are going to make an amazing Alpha. Don’t doubt that." Fane leaned down and kissed her gently on the lips.
"Mmm, there is not enough of that going on lately," she teased him.
"Yes, well, I didn't think you wanted to give Jen free entertainment."
"How right you are wolf-man," Jacque joked.
There was a knock at the door causing Jacque to sit up straighter. Fane stood up and walked to the door to open it. Before he did he turned and looked at Jacquelyn. "You ready, love?"
"You are with me, so yeah, I'm ready."
"Always, meu inimă (my heart)."
"Oh, and Fane?" Jacque started.
"Yes?"
"Try not to kill my father, okay?"
Fane's eyes glowed blue and he growled low.
"Stop it, wolf-man, answer the door." She laughed at him, thankful for the brief distraction.
Fane opened the door and a man stepped in. He wasn't nearly as tall as Fane, but he had broad shoulders, red, wavy hair the same color as Jacque's, and he had the same piercing green eyes. Fane felt like he was looking at the male version of his mate, he had to admit it was a little creepy.
The man held out a hand to Fane politely. "You must be Fane Lupei. I'm Dillon Jacobs, Jacque's father."
Fane took Dillon's hand and shook it. "I am Fane, Jacquelyn's mate," Fane told him without looking away from the Alpha wolf's eyes.
Jacque realized that neither of them was going to relinquish before the other, she had to step in before one of them did something stupid. So she cleared her throat. Okay, it wasn't much but she figured telling the two Alphas to get their heads out of their butts wouldn't go over real well.
"It's probably best that you did not say that, you are right, my love," Fane told her, obviously listening to her inner dialogue. He had told her once that her thoughts fascinated him. Her response had been that she was glad she could entertain him.
Dillon turned his head in response to Jacque. "You must be Jacque."
"In the flesh. Well, at least what's left of it," she answered.
Dillon let out a soft growl but caught himself quickly. "Yes, we will get to that shortly. First I just want you to know that had I known about you, I would not have stayed away. You don’t have to believe me, but I at least want you to know that I would have been here and a part of your life."
"I believe you," Jacque told him, tears gathering in her eyes, and before she could stop them they were pouring down her cheeks.
"Oh, little one, I'm sorry." Dillon walked quickly to her side, he felt awkward for a moment until Jacque made the first move, she reached out to him and just like that Dillon was holding the little girl he'd always wanted. He pulled her close and she cried harder. He rocked her and whispered over and over, "I'm so sorry little one, so, so sorry."
Jacque couldn't believe she was blubbering like a baby, but crap, he was here. The one man she had always wondered about, where he was, what was he doing. If he had been around would he have taught her to climb trees, or change a tire? Would he have taken her to the movies the way Jen's dad did with her or taken her fishing? It just all sort of hit at one time and she couldn't hold it back any longer. It was pure instinct that had her reaching for a complete stranger, a stranger, but still her dad.
Fane stood back, his wolf pacing as he watched a stranger hold his mate, his mate who was hurting. He hated that she was hurting and that he couldn't be the one to comfort her. Call him selfish, so be it, but she was his, his alone.
"I'm sorry, wolf-man. Please don’t take it personally," Jacquelyn told him
"I know, love, don't worry about me. Spend time with Dillon. I will be fine." He sent the thought to her as well has a picture in his mind of brushing his finger tips across her neck where his mark should be by now. That just made him growl again.
Jacque finally composed herself and pulled back from Dillon. He gently brushed her hair out of her face.
"I know I wasn't there for a long time, but I'm here now. I want to be a part of your life if you are okay with that."
"I would like that," Jacque said honestly.
"Why don’t you tell me about yourself: favorites, dislikes, and all the stuff a father should know." Dillon smiled reassuringly.
"Well, where to begin?" From there for the next few hours Jacque and Dillon talked about anything and everything. Fane could tell that they had very similar personalities. Their likes and dislikes, even their sense of humor was alike. He was happy for her, he really was, but his wolf still did not trust Dillon Jacobs.
Finally, Dillon stood up. He looked at his watch, realizing that they had been talking for four and a half hours. Lunch had come and gone and the entire time Fane had stood against the wall opposite Jacque's bed, never moving, just standing and watching her. Jacque looked up at him and smiled, that smile was worth every minute he had stood there keeping her safe.
"I'm all yours as soon as he leaves," she told him through their bond.
"I'm going to hold you to that, Luna." He winked at her and saw her cheeks turn pink. He loved it when she blushed, loved that he was the cause of that blush.
"I'm going to let you get some rest. I will be back later, though, if that's ok?" Dillon asked her.
"Yea, I'm good with that," Jacque answered.
"Okay, great." He turned to Fane and once again held out his hand, "Fane, thank you for your patience and letting me spend some time with Jacque."
"If it makes her happy and she is safe, I will always be okay with you spending time with her," Fane told him, letting his wolf show through his eyes just a little.
Dillon took a step back before he could catch himself. Interesting, Fane's wolf thought, Alpha, but not over him. Good to know.
Fane was on his way over to Jacque before the door clicked closed. He sat down on the edge of the bed next to her. "How are you, really?" she asked him.
Fane leaned forward and placed his lips on her neck and breathed her scent in deep. His wolf growled in contentment. "I'm better now," he admitted.
Jacque laughed and brought his lips to hers and kissed him gently. Fane deepened the kiss enjoying the way she tasted, reminding him that she was safe, and she was his. Jacque moaned as he pulled back. "Will it ever be enough?" she asked him with a grin.
"I hope not. I hope you always want more of me. I must prepare you now, I will never get enough of you," Fane told her without shame at his need of her.
"Duly noted, wolf-man," she teased him.