Decebel rolled his eyes. "Glad to see that a little dying didn't take the smart ass out of you."

  "Did you honestly think a little thing like dying would adjust my attitude?" Jen smirked at him as they all took a seat in the large room by the fire.

  "I would hope not, because then you wouldn't be my Jennifer. I don't want someone who always does as they're told, or just goes with the flow. Where's the fun in that?"

  Jen rolled her eyes and this time she spoke out loud. "Where indeed would be the fun in bossing a person around who just agreed to your every whim?" When she tried to sit down next to Decebel on the couch, he wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her into his lap. She cut her eyes at him. "Is this really necessary?"

  "You just died, baby. If I seem a little clingy you can just get the hell over it." To Decebel's surprise, instead of a smart ass retort his mate laughed.

  "Oh man, this life is going to be fun." Jen was wiping away tears while everyone looked on, still in shock that she was here before them…alive, laughing.

  Jen wiggled on Decebel's lap so that she was facing everyone and then looked at Peri, who was standing close to the fire with a quiet Elle, sitting on the hearth.

  "I can tell them everything, right?"

  "Like I could stop you," Peri snorted.

  Jen nodded her head. "Good point. Okay, then. So, as you all know, I died."

  "Thanks for that heads up there, Jen, we weren't really sure since you didn't have a pulse and weren't breathing," Jacque snapped, still irritated that her friend had been in the room groping her mate while she and the others had sat in the main room in serious grief.

  "You done?" Jen asked, raising her eyebrows at her red-headed friend. When Jacque waved her on, Jen continued. "So, I woke up in this white room. That's the only way I know to describe it. It was white and full of light. I'm looking around, thinking I'm not in Kansas anymore, when suddenly our friendly neighborhood Fae appears."

  Everyone in the room turned to look at Peri, who was looking back at them in boredom.

  "So, I ask Peri if I'm dead and she, so kindly and for clarification purposes, said yes – oh, and no. I asked her if she could bring me back. She said yes, but that it would mean that we would be interfering with the fates. I politely -" Just then Peri snorted at Jen's words once again. Jen looked over at the Fae. "I was polite in comparison to my usual standards. Anyway, I told her basically that I had just been mated to a freaking hot werewolf and hadn't really made plans to die a virgin. So here we are."

  Decebel had begun to choke at Jen's words and, much to everyone's surprise, was turning bright red.

  Sally was shaking her head at her best friend while Jacque covered the laugh that was going to bust out at any moment.

  "I did inform her that there might be consequences to defying the fates," Peri added.

  "Might be?" Vasile questioned.

  Peri rolled her eyes. "Might be, will be, whatever," she said with a dismissive wave of her hand.

  Decebel sat up, nearly dumping Jen off his lap, having sobered up from his mate's embarrassing remarks, "What do you mean, 'might be consequences'?" He looked at Jen. "You didn't mention this." His words were a growl.

  "Well you were a little busy panting over my neck, if I recall," Jen snarled back.

  "Jennifer," he said in warning.

  "Jen, now might not be the best time to test his lacking sense of humor," Vasile pointed out.

  Jen nodded in agreement in a show of backing off – a rare thing for Jen.

  "What kind of consequences?" Decebel asked Peri.

  Peri pushed off the wall she had been propped against and came closer to the group.

  "Honestly, I don’t know. Nor do I know when they might bestow them upon her. It could be tomorrow or it could be a century from now."

  "Ooookay. Well, that sucks," Jacque muttered.

  "Hey, I was dead, Jacque. I wasn't ready to be dead. I'll deal with the fates when they deal with me."

  Jacque held her hands up. "I'm not saying I wouldn't have done the same thing in your shoes, Jen, I'm just saying it sucks to not know when they might drop a bomb on your head."

  Decebel growled at Jacque's words, which in turn had Fane growling.

  "ENOUGH!" Vasile stood and the room pulsed with his power.

  "Decebel, Fane, pull it together. Now." Vasile turned his eyes on the girls. "Females, you are going to, for once, consider that your sarcasm and smart-ass remarks could possibly cause a fight between your mates. Everyone is feeling possessive and protective right now. Decebel is off the scale in those departments. So, mind your tongues."

  Jen, Sally, and Jacque were all staring at Vasile and really seeing their Alpha. It was the first time he had ever really reprimanded them and it wasn't a feeling any of them were familiar with.

  "I apologize, Beta." Jacque looked at Decebel, but made sure not to make eye contact. "I meant no disrespect to your mate."

  Jacque's words had the desired effect. Decebel visibly relaxed.

  "So now what do we do?" Cynthia spoke up from her perch on the end of the couch arm.

  "Now we need to bring Rachel and Gavril here." As Peri spoke, she watched Vasile and Alina for their reaction. "Sally needs to learn what she can do. It will be up to her and Rachel to banish the witch."

  "No." Costin stepped up. He had been standing quietly against the wall behind the chair that Sally occupied.

  "What?" Peri snapped at the young wolf.

  "Sally and Rachel cannot do this alone," Costin growled.

  "And why exactly do you say that, wolf? Because you have been around for centuries and know the past, know the history of witches and healers?" Peri's words were a slap in Costin's face. He didn't back down.

  "No, fairy, I'm not old, I'm not knowledgeable about the past. But I go where Sally goes. There is no negotiation on that."

  It was very apparent to everyone that Peri was losing her patience with Costin. If Costin noticed, he either didn't let on or didn't care.

  Sally stood up and went to Costin. She pushed him back and he reluctantly relented. After Peri had broken eye contact, he turned his attention to Sally.

  "What are you doing?" she asked him.

  "I'm protecting you. I told you – I will protect you no matter what."

  "Why, Costin? I don't understand. I'm nobody to you other than the healer in your pack. Why all this sudden interest in me?" Sally was becoming flustered under his intense gaze. "I can't handle this. I can't get sucked into feelings that can't go anywhere. Please -" Before she could continue, Costin pulled her close and leaned down so that his mouth was next to her ear.

  "I don't understand it either, and I'm sorry if my behavior is distressing to you. But I'm not going anywhere. Where you go, brown eyes, I go. I need you to trust me, Sally mine, I won't hurt you."

  Sally pulled back abruptly, as if he had slapped her. "But that's just it, Costin. You will. You will hurt me. You won't mean to, but one day you will find your true mate and I will be kicked to the curb. I'm not strong like Jen and Jacque. Once my heart is given, I can't get it back. Once it's broken, it's beyond repair. How can you expect me to risk that for some crush?"

  Costin snarled at her. "It's not some crush, Sally Morgan!" He had taken a step closer without even realizing it. He and Sally were so close their bodies were nearly touching. Both took heavy breaths, trying to contain their anger.

  Costin lowered his voice when he spoke again. "It's not some crush. I don’t know what it is. I don’t understand why it's happening now. What I do know is I've never felt this for anyone and my wolf won't let you go, even if I wanted to – which I don't"

  Sally lowered her eyes and shook her head. It was obvious nothing she could say would deter Costin from her. Part of her was glowing because of that, the other part was wallowing in darkness, knowing that soon all of her would be consumed by the darkness of a broken heart and broken dreams.

  Without another word, Sally turned away from Costin and took a seat back in the chair. She looked over at Jacque, then at Jen. Jacque's face was one of confusion and pain for her friend; Jen's face, however... Jen's face was full of mischief and something more. Sally looked at her a little longer, trying to weed out what Jen's little wheels were turning in her mind. Then Sally realized it. It was knowledge. She had the smirk of someone who knew something that others did not. Much to Sally's confusion, she didn't really know if she wanted to know what that was.

  Chapter 24

  Peri turned to call Elle to her, only to realize the young Fae had disappeared.

  "Excuse me for one moment," Peri told the group. She stepped out the front door and closed her eyes, reaching out to the council of her people. Her eyes snapped open when she received the information she needed. Her lips were tight as she pushed the door back open and entered the cottage.

  "It appears that my people have need of Elle. I was going to send her to get Rachel and Gavril, but that obviously isn't going to happen. I must send some of you."

  Vasile stood. " I will go."

  "No." Peri spoke before Vasile's words were all the way out of his mouth. "You must not be compromised, Vasile."

  "Can't you cloak us somehow?" Jacque asked.

  Jacque noticed that Peri's lips did the tightening thing again and her eyes were glowing slightly. "It seems our friendly witch has been at work while we have been across the Veil. She has put a tracking spell on the Alps."

  "Meaning?" Jen encouraged.

  "Meaning anything or anyone possessing magic will produce a trail for her to follow."

  "But aren't all werewolves magical?" Sally's brow furrowed.

  "Yes, but dormants and half-bloods won't carry nearly as much magic on them as a full-blooded wolf."

  This time Decebel dumped Jen out of his lap as he shot up off the couch before he even registered moving. "Don't even say what you are thinking."

  Jen glared at Decebel as she pulled herself up off the floor.

  "Okay, I'm going to forget you just dumped me on my ass since I can clearly see you are royally ticked off." Jen was standing on her tiptoes, trying to get in her mate's face. Decebel simply wrapped a big arm around her and pulled her out of the way, pushing her behind him.

  "Jacque and Jen have the best chance of going undetected. Once they are with Rachel and Gavril, Rachel will be able to provide some small cloaking."

  Every male in the room bristled at what Peri was suggesting.

  "You want me to send two of my females into the forest – alone?" Vasile spoke slowly and his eyes began to glow. Alina placed a hand on Vasile's arm, trying to calm the Alpha.

  Fane stood up and pushed Jacque behind him just as Decebel had done to Jen. Jen looked over at Jacque from behind Decebel and rolled her eyes. Jacque nodded her agreement with the sentiment.

  "Maybe the decision should be up to the females in question," Jen announced from behind the wall that was her mate.

  "No." Fane, Decebel, Costin, Sorin, and Vasile all spoke at one time, all in various states of amusement at Jen's comment.

  Jen and Jacque were now good and pissed.

  Jacque pushed her way around Fane as Jen did the same to Decebel. Each girl rounded on their mates and the room was silent as the two couples engaged in what appeared to be staring competitions. In reality, they were speaking to one another through their bonds.

  "It's not happening, Jennifer. You can glare, rant and rave, cry, or stomp your foot all you want. You are not leaving this house."

  Jen growled. A true growl. It only caused Decebel to smile.

  Jerk, she thought to herself.

  "Foreplay, baby, foreplay."

  This time Jen did stomp her foot. She let out a snarl and turned to face Peri and Vasile.

  "Jacque and I can do this. We aren't some helpless damsels in distress. If we aren't producing enough magic for the wicked witch to tail us, then we should be fine."

  Decebel snorted behind her. "Fine? Mate, it's freezing out there. And werewolves aren't the only ones in the forest, or have you forgotten there are other things that go bump in the night?"

  "You are very close to sleeping on the couch. Just want you to know that." Jen smiled to herself when she felt his shock and then his frustration at her comment. Score one for the mated/married chick who shouldn't, but could use sex as a weapon. Jen knew it wasn't nice, but, desperate times.

  "That won't work on me, Jennifer. I'm not an eighteen-year-old virgin who is dying to get in his woman's pants."

  Jen spun around so fast that her hair slapped any in the vicinity in the face.

  "Did you really just say that?" Her hands had gone to her hips and her shoulders were pulled back.

  "Oh man," Sally whispered to Crina, who had been sitting quietly beside her. "I've seen that look. You do not want to be on the other end of that look."

  "You need to understand who you are mated to. I won't be manipulated so you can have your way. S-"

  "You're right," Jen interrupted, “I'm glad you pointed it out to me. Since you are so experienced with the opposite sex, then there is no way me withholding it from you would bother you because you have memories of those other hussies to keep you warm at night. Thank you for that, my sweet mate. Since I know now that unlike other men who desire to be with their women," Jen sneered the word out, "you aren't easily swayed, I will have to find other things that might get this through your thick, flea-infested skull: I will not be dictated to, I will not be controlled, I will not be treated like some 18th century woman who walks two steps behind her man and only speaks when spoken to."

  "Jennifer." Decebel took a step towards her.

  "No, Decebel. Do not use that tone of voice with me. I'm your mate, your wife, your equal." She finished her words through their bond. "And I won't forget your words, my love. I won't forget your lack of eagerness for your woman."

  "Jennifer, baby, I didn't mean I don't want you." Decebel's words fell on deaf ears because his mate had turned her back and blocked his thoughts.

  The group spent the day resting and avoiding the elephant in the room. The males didn't want the females to go, the females wanted to stick hot pokers in the male's eyes. Yeah, it wasn't tense at all.

  As darkness fell, one by one they all found their beds they had been sleeping in and called it a night. Throughout the day, Jen and Jacque had met eyes with Peri in looks that each understood were an unspoken message. Jen casually walked into the kitchen to get a drink before going to bed. Peri walked past and muttered, "Go into the bathroom, I will get you out." Jen didn't question how, she just got moving.

  When she walked past Decebel, he stood and followed her. As they entered the room they would share, Jen thought about how she should feel weird that she was married now and her husband would be sleeping in her bed. But, she supposed, she was too angry to feel weird.

  Married. The term passed through her mind. How the bloody hell am I going to tell my parents? Jen really didn't want to think about that right then, considering she had much bigger things on her plate.

  Decebel took off his shirt and tossed it on one of the empty chairs. Jen let out a slow breath and tried not to drool at the well-toned body of her mate. She made a mental sigh of relief when he began to climb into bed with his pants still on. Saved by the Levi's, Jen thought to herself with a snicker.

  Decebel spoke and she was surprised to hear true hurt in his voice. "Why do you continue to block your mind from me?"

  "I'm mad at you."

  "So, every time you are mad at me you will block me?"

  "I don't know. I'm sure your punishments will vary. Variety is the spice of life."

  Decebel growled at her, then quietly said, "It hurts. When you block me, it hurts me."

  Jen closed her eyes at his words. She didn't want to make up yet, didn't want to feel bad for hurting him. But she did.

  She climbed into bed next to him but didn't lay down. She sat with her legs crossed and looked at him. He lay on his back with his arm across his face, blocking her view of his eyes.

  "Decebel, look at me." Jen tugged at his arm.

  He allowed her to pull it away from his face but still didn't meet her eyes.

  Jen got up on all fours and placed a hand on either side of his face so that she looked directly down at him. If he didn't want to look at her now, he would have to close his eyes. He didn't.

  "I'm sorry," she said, genuinely meaning it.

  Jen started to sit back up but Decebel put a hand on the back of her neck and pulled her face closer to his. He pressed his lips firmly against hers and they both sighed at the contact. Jen hadn't realized how empty she felt from not touching him all day. She leaned into him, taking the weight off her hands so she could run her fingers through his hair. Decebel growled and wrapped his arm around her, pulling her close to him. As she submitted to his kiss, she opened their bond as well and felt his relief sweep over her. She really had been hurting him. That was the last thing Jen wanted to do to her mate. Tease him, yes. Drive him crazy, absolutely. Make him sexually frustrated, duh. But never hurt him.

  "I'm sorry," she told him as she deepened their kiss. She opened her mouth when she felt his tongue brush against her lips and for the first time in her life Jen wanted to act on all the things she joked about.

  Decebel pulled back. As much as he wanted his mate, now was not the time. He'd caught some of the thoughts drifting through Jennifer's mind and knew they needed to stop. He needed to stop.

  Decebel watched as hurt formed in Jennifer's eyes when he pushed her back.

  "Baby, this isn't rejection." He chuckled at her forlorn look.

  "Then what is it? Did you really mean what you said? I mean," Jen waved her hands at him to stop him from interrupting, "I know you aren't a virgin, we've already barked up that tree. But did you really have to throw it in my face, Dec? Did you have to make me feel like my own mate doesn't desire me?"

  Decebel rubbed his face as he let out a deep sigh. "Jennifer, if you had any idea how much I desire you, you would probably be frightened to be alone with me. I want you – in every way. But I don't want you to use my need for you, my desire for you, against me. Not when it's to get me to disregard your safety."