Chapter 1
What do you do when your Alpha was nearly assassinated and is now out of commission; you've killed a pack member; your mate is dying and beyond your reach; and the house you are standing in has gone up in flames – all in the last two hours?
Yeah, Decebel thought. Hell if I know either.
As the mansion burned and smoke filled the spaces the flames had not, Decebel and the other males in his pack continued to search around, making sure no one was left inside.
Decebel and Fane finally reached the suite where they'd last seen Vasile and Alina. Much to their relief, the Alpha and his mate were gone. Hopefully that meant they'd gotten to safety. Decebel looked into the adjoining room. The dining table there was still perfectly set, food half-eaten, glasses half-filled. Only the two spilled glasses on the floor were out of place – Vasile's and Alina's – surrounded by the poison that had almost killed them.
Just goes to show that there's never a dull moment in the life of a Canis lupis.
"I can't smell anyone, but that doesn't mean anything. The fire and smoke would cover any scent," Decebel told Fane.
"We need to get out. Now." Fane urged his Beta.
"Is your mate safe?" Decebel responded.
Fane nodded. "She says Vasile and Alina are safe as well. It appears that all of our pack made it out, as well as her father. And she says to tell you that if we don't get our furry butts out of here right now she will personally…," Fane paused and, cringing, shook his head, "it's better if you didn't know. I say we just heed her warning and get out."
Fane and Decebel took off at a run, heading for the front door of the mansion, which was quickly becoming a death trap. The flames burned ever hotter, melting plaster, beams and anything else in its path. Several times the two had to jump over flames and duck under falling boards.
Finally, they pushed through the front door, still surrounded by smoke-filled air. They kept running. Their lungs cried out for fresh oxygen, burning with each breath. Fane flew straight into Jacque's waiting arms. Decebel couldn’t help but notice, reminding himself that his own mate was cold, lost, and hurt. He wanted to howl at the injustice of it. He’d finally heard the voice in his head that he’d been longing for—Jennifer’s voice. No sooner had he heard her distress call that she had been taken from him. He gritted his teeth and put his anger to good use, checking over the pack.
He saw Vasile and Alina seated in front of a tree, leaning against the large, rough trunk. The ground around them had been swept free of snow in an attempt to keep the Alphas as dry as possible. He headed straight for them, pausing on his way to touch his pack mates, sending reassurance through a simple act.
"How are you feeling, Alpha?" Decebel asked as he crouched down in front of Vasile and Alina, who was finally awake. Decebel tried to keep a submissive stance as he knew it was difficult for his Alpha to be seated on the ground with everyone else standing.
"Getting stronger, thanks to Sally." Vasile's eyes briefly shimmered with moisture as he looked over at the soot-covered brunette who – to every one's astonishment – had been revealed as a gypsy healer.
"Are you regaining your strength as well, Luna?" Decebel addressed his female Alpha in a rare show of formality.
Alina nodded and gave him a small, reassuring smile. "I will live another day, so long as Vasile needs someone to keep him in line."
Decebel chuckled. "Thank goodness for that." His smile faded quickly as his wolf stirred, reminding him that he needed to be searching for Jennifer. He shook his head, trying to clear the fog. He did need to search for Jennifer, but he had promised her that he would get her friends to safety first. That meant getting them as far away as possible from whatever magic fueled that unnatural fire.
He looked back at Vasile. "That fire... It moved like it was alive, like someone was controlling it, maneuvering it."
Vasile nodded. "We need to talk to Sally. As a healer, she should be sensitive to magic, especially dark magic."
"We need to get to safety first," Decebel told him carefully, making sure it didn't come across as an order.
"I agree, Beta. I trust you to make that happen."
Decebel called Sorin over.
"I need you to get a head count of our pack. Advise the other Alphas to do the same," Decebel's voice was commanding. It was time to get things in order and get out of the open, where they were most vulnerable.
Sorin nodded and moved quickly through the crowd to an open area. He made the announcements and then began calling out pack member names.
Skender, Boian, Fane, Jacque, Costin, Crina, Sally, and Cynthia formed a circle around Decebel. He noticed the humans shivering in the cold, but not complaining. Their faces were covered in soot, their clothes were singed, but determination filled their eyes as they waited trustingly.
"What's the plan, Beta?" Skender asked.
Dillon walked over from his own pack, stepping next to Jacque.
"Whatever I can do to help. My pack is at your disposal." He told the Romanian Beta.
Decebel nodded, but did not respond verbally.
Jacque gave a brief smile to her father and then turned her attention back to Decebel.
"We need to get out of here. There's a village we drove through about ten miles down the mountain. We should see if there's a place we can stay there. We need to check and see if any vehicles are salvageable." Decebel began giving orders, needing to stay busy, building a plan towards fulfilling his promise to Jennifer. The sooner he did that, the sooner he could start searching for her. "Males, you check out the vehicles. Females, organize our pack into groups to ride. Ask the other packs to do the same."
Without a word, all the wolves turned from Decebel to carry out his orders.
"Can I please have your attention?" Sally tried speaking above the pack, teeth chattering. No one heard or bothered to pay her any mind. Cynthia and Crina grinned at her sympathetically. Jacque smiled. "Step aside, healer – how can you even speak with your chops going to town like that? Let me show you how it's done."
Sally did the mature thing and stuck her tongue out at her best friend.
Jacque stuck her thumb and middle finger in her mouth and let out an ear-piercing whistle – which was even more piercing for the wolves, with their sensitive ears. Silence fell and all that could be heard was the crackling of the fire that continued to rage, giving the only light to the dark night.
"Listen up, please." Jacque spoke loudly to make sure she reached the ears of those at the very back. "Some of the Romanian males are checking to see if any of the vehicles are still in working order. We need to divide everyone up into groups so we can take as many as we can at a time down to the village. It’s about a ten mile drive."
Jacque watched as the other packs began to break up into groups. She looked over at Sally and winked. "That, my gypsy friend, is how you do it."
Sally rolled her eyes. "How kind of you to take time to teach me, oh wise wolf princess."
Jacque's smile faltered. "That sounds like something Jen would say."
Sally wrapped her in a firm embrace. "He will find her. There is nothing, and no one, that will stand in his way."
"I don’t doubt that. My worry is what he'll find when he does." Jacque wiped a tear that slipped down her face.
Crina and Cynthia wrapped their arms around Jacque and Sally, and Jacque could feel comfort flowing from her pack mates. My pack mates she thought, and for the first time, she truly felt like a member of the Romanian Grey Wolf pack.
"I would tell you not to worry, love, but I know that's not fair to you. What I will tell you is that I'm here for you." Fane reached out to her, no doubt having felt her grief.
"Thank you, wolf-man. There will be time for tears later. We've got to get our pack to safety."
"I knew you were going to make an amazing Alpha," he told her as Jacque felt his lips on her forehead. Warmth seeped into her as Fane used their bond for more than just words.
The girls stepped back from the embrace and Sally grabbed Jacque's hand, looking over at Cynthia and Crina. "Come on, let's do this. Jen would kick our butts if she thought we were standing around not – as she would say – getting our asses in gear."
"She does have a way with words." Jacque smiled and they began to separate their pack into groups to travel to the village – and hopefully to safety.
"Rachel?" Jen's voice was weak as she spoke, and growing weaker.
"I know that you don't know who I am, but you can trust me. I'm on your side," Rachel tried to reassure the girl at the bottom of the cavern. "Gavril, my mate, is going to jump down and get you. Please don't be afraid of him."
Jen chuckled weakly. "You should meet my mate, then you wouldn't worry about me being afraid of yours." Her words were strained as she tried to speak around the pain that wracked her broken body.
Rachel turned as she saw the sky light up in the direction of the large estate south of them.
"We must hurry. I can't shield us much longer," she told her mate.
"I'm coming down," Jen heard a gruff voice announce, which was quickly followed by a soft thud.
Jen tried hard to be unafraid, but when a strange wolf jumps into a hole you've been pushed into, you tend to be afraid of everything.
"I won't hurt you," the voice told her.
"I don't think you're going to be able to avoid hurting me if you're going to move me." Jen cringed at the thought of being moved or even touched, for that matter.
Gavril knelt down in front of her. "I know you can't see me, but I can see you. You are losing blood from that head wound. I'm going to take off my shirt so you can apply pressure to it to help stem the flow."
Jen nodded, knowing he would see her response. She heard some rustling and then felt soft fabric against her head. She reached up with her good arm and pushed the shirt firmly against her scalp.
"Okay, I'm going to lift you now. I know it's going to hurt and I apologize," Gavril told her gently.
"Not your fault." Jen's voice came out hoarse and shaky.
She felt his arm come around her back and the other arm slip under her knees. As he lifted her from the ground, Jen bit her lip to keep from crying out in pain, so hard that she drew blood. The pain was so intense that, though she tried to fight it, her exhausted brain shut down in an attempt to escape the hurt her body was enduring.
Gavril bent at the knees and jumped from the cavern with one powerful push, landing gently in front of his mate.
"She's passed out," he told Rachel.
"I'm surprised she is even alive after that fall." Rachel gently pushed Jen's blonde locks from her face. "She's a pretty one." She took a deep breath of Jen's scent, "and she's a dormant."
"Come, Rachel," Gavril urged. "We mustn't linger. The witch is near and she cannot discover you."
"It's going to take a lot to heal her," Rachel admitted as they started off in the direction of their home. "She said she has a mate. He's going to want to know where she is."
"We have to be careful or he will lead Thad's witch straight to our door," Gavril warned his mate.
"I understand that, love. But you know as well as I do that he will tear this mountain apart to find her."
Gavril didn't respond. He knew how dangerous a mated male could be when his mate was injured. His first priority was to Rachel, to keep her existence a secret. The only thing that the Serbian Alpha, Thad, wanted more than a mate was a healer, and his mate was the most powerful healer in the history of their species. He had to protect her at all costs, even at the cost of one dormant's life.
Jen's head swam as the darkness began to recede. She tried to open her eyes, but they wouldn't cooperate. She felt pain course through her body – someone was carrying her.
"Decebel." She reached out instinctively.
"Jennifer!" Jen smiled to herself as she listened to the worry in his voice. Why was he worried if he had found her?
"You found me." Jen made it a statement rather than a question.
"No, baby. I haven't found you. Why would you think that?"
"But you're carrying me. I can feel you."
"Jennifer, who has you?" Decebel's voice was full of fear and anger.
Jen was trying desperately to remember what had happened, how she had ended up being carried… The girl, her mate – she began to get glimpses in her mind.
"Her mate, he jumped down. He put his shirt on my head." Jen's voice faded as she tried to think.
"He?" Even through their very new mental bond, Jen could hear the anger lacing his words. "A male has you? He doesn't have a shirt on? Jennifer, think! Who are the female and her mate?"
"Quit growling at me, damn it! Oow! Crap, that hurts." Jen cringed as she felt her body being jarred.
"Baby, I'm not growling at you. I just need you to try to remember. Do they mean you harm?" Decebel tried to soften his voice.
"I don't think so. It hurts, Dec. I can't think. I just want to sleep for a while." Jen's voice began to fade.
"Jennifer, stay with me a minute longer."
Jen loved the sound of his voice, the deep timbre of it. She nearly groaned when she felt his lips on hers and his fingers caressed her face.
"How are you doing that?" she asked him, her voice breathless through their bond.
"It's the bond. I just imagine touching you and somehow you feel it."
"Oh, the possibilities." Jen grinned inside.
Decebel chuckled.
"Hmm, that's the sound I like to hear." Jen imagined running her fingers through Decebel's soft, dark hair.
She heard him growl in her mind. "I have to find you, love. Try and think. How did they get you?"
"Have you wondered what our babies would have looked like?" Jen asked absently as she frowned inwardly, trying to picture the future she might have had with her wolf.
"Baby, this isn't really the time to discuss our babies. Let's focus on who is carrying you so that I can get you back. Then we can make babies."
Jen groaned and felt the arms around her tighten, which brought a gasp from her. Decebel must have sensed her pain because she felt his worry.
"I'm okay. Just hurts." Jen actually felt a smile spread across her face. "So you want to make babies with me?"
This time when Decebel laughed she swore that she could feel his hands run down her sides to her hips.
"Only you would want to discuss making babies at a time like this."
"Well, you have to admit that it's a better topic than my nearly being killed and now being kidnapped. Seriously, Dec, I'd much rather think about us making babies."
Jen felt another jolt of pain shoot through her – it took her breath away. She felt her consciousness begin to fade.
"I love you, Decebel. Even if we never make babies, I love you." The last thing she heard before the world disappeared was Decebel's deep, determined voice.
"I love you too, baby. I'm coming for you."
Chapter 2
Decebel squeezed his eyes shut as he felt Jennifer slip away again. He had nearly fallen to the ground when he heard her voice in his mind. She was alive – that was what he had to focus on right now. He couldn't think about the fact that she was in the arms of an unknown male wolf, or that she was in so much pain she was losing consciousness, and he definitely couldn't think about the fact that she wanted to make babies with him.
Decebel thought about how her voice had sounded in his mind. Even in pain and fear his mate would lighten the moment and try to distract him. How had he been so blessed to get a woman who would stand up to him, challenge him, accept him, and love him for the overbearing man he knew he was? At that exact moment he didn't know or really care, he just knew that he needed Jennifer; he needed his mate back in his arms where she would be safe. And as soon as he found her, he would chain her to his side so she would never be out of his sight again.
He chuckled to himself. Yeah, I'd like to see me try to chain her, he thought, then smiled even bigger. Although, my mate would probably like being chained.
Decebel rubbed his hands across his face, setting aside his thoughts about Jennifer while he dealt with the matter at hand.
Fane, Skender, Dillon, and Boain pulled up next to the large crowd in two black Hummers and two vans.
"Excellent." Jacque smiled as she watched the four males climb out of the vehicles.
Decebel waved over the Alphas from the other three packs.
"Each of you take a vehicle and begin transporting your packs down to the village. See if you can find a place large enough for all of us – or a couple places, if that's the best we can do. Dillon, you take a vehicle as well and get your pack down the mountain." The Hungarian and Bulgarian Alphas nodded and walked off, shouting orders to their packs, as Dillon began hollering orders to his pack.
Decebel turned to Sorin. "Get Vasile and Alina in the vehicle first. Then the females, with one male to each vehicle. Have Dorin drive. The rest of the males will stay here with me and wait for their return."
"I'm on it." Sorin nodded and then turned to Skender. "Help me with Vasile and Alina. I'm not sure that they are quite ready to walk on their own. Don't assist Vasile unless absolutely necessary. He won't want to appear weak."
"I want to stay with Fane," Jacque told Decebel.
"With all due respect, Jacque, you do not outrank me yet," Decebel told her firmly.
Fane pulled Jacque to the side. "You must go, love. Take care of the females while my mother is weak."
Jacque pursed her lips together as her eyes narrowed. "If you let something happen to yourself I'm going to be pissed. Don't say I didn't warn you."
Fane smiled as he leaned forward and kissed her forehead. "I consider myself warned. Know that those feelings go both ways, Luna. Take care of yourself."
Jacque wrapped her arms around Fane's neck, pulling him tight. "I love you," she whispered in his mind.
"That's good to hear, because I plan to keep you around for quite some time," Fane teased, trying to keep the moment light.
Jacque stuck her tongue out at him as they separated. Fane winked at her, praying they would be safe as she headed toward the Hummer and climbed in behind Sally.
Decebel, Fane, and Costin watched as the four vehicles, packed beyond capacity, headed down the mountain.
Decebel felt a chill run through him as the temperature seemed to drop unnaturally. He glanced in the direction of the burning mansion. His brow furrowed as he remembered how he had watched the fire engulf and devour the structure.
Definitely not natural, he thought.
"Sorin." Decebel called to his pack mate. "You're older than I am." Sorin nodded in agreement. "What do you know of dark magic?"
Sorin's face paled as he looked just to the right of his Beta's eyes, so not to challenge him.
"It comes from witches." Sorin voice was strained.
"I thought those were just tales," Decebel commented, remembering the stories other pack mates would share. It was a lot like telling ghost stories, only the ghosts were witches who could curse you to have three eyeballs or no tongue.
"There is always some truth in fables," Sorin told him.
Costin and Fane were now listening intently.
"Why do you want to know about witches and dark magic?" Fane asked Decebel.
"There was something behind that fire. I could feel it, like oil running over my skin. It was greasy and thick."
Fane nodded. "I agree that something was in the air. Something evil."
"There hasn't been a documented witch in centuries." Sorin was shaking his head. "And even when there were witches, it was – is – forbidden for packs to employ them or seek out their help."
"Well, it's pretty obvious that Thad isn't really into obeying pack law. He did attempt to kill our Alpha and my mate, after all," Decebel ground out.
The wolves waiting for the vehicles to return huddled with their pack mates, seeking comfort from one another. Decebel felt the chill again. Something was wrong.
Something was coming.
"I want Vasile's spawn crushed into nothing." Thad paced in the woods a mile behind the burning mansion. "Just a pup and he's found his mate. I've been waiting centuries!"
Thad turned to look at the woman who was holding her hands toward the fire, muttering under her breath. Desdemona – or Mona, for short – was an extremely powerful witch. A witch that his pack had employed for several centuries. She was the epitome of evil. Even her name—Desdemona—meant “of the devil,” testified to the darkness of her soul. Thad watched and waited as she continued to bring the mansion to the ground.
Suddenly she dropped her arms and turned to face him, piercing him with her eyes, one blue, one black – both filled with malice. She had long hair, black as night with one strip of white near her face. Aside from the freaky eyes, she was a beautiful woman – a beautiful woman who would cut your heart out and feed it to the wolves if you crossed her.
"I've told you before, Thad, I cannot kill from a distance without the lifeblood of the one you want dead." She sounded exasperated, as if talking to an annoying child.
"What can you do to him? Surely a witch four centuries old can do something," Thad taunted.
"Watch yourself, wolf," Mona hissed. "I work for you, but I will not be disrespected."
"My apologies." Thad bowed his head and knew his words and posture had placated her.
"So you're pissed because he has a mate at such a young age?" she asked.
"Pissed is putting it mildly. If you can't kill him, take her away from him."
Mona walked a slow circle around Thad, arms folded across her chest as she flipped through the curses in her mind. Thad watched as a grin – so wicked it could cause demons from hell to cower – spread across her evil, albeit beautiful, face.
"I have just the curse to take care of our little wolf pup." Mona rubbed her hands together as her eyes began to glow," Nutrea uitat, cherished forgotten, a curse that will remove his treasured memories and return him to the worst day he's ever lived through."
"What if the worst day he's ever lived through was while he was with the half-breed?" Thad questioned.
"She is his most treasured memory. She will be wiped from his mind because she trumps everything. So with her gone, his mind will return to a time before he met his mate that was horrific for him," Mona explained, but the tone of her voice made it clear that she didn't like having to do so.
"Now, I need you to keep silent." She glared at Thad until he raised his arms in surrender and stepped back, leaning up against a tree.
Mona turned toward the mansion again and began to seek out the life forces of those near. She could feel a strong pull just beyond the mansion. The packs, she decided. They had run the opposite direction and were waiting. She smiled to herself. Witches had been wiped from the minds of the Canis lupis long ago. The wolves feared the magic and tried to ignore it, thinking it would just go away.
We are not so easily forgotten, she thought. I will remind you wolves who wields the power and to whom you should bow.
As she focused on the power of the wolves she began to chant.
"Earth, water, wind and fire,
Heed my words, fulfill my desire.
Find the one whose name is Fane,
Seek him out, make your claim.
Bind his memories, treasured few,
Take him back to feel the pain anew.
In his mind, mysteries uncovered,
Rip out the mate he has discovered.
Earth, water, wind and fire,
Hear me now, do as I desire."
Mona continued to focus, waiting for her spell to hit its target.
"Did it work?" Thad asked impatiently.
"Shh!" Mona growled. "I will feel it when it hits him."
Seconds ticked by. The wind began to pick up and Mona's hair started to whip around her face. Her eyes glowed and darkness seemed to wrap her in a cloak, caressing her, embracing her as a lover. She closed her eyes once more as a crash of thunder echoed across the sky. Then she let out a skin-crawling growl.
"It didn't work? What happened? Speak, witch!" Thad snarled.
"His Beta protected him." Mona spoke through gritted teeth. "Somehow he heard the spell in the wind. He shouldn't have been able to."
"What are you going to do now? Can you send another spell to Fane?"
"Damn wolves." Mona turned on Thad. "There are laws that bind our magic. We can't just do whatever we want, wolf. The curse hit the Beta instead. You said he was mated?"
"Yes, but I tried to have his mate killed. I don't know if she is indeed dead but I don't think so. From the way he spoke in those last few moments in the mansion, she was still alive but injured."
"So you want the Beta's mate dead as well? Damn wolf. Do you want all of their mates killed?"
Thad growled at her.
Mona shook her head. "Just hold on."
She began to think aloud, working through the possibilities. "Now the Beta no longer remembers his mate. Right about now, he should be awakening. He will remember the worst day of his life and will think that today is that day. I can't curse Fane now. Even I don’t have the power to maintain two curses such as this. Damn the laws fate has bound me with. I could curse the Beta again to make sure his mate is never found..." She tapped her lip with her long fingernail. "Hmm. That has possibilities. If the Beta couldn't find his mate, then the Alpha would assign his most trusted to the hunt. That would leave them exposed, vulnerable." Mona smiled and turned back to Thad. "The Beta will be the only wolf able to find his mate," she announced.
"How is that going to help?" Thad's brow furrowed.
"He won't remember who she is, dummy," she told him, waiting for him to get the obviousness of the situation.
"So?" Thad shrugged.
Mona groaned. "Are you kidding me? The universe wasted a perfectly good amount of energy on your life," she mumbled. "As her mate, he would be able to use their bond to find her. If he doesn't remember her, he doesn't even remember her scent. Even if he can still hear her through the bond, he won't trust the voice. He doesn't know he's met his mate."
Thad made an “oh” motion with his mouth.
"We don't have to worry about the bond. Though I'm convinced they are mates, there were no mating signs," he told her.
"Excellent. So the only wolf who can find her can't remember her." Mona wiped her hands together as if to clean dirt off them. "That takes care of one mate."
"What of the others?" Thad asked.
"Vasile will have his most trusted wolves looking for the Beta's mate. That means they will be out from under the protection of the pack. Susceptible. It will give me time to work on some special spells for our little prince." She grinned wickedly.
Thad shivered. "You give me the creeps sometimes."
"That's too bad. I was going for warm fuzzies with all the cursing and killing." Mona waved him off. "Give me the name of the Beta and his mate and then be quiet."
"Decebel and Jen," Thad told her as he resumed his position against a tree.
Once again, Mona reached out for the life force. Specifically, she sought out the one full of confusion. As soon as she felt him, his strife, confusion, pain, and anger rolled over her.
"There you are, little wolf," she muttered. Focused on the Beta, she began.
"Earth, water, wind and fire,
Heed me now, fulfill my desire.
Follow the curse given this day,
Continue to bind with what I say.
Decebel, Beta, Mate to Jen,
Though he is, strong as ten,
Unravel what their fate has wove,
Should he seek her, let him rove.
No bond will master what I've wrought,
No mate he'll find if she's sought.
Earth, water, wind and fire,
Go now, fulfill my desire.”
Evil smiles stretched across Mona's and Thad's lips when moments later they heard a howl so full of pain it made the hairs on their arms stand up.
Chapter 3
Decebel closed his eyes and tried to tune out the pack mates around him. There was something on the wind – like a whisper. Using his wolf's hearing, he listened intently.
There.
There it was – a chant of some sort. The only words he could decipher were something like, “binding memories,” and then he heard Fane's name. At that moment, Decebel felt his wolf push forward, a primal need to protect their Prince propelling him ahead. Thunder rolled across the sky. Before his human mind could even think, Decebel leaped in front of Fane. A supernatural bolt of light hit Decebel in the chest.
Darkness consumed him. The lights went out.
Fane watched as his Beta, who had just jumped in front of him, fell to the ground. Sorin, Fane, and Skender all took up defensive positions, looking into the dark night, searching for the enemy.
"Sorin, what happened to him?" Fane called out.
"Dark magic," Sorin growled. "He's been hit with a curse."
"What kind of curse?"
"We won't know until he wakes." Sorin looked back to Costin, who growled as he watched his Beta unconscious on the ground. "Costin, take Skender's position. Skender, Boain, and Fane – surround Decebel. He might wake up feral and need to be subdued. Fane, as Vasile's heir you can draw on his power, just as Decebel can. Do it if he's uncontrollable. We cannot have a feral wolf of his strength running around."
The men moved to follow Sorin's orders, glad to have a job to do as their wolves were pushing to take action.
Just as Decebel began to move another flash of light hit his chest, pushing him back into the ground. The entire pack, as well as members of the three packs left waiting, began to snarl and growl.
"Hold your phase!" Sorin growled as he began to see his pack mates' claws and canines descend.
The night became quiet but for the steady growls. Each wolf was standing alert, ready for anything that might come at them.
Several minutes passed and Decebel began to stir again. Fane and Skender helped him sit up. Suddenly his head snapped around and the wolves saw his glowing eyes and long canines. He lifted his eyes to the sky and let out a tormented howl. The powerful, audible grief that filled the night pulled every wolf to their knees. Howls ripped from their chests and they mourned with the Beta, even though they didn't know why.
The howl died and Decebel rose into a crouch. "Cosmina!" He snarled. He looked at Skender, then to Sorin. "Unde este sora mea? Am privit-o cum moare. Am ținut-o în brațe acum câteva moment. (Where is my sister? I watched her die. I held her in my arms moments ago.)"
Sorin looked at Decebel, his brow furrowed as he tried to understand what the Beta was saying.
"Why is he asking about his sister?" Fane asked.
Decebel growled at him. Sorin stepped in front of Fane, instinctive for him to protect the wolf who had been his charge for so long.
"Ce știi despre sora mea, lupușor? (What do you know of my sister, pup?)” he growled at Fane. His eyes continued to glow.
Fane's wolf – being a dominant as well – pushed forward to meet the challenge. His eyes began to glow also. A low growl rumbled in his chest.
"Fane, he is still your Beta," Sorin reminded him.
Fane closed his eyes and drew his wolf back. Taking slow, deep breaths, he calmed the beast that demanded he prove his strength.
Sorin, avoiding direct eye contact, continued to look Decebel's way. "Decebel, do you understand what I'm saying to you?" he asked in English.
It was obvious that something had happened to Decebel's memory.
Decebel narrowed his eyes at Sorin. "Yes, I understand you," he forced out.
Finally, he stood, body tense, legs spread wide, ready for action. "I ask you again, Sorin, where is my sister? Who the hell are all these other wolves?"
Sorin relaxed his stance, trying to let Decebel see that he was not challenging him.
"It's been a century since your sister died."
Decebel snarled and, moving quicker than the eye could follow, grabbed Sorin by the throat. "You lie! I know what just happened. I feel the pain of it coursing through my veins even now. WHERE IS SHE!"
Sorin held up his hand to call down the wolves that were easing forward to defend him.
"Decebel, you know me. We are pack mates. Would I lie to you?"
Decebel listened to Sorin as he held the wolf's gaze, searching for any deceit. Finally he dropped him and stepped back.
Sorin caught himself before he crumpled to the ground. Straightening his clothes, he spoke earnestly, but calmly.
"Decebel, I think you've been cursed. The year is 2010. We've been attacked by the Serbian Alpha and we think he is using a witch. Two powerful lights hit you in the chest and knocked you out. We don't know what the curses are, but we have a gypsy healer who might be able to figure it out."
Decebel swung around, slamming Sorin with his amber eyes. "Gypsy healer? Since when do we have a gypsy healer?"
"That's what I'm trying to tell you. It's not 1910, it's 2010. One hundred years have passed since Cosmina's death."
"How can that be?" Decebel asked, not speaking to any one person. "And yet, even as I stand here, memories fill my mind that could only be after her time. I know the things that existed in 1910." He began to pace as he tried to work out the confusion that muddled his thoughts. "But I also know of all the things that have been created since. Why do I feel like today is the day she died? Every single raw emotion; every jolt of pain; every lethal streak of anger. I feel those as if it had just happened."
No one responded to Decebel's monologue, watching him with wary eyes.
"Our ride's here," Costin spoke up, and everyone turned to watch the two Hummers and two vans pull up.
Sorin looked back at Decebel to see his reaction. After hearing him say he had memories of things that had happened after Cosmina's death, Sorin was unsure what things would be new to him. But Decebel didn't act surprised or confused by the modern vehicles.
Sorin stepped closer to his Beta as the other wolves began to pile into the cars.
"I know you are confused and hurting, but you've trusted me since we were pups. Please trust me now. I can take you to Vasile and Alina."
Decebel's head snapped up. "The Alphas are here?"
Sorin nodded.
"I will go with you."
Decebel gritted his teeth as he followed Sorin to the vehicles. As he climbed in, he recognized Skender, Dorin, Boain, and Anton. Ealier, he'd recognized a few others – Emilian, Ciprian, and Stellion. He ignored the wolves he didn't recognize. He could feel his dominance over them. They were no threat.
"Where are we?"
Sorin answered, "We've been in the Transylvanian Alps for nearly a week. We had a mutli-pack gathering."
Decebel's forehead wrinkled as he drew his eyebrows together. Images filled his mind, images with black holes in them.
"Why do I remember this?"
"What do you remember?" Skender spoke to his Beta for the first time since Decebel had regained consciousness.
"I remember being here. I remember fighting with some wolves from the Serbian pack, but I don't know why. I remember being locked up, but I can’t remember why. There are these blank dark spaces in my memory." Decebel's voice was steady, though his words became terse as his frustration grew. "Why don't I remember some of these wolves with us? I can smell that you are pack, but I have no memory of you."
"I wish I had answers for you, Beta. I'm as lost as you are," Sorin admitted.
Decebel stiffened. "I am not your Beta, Sorin."
"Yes, you are. You became our Beta shortly after your sister's passing," Skender offered.
"I have no memory of that. Surely I would remember something as important as that," Decebel growled out.
The vehicle drew quiet after his words, the only sound the hum of the engine as they traveled down the mountain to the village. Decebel stared out the window into the darkness – he felt one with that darkness. The empty places inside him, and this unexplainable pain that was ripping him in half, drew him away from the light. He closed his eyes, searching for things that he didn't even know were lost. But he could feel that something was gone. Something very important and sacred to him was gone.
When they arrived in the village, Sorin saw Jacque and Sally standing in front of a large building. The lack of light on the street allowed the sky to twinkle with stars as far as the eye could see in every direction. The building, a tavern, was two stories and had a sharply pitched roof that glistened with snow. Five chimneys stood proudly from the roof and smoke billowed from them, disappearing into the cold night sky. The four windows on the second story flickered with light, most likely due to oil burning lamps or lit candles– making it evident that this town had no electricity. The first story boasted a large covered porch with two wicker chairs facing each other. Next to the chairs, two worn wooden benches sat on either side of the large door that granted access to the interior. A sign hung from the roof that declared the tavern name “Cîrciumă” (Tavern).
Very original, Sorin thought. His eyes swept back to the two girls huddled close together to keep the cold at bay. They waved the vehicles over.
After exiting the car, Fane walked over to Sally and Jacque. He needed to briefly fill them in before they could provoke Decebel with their usual abrasive remarks.
Sally and Jacque's mouth's both dropped open as their eyes fell on their Beta. They noticed his overly grim face and shadowed eyes. Fane quickly explained what had happened, but the subject was dropped as Decebel came near.
"There is a large gathering room at the back," Jacque told Fane, "but we're already at standing room only. Isn't there another group coming?"
Fane nodded as Decebel passed them. Once he was out of earshot, Fane went on. "We would have waited to be the last ones down, but Decebel is dangerous right now. We needed to get him here." His eyes fell on Sally, who took a step back at the look that he was giving her—a look that said he was about to drop a bomb in her lap. "We need you to work your magic on him. We don't know what happened. Sorin thinks it's a curse."
“What magic? I don’t have magic.” Sally's eyes widened. "How will I know what to do?"
Jacque took her friend's hand. "Every time you've needed to know something, your gypsy brain has provided it. Trust your gift."
Sally took a deep breath and let it out, puffing her cheeks as the air left her lungs. "Okay. Bring it," she said steeling herself.
"That's my little gypsy trooper." Jacque winked at her.
"Gypsy trooper, really?" Sally rolled her eyes.
"When Jen gets back I'll let her take over the nicknames and insults. But right now I think that she would want me to fill in for her," Jacque teased. She and Sally had decided to talk about Jen in the present and with a positive attitude, as if she would be returning at any moment. They felt that maybe if they pushed for a positive outcome it would happen. Thinking of the alternative just wasn’t an option.
"Fair enough." Sally nodded as she turned to follow the other wolves into the tavern.
She, Jacque, and Fane were the last to enter the back room. Oil burning lamps hung on the walls, creating a soft, eerie glow. The fire in the large stone fireplace crackled and popped as the wood burned with bright orange flames.
Jacque noticed the packs had created a semi-circle, facing Vasile and Alina at the front of the room. She then observed Decebel kneeling before them, shoulders slumped forward, head bowed.
"What's going on?" she whispered to Fane, deliberately not using their bond so Sally could hear.
"He's paying fealty to his Alpha. He does not remember that he is our Beta."
Jacque gasped. "You're kidding."
"Afraid not, love," Fane responded as he guided the two girls through the crowd. As he got within listening range he heard Decebel's soft words.
"I renounce my right as Alpha and in doing so dissolve the Western Romanian pack. I believe we should merge our packs and be one, as you have said – The Romanian Grey Wolves. I choose to be your second, to support you and no other. I will protect you with my life; I will protect my Luna before all others, as you have commanded; I will protect the pack; I will be faithful; I will be humble in this role you honor me with. Do you accept my fealty?"
"Decebel, look at me," Vasile told him gently.
Decebel raised his head and looked at the man who had mentored him and loved him like a son.
"I know that you do not remember, but I have already accepted you. You have been my Beta for a century."
Decebel began to shake his head, the glow in his eyes filled with disbelief.
"You have trusted me, just as you have trusted Sorin. Would I lie to you?" The question was also a challenge. If Decebel disagreed – essentially calling his Alpha a liar – he would be subject to discipline, or even a challenge.
"I know that you would never lie to me," Decebel conceded.
"Will you allow our healer to look at you?"
Decebel nodded once.
Vasile addressed the three Alphas that stood to his left.
"I would ask that you please take your packs upstairs. There are several large rooms available."
Dragomir and Victor started off towards their wolves.
Dillon took a step forward. "Do you need me for anything?"
Vasile shook his head. "Thank you for the offer, but right now, this is a pack issue. I'm going to speak with you, Dragomir, and Victor in a little while to discuss the best course of action for your packs. I know your daughter is here, Dillon, but she is part of our pack. We are responsible for her now."
Dillon nodded. "I know. That doesn't make it any easier."
"Understood."
Dillon led his pack out and pulled the door closed behind him, all the while trying to accept that his role here just might be over.
Chapter 4
Vasile stood, more of his strength returning every minute. "Sally, come forward."
Sally took tentative steps to the front of the room and took a position next to Decebel. It didn't escape Vasile's attention that Costin was moving amongst the pack, following Sally's progression to the front.
"Everyone else take a seat. On the floor if there aren’t enough chairs."
As Vasile had expected, the dominant wolves remained standing, as did their mates.
Sally looked up at her Alpha. "I don't really know what I'm doing, so I'm just going to touch him as I did you."
Vasile nodded.
"Decebel." Sally's voice was tentative.
Decebel turned his amber gaze on her, and though Sally knew he didn't remember her, it was still shocking to see the lack of recognition in his eyes.
"May I place my hand over your heart?"
He stood up, towering over the small healer. "You may."
Sally reached up and placed her small hand over Decebel's heart. She was not surprised by the strength she felt in his muscles or the way they tensed as she made contact.
She closed her eyes and let the knowing force inside her take over. She saw darkness. An entity flowing through his veins, moving through his body until it reached his brain, where it created a slimy supernatural film. Sally reached into the darkness, seeking its origin, its purpose. She gasped as she felt the wicked intent behind it. A curse.
No, Sally thought. Not a curse. Two curses. She pushed against them and briefly felt the magic behind it – dark magic meant to destroy memories. Not just any memories, but cherished memories, life altering memories.
Sally couldn't believe the curses' intricacy. The second curse bound Decebel as the sole wolf able to seek out Jen. She wondered why the one who cursed him would choose Jen's mate as the only one able to find her. He could track her, couldn’t he?
Cherished memories, she remembered. Decebel doesn't remember his mate.
Sally felt the wolf's pain as his very soul sought for the comfort of his mate. As Sally continued to look deeper into his unconsciousness, she saw that the memories were still there, but they were bound. Then she found something that she wasn't expecting.
The curse was for Fane.
Sally pulled her hand away, collapsed, and would've hit the ground had Costin not, somehow, been there to catch her. She pressed her hand to her head, feeling the darkness recede from her own mind. Costin helped her stand and kept his hands on her waist until he was sure she was steady. She looked up at him, brow furrowed. He grinned and winked at her as he stepped back.
Sally shook her head thinking it odd that Costin had been there to catch her.
Vasile cleared his throat, drawing her attention back to him.
"It is a curse. Well, actually, it's two curses," she began. "I'm going to try and describe this the best I can. It's kind of complex." She looked at Vasile, waiting to see if he had anything to say.
He nodded, indicating to her to go on.
"Right then. The first is some sort of memory binding curse. From what I could tell it has bound Decebel's good memories. And by good, I mean his precious and life-altering memories. So the mundane, everyday, hoo-ha stuff remains."
"Did she just say hoo-ha?" Jacque muttered.
Fane smacked her lightly on her butt. "Behave."
"I'm just saying. Jen would have loved that one," she said absently.
Taking no notice, Sally went on. "It appears that the curse started binding his good memories from the day of the death of his sister. My guess is that she wanted him to forget his mate. Anything important in Decebel's life that was positive is gone. It's why he doesn't remember becoming your Beta; it's why he doesn't remember new pack mates. I imagine he doesn't remember any matings either. The most important fact, I would like to point out, is that she made him forget his mate."
The entire room gasped. Each of them understood the implication of something so important as essentially losing your mate. If Decebel didn't remember Jen, what would that do to them and their bond? More importantly, how would she be found?
"The next curse is where it gets really messy. The curse makes Decebel the only one able to find Jen. It's almost like she's bound the pack through him. Also, I need to tell you Vasile, that the first curse had Fane's name on it. Decebel blocked Fane with his body and got hit with it."
Jacque wrapped her arms around Fane. "I don't know what I would do if you couldn't remember me," she whispered.
"You probably would beat me until I did remember," Fane teased, easing the tension in his mate.
Jacque snorted. "You know me so well."
Vasile stepped up to his Beta wrapped him in an embrace. "Nici un cuvânt nu-mi poate exprima gratitudinea pentru că mi-ai protejat fiul, (No words can express my thanks to you for protecting my son). We will fix this, Decebel. We will not stop until you have your memories back and Jen is safely by your side."
Decebel stepped back from the embrace. "Who is Jen?"
"She's your mate."
"I don’t have a mate. I don't care about the curse – there is no way in hell any wolf could forget his mate." Decebel shook his head.
As she watched her best friend's mate deny her, Jacque couldn't stop the tear that slid down her cheek.
"Decebel, I'm telling you, you have a mate. I would never say such a thing if it wasn't true," Vasile implored.
Sorin spoke. "You do have a mate. She's a little spitfire who drives you insane."
Other members of the pack began to nod, trying to convince their Beta.
Decebel continued to back away from the pack toward the door. He had to get out of there. He couldn't stand the weight of their stares.
"I HAVE NO MATE!" he snarled and turned, storming for the door. The crowd parted, some stumbling to get out of the furious Beta's way.
Sally and Jacque jumped as the door slammed shut so hard it rattled the walls.
Fane wrapped his arms around his mate and pulled her close. Through her tears he heard her whisper, "I can't imagine the pain he must be feeling inside, even if he doesn't know why. What if he never remembers?"
Fane rubbed Jacquelyn's back, attempting to calm her. "We won't give up until he does."
At that, her tears returned full force. "What about Jen? How will we find Jen?"
Sally came over, tears streaming down her face as well. "Just the loss of her memory is ripping his soul apart."
Cynthia, Crina, and Costin came over and surrounded the other three.
Costin watched the tears run down Sally's face and felt something inside him break. He stepped closer and took her hand. He gave it a comforting squeeze and then let it go, not wanting to make her uncomfortable. Sally looked up at him with red, swollen eyes. Her expression told him she appreciated the gesture.
Jacque pulled away from Fane and turned to Cynthia and Crina. "Where have you two been?" she asked wiping her eyes. She realized that she hadn't seen them since they climbed out of the Hummers.
"Vasile had us talking to the owner of the tavern about staying here. We slipped in about the time Sally was just finishing her healer stuff. We heard everything," Cynthia explained.
"So what's the plan now?" Crina asked.
"I think we need to wait for my father to let us know. He will utilize every tool he has, so don't worry, you will have a job." Just as Fane finished speaking, Vasile reached them.
The Alpha addressed Fane and Costin. "Sorin and Skender are to help you organize room assignments. I believe there are six rooms in the building attached to this one. Cynthia and Crina, show them where to go. Make it work."
Before they could respond, Vasile left the room.
Vasile decided to seek out the three Alphas before he went to Decebel. He figured his Beta needed to be alone to sort out the information Sally had explained.
He climbed the stairs and found them standing by the railing, deep in conversation.
"I'm sorry to interrupt," Vasile politely said as they all turned to face him.
"Vasile, we offer our condolences for what has happened to your pack," Victor told him quietly.
"Thank you. We all appreciate your support. At this time there really isn't anything you or your packs can do." Vasile held up his hand to preemptively placate the Alphas." I don't mean that as an insult. Sometimes a lot of help winds up being a hindrance."
"Understood," Victor acknowledged. "We can arrange for some pack mates to take the vehicles back as we prepare to depart. We should be on our way by this evening."
Vasile looked at his watch. "With all that has gone on I hadn't realized it was four in the morning. If you and yours need rest, please take it."
All three Alphas shook their heads.
"We are doing well," Victor promised.
Vasile thanked them again and gave his goodbye. That done, he felt it was time to seek out his Beta and try to patch him up as much as possible. Vasile's blood boiled that someone – and not just someone, but a witch – had hurt one of his. There would be hell to pay.
After doing some searching, Vasile found Decebel sitting on a bench across the road from the tavern. Vasile walked toward him, looking up and down the road. There weren't any cars to disturb the silent night. The crunching of the snow under his shoes seemed to echo loudly.
The village was small, and very primitive in some ways. Though there was indoor plumbing, there was no electricity. Oil lamps lit the buildings and fires heated the homes. Vasile smiled to himself at the simplicity of life here. But even here, complexity and trouble found its way in.
Decebel looked up as Vasile sat down next to him.
"How could I forget my mate, Vasile? What kind of man does that make me?"
Vasile wrapped an arm around him, briefly giving him the comfort of touch and letting him know he wasn't alone.
"It makes you like the rest of us – vulnerable. No matter what we do, no matter how hard we try, we can't protect our mates from everything. We aren't omniscient or omnipresent.” Vasile sat back, contemplating. “I think part of the reason that she has been wiped completely from your memory is that you haven't yet completed the bonding ceremony or the Blood Rites."
Decebel snapped his head around. "What was I waiting for, an engraved invitation?"
Vasile chuckled. "It wasn't that simple."
"Is it ever with women?"
"Don't let my mate hear you say that," Vasile teased.
"So why had I not bonded my mate?"
"You were drawn to one another from day one. The intensity of your relationship is one of the strongest I've ever seen. That said, there were no mating signs."
Decebel took in a sharp breath. "None?"
Vasile shook his head.
"And yet I was sure she was my mate?" Decebel asked in disbelief.
"We all were. It was confirmed just before the mansion went up in flames."
"How?" Decebel felt hopeful. Why? He wasn't sure. He didn't even remember the girl Vasile spoke of.
"Your bond finally connected. You were able to hear each other's thoughts." Vasile watched as his Beta processed that news.
Decebel felt like he had been punched in the gut. He had a mate – a mate! His head cocked to the side as a thought hit him. "If I have a mate, where the hell is she?"
"The Alpha of the Serbian pack tried to have her killed."
Decebel stood up abruptly, outraged, but then a key word hit him. "Tried to have her killed? So she isn't dead?"
Vasile shook his head.
"Tell me," Decebel said simply.
"Marianna, one of our younger unmated females was fooled by Thad into agreeing to kill your mate. It was assumed this would take you out of the picture and leave me without your protection."
Decebel squeezed his eyes shut. "I remember that. I remember killing a girl, but I don’t recognize her. She was pack? I killed one of ours?" His voice shook with horror.
"Be still, Decebel. She betrayed our pack. She tried to kill your mate. You were justified in your judgment and sentence." Vasile paused, narrowing his eyes as he continued to remember the events of that night. "When your bond connected, Jen was able to tell you what she remembered. You shared your memories with me. She was pushed into a cavern and had been severely injured."
"Why have I not been searching for her?" Decebel interrupted.
"She made you promise to get her friends to safety first."
"And I listened to her? I put her friends before my own mate?!"
Vasile laughed.
"Why are you laughing?" Decebel's brow furrowed as he watched his Alpha in confusion.
"You're mate can be quite convincing when she needs to be. She pretty much told you that if you came for her without taking care of her friends first that she would never forgive you. And you knew that she spoke the truth. If there is one thing Jen is, it's loyal, fiercely loyal to those she loves."
"So she's out there, hurt and alone in this freezing cold?" Decebel realized that even though he didn't know this girl, didn't know what he was supposed to feel for her, he still wanted to save her – he wanted a chance to meet her.
"We will find her." Vasile's words were absolute. He would accept nothing less than Jen's safe return and his Beta's memory restored. And the witch who dared touch what was his, well, he wanted her head on a stick. Violent, definitely. But then, he was Alpha and nobody hurt what was his.
"So what's the plan?" Decebel asked. He refused to sit idly by just because he couldn't remember things. She was pack. He would do whatever he needed to protect that pack.
"We do need to make a plan. Meet me in the back room of the tavern. I will go and get the others."
The Alpha and his Beta began to walk back towards the tavern.
Decebel continued on when Vasile stopped to talk with the tavern's owner.
"I will compensate you well for the time you allow us to stay," he told Nicolae, a short middle aged man with a round belly and five o'clock shadow. He had an easy smile and, from what Vasile could see, he was a gentle soul. Vasile spoke in their native tongue, wanting to befriend the gentleman and create a comradeship with him.
"I have heard you have a member of your family missing?" Nicolae asked.
"Yes. We were having a family gathering and the girl got lost in the woods. We will be here until she is found."
"Anything that I can do, I will. For now, I'll have meals readied for your family."
Vasile nodded. "That would be great. I will send some of my people to help you prepare and gather whatever you need. Thank you."
Chapter 5
Decebel watched as Vasile and Alina came into the back room. Following them was Sorin, Skender, and then others that smelled like pack, but that he had no memory of.
He noticed that the healer and the red head kept sneaking glances at him. It was obvious that they knew him, but no matter how hard he tried, they remained black voids in his mind.
"Alright, daddy-o. Let's get this party started." Jacque clapped her hands together, punctuating her obvious eagerness.
"Fane." Vasile's voice was a warning.
"Luna, sit," Fane growled at Jacque.
Jacque glared at her mate, but acquiesced while murmuring, "You are so going to pay for that later."
Fane groaned. "As my bonded mate you have way too much power over me."
Jacque laughed out loud. "That, my love, is because you are male and therefore easily distracted by all things female. Which works to my advantage when you are being a butt head."
Fane chuckled as he tugged a strand of her hair in mock retaliation.
Meanwhile, a semi-circled formed around Vasile and Alina at the front of the room. As everyone got settled in, Costin took the wall directly behind Sally, looking every bit the role of sentinel. A fire burned directly behind all of them in a large stone fireplace casting shadows over the room adding to the mystery that held them all captive.
As the room quieted, the popping of burning wood and crackling flames filled the heavy silence. Vasile stood, but remained silent as he looked at each member of his pack, each member that he had chosen because of their fierce love and loyalty for one another. Not that others in the pack wouldn't give their all, but Vasile knew this group had grown close. That's what happened when people went through the fire together. Like heated metal, they began to soften, and when pushed together, their emotions and loyalty became soldered, no longer separate pieces. As they left the fire, cooling, that joining was permanent and unbreakable.
That kind of bond was what it was going to take to get through this. Vasile was under no illusions that before the end, tears would be shed, pain would threaten to tear them apart, and blood would coat the walls. Yes, it would take the bond forged in fire to walk through the hell they were going to soon face.
Very soon.
"I've been thinking over the situation. I'm going to explain this and then we will decide how to divide our resources." Vasile paused to see if anyone had anything to add. No one spoke, but every eye fixated on him.
"We have three dilemmas,” Vasile continued. We have a missing pack member and mate to our Beta. All we know is that she is lost on this mountain somewhere. Second, Decebel's been cursed, twice. Thanks to Sally we understand the nature of these curses, however, we don't know how to break them or who performed them. Which leads me to our third dilemma: there is a witch, a very powerful witch, assisting the Serbian pack. We need to know her identity. There is power in possessing the name of an evil being, drawing it into the light, exposing it. That is when weaknesses are found."