“I’m sorry you haven’t found your mate, Sorin. It seems so unfair Fane found me when he is so young,” Jacque told him as she absentmindedly traced the marks on Fane’s neck.

  Finally, after nobody had said anything for several minutes, Lilly stood up and suggested everyone pile in the kitchen and help make breakfast.

  “Might as well. Don’t want the wolves to get hungry,” Jen said laughing.

  “You crack yourself up, don’t you?” Jacque asked.

  “Quite often, actually,” Jen responded.

  After everyone had eaten breakfast, Fane asked Lilly if he could speak with her. Before her mom could drag her into it, Jacque grabbed her two friends and headed up to her room.

  “What was all that about?” Sally asked.

  “Fane is going to tell—not ask but tell—my mother he is staying in our home.”

  “Does he know your mom will chew him up and spit him out, werewolf or not?” Jen asked.

  “I told him I would take no part in it, but he said my safety came before him trying to appease her and that he would not trust anyone else to keep me safe other than himself,” Jacque explained.

  “Well, maybe he’s itching for a good fight after not being able to beat the crap out of that psycho wolf today,” Sally said.

  “Yeah, that or he’s just delusional that being a prince or Alpha or whatever is going to have some bearing on what Lilly will allow. HA! Yeah, right,” Jen said with a smirk.

  Jacque felt a little nervous and began to wonder if she should have stayed with Fane to at least help smooth things over. Naw, he’s a big boy. He can take care of himself.

  “I heard that, Luna,” she heard Fane tell her.

  Jacque couldn’t suppress a giggle. She was always caught off guard when he responded to one of her thoughts, especially when she wasn’t thinking it to him. She also tried not to think about the fact she had access to his thoughts. It was weird to consider intruding.

  “Intrude away, love. I have nothing to hide from you.”

  “Yeah, wolfman, that’s what worries me.” She heard him chuckle in her mind in response.

  Sally and Jen were lying on Jacque’s floor going through her CD’s when she heard her mother yell her name.

  “The stuff is going to hit the proverbial fan,” Sally said.

  “If I’m not back in ten minutes, come looking for my body, please,” Jacque told them only half joking. Lilly could have a pretty hot temper when she got upset about something or when she was pushed in a direction she was not ready to go.

  Jacque found Fane and her mom seated at the table in the dining room.

  “So, what’s up?” Jacque asked her mom innocently.

  “Fane just informed me that he plans to stay here until after the challenge. I wanted to know what you thought about that,” Lilly told her.

  Jacque was a little surprised by her mom’s words, so it took her a moment to formulate an answer.

  “You … what … I…” Jacque tried to spit it out, but it just wasn’t happening.

  “Jacque, are you okay?” her mom asked her.

  “I’m just a little confused. I thought you would be mad he wanted to stay here,” Jacque explained.

  “I want you safe. I may be a stubborn woman, but I am not a stupid one. Are you okay with him staying here?”

  Jacque looked at Fane then looked away when he winked at her. She wanted to say of course she was okay with it, duh! Who wouldn’t be okay with a major hottie with a Romanian accent staying at their house? But she didn’t say that.

  “I’m okay with it if you are,” she answered nonchalantly.

  “Alright then, I guess that’s settled,” Lilly said, then she turned to Fane. “Lay a paw on my little girl, and you will be a three-legged Lassie, got it?”

  Fane winced and then asked, “You both do realize I’m a wolf, not a dog, right?”

  Lilly shrugged and then stood up and walked over to hug Jacque.

  “I have to go to the bookstore and do some work. I’m not sure when I will be home, so you will have to fend for yourselves when it comes to dinner.”

  “Lilly, please allow Sorin to accompany you. I do not like the idea of you out alone,” Fane told her

  “I don’t want Sorin to have to sit around my bookstore while I work. I will be fine. No one is going to mess with me in such a public place.” Lilly answered

  “Maybe, maybe not, but I want Sorin to go with you.” Fane’s tone said the discussion was over. It was weird to hear a seventeen-year-old guy talk with such authority, and yet it seemed so natural coming from Fane.

  Sorin appeared in the entryway to the dining room. He turned his head slightly away from Fane, exposing his neck, and waited for Fane to tell him what he wanted from him.

  “Sorin, please accompany Lilly to her bookstore while she works. I don’t want her out alone with everything going on. I wouldn’t put it past Lucas to do something stupid like snatch Lilly to force Jacquelyn to cooperate,” Fane told him.

  Jacque hadn’t even considered something like that. Man, her life had turned into a movie. She could probably sell it to HBO and make a fortune, and she’d consider that once all this was done.

  “HBO? What is that?” Fane asked her.

  “You are just as nosy as Jen, aren’t you?” Jacque asked him back.

  Fane shrugged his shoulders and waited for her to answer his question. Jacque let out a breath and rolled her eyes.

  “Oh, good grief, it’s a television station. I’m thinking I could make a killing selling my story to them for a miniseries or something,” she answered.

  Lilly laughed and shook her head as she walked out of the dining room with Sorin on her heels.

  Jacque and Fane were left in the dining room staring at each other. After a few moments, Jacque began to feel self-conscious and turned to go back up to her room.

  “Hey, where are you going?” Fane asked as he reached for her arm.

  “I was going to go back up to my room to see what the girls are doing. Why? Where are you going?”

  “I guess I need to come up with something to tell the Henrys as to why I am going to be staying over here all the time,” Fane told her.

  “You could tell them the truth. You never know. They may take it well.”

  “I’m not sure what else I can tell them. Nothing really makes sense as to why I would stay at your house as opposed to theirs,” Fane explained.

  “Do you want me to come with you?” Jacque asked him.

  Fane looked surprised by the question. “You would do that for me?”

  “Well, I do have some conditions, of course,” Jacque teased.

  “Really? And what might those be?” Fane asked her flirtatiously.

  “I want Jen and Sally at the bonding ceremony thingy,” Jacque blurted out.

  “Is that all?” Fane asked surprised.

  “Give me time, and I’ll think of more, but for now that will do.”

  “Done,” Fane answered.

  “Let me run up and tell Jen and Sally we are going to go over to the Henrys’,” Jacque told Fane.

  Thirty minutes later, Fane and Jacque were sitting in the Henrys’ living room on the couch across from Sara and Brian. Both looked a little shell-shocked by what Fane had just told them.

  “Sara, Brian,” Jacque spoke gently, “are you all okay?”

  Sara looked at Jacque as if she just realized she was in the room.

  “Are you okay?” Sara turned the question on Jacque. “I mean you’re his mate, right? Are you okay with that?”

  “I’m great with it. I mean, I’m still a little stunned and it does all seem very surreal, but other than that I’m rosy,” Jacque told her.

  Brian had still not said anything, and Jacque was beginning to wonder if he was going to be able to process this without freaking out. Then he surprised her by saying, “I knew there was something different, something special about you, Fane. I’m not saying I understand all of this, but I trust you, and I want Jacque and Lilly safe from whatever is going on. So, we believe you and support you.”

  “I truly appreciate your trust. I am going to try to limit my time here because I don’t want to give Lucas a reason to use you against us. Please stay alert for anything odd or out of place,” Fane told them.

  “We can take care of ourselves. You just worry about what you need to take care of. You said your father is coming to help?” Brian asked.

  “Yes, my father is coming and so is my mother, but they will only be here to keep the challenge fair. My father is a very, very strong Alpha, and few would dare to challenge or defy him.”

  Jacque stood up, went over to Sara, and hugged her then Brian. “Thank you both for being so awesome,” she told them.

  “Yes, I have to agree with Jacquelyn. You both are very awesome,” Fane said shaking Brian’s hand and then hugging Sara as well.

  Fane, Jacque, Jen, and Sally spent the rest of the day hanging out in Jacque’s room. Occasionally they would talk about the whole challenge thing, but mostly they just quizzed Fane on all things Romanian. They asked him what different words were in Romanian. Jen wanted to know how to curse in Romanian. Go figure. He told them about the folklore of werewolves and vampires. Jacque steered the conversation quickly away from that because she didn’t want to know if vampires were real. She was just coming to terms with werewolves, and there was no need to overwhelm her already wavering sanity.

  Fane was a good sport, even when Jen tried to ask about Fane’s personal dating experience and the like. He just winked at her and politely said, “A prince doesn’t kiss and tell, Jen.”

  Of course, the wink nearly made Jen hyperventilate, and so it was only fair for Jacque to slap Fane on the arm for nearly making her friend pass out because he was so freaking hot.

  “I don’t understand why you’re hitting me, Luna. She is the one who asked about my previous experience with girls,” Fane defended.

  “I’m hitting you because you flirted with her and nearly killed her. Don’t you even realize how drool-worthy you are?” Jacque asked him.

  Fane cocked his head to the side and narrowed his eyes. “Drool-worthy? What does this mean?”

  “What it means, Romeo, is when you walk into a room, every chick there forgets she is with the guy standing right next to her and wishes she was with you,” Sally piped in.

  “Exactly. Well put, Watson,” Jacque told Sally.

  “That’s what I’m here for, Sherlock,” she retorted.

  Jacque looked over at Jen to see if she had recovered from her swooning. Jen was lying on her stomach, propped up on her elbows staring dreamily at Fane. Sally followed Jacquelyn’s line of sight and slapped Jen on the butt.

  “OW,” Jen yelped. “What the hell, chica?” she said glaring at Sally.

  “I was thinking maybe we should go see what we can round up for dinner,” Sally said. “It’s already 5:15 p.m., and you know how you get if you go too long without eating, Jen.”

  “Yeah, yeah, just call it what it is. You want to give Simba and Nala here a little privacy. It’s all good,” Jen said as she stood up to follow Sally out of earshot. Jacque shouted, “He’s a wolf, you nymphomaniac freak, not a lion.” Jacque heard Sally and Jen laugh as they descended the stairs.

  Fane looked over at Jacquelyn who was lying on her bed. She was still grinning over Jen’s Lion King reference. Fane was so thankful she had friends with such great senses of humor. Laughing could get you through a lot.

  “How are you doing, Luna?” Fane asked her.

  Jacque looked at him and smiled sweetly. “I’m doing. How are you?”

  “I’d be better if you were closer to me,” Fane replied.

  “Where did all this boldness come from?”

  “When I realized I could lose you at any moment, I decided I wouldn’t waste any time I have with you. And seeing as how I love being close to you, touching you, I feel it’s a major waste when you aren’t next to me.”

  “Oh, well, in that case…” Jacquelyn paused as if to think about it. “Nah, I’m too comfortable to move.”

  Fane laughed, caught off guard once again. He went over and sat on the bed next to her. He placed his hand on her back and rubbed circles, just enjoying her nearness.

  “Keep that up, and I’m gonna be sound asleep,” Jacquelyn told him with a sigh.

  “I will rub your back for you every night if you like, my Luna,” Fane told her.

  “What does Luna mean?” Jacquelyn asked not for the first time.

  “It means moon in Romanian,” Fane answered.

  “And why exactly do you have a pet name for me that refers to a big, round space crater?” Jacquelyn asked skeptically.

  “It is an honor to be called Luna, and only an Alpha female earns that title.”

  “There’s just a small problem with that, you know, just a minor little thing really.” Jacquelyn paused. “I’m not an Alpha female, Fane.”

  “Awe love, but you will be once we are bonded,” Fane pointed out.

  She didn’t respond. He rubbed her back and listened to the hum of the fan motor. He was trying very hard not to intrude on her thoughts. He wanted her to share with him without him having to fish it out of her brain.

  “So, why is it an honor to be called Luna?” she finally asked.

  “Because the moon influences many things on this earth. For instance, the moon controls when the tide rises and falls. And you, as the Alpha female, will have great influence with your mate and with the pack. No other female has the influence you will have. When I call you Luna, I am telling you I recognize how important you are to me and our pack.”

  Jacquelyn just stared at Fane for a few breaths. “Wow, I was thinking you were gonna say something about how like the moon I light up the darkness in your life, yadda, yadda. You know, something sappy.”

  “I could say something sappy if you want,” Fane told her.

  “No, no, I’m good with what you gave me. I don’t see how I could possibly be all that influential, but we’ll cross that bridge when we get there,” Jacquelyn told him.

  “You will see, one day, and probably sooner than you think, how the Alpha female is like the moon,” Fane said as he continued to rub her back.

  After a while, Fane decided sitting up was no longer comfortable and laid down next to Jacquelyn. He folded his arms in front of him and laid his head on them so he was looking right at Jacquelyn’s face. She had fallen asleep during their silence, and Fane was content watching her sleep. He hadn’t realized how tired he was from worrying about Jacquelyn all night and found himself drifting off as well.

  Fane woke with a start. He blinked rapidly to clear his sleepy eyes, he realized the room was dark. He pulled his phone out of his pocket to see what time it was, 8:00 p.m. He looked over to where Jacquelyn laid, but she was gone. He put his hand on the spot where she had been and felt it was still a little warm, so she had not been up long. He drew on his wolf hearing to listen to the house, which was silent.

  No reason to panic…even though a house that is supposed to contain three teenage girls is totally quiet. His mind reflexively sought out Jacquelyn.

  “You do have a good reason as to why you are not in this house, right, Luna?”

  Fane could feel her blocking him from her thoughts, which meant she was up to no good. Why was he not surprised?

  “Why on earth would you think I was up to no good?”

  Fane grinned to himself at her false innocence.

  “Where are you love, and what mischief have you and your sidekicks gotten into?” Fane asked her.

  Fane could tell by her silence he wasn’t going to like what they were up to.

  “We were bored so we climbed up on the roof to look at the stars. See, it’s not that bad, is it?” Jacquelyn responded.

  Fane let out a slow breath, trying to control the strong protective instincts that were a part of his genetic makeup. He knew she was fine, but what if she slipped and fell? What would he do if something happened to her? Get a grip, Fane. You can’t put her in a bubble.

  “No, you can’t put me in a bubble, but because I know it would make you feel better, I will come in from the roof. See, I can be reasonable … but don’t always count on it,” Jacquelyn teased him.

  “Thank you, Jacquelyn, you are right. It will make me feel much better if you come back in.” Fane was so thankful his mate cared about his feelings and concerns. She didn’t know it yet, but those qualities would be a treasure to an Alpha who would often feel as if he were bearing the weight of the world on his shoulders.

  Fane got up and headed downstairs to see if he could find something to eat. He was hungry, and his wolf was hungrier. Fane found some bread and lunch meat and put together a decent sandwich. Suddenly, he heard an ear-splitting scream.

  Fane dropped his sandwich and took off. He threw open the front door open and was instantly hit with the unmistakable smell of Canis lupus. His lips pulled back in a snarl as a low growl began to build in his throat. Fane’s wolf pushed to be let out. His mate was in danger and he wanted blood.

  “Jacquelyn, where are you? Are you alright?”

  For a moment, there was no response, and it was enough to cause Fane’s hold on his wolf to waiver and his eyes phased. He could feel the rest of his body shaking with the need to phase.

  “I’m okay, just in shock. We’re in the backyard. Please come,” Jacquelyn told him.

  Even though she said she was okay, he could tell she was scared. Fane ran around the side of the house and came to an abrupt stop. Fane understood now why they had screamed. About ten feet from Jacquelyn’s back door were four dead animals. Fane walked to where the three girls stood. He stepped in front of Jacquelyn, placed his hands on either side of her face, and made her look at him.

  “Are you alright? Did you see anyone?” he asked her.

  “There was no one out here. We had climbed down from the roof and were fixing to go into the house when we noticed a shadow on the ground. When we came over to investigate, we saw those,” she said, pointing at the four still bodies on the ground.

  Fane looked over at Sally and Jen and saw they were both just staring at the animals. “Are you two okay?” he asked them.