Just One Drop (The Grey Wolves #3) by Quinn Loftis (1)

Table of Contents

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chapter 1

 

"Jen, you are not going back to the states so quit trying to pack your damn clothes," Sally growled. She intercepted Jen and snatched the pants she was carrying to an open suitcase, which lay haphazardly across the large four poster bed. Jen steadily ignored her and did an about face to the closet to grab more of her clothes.

"Would you please just talk to me? Please?" Sally's voice was beginning to take on a high-pitched whine.

"Oh, good grief. For the love of healthy ears everywhere, quit your belly aching," Jen snapped, the clothes in her hands growing more wrinkled by the second. "Sally, there is nothing to talk about, okay? It is what it is."

Sally threw her hands up in the air as she exhaled loudly. "No, it is not what it is, whatever the hell that means. It's a whole freaking lot more complicated than 'it is what it is'." Sally was beginning to get desperate, and although when Jen started this little stunt Sally thought that throwing her suitcase out of the window might be drastic – yeah, not so much anymore.

As Jen continued to throw clothes into the suitcase, Sally decided that desperate times called for desperate measures. She went over to the window and pushed it open. Without much grace, she managed to push the screen out and didn't blink when it tumbled down the side of the three story mansion. Jen was still in the closet when Sally picked up her suitcase and began carrying it toward the open window.

"Put the suitcase down, step away from it slowly, and nobody gets hurt," Jen ground out as she came out of the closet.

"I'm sorry, Jen, but I can't let you leave. So I'll risk your wrath and do whatever it takes to keep your cranky, sulky, continually pissed off butt in Romania."

Jen took a step towards Sally and the suitcase that was now teetering dangerously on the ledge of the open window.

"Back the hell off, Jennifer Adams." Sally tilted the suitcase back as if to let it fall. Jen continued to take slow, measured steps towards Sally, thinking that her usually mild mannered friend wouldn't dare let go of the suitcase…She was wrong, so very wrong. Sally didn't just let go of the suitcase, she gave it a huge shove just as Jen lunged to grab it. Sally jumped back, slapping her hands over her mouth. She was nearly as surprised with herself as Jen was.

"What…how… why," Jen sputtered as she stared at Sally incredulously. "You bitch," she finally managed to spit out.

"It's for your own good, Jen. Really it is," Sally told her, backing away from the fuming Jen.

Jen leaned out the open window and saw the fate of her now scattered suitcase and clothes. She looked back at Sally, still shocked that her friend had pulled such a stunt. Shaking her head, she turned and headed towards the door of the bedroom.

Sally stood and stared. She didn't know if she had done the right thing, but she knew that Jen didn't need to leave. Sally couldn't explain the feeling, but something in her said that something bad would happen to Jen if she left Romania right now. She didn't try to examine the feeling; she just accepted it for what it was…for now.

 

Jen stormed down the long staircase, taking two at a time, all the while hoping she didn't pass anyone so she wouldn't have to talk. Once on the ground floor she made a right and headed down a long hallway. She passed the library, a sitting room, and the entertainment room before finally arriving at her destination. Without knocking, she threw the door open and walked inside.

She took another deep breath and let it out slowly. "Look, I know you know what Dr. Steele told me about my blood results. Regardless of that, I can't change how I feel about a certain wolf. I can't change the fact that, wolf blood or not, I'm not his mate, and said wolf wants nothing to do with me. How do I know this, you ask?" Jen continued before Vasile could say a word. "Because he just up and left. Not so much as a 'see ya later, Jen', 'take care, Jen', 'goodbye, Jen', 'have a nice freaking life without me, Jen',"

Jen slapped her hand over her mouth, embarrassed that she had spilled all that to Vasile. She knew the only reason she was discussing this with Fane's father was because she was desperate to get away from this place. To get away from the only man – she'd come to realize over the past couple of months – that she loved. After Dr. Steele revealed to her that she had a minute, very minute amount of werewolf blood in her, she had thought that maybe there was a chance for her and the fur ball. That hope been quickly doused when said fur ball up and disappeared. A week after Jacque and Fane's ceremony, Decebel had gotten in his Hummer and, without looking back, driven away from the pack mansion. And 62 days, 4 hours, and 22 minutes later he still hadn't returned. But who's counting?

"Didn't you just turn eighteen, Jen?" Vasile asked her.

Jen looked a little confused at his choice of response. "Umm, yes. I believe that loud racket you heard a couple of weeks ago was Sally and Jacque's idea of a birthday party. What does that have to do with me leaving?"

"If you are eighteen, Jen, you are an adult. I can't make you stay here. If you want to leave, if you really think that is the best thing for you, then you can go. I will allow you to use the pack plane to get back to the U.S. if that is truly what you want," Vasile explained.

Jen cocked her head to the side, eyes narrowed at the Alpha sitting calmly in front of her. "Just like that? No trying to convince me to stay, or telling me not to give up, or yada yada yada bull crap?"

Jen took a seat in one of the chairs in front of Vasile's desk. Resting her hands on the chair arms, she couldn't keep her legs from bouncing up and down as she waited for Sorin to arrive. Vasile didn't say anything while they waited and that was just fine with Jen. She didn't want to listen to any more reasons about why she should stay. She heard the door open and close, and then Sorin stepped up beside her.

"What can I do for you, Alpha?" he asked Vasile.

"Jen has decided that she wants to go back to the U.S.," Vasile began, and to Sorin's credit he didn't so much as flinch in Jen's direction. "Could you please arrange for the plane to be ready? Get her things, drive her to the air strip, and make sure she gets on the plane safely."

"Of course." Sorin answered as if Vasile hadn't just told him Jen was leaving only two months after arriving.

As Jen stood up, she stopped Sorin from leaving with a hand on his arm. "Please, it's not necessary to get my things.” Sorin started to object but Jen cut him off. "Really, I'm good to go. Right now." She turned to Vasile, looking for some sort of confirmation that this was okay. After a moment of looking into her eyes, Vasile turned to Sorin and nodded once.

As they began to walk out of the office, Jen turned back to Vasile. "You won't tell anyone, will you? I mean, will you let me call them once I get back to the States?"

Vasile smiled gently. "I won't say a word."

She let out the breath she had been holding. "Thank you."

 

Jen sat in the passenger side of yet another Hummer, wrapped in a parka Sorin had grabbed. "What is with you wolves and Hummers?" she muttered grumpily.

"They do well in this climate," Sorin answered, never taking his eyes from the road.

Jen glanced at him briefly, then looked out the passenger window. Her mind wandered to a certain tall, dark, gorgeous werewolf that she so desperately wanted to see, yet longed to stab in the hand with a butter knife at the same time…funny how that temptation seemed to apply only to him.

 

Vasile waited until he heard Sorin pull away from the driveway before picking up his phone again. "I need to speak with you." He listened to the voice on the other end. "No, not necessarily right this minute, just in the next hour would be good." Ending the call, he immediately dialed another number and waited for an answer, a voice came on the line. "Stall," was all he said.

Vasile leaned back in his chair, folding his hands in his lap. He shook his head as he chuckled. Alina was going to scold him for meddling, as she would call it, but he was Alpha. It was his job to meddle, and he was good at it.

 

Chapter 2

An hour and a half later…

Fane held up the piece of paper his father handed him. He looked at his father, then back to the paper in his hand. "You want me to tell my mate that you waited an hour and a half to inform me that her best friend left to board a plane headed back to the States?" Fane growled.

"I did not wait. I called you the minute she left. You didn't arrive for an hour and a half," Vasile answered, completely unruffled by the growl in Fane's voice.

"With all due respect, Alpha, you could have mentioned the reason you wanted to see me."

"No, I couldn't. I told Jen I wouldn't say a word," Vasile emphasized.

"Jen didn't catch that little loophole?" Fane asked, his eyebrows raised.

"Don't you think you ought to tell your mate what's going on? I don't know how much longer Sorin can stall the plane before Jen figures out something is going on."

Fane's head snapped up at his father's words. "She hasn't left yet?"

"Do you honestly think I would let her leave?"

"Luna, I need to speak with you. Could you please come to my father's office?" Fane sent Jacque his question through their bond. It had become so strong since their mating that she was a constant presence and comfort in his mind.

"Why do I hear worry in your voice, wolf-man?" Jacquelyn asked him suspiciously.

Without answering his mate, he glared at his father. "I will get you back for this, Alpha. Just to warn you ahead of time."

Vasile winked at his son. "A little lesson in dealing with conflict with your mate will be good for you."

Fane looked at his Alpha in amazement. "Father, you do realize who I'm mated to, right?"

Vasile cleared his throat. "You do have a point there." But he still offered no apology for his nonchalance in the matter.

"WHAT!" Jacque and Sally yelled at the same time, causing both wolves to grimace in pain because of their sensitive hearing.

 

 

Jen sat on the plane, drinking the second Coke Sorin had brought her while she waited for the runway to be cleared. Apparently, December in Romania got icy. Go figure. She didn't really care about the runway or the plane being ice-free, she just knew that the longer she sat here, not in the air, not moving towards North America, the more nervous she became that she would be discovered by her two neurotic best friends who she knew meant well, but didn't get why she had to leave.

Everyday Jen woke up hoping that she would go downstairs and find Decebel; she went to bed every night wondering why he left. She had no idea if he knew about her wolf blood, and she was to the point that she didn't want to care. Easier said than done, she thought. Why couldn't she fall in love with a normal guy, someone who didn't go furry at will? No. That would be too stinking easy.

She leaned her head back and closed her eyes. Her mind wandered back to the night of Jacque and Fane's bonding ceremony. Her life forever changed when Dr. Steele had explained that the blood test she had run on Jen after the car wreck had come back abnormal. Abnormal as in not human. Jen remembered feeling like the walls of the room were closing in on her.

"What do you mean, 'not human'?" she had asked Cynthia.

"You have werewolf blood. Though it is a very minute amount," Cynthia had answered.

Sally'd been sitting next to her, and her reaction had been what Jen wanted to say: "SHUT UP." Sally yelled this, causing everyone around them to stop and stare. Jen hadn't really noticed. The only thing she'd been able to focus on was a certain wolf who had been eyeballing her all night.

"What does that mean, exactly?"

"It means that somewhere in your family, generations ago, was a werewolf." The doctor seemed baffled by this. "I don't even know how it's possible unless all of his descendants mated with humans and the bloodline gradually diluted."

Jen and Sally had listened to the doctor explain that maybe something as traumatic as the accident had triggered the very dormant gene – perhaps that was why her wounds had healed so quickly. Jen asked if she thought she would develop any other werewolf characteristics. Cynthia felt that since Jacque hadn't, and she was half-were, that Jen was in the clear. But she truly didn't know what it would mean for Jen or her future. "You are the first dormant I have ever met," she told Jen.

For two months after learning about the werewolf blood that lay dormant in her blood, she had been constantly watching for any other wolf-like attributes. The only thing that she felt was different was that she could sense emotions. Well, strong emotions to be exact. She didn't really understand it, but she could almost smell them and each emotion smelled differently. Jen mentioned it to Sally and Jacque and they both had wanted her to go to Dr. Steele. She never did.

Jen heard a car door slam, which brought her back to the present, to the wonderful fact that she was sitting in a plane, a plane that would take her away from all this werewolf stuff.

She tapped her foot impatiently and drummed her fingers on the arm of the seat. "What could possibly be taking so freaking long," she said to the empty plane. With an exaggerated huff she undid the seat belt and stood, tired of waiting. It was time to take things into her own hands.

She looked out a window and her breath froze in her lungs at the sight. Where there had only been one black Hummer, now sat two. No way, she thought. It's not him. Vasile has, like, a million black Hummers. She had long ago decided it was a wolf thing.

Jen stepped back from the window, taking some slow, deep breaths. She closed her eyes and tried to regain her bearings. I got this. Finally ready, she walked towards the exit sign.

To what, she didn't know.

 

Chapter 3

 

"Don't you think you should call him?" Jacque asked Fane as they walked out to the car, moving slowly, trying not to slip on the snow covered ground. Fane opened the passenger door for Jacque but she didn't get in. He realized she wasn't moving until he answered all of her questions.

"My father will be the one to decide if Decebel should be called."

"That's not good enough," Jacque growled. "Not when it's my friend making possibly the biggest mistake of her life." She turned and, holding her arms out for balance on the slick ground, headed back into the mansion.

Sally stood next to Fane, her arms folded around her waist in an attempt to ward off the cold. She watched her friend leave. "She's going to tell your father what he should do, isn't she?"

"I keep telling her it's going to bite her in the butt one of these days.”

 

Jacque pushed the door to Vasile's office open without knocking. Alina stood in front of Vasile's desk and Jacque stopped beside her.

"What would lead you to believe that Jen would listen to Decebel?" Vasile asked. "It was my understanding he was the reason she was leaving."

Jacque's jaw dropped open. "She told you that? She actually told you about how she felt about him?"

"Well, not in so many words, but I saw how she looked at him at your ceremony. There is only one reason a woman looks at a man like that." Vasile winked at his mate.

"You did?" Jacque asked as her brow furrowed. "What did he say? Is he going to go and get her? Did he care at all?"

"Slow down, little one." Alina chuckled.

Vasile stood from his desk and walked around to Jacque. "I can't speak for Decebel's feelings. Although, the snarl he let out when I told him Jen was leaving would lead one to believe he felt something for her. And yes, he is going to see her. Hopefully Sorin can continue to stall the plane without Jen getting suspicious."

"Crap," Jacque whined. "She's probably already snuck off the plane and decided to swim to North America. This is Jen we're talking about. She's suspicious of everything."

"I would advise that you three stay here and let Decebel handle this for now," Vasile said soberly, making it clear to Jacque that it was really more of an order.

"Yeah, yeah. Soak it up, wolf-man," Jacque said, narrowing her eyes at her mate. "Your dad advised that we stay here and let Decebel handle it."

 

With her mind made up, Jen quickened her steps towards the plane exit. She grabbed the handle, yanked it open, and walked into a solid wall.

"Ummph" Jen grunted, then froze. She knew that smell. Great, she thought, there I go with the smell thing again. But she did know that smell: woodsy, spicy, and male. A very, very pissed off male. She took a step back and slowly raised her chin to look up into the face of the wolf whose memory had haunted her for the past two months.

"Going somewhere, Jennifer?" Decebel asked, eyes narrowed and lips drawn tightly.

Jen stared up into glowing, amber eyes. She couldn't speak, couldn't move, and at this point even breathing seemed to be too much for her body to ask of her. The spell was broken when she heard Decebel growl and realized that she was staring him straight in the eyes. His wolf would see that as a challenge. She took a step back but, challenge or no, did not avert her eyes. Slowly, the anger and hurt that plagued her came rushing back in, flowing through her numb body, giving her life and the ability to speak again.

"As a matter of fact, I am going somewhere. Not that it's any of your business." Jen raised one eyebrow as she folded her arms across her chest. "So if you would kindly leave, I can be on my way." Jen couldn't believe the pain that pierced her heart as she told Decebel to leave. It took everything she had not to flinch at her own words.

Undeterred by Jennifer's haughty attitude, Decebel stepped into the plane. And unless Jennifer wanted his chest pressed to her, made her take another step back.

"I have to disagree with you. I consider it very much my business when it concerns you."

Decebel watched the emotions play across Jennifer's face, so transparent to him. He waited for her to respond, knowing it would be quick-witted and sharp, one of the many things he admired about her. She did not disappoint.

"Funny that," she began. “If I'm so much your business, where have you been for the past two months? If I am so much your freaking business, then you must have a phenomenal excuse for not even coming to my eighteenth birthday party." Jen couldn't hide the hurt behind her words. She ducked her head, biting her lip to keep from crying. It didn't work.

Decebel took a step forward, drawn to her for reasons he didn't yet understand. All he knew was that standing there seeing her hurt was unbearable to him. He placed his fingers under her chin and raised her face to look into her tear-filled eyes. In that moment he was in a different time and place. He looked into a face with green eyes, not blue. A face with dark chocolate locks framing it instead of blonde. He watched as he held her fragile body in his arms, her life draining away. He held on until her form was still, only a shell left to wither from the earth.

"Decebel." The sound of Jennifer's voice brought him back to the present, but the memory of that lifeless body reminded him what happened when he cared about someone, what happened when he was unable to keep those he loved safe. He dropped his hand from her chin and took a step back, not missing the hurt that flashed across her face.

"You are my business because you are my prince's mate's best friend. As Beta it's my job to keep you safe," he answered, his demeanor suddenly much more formal.

"Well, I'm relinquishing you of that job by leaving. So no worries, Dec. I'm perfectly capable of sitting on a plane by myself." Jen turned to go back but didn't get far before she felt a strong hand close around her arm. Decebel turned her to face him and she could see emotions running across his handsome face. For the life of her she didn’t know what they were.

"You aren't leaving, Jennifer. Jacque needs you and Sally right now. For some reason I thought you weren't the type of friend to bail on those who depend on you." Decebel figured the easiest way to get Jennifer to cooperate would be to piss her off and present her with a challenge.

Jen jerked her arm from Decebel's grasp. She pulled her shoulders back and stood up as straight as she could. Then she took a step forward and he swore that there had to be steam coming off her skin. She jammed her finger in Decebel's chest as she glared at him.

"First, you don't know a damn thing about me so don't you dare tell me what kind of friend you think I am. Second, I would never, ever bail on one of my friends. Unlike one furry canine that I know, I don't take off without dealing with whatever my friends need. Jacque knows I need to go back to the States. She has Fane and Sally."

"Is that so?" Decebel challenged.

"Yes, Cujo. That is so." Jen's jaw jutted forward as she ground her teeth together.

"If Jacque is so understanding, then why did she go to Vasile to have him call me to come get you?" The look on Decebel's face when he finished talking was that of a cat who had just caught a little birdie. He watched as Jennifer's jaw dropped open at his words. He stood silently and let the information set in. Finally, she looked up into his eyes again – the only one other than his Alpha allowed to get away with it – and rubbed her hand over her forehead.

"Is that why you came, because Vasile sent you?"

Decebel could tell that his answer had the ability to crush her and possibly push her away, making it easier to keep his distance. He stared into her blue eyes, eyes that pleaded with him for the truth, painful or not.

"Vasile called me." Jennifer's face fell, so Decebel continued quickly. "But he did not order me to come get you."

Her head snapped up at his words, her eyes searched his face for any hint of a lie. Decebel was sure she would ask why he came but instead she took a deep breath. She suddenly looked tired, defeated.

"Fine, I'll stay. But not because you said I have to. I'll stay for Jacque." Jen went to step around Decebel and head out of the plane exit. As she pushed the door open and felt the cold December air and the sun on her face, she turned back to the wolf who watched her silently. "I'll stay, but you need to make sure you stay out of my way. I don't need you thinking I need a big brother to watch over me and tell me what to do, so don't." She stepped out of the plane and the crisp, frosty air burned her lungs. Sorin stood with the passenger door held open for her.

Decebel stared at the empty space that had been Jennifer. He closed his eyes and took in a deep breath through his nose, relishing her scent. Shaking his head, he opened his eyes.

"Jennifer," he whispered her name reverently to the empty plane. "I most definitely don't see you as a sister, and I don't think I could stay out of your way even if I wanted."

 

Chapter 4

Jen sat in the garden behind the mansion, still wearing the parka she had put on hours ago. It was late and cold, but she didn't want to be inside just yet. She didn't feel like answering the questions she knew her two best friends would undoubtedly bombard her with. She lifted her head up to the clear sky, marveling at the thousands of stars that lit up the darkness.

A twig snapped on the ground to her left. Jen turned in the direction of the sound to see Alina coming towards her, wrapped in a heavy coat, carrying two coffee mugs. She couldn't help but smile at Alina as she took the offered mug. Jen felt the heat from the steam rise and caress her face as she drew the cup to her lips.

"So, tweedle dee and tweedle dumb sent you, I see." Jen indicated to the hot chocolate she was thoroughly thankful for.

Alina let out a small laugh as she sat down on the bench next to Jen. "Guilty as charged, I'm afraid."

Jen shrugged her shoulders, accepting that there was no way her two friends would leave her alone. She was glad it was Alina who had come. Something about her was so peaceful and comforting.

"Jen, are you unhappy here?" Alina asked gently.

"No," Jen said quickly. "No, Alina. Your home is wonderful and you and Vasile have made us all feel so welcome."

"Then why do you want to leave so badly?"

Jen looked slyly at Alina from the corner of her eye as she took another sip. She swallowed slowly, savoring the warmth that traveled through her. "No offense, Alina, but I know that you know about the fur ball." Alina laughed at Jen's insistent digs at Decebel.

"Okay, guilty. Yet again." Alina smiled, then it faded slowly as she placed her hand on Jen's arm. "Give it time, Jen. If it's meant to be then it will be." Jen started to interrupt but Alina continued before she could. "I know you think that because you aren't having any of the mating signs it's hopeless, but we've never been around someone with werewolf blood as diluted as yours. There is no telling the repercussions, so be patient, little one. He'll come around."

 

Jen opened the door to Sally's room to find her two best friends sitting on the floor, going over the homework their tutor had assigned them. Neither of them stopped to acknowledge her and she could admit she deserved the snub.

"So, I guess I need to apologize for being a complete ass," Jen told them, remorse written across her face.

Sally looked up at her slowly. Her eyes were drawn together in a glare that would stop a grown man. "Look, Jacque. The prodigal wolf returns. Isn't that sweet of her."

Jen winced at Sally's words, which were laced in sarcasm and dripping with vehemence.

Jacque gave Jen a passing glance as if she were nothing more than a gnat. "Huh, so it is." And she went back to her homework.

Crap, Jen thought. She was going to have to grovel. How she hated groveling. "I really am sorry. I know that you guys were worried and that you're mad at me for being selfish."

Sally sat up abruptly. "Worried, yes. Mad, no. Hurt, definitely. Jen, you won't talk to us about what's going on. You've been sulking around here for the past two months. You won't talk about the wolf blood thing, you won't talk about Decebel, and then you throw the hissy fit of the century and start packing your stuff, spouting off how you can't do it anymore. We are sitting in the dark twiddling our freaking thumbs." Sally's voice had slowly gotten louder as her rant continued. "I change my mind, we are mad. Hurt, mad and worried."

Jacque stared at Sally like she had grown a third eyeball while Jen was looking for a hole to crawl into.

"I'm sorry, Sally. I don't know what else to say, but truly I'm sorry. I've just been so, crap, I don't know. Frustrated, scared, lonely-"

"Lonely?" Jacque interrupted, obviously hurt.

"Not because you guys haven't been there," Jen added quickly. "I can't describe it. Okay," Jen stopped and sat down by her two best friends, "you want me to talk, here goes. When Decebel left after your ceremony, I felt like a hole had been cut inside of me. I don’t know how to describe it other than utter loneliness. I've been so stinking frustrated because I don't ever get depressed over a guy. I mean, hello, I'm Jen. I don’t need a guy." She ran her hands through her long blonde hair in agitation. "But there I was, pining after a werewolf and I don't know why. I don’t understand why he just left like he didn't give a damn." Jen wiped the tears that were now staining her face. "And bloody hell, I'm sick of crying."

Jacque sat up and took Jen in her arms; Sally wrapped hers around them both. The three girls sat there silently while Jen tried to get her scattered emotions under some sort of control.

"Between me and White Fang? Well, I will admit that when I saw Decebel I was shocked. As in 'what the hell do you mean a woman sat on a toilet so long that she became attached to it' shocked."

"Oh, snap. I forgot about that. That was wicked." Jacque cringed.

"Hey. Lucy, Ethel, focus," Sally snapped.

"Oh, right." Jen shook her head. "So shocked, because he was the last wolf I expected to see. To top it off, he was sweet. Which only ticked me off..." Jen trailed off, remembering how Decebel had momentarily gone to another place while looking into her eyes.

"What?" Sally asked.

"It's probably nothing, but there was one point when he was looking at me and he sort of zoned out. I had to say his name several times before he snapped out of it. Then I felt him pull back, if that makes sense. I mean emotionally. It was like he put a wall up between us."

Jen proceeded to tell them, at their insistence, word for word what was said between her and Decebel. And true to form, Jacque and Sally spent the remainder of the night dissecting the conversation. Jen swore they had it down to an art form.

 

Chapter 5

Decebel lay on his bed, staring aimlessly at the ceiling. He couldn't sleep. Every time he closed his eyes he saw her face. Jennifer. Her scent was burned into his brain, and the hurt he had caused was etched in his memory. Her face had been clouded with it on the plane. For the first time in his long life he was truly unsure about the path he was to take.

The feelings that were stirring inside him towards Jennifer were foreign to him. The only thing he could compare it to was what he had felt for Cosmina, his younger sister. She had been the brightest light in his life. Sweet, kind, and gentle. There wasn't a day that went by that he didn't feel the hole inside caused by her death. Somehow, when he was with Jennifer he didn't feel so empty, so alone.

He kept waiting for the mating signs to happen, to hear her thoughts, for his markings to change. At the same time he feared the changes. If the mating signs appeared he would have no choice. He would have to claim Jennifer, and that scared him more than anything had since the day he watched his sister die in his arms.

He thought back to that gruesome day, how helpless he had felt. Cosmina was being courted by two wolves, one of which was her true mate. After several months of more or less passive pursuit, they challenged one another. Cosmina had to be present at the challenge per pack law. Decebel had begged her not to go but she wasn't a rule breaker. Cosmina always did what was expected of her. The wolves fought and the victor took pity on the other wolf and let him live. The losing wolf had gone feral at the idea of not having Cosmina and attacked her before anyone could stop him.

A true mate would never be able to lay a hand on his mate – it went against everything inside them. Their wolf would sooner die than lift a hand against his mate. The wolf had decided that if he couldn't have Cosmina then no one could. Decebel had reached the wolf a moment too late – Cosmina's throat had been ripped and the blood poured out of her in a flood.

The rage that consumed Decebel had given him more than enough strength to kill the guilty wolf and he had torn him limb from limb. As he held his sister and watched the light fade from her eyes, she spoke her final words.

"When the time comes, brother, don't fight destiny. Let it happen even if it doesn't happen the way you think it should." And then she was gone.

Cosmina had always had the ability to know things, future things. Nobody understood it and the pack had long ago accepted it.

Now as Decebel laid on his bed, his emotions a turbulent storm inside him, he had to wonder if she had been talking about Jennifer.

He grabbed his phone off the nightstand to check the time. One a.m. He groaned. Tomorrow – or today, rather – was going to be miserable if he didn't get any sleep. As pack Beta it was his job to train the younger wolves. Even in the twenty first century it was necessary for the wolves to know how to defend themselves, in human and wolf form.

After the training he was due to attend a conference call with Vasile. Some of the surrounding packs had called and asked to speak with Vasile, but didn't specify what it was about. When Decebel had asked if he had any inkling of the topic, Vasile nodded solemnly and told him that whatever it was he didn't think it was a good thing. Although packs tried to keep peace between themselves, there were times it was easier said than done. Werewolves were extremely territorial and it didn't take much for them to get in a pissing contest – no pun intended.

With a frustrated sigh he grabbed the ear buds to his iPhone and put them in, then turned on Jason Walker's "Down." He normally listened to classic rock, but he needed something soothing to calm him tonight, something to help him focus. He closed his eyes and listened as the words of the song poured over him. As he listened, he felt like it was written just for him. With every word Jennifer's face became clearer in his mind. Her infectious smile, her eyes twinkling with mischief, the quick wit that could cut a person in half – or make them feel like the most important person in her world.

Pictures ran through his mind of his time in the States when she was in the wreck, the fear that had ripped through him when he had seen her still form on the ground. He remembered feeling so out of control as the doctors tried to treat Jen when his wolf didn't want anyone near her. He let out a low growl as his mind wandered to her little stunt with the human male, Matt. Decebel clearly remembered the name Jennifer had whispered in his ear. He still hadn't talked with her about that night, about what had happened with this Matt character. He grinned slowly to himself as he finally began to drift off. He planned on talking with her very soon about Matt, and Decebel had a feeling she wasn't going to be too pleased about it.

That just made his smile bigger.

 

 

"Jen, wake up." Sally pulled the covers off her sleeping friend, allowing the cold air to flow over her. "If you don't get up, I'm getting some water and we'll relive some of those fond memories from the hospital."

"I really think you need help, Sally," Jen mumbled. "Throwing water in my face, throwing my suitcase out of the window, and you think I'm disturbed? It's time for the wicked witch to look in the mirror and ask who's the fairest of them all."

Jen sat up and tried to rub the sleep from her eyes. "What time is it?" she groaned.

"It's nine a.m. and we are supposed to meet with the tutor in thirty minutes. Get moving. We all know how long it takes you to become a person in the morning. I swear you're as bad as Jacque," Sally admonished as she grabbed Jen's hand and pulled her off the bed, pushing her in the direction of the bathroom.

"Bloody hell, Sally. I'm up," Jen whined. As she closed the bathroom door, Sally heard her mumble, "Note to self, lock bedroom door at night to keep perky morning people out."

 

Jen stood in front of the bathroom mirror, a towel wrapped around her, and combed the tangles from her wet hair. She wasn't going to lie to herself and say she wasn’t nervous about today – she was beyond nervous knowing he was here. Decebel, the werewolf she couldn't seem to let go of, no matter what her mind was telling her. Her heart was giving her mind the finger.

Jen jumped at the sound of Sally banging on the bathroom door.

"Okay, sleeping beauty, let's go. You're not going to a beauty contest."

Jen snatched the door open. "Try a different Disney character Thelma, 'cause in order for me to be Sleeping Beauty I would have to be asleep." Jen's words came out a little louder than she intended, but Sally didn't seem to be phased by it.

"Okay, Jen. Talk. What's up?" Sally narrowed her eyes. Her best friend was wound tighter than a roll of fishing twine.

Jen stepped out of the bathroom and headed towards the closet. She grabbed a pair of underwear and a bra from the dresser and began sifting through clothes. Finally settling on a pair of low rise Levi's and a warm fleece pullover, she stepped out of the closet and took a deep breath. "I'm nervous. Decebel's back, as in he's here in the mansion, which means the chances of me seeing him are much greater than when he was gone."

Sally stepped up to her friend and wrapped her arms around her for a quick hug. "He's really gotten to you." It wasn't a question. Sally had never seen steady, confident Jen in such turmoil.

"I need to do something, Sally. I don't know what but I can't stand this. I've never wanted a guy I couldn't have. As conceited as that sounds, truth is truth."

Sally's finger was tapping her lips as she closed her eyes in thought.

"Um, what's cooking in that sadistic brain of yours?" Jen asked nervously.

Sally's eyes snapped open. "I was just thinking that maybe if you met someone else then you could get past your furry problem."

"My furry problem? Really? You make it sound like I have abnormal leg hair growth or something." Jen rolled her eyes.

"Look." Sally stopped Jen before she could walk out of the room. "Let's just give it a go. You, me, and Jacque – tonight. We'll get Sorin to take us somewhere where there are going to be guys. Then you can do your thing."

Jen growled as she threw her head back. Sally knew she couldn't stand to be called a chicken. Jennifer Adams was many things, but a chicken was not one of them.

"Fine, I'll go." She paused, thinking about Sally's idea. "I think a night out is just what the doctor ordered."

"Excellent." Sally grinned, rubbing her hands together in suppressed glee.

"Man, you scare me sometimes, Sal. Truly, you do." Jen grabbed Sally's hand and began walking towards the bedroom door. "Let's do this."

 

 

"If that tutor tries to cram anything else into my head, I swear it's going to explode," Jacque whined.

"I feel ya. This three hours a day is kicking my super fine butt." Jen groaned as she slid into a seat in the dining room. "I mean, I get that she has to get seven hours of school into three, but seriously."

"I know, right?" Sally agreed as she laid her head on the table after taking a seat across from Jen.

Jacque sat at the head of the long table and leaned back against the chair.

"How are you, Luna?" She heard Fane's voice in her mind and felt his fingers run across her cheek. It made her shiver involuntarily.

"Oh, ya know, aside from my brain feeling like it's going to become mush and ooze out of my ears, I'm great." She heard him chuckle which made her grin like an idiot.

"I see you've been working on that constipated-looking face when you talk to Cujo," Jen teased.

Jacque just rolled her eyes at her friend.

"The girls are wanting to go out tonight. That okay with you?" she asked Fane.

"Sure, what time? My father has a conference call that was supposed to take place this afternoon, but has been pushed back to later this evening."

"That's fine. We were going to get Sorin to take us. They kind of want it to just be the girls."

That really made Fane laugh. "I'm sure Sorin will be so happy to know that you all consider him one of the girls."

Jacque laughed out loud, causing Sally and Jen to roll their eyes at her. "Sorry," she mumbled.

"So you cool with that, wolf-man?"

"I guess as long as Sorin is with you then I can deal with it. I love you, Jacquelyn."

"Funny that. I was just thinking the same thing about you." Jacque felt Fane's lips against hers. She was still getting used to being able to feel him even though he wasn't with her.

"Houston, we are clear for take off." Jacque grinned.

Jen looked at Sally, then back at Jacque. "Did you smoke something this morning and not share?"

Jacque rolled her eyes. "Do you really think I have to smoke something to get happy when I wake up next to Fane every morning?"

"Okay, point to you," Jen said, waving Jacque off.

"So I take it what you were saying with the whole Houston reference is that we're a go for tonight? Operation 'forget bossy werewolf guy' has been green-lighted?" Sally asked.

Jen covered her face and groaned at Sally's words. "Did you seriously just say that? Operation forget bossy werewolf guy? Really, Sally?"

Sally nodded in all seriousness.

"Well, if you're going to call our night out an operation – and you know how I love ops – at least get it right. It's operation 'forget freaking fine, brooding, bossy werewolf guy'," Jen supplied.

"Good call." Sally bumped fists with Jen, glad to see her friend was regaining her snarky sense of humor.

"Okay, girls. I think we need to head out and begin phase one of operation triple F, double B, WG." Jacque tried to say it with a straight face but as soon as she realized that B and G rhymed in her little abbreviation she lost the battle. Jen and Sally were laughing along with her as they all headed up the stairs.

Jen shook her head. "I think the air is thinner here because you two are clearly not getting enough oxygen to the brain."

"Oh, come on. Give us a break. Out of all of us, you've got inner skank-embracing down to an art form," Sally told her.

"True, very true, Sally. I am expert on all things skank." Jen was laughing as hard as Jacque and Sally when Decebel came around the corner.

Jen took a step back, surprised at his words. Decebel had seen the clothes in her suitcase, and by clothes she meant her womanly garments. She knew her face must be bright red because Decebel's eyes were glowing as she looked back at him. Before she could respond he leaned down and whispered in her ear.

"Please don't allow your friends to throw your clothes out the window. I had to make sure the wolves who found your things gave up all of the souvenirs they took – souvenirs that would cause your beautiful face to turn ten shades of red." She felt his breath on her neck, and he inhaled deeply before walking away.

Jacque had once told her that when a werewolf pulled that little stunt, he was taking in a person's scent. She shivered at the thought and couldn't help turning to watch Decebel walk away.

"Bloody hell, you two. Don't just stand there. Get in my room so I can give you the 411." Jen pushed her two best friends towards her bedroom door, all the while trying to figure out what had just taken place in the hall.

Once in the room Jen shut the door and leaned back against it. Head pressed back, she closed her eyes and slowed her breathing. Blasted wolf was going to give her a heart attack. Frustration rippled through her. Why him? Why did her heart have to pick the one guy she would never be able to have?

"What did he whisper in your ear, Jen?" Jacque questioned.

Jen shook her head, trying to clear it. "He told me to not let my friends throw my clothes out of the window," she paused and looked pointedly at Sally, who had the good sense to look sheepish, "because he had to get my clothes back – which he called souvenirs – from the wolves who apparently found them." She chuckled to herself, knowing she was once again the color of a beet. "And from the tone in his voice, said souvenirs must've been my womanly garments."

Jen pondered on this only briefly before she decided it was time to move on. "Let's forget it all. I don't even want to get into the fact that Decebel has seen -"

"Your undergarments," Sally snorted as she interrupted Jen.

"Oh, shut up, Thelma," Jen snapped as she headed towards the closet in search of the night's outfit. Okay, she thought to herself, need to draw on my inner skank. She laughed as she started flipping through her clothes. Sally and Jacque joined her in the large closet and began their own searches.

Jen pulled out a pair of low rise Lucky jeans. She and Jacque shared a love of the brand. Next she grabbed a deep plumb colored sweater with a plunging neckline. It had a fitted cut for a snug fit.

"I like." Jacque nodded in approval.

Jacque and Sally each borrowed shirts of Jen's. Sally chose a deep red sweater with wide arms that hung elegantly off her shoulders. Jacque picked her color of choice, a hunter green sweater dress that she planned to wear with dark grey leggings and boots. With their choices made, they headed off to their prospective bathrooms to change.

"Okay, meet back here in twenty for phase two," Sally advised.

"Dare I ask what phase two is?" Jen asked apprehensively.

"It's been too long since we've been out if you have to ask," Sally told her. "Hair and makeup, Jennifer. We have to take all this natural beauty up in here and make it shine."

"Riiiiight, shine. I'm on it, boss," Jen teased.

 

 

Chapter 6

"Come on! Really, Skender? That's all you got to give these pups?" Decebel growled as he watched the wolves he was training spar.

Decebel knew that his frustration wasn't really coming from the wolves' inadequacies but from a certain mouthy blonde who had her claws in him so deep he could feel the blood running down his back. The sad thing about the whole situation – he liked it. Yeah, he thought, there is definitely something wrong with me.

Skender growled at his Beta.

"Save it for the fight, Skender. You wouldn't be growling at me if you didn't know I was right." Decebel stepped into the sparring circle that was painted onto the gym floor. "Take a break for a minute," he told him, then turned to the young wolf known as Stelian.

Decebel grinned wolfishly. "Ready for a real challenge?"

Before the pup could respond, the Beta attacked.

Decebel taught mixed martial arts to all of the wolves, even the females. It was imperative they all know how to defend themselves in case another pack ever attacked. Granted, it had been over a century since the last pack battle, but Decebel was a firm believer in “better safe than sorry”.

He delivered a series of strikes and kicks practiced in Muay Thai. It was a form of kickboxing, and the predominant mixed martial art he taught along with Judo – ground fighting.

Stelian tried to counter Decebel's moves, but no matter what he did he couldn't keep the strikes from hitting their target. After only five minutes Decebel took Stelian to the ground.

Decebel didn't bother holding the pup down. He jumped to his feet and stepped back, indicating the sparring was done.

Decebel checked his watch and saw that he had only twenty minutes until he had to be in the meeting with Vasile and the other Alphas.

"That will be all for today," he told the younger wolf. "You did a good job.”

Decebel grabbed his towel off the floor and headed back to his room to take a quick shower. As he walked, his mind wandered back to where it always seemed to – Jennifer.

He remembered walking through the wing of the mansion that housed the unmated males and catching her scent. Decebel could admit now that maybe he had slightly overreacted when he tore into the room and found two males rifling through her suit case. So maybe he didn't have to throw Dragos through a wall. And, yeah, he could've kept from tossing Dorian right on top of Dragos. But in that moment his wolf had taken over, and all he could think was that her scent was around unmated males, that they were touching her things – things only he should know about. Decebel had glossed over that little tidbit, about why on earth he thought he had a right to know about her underwear.

He'd felt that if he didn't get her things and her scent from their room he was going to kill someone, no doubt about it. One of those pups would have died that night. Thankfully, they had been somewhat intelligent and immediately submitted. When Decebel questioned them about how they had gotten Jennifer's things they had told him about how a suitcase had fallen out of a window from the mansion. Being stupid twenty somethings, they saw women's lingerie and just had to check it out…. Stupid young wolves.

Decebel had somewhat calmed down before he returned the suitcase to Jennifer's room, but he hadn't really been prepared to run into her. He had to say, though, that seeing her alone – or without other males around her, rather – calmed his wolf down immensely. It was something else he didn't want to examine. After all, why should she calm his wolf? There were no mating signs.

The Beta let out a low growl as he entered his room and headed for the shower. He had to stop thinking about her, it was only ticking him off. He called the twenty somethings stupid, but at the moment he made them look like geniuses.

 

Decebel walked into Vasile's office. A large screen had been set up for the video conference with the other pack Alphas. Vasile was sitting at his desk and Fane and Skender were sitting directly in front of the screen.

Decebel felt his wolf perking up and had he been in wolf form his hackles would have risen. "You say they went to a club?"

"Yes. Sorin said they came to him and begged him to take them out for a girls' night. Something about getting Jen and Sally hooked up with – I think they used the words 'hot Romanian mojo', or some nonsense.” Vasile rolled his eyes. “You know how those three talk. It's like a foreign language all on its own."

Decebel had stopped listening after the words “hooked up,” and before he realized what he was doing he was headed for the exit.

"Decebel, stop." Vasile's voice dripped with authority and Decebel had no choice but to freeze. His Alpha had given an order and used his power. Decebel could not disobey.

"Alpha, you have to know those three are going to get themselves into some sort of trouble. They are like magnets for mayhem," Decebel tried to reason with his Alpha. He felt Vasile's power ease up and he was able to turn and face the other wolves. He made eye contact with Fane and growled. "You knew this was their plan and still you let your mate go?"

Fane chuckled. "Wait until you have a mate, brother, then tell me how you let her do things or don't let her do things, and while you're sharing I'll laugh as you are pulling her shoe out of your ass."

Decebel was not amused, and even though he understood that being mates was a partnership there had to be times when, as her protector, you had to put your foot down.

"Sorin will watch the girls and keep them safe. I have complete confidence in him," Vasile placated. "If after the conference with the Alphas you still feel the need to go corral them then you have my blessing, and my sympathy."

Decebel relented and took a seat in one of the chairs next to the couch. Just as he sat down the screen lit up and there were four men each in their own little square looking back at them. Decebel was quite surprised to see Dillon Jacobs, Jacque's father, among them.

"Did you know he would be in on this?" Decebel whispered to Fane.

Fane shook his head. "I'm as clueless as you."

Vasile walked from around his desk and stood behind the couch. He was Alpha and he would not sit in the presence of another Alpha, even if over a computer screen.

"Dillon, how are you doing?" Vasile asked Jacque's father.

"I'm doing well, Vasile. Thank you for asking." Dillon looked at Fane. "Fane, how are you and your new mate?"

"We are doing very good," Fane told him. Neither Fane, Vasile, or Dillon mentioned that Fane's new mate was Dillon's daughter. If the other Alphas did not know, it wasn't something they could potentially use against Dillon's or Vasile's pack. Though it was a sad way to live, packs could be very volatile between one another. Wolves were cunning and always looking for a way to have the upper hand.

"I would like to introduce the members of my pack that are present," Vasile told the Alphas.

Pointing to each wolf as he spoke, he announced, "This is Decebel, my Beta." Decebel gave a single nod in acknowledgment of the other Alphas. Not disrespectful, but neither was he conceding their dominance over him. Truth be known, Decebel could be Alpha of his own pack – he was more than dominant enough. But events in his life and his loyalty to Vasile had shaped his choices, leading him to where he was now.

"This is Fane, my son and heir," Vasile continued. "And this is Skender. He is among my top four wolves."

When Vasile finished his introductions then each man on the screen introduced himself. There was Dragomir from Hungary, Thad from Serbia, Victor from Bulgaria, and Dillon from the United States.

Introductions complete, Vasile and his wolves waited for one of the four Alphas to explain why they had called a conference.

"I realize it is not common practice for us to meet this way, Vasile, but the other Alphas and I are concerned about the continuation of our species," Dragomir explained. "You see, it has been over a decade since any of my wolves have found a mate. It has been half a decade since any children have been born. We are becoming a dying species."

For a moment, no one spoke. Then Vasile took a step forward, arms crossed, and looked at each Alpha briefly before he spoke. "You have obviously come up with some sort of plan if you have called this meeting. What is this plan to help our species survive?"

This time it was Thad who spoke up. "After discussing it with Dragomir I decided to do some digging into our pack archives and see if there was any documentation that might help." Thad's words began to pick up speed as he shared what he had discovered.

"There were many practices done by older packs that have simply faded from knowledge. One such practice was called The Gathering," Thad picked up what looked like very old parchment and began to read, "I am Damon, Alpha of the Bulgaria pack. This is the account of the four packs, Hungary, Serbia, Romania, and my own, Bulgaria, all of which have agreed to a truce. The Alphas of these four packs have met this night and decided to implement a new tradition. It shall be written into our pack records as a tradition to be followed every four years. The decree is as follows: All pure blooded, unmated pack members of age must attend The Gathering. The Alpha, four dominant mated pairs, and his mate shall accompany these pack members. The unmated females may bring ladies to help prepare themselves for The Gathering. The Gathering shall take place in the Transylvania Alps on an estate that has been purchased by three pack Alphas as a gift to our species to use for this event. The purpose of The Gathering is to help bring unmated wolves from other packs together and hopefully find true mates among them. It is in our nature to be territorial and uncooperative with other packs, but if we do not set aside these habits and put the greater good of the species first, we will one day cease to exist. This world will go on as if Grey werewolves had never been. If an Alpha and his unmated pack members are invited to join in The Gathering and they refuse, it will be treated as an act against the species and that Alpha shall be subject to a challenge. If he is defeated, his pack members will be split among the other packs. We must be vigilant if we are to survive. We must recognize that the very things that often make us strong and keep us safe have the potential to annihilate our kind."

When Thad finished reading, each of the wolves could only stare, dumbfounded. Of the many things this meeting could have been about, this had not even registered on their list of possibilities. Vasile himself had never heard of such a decree in his long life. He could appreciate the fact that it was definitely a way for the unmated to find their other half, but it was also a risk to put that many unmated males together. For that reason alone he understood the importance of having dominate mated couples there.

"Are you telling us that you want to implement this decree now, in this day and age?" Vasile asked incredulously, but continued before another could answer. "Gentlemen, we do not live in a time where females are told what to do. We live in the twenty first century with liberated women."

"Vasile, we know this concept is foreign and somewhat outdated, but we are not human." It was now Victor, the Alpha of Bulgaria, who spoke up. "We may live in their world but we do not, cannot live like them. We are a species created for pack, for family. Our males, especially the dominants, do not have the luxury like human males to date whomever they want for as long as they want. They need the light and peace a true mate will bring them. They need the darkness that resides inside their wolf to be kept at bay by this true mate. What better way to help our own than to bring them together?"

"I suppose if we present it in such a way that it is seen as in the best interest of our species, maybe the unmated will accept it and see it in a positive light," Vasile conceded, knowing that if these Alphas had set their minds to do this then there was little he could do to stop it without bringing a war to his door.

Vasile noticed that Dillon had not spoken up. "Dillon, what have you to say regarding this manner?"

"I was approached by Thad, and although in the past it was harder to include packs that were so far away, modern travel has obviously fixed that. The Alphas thought it would be good for an American pack to come and bring new blood, so to speak. I think the idea has merit and is worth exploring."

Before Vasile could respond, Thad spoke again. "We thought, if you would concede, that because your son found his mate in the United States that it would be pertinent of us to include an American pack. Since you knew Dillon Jacobs he was the first we thought of."

"Are there no secrets in this world anymore? " Decebel muttered. Thus far, however, he didn't have any real objections to the idea. The person that he would not want going wasn't full blood, so he didn't have to worry about that. Thank the moon, he thought.

"We have also decided, as Fane's mate is not full blooded, that it would perhaps be wise to include half blooded and dormant in The Gathering. Obviously they are potential true mates."

And there's the other shoe, Decebel thought.

Now he had a problem with it. If this was their decree, then Jennifer would be required to go. Since she was under Vasile's care, and had wolf blood – essentially making her pack – she most definitely had to attend this Gathering.

This day just keeps getting better and better, Decebel thought as he ran his hands though his hair, clenching his jaw. First he found his mangy pack mates going through Jennifer's things, then he found out Jennifer was at a club doing goodness knows what with some mutt – or worse, a human. A low growl rumbled in his chest at the thought. Now Jennifer would be required to be around other unmated males. Decebel was well aware of the fact that his whole day, good and bad, revolved around a mouthy, perverted, bossy blonde, and someone save him, because at her side was the only place he wanted to be at the moment. Vasile's words finally brought him back to the here and now.

"Since you have obviously taken it upon yourselves to plan this without consulting me first," Vasile words were laced with power – even the Alphas on the screen could feel it and averted their eyes from the Romanian Alpha, "have you also set a date for The Gathering?"

"We meant no disrespect, Vasile," Dragomir told him. "You were in the U.S., busy with your own issues and we did not want to burden you with this until you were back with your pack."

Vasile gave a simple nod in acknowledgment of his words, but continued to stare them down while he waited for an answer.

"The date is set for one month from today," Thad answered. "It is to be held in the traditional location of the Transylvania Alps and the large estate mentioned in the decree has been updated and enlarged over the years. It is now being prepared for our arrival."

"I will concede you this," he began and the others let out a breath."But," Vasile continued, his voice calm and controlled, "if ever again you make such decree without my knowledge, without my input and without my okay, I will remind you why I am Alpha to the largest pack in the world. I respect you all as Alphas and I expect the same from each of you."

"As you have said, so shall it be." Each Alpha spoke in their own language, acknowledging Vasile's dominance.

"I will be in touch as the time draws near," Vasile told them just before he turned the screen off, effectively ending the conversation. He turned to Decebel. "Get Dillon on the phone."

Decebel nodded as he pulled out his cell and dialed Dillon Jacobs' number. He handed Vasile the phone as soon as he heard the other wolf's “hello”.

"Dillon, it's Vasile. When will you be arriving?"

"I thought I would come about a week before The Gathering. My mate wants to meet Jacque," Dillon explained.

"You and yours are welcome to stay here until it's time to go to the estate. I'm sure you will elaborate further on how this all came about and why you did not call and give me warning about what the others had been planning." Vasile's words, although firm, were not angry or cruel.

"We will talk when I arrive." Dillon paused. "When are you planning on telling the girls?"

"The sooner the better," Vasile responded. "Those three are nearly as hot headed as a full blooded Romanian she-wolf."

"I will call Jacque tomorrow, then." With that, Dillon disconnected.

Vasile rubbed his face as he finally relented and sat down in one of the empty chairs.

"Do they really expect Jennifer to go to this gathering?" Decebel spat the word as if it were some disgusting bug.

"I don't have a choice, Decebel." Vasile glared at his Beta. "Whether you and your wolf have accepted it or not, she is pack. No matter the amount of blood in her, she has Canis lupis in her veins and that makes her subject to our laws. Deal with it however you need to. Growl, throw a fit, allow your wolf to hunt, accept your attraction to her – do whatever it is you must, but get over it. Are we clear?"

"Crystal," Decebel growled, but submitted by baring his neck.

"Skender," Vasile addressed the wolf who had been sitting quietly and observing as was his custom. "I need a list of all the unmated pack members."

Fane was catching glimpses from his mate's mind, though she was trying to block him. She still hadn't learned that now that they were mated it would take undivided concentration to block him. The little vixen and her two friends were causing quite a stir in one of the local bars. He saw Jen in her mind. She was on the bar…dancing. Fane grinned.

"What are you grinning about?" Decebel growled, knowing he wasn't going to like the answer.

"I think it's time we break up their girls' night out before Jen falls off the bar," Fane told him, and though he tried he couldn't hide the teasing laughter in his eyes as he watched his words penetrate Decebel's mind.

"She's in a bar?"

"Oh, she'll do you one better than that, Beta." Fane chuckled. "She's on a bar, as in dancing on a bar. The patrons are quite taken with her."

Vasile tried to hide his smile as he shook his head at his only son. "Fine. But hurry up and go with him or he'll tear the damn bar apart. I don't have the time or energy to deal with that mess."

"As you say." Fane winked at his father as he followed after Decebel.

 

"Luna, I'm giving you fair warning. Your little night out has been found out by the object of your taunting. Do you think it wise, my love, to bait a dominant male?"

Fane could feel her surprise at hearing his voice in her mind. He smiled; he loved surprising her. It was a nice change of pace as he was usually the one being surprised.

"Crap. Is he on his way here?" Fane heard the anxiety in her voice.

"Hell is on his heels, love."

"You are enjoying this entirely too much, White Fang."

"Aw. Now, Jacquelyn, that is no way to speak to your mate." Fane laughed.

"Just remember, wolf-man, I will follow through with my threat to have that dog house built for you. Now how long?"

"You wound me with your words, Luna."

"Fane, I'm not playing with you. How long till the brooding fur ball arrives?"

Fane did not bother to tell Jacquelyn that he and Decebel had been driving while they'd been conversing. The bar was only five minutes from the mansion. He grinned to himself as he and Decebel climbed out of the Hummer. Decebel had parked directly behind Sorin's vehicle, effectively blocking any chance for escape.

As Fane pulled open the door to the bar, he took in the scene and nearly lost his composure.

"You're looking stunning, Luna, if not a little under-clothed." Fane watched as Jacquelyn's eyes, big as saucers, met his across the bar. He grinned wickedly. Raising his eyebrows, he whispered in her mind, "Gotchya."

 

 

Chapter 7

 

As Sorin pulled into the parking lot of the small bar, all he could think was that Decebel and possibly Fane were going to skin him alive once they found out he'd let the three harpies talk him into taking them out. There weren't any clubs for the girls to go to, so they had helpfully suggested a bar.

Yeah, Sorin thought. I walked right into that one.

"This is going to be great." Jacque grinned as she opened the door and got out of the Hummer.

"I'm pretty sure I'll have a more positive attitude once I've been introduced to this wonderful friend called vodka I hear so much about in this country," Jen grumbled.

"Absolutely no drinking," Sorin announced.

All three girls stopped mid-stride and looked at Sorin, at each other, and then broke into laughter.

Sorin growled, which only caused them to laugh more. This was a bad idea, Sorin thought to himself as he pulled the door to the bar open. The dark interior was lit up briefly by the street light and sounds from inside filled the night as the girls walked in with Sorin bringing up the rear.

All three girls stopped and allowed their eyes to adjust to the darkness. Then Jen took the lead and headed directly for the bar. Sorin picked up his pace and met her there at the same time.

"Hey, Costin," Sorin addressed the bartender who was also a member of the pack. " Nu alcool pentru art.hot. trei musketeers. (No alcohol for the three musketeers)"

Jen turned to Sorin. She raised an eyebrow and grinned wickedly. Sorin swallowed, not liking the look in the she-wolf's – no matter how dormant she was – eyes.

Jen looked back at Costin and smiled warmly. "Hey, Costin. I've seen you around the mansion but I don't think we've been formally introduced. I'm Jen, and these are my two best friends, Jacque and Sally." The girls smiled and waved at him.

Costin winked at them, causing them to blush. That wink was all the encouragement Jen needed. She leaned closer over the bar and batted her eyes at the young wolf. "So, we've been wanting a night out to, ya know, relax. Surely you can help a girl out?"

Costin smiled widely, then looked at Sorin who was dutifully trying to stare the wolf into submission. Much to Jen's amusement Costin winked at Sorin.

Jen slapped her hand down before she could finish. "Sally's older and hates being lumped in with us younger women," she covered while glaring at Sally, daring her to contradict her.

Sally looked at Jacque, who simply shrugged her shoulders.

Jen turned back to Costin, again smiling. " Unul deget mic a bea apoi atunci, dragoste? (One little drink then, love?)" she asked in nearly flawless Romanian.

Sorin was shocked into silence, as were Sally and Jacque. Costin recovered the quickest and poured three shots of vodka. He turned and looked at Sorin.

"Tu ai luat al tău chipeş plin, frate. (You have your hands full, brother.)," Costin told him with a grin.

As each of the girls picked up a shot glass they clinked them with each other's.

"Here's to hot Romanian wolves." Jen winked at the bartender, then downed the drink. All three girls coughed as the vodka burned their throats.

Costin chuckled. "It gets easier with each glass," he told her as he poured them all another.

Sorin growled in frustration. "Bloody hell, you better give me one of those. When Fane and Decebel skin me I want to be sedated a little."

Costin chuckled again. "It'll be okay, old man. They just want to have a little fun, and they're safe. Everyone here knows that she, " he nodded in Jacque's direction, "is the Prince's mate. No one will mess with them."

"It's not anyone messing with them that I'm worried about, Costin."

Costin watched as Jen hooked her iPhone up to the speakers of his stereo on the side of the bar. She cranked up the volume. As the music poured out she began to dance around the room. He watched as her body swayed in perfect rhythm with the beat, all those in the room mesmerized by the blonde beauty.

Costin looked back at Sorin. "You're going to need another one of these," he told him as he poured another shot. Then he poured himself one as all three girls began dancing around the room, picking different men to dance with.

Sorin watched the girls closely. Although Costin was correct in that all the bar patrons knew who these girls were and none would dare try anything, he was still going to catch hell.

 

"Remember how I told you about her getting drunk with that nurse in the hospital so that I could come see you in the ICU?" Sally asked.

"Yeah, what's up with that? Was that really necessary?"

"Okay, I will admit it wasn't our best plan, but that's not the point." Sally waved her off. "What I'm trying to explain is that after Jen's little escapade, I found her in the shower of the hospital room, singing at the top of her little inebriated lungs this Katy Perry song, only she replaced most of the words with werewolf terms. It was freaking hilarious. The best part?" She paused, eyebrows raised. "Decebel heard her!"

"Shut up!" Jacque slapped her friend on the arm.

"Didn't I tell you that part?" Sally asked.

"Um, no. I think I would remember that. I remember you telling me she walked out of the bathroom naked and you had to give Decebel a heads up."

"Oh, man. Now that was priceless. I don't know what he was saying but he was freaking out." Sally's words wound down as she let out a small sigh. "Man, good times."

Both girls watched as Jen got her groove on. Guys all around the bar cheered her on. No one touched her, especially with Sorin glaring daggers. Costin would hand Jen a shot glass every now and then, but she was so gone at that point that she didn’t even realize he was just giving her Sprite.

Jacque and Sally both turned to look at Jen who was now cat crawling across the bar, her perilously low cut top threatening to give up all its secrets.

Jacque's head snapped around as she felt her mate's power fill the room, and just behind him was a very large, very pissed off Decebel. Jacque looked back at Jen. Crap, she thought. He walked in just as one of the drunk patrons was got brave enough to stick a five dollar bill in the back pocket of her jeans. To his credit, he did it so carefully that his hand never made contact with her body. Pretty impressive, Jacque thought. She was abruptly pulled from her thoughts when the loud room was suddenly plunged into silence. Well, except for one drunk, singing Jennifer Adams. At this point she had busted out into "It Girl" by Jason Derulo.

"Oh, brother. Here we go," Sally muttered under her breath.

"You can be my it girl, baby you’re the sh- " Decebel stepped directly in front of Jen, effectively pushing the other males out of the way and cutting her off before she could continue.

Jen looked around, realizing for the first time that the music had stopped. She looked back at Decebel, then over at her two friends. A big grin spread across her face when she saw Sally and Jacque.

"Heeeeeyyy!" She waved like she hadn't seen them all night. Decebel grabbed her hand.

"Jennifer, it's time to go. Now." Decebel waited for her to start climbing off the bar. When she just stared at him, he let out a low growl.

"Jennifer, don't push me right now. Let's go."

"I'm not ready to go," she said simply as she twisted her wrist out of his grasp. "Besides, Cos here has another drink for me don't ya, îndrăgostit băiat (lover boy)?" Jen giggled as Costin's eyes got big. He stepped away from the bar when Decebel's glowing eyes fell on him.

"She is standing," Jen started as she hopped off the bar, stumbling into a werewolf who had the unfortunate fate of standing too close to the drunk girl, "right here." She stumbled again. "I mean, here. She, I, am standing right here."

Decebel pulled her away from the wolf she had stumbled into. "Yeah, we can all see how well you are standing right there."

"What is that supposed to mean, you, you, mean -" Jen growled low as she struggled to think through the fog of alcohol. "Stupid wolf," she finished.

Jen looked away from Decebel. Her eyes scanned the area around her until they fell on what they searched for. She smiled sweetly as she gingerly stepped around Decebel, who watched her with wary eyes. Jen reached across the bar and snagged the soda gun next to Costin, who was trying really hard to look invisible.

"Jennifer," Decebel warned.

"Oh, Decy, what are you worried about? Could it be that you're scared that a little ol' dormant me could kick your bossy, grumpy, growly, fine ass?" She pointed the nozzle at him.

"This is not gonna end well." Sally cringed.

Jacque nodded her head in mute agreement.

"Jennifer," Decebel growled her name as he tried to grab the soda gun from her hand. "Don't embarrass yourself. Let's just call it a night."

Jen was trying to figure out where the trigger was, but slowly, dangerously looked up at his words. "Embarrass myself? Are you kidding me?" She threw the soda gun on the bar and turned to her two best friends. "I'm out. You two coming?"

Without waiting, Jen headed for the exit. Despite the alcohol in her system she was fuming, and truth be told, the alcohol was probably not helping contain her temper.

She could feel Decebel's eyes on her as she walked away from him and knew the confrontation wasn't over. No, he definitely had more to say to her, but he wasn't the only one that had words to turn loose. She smiled to herself. If Decebel wants to dance, she thought, then I'll dance. We'll just see if he knows the steps and can keep up.

Once out in the parking lot Jen turned back towards the door, arms folded across her chest, ready for battle.

Decebel came storming out of the bar with Sorin, Jacque, Sally, and Fane trailing behind him. He walked right up to her, their bodies only a breath apart.

"What the hell were you thinking? Dancing on a bar, drinking with a bunch of men?" As if he suddenly remembered his part in it, Decebel turned on Sorin, who took an automatic step back. "And what were you thinking bringing them here?"

"They wanted a night out. Nothing happened, Decebel. Everyone knows who they are and to whom they belong," Sorin tried to pacify the fuming wolf.

"Would you get a freaking grip, man?" Jen ground out. "It's not like I was stripping or letting any of those fur balls touch me, so I don't know what your problem is."

"Whatever," Decebel continued. "You're too damn young to be in a bar drinking, throwing yourself around like -"

Jen slammed her hand into his chest, cutting his words off. "You had better think really hard about what's about to come out of your mouth, flea bag, because you can't un-say it and I won't forget it," she warned him.

Decebel's lips pressed together, his eyes narrowing. "Let's just go. We can finish this conversation later." Decebel proceeded to take Jen's arm to lead her towards the vehicle he and Fane had arrived in. She jerked her arm away and followed Sally and Jacque to Sorin's Hummer.

She turned towards Decebel, continuing to walk backwards. "You have to earn the privilege of my company. And just a tip – yelling at a girl and then grabbing her arm isn't exactly the way to get her in your ride. That bit of advice is free, any more is going to cost you dearly." With that she turned back and continued on to the vehicle, climbing in without another backward glance.

When Decebel took a step in her direction, Fane grabbed his arm to stop him. "Just let it go, Dec. You both need to calm down. You can talk to her once you get to the house."

Decebel didn't comment but continued to glare at the car Jen had just climbed into, which was now driving away.

 

 

"The NERVE!" Jen yelled in frustration as she climbed out of the Hummer with Sally and Jacque right behind her. "He completely ruined my buzz."

Sally rolled her eyes. "Well, by all means, skin the pelt off the wolf for daring to mess with your buzz."

Jen flipped Sally off. "That's not the point. The point is that he thinks, for some reason, that he has the right to tell me what to do."

Jacque sat down on the bed next to Jen. "I really think you need to talk to him. Be blunt. I mean, we both know you struggle with being blunt but you could give it a go."

Sally and Jen laughed at Jacque's sarcasm.

"I just don't know where it's going to get us," Jen said in exasperation.

"By the way..." Sally looked at Jen, crossing her arms across her chest. "When and where did you learn to speak Romanian exactly?"

"Yeah," Jacque added indignantly.

Jen laughed. "I got on the internet and picked out a few phrases that I knew, if I used at the right time, would get under Decebel's skin." Jen continued to grin. "Worked like a charm. Did y'all see his face?"

"What did you say?"

"When I spoke to Costin the first time – by the way, did y'all notice how drool worthy he is? Okay, not the point. Anyways, I said 'one little drink then, love?'"

Jacque leaned her head down to her hands and rubbed her face, chuckling."I swear, Jen, I can't decide if you're a genius or a psycho."

"I admit it's a fine line," Jen said matter of factly, "and I'll be the first to confess that on any given day my toe grazes one side or the other."

All three laughed just as there was a knock at her door. They froze, looking at each other, then watched as the door opened.

"Are you freaking kidding me?" Jen muttered under her breath. "Knock, wait, be invited in – it's really a simple concept. But does the pissy werewolf get it? Noooo, of course not. That would be too damn polite."

Decebel stepped in. His eyes landed on Jen and his large body seemed to cause the room to shrink. Jacque stood and started to walk away from the bed. Jen grabbed her hand, pleading with her eyes for Jacque to stay. Jacque shook her head and pulled her hand free.

"Talk to him," she mouthed to Jen.

As Sally and Jacque headed out of her room, Jen muttered under her breath, "Traitors."

Jen heard the click of the door as it closed, an ominous sound that caused goosebumps to cover her arms. She continued to lie back on her bed, but after several minutes of silence she finally sat up.

Jen looked at the wolf standing across her room. He had propped himself up against the wall, arms folded across his chest. The classic Decebel pose, she thought to herself with a mental chuckle.

Neither spoke as they both continued to stare at one another. Jen met his gaze head on but eventually allowed her eyes to wander. She would never get tired of looking at him. His dark hair was cut short on the sides, and longer on top, sweeping gently across his forehead. His warm amber eyes she swore could stare a hole in a person. He had a straight, tapered nose and full lips. His face was chiseled and smooth, as if carved from stone. He was handsome – very handsome.

She wasn't sure how tall he was but he matched Fane in height and Jen remembered Jacque saying Fane was 6'4". His broad shoulders filled out the snug, white t-shirt he wore. His skin tone was a warm golden tan, a color that would take Jen weeks of laying out in the sun to achieve. He had a narrow waist and long, powerful looking legs.

Decebel cleared his throat, causing Jen's head to snap back up to his face. He looked smug, which only served to tick Jen off more.

"What do you want, Decebel?" she asked, and was pleased that her voice sounded so steady when she felt anything but.

Decebel continued to stare at Jennifer, emotions swirling inside him that he couldn't seem to get a grasp on.

"I -" he started, but seemed to be confused about what to say. "You can't go around dancing on bars and downing vodka like it's water."

Jen stood up, arms stiff by her side. "Says who? You? Well, here's a news flash: you aren't my dad, you aren't my brother, and YOU AREN'T MY KEEPER." Jen's voice got louder as her anger flared.

"I'M YOUR M- " Decebel roared, pushing himself from the wall. But he caught himself before he finished his sentence, nearly biting his tongue in the process. His breathing had increased, he was shocked at the words that nearly flew from his lips.

He didn't understand where it had come from but it felt true, right. These thoughts sped through his mind in a matter of seconds. He continued to glare at her and spoke again, no longer yelling, but his words were firm. They were law. "I'm your Beta, and as such, you do take orders from me and you will follow them." Decebel cocked his head to the side, suddenly remembering something. "And where in the world did you learn Romanian?"

Jen grinned at that. "The internet is a wonderful place to learn new things, Beta. It would be a great place for you to learn a thing or two."

Decebel took a step towards her. "I have a feeling I'm quite a bit ahead of you in the education department of most areas." His eyes sparkled wickedly.

"Oh, my furry little friend, you would be surprised at what I know," Jen said, matching his suggestive tone word for word, syllable for syllable.

Decebel narrowed his eyes at her. "What is that supposed to mean?"

Jen shrugged as she turned her back on him, having learned from their lessons on pack etiquette it was a huge slap in the face to a dominant wolf. She heard Decebel growl and take a step towards her. My Beta, my ass, she thought as she continued to ignore the wolf stalking her.

She could feel his nearness and knew that if she took one step back she would bump against his body. A delicious thought, but she cut that off abruptly as she reminded herself that he was on her shit list at the moment, and he possibly had found himself a permanent reservation on it.

"Whether you believe it or not," Decebel's mouth was close enough to her ear that she felt the warm air from his breath cross her skin and it caused a shiver, "it's for your safety that I set such rules."

"You aren't my Alpha. Vasile knew where we were going and he had no problem with it." Jen's voice was low but no less potent than his.

"That may be, but once your behavior puts your safety in jeopardy I have every right to order it to cease immediately."

Jen could feel her blood begin to heat, her face flushed. "My behavior?" she gritted through her clenched teeth. "I'm not a kid, Decebel. I don't need your orders."

"You are a member of this pack. You will follow orders whether you like it or not, for the safety of the pack as well as yourself. You need to get used to it, Jennifer." Decebel placed his hands on her shoulders and gently turned her around. Placing two fingers under her chin, he raised her face to look up at him.

Decebel clenched his jaw and briefly closed his eyes as he saw the unshed tears in her eyes.

"I didn't mean to hurt you, Jennifer."

"Don't flatter yourself, Beta. I'm not tearing up 'cause I’m hurt. I'm pissed." Jennifer didn’t take her eyes from Decebel's as she fumed, "You could really use a lesson in people skills. Add those to your puppy classes and learning to knock and not barge in, and that should keep you busy enough that you won't have time to worry about my extracurricular activities."

Decebel's lips turned up in a slight grin and once more his eyes twinkled wickedly. Jen did not like the thought that was obviously skimming his brain.

"Since you are so hell bent on me learning manners, perhaps you should be my teacher." Decebel took a step back and continued to watch her with a mischievous grin.

Jen couldn't help her own small smile in response to him. So sue her, he was adorable when he smiled like that. "In your dreams, Beta."

"Perhaps," he said softly. As he turned to leave, Jen heard him say under his breath, "Goodness knows I can't get other dreams about you out of my head."

Jen flushed at his words but thought surely she had heard him wrong. He turned back to her before he pulled the door closed. "I hope you enjoyed your little escapade tonight, Jennifer, because on future occurrences I will accompany you." His words were unbending. "In fact, if you leave the mansion for any reason I will be your escort." Decebel winked at her, shutting the door just before a hairbrush flew across the room and smashed against it loudly. Jen's loud words followed the noise.

"The only place you'll be escorting me is to the vet so you can have the foot I'm going to shove up your behind removed!"

 

 

Chapter 8

"I love you too mom," Jacque spoke into her cell phone as she snuggled into Fane's embrace. "Things are good here. The tutor keeps us busy and we are learning all sorts of things."

"Love you too Jacque, very much. Bye," Jacque hit the end button on her phone and closed her eyes briefly. She loved talking to her mom but sometimes it made her heart feel so heavy.

"I love you Jacquelyn. I know it was a lot to ask you to come here," Fane told her gently.

" I don't regret coming Fane," Jacque turned to look into his eyes, "I want to be with you. I just miss her, and that's okay."

He kissed her forehead gently and breathed her scent deep into his lungs.

"What do you think is going on with Decebel?"

Fane was quiet for a moment. "I don't really understand it, but he treats Jen as if she's his mate. All the signs are there. I think he's probably worse because he doesn't understand it either."

Jacque thought about that. She felt bad for both Jen and Decebel. She knew that Jen was head over heels for the wolf, and couldn't imagine what it would be like to love Fane but not be able to be with him. Jacque prayed for both their sakes' that whatever it was that was going on would work itself out quickly.

"Are you okay, love?" Fane asked her gently.

Jacque turned so she could look into Fane's eyes. "I just hate seeing Jen hurt. And Decebel, for that matter," she told him honestly.

"Hey, wolf-man." She traced his lips with the tip of her finger, drawing his attention. "What is it? What's going on?"

Fane leaned down and kissed her gently before he answered.

"In the meeting I attended with the other Alphas, we learned they have decided it's in the best interest of our species that we bring back an old tradition," he explained.

Jacque pushed herself up into a sitting position, turning so she could see Fane's face clearly. "Why am I getting 'this sucks' vibes from you, babe?"

"Well, love, essentially because although it could be beneficial, in light of the situation between Jen and Decebel it is more likely to be detrimental…to one of them. I'm taking bets on Decebel since Jen seems to have quite the mean streak."

"The Gathering was brought about for unmated pack members to come and meet in hopes of finding their true mate. It was written into pack law that if a pack was invited the Alpha could not decline or it would be considered an act against the species."

"Bloody hell," Jacque muttered, staring off into nothing as she thought about how this would affect her best friend.

"Does Jen have to go even though she isn't full blooded?"

"Unfortunately, the four Alphas involved have decided that since my mate isn't full blooded it proves that any person with any wolf blood in their genetics must attend because they are possible true mates." Fane took a deep breath and let it out before he continued. "The good news is my parents have to go, and you and Sally can go and act as Jen's help. Naturally, where you go I go, so I will attend as well. There will also be some other mated pack members that will help with security."

"Security?" Jacque asked, confused.

"It's not really the best idea to put a bunch of unmated males together, particularly when there will be unmated females up for grabs," Fane explained.

"Ahh, that's a valid point. So why are they thinking this is a good idea?"

"They feel it's worth the risk since so many Canis lupis aren't finding their mates." Fane wrapped his hand around Jacquelyn's wrist and tugged her to him, pulling her into the curve of his body. She laid her head on his chest as she continued to think about this new development. Fane continued, "The mated pairs will help keep the unmated in line. There will be a pack meeting tomorrow night,"

"What exactly did you mean by Sally and I being Jen's help?" Jacque interrupted.

"Well, a century ago they called them ladies in waiting. They were basically there to help prepare the unmated female for the event by helping her dress, fixing her hair. That was when clothes for women were a little more elaborate. But the Alphas figure it would help the unmated females be at ease if they had a few friends with them."

"So you're telling me that, essentially, we are going to be Jen's servants?" Jen asked dubiously.

"For lack of a better term," Fane agreed reluctantly.

"For the sake of my sanity and future friendship with that nympho, do not tell her that. Can you imagine how she would take that and run a stinking marathon with it?"

Fane chuckled. "We will be delicate on how we broach the subject."

"Of course, she may be too preoccupied with the whole unmated males checking her out thing to really care about having a servant," Jacque added. "Man, if Decebel wasn't in the picture she would be in her idea of heaven – a bunch of hot werewolves checking her out."

"We can't solve Jen and Decebel's problem tonight, love, nor can we change whether or not The Gathering will take place. What we can do is love one another. What I plan to do is forget about all others but you, Luna. For the rest of the night you will forget all others but me."

Jacque smiled slyly at her mate. "Bossy much?" she teased.

"I want you," he said simply, not attempting to gloss over his demand.

"And so you shall have me," Jacque whispered as she clicked the bedside lamp off, leaving only the moon to light their room.

 

 

 

"So, for clarification purposes..." Jen sat in the media room on one of the overstuffed couches the following morning. Jacque sat on the floor, leaning against a chair that Sally occupied. Vasile and Alina sat opposite Jen on another couch while Sorin and Decebel both stood on either side of the room, propped against the wall. "Because I have a teeny, tiny amount of werewolf blood in me I have to go to what essentially amounts to a mating dance and let other unmated wolves sniff me?"

Sally snorted with laughter. "Sorry, got a visual."

"Nice." Jacque high fived her.

Jen glared at her two best friends. "If you two are done with your little moment could we please focus on this upcoming disaster?"

"Sorry, Jen. Don't mind us. By all means, continue freaking out." Sally waved Jen on.

"Thank you," Jen said matter of factly. "Okay." She looked back at Alina and Vasile. "So have I covered the basics?"

"It's really not as uncivilized as you are picturing it, Jen," Alina told her gently. "It's like a social gathering. They will divide you into groups, as there are quite a large number of people. In the evenings everyone will gather in the great hall for dinner and dancing. But during the day you will be told where you are to be. A group of unmated females will be meeting in various locations on the estate with unmated males. There will be Alphas and mated pairs present at all times. You will never be alone with an unmated male unless you find your true mate. From Jacque and what you have been learning about the pack in tutoring, you know that there are distinct signs when you find your true mate."

Jen couldn't help her gaze drifting over to where Decebel stood. When their eyes met, Jen felt chills run over her body at the intensity of his stare. Alina's voice drew her attention back.

"You will receive an itinerary once we arrive."

"Tonight at the pack meeting," Vasile continued for Alina, "you will meet some other unmated females who will be attending as well. I think you, Jacque, and Sally should spend some time with them and get to know them. We want you to feel safe, Jen. No one will force you to do anything, and if you happen to meet your mate don't panic, okay?"

"Yeah. Ya know, for Beta. Although, I like it because I could also be calling him the technical term for a female dog and he wouldn't know it. So really, calling him B totally works to my advantage," Jen explained in all seriousness.

Everyone turned when a quick burst of laughter came from the right side of the room. When Sorin saw everyone turn their eyes on him, he quickly began coughing. Holding up his hands, he finally composed himself. "Pardon me, Alpha. I seemed to have swallowed wrong."

"You have to be careful while swallowing smart ass comments, Sorin," Jen teased. "They tend to have a choking effect."

Sorin winked at Jen, who refused to look at the ominous wolf in the room currently staring a hole in her head.

Jen looked back to Vasile. "Okay, so the moral of the story is find a mate, don't panic, and try to avoid any male pissing contests…literally." Jen winked at Decebel as she said this and he lifted his lip in a snarl.

"That sounds about right," Vasile agreed. "I think today you should just go about the rest of your day as usual. Try not to worry about The Gathering."

Jen snorted. "Yeah, I'll get right on that."

 

 

"I expect you to befriend them, earn their trust." Thad paused. "I'm still working out the details of the plan, but as soon as I have figured it out I will be in contact. Remember, don't contact me. I will be in touch with you."

"Yes, Alpha." Then his contact disconnected the call.

Thad sat down in his office chair, looking out over the mountains of his territory. All he had to do was be patient and let his quarry come to him. The Gathering was a month away, he had plenty of time to finalize the plan. Once everything is said and done, I will have taken down the most powerful Alpha in a century.

 

 

Decebel knocked on the door to the pack infirmary. Remembering Jennifer's words, he grinned and waited for Dr. Steele to invite him. Wouldn't Jennifer be proud of me? he thought.

"Come on in," he heard Cynthia Steele yell through the door.

Decebel turned the knob and pushed the door open, sticking his head in before walking through. "Is this a bad time, Cynthia?"

"Decebel, hey." Cynthia took her glasses off and set down the book she had been studying. "No, not at all." She waved him in.

Decebel closed the door behind him and stepped into the area that was used to treat their pack. The room consisted of several large hospital beds along one wall and across from those, two surgery areas that were separated by partitions. Cynthia had a desk immediately to the right of the door with several file cabinets behind her. There was also a lab area set up with various machines, microscopes, and sharp looking objects that Decebel preferred to stay away from.

Part of Cynthia's punishment for her part in the kidnapping of Jacque was serving the Romanian pack as the on-site physician. Vasile, at Jacque's pleading, had spared Cynthia physical punishment, but Vasile had stripped Cynthia of her career. She would practice medicine for the pack and in turn the pack would provide her with lodging, food, the essentials – but until Vasile decided she would not be paid and her freedom was very limited.

"What can I do for you?" she asked him.

Decebel took a chair on the opposite side of her desk. Once seated he looked straight at Cynthia, who quickly averted her gaze. "I need to know what you know about dormant wolves."

"I don't know that much," she told him.

"Then I need you to find out about them. Find out if there is any documentation of their mating tendencies and the occurrences that have gone along with them." Decebel leaned forward, elbows on his knees, hands clasped in front of him.

"What's going on, Decebel?" Cynthia asked, her brow furrowed in question.

He let out a frustrated breath. "I thought I would have time to deal with whatever it is that's going on between Jennifer and I, but now with this gathering..."

"Oh, yeah. Vasile told me about that," she said, nodding her head. "He wants me to go in case there are injuries during the inevitable fights between the unmated males."

Decebel nodded. "We'll be lucky if there aren't any casualties, to be honest."

"So, this thing between you and Jen..." she prompted.

"I don’t know what it is. There are no mating signs other than the urging of my wolf and how I react in her presence," Decebel explained. The frustration he had been feeling was evident in the way his body tensed as he talked. "I can't hear her thoughts, my markings haven't changed – yet the idea of another male near her makes me crazy. She's all I think about. Her scent has become a part of me, and I have a ridiculous urge to make sure she has my scent on her."

Cynthia watched him as he spoke, observing the way his eyes began to glow as he talked about Jen. There was something going on, that was for certain.

"Everything you're describing indicates you have found your true mate," Cynthia told him. "I'll look into the pack archives and see if there is any documentation on dormant wolves. She may be your mate and it may take something major to create the bond, just like it took something traumatic to bring out the wolf genetics in her. Or she may just not be your mate."

Decebel growled, not liking the doctor even suggesting that Jennifer didn't belong to him. Yeah, I'm in trouble. This gathering was going to prove to be the ultimate test in self control for him and his wolf.

Decebel stood. "Thank you. I really appreciate your help." Before he reached the door, he turned and added, "And your discretion."

Cynthia was completely surprised the dominant wolf had come to her. That alone proved that Jen was really getting under his skin. She turned to her laptop and pulled up the database for the history of packs the world over. Amongst the thousands of files surely there was something documented on a dormant. She began searching through files – opening, skimming, and closing, over and over. Yeah, she thought, this is going to be fun.

 

Chapter 9

 

Jen and Sally walked together to a large meeting room. The pack was meeting in five minutes for the announcement of The Gathering.

They had essentially done nothing all day. It was Saturday – so no lessons. Jen had been forced to endure Sally's endless reassurances that she wouldn't leave her side at the event they'd deemed Mate Fest 2010. They had also opted not to venture out after Jen told them about Decebel's declaration to always be with her when she left the mansion.

Sally had asked, "And how did you respond?"

"I told him the only place I would go with him was to the vet," Jen said innocently.

"We all know that there was more to your comment than that, Virginia. So go on, share the rest of what I'm sure was a most enlightening statement for Decebel," Jacque prodded.

"Fine. I added that he would be going to the vet to have my foot pulled from his ass. I didn't see his face but I'm sure he felt, as you said, enlightened."

Sally had been taking a sip of water at that exact moment and spewed it everywhere.

 

"I'm interested to meet these other unmated females," Jen told Sally. "I'm hoping they're cool. Ya know what I mean?"

"If in 'cool' you mean non-psycho, jealous, female dogs – then yes, I know what you mean," Sally retorted.

"Man, Sal. I have seriously rubbed off on your once sweet, innocent disposition." Jen chuckled. "And by design, Sally dearest, they are female dogs, they can't help it."

Sally looked at Jen out of the corner of her eye. "You really crack yourself up. And by the way, maybe the real Sally is finally surfacing after years of repression."

"Yeah, you just keep telling yourself that, Sigmund. While you're at it why don't you explain to us the theory of conditioning," Jen teased her best friend.

"I'm just saying."

"Once again you prove that I have clearly influenced you." Jen's eyebrows rose as she glanced at Sally. "I'm not saying that's a bad thing. I mean, truthfully, most people would seriously benefit from a personality adjustment compliments of Jen Adams."

Sally snorted. "Does it get heavy?"

"Does what get heavy?"

"That big head you lug around 24/7, 365." Sally patted Jen on the back. "It just seems like maybe your neck or back would begin to hurt at some point."

"Wow, Sally. I'm impressed you aren't just going for a psychology degree! Right now you seem to be running for mayor of 'I think I'm funny' town."

Sally laughed at Jen but quickly stopped as they walked into the meeting room. Chairs lined the walls and were also lined up in rows in the middle of the room. The room wasn't full yet but it was quickly becoming so as people filed past them.

"Great, here we go with the black op lingo. Were you a Navy SEAL or some special forces officer in a past life?" Sally asked.

"Well, as long as we are being so conscientious," Jen cut in. "Sally, why don't you go climb up in Sorin's lap and I'll," she pointed as a guy walked past her, "grab that hottie and pull up a lap as well."

Jen felt a hand rest at the nape of her neck as a voice spoke softly next to her ear. "If you need a lap to sit on, ţinere de meu inimă (holder of my heart), mine will be the only available to you."

She watched as Decebel sat in the chair next to her and felt her stomach drop as he winked at her.

"I better stay in this chair. It has a tendency to walk off if left on its own." Jen hated how breathless her voice sounded and was mentally kicking herself for letting him see how he affected her. By the smug look that slid across his face he was indeed well aware of it. Damn werewolf, she thought to herself.

"No, you dork. Your whisper is just you talking in normal volume but making your voice raspy. Really, you sound more like a chick who's been smoking for thirty years." Jen shrugged. "I'm just throwing that out there. You can take it and apply it at your leisure."

Decebel leaned towards her, the gleam in his eyes causing Jen to tremble. "But Jennifer, I thought you spoke Romanian." He looked around at Sally and Jacque. "Weren't you two under the impression that she spoke Romanian?"

Jacque and Sally nodded despite the daggers Jen was staring their way.

"That was thoroughly impressed upon us, wouldn't you say, Sally?" Jacque turned to look at her.

"Wait. Uh yeah, I distinctly remember a bar...vodka...and I'm almost positive Jen speaking in Romanian to the hot bartender." Sally was grinning from ear to ear as Jen's face grew red.

"I hope you two aren't attached to your undergarments because I just got the sudden urge to have a bonfire," Jen growled out.

"Note to self: hide underwear."

"Or you could just solve that problem by not wearing any." Jacque heard Fane's voice through their bond. Her jaw dropped open and her face turned bright red as she turned to look at her mate.

Jen looked at Sally. "Looks like Fane had a suggestion about the princess' undergarments. If I had my guess, I'd say he told her I couldn't burn them if she didn't own any."

If Jacque could've turned any redder she would have. "How? What..." Jacque stuttered as she looked at her blonde friend, trying to figure out how she knew what Fane had been thinking.

"It's a gift, Watson. But really what it boils down to is when it comes to chicks and underwear, guys will always say they don't mix."

Decebel coughed as he choked on his laughter while Fane had buried his face in Jacque's back, his shoulders shaking. Jacque and Sally both looked at their friend with open mouths.

"Another tidbit you might be interested in is when it comes to chicks and open mouths, guys -" Decebel leaned over and covered Jen's mouth with his hand and warned her with a glare to swallow her words.

"Thanks, Dec. That's usually my job," Sally told him. "But I was in such shock that I couldn't get my limbs to move."

Decebel inclined his head. "Is that why you always seem to stand so close to her?"

"It's of utmost importance that whoever is within her reach be ready at any and all moments to intercept what might come from that wicked tongue."

Jen was frantically trying to talk around Decebel's hand at Sally's comment. Decebel was quickly learning how Jennifer's brain worked, and could only imagine what she wanted to voice in regards to Sally's wicked tongue comment. He leaned forward to whisper in her ear. "I'm going to uncover your mouth. It would be wise of you to just let the wicked tongue comment slide."

Jen glared at him from the corner of her eye, and after a tense moment finally nodded once in submission. Decebel slowly uncovered her mouth, ready if need be to slap it right back over her lips.

The room began to get quiet and they all directed their attention to the front of the room. As Vasile welcomed everyone for coming and began to explain about the meeting he had with the other Alphas, Jen leaned over to Decebel. "You owe me. Sally walked right into it with that whole wicked tongue thing."

Decebel chuckled and whispered back, "For some reason, ţinere de meu inimă (one who holds my heart), I have a feeling there will be plenty of opportunities for you to embarrass your friends for questionable comments they innocently walk into."

Jen shrugged. "True enough, but you still owe me. And what are you calling me when you speak Romanian? You've said the same phrase to me twice now."

Decebel patted her leg, causing all sorts of tingling sensations. "Dar tu romaneste, Micul meu lup. (but you speak Romanian, my little wolf)"

"I know what lup is and I am not a wolf. Whatever else you said I'm sure is a load of crap as well."

"My sweet Jennifer." It was his turn to lean in close. He drew in a deep breath, taking in her scent. His eyes closed as a new smell hit his nose. It was subtle, but it was most definitely there. "I didn't notice it before but I assure you, your scent says you are most definitely wolf." My wolf, he heard his own wolf growl, but he kept those words to himself.

Decebel leaned back in his chair. He couldn't focus on what Vasile was saying, not after catching this new scent on Jennifer. He tried really hard to hide his surprise, but he was almost positive this new scent was the mate scent. There were several things that identified a female as a true mate to a male: the ability to hear each other's thoughts, the markings on the male changing, new markings appearing on the female – ones that matched the male's like a puzzle piece – and a scent that only the true mate would recognize.

The first two had definitely not happened between Jennifer and Decebel, but the scent, her scent had changed. It was very, very subtle and it was taking everything in him not to pull her into his lap and bury his nose in her neck. Yeah, he thought, that wouldn't freak her out. Decebel shook his head and tried to set aside this new development so he could listen to his Alpha.

"The Gathering is to take place in a month," Vasile was saying as Decebel tried to catch up. "I want every unmated female to choose one or two mated females from the pairs I have chosen to attend to act as their companions. These females will help the unmated prepare for the evening dances and should she meet her true mate they will also stand as witnesses."

"Do we have to go, Alpha?" Jen heard a pouty voice on the far left side of the room and craned her neck to see who had spoken. Vasile motioned for the wolf to stand and Jen watched as a petite girl rose from her chair. Her hair was cut short in a pixie style. She had big, expressive brown eyes and a small mouth. Her olive skin tone only added to her exotic look.

Vasile's eyes softened and he smiled gently. "Unfortunately, Crina, this is out of my hands. We have been invited and if I refuse it would be considered an act against our species."

Jen's eyes narrowed dangerously. "A current flame?" She didn't even recognize her voice as she growled at the thought of Decebel with another woman.

Decebel watched as Jennifer bristled while waiting for his answer. Then it dawned on him – she was jealous. He couldn't stop the chuckle that slipped past his lips. He saw her body tense and realized that laughing wasn't the smartest move he could have made.

"Jealous, Jennifer?"

"Of course not," she spat at him. "I just think with as much as you flirt with me, if you are involved," the word came out like it was repugnant to her, "then you need to take your flea-infested self elsewhere."

"And if I'm not involved? What then?" he asked softly, almost a challenge as he looked into her eyes.

Jen stopped breathing at the heat in his look. She was mesmerized as she watched his eyes begin to glow. Amber met her blue ones and she felt herself being drawn closer to him.

"Jennifer," Decebel whispered her name. "What if I'm not involved?"

His hand on her leg finally brought her out of her trance. She took a gulp of air as she realized she was getting light headed from lack of oxygen. She shook her head and looked at Decebel in shock. "Bloody Hell!"

She abruptly stood as the whole room turned to look at her. Jen didn’t know what had just happened but she knew she had to get as far from Decebel as she could right at that moment. She couldn't think clearly when he was around, and she sure as hell couldn't think when he looked at her like that, and said her name in that voice, and touched her… Crap, she thought. I'm so screwed.

Decebel stood to follow her but Sally grabbed his arm. She didn't even flinch when he snarled at the one who would keep him from following Jennifer.

"Sit. Down," Sally said firmly to the furious Beta.

The room was deathly quiet when the door slammed shut behind Jen. All eyes were on the group in the corner. Decebel eased back into his chair and met the stares of the other wolves. One by one they submitted to their Beta and looked away.

"As I was saying," Vasile continued. "All unmated members will attend The Gathering. The mated pairs who will attend have already been informed."

Vasile looked back at the other wolf. "The answer to your question, Stelian, is that any and all with wolf blood of any amount are required to attend. Jen is a dormant, but she is a member of this pack. An unmated member," he amended. Decebel growled at the words. "And as such, she will participate just like any pack member." Vasile nodded for the wolf to be seated.

The meeting continued on for another hour with questions and frustrations being voiced. Through the entire process Vasile was patient and answered each question, but was unbending and firm. He made it very clear that his pack would attend and that any males who found themselves in an altercation would be dealt with harshly. The room broke into laughter when he said that he wanted it clear that this was not an opportunity to hook up and scratch an itch.

"We are there to seek out true mates. Do not disrespect someone else's mate by putting your hands, mouth, or any other part near what does not belong to you just because you are attracted to them. I will not punish any wolf who challenges another male because he was stupid enough to touch another's mate, even if she hadn't been mated at the time. Do I make myself clear?"

"As you say, so shall it be," the room said in unison.

Jacque grinned at Sally. "Jen would have been all over that. 'Any other part near what does not belong to you'," she repeated Vasile's words. "She's going to be ticked off that she missed an opportunity to embarrass Decebel."

"Totally," Sally agreed.

Fane lightly slapped her thigh. "Luna, behave."

"Make me," she challenged as she leaned back, causing him to growl low in his chest.

Vasile finally dismissed the meeting. As Jacque stood, Fane whispered in her ear, "I suppose your challenge will have to wait since you want to find out what caused Jen to leave so abruptly?"

Sally in turn eyeballed Decebel. "Jen never really learned how to use an inside voice. So, Decebel, why don't you share how she asked you if you were involved with Crina, and how you never really gave her an answer but instead taunted her, and then nearly made her hyperventilate with desire."

Decebel's head cocked to the side, his eyebrows drawn together. "How -"

"I would say it's a gift, but really I'm just nosy as hell. And damn, boy, the look you were giving her nearly had me in a puddle."

"Shut up!" Jacque squealed. "Are you telling me Jen stormed out of here because he got her all hot and bothered?"

Sally nodded in agreement, scrutinizing Decebel. "Let's just hope that she finds her mate at Mate Fest so she can get over you."

Decebel took a step towards Sally. Fane stepped around Jacque and laid a hand on Decebel's chest, stopping him. "Easy, Beta."

Decebel closed his eyes taking slow breaths, leashing his wolf. Then Sally's words worked past the jealous fog. "Mate Fest?" he questioned.

Sally grinned. "Jen deemed it."

"Naturally," Decebel muttered with a slight smile.

 

 

Chapter 10

 

Decebel made his way to Cynthia's office after the pack meeting. He needed to share this new development about Jennifer's scent changing and see what the good doctor had to say about it.

The door to the infirmary was already open when he arrived. He walked in to find Alina and Vasile sitting across from Cynthia's desk.

Decebel let out an audible sigh. "I don't know, Vasile," he answered in a rare show of vulnerability, shown by using his Alpha's first name. It let Vasile know that Decebel needed his friend's guidance just as much as his Alpha's.

Vasile nodded. "Explain."

"I don't hear her thoughts, my markings are the same. She hasn't mentioned that she has any marks on her body. That said, my wolf has claimed her." Decebel ran his hands through his hair, the frustration evident in his tense jaw as he continued to speak. "I've been battling him for the first time in over a century. No matter how much I remind myself that there aren't mating signs, my wolf doesn't care. He has claimed her and he wants her."

"So other than how you feel about her, there is no evidence that she could be your true mate?" Alina asked him gently.

"Well, actually..." Decebel looked over to Cynthia, who had been silently listening to the conversation. "While I was sitting next to her in the meeting I caught her scent." He paused.

Cynthia perked up. "And?" she asked.

"It's changed," Decebel told her. "It's very faint but I swear I could smell the mating scent on her."

"What did she smell like?" Vasile asked carefully. Decebel knew Vasile only asked because he would have another wolf scent Jennifer to see if what he smelled matched what Decebel did, but he still bristled. Asking another wolf what his mate's scent was to him was like asking a human man to pass around his wife's lingerie. In other words, it was extremely personal.

"Before, she always smelled like warm vanilla." Decebel thought back to the meeting, when he had breathed it in so deep. "But today there was a hint of cinnamon. It was just barely there, but it was intoxicating." Decebel's words softened as he thought about Jennifer's scent, remembering how it had stirred his wolf.

"Interesting," Cynthia murmured. "How long have you been back?"

"A couple of days. Why?" he questioned.

"Since you've been back, when you're around Jen would you say the encounters are intense?" she asked, ignoring his question.

Decebel chuckled. "You could say that. Again I ask, why?"

"Before you came in I was discussing with Vasile and Alina what I had found just before the pack meeting. I came across a documented case of a dormant wolf being mated to a full Canis lupis." Cynthia glanced down at some papers then back at Decebel. "It’s actually journal of an Alpha from over a century ago."

"That’s good, right?" Decebel asked apprehensively.

"Well," Cynthia paused, "it’s good because now we have something to sort of...gauge the progression of a mating between a dormant and full. But it has the potential to be dangerous."

"Dangerous?" Decebel interrupted, not liking the idea of something causing harm to Jennifer. "How can this information possibly be dangerous?"

"Let me explain to you what was documented and then I will go into how it applies to to you and Jen," Cynthia began.

"I’m listening," Decebel told her as he sat up straighter in his chair. His wolf perked up, which really threw him for a loop since his wolf usually kept quiet unless on the hunt or in battle.

Cynthia gathered together the documents she had printed off and began to read.

 

"I met my true mate today. Not for the first time, but it was the first time the bond had appeared. I had always been strangely intrigued by her, but let it go as curiosity because of her mysterious air. I was caught completely off guard when I heard her thoughts for the first time. She was in danger, serious danger. I heard her cry out for help – in my mind. I started running, without regard to where I was or what I was doing. All that my wolf could think was that we had to get to her, had to save her. I ran for what seemed like forever and finally I broke into a clearing. There, tied to a post, my mate stood.

“Tears streamed down her face, making the bruises that marred her cheeks shine. I felt the blood in my veins begin to heat. My heart sped up and my eyes, I know, were glowing as rage poured into me, fueled by my wolf's need to protect our mate. Her clothes were torn, disheveled rags. Her hair was covered in dirt as if she had been dragged on the ground. She made no sound out loud as her tears continued to flow, but her mind was a turbulent storm of fear, anger, betrayal. She turned and looked straight at me. My breath caught as glowing azure eyes locked onto his. It was instinct to reach out to her mind."I’m here, Rachel,” I reassured her. “All will be well." Her eyes widened, the only indication that she’d heard and recognized me. Then they closed. Tears clear as diamonds and numerous as raindrops from a summer storm covered her fear-filled face once again.

The crackle and flash of orange flame finally shook me from my shock and I realized there were men and women all around. Several were lighting wood and hay they had stacked under her, my mate. They were going to burn her alive. Any control I had snapped, the pull of the horror I was witnessing being the final tug. I lost it. For the first time in 200 years I lost control of my wolf. My phase was instantaneous. I lunged forward, taking down any who dared to block my path. I made no distinction between male or female. As far as my wolf was concerned they were all guilty and would suffer the wrath of an Alpha. Screams filled the air as one by one I destroyed those who hadn’t run in fear, but instead in their stupidity thought they had a chance against me.

“I got to her just before the fire reached her bare feet. Mercifully she passed out just as I phased back to my human form. I untied her as quickly as I could, pulling her away from the flames that seemed to come alive, reaching with arms, seeking out their prey. I carried her, never looking back. I took her to the pack village, to my home, which would now be hers."

 

Cynthia stopped there and looked up from the papers. "I’m going to skip ahead to after she awakens and they begin to interact. He describes his feelings towards her and I think that might be helpful for you. Then I'll read what he believes kept him from recognizing his mate and what it took to pull her dormant wolf to the forefront."

Decebel nodded, his only acknowledgment of her words as his brain processed what she had already read.

 

"Rachel isn’t shocked that I’m a Canis lupis. I couldn’t believe she knew all this time. Her family has been adamant about passing down their history from generation to generation. I met her over a year ago. She is the daughter of a gypsy healer, Melinda, who comes to the village to help with minor illnesses. I knew that her mother's family had served the pack as healers for generations, but what I didn’t know was that Rachel’s great grandmother had a brief affair with a pack member. As a result, a little girl had been conceived. Rachel is a fourth generation dormant Canis lupis, which is virtually unheard of and certainly never mated.

“Rachel has been with me a week now. She has been surprisingly accepting of our circumstances. I think it’s because she has been around the pack and, unbeknownst to me, had known about true mates and the pull. I find the more time I spend with her the more I crave her. We haven’t completed the Blood Rites. I haven’t even kissed her, although I find myself needing to touch her, a brush against her as I walk by, a brief hand on her back, a light caress on her face as she sleeps. She needs my touch, I feel it in her though she tries to block her thoughts from me. When I do catch bits of them I am amazed at the insight she has into why it took so long for the mating signs to happen between us. I've finally decided to talk with her about it. I feel if I don’t resolve this and claim her soon no one will be safe.

 

“I asked Rachel about her thoughts on our mating. I thought I would have to coax it from her, but she was surprisingly forthright. She said she had spoken with her mother about it and the experience her mother had as a healer is what helped her devise her theory, one that seems to be playing out as I write this.

“Melinda believes that because the wolf blood is so diluted in Rachel that something had to happen to trigger that animal part of her, something intense. She said it's like what little amount of wolf lives in her was buried so deep that only something happening that required the help of her wolf caused it to come forth. Rachel had been in trouble when the bond connected us. I asked her what had happened that people she knew would do such a horrible thing to her. Rachel told me that even though she is a dormant, one trait appeared once she became a woman. Her eyes had begun to glow. Anytime she was scared, or angry, or even excited her eyes would shift from blue to glowing azure.

“Rachel's best friend had seen it happen and promised to tell no one. She broke her promise. She told her mother that she thought Rachel might be a witch. That was all it took. Cry witch and the righteous will emerge shouting their indignation and pointing their damning fingers.

“The villagers had taken her from her home while her mother was away and sentenced her to death. To death, with no proof. That was when I found her. Her dormant wolf had known they needed help and had pushed forward to cry out to their mate. Melinda is convinced that had Rachel and I not known each other or had contact for the past year – in other words, had her mate been a stranger to her – she would not have been able to reach out to him, to me.

“Melinda also asked if I noticed the bond growing stronger now that Rachel and I are together all the time. I explained to her how I was feeling and how the emotions and needs are growing stronger. For an unbonded Alpha, that is dangerous. She told me to be honest with Rachel about my feelings, the bond, the Blood Rites, all of it.

 

“Rachel and I completed the Blood Rites last night, and completed our mating. It was the final link from my wolf to hers, dormant or no. This morning the mating marks appeared on her back. They're beautiful. My marks have changed as well. She teased me and told me they were very manly.

“Despite Rachel's dormant Canis lupis blood, I don't think our bond is weaker than other full-blooded mated pairs. From talking with my other mated males, Rachel and I experience the same intense feelings as they do, when apart…and together."

 

Cynthia finished reading and the room was silent. Decebel looked straight ahead, thinking of all the possibilities, outcomes, and yes, even the dangers that came with this information.

Alina continued to hold Decebel's stare, and as an Alpha in her own right, she would not back down. Decebel eventually relented out of respect, not a lack of dominance. He let out the breath he'd been holding.

"I had a sister, a long time ago. I failed to protect her. I decided then I did not ever want someone else relying on me for their safety."

"But Vasile and I rely on you every day. The other wolves, the ones you train, the unmated females all rely on you to protect them. How is having a mate any different?" Alina questioned.

"I have backup when it comes to all those you just named. You know as well as I do, Alina, that when it comes to your protection Vasile is the end all. If you are left unprotected, if your protection fails, Vasile will be the one responsible. That's part of being mated, bonded. Vasile alone considers himself responsible for your safety. I don't want that responsibility again."

"You are willing to spend your entire existence spiraling further into darkness because you are afraid of failure?" Cynthia asked, unable to hide her disbelief. "You would pass up something that others consider precious and an honor? Not only that, but you would doom her to live with only half her soul. Really? That's what you are willing to sacrifice?"

Decebel was growling at Cynthia when she finished.

"You don't understand. You aren't a male of this species; you aren't an Alpha. Have you any idea what's like to watch the one you loved and were bound to protect die in your arms because you didn't get there fast enough? DO YOU?" Decebel snarled.

"Decebel." Vasile didn't raise his voice, but his words were full of power.

Decebel backed down but his body shook with anger at Cynthia's words, knowing they were the truth.

"This is what I would have of you, Beta." Vasile faced Decebel, making it a formal command. Anything less wouldn't get Decebel's cooperation. "You will be part of Jen's security. If you don't want to pursue this possibility, fine. I suggest that you wait and see if she finds her true mate at The Gathering. If she does not, then you will take part in seeing if she's your mate through the methods this document has shed light on. You will not leave Jen to the fate of being only a shell of what she should be. Do you understand?"

Decebel growled but nodded his head. He finished formally, "As you say, so shall it be."

Decebel turned to leave, but Vasile spoke up before he could make it out the door. "Decebel, you are choosing this. If you so much as breathe on another wolf at The Gathering because of Jen, you will suffer the consequences."

"Understood," Decebel acknowledged. He walked out of the room, leaving with not only more questions but complete and utter confusion.

Decebel knew that the moment he saw another wolf put his hands on Jennifer he would not be able to control his wolf, yet he had stupidly agreed to guard her. He was doing the very thing he wanted to avoid. He was her protection. Damn his Alpha and his meddling.

 

 

Jen paced her room like a caged animal. She couldn't believe what a fool she had made of herself, but at the moment all she had been able to think about was getting away from a certain wolf.

She was so screwed. How had she gotten to this point? She'd been telling herself over and over that he wasn't an option. She might as well have had a license plate made as many times as she had repeated it to her heart. Yeah, well her heart was doing its own thing because it didn't give a royal, flipping, fat pig that Decebel was supposed to be off limits. Something in her reached out to him. Every time he was near her she just wanted to rub up against him and curl up in his lap. Can we say coming unhinged, boys and girls, Jen thought.

Back and forth she paced. "Okay," she said to the empty room, "Mate Fest 2010 is the answer. I have to really, really try to find my mate." Once again her heart piped in its two cents while Jen was telling it not to waste its money. Decebel is our mate, it told her. "Nope, not happening. I'm not listening to you. La la la la la la." Jen plugged her fingers in her ears and closed her eyes. It was at this point that Sally walked in.

"Who are you not listening to, exactly?" Sally asked, looking around the room.

Jen swung around, dropping her hands quickly. "Hey, Sal. What's up?" she asked, reaching for calm but falling five thousand feet short.

"Yeah. Well, about that..." Sally folded her arms and raised a hand to tap her chin with a finger. "What's up? Hmm. See, you jumping up like you were sitting on a fire cracker and then bolting out of the meeting like said fire cracker was trying to bite your butt…yeah, that's pretty much what's up."

Jen cringed at the picture Sally painted. "Okay, so it wasn't my best moment," she muttered.

"Ya think?" Sally asked, her eyebrows rising.

"You don't know what it was like..." Jen's voice was reaching that high-pitched point when she would normally have thrown something at someone else using it. "Sitting there next to his furry hotness, his eyes doing that smoldering thing, his voice deep and soft, his hand being all handy. I mean seriously, Sally, it was either jump and run for the hills or crawl up in his lap panting like some desperate wench."

"I'm here!" Like a turbulent wind, Jacque came rushing in. "I'm here," she panted. "What's the plan?" Her head snapped back and forth between Jen and Sally.

Jen nodded her head in Jacque's direction. "What the bloody hell is wrong with her?" she asked Sally.

"I'm beginning to think it's the s-e-x," Sally spelled, covering the side of her face so Jacque couldn't see but speaking in a loud whisper. "All the lack of oxygen from the panting, heavy breathing, and what not is killing her brain cells."

Jen busted out laughing, "That would be even funnier if my brain wasn't trying to fill in the what not."

"Could we please refrain from talking about my sex life," Jacque ground out.

"No, there will be no refraining because then you would want me to talk about the attraction I'm trying to ignore to the wolf who is still not an option even though neither one of us can seem to stay the hell away from the other." Jen took a deep breath and barreled on. "If we cease talking about your sex life then you two hyenas will expect me to tell you how when I'm near him I feel like electricity is running over my skin. You would want me to explain how my heart speeds up and my breathing becomes erratic every time he whispers in my ear. You would force me – against my will, mind you – to describe to you the many times I have daydreamed hearing his voice in my mind, seeing marks cover my skin, seeing his marks change. So, hell to the no. Request denied. Do not pass go, do not collect two hundred dollars. In summary, we cannot stop talking about your sex life."

Sally was standing with her jaw dropped open and Jacque was staring at Jen like she had sprouted wings from her butt.

"Well, okay then," Sally finally spoke. "I think talking about Jacque's sex life has really shed some light on things. Don't you, Jacque?"

Jen stood up and started pacing again. "I've got to find my mate, I've got to stay away from B, and I've got to pull it together." She blew a breath out, ruffling her bangs.

"Ooo, MAP. Like we're mapping out her future. I like." Sally winked at Jacque.

"I know, right? It fits, like we're making a map out of this mess," Jacque added.

Jen smiled and nodded her head enthusiastically, "Oh, I've got one," she said, joining in. "It's like you're making a map to lead your crazy asses out of my room."

"Hey," Sally said indignantly.

"Hey, if the shoe fits, Sally. I'm just saying, if it fits all you can do is wear it to the best of your ability. Let me tell you, you are doing some wicked justice."

Jacque laughed and Sally's head snapped around as she glared at her.

"You have to admit that was pretty funny."

Sally thought for a minute and then grinned. "Yeah. I guess she deserves props, but I'm still calling it operation MAP."

"Fine, crap. Let's get this op in the works," Jen relented.

"Yes!" Jacque and Sally said at the same time, giving high fives.

Jen shook her head at her two best friends. Loyal, yes. Giving, for sure. Crazy as loons? Without a doubt, she thought as she grinned while Sally and Jacque both talked at the same time, gradually getting louder as they talked over one another. Jen decided to try and make the most of them as they came. She had a feeling they were going to get few and far between once at The Gathering.

 

Chapter 11

 

Jen, Sally, and Jacque spent the next four weeks learning about different packs that were going to be present at The Gathering. They learned the names of the Alphas and their mates, if they had one. They learned about the different pack traditions and practices. Jen found it interesting that though there were some things that were universal in the Canis lupis world, packs were very individualized.

It was now two days before they left for the Transylvanian Alps and they, along with three other unmated females and eight unmated males, were in the large gathering room of the mansion to learn to dance.

"I don't need lessons on dancing," Jen muttered under her breath as she stood with Sally and Jacque against the back wall.

"Oh, COME ON! That was one time!" Jen groaned. "I swear, lose your clothes at a party one time and they never let you live it down."

"Ooo, now this sounds right up my alley." Crina, the wolf who had spoken up at the pack meeting, came bouncing up with another girl. "Hey,we haven't formally met. I'm Crina and this brute is Mariana." Both girls gave friendly smiles.

Although Mariana wasn't really a brute, she was very tall. Standing next to the pixie Crina, she did qualify as classification brute.

"Hi, Crina. I'm Jen. These two yahoos are my best friends, Sally and Jacque."

Both girls bared their necks briefly at Jacque. It had been explained during one of their lessons that, although Jacque held no real power right now, the pack would show her respect for her place with signs of submission, such as baring their necks.

Mariana smiled. "Yeah, boss. You told me." She looked at Jen conspiratorially. "She said anyone who could get Decebel all in a tizzy the way you do has to be cool."

Jen didn't just laugh at that, she cackled. "He makes it too easy."

Crina smiled with her and added, "Just so you know, I don't know what is between you two, but neither I nor Mariana have designs on him."

Jen sobered and looked at both girls. It hadn't dawned on her until that moment that there might be others in the pack who had an interest in Decebel. Before she could stop herself, she let out a low growl. Jen watched Mariana's and Crina's eyes get big and heard Sally's intake of breath, but before she could turn, a strong arm came around her waist and pulled her away.

Decebel took Jennifer's left hand and placed it on his shoulder, took her right hand in his left, then wrapped his free arm around her waist, drawing her close.

"Your security detail," he told her again, now much closer to her ear. "Vasile has placed me in charge of your security while at The Gathering, so I have been back and forth between here and Transylvania working out the kinks."

Jen made an “oh” motion with her mouth but said nothing else. She was actually in a small state of shock after not seeing Decebel for days on end. To suddenly have him here in front of her, this close, was a bit overwhelming. Although there was no way in Hades she would ever 'fess up to it.

"Actually, when in your four legged form, waltzing would be rather similar to you in your two legged form. Only, you wouldn't need a partner because you'd already have plenty of legs." Jen couldn't help the giggles that bubbled out at her own little joke. Decebel growled at her, but it was only half-hearted.

Their banter was cut off by another shout. "Switch!"

"Beta, may I cut in?" Costin, the wolf from the bar, stood next to a now frozen Jen and Decebel.

Decebel abruptly let go of Jennifer. "Of course." He nodded to the other wolf and walked off without a backward glance.

The rest of the lesson was spent switching partners periodically. All the while, Decebel kept his eyes glued on Jen and whomever she happened to be dancing with.

 

 

"So, how do you feel about this whole Gathering thing?" Crina asked Jen.

After the dancing lesson ended, the five girls had all gone in search of hot chocolate and were now gathered around the dining room table.

"Honestly," Jen paused as she took a sip of her hot chocolate, "I'm kind of looking forward to it. It's something to take my mind off of other, I would like to say unsavory things, but mother of pearl if he isn't the most savory fur ball this side of anywhere."

Crina held her hands up in surrender. "Whoa, I'm not infringing on your wolf." She bared her neck to Jen and something inside her settled. It was freaking weird.

Jacque nodded in agreement. "Once you get her wound up it's like watching the energizer bunny. Y'all better get comfortable."

"What if they just haven't appeared yet because you are a dormant?" Mariana offered.

Jen propped her elbows on the table and then put her face in her hands. "I've thought of that. But seriously, it's been several months since we met and in those several months I was in a major car crash and burned, found out I had werewolf blood, moved to a new country, oh and turned eighteen. You would think that something in there would trigger, well, something."

"After I woke up from the coma. He came into my room to check on me. Which was bizarre, to say the least. I remember thinking 'wow, that is yummy'."

Sally shook her head. "Don't mind her. She's lacking in brain cells lately because they've been fried by hormonal overload."

Jen rolled her eyes and made a "W" sign with her fingers while mouthing, "whatever".

Mariana looked at her watch. "Well, it's getting late so I guess we should head out. Look for us at Mate Fest and we'll hang out. Us wallflowers need to stick together."

Jen smiled. "Sounds like a plan. It was really nice to meet both of you."

Sally and Jacque piped in their agreement and said goodbye as the two other females left the dining room.

"I guess we should call it a night," Jacque said, downing the last of her hot chocolate. "One day left before we head into the testosterone-coated hills of Transylvania."

All three girls rinsed their cups and headed to their rooms.

 

Jen had just reached her door when she felt it. Someone was watching her. There was no doubt in her mind who it was. She turned to see Decebel standing at the other end of the hall, staring at her. Neither moved for several minutes. Then he started walking towards her.

Jen didn't know whether to go into her room, run, or stand frozen and quite possibly pass out from lack of oxygen. His long strides ate up the distance between them quicker than she would have thought possible and suddenly, he was there – less than a foot away from her.

Decebel's right hand came up and pushed her long blond hair back away from her face and neck. He leaned forward and placed his nose against her neck, just below her ear, and took another deep breath. Jen seriously thought she was going to pass out. This cannot be happening. She wanted to pinch herself to make sure she was really awake. When Decebel pulled back, she saw that his amber eyes were now glowing.

"I don't know what's going on between us, ţinere de meu inimă," Decebel told her, his voice husky. "I will tell you it scares me."

"Scares you? How can anything scare you?"

Decebel chuckled as he gently cupped her face, his thumb tenderly caressing her jaw line. "There is much you don't know about me, Jennifer, much about my past that has shaped who I am today." He paused as he watched her. "I can't stay away from you, and now our blasted Alpha has made me your protector."

"And you don't want to be my protector," Jen interrupted with a whisper.

Decebel heard the insecurity in her tone, but admired her for not looking away from him when she voiced it. "The problem isn't that I don't want to be your protector, it's that I want to be more."

"Oh," Jen breathed out.

"I don't know how I'm going to get through this, this..." Decebel searched for the words.

"Mate Fest?" Jen offered, which brought a heart stopping grin from Decebel. She nearly swooned. You have got to get a grip, she told herself. Jennifer Adams does not swoon. Drool, definitely. Stare without shame, for sure. But swooning is forbidden. She decided her inner dialogue was really beginning to get out of control.

"Yes, this Mate Fest. I don't know how I'm going to get through it without killing another wolf."

"Is there anything I can do to help?"

"Don't touch another male. Don't let another male touch you." Decebel's lips were tight as he spoke, betraying the carefully conveyed control.

"Okay, no touching. Got it."

Once again they stared at one another in silence. Gradually Decebel began to lean into her and Jen realized he was going to kiss her. It was also then that she realized how desperately she wanted, craved that kiss. Her eyes drifted closed as she waited, and waited. What the - ?, she thought as she opened her eyes.

"It's not that simple, Jennifer." Decebel started to pull back but Jen grabbed his hand and pulled it back to her face. She held it next to her cheek and let his heat seep into her. She had never felt anything better than his touch in her life.

"It is that simple. You either do or you don't. It's a choice, Decebel. Your choice. So don't tell me you can't. Unless your lips are super glued to some object, they are up for grabs. So what gives?"

"I think you need to speak with Dr. Steele, then you will understand what's at stake from something as innocent as a kiss."

 

Jen entered her bedroom after watching Decebel walk away until she couldn't see him any longer.

"See you on the flip side, Jen? Really?" she asked herself out loud. "Do you want someone to ask you to write an expert account on how to be effectively lame? Because let me tell you, blondie, you are all over it." Pathetic, she thought, I'm a groupie and I'm talking to myself. "Ughh."

She quickly went through her routine of getting ready for bed, the whole time remembering the feel of Decebel's flesh on hers, his breath on her neck. There was no way she was going to survive this with her heart intact. She knew that when this was all said and done, she would come out an empty shell if she didn't come out with Decebel by her side.

The real question she found herself facing after her little encounter with the fur ball in the hall was, how do you go about looking for a mate when you would rather be trying to convince the one you want to pursue what was slapping him steadily in the face?

"Yeah, good luck with that," Jen told herself.

 

 

"So I guess I'll see you in a couple of days?" Jacque asked her dad through her cell phone.

"Yes. And I'm bringing Tanya. She really wants to meet you. You okay with that?"

"Yeah, it's cool. It was bound to happen one day, right? There's no time like the present," Jacque told him, her voice coming out unnaturally high. She felt herself settle as Fane wrapped his arms around her from behind and placed a gentle kiss on her neck.

"It will be okay, Jacquelyn, it's a large estate. If you and Tanya don't get on there will be plenty of places for you to slink off to."

Jacque pulled out of his arms and turned on him abruptly. "Slink? I do not slink, wolf-man."

Fane smiled and winked. "I knew that would do it."

Jacque growled and tackled him to the bed. "So you think if you prick my pride I will be less likely to evade the confrontation I so badly want to avoid?"

Fane nodded. "That about sums it up."

"How well you know me already, pesky flea ball."

"Again with the fleas." He growled and tickled her. Jacque squealed, unsuccessfully trying to fight him off. He finally relented and pulled her close.

"All will be well, Luna," he whispered.

"I know," she agreed, "but there's always a variable that isn't accounted for, ready to throw things off kilter. Then all is no longer well."

"Then there will be a blood bath," Jacque told him somberly. "Because the first man brave enough to lay a finger on Jen is going to see firsthand what happens when another touches a mate. Signs or no, Decebel's wolf has claimed Jen. And Jen's wolf, what little there may be, has claimed Dec. Not to mention her heart."

Both fell silent as they thought about the consequences that were sure to come. But like a speeding train without brakes, nothing short of a miracle could stop them.

 

 

Chapter 12

 

"Do you think it was wise of you to make Decebel her protector?" Alina asked her mate.

Vasile continued to stare at the road as he drove towards the site of The Gathering.

He knew it was a gamble placing Jen in Decebel's care. "I don't know," he admitted. "I guess I'm trying to force him into action. Maybe if he sees others pursuing her he will get over this fear and make a move. Or I could just be setting up some poor wolf's demise."

Alina watched him carefully while he spoke, noticing the faint lines that ran along his skin. Even after two centuries her mate was still unbelievably handsome, but it seemed the stress of life was catching up with him.

"Sometimes dominant wolves have to be pushed over the edge when they won't jump on their own. Why do you think that is?" Alina's tone was teasing.

Vasile's lips lifted slightly. "Even us dominants have to have one flaw, Luna, otherwise it wouldn't be fair."

Alina laughed and shook her head at her mate's forever cockiness.

 

 

Vasile had devised the riding assignments, and so Jen, Jacque, and Sally had been paired with Crina and Mariana as well as Decebel and Fane. One big, happy family, Jen thought as she looked around the cab of the Hummer. She was really glad that Crina and Mariana had turned out to be cool. It would have sucked big time had they turned out to be ninnies.

Before she could finish, Jen cut her off. "How about we discuss the plans for when we arrive at this little 'meet your baby daddy' festival."

The entire vehicle erupted in laughter at Jen's slang. Jen blushed ferociously when Dec gave her a heart-stopping grin.

"How do you all keep from peeing on yourselves when she's around?" Crina asked, wiping the tears that had welled up in her eyes.

"No doubt, it's tough," Jacque told her. "And sometimes it's wise to bring a change of clothes if you're going to be around her for any extended period of time."

After the laughing and bantering finally died down, Fane addressed Jen's earlier question.

"I think tonight there is a large gathering with all the packs to lay out the ground rules and purpose behind The Gathering," Fane explained. "There will be lots of mated pairs all around and Alphas to keep the males in check."

"Push it, or just give it a great big shove. Whatever gets the job done." She winked at him and then slid down into her seat. "I'm going to try and catch some Zs before we get there. I have a feeling I'm going to need my wits about me."

"That could be a problem, Jen. You have to have -" Sally started.

"Not another word, Sally." Jen's words were followed by snickers from the other girls, and then the vehicle fell silent.

 

 

Thad watched as his wolves set up the meeting room with chairs and tables for the packs. The American pack had already arrived and was getting settled into their rooms. The others were due to arrive any moment.

Thad's eyes followed the movement around the room but his mind was elsewhere. He couldn't help but wonder if he would finally find his true mate among those who were coming to The Gathering. Two centuries was too long to be without a mate. Especially when the other Alphas were all mated. He wasn't a weak Alpha by any means, but it was a fact that a mated Alpha was a stronger Alpha. So regardless of his own strength, until he was mated he would not stand a chance against another.

Thad was pulled from his thoughts when the double doors to the large room opened. He watched as Vasile and his mate entered. Behind them he saw his Beta and Fane, the Grey Wolf Prince. The sheer size of them blocked any view of those who might be behind them. Thad was sure that was a tactical move on Vasile's part. His females would be well protected. That could be a problem, but not insurmountable, he thought.

 

 

"Daaaaang," Jacque whispered as the double doors opened and they walked into a large room. "Would you look at this place!"

"I feel like Beauty in Beauty and the Beast," Sally whispered to Jen. "You know, when she walks into the grand ballroom for the first time?"

"Well, you got one thing right, Sal," Jen murmured as she too took in her surroundings, "we are not short on beasts."

Jen tilted her head back at Jacque's prompting and her own mouth dropped open at seeing the height of the ceiling. That wasn't the only thing that had their mouths hitting the freshly waxed floor. Painted on the ceiling was a forest covered in shimmering snow. Somehow the artist had achieved a nearly three dimensional effect, and by looking at it you felt as if you were falling into the painting. Among the hills and trees there were wolves. Some were running, others lying quietly.

The theme was quite obvious once you picked up on it, Jen realized. There wasn't a single wolf alone. Each one was paired with another. And as she looked harder she could see that every pair was touching. The wolves running side by side were painted so that their tails intertwined as they ran, the ones sitting together had one tucked in close to the other, and those lying down had one wolf literally curled around the other, protecting, sheltering. It was beautiful, and the meaning was clear: wolves weren't meant to be alone. They were created for a mate.

Jen pulled her eyes from the compelling painting when she felt a tug on her sleeve. She turned just as Mariana was waving them all to follow.

“This handsome gentleman offered to show us to our rooms,” Mariana told them. Jen looked back and saw that Vasile was talking to some other guy who looked to be in charge of something. They probably weren’t needed. She looked at Jacque and nodded in the direction Mariana was headed.

“I’m in. You?”

“Lead the way,” Jacque answered.

Jen didn’t know if she should say something to Decebel, but she figured, He’s got wolf hearing, surely he'll hear us leaving. Not only that, but there was no way Fane would not keep tabs on his little she-wolf. So she shrugged her shoulders and followed the rest out of the large room. With her back turned she didn’t notice Decebel nod to Costin, a silent order to keep an eye on the girls until he could leave without appearing disrespectful.

 

 

“Vasile.” Thad raised his voice to be heard across the room as he made his way over to the Romanian Alpha. “So glad that you could come.”

“I want our species to thrive just as you do, Thad. Our pack appreciates you inviting and giving our single pack members a chance to possibly meet their true mates.”

Decebel felt his skin begin to prickle as Jennifer got farther and farther away from him. He was very close to simply ignoring protocol and going after her, but that would make Vasile look bad in the eyes of other wolves and he wouldn't do that to his Alpha. He just kept reminding himself that Costin would keep an eye on her and not let other wolves near her. Still, his wolf was restless. This is going to be a long week, Decebel thought.

"What time should I have my pack down for the gathering tonight?" Vasile asked Thad.

"We are to begin at six, so you probably want to have them down a little before to get seated. I will have two of my wolves show you to your rooms." Thad looked around Vasile at where the girls had been standing only moments before. "It looks like the dominant males have already made themselves known to your females." He chuckled.

Decebel growled, but before he could get much sound out Fane elbowed him hard in the side. Decebel coughed. He cut his eyes at Fane, who had the gall to wink. His red headed mate was rubbing off on him already.

After Thad and Vasile finished talking, Vasile turned to the pack members who had stayed with him. "Follow those two gentlemen, they will take us to our rooms." Vasile indicated two wolves standing directly in front of a large staircase in the entryway.

As they climbed the stairs, Vasile positioned himself in between Fane and Decebel. "I want you two and Sorin to go and make sure the girls stay out of trouble until tonight."