“Whoever came up with the saying when it rains it pours was a bloody optimist. In my experience, when it rains, it doesn’t just pour. More likely, it is a tsunami. I mean the wind blows so hard that houses fly around like Dorothy’s shack and Toto can just kiss his hairy butt goodbye. Rain comes down in sheets so thick that you might just drown out on the street. And while all this is going on, we have werewolf males doing the complete opposite of what is in their nature to do. They are running in the wrong freaking direction. I mean, seriously guys, what the hell is up with that? When it rains it pours, HA, that’s a good one.” ~Jacque
Sally was sitting next to Jen on the bed when the door came flying open. Jacque came running in with a frown on her face. Behind her, Peri and Lilly followed.
“Lilly!” Sally smiled and jumped to her feet to give her a hug.
“Hey Ms. P,” Jen said from the spot where she sat. She didn’t get up because she was nervous that the sudden pain would come back. Sally had called Cynthia to come check on her and they had been waiting when Jacque and the two others had come barging in.
Jacque had yet to say anything but stood off to the side with her arms folded across her chest with her face pinched into a tight frown.
“Um, Jacque aren’t you glad to see your mom?” Jen asked.
“She would be, if the reason she was seeing her wasn’t because her king is giving her the boot,” Peri interjected.
“Thank you for that, Peri,” Jacque snapped.
“What?” Sally’s eyes widened as she took a step back so she could see everyone in the room.
“What do you mean giving her the boot?” Jen nearly snarled as she started to stand.
The door flew up again before anyone could answer and Cynthia came rushing in.
“Are you alright...any blood, nausea, vomiting?” The questions flew from her mouth like rapid fire gun shots as she continued towards Jen. She ignored the others as she took Jen’s pulse and listened to her respirations and then listened for the heartbeat of the baby.
“Calm down, Dr. Quinn, medicine woman. It was a false alarm. I had a brief moment of pain and then it was gone. Sally was just being over cautious.”
Cynthia looked around and noticed for the first time that the room was full of women.
“Where the heck is your mate?”
Yet again the door flew open, only much harder since it was a large, upset wolf who came through it.
“Jennifer,” Decebel maneuvered quite gracefully for his large size around the women until he stood in front of his mate.
“Are you alright?” he asked gently as he brushed his fingers against her cheek.
Jen felt the familiar butterflies that Decebel always triggered in her as if they lie dormant until he touched her or even simply looked at her as he was doing right now.
She nodded. “It was nothing, just a sharp pain and then gone.”
Decebel stared into her eyes. As she tried to search in his mind to find out what he was thinking, she felt him gently push her out. She was still angry about their earlier discussion, but now there were other things to think about.
“Not now, okay. Later, we’ll talk.” He leaned down and kissed her on the forehead and the act was so gentle, so unlike her mate, that once again she felt the unease of knowing that something was wrong.
“What’s going on?” Decebel asked as he turned to face the group of women.
Peri let out an exasperated huff. “Can we please just get anyone necessary for this little meeting of the not-so-stable minds in here so we don’t have to repeat it fifteen bloody times?”
“Vasile wants us to meet in the great hall,” Costin said from the doorway. All the eyes in the room swept over to look at him.
“Finally, someone who doesn’t nearly rip my door off to get in,” Jen grumbled. Decebel slipped his hand into hers and gave it a small squeeze, which just sent those damn butterflies soaring up her throat and nearly out of her eyes in the form of tears.
Everyone in the room was still looking at Costin like he was a funny growth on the wall.
He huffed when nobody moved. “My mate informed me of what was going on so I took it upon myself to share it with Vasile. That’s how I have a freaking clue. Can we all please go to the great hall now?”
Everyone nodded in unison with small ‘oh’ and ‘right’ coming from them. By the time everyone had filed out of the room, Fane was there waiting to take Jacque’s hand. They stayed at the back of the group with Lilly walking next to them.
No one spoke, as if there was an unwritten law that kept them from discussing the matter until they were all gathered, just a Peri had suggested.
Vasile, Alina, Wadim, Cyn, Sorin, Elle, Adam and Crina all sat waiting for them in the large room.
“The gang’s all here Vasile,” Peri announced, “gathered again. It’s sort of like one of those where are they now specials on Oprah.”
Jen let out a snort as she took a seat with Decebel by her side. “Do you do anything besides watch daytime television and perform dramatic special effects?”
Peri raised a brow at Jen. “I keep your not so tiny anymore ass out of trouble.”
“Hey,” Jen nearly shouted, “not cool Peri, no talking about the pregnant chick’s backside. Once it’s back in its former glory, you can make jokes about it all you want. Until then, you will learn to like big butts.”
“And I cannot lie,” Sally whispered bringing a snort of laughter from everyone except Vasile and Alina who looked bewildered.
As usual, Vasile cleared his throat to bring everyone’s attention back to the matter at hand.
“From what I understand, we did not come down here to discuss Decebel’s mate’s posterior. So would someone please enlighten me as to what is going on and why we have the pleasure of Lilly’s company?”
Lilly stepped forward before anyone could speak and nodded to Alina and Vasile in greeting. Her smile was tight and it was obvious she was upset.
“I’m sorry to have barged in on you,” she started but was interrupted by Jacque.
“First off, you are welcome here anytime. Second, it was the fairy who barged in.”
Peri rolled her eyes but didn’t comment.
“Cypher has decided it is not safe for me to stay,” Lilly continued as if her daughter had not spoken, “because of his brother. So he has asked me to return to my home in Texas.”
Vasile did not speak right away. His eyes were narrowed, but not in anger. He seemed to be carefully considering what he would say.
“Did Cypher consult you on the matter before he asked you to leave?” he finally asked.
“No.”
“Surprise, surprise,” Jen muttered.
“Peri, what part do you play in all of this?” he asked as he turned to look at the fae.
“I went to talk with Cypher like I told you I would. It turned out to be a very informative conversation. First, we discussed the disgusting evil that is permeating his forest, and then we discussed the eviction of his supposed mate. Then I told him you requested his presence. Just as I was getting ready to leave, he asked me if I would accompany Lilly to the airport. Being the kind hearted person that I am, I agreed.”
There was a collective snort from the females in the room.
“If by kind hearted you mean meddlesome, then yes, you are indeed kindhearted.” The words came from Elle who sat across the room and surprised glances shot her way. She simply stared back, waiting for Peri to continue.
“Why did you bring Lilly here and not the airport?” Alina asked.
“I thought she had a right to tell her daughter what was going on and say her goodbyes.”
“So you do plan to go back to the U.S.?” Vasile asked.
Lilly glanced over at Jacque who stood rigidly with tight fists at her sides and narrowed eyes. Fane stood behind her with a hand resting on her hip. After several heartbeats, Lilly looked back to Vasile.
“Yes.”
“I’m going with her,” Jacque said as soon as the word was out of her mother’s mouth. She stepped away from Fane. He let out an audible growl and reached for his mate, but Jacque swatted his hand away. She walked over to stand next to her mom and took her hand.
“I know that Cypher thinks that he is making her safe by sending her home, but if his brother is as whacked as he says he is and he wants my mom, then an ocean is not going to keep him from her.”
Vasile looked from Jacque to his son and felt the weight of his position settle over him. Fane was in no state to travel, to be out of his territory, and out of Vasile’s control. And Vasile could not order Jacque to stay here. If he did, she would probably end up resenting Fane because of it. Next to him, Alina patted his leg and then stood up.
“I will go with Lilly and Jacque,” she announced. Vasile did not look up. He was not surprised that his mate would offer such a thing, and he would be a very dumb man to think he could stop her. He knew what she was doing, trying to appease their son and help keep Lilly and their daughter in-law safe at the same time. Fane just might be okay with Jacque going if his mother was with her―maybe.
“I’m going too.” Sally suddenly jumped up and hurried over to Jacque’s side. Costin’s face resembled Fane’s as he took several steps after his mate. The looks on the ladies’ faces had him stopping in his tracks. He had no doubts that they would claw his eyes out if he tried to get Sally; females could be protective like that.
“And me.” Jen was up as quickly as her pregnant self could move and standing next to the group. She looked back over her shoulder, expecting Decebel to be right behind her snarling and objecting. But instead, he was rooted to his spot. His jaw was so tense she thought he just might break it from clenching and his eyes were bright, bright, amber. For the first time in their relationship, he wasn’t stopping her from leaving his side, and with her being pregnant no less. The shock of it nearly drove her to her knees. She felt a warm hand slide in hers and looked over to see Sally giving her a gentle smile. Sally, the glue to the trio’s friendship, always knew what to do and when to do it. Jen turned her attention back to the group, effectively putting her mate at her back.
“If Jen goes, then I go.” Cynthia stepped forward with a resigned sigh.
Rachel, Crina, Elle and Cyn stepped forward next and the growls in the room were beginning to drown out the voices.
“This is really a tough choice,” Peri grumbled. “I can either live in estrogen city or testosterone valley.” She looked from the men to the women and then stepped towards the females. “But at least in estrogen city there will be chocolate and Jen to keep me entertained.”
Jen grinned. “We aim to please Peri fairy.”
Alina turned to her mate questioningly. “What would you say to this, Alpha?”
Vasile stood and looked around the room at the very tense, very angry mated males and then back at the determined females. “You are asking the impossible my love,” he told her.
“Lilly is pack by way of Jacque and it is our job to protect her. The males need to stay here and figure out a plan to deal with this new threat. I would think you all would be happy to have us out of harm’s way.”
He chuckled out loud. “You would play that card.”
Alina tilted her head to the side and waited for his decision.
“It is within my right to speak for the females of my pack. Decebel will need to speak for the females in his pack.” He paused and glanced one more time at the males. He wouldn’t be surprised if they tried to strangle him in his sleep. “The females who have requested,” he laughed at that, “to go with Lilly will do so except Rachel.” Rachel looked at Vasile, waiting for his explanation and knowing the Alpha always had an agenda. “Rachel, we cannot have both healers away. One must remain here to tend to the needs of the pack and since you are in my pack, you stay.”
Gavril let out a satisfied rumble and walked over, tugging Rachel away from the group. He pulled her into his arms which seemed to soften the frustration that had been written across her tight lips.
Sorin stepped forward and Adam was right behind him. “Don’t you think some males should go with them?”
“And who would I send?” Vasile snapped, “If I send a couple of the mated males, the others will feel slighted. If I send any of the unmated males, they will die by the teeth of one of the mated males. So tell me Sorin, who can I send?”
Sorin did not have an answer and he knew Vasile was right. He stepped back, but his eyes continued to glow as he turned his eyes on his mate.
“Decebel, you must decide if you will allow your mate and Sally to go.” Vasile took a step back, giving the other alpha the floor.
Decebel’s eyes bore into Jennifer’s back. She refused to look at him and he knew it was because he hadn’t refused her request. How ironic was it that the one time he did not object to her, she gets angry about it.
“They may go.” his words rung out through the hall and he swore that everyone stopped breathing. Was he really so unreasonable that they would be so shocked over his decision? He thought back over the course of the past few months and decided, yes, he definitely was unreasonable when it came to Jennifer because the idea of losing her was enough to drive him to the most irrational choices sometimes.
“We leave tonight,” Peri announced. Growls and chairs being shoved out of the way began to fill the room as angry mates tried to keep their anger under control. Costin lost the battle and phased right there—clothes tearing, eyes glowing, saliva dripping from his fangs. He gave Sally one last look before turning and running from the great hall.
“Oh dear.” Sally blew out an exhausted breath.
“I think that’s going to top the understatements of all understatements,” Jacque told them as she pointed them in the direction of her own mate who was standing so still he didn’t even look like he was breathing, but his clawed hand gripping the door frame was the damning evidence that his own control was nearly gone.
“So where are we meeting and what time?” Jen spoke up and drew all the females’ attention away from the ticked-off males.
“Vasile said we can take the pack jet and it will be ready to go in two hours,” Alina told them.
Cynthia rubbed her hands together and was suddenly in all business mode. “Alright then, we have two hours to pack and calm the guys down enough so that they might not tear the mansion apart while we are gone.”
They each again glanced over their shoulders and Jen let out a snort. “Yeah, I don’t think anything we say or do is going to calm this bunch down. Look,” she pointed, “Vasile has Sorin up against the wall by his throat.”
Elle’s eyes widened and took a step in her mate’s direction, but Alina stopped her with a gentle hand on her arm.
“That is between Alpha and pack member. Do not interfere; you will only make it worse.”
Elle’s lips pursed and it was obvious that she didn’t want to listen to Alina. But after one last glance, she turned away.
The girls all agreed to meet at the front doors of the mansion in two hours whether their males were calmed down or not. Jen pointed out that maybe there should be some sort of signal if they were detained, “by ropes or something equally as fun,” she told them. They all shook their heads at her. With audible groans, they headed towards their rooms.
Jen turned to look at Decebel who hadn’t appeared to have moved from the spot where he had announced his decision. She narrowed her eyes at him and a snarl worthy of an alpha female ground out through her lips.
“Our room. Now.”
Decebel flinched under his mate's stare and the words that she pushed through their bond, the one he was trying to close off, tore at his heart. That pain would be nothing compared to the anguish he was about to endure because he was doing something that went against everything in his nature. His wolf was in an absolute rage and Decebel knew that if he let his wolf have any amount of control, he would grab Jennifer and never let her out of his sight. The idea of their mate and their child so far away was like a knife ripping through his organs, twisting this way and that, destroying any function they might have had. And this was only the beginning.