As Lilly pulled away from the curb, Jacque asked, “Mom, what do you think that was about?”

  “I’m not sure. I can’t imagine why Jeff would lie about an irate customer,” Lilly answered.

  “Maybe he’s one of those disgruntled employees who’s gotten his panties all in a twist because he didn’t get the raise he wanted,” Jen said. “Or maybe he’s got one of those problems where you hallucinate and see things that aren’t there. Or maybe he’s on crack, which causes him to hallucinate and see things that aren’t there, or hmphmm—” Before Jen could continue, Sally slapped a hand over the girl’s mouth.

  “We really need to work on that whole brain, mouth filter, Jen,” Sally said.

  “Hmm hmm hmming,” Jen grunted around Sally’s hand.

  “Yes, yes, we know you’re just saying,” Jacque translated.

  “Well, whatever his panties are in a twist about, as Jen so eloquently put it, they just became the least of his problems considering he lied to me and then left in the middle of his shift.” Lilly pinched her forefinger and thumb on the bridge of her nose. It was times like these that owning her own business seemed like the least brilliant of all her bright ideas.

  Jacque looked at her mom, seeing tiredness seep into her like water searching for cracks in a foundation when she heard Jen whistle.

  “Check out that tall drink of somin, somin.”

  As she was turning to look, Jacque heard a loud bang and felt the car rattle. Lilly swerved. She jerked the steering wheel hard to the right to compensate. The SUV spun, and they hit the ditch on the side of the road. All the occupants except Sally screamed wildly. The car flipped sideways and rolled. Jacque felt her face hit the windshield. The world went momentarily black.

  Over and over, the SUV trundled like a barrel down a hill until it finally came to an abrupt stop, landing with its wheels in the air. Jacque awoke, but she was barely conscious. Dimly, she could feel the passenger side door crushed into her side and the dashboard mashed into her leg. The seat belt was like a noose across her neck. She wasn’t sure what exactly had happened. Then, slowly, the world dissolved into blackness again. This time, she didn’t reawaken.

  * * *

  For a few moments, there was eerie silence. Finally, Sally groaned and tried to move. She shifted her legs, experimenting to make sure her body was still intact.

  “Everyone okay?” she asked.

  “If, by okay, you mean are my ears ringing out of my head, my leg all scrapped to hell, my neck cut from the seatbelt, and did our car just do the tango down the side of a ditch, then yes, Sally, we are perfectly okay,” Jen answered.

  “Shh,” Sally said. When she didn’t hear Jacque respond with a snarky comeback, Sally knew something was seriously wrong.

  “Jacque, are you with us?” Sally asked. No answer. “Ms. Pierce, are you okay?”

  A few seconds passed, then Lilly answered in a strained voice. “I hit my head pretty hard, but otherwise I’m good.” Sally watched as Lilly sucked in a deep breath and let it out slowly. The woman reached over, hand shaking, to check her daughter for a pulse. “Jacque’s hurt. I can feel a pulse, but it’s not strong.”

  Then a loud popping sound erupted, startling them and drawing their attention to the front of the car. Orange flames began spurting from under the hood.

  “Ok, so I’m thinking that’s not a good thing,” Jen said in a quavering voice.

  “Jen, your powers of observation astound me,” Sally replied.

  “Dammit girls, your smart-ass remarks aren’t helping,” Lilly growled uncharacteristically. She drew in a large breath. “I’m sorry, that was uncalled for.”

  “It’s okay, Ms. P. Few of us handle being burned alive very well. It can be a little traumatic,” Jen said. “Here is what we are going to do. I need you to get your seat belt off and crawl to the back seat to climb out because the fire is going to keep you from getting out the front. Sally, you need to get your seat belt off as well and crawl out your window. I’m going to crawl to the front next to Jacque and help get her turned so we can slide her out of her window. Sally, I need you to go around and pull her from the outside.”

  “But what about the fire? We will get burned. How will we slide her? What if her neck is broken? You aren’t supposed to move someone who might have a spinal injury. What, OWWW HOLY CRAP! What was that for, you psycho cow?” Sally screamed as she placed a hand across the cheek Jen had just slapped.

  “GET A HOLD OF YOURSELF, MAN! Do what I tell you. We can’t worry about her spine because it won’t matter if she burns to death, dammit!”

  “Okay, okay. I’m good. I just needed a minute to lose it, but I’m good now.” Sally climbed out the passenger-side window. Lilly made her way to the backseat to climb out the window behind Sally. She said nothing, and it looked to Jen as if the woman might go into shock. They made it out, and Jen clambered to the front of the vehicle.

  “Jacque, babe, you with me?” Jen asked gently, pushing Jacque’s fallen hair from her face. Jacque didn’t respond. Jen could feel the heat from the burning engine mere feet from her body. “Okay, chickadee, here is what’s going to happen.” Jen spoke to Jacque as if the girl were conscious. It was the only way Jen could keep from falling apart. She couldn’t believe this was happening, couldn’t believe that her spunky friend was lying limp, all spark gone from her body. “I’m going to grab you under your arms and turn you, so your legs are facing the passenger window. Then Sally is going to grab your legs and help me drag your ass out of this royally screwed up SUV. Do you hear me, Jacque? You have to be okay. You have to be because someone has to argue with me and tell me when I’m being a pervert. Jacque, Fane will go crazy without you and we both know how much damage a crazy ass werewolf can do.” Jen squeezed her hands under Jacque’s back until she reached the girl’s armpits. Then, bracing her back against the side of the driver’s seat to gain leverage, Jen lifted and turned Jacque’s body. “Holy crap, your little frame is deceiving, hoss. Did you hear that, Jacque? I basically just called you a fat ass, so wake up and chew me out already!” Silence.

  Jen saw Sally trying to get close enough to the window to grab Jacque’s legs. But the flames from the engine kept shooting her direction, forcing her back.

  “Jen, what do I do?” The flames were roaring now, and Sally had to scream to make herself heard.

  Jen wracked her brain for ideas, knowing time was running short. “Look around for some water!” she yelled.

  “Water?! Where?” Jen heard hysteria in the girl’s voice.

  It occurred to Jen it had rained the night before. “A ditch, a puddle, I don’t know. Find something!’

  She watched as Sally took off at a run. Jen temporarily let go of her burden and stripped off her shirt. As gently as she could, which wasn’t very, but crap the car was on fire, she pulled off Jacque’s jacket.

  Sally reappeared. “Yes, there’s water in the ditch.” Smoke swirling around the vehicle obscured her form, and she coughed.

  Jen threw her shirt and Jacque’s jacket out the window to Sally. “Take these. Get them wet and bring them back. Get your own shirt wet, too, and you should be able to get closer. We’ll cover Jacque’s body in them to protect her.”

  “What about you?” Sally worried

  “DAMMIT, SALLY, JUST GO!”

  Sally was gone and back in a flash, now dripping wet. The wet jacket and shirt landed next to Jen. She grabbed the garments and draped them over Jacque as best she could, focusing on her face and stomach. This left Jacque’s arms partially bare and her legs completely uncovered, but it couldn’t be helped. Jen, once again, shoved her arms underneath Jacque’s armpits and lifted. Sally grabbed Jacque’s legs. On Jen’s count of three, Sally pulled and Jen pushed. With strength neither knew they had, the girls forced the lower half of Jacque’s limp form out the window. Jen saw the flames leap forward and scorch Jacque’s legs. Jen expected Jacque to come awake screaming. Her friend never stirred.

  With another heave, they shoved Jacque’s upper body through the window which put Jen directly in the line of fire, literally. Jen screamed as she felt the flames on her bare skin. The flames were like a whip, their lashes forcing her forward. She lunged ahead with all her might, shoving Jacque completely out of the car, her momentum sending her own body tumbling after. Landing roughly on her hands and knees, she made to grab Jacque and pull her away from the car. Just as she lay hold of her friend, there was a resounding boom, a flash of light, searing pain, and then Jen saw no more.

  * * *

  Sally screamed as the engine exploded. The force of the blast knocked her on her backside. The haze of gasoline fumes in the air burned her lungs and throat. She sat up and saw Jen and Jacque lying on the ground. Neither moved.

  “MS. PIERCE!” Sally yelled. No one responded. Sally scrambled to her feet, frantically searching the area for Jacque’s mother. Finally, Sally saw Lilly through the haze of smoke billowing from the burning vehicle, sitting and staring into the flames, the woman’s face as blank as a freshly painted white wall.

  “LILLY! GET UP AND GET YOUR BUTT OVER HERE AND HELP ME!” The urgency and desperation in Sally’s voice must have snapped Lilly out of her shock. The older woman ran over and looked at the two bodies, seeming to realize suddenly what was going on.

  “Grab Jen’s arms, flip her on her back, and start pulling as fast as you can. Don’t worry about her skin, it will heal. We have to get them away from the vehicle.” Lilly sprang into action, grabbing the closer of the two girls by the arms, her daughter.

  “Okay, okay, let’s do this,” Sally grabbed Jen and flipped her on her back and pulled and walked backward as fast as she could.

  The two women groaned and strained, dragging their charges across the ground. When they were finally what Sally felt was a safe distance away, they fell next to the two unconscious forms. Sally immediately checked to see if Jen was breathing. She was, though labored. Both girls were severely burned, but they were alive, and that was all that mattered. Sally could hear sirens blaring in the distance. She assumed someone must have seen the smoke and called 911. The sirens were getting closer, but she saw something else first. Suddenly, through the haze of smoke, Sally saw a large form racing toward them, moving faster than she thought possible. It was Fane.

  The man came to an abrupt stop in front of Jacque’s prone, still form. Sally watched as he ignored herself, Jen, and Lilly and kneeled next to Jacque. He cradled her head, took a deep breath, and let out a loud howl of sadness and fury.

  OceanofPDF.com

  Chapter 3

  Fane sat quietly on the ground next to Jacquelyn as the ambulance, fire trucks, and police cars came blaring onto the scene. He didn’t dare touch her for all her burned skin. He felt as if a sharp wire had been wrapped around his heart and was being pulled tighter and tighter. At some point, Vasile approached, but Fane didn’t hear him. Nor did he realize when the rest of the pack had arrived. Decebel’s deep growl snapped him out of his haze. Fane looked up and saw the enormous man kneel next to Jen’s unconscious body. The top half of her body was covered by only a bra and every inch of her exposed skin was burned, red, angry, and blistering. Fane didn’t know what to make of Decebel’s behavior, but that could be dealt with later, after the girls were taken care of.

  The EMTs approached Jacquelyn’s body, but hesitated when he growled at them.

  “Fane.” Vasile’s voice was a warning. With an exhale, Fane took a step back and allowed the paramedics to load Jacque on a gurney. He walked next to her to the ambulance.

  “Sir, are you family?” one of them asked.

  “Yes,” he barked before shoving past the man and climbing into the back of the vehicle. No one made a move to stop him. Fane heard his father tell Decebel to ride with Jen. Fane could only assume that he had picked up on Decebel’s earlier show of emotion and decided to use it to his advantage, for now. After all, a good alpha always utilized his wolves to the best of their ability. Fane could only hope that his alpha was using the other wolves to figure out exactly what had happened. Sally and Lilly were being escorted together into another ambulance, and Fane saw his mother climbing in to ride with them.

  Fane’s father walked up to him just before they closed the ambulance doors. “I will follow you to the hospital. Sorin, Skender, and Boian are going to stay here and see if they can get some idea of what happened.” Fane nodded. His wolf was on the surface, and Fane didn’t trust himself to speak for fear he might let loose the barely contained rage that boiled within. Anyone near him was in potential danger. The EMTs shut the ambulance door, and a few moments later, Fane felt the vehicle move.

  The ride to the hospital was tense, the air thick with Fane’s fear and anger. The wolf was restless in such an enclosed space. The EMT riding in the back kept shooting Fane nervous glances. It was clear the man knew he was in the presence of someone dangerous. When they finally arrived at the hospital, Fane was more than ready to get his mate out of the enclosed box.

  The EMTs lowered the gurney to the ground and began rolling Jacquelyn quickly into the ER. They’d placed a mask over her face, providing life-giving oxygen to her struggling lungs. Her face, the half that wasn’t burned, was ashen. Her arms, covered in blisters from the flames that had raked over them, rested limply at her sides. Fane felt a growl rising in his throat again. Before he released it, a hand came down on his shoulder and his alpha’s power rolled over him. Fane’s wolf submitted immediately, and the growl was stifled.

  Fane followed the gurney that carried its precious cargo—his mate. He even continued when they rolled her into the operating room. Just as he stepped into the room, a hand came up on his chest, pushing him back. His response was swift—a vicious snarl at the one who would dare come between him and his mate. Fane’s father was there in an instant. “I apologize for my son’s behavior. That is his fiancé, and he is worried,” Vasile told the doctor who, through bravery or sheer stupidity, still held his hand on Fane’s chest.

  “I understand,” the man replied. “But he cannot be in here, it’s a sterile environment. As soon as we have information, you will be the first to know.”

  “Thank you,” Vasile told the doctor. The alpha grabbed Fane by the arm, pulling him out of the operating room. Vasile released his own growl now, pushing his power into Fane to force his son’s obedience. Fane reluctantly backed out of the room, never taking his eyes off Jacquelyn’s still form until the doors closed and he could see her no more. Just then, they heard a loud crash and a ferocious roar coming from somewhere down the hall. Vasile backed Fane against the wall and glared at him. Again, using his alpha power, Vasile commanded, “Stay.” Fane’s wolf met Vasile’s eyes for three counts before they finally dropped in submission. With that, Vasile turned and took off, moving toward the malicious snarls.

  He came around the corner into another operating room to find Decebel crouched in front of Jen’s body, which lay still on the gurney. “What the hell?” Vasile growled. Decebel snarled continually, his eyes glowing gold. Several humans in blue scrubs stood in front of him in defensive postures, trying to explain they were trying to help the girl and had to touch her to do that. Decebel wouldn’t budge. It was clear to Vasile the man’s wolf was in control. Vasile stepped forward, gently pushing one of the humans out of his way. He growled at Decebel and, just as with Fane, sent his alpha power forward.

  “Stand down, Beta. They have to help Jen.” Decebel didn’t move. He turned his head slightly, giving a small view of his neck. A recognition, but not submission. “DECEBEL, MOVE. NOW!” Vasile roared, throwing his power unchecked.

  Finally, with the alpha order given, Decebel had no choice but to move out of the way, as if an invisible force had pushed him aside. With puzzled looks at Decebel and Vasile, the humans moved into action. They worked quickly and efficiently, like a well-oiled machine. Decebel watched, shaking with suppressed rage as they stuck Jennifer with needles and put an oxygen mask over her face. As soon as they started cutting off her clothing, he tensed and snarled again. Vasile grabbed him and pushed him out of the room, pulling the doors closed behind them.

  He jerked his beta in front of him and asked, “Decebel, what the hell was that about?”

  Decebel averted his eyes in submission as he answered his alpha. “I was just watching out for her. Everyone else was busy, and she was alone. I was the only one left to make sure the humans didn’t harm her.”

  “Hmm.” Vasile made a noise of suspicion in his throat. He stared hard at Decebel’s eyes, trying to gauge the truth of his statement. There was no deception. But Vasile saw something else in the beta’s eyes, something he wasn’t sure Decebel himself even detected.

  “Her family will be here soon. Alina has called them. When they get here, you are to stand aside. Until then, I would ask you to remain outside this door and wait for information from the doctor. Are we clear?”

  “We are clear,” Decebel responded, his voice emotionless, his expression hard.

  “One more thing, Beta. Keep your wolf under control,” Vasile warned.

  “Yes, Alpha,” Decebel answered as he backed up against the wall, folding his arms across his chest and standing sentinel.

  Vasile turned and walked away, shaking his head in confusion.

  * * *

  “What was that all about?” Fane asked his father returned. Fane was still standing exactly where Vasile had left him, in front of the operating room where Jacquelyn was being treated.

  “Decebel was protecting Jen. He said he felt responsible for her since the rest of us were elsewhere.”

  “Really?” Fane’s voice sounded skeptical.

  “I don’t know what to make of it either. But when I came around the corner, Decebel was guarding her. He refused to allow the staff to touch her. I had to force him out of the room,” Vasile explained, his brow furrowed, his voice heavy with disbelief.