“Fane said we wait to hear back from Alice after Lizzy’s transition is complete.” Lilly glanced down at them. “And he agreed that we don’t need to tell the healers anything at this point.”

  “Lilly, what about Costin?” Skender asked. “If he knows anything, then Sally will, too.”

  “Only Fane and Jacque were in his office when I spoke to him. He’s smart, Skender. He knows that even his closest warriors are on a need-to-know basis at this point.”

  “That’s not going to go over well with Decebel. Or Sorin, considering he was Fane’s personal bodyguard his whole life.”

  “He’s the alpha, Skender. And he has everyone’s best interest at heart. Until he proves he’s not up to the task, we trust Fane’s judgement.”

  Jen and Jacque were pouring sweat. They stared across at their mates, who were also sweating, though, to Jen’s irritation, not nearly as much as she and Jacque. The partners had been sparring with one another for almost an hour now. Costin and Titus were present, as well, and it was incredibly fun to watch the little furball attempt to take them down. He didn’t have a snowball’s chance in hell, but Jen found it hilarious when Dec occasionally let the pup believe he could win. Titus would strut around like a preening peacock. Jen made sure to knock him off his pedestal every time with a good body slam. She had to admit the kid was tough. Jen wasn’t pulling her punches.

  “Why do I feel like you’re not telling me something?” Jen asked Jacque between blocking Decebel’s overhead punch and countering with one of her own.

  “Because I’m not.” Jacque answered as she dodged Fane’s claws. The group was mostly in their human forms and had only phased things like their hands, teeth, and eyes. “There are lots of things I don’t tell you.”

  “You know that’s not what I mean, Red,” Jen said dryly. “What’s going on with the whole vampire-healer-hybrid crap?”

  “We’re waiting to hear from the healer,” Fane answered before Jacque could. “Once we know more, we will formulate a plan. We can’t go in blind. I won’t risk our people.”

  Jen stopped, taken aback by his abrupt tone. Decebel stepped up next to her side, and she looked up at her mate and noticed his glowing eyes focused on Fane.

  Fane stared back at his beta. After a few heartbeats, Decebel dropped his gaze.

  “What was that?” Jen asked her mate.

  “Nothing,” Decebel responded, his voice sharp.

  “Seriously? You think I’m blind? I saw the power play between you two. Why, Dec?”

  He looked at her and cupped her cheek. “I don’t know. That’s the truth. But you’re right. There’s something Fane isn’t telling us.”

  Jen frowned. “Since when does he keep secrets?”

  “Whatever it is, I trust he has a good reason to keep it close to the vest.”

  “So you’re telling me I shouldn’t go calling the people who are working on the Area 51 deal-io to see if I can find out what’s what?”

  Decebel gripped her chin in his hand. “That’s exactly what I’m telling you, female. Promise me.”

  Jen pressed her lips together and swallowed down her knee-jerk response. “Fine. I promise. But how long are we going to let this go?”

  “He will tell us when he feels the time is right, Jennifer. Being alpha is difficult, and the job is full of hard decisions that make others judge you. What he needs, what both of them need, is our support.”

  Jen looked over at Jacque. The alpha female had stepped out of the sparring circle to get a drink of water. When she lowered the bottle, Jen noticed the worry in her redheaded friend’s eyes. She saw the lines on Jacque’s forehead and the tightness around her mouth. Jen hadn’t been paying attention. But now she could tell that whatever weighed on her and Fane was heavy. She wished she could take some of the burden, but her mate was right. Fane and Jacque wanted what was best for their pack and allies. Whatever they knew, it was something they felt needed to be kept quiet.

  Jacque’s head turned as if she could feel Jen’s eyes on her. When their gaze collided, Jen could see an apology in her best friend’s eyes. Jen reached to her through the pack bond, but it was closed up tight.

  “I’m sorry,” Jacque mouthed from across the room.

  Jen walked over to her and pulled her into a hug. “Never apologize to me for doing what you think is right. I trust you, Red. Always.”

  “Thank you,” Jacque said softly.

  “Why did I not know it was group hug time?” Sally came up beside them.

  Jen rolled her eyes. “We don’t have scheduled group hug times.”

  “You say that like it’s weird, yet I know for a fact that you have Momma-Daddy time—as you call it—on a schedule,” Sally replied.

  “Sorry, babe.” Jen patted her shoulder. “But your hugs don’t rate up there with Decebel’s bedroom skills. Be happy I do schedule Mommy-Daddy time, or we might never leave our bedroom.”

  Sally tried to keep from smiling. “And how would that be a problem for the rest of us?”

  “Pregnancy is making you bold.” Jen grinned and then her face sobered. “I’m not sure I like it.”

  “Shut up.” Sally shoved her. “You love it.”

  Jacque laughed, and Jen was glad to see the smile on her friend’s face. Sally winked at her, and Jen realized that had been the brunette’s plan all along. Damn, she had good friends.

  “Okay, well, sit your pregnant ass down. I’m about to school your kid on how to sneak up on his prey.” Jen turned and lunged at the little wolf who’d been trying to catch her off guard.

  Titus yipped and took off running. Jen phased, letting her clothes fall away in shreds, and chased after Sally's son. She heard the laughter of others in the room when Titus made ridiculous squealing sounds every time he looked back and saw how close she was to nipping his hindquarters. Her wolf loved the chase. She loved it even more because she was getting to play with one of their pack’s pups. Vasile and Alina would have been overjoyed to witness this.

  Fane suddenly appeared out of nowhere in his massive wolf form. Titus tried to stop, but his claws could find no purchase on the floor. The pup went skittering, his legs flailing. Fane grabbed the cub by the scruff of his neck and tossed him up in the air. Then he moved, so Titus landed on Fane’s back. Vasile and Alina would be proud of their son, too. Jen watched Fane interact with the pup, and she realized this was the first cub phasing to occur since Fane was born. The alpha’s bright blue eyes met hers briefly, and Jen’s wolf dropped their eyes immediately. She felt reassurance flow through the pack bonds and knew Fane was trying to put her at ease.

  Jen lifted her head when she heard little claws against the floor. Titus ran straight for her, but instead of attacking her, he ran right underneath her belly and stayed there. Jen’s wolf laughed. She looked down at him, trying to nudge him out from under her. Then she felt breath on her fur. She raised her head and came face to face with her mate’s muzzle. Titus had been running from Decebel. The amber eyes of her mate danced with humor as he made to lunge for the pup. Jen snapped her teeth and growled while using her back leg to push Titus farther away from Dec.

  “You really want to do this?” There was a hint of seduction in his tone.

  Jen snorted. “By all means, mate. Please try to get the pup from me.” It was Jen’s wolf who answered.

  Decebel’s lips pulled back in a creepy wolf grin. It was disturbing, even to her. “Game on,” he whispered. She turned, snatched Titus up in her jaws and took off running like the hounds of hell were on her heels. To be fair, her mate looked a bit like a hellhound.

  “I heard that,” he rumbled.

  “Excellent! That means you’re paying attention.” She ran through the doors that led out into the hall. Jen sent her mate an image of herself, sans clothes. She heard a loud bang. When she glanced back, with Titus dangling from her mouth, Jen saw Decebel had run into the wall. “So predictable, babe. You’re going to have to up your game.”

  “Jennifer,” he snarled.

  She kept running, enjoying the momentary break to just be a mom, an aunt, and a mate, instead of a warrior. Maybe tomorrow Fane and Jacque would share what burdened them. Regardless, they were pack, and this was what they needed. So that when they were exhausted from fighting, they could remember this was what they were fighting for.

  Chapter

  Seventeen

  “Things you think you’ll accomplish in life: Graduate high school, possibly go to college, meet a nice guy and get married. Perhaps have a kid or two. Buy a house. Get a dog. Become a bloodsucking leech. Yep, sounds about right.” ~Lizzy

  Lizzy clawed at her neck. Every swallow sent a tongue of fire down her throat to her stomach. She laid back on the bed and closed her eyes. When they were open, the room spun. “What in the actual hell?” she asked the empty room. Lizzy felt her abdomen tighten, and her stomach seemed to curl in on itself. She rolled to her side and pulled her knees to her chest. “Daaaaaaammmmmit,” she ground out, her breaths coming out in quick pants as she tried to breathe through the pain. It wasn’t like the pain she’d felt when they’d given her their blood. She wasn’t burning on the inside. This was only her throat and stomach. But her stomach felt as if it was trying to eat her from the inside out.

  Rolling to her other side, Lizzy tried to find any position that would give her some relief. It didn’t work. It didn’t do a damn thing. She could feel Finn just beyond the walls she’d erected in her mind. It had been seven days since Cain attempted his experiment on her. Before today, she’d eaten regular food and been bored as all get-out. It wasn’t all mundane, though. Lizzy had noticed her eyesight had become sharper, her sense of smell was heightened, and her skin was more sensitive than before. This morning, however, things were much different.

  Throughout her waiting, Finn had been her constant mental companion. Each day when she awoke from the strange sleep she kept getting dragged back into, he was there. He talked to her. He shared all about his life with her. And there was a lot of material, considering how old he was. It was better than reading a book. In the past six days, she’d come to care for him and not because he was her true mate, but because she genuinely liked him. Lizzy wanted the chance to know him, to spend actual time with him, not just through their mental bond. She’d begun to believe that might be a possibility. Alice had been back to check on her but had told her the possibility of Lizzy seeing Finn was zero. Cain wasn’t having it. And the woman seemed genuinely sad that she couldn’t give them what they wanted.

  “Fudget.” Lizzy groaned. Her arms instinctively wrapped around her midsection, and she squeezed tightly. The pressure helped a miniscule amount, but not nearly enough. Her mouth was dry, and her tongue felt too big in her mouth. While her stomach continued to cramp, she felt a sharp pain in her chest. “Great. I’m having a heart attack,” she stuttered as her heartbeat skipped several beats. Okay, now she was scared. Pain was one thing, but chest pains with an irregular heartbeat? Those were symptoms that commercials always told you to call 911 about. “I don’t have a damn phone, television commercial people. How about you give some advice for those of us who don’t have access to medical—sucky, suckity, suck!” she screamed. The pain from her heart radiated up her arm to her neck and jaw. Holy crap, I really am having a heart attack. “Seriously?” She coughed. “I get injected with supernatural blood but die from a freaking heart attack. How anticlimactic.”

  “Lizzy, why do you keep blocking me?” Finn’s voice made it through the barrier. The pain must have distracted her from keeping the walls up.

  “Can I just say that I have really enjoyed getting to know you this past week, even if I was in and out of it most of the time, like a druggie.” Her voice in her mind was just as breathless as it was when she spoke out loud. “I’ll admit that at first I wasn’t too sure about you. I mean, a normal person would have called you crazy and then refused to have anything to do with you. But then, I’ve never been accused of being normal, so lucky for you. You hit the jackpot with a crazy true mate. Maybe you’ll have better luck the second time around.”

  She felt his hands on her face, and then the pain eased slightly. “Why didn’t you tell me you were hurting?” She could tell he was genuinely offended that she had left him high and dry. “The bond has grown stronger since we’ve been using it so much, not just with speaking but through the touches. It all makes the bond stronger.”

  “What does that have to do with me letting you know that I’m hurting? Why should we both have to suffer?” Lizzy sucked in a deep breath. It was the first one she’d been able to take in hours.

  “I can bear some of your pain.” She felt even more of the pain recede, enough that her stomach unclenched. “I could take more if the bond was complete, but this should help at least a little.”

  “More than a little. It’s bad, Finn.” Maybe the reprieve was giving her time to actually think about what she was going through, and perhaps that made her tongue loose, but suddenly words vomited out of her. “I woke up and felt like my throat had a lit match tossed into it, and the fire traveled all the way to my stomach. Then it started cramping, and I couldn’t even sit straight. I’ve been rolled up in a ball.”

  “My Lizzy.” He breathed out, pain filling his voice. “How many times have I told you that you don’t suffer alone? Not anymore. I’m with you. And just so you know, there will be no second time around with the whole true-mate thing.” He growled, and she felt his irritation. “You are it. You are the other half of my soul. No one else holds it, or ever will, except for you. If you die, I die.”

  “Okay, that got intense fast. I mea—” Her words cut off when another jolt of pain went through her heart. It felt like a hand wrapped around the muscle and squeezed. “I think I’m having a heart attack. Legit, Linc.” She used the nickname that seemed to roll off her tongue when she was feeling emotional toward him. Emotion was something that was new for her. Lizzy had given up on emotions a long time ago, and Finn was totally messing up that whole plan. “Nineteen, captured by vampires, and I die of a heart attack. Just my luck.”

  “You’re not going to die,” he rumbled.

  “Oh, that’s right.” She tried to laugh, but it was hard to do because she couldn’t breathe. “You forbid me to die. My bad. Let me get right on that.”

  “Let me focus a minute.” His hand pressed against her chest, right over her heart. Then she felt his pain. She heard his breath catch.

  “Wait, when you say you can ease my pain, you’re not just taking it away. You’re taking it as your own, aren’t you?” The thought of causing him any kind of anguish caused a wave of nausea to wash over her. “Please don’t do that, Linc. Don’t take this on.”

  “I am your mate, my Lizzy. When it comes to you, there is nothing I won’t take on. Vampires, hybrids, fae, physical pain. All of it. I will stand between you and them, and when I can’t, I will do whatever I can to aid you. It is my privilege. Hopefully one day, you will understand that.”

  Lizzy didn’t have words. Her heart still hurt, but it wasn’t as bad. Now she hurt for a different reason. This man that she’d never met in person was fighting for her and would continue to fight for her. “You really mean it, don’t you?”

  “I wouldn’t say it if I didn’t.”

  Lizzy imagined her hand pressed over his, and she heard him suck in a breath.

  “You’re touching me.” His voice was full of awe.

  “Is that allowed?” She didn’t want to overstep any boundaries. He’d asked if he could touch her, in completely appropriate ways, and Lizzy hadn’t wanted to admit that she was desperate for touch. Real, kind, gentle touch that was given freely without any strings attached. But she’d been unable to bring herself to touch him back, regardless of the fact that it wasn’t an actual physical touch. It felt so very real.

  “There are no boundaries when it comes to you,” he told her. “All that I am is yours. That includes my body.”

  If she wasn’t in pain, and worried that she might actually die, Lizzy would probably have teased him about that comment. But as it was, all she could do was focus on the bond. His touch, his voice, his emotions flowing through the bond and grounding her. She felt a tear run down her cheek while she simply soaked up his presence. “I’m sorry,” she whispered as more tears fell. “I’m not good at relying on someone else. I don’t mean to push you away. It’s just easier.”

  “Why is it easier?” The hand not pressed over her heart ran his fingers through her hair, and she felt herself pressing closer to the touch.

  “If I get attached and something happens to you, it will hurt. I’ve been hurt that way before, and it was horrible, Finn. I never wanted to go through that again. And now, after all you’ve shared with me, even without having been with you, the thought of losing you is terrifying. And I won’t lie. I hate it.” It made her feel weak. Though she didn’t say it to him, she was sure he heard the thought all the same.

  “I’m sorry. I don’t want to make anything harder on you. I don’t seem to be any good at this mate thing.”

  Lizzy shook her head, even though he couldn’t see her. “Are you kidding me? You’re awesome. You’re patient and talk endlessly when I’m sure you’ve got to be sick of talking. You’ve been so understanding with me, and you haven’t killed anyone, so Cain hasn’t felt the need to harm you. That’s a big deal. I feel your wolf, Finn. He wants to fight. He wants to hunt.” And Lizzy had felt the beast that lived inside of Finn. It was single-minded. It wanted its mate. Her. The wolf wanted to get to her and kill anything that got in his way. It was flattering, if not a little scary, considering the intensity of the emotions.

  “It’s not enough.” He growled. “I should be able to do more. But I don’t know what to do.”

  Lizzy coughed, the burning in her throat returning even stronger. She squeezed her eyes closed tightly and pictured Finn in her mind—the image that he’d shared with her. She looked closely at every detail she could, trying to distract herself from the anguish.