"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.