Fane almost felt pity for the male. How lost it must feel to not understand the love his Creator had for him. Doru didn’t realize that one of the greatest gifts the Great Luna had given them was the gift of free will. He could choose life, or he could choose death. He could choose to follow the will of the one who loved him enough to even breathe life into his form, or he could turn his back on her. Her love was so intense for her creation that it would break her heart that Doru would walk away from the joy she offered. But she would let him do just that because love could not be forced. Would Fane want to force his mate’s love for him? It wouldn’t mean much if Jacque’s affection was not freely given.

  “I will give you one chance to make a different choice,” Fane told him. He loosened his stance, preparing himself to move quickly if the male attacked. “You do not have to continue down this path.”

  “This is the path I have chosen,” Doru snapped. “It is the one I follow until your blood drips from my teeth, and life fades from your eyes.”

  “Like hell,” Jacquelyn’s snarl came from just behind him. Too closely behind him.

  Fane reached back. His hand rested on her stomach, and he pushed gently, forcing her to back away. But his eyes did not leave Doru’s.

  The other male’s eyes ran over Jacquelyn’s form. “Your female doesn’t know her place.”

  “My place is at my mate’s side, and if you continue to threaten him, your place will be with your head separated from your body.” Jacquelyn seethed, her voice sharp as a whip.

  “Luna,” Fane spoke through the bond, his voice full of urgency. The rogue male was looking at her with both disdain and lust. His wolf wanted to take over and rip the male’s eyes from his head for looking at his mate in such a way. “I need you to back away. Now.” He hated to use his alpha power on her, not that it would work, but she would feel it. Hopefully she would understand just how serious he was about his desire for her to move, now.

  “Fane, there’s something not right about this wolf,” Jacquelyn said in his mind. He couldn’t focus on her fear right now; he couldn’t worry about her need to attempt to protect him. Fane needed to keep his complete attention on Doru.

  “Please, Luna. Go back to my uncle's side. And stay there.”

  “Perhaps I won’t kill you after all.” Doru’s voice dropped, and his eyes glowed with his wolf. “Considering that would mean she would die.” He pointed at Jacquelyn, and Fane had to force his wolf to remain still. “Though she doesn’t know her place, breaking her would be worth putting up with her mouth, among other things.”

  Doru was goading him, Fane knew it, and he was trying with every ounce of self-control he could muster not to let it work. He wanted Fane to make a mistake. But when it came to his mate’s well-being, mistakes were not acceptable. He nearly let out an audible breath when he felt her moving away from him.

  “I’m going to enjoy watching my male rip your intestines from your gut and then strangle you with them.” Jacquelyn’s voice was no longer sharp with anger, but cool and confident.

  “Just had to poke the crazy-ass werewolf, didn’t you?” Jen’s voice came from behind Fane, but he didn’t turn to look at his beta’s mate, though he was surprised to hear her. As far as he knew, Decebel and Jen were making their rounds to all of the packs. If they were back, then did that mean Perizada was as well? He couldn’t afford to glance around and check. Doru was beginning to move, his feet stepping to the side as he circled. Fane moved with him, though he also stepped forward, attempting to push the wolf further toward the woods and away from the mansion and his pack.

  “Perhaps I’ll let all the mated wolves live.” Doru chuckled. “If all of your females are as strong as those two. There’s nothing better than bringing a proud she-wolf to her knees.”

  * * *

  Elle grabbed Jen’s arm, keeping the blonde from taking a step toward the male wolf who’d given her the creeps from the moment he’d stepped out of the woods. Elle had received a mental message from Peri to retrieve Decebel and Jen and take over her transportation duties. But even if she hadn’t received this order, she would have gone to get Decebel and Jen anyway. There was something not right about the wolf who circled their alpha, and Elle knew the betas should be there. Elle had been around a very long time, and she knew evil. The emptiness that stared out of his eyes was as evil as they came.

  “You brought us back so we could listen to this waste of fur threaten us?” Jen whispered. She glanced at Elle and then back at Doru.

  “There’s something more going on,” Elle replied. Sorin’s hand slipped into hers, and she felt him searching her mind. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to disappear without saying anything,” she told him through their bond. “Peri asked me to take them to their next destination, but I felt like they needed to be here.”

  “I agree,” Sorin responded gently. “I do not believe this male is acting on his own. He seems too sure of himself. He is well aware that Fane is more dominant than his wolf. That intuition is instinctual.”

  Adam stepped up to the group that had formed a small circle around her where she’d appeared with Decebel and Jen in hand. The only ones who hadn’t joined them were Lucian and Drake. The two males had spread out on either side of the fighting circle and were keeping a close eye on the two males in the center. “Cyn mentioned that there were more wolves in the forest than we’d originally thought,” Adam pointed out. “Why do I get the feeling that this wolf has something to do with those rogues?”

  “Because despite being a complete pervert, you have killer instincts,” Jen offered.

  “Having killer instincts is actually very useful to a pervert.” Adam’s usual playful smile was missing, though there was a hint of mischief dancing in his eyes.

  “That’s a topic for another day,” Jacque said. “The topic at hand is figuring out what this wolf is up to if he isn’t here simply to challenge my mate.”

  “Where is Cyn now?” Wadim asked before pulling Zara closer to him.

  “She’s back in the forest,” Jacque answered. “Thalion is out there spying with his warriors.”

  “Can you talk to her?” Crina asked and tapped Adam on the head.

  Adam nodded. “Elle and I both can communicate with her.”

  “Get her back here, please.” Jacque’s eyes darted back to the growling males.

  “Why haven’t they attacked one another?” Zara asked.

  Elle watched as the two males continued to circle one another. Doru kept throwing out statements that were designed to make Fane react, but their alpha had grown up with one of the most self-controlled Canis lupus around. And though there had been a time in his life when he hadn’t been as in control of his emotions, Fane had matured immensely in the past few years. Doru’s taunts appeared to fall on deaf ears because Fane simply stared at the male. Every few moments, the challenger darted forward, but then he’d quickly back away before he made contact with Fane. Neither male had shifted to their wolf form, and Elle figured it had to be a battle tactic on both their parts, though probably for very different reasons.

  “He’s stalling,” Lucian said.

  Elle hadn’t even noticed that the large male had moved closer to them. His eyes reminded her of the way a hawk looked for prey, scanning the surrounding area, waiting for that moment when the hunted meal would finally move and give themselves away.

  “For what?” Zara asked.

  “He knows he cannot take Fane in a fair fight,” Lucian explained. “He can’t even hold his eyes. Those who can’t fight fair and win know only one other way to fight.”

  “Dirty.” Jen smirked.

  Lucian nodded.

  “So, you think he’s waiting on the wolves in the forest to help him somehow?” Jacque’s lips pursed as she, too, began to scan the surrounding area.

  “He obviously doesn’t know that we have elves on our side,” Wadim said. “Their blades throw true. If Thalion has come with his army, then this is going to turn into a bloodbath, and we won’t be the ones getting slaughtered.”

  “They may throw true, but if these rogues are close to going feral, then they’re going to be hard to stop,” Lucian countered. “We need to form a perimeter around the ring,” he continued. “Females, you stay here in front of the mansion.”

  “Umm, no offense, Dark Forest, but I’m not just hanging back if the pack needs us all to fight.” Jen took a step toward him.

  Lucian’s eyes snapped to Decebel’s mate, and his cold stare sent a chill down Elle’s spine. “What more important fight is there than protecting the young and the pregnant female who are in that building behind you?”

  Jen’s eyes widened, and she took a step back. “Okay, I can admit when I’m wrong.” She held up her hands. “You guys go protect the woods, and we’ll protect our future.”

  “Way to save face,” Jacque muttered.

  Jen shrugged. “He should have led with ‘you females protect the most important thing in our world,’ not ‘you females stay here.’ He sounded like Tarzan.”

  Elle shook her head at the two females and then glanced over Sorin’s shoulder. She swallowed hard when she saw his glowing eyes begin to appear. One set, then another, then another. They were so bright that it didn’t even have to be dark for her to see that they were Canis lupus eyes.

  Out of the corner of her eye, she saw a blurred movement. At the same time, Decebel spoke. “If they’re feral, kill them.”

  A split second later, wolves, some in their fur and some in their human skin, bolted from the forest. Elle turned in a circle. She saw that the beasts were coming at them from all angles. She even saw some coming from behind the mansion. “Adam,” she called out, “grab Crina. We’ve got to cover the rear.” She took Sorin’s hand and motioned in the direction she saw more wolves emerging.

  Elle flashed and then reappeared on the back side of the mansion. A second later, Adam and Crina were standing next to her and her mate. “Did you contact Peri?” Adam asked her.

  “Yes, but I can’t get through whatever wall she’s erected.”

  “What does that mean?” Crina asked, crouching into a fighting stance.

  Elle pulled out a blade from a sheath on her thigh and handed it to Crina. “It means we’re on our own.”

  “Not completely.” Cyn suddenly appeared next to them. “Thalion and his warriors are coming in behind them. They’ll be surrounded.”

  * * *

  Lucian sprinted around the left side of the protected fighting circle. He could hear Decebel running behind him. Across the circle, he saw Drake and Costin taking up positions in front of the barrier. One look over his shoulder showed Wadim stationed closest to the mansion. Lucian made his way to the opposite end of Wadim while Decebel stopped directly across from Drake and Costin.

  “Decebel, your orders?” Lucian asked. Though he might be older than the beta, Decebel outranked him, and he wouldn’t disrespect his position in the pack.

  “Those of us more dominant should give them an opportunity to submit, unless they’re too feral. But don’t waste too much time bandying about. If they refuse to submit, kill them quickly.”

  Lucian passed the information on to Drake who no doubt shared the information with Costin and then Costin to Wadim. Decebel held his thumb up in the air and Lucian glanced around and saw that the other males had done the same, showing that they knew his order and would obey.

  He turned his attention back to the wolves running toward them. Lucian let his hands phase enough that long, wicked claws formed at the ends of his fingers. They were sharp enough to easily slice open the tender belly of a human or wolf. Before the first wolf reached him, Lucian noticed elves giving chase behind them. They moved so fast and elegantly that their fighting almost looked like a dance. He watched as Thalion, who was riding on the back of a wolf that was clearly trying to buck him off, shot an arrow straight into the beast’s neck. As the wolf went down, the elf prince’s momentum carried him forward. He somersaulted and came up on his feet, immediately racing forward to his next foe.

  “Lucian!” Decebel’s voice caused him to whip his head around just in time to duck as a wolf lunged at him. The beast flew over him and hit the fae barrier. Thwump! The shock propelled him backward. Lucian turned to face his attacker. The wolf was now fried like a piece of chicken, its fur blackened and smoldering, but the beast wasn’t dead. The hideous wolf rolled up onto his feet, its muzzle pulled back in a snarl that dripped with foaming bile. Lucian didn’t take his eyes off of the beast, despite the sounds of war going on around him. There would be no offering this one sanctuary. Nor did he dare turn to check on his nephew, no matter how badly he wanted to. With a battle cry, Lucian charged straight toward the wolf. The beast’s eyes widened in surprise. Lucian dropped his shoulder and plowed into the wolf’s chest. As soon as he hit, Lucian shoved his nails into the underbelly of the beast. The claws sank in as easily as a sharpened knife through perfectly ripened fruit. The wolf bellowed and slung his body around in an attempt to break free, but Lucian’s grip was sure. He lifted his arms and brought the wolf violently down across his knee, snapping the beast’s back. Lucian then removed his claws, making sure to grab and pull out as much of his attacker’s insides as he could while doing so.

  He didn’t have time to look around before another opponent was on him. This male was in his human form, though, like Lucian’s, his hands had claws at the tips. He made a swipe for Lucian, but he easily blocked the move. As the man jumped back, Lucian reached down and dug his claws into the ground, turning as he did so. When he stood back up, Lucian launched the clumps of dirt at the male. It wasn’t much, but it distracted his attacker long enough for Lucian to land on the man's chest and push him to the ground. He thrust his claws into both shoulders, holding the male still. Lucian looked into the male’s eyes. They were wild, but were they feral? The beast thrashed beneath him. “Be still,” Lucian snarled, the dominance in his voice stilling the wolf instantly. “You’re not feral.” Lucian watched lucidity return to the wolf’s eyes.

  “I am what Doru has asked me to be,” the wolf said.

  “So if Doru told you to be a duck, would you walk around quacking like an idiot?” Lucian wanted to smack the fool across his young face; the male couldn’t be over Costin’s age. “You would blindly follow a male who has led you into a battle with the most powerful alpha in our history?”

  The male’s eyes widened a bit, though they still glowed with his wolf. “He said if we brought down Fane Lupei, then we wouldn’t have to follow orders. We could be our own alphas.”

  “And you believed him?” Lucian asked. Before the male could answer, Lucian saw movement from his right. He turned to see a wolf barreling straight at him. Lucian started to shift his footing to meet the attack, but then an arrow lodged into the chest of the beast. It fell to its side, sliding until it came to a halt a few feet from Lucian and the wolf beneath him. Lucian didn’t bother to see who’d just saved his hide. Instead, he turned his attention back to the wolf beneath him. “Even as a rogue you have been a member of a pack, correct?”

  The male nodded.

  “You cannot be your own alpha. That is not how our race was designed. We need guidance, and we need leadership. Our wolves crave discipline, or the darkness inside of us grows faster. The question is do you want to be led by a male like Doru, who is willing to sacrifice all of you in order to get what he wants? Or would you rather follow a male like Fane, who wishes to see not only our race thrive but other supernaturals as well?” Lucian began to pull his claws from the male’s shoulders, slowly, waiting to see if he would attack again. When he didn’t move, Lucian removed them all of the way. “I can kill you now, or I can give you the opportunity to see what it’s like to be a part of a true pack.”

  “Just like that?” the male asked. “You’ll just let me go?”

  “I’ll give you a command, and you will obey it, or you will die.” Lucian held the wolf's stare until he dropped his eyes. “Go, wait in the forest, far enough away from the battle to stay out of it. If you are approached by an elf, or a wolf that is not a part of your coup, let them know that I have spared your life.”

  Lucian stood up and then pulled the other male to his feet. He took a quick moment to glance around. Chaos surrounded him as wolves, elves, and fae fought around them. “Go. Now.”

  Without another word, the male turned and took off running back toward the tree line. Lucian saw one of Thalion’s elves with a bow leveled on the male wolf. He turned and looked at Lucian, obviously waiting for a command. Lucian shook his head. The elf bowed his head and then turned back to the battle, focusing his sights on other attackers.

  Lucian turned to see Decebel fighting three wolves at once. He ran toward the group. A wolf jumped onto Decebel’s back. Lucian hurled himself into it and knocked the wolf to the ground. “Thanks,” Decebel growled.

  They worked back-to-back, each taking on the closest wolf to them. Gradually, elf warriors joined their ranks. Like a violent amoeba, they made their way across the battlefield, growing in number and dispatching everything before them. But just when Lucian thought their attackers would be routed for good, more wolves would emerge from the forest.

  “Is the damn forest breeding them?” Decebel snapped.

  “Our warriors have the rogues surrounded,” one of the elves explained. “We’re flushing them out and sending them this way. Soon, there will be nowhere for them to hide.”