Chapter 2
The crisp, late autumn air rippled through Fane’s fur as he ran. The forest around their pack mansion had become a place of refuge for him. Though nothing could take the place of Jacquelyn’s presence and comfort, the forest was a place for him to go when he wanted to give his mate a break from having to put up with his ever changing moods.
The trees surrounding him were tall, creating a fortress of enveloping protection. The bushes, limbs, and leaves were like fingers combing through his fur, welcoming him back as he ran through and around them. The dirt beneath his paws was cool and rich giving him good traction. He was made to be a part of the nature around him. His wolf craved the call of the wild, and Fane allowed him to answer it as often as he could. The only thing that would have made it better was having their mate running beside them.
She should be by our side always, his wolf growled at him. Fane understood the desire to have her with them all the time, but the man in him knew it simply wasn’t feasible. His wolf grumbled at this but said no more on the matter.
“Decebel asked me to tell you that when you are ready he would like to speak to you.” Jacque’s voice invaded his mind and warmth flooded him as it always did when she used their bond.
“I’m out running now and close to their territory. I’ll just go see him now.” He paused before adding. “Unless you need me.”
“I always need you, wolf-man, but I can spare you for a little while.”
He chuckled at her playfulness. It was one of the things his wolf loved most about her. “How is our child?”
“At the moment, asleep. Which is a nice break from the kicks to the ribs I’ve been getting,” she told him. He could feel her anxiety as she thought about their coming baby. They had talked a little about the fears that she had, but because of what Fane was dealing with, it hadn’t been enough. He should be making sure that she was happy, healthy, and excited about their pup. But instead, he’d been a lousy mate only able to focus on his own fears.
“I love you, Jacquelyn. I’ll be home soon.”
“Love you back, wolf-man.”
He felt her pull away from him and was surprised when she shut her end of the bond down tight. Fane came to a sudden stop as his wolf briefly took control. His beast didn’t like it when their mate shut down the bond. He struggled not to turn around and race back to her. He knew she was fine. Maybe she just needed an emotional break from all of his turmoil. The thought constricted his lungs making it difficult to breathe. Was he ever going to be the mate she needed him to be?
Fane regained control and forced his wolf to once again head toward the Serbia pack mansion. As he ran and the bond continued to stay closed, Fane vowed then that he would change things. Whatever he had to do in order to heal whatever it was that was broken inside of him, he would do it.
***
“What are you going to say to Fane?” Jen asked Decebel as she lay in their bed with her head resting against his warm chest as his hand stroked her back lazily. As she had planned, nap time for Thia had turned into mama and daddy time for them. Jen knew that Decebel had other things he needed to be doing, pack management things, but he always put her first. If she said she needed time with him, then he made it happen and for that she loved him even more than she had the day she married him.
He was quiet for a few minutes but she didn’t ask again. She knew he would answer when he had decided how to word his response. Decebel was anything but hasty when it came to words, which of course was the complete opposite of Jen. Another thing she appreciated and loved about him, even if it did annoy the crap out of her when they were arguing.
“I’m going to make a suggestion,” Decebel finally spoke. “One of the hardest things for us dominant males to do is ask for help. We feel as though we should be capable to handle anything and everything because that capability is what makes us dominant. In the wild, our cousins live and die by the survival of the fittest. Females pick their mates based on who the strongest male is. Pack Alphas are chosen by battles between wolves that are determined to show that they are the one dominant, strong enough and powerful enough to lead. Though we are more civilized than our cousins, we still feel those drives to a certain extent.”
“Really?” Jen asked with wide eyes and then lifted a brow at him. “I never would have guessed that,” she said dryly.
Decebel smacked her on the behind as he huffed. “Behave female.”
Her lips quirked up in a small smile and she would have retorted, but she decided to let it go because of the worry she could see in his eyes. “What has you so worried, Dec?” she asked in a voice she only used with him or Thia. They were the only two who brought out the gentler side that hid beneath the shield she kept in place for the rest of the world.
“Fane is still so very young. He’s mated and been through much that has caused him to have to mature quickly, but he hasn’t yet reached that place of confidence that comes with age.” His fingers began brushing through her blonde locks as she lay her head back on his chest and waited for him to continue. “There are some experiences that can break a person, Jennifer. There are some things that happen to a person that they just can’t come back from.”
The ominous sound in his voice had her pushing up on her forearms to look at him. “You think that’s what’s happened to Fane?” She knew that her question held serious doubt because she couldn’t believe that Fane could ever be broken; just like the idea of Decebel ever being broken was laughable to her. They were male Canis lupus―strong, powerful, dominant, Alpha―and they kicked butts while taking names. How could any of them possibly be broken?
Decebel held her gaze as he answered her. “I don’t know. After the fight he and Costin had, he seemed to get better and I thought he had finally made it through the darkness to the other side, but something has pulled him back in.”
Jen was about to say something in response but there was a knock at their door that had her snapping her mouth closed.
“Speak,” Decebel growled. Jen grinned. He hated having his time with her interrupted.
“Fane Lupei is here to see you, Alpha,” the wolf on the other side of their door answered.
“Well, that didn’t take long,” Jen mumbled as her mate climbed out of their bed, giving her one of her favorite shows—the Decebel getting dressed show. She liked the Decebel getting undressed show better, but she’d take what she could get.
He glanced at her as he pulled on his pants. “You have no shame, woman.”
A wicked grin spread across her face as she propped her chin up on her hand. “And you hate that you love that about me.”
He chuckled and slipped on a shirt. “As long as your lack of shame only extends to me, I’m more than happy to endure it. It’s when you decide to share that particular quality with others that I am annoyed.”
“Annoyed? Seriously, what are you the king of understatement-ville? Annoyed is not even close to what you become.”
He shrugged, something he’d picked up from her. “I say annoyed; you say ready to rip someone apart limb from limb.”
She shook her head at him and shooed him away. “Go do what you gotta do, Alpha. I’ll be patiently awaiting your return.”
He gave her a crooked smile as he opened their door. “Baby, you don’t do anything patiently.”
Jen rolled her eyes and threw a pillow at the closing door. “I put up with you, you butthead. That’s the ultimate act of patience,” she called out and despite the shut door she knew he had heard her.
“I swear if he wasn’t so yummy I’d push him out a window,” she grumbled to the empty room.