“That can be arranged, mate,”—she growled—“though it would be a shame to let such a magnificent specimen of the male physical form decay. I’d rather preserve you in some sort of cryo-chamber for the rest of all female-kind to enjoy.” She smirked at his irritated glower. Apparently he didn’t find her nearly as amusing as she found herself. Still, Jen pressed on. “All the other women can eat their hearts out because I had you, and they did not.”

  Decebel clenched his teeth, tipped up his chin, and crossed his arms in front of his impressive chest. “Too bad you wouldn’t get the chance. You’d be in the afterlife with me, mate. And I would be comforted to know that you would no longer be able to put yourself in harm’s way.”

  Jen bit her tongue hard enough to draw blood. She had to remind herself that she loved the massive fur butt in front of her, and he was not the enemy. She’d like to think that she’d grown and matured in their relationship over the years, but at the moment, Jen was feeling as mature as her two-year-old daughter. In other words, she was on the verge of a full-on tantrum of epic proportions. “You do realize that your reasoning is flawed, right?” She lifted an eyebrow at him. “As long as you put yourself in danger, I’m in danger, too. Because as you just pointed out, if you die, I die.”

  “There are worse things than death, mate,” he snapped. Jen didn’t miss the fact that his teeth were no longer that of a human’s. His wolf was well and truly pissed.

  She whirled around, unable to look at him for fear she might resume throwing things. Despite the evidence surrounding them to the contrary, it was a habit she was trying to break. Jen took several deep breaths and considered all the things she could say to get her male to understand that she couldn’t just sit here and wait for him to come back to her. How many times had they argued over this very topic? And how long would it take him to realize that she would never be that woman? Jen couldn’t stand on the sidelines while Decebel and others in their pack put themselves in the line of fire. And no, she didn’t think it was weak for their females to stay back and guard their home or children. She would never belittle her own sex that way. And maybe she was a hypocrite, but despite the fact that she’d stayed back before and protected their home, this time she felt that her place wasn’t in that same position. In her gut, she knew she was to be on the front lines. Maybe her gut was a fool. But in this case, it was a fool she was fighting for. I’m a freaking idiot.

  “Why do you always have to challenge me?” Frustration laced his voice. “You know you are everything to me. I have told you time and time again that I would burn the world to the ground if someone took you from me, and yet you expect me to just let you walk into the enemy’s lair? Not to mention, this man has already taken you and our daughter once before.” He sighed, and she heard the exhaustion in his voice.

  Her heart clenched. She hated making him worry. Jen didn’t want to cause her mate stress. She didn’t like being the one to upset him, even if a good fight did often lead to some seriously hot bedroom activities. Jen blew out a breath. She doubted today would be one of those days.

  “I love you, Jennifer.” His voice filled her mind. “With every fiber of my being. Every breath that I breathe is for you and Thia. I do not want to hurt you. I am not trying to make you feel weak or incapable.”

  Her teeth ground together as she fought the urge to snarl. Using the intimacy of the mate bond to sway her was a low blow. It was the equivalency of wrapping her in his arms and whispering against her flesh, causing sensations that made her want to crawl in his lap and submit to him. He was not fighting fair.

  “When it comes to keeping you safe, I will never fight fair.”

  “Get out of my head, Decebel.” Her voice shook with rage, and Jennifer’s blood boiled beneath her skin. “You will not attempt to emotionally manipulate me. If I did that to you, you would be ready to flay me alive.” Suddenly, she felt his warmth at her back as his body pressed to hers. Jen hadn’t heard him move, which wasn’t a surprise. Her mate was an expert hunter, able to stalk undetected by his prey.

  “I can give you many things, and in the past I have had you fight by my side, but this time I cannot give you this.” He let out a deep sigh. “Something is telling me not to let you come with me. I will not ignore it.”

  She felt his lips touch the back of her head and fought her desire to lean back against him and bask in the love flowing through their bond. “And something is telling me that I am not supposed to wait here.” She shared the thoughts she’d been feeling for a week.

  A moment later, the warmth left her, and this time she heard his steps as they moved away. The door to their room opened. Just before it clicked closed, he said, “You will not join this fight. I cannot and will not risk losing you. It’s non-negotiable.”

  As soon as he was gone, the thread, which had been tenuously holding her anger in place, snapped with a twang. Jen reached for the nearest thing to her: a book laying on the bedside table. With a snarl, she hurled it at the wall. Of course, there was only a thud instead of a satisfying shatter. That only poured gasoline on the fire that was her fury. Her newfound maturity evaporated as if it had never been there. Jen’s wolf claws replaced her human nails. Without thinking of how childish her actions would seem later, she marched over to the drawer holding her mate’s clothes. Jen picked up a handful of garments and dumped them on the floor. She grabbed a shirt from atop the pile and proceeded to rip it to shreds. “Damn, domineering, bossy, possessive, butt-wipe male.” She snarled, tossing strips of material over her shoulder. One by one, she destroyed every piece of clothing Decebel had brought with them to the sprite realm.

  “I see your mate told you to stay put as well.” Jen heard Jacque’s voice behind her. She’d been so intent on her work as a psychotic reverse-seamstress that she hadn’t even heard Jacque come in.

  “That or she doesn’t like his wardrobe,” Sally added.

  Jen dropped the last bit of clothes on the floor and spun around to face them. Her lips curled up at the sight of her best friends. She felt her wolf pushing inside of her, egging her on to phase and tear after her mate so she could sink her claws into his flesh the way she’d done his clothes.

  Jacque held up her hands. Through a haze of fury, Jen saw the other woman’s eyes widen, causing her forehead to wrinkle. “Whoa, we are not the enemy, blondie. Rein it in.”

  Jen’s breath came out in pants, and her heart pounded painfully in her chest. If she’d been fully human and her body weaker, she might have been worried that she’d have a heart attack or a stroke in her uncontrolled state. “How dare he?” She seethed. “After all this time, he still thinks it’s okay to give me orders? As if I am some less-dominant wolf that will simply submit?”

  “He’s just worried, Jen,” Sally said gently. “You know he doesn’t mean to make you feel beneath him.”

  She laughed humorlessly. “Well, he sucks at it. I not only feel beneath him, but I feel like a damn damsel in distress that needs to hide behind her man while he fights my battles for me.”

  “This isn’t just your battle,” Jacque pointed out. “It’s all of ours. And our mates are terrified we won’t win this one.”

  Jen gasped. “Why? We haven’t failed yet.”

  Sally tilted her head and pursed her lips. “Umm, that’s not entirely true.”

  “Low blow, Sal,” Jen bit out. She knew Sally was talking about the battle at the Deep Keep, and it was a dagger in her heart to be reminded of Vasile and Alina.

  She shrugged. “The truth hurts, Jen. But facts are facts.”

  Jen put her hands on her waist and tapped her foot while she stared down her friends. “Are you telling me that you’re okay with your mates telling—no—commanding you to stay behind?”

  Sally pointed to her stomach. “I can’t really argue. I understand why Costin wants me well out of harm’s way. Not to mention, what if we don’t stay and something happens here?”

  “The sprites are powerful, and the fae, elves, and djinn will leave warriors here to protect this place,” Jen said.

  “But they are not the mothers of our children.” Sally’s voice was gentle as if she knew she needed to be careful with the wild animal in front of her.

  Jacque’s lips turned up in a wicked smile. “Jen, you’ve known me for a very long time. Do you honestly think I’m going to let Fane go after Alston without me? Though I do agree with Sally. And I think there are some females”—she glanced at Sally meaningfully—“that do need to say here.”

  Jen blew out a breath, and her claws receded from her fingers. “I don’t know. You’re the alpha female now. I figure you have to be all responsible and crap. Set the example and whatever. Blah, blah, blah.”

  “Probably. But…” Jacque drew the word out for several moments. “I enjoy being a rebel. Makes me feel all badass.”

  Jen smiled despite her anger. “Good to know I’m not the only one reverting to my seventeen-year-old self.”

  “We can’t be reasonable all the time,” Jacque offered. “That would make it too easy on our men. We have to keep them on their toes. It keeps things from getting mundane.”

  Jen looked at Sally. “What about you?” She pointed at her friend’s stomach. “You mentioned that you understand Costin’s concern, and I agree with him. But you know I’d also have your back if you want to be a rebel.”

  Sally tapped her chin for a moment. “I haven’t decided. Part of me feels like I would be a terrible mom to go headlong into danger while pregnant. Another part of me wants to shrug and remind myself that if Costin goes, then I’m in danger anyway. You know, the whole ‘he dies, I die’ thing.”

  Jen threw her hands in the air. “That’s what I said.”

  “How did Decebel respond?” Jacque asked.

  “He said there were worse things than dying.”

  Sally leaned against the wall beside the door and folded her arms across her body. “He’s not wrong.”

  “Nobody asked you, preggo,” Jen muttered.

  Jacque motioned toward the door. “We’ve got time to be pissed about it. Fane’s leading a hunt to scout Alston’s new compound before planning our next move. He doesn’t want to go in blind. In the meantime, why don’t we go eat? You’re less grouchy when you have a full belly.”

  Jen huffed. “Nothing is going to make me less grouchy.”

  “Regardless, you can’t beat the crap out of your mate if you don’t keep up your strength.”

  “That is a much better argument.” Jen strode toward them as Sally opened the door.

  “Where’s your hellion?” Jacque asked.

  “Decebel took her to Rachel this morning before I woke up.” Jen rolled her eyes. “And I foolishly thought it was so we could have some momma-daddy time. But nope. It was so he could lay down the law.”

  “That was dumb,” Sally said. “He should have kept her around. Thia might have lessened the likelihood you would lose your temper.”

  “Pfft.” Jen blew out. “As if. The girl needs to learn how to stand up to her future mate. Who better to teach her than me?”

  “I could think of many—” Jacque began, but Jen cut her off.

  “It was a rhetorical question, Red.”

  “My mistake,” Jacque said over her shoulder. “I thought you wanted some alternatives in case you felt inadequate for the job.”

  Jen scoffed. “I never feel inadequate.”

  “Really? Because I remember you saying something after Thia was born. What was it? Oh yeah. I’m a crappy mom because my boobs don’t work right,” Sally mocked.

  “It was my boobs that felt inadequate,” Jen argued. “I was just sympathizing with them.”

  Sally laughed. “Just when I’m sure she can’t possibly get any weirder, she goes and says something to prove me wrong.”

  As they entered the dining hall, Jen forced herself to keep from looking for her mate. “Glad to know that after all this time, I can still keep the mystery alive.”

  Fane rubbed a hand over his face as he tried, and failed, to keep from feeling guilty over the words he’d said to Jacquelyn during their argument an hour ago. His need to protect her sometimes overrode his self-control. And when that happened, his emotions often hijacked his mouth, leading to hurtful words that, once spoken, couldn’t be taken back. Fane tried to consider what his father might have said to his mother in the same situation but found any meaningful comparison elusive. His mother was centuries older than his own mate. She’d faced many more battles and had years of experience leading a pack. That fact, he thought, should have swayed his Jacquelyn, until she’d promptly pointed out that his mother’s experience had to start somewhere.

  “She will be safe with us.” Fane’s wolf tried to reassure him. “Wouldn’t you rather her be at our side where we can see her, instead of far away where we could not get to her quickly if she needed us?”

  Fane mentally growled back at the beast in frustration. There was a time when Fane would have agreed with his wolf. But that was before his mother had died in battle. And that was before he’d watched his own mate taken away from him for a second time. Now he wanted her as far from danger as possible.

  “You cannot cage her,” his wolf spoke again. “She will grow to resent you.”

  “And if she is harmed or abducted again?” he challenged. “What then?”

  “An acceptable risk. There are other types of harm besides physical. When she left us, her feelings were bruised. You refuse to see how strong and resilient she is.” The confidence in his beast’s voice was unmistakable. “She belongs at our side. Always.”

  Fane didn’t disagree with his wolf. If it was up to him, Fane would never let his mate and Slate out of his sight. Not just because he wanted to keep them safe, but because he loved being with them. They were his favorite people. Jacquelyn never ceased to amaze him with her quick wit and sharp tongue. And with that same tongue she could wield like a sword, she also said the sweetest words to him.

  “Curse it all. She will be the death of me.” He huffed. A moment later, there was a knock on the door. “Come in,” he snarled.

  Decebel strode in, trailed by Costin and Lucian. Decebel and Costin wore expressions that mirrored what he felt—a mixture of frustration and helplessness. Decebel’s jaw was clenched, and the beta’s fists were balled so tightly his knuckles were white. Costin’s eyes glowed bright with his wolf, and his lengthened canines scraped over his bottom lip as if he was thinking about sinking them into his prey. Lucian looked as he usually did—slightly indifferent. But Fane wasn’t fooled. His uncle was always alert, ready for any sign of danger, even from within their own pack.

  “Females?” Fane asked as each of them sat. After Jacquelyn had offhandedly mentioned missing their home, Peri had used her magic to enchant the space into appearing like his father’s office back at the Romania pack mansion. Fane had found himself instantly more at ease once surrounded by the familiar scenery.

  “What are we going to do with them?” Decebel pinched the bridge of his nose. “I foolishly thought Jennifer was coming around. I thought she finally understood what it does to me when she is in danger. And then when I suggest she stay put, she throws one of her biggest fits to date.”

  “Your mate is not trying to be difficult,” Lucian said. One of his legs lay across the top of his other knee, and his arm was thrown across the back of the couch where he sat. “None of them are. You are rightly focused on protecting them. But I think you forget they feel equally compelled to protect you. They love just as fiercely. Their emotions run as deep as the deepest ocean and as wide as the largest valley. You cannot begrudge them that.”

  Costin sighed and leaned forward, resting his elbows on his thighs. “I can feel Sally’s love through our bond, Lucian. I am aware of just how intense it is, but it doesn’t change the fact that my mate is not a Canis lupus. She’s a healer. Gentle to her core, caring to a fault, and scarred to her very soul from what she has faced in her past. And she suffered that past because she was taken during a fight.”

  Lucian’s eyes met Costin’s. “She is who she is because of what she has faced. Sally has survived what would have destroyed most others. It was horrible. But it was not without a purpose. Your mate is stronger for it. She will have the ability to relate to others who have endured similar things and help them through it. Sally is not a victim. She is a survivor.”

  Costin snarled and then grasped his head with his hands. Fane walked over to him and laid his own hand on his friend’s shoulder. He squeezed it tightly. “We will figure this out. But first we need to find out what awaits us at Alston’s stronghold and get an idea of how many Order members remain alive.”

  Fane released Costin and pulled his cell phone from his pocket. He sent a text to Drake, Wadim, Adam, and Sorin. After a few seconds, he said, “The other males are on their way,” then walked back over to the desk and rested against it.

  “Do you think it was the right decision to send the other alphas back to their respective packs?” Decebel asked.

  The beta’s question wasn’t a challenge to Fane’s authority. Fane could sense Decebel’s genuine concern. “We need to know what’s going on around the world with the other supernaturals,” Fane answered. “And their packs need leadership. A pack without a strong, dominant alpha will eventually succumb to dominance infighting.”

  “Peri and Nissa helped the djinn, Jareth, strengthen the wards around their territories,” Lucian reminded them.

  “They know to contact me if they need help.” Fane thought about the conversations he’d had with each of the pack alphas. They’d all readily agreed to return home. All except for Dillon, but that was because his daughter and grandson were in the sprite realm, and he felt the need to protect them. But Fane had reminded Dillon that it wasn’t his job. That responsibility and privilege belonged to Fane.