“You will tell me if I hurt you.” Decebel held her blue eyes with his golden wolf ones.

  Jen couldn’t say anything; she just nodded. All she could focus on were his hands touching her leg. She didn’t even try to hide the soft sigh that came out as he ran his finger across her skin. He went to pull the front of her shirt down just enough to see her collar bone, but Jen slapped his hand away. “You didn’t buy tickets, boy. You don’t get a free show. Even if you are a fine, drool-worthy, werewolf.”

  “Alpha, it is true. Her skin is healing rapidly—too rapidly,” Decebel said, looking at Jen.

  “Why are you looking at me like that?” Jen asked again, confusion marked her face.

  Decebel just stared before finally turning and walking away. As he walked past Vasile, he said, “I will take first watch tonight at the door.” And then he was gone.

  Jen was confused and frustrated by Decebel’s actions, but she couldn’t worry about that right now. She had bigger fish to fry. If there was anything bigger than Decebel, that is.

  “Why is my skin healing so fast?” she asked Vasile.

  “I don’t know. We will just have to continue to monitor you. Maybe we will have Dr. Steele run some blood tests on you,” Vasile replied.

  “Okay, well, I guess I will call Dillon and let him know he can come tomorrow if you’re sure, Jacque,” Lilly told her.

  “I am sure. Avoiding him won’t do me any good. I think I need some sort of closure or whatever it is psychologists call it.” Jacque’s voice sounded tired, regardless of her earlier assurances that she felt much better.

  The rest of the afternoon consisted of Jen and Jacque taking sporadic naps. When they were awake, they continually bantered with Sally acting as the mediator. There was never a moment when Jacque wasn’t touching Fane or vice versa, both constantly seeking comfort from the other.

  Finally, when it came time to call it a night, Sally secured sheets and a blanket from a nurse and slept on the couch by the window. Fane pulled up two chairs and sat in one while propping his feet on the other.

  “You are not going to sleep like that,” Jacque told him skeptically.

  “You are right, my love, I am not going to sleep at all,” Fane told her. “Don’t try to convince me otherwise. We have a group of strange wolves in your town, one of which is the father you have never met. There is no way I will sleep under those circumstances.”

  “Well, tell us how you really feel there, white fang,” Jen said sarcastically, laying down and pulling her blanket up to her chin. She looked cold, as if she were about to start shivering.

  “Are you okay, Jen?” Sally asked, apparently noticing her friend appeared frigid in a perfectly warm room.

  “I don’t know. I’m just cold all of a sudden. Could you get me another blanket, Sal?” Jen asked, her teeth beginning to chatter.

  Sally went to the door, opened it, and stuck her head out. Decebel was standing just to the right of the entrance.

  “Hey Dec, could you get Jen another blanket please?”

  Decebel stood up straight and turned to face Sally directly. Trying to look past her into the room he asked, “Why, is she okay? Is something wrong?”

  Sally raised a single eyebrow at him.

  “I mean, if something was wrong, we might need to get Dr. Steele … or something. That’s the only reason I’m asking,” he said.

  “Something wrong with who?” Sally said. “Maybe the blanket is for me.”

  “Oh, yeah, of course. I just thought—”

  “Something you clearly don’t do often,” Sally said. “But you’re right. The blanket is for Jen. I think maybe she just has a little fever. She seems cold, and a fever usually makes me shiver. So, if you would be so kind,” Sally prompted.

  “I will bring it in to you.” Decebel turned away to search for a blanket.

  A moment later, the door opened, letting in a stream of light that cut severely through the dim room.

  Decebel ignored Sally’s outstretched hand. Instead, he walked past her to Jen’s bed and spread the blanket out over the blonde’s body. Jen said nothing. She simply watched him. Once the blanket was in place, he turned and walked out, closing the door quietly behind him.

  “Is he bipolar, schizophrenic, or is there some weird werewolf gene that makes you a jackass one moment and then somewhat sweet the next, only to then throw you right back into jackass mode a second later?” Jen turned to direct her question at Fane.

  “I don’t know what is going on with him, Jen. I apologize if he is causing you distress. I can talk with him if you’d like.”

  “Nah, it’s all good. If he keeps it up, I will gladly tell him to get the proverbial stick out of his fine, furry butt.” With that, the room fell quiet and Fane heard, one by one, the even breathing of each girl, indicating they had fallen asleep.

  Dillon ended the call he had just received from Lilly and turned to his wolves. “I’m going to meet Jacque tomorrow morning at 10:00 a.m. All of you will accompany me to the hospital, but only Logan and I will go up to her floor, and only I will go into her room. Right now, they insist Fane stay with her while I speak to her, which I guess I understand. She doesn’t know me. I would be leery in his place as well.”

  “It will all work out, Alpha,” Logan told him in an unusual display of emotion.

  Dillon nodded his head once in acknowledgment of his beta’s words. There was a small part of him that felt that something was off with Logan, but he shook it off. Logan was his most faithful wolf, and he’d never given Dillon a reason to doubt his trust.

  “I’m calling it a night,” Dillon said. “We need to leave here at 9:15 in the morning so make sure everyone is ready.”

  “As you say, Alpha,” Logan responded. As soon as Dillon was gone, Logan told the other wolves he was going to go get something to drink and left himself. None of them questioned the beta. In reality, he needed to finalize his plan. Logan was going to have to ensure Jacque wasn’t conscious when he took her. Otherwise, she could alert the pup who was trying to claim her.

  Logan had been given an unexpected gift when he had contacted the Coldspring pack and sniffed around to find out which members were still loyal to their dead alpha. It was then he discovered the doctor treating Jacque was Lucas Steele’s own sister. And wouldn’t you know it, the dear old doc was very forthcoming about her anger toward Vasile and his pup. She was so upset, in fact, she offered her assistance. Things could not be going better for Logan. Doctor Cynthia Steele was going to make her rounds and check on Jacque during Logan’s guard shift. She would give Jacque and Jen extra doses of morphine. He had to assume the third girl, Sally, would also be in the room. The only way to keep her knocked out without chemical use would be to use a pressure point in the neck. Easy enough. The girl would wake with a horrendous headache, but it was better than having to harm or kill her to keep her subdued.

  Next, Logan had to procure transportation and a place to take Jacque. That problem was solved by the Coldspring pack as well, thanks to a few disgruntled wolves who were angry at the death of their alpha. Logan was offered a vehicle to transport the girl, and Dr. Steele had given him the use of her ski lodge in Colorado. This bit was a little risky. Since he was from Colorado, it would be the first place Vasil and his pack would likely hunt him. However, Dr. Steele’s cabin was, apparently, in a remote location. The chances of the Romanian pack tracking him down were slim. The tricky part, of course, was going to be keeping Jacque from knowing where they were so she couldn’t send Fane any clues. Until Logan bonded with her and performed the Blood Rites, Jacque would have that pesky mental connection with Fane.

  Logan walked out the back exit of the hotel where he was scheduled to meet the wolf with the car. The man was already there.

  “It’s a tan coupe, so it won’t stand out. It’s parked in the south lot.”

  “Thank you, I appreciate all of your help.”

  The wolf nodded. “We are just glad that the Romanian mongrel will not get to keep our alpha’s chosen mate. We want him to suffer for taking our alpha from us.” Logan could hear the malice in the man’s voice.

  “If this works out, I’ll likely be on the run from my own pack for a while. I may need your help again.”

  “You’re always welcome,” said the wolf.

  Logan didn’t want to linger, so he thanked the wolf again and then headed off to find the car. He located it in the south hospital parking lot and moved it to the lot closest to the emergency room. The plan to get Jacque out was simple. Dr. Steele would transport her on a stretcher to a side door that physicians used right next to the ER. Since there was always commotion late at night in the emergency room, hopefully, no one would notice a doctor wheeling a gurney out the side door. Logan would pull the car right up and slip her inside. Genius. He would be on his way to Colorado with his mate in tow in no time. He smiled to himself. He could already taste her soft skin beneath his lips.

  Logan returned to his hotel room, thankful the others were already asleep. He took a quick shower since he didn’t figure he would get another one for a couple of days.

  As he laid down in his bed, the crisp hotel sheets itchy against his skin, he couldn’t get comfortable. He had a feeling it had nothing to do with the bedding and more to do with his conscience. He shut the door tightly in his mind, not daring to examine the black spot this choice was placing on his soul. His wolf approved of what the man was doing, and that was enough. They both knew Jacque would be better off with a mate who could protect her, one with experience. Logan closed his eyes, trying once more to fall asleep, but it eluded him for many hours into the night.

  Dillon woke to the sound of his phone alarm going off. He took a deep breath, sat up, and rubbed his hand across his face, trying to dislodge the sleep from his brain. Today, he would meet his daughter for the first time. He was scared out of his mind, but he was happy as well. He took a quick shower, shaved, and dressed in plain denim pants, a black t-shirt, and black boots. When he emerged from his room, he saw that all the members of his pack were already ready to go.

  He looked at his watch and saw it was 9:15 on the dot. “Let’s move out,” he told them and headed for the door. Logan and the other wolves fell in line and followed Dillon out.

  Once in the car and on their way to the hospital, Dillon turned to Logan. “I made a decision this morning.”

  Logan nodded his head in encouragement for Dillon to continue.

  “I’ve decided that after I’ve introduced myself and spent a little time with Jacque, I will announce my alpha rights and let Lilly know my intentions to take Jacque to her true pack. The shit is going to hit the fan, so be ready. Dr. Steele is going to make sure security is ready if need be.”

  “We will be ready,” Logan assured his alpha.

  OceanofPDF.com

  Chapter 8

  Fane watched as Jacquelyn sat fidgeting in her hospital bed. On top of being nervous about meeting her father in just a matter of minutes, her skin was healing fast, and he could tell she was itching like she had a severe case of fleas.

  “Are you okay, Jacquelyn?” Fane asked her.

  Jacquelyn looked at him sheepishly. “Just nervous and itching. My skin is healing so fast, and the scabs are driving me crazy.”

  “Do you want me to see if they can give you something for the itching?”

  “No, wolf-man. Anything they give me will probably make me sleepy. I will just have to deal.”

  Fane and Jacque turned their heads at the sound of a growl from a human throat. The sound was coming from Jen. She was rubbing her back vigorously against the wall. She looked like a horse scratching itself against a tree. Jacque thought about pointing this out but held her tongue when Jen started spewing expletives.

  “I feel like my skin is crawling with little ants. It itches soooooo bad!” Jen ground out as she continued to assuage the itching by rubbing her back against the wall. Sally opened her mouth to say something, but promptly shut it when Jen’s head whipped around. “One word, one word, Sally Michelle and so help me you will have to sleep with one eye open for the rest of your life for fear that I will steal all your dolls, make them do unholy things, take pictures, and then put them on all your social media pages with the caption ‘I still play with dolls’.” Jen was breathing hard.

  “Jacque, I think we should tie her up when she spends the night with us, just to be on the safe side,” Sally told Jacque dryly.

  “Word,” Jacque answered, using the slang she and her two best friends were so fond of.

  “I think I would have to agree with your sentiment, Sally,” Fane added.

  “Watch it, Cujo. Just because you’re hot doesn’t mean I won’t retaliate,” Jen said, still trying to allay the itching of her healing skin.

  “Wolf,” Fane muttered, as Jacque patted his hand. “I’m a bloody wolf.”

  The door to the room swung open, and Decebel walked in and froze. He stopped cold at the sight of Jen growling and rubbing against the wall. She looked at him and nearly snarled. “Do you not know how to knock? And what the hell are you staring at? Haven’t you ever seen a girl being groped by a wall before?”

  “Not one who was so obviously enjoying it,” Decebel answered without inflection.

  Sally looked at Decebel, shaking her head from side to side. “The safest road at this point is to maintain a neutral, non-threatening stance, and for the love of all humanity, do not engage the beast. Just keep your mouth closed.”

  “Right, well, I just came to get you and Jen and take you to another room so that Jacque can visit with her father,” he told Sally.

  “He’s here?” Jacque squeaked.

  Decebel looked at her and nodded. “He is on his way up now.” He turned back to Jen and Sally and simply said, “Come.”

  Sally followed. Jen, of course, could not be that cooperative. “Oh, I’m sorry, did I miss something? Am I wearing a dog tag that shows I should walk on all fours and respond when a big, grumpy-ass werewolf tells me to come?”

  Decebel turned and growled, “One of these days, your mouth is going to write a check that your cute little ass can’t cash.” Decebel thought this would render her speechless, but he should have known better.

  “Oh, don’t worry fur ball, I plan to be writing that check out in your name.” With that, she winked at him and hobbled past a dumbfounded Decebel, IV pole and all.

  Sally turned and patted Decebel on the arm. “Good try, chief, but you are sparring with a master in her craft. And didn’t we just discuss not provoking the beast? Geeze, try to save someone’s life, and they just throw it out the window.” Sally continued to mutter as she walked past Decebel, her hands in the air as if to show her surrender to another’s stupidity. “I’m done, finished, and if you hairy, testosterone filled, egotistical, snarling, drooling, flea infested werewolves want Jen to neuter you in your sleep, then far be it from me to stand in your way.”

  Decebel turned and looked at Jacque. “Your friends have issues. Serious issues.”

  “You have no idea.” Jacque shook her head as Decebel turned to follow her two best friends out. “Good luck with that,” she hollered before the door closed.

  “Well, that was interesting,” Jacque told Fane.

  “Interesting, definitely, but something is up with Decebel, and he isn’t exactly the most forthcoming wolf. Figuring it out is going to be like trying to figure out who shot Kennedy.”

  Jacque looked at Fane and grinned, “You know about Kennedy?”

  He laughed. “Why wouldn’t I?”

  “You’re from Romania,” Jacque said with a ‘duh’ look.

  “Like I told you, I studied American history. My parents wanted me to know more than just Romanian history.”

  “I guess that once we are in Romania and start school, I will learn all about Romanian history?” Jacque asked him.

  “You will learn a lot about Romanian history as it pertains to the pack. It is a lot of information, but important since you will one day be the alpha female.”

  “Ugh, don’t remind me, it really freaks me out,” she whined.

  “My silly Luna, you are going to make an amazing alpha. Don’t doubt that.” Fane leaned down and kissed her gently on the lips.

  “Mmm, there is not enough of that going on lately.”

  “Yes, well, I didn’t think you wanted to give Jen free entertainment.”

  “How right you are, wolf-man.” Jacque laughed.

  There was a knock at the door, causing Jacque to sit up straighter. Fane stood up and walked to the door to open it. Before he did, he turned and looked at Jacquelyn. “You ready, love?”

  “You are with me, so yeah, I’m ready.”

  “Always, meu inimă (my heart).”

  “Oh, and Fane?” Jacque started.

  “Yes?”

  “Try not to kill my father, okay?”

  Fane’s eyes glowed blue, and he growled low.

  “Stop it, wolf-man. Answer the door.”

  Fane opened the door, and a man stepped in. He wasn’t nearly as tall as Fane, but he had broad shoulders, red, wavy hair the same color as Jacque’s, and the same piercing green eyes as his daughter.

  The man held out a hand to Fane. “You must be Fane Lupei. I’m Dillon Jacobs, Jacque’s father.”

  Fane took Dillon’s hand and shook it. “I am Fane, Jacquelyn’s mate,” Fane told him without looking away from the alpha wolf’s eyes.

  Jacque realized neither of them was going to relinquish before the other, so she had to step in before one of them did something stupid. She cleared her throat. Okay, it wasn’t much, but she figured telling the two alphas to get their heads out of their butts wouldn’t go over too well.

  “You’re right, love,” Fane told her through their bond, obviously listening to her inner dialogue. “Probably best to keep that comment to yourself.” Fane had told her once that her thoughts fascinated him. Her response had been that she was glad she could entertain him.

  Dillon turned his head in response to Jacque. “And you must be my daughter.”