Jen was next to move. She didn’t say anything as she walked away from her mate, not until he reached out and snagged her arm.

  Jen rounded on him and the fury pulsing from her gave her the strength to pull her arm away.

  “I would repeat everything Alina just said,” she snarled, “but it’s just too damn much. So, I’ll just say the parts I do remember. You know that you’re hurting me, and frankly, that makes me want to stab you with a spoon, and still, you just continue on your path to self-destruction, uncaring of how it’s affecting me. You know that I am what you need to get through all this crap and yet, you deny me that privilege, and you deny me of my right to meet YOUR NEEDS! As a self-declared nympho this is the most painful thing to willingly endure,” she took a deep breath and let it out just as Decebel whispered, “Don’t.” She ignored him. “Your touch is...”

  “Don’t do this, Jennifer,” Decebel interrupted and though his words were controlled and quiet, it was scarier than if he had been screaming like a crazed maniac.

  Jen let out a low growl as she started again. “Your touch...”

  Again, he interrupted louder this time. “DO. NOT.”

  Jen threw her arms up in the air in exasperation. “Bloody hell, would you shut up! I am not doing this Dec, you are. This is all you babe, so suck it up and deal.” Jen knew there must be some formal reason that Alina had been so formal with her words, and so she squared her shoulders and looked into his narrowed, glowing eyes- and spoke quickly. “Yourtouchisuninvited.” The words ran together as she tried to get them out before he could cut her off again. Decebel took a step back as if he had been slapped. Jen’s eyes widened slightly at the action and slowly walked backward keeping her eyes on his shocked face.

  Decebel’s face suddenly was wiped clean of emotion, his stone mask in place. His jaw tensed as he spoke. “I warned you from the beginning, Jennifer. You are mine. I will not let you go. I will not allow even you to keep yourself from me.” His eyes narrowed, dangerously. “I consider your actions a direct challenge to me. I will only say this one more time. Don’t do this.” When she didn’t move or speak, Decebel shook his head in resignation. “So be it,” he growled, softly.

  Fane hadn’t realized that Jacquelyn had left his side while everyone’s attention was riveted on Jen and Decebel. When Jen finally arrived at Alina’s other side, he turned back only to realize Jacquelyn was halfway across the path that was quickly becoming a dividing line. He lunged forward to grab her but was stopped by an invisible wall. His head jerked over to the only one he knew powerful enough to conjure such a thing. Peri stood looking innocently at him, but he saw the twinkle in her eyes.

  He tried to reach Jacque’s mind, but she was blocking him rather effectively and he was sure it had something to do with what Rachel had revealed about them. The males were keeping their mates out. It was instinctive to protect them, to not want them to be tainted by their darkness.

  “Jacquelyn,” his voice was barely above a whisper as he clenched his jaw. She turned to look at him and she saw the tears gathering in her green eyes. He had caused that and he had pushed her to take this desperate measure as his mother had said.

  Jacque swallowed hard before she finally spoke. “Your touch is uninvited.” Sally and Jen wrapped Jacque in their arms comforting her but knowing that it would not give her what she truly needed. Only Fane could do that.

  Something in Fane snapped as his wolf realized that their mate was mere feet from them and yet he could not get to her. He pounded his fist on the invisible barrier as his claws emerged and his eyes glowed bright blue. He watched the girls holding her, and he snarled jealously. It was his right to touch her; she was his.

  “You are mine,” Fane growled.

  Jacque pulled away from her best friends and looked at Fane. “Yes, I am, and I’m not leaving you.” She turned and met the eyes of the other males. “None of us is trying to leave any of you.”

  Decebel snarled loudly, finally losing his resolve. “You each took one of us as your mate. You bound yourselves by blood to your mate. You joined your body and made yourselves one with your mate. You are no longer your own.” He was shaking with rage and power swirled around him. “It is not your right to choose separation from your mate FOR ANY AMOUNT OF TIME!”

  Surprise flashed across their faces when it wasn’t Decebel’s mate who responded.

  “But it is your right to keep yourselves from us?” Crina’s voice was steady, though as she looked over at Adam the hurt flashed in her eyes.

  A snarl worthy of a wolf erupted from Adam as he pulled Crina to him.

  He whispered feverishly in her ear. “We are too new at this to be making impetuous decisions. We are still learning how this bond works between us Crina; don’t walk away now.”

  Crina stared at his handsome face; saw the desperation in his eyes to keep her at his side. His words were true, but she knew that he had been holding himself back from her as well. Whatever he had seen in the In-Between was creating a void between them. She turned to Rachel then, needing to know what was inside.

  “Will you?” Crina asked, knowing that Rachel would understand what she was asking.

  Rachel nodded and walked over to them. She reached up, placed her hand on Adam's chest, and closed her eyes. She could see their bond and it had been getting stronger, but then she saw the black haze in Adam’s mind. She saw the wall he had put up between the bond and the darkness. Then the bond weakened because of it. Somehow, Rachel knew that if Adam would let her in, would fully bond with her, then they would have the same abilities as the other mated pairs. She opened her eyes and pulled her hand back as she looked up into Adam’s face. Rachel could see the pleading in his eyes, begging for her not to expose his actions. She shook her head. Rachel would not enable him to keep his mate from what was her right.

  Rachel turned back to Crina. “He tries to protect you, but the barrier he has put on your bond is keeping it from growing and developing. I believe you will be able to reach each other’s minds. I believe that you will develop markings that will identify you as mates, but only if you allow the bond to grow. It appears exactly as the bond between wolves, but it withers under Adam’s refusal to open it.”

  Adam’s arm dropped from Crina as he watched the tears stream down her face. She stepped away from him and took a steadying breath. “Your touch is uninvited.” Her voice wavered, but her rigid shoulders and upturned chin expressed what her voice could not. She turned and nearly made it past Peri’s barrier, but Adam was as fast as a wolf. He grabbed her and spun her around, and then took her face in his hands he kissed her. Their lips barely touched when Adam jumped back as pain ripped through him. His eyes were filled with confusion as he looked at his mate.

  “What was that?” He asked, as his hands fisted at his sides aching with the need to touch her.

  “Your touch is uninvited,” she repeated.

  Adam closed his eyes as realization struck him. “That’s why the words are so formal. They are binding aren’t they, some part of the Canis lupus magic?” She nodded as she continued to back up.

  He turned to Peri. “What undoes this?”

  Peri asked him as she shook her head. “Now, now, Adam, I can’t play favorites with you just because you are Fae.”

  Adam growled at her, and then looked back at his mate. She was so close and yet it felt like an ocean separated them.

  Rachel left Gavril’s side without a backward glance. Her shoulders were pulled back and her jaw tilted defiantly. Gavril made no move to stop her, nor did he speak.

  Elle stood next to Sorin, staring at the females who had made their choice and she saw the pain it was costing them. She also knew that what Rachel had said was true. As the time from their rescue passed, Sorin had touched her less and less. He hadn’t used their bond unless absolutely necessary. They'd had no time alone together, no time to talk about their mating. She hadn’t even told him about her markings yet. All of this swirled in her mind and she found that she was hurt that he had kept her at arm’s length. She had watched the male Canis lupus struggle with their darkness, knew what it could do to them. And still, he wasn’t allowing her in. She turned to look at Sorin and saw the moment he realized what she was choosing. Elle moved fast, knowing that he would never let her go if he got his hands on her. Sorin lunged and ran into the same barrier Fane had. He stared at her in disbelief, as her face betrayed no emotions, not until she spoke. “Your touch is uninvited.” Her voice was so small, he barely heard her, but he felt it. To his very soul, he felt it.

  Peri looked over at Cynthia and raised a single eyebrow. “Would you like to pick a team?”

  Cynthia shook her head at Peri’s ability to be so calm as they stood amongst enraged wolves with death in their eyes.

  “I think it best if I remain with Jen,” Cynthia said as she made her way to the women.

  Peri watched as the males stood, rigid, and motionless, staring at their mates. She knew that if she lowered the barrier they would no doubt attempt to drag them back kicking and screaming. Although, judging by the gleam in Alina’s eyes, she had a feeling that she would go willingly, only to then kick Vasile in his baby making parts.

  “Remove the barrier, Perizada,” Vasile ordered, his eyes never moved from his mate.

  “Sorry, Alpha. Can’t do that.”

  “Can’t or won’t,” Decebel snarled.

  “Tomato, tomato,” Peri retorted.

  Decebel bared his teeth at her and then turned back to Jen.

  “You would keep our daughter from me?”

  Jen rolled her eyes. “Don’t use the daddy card, B. She is toasty warm in this amazing body. If this party is still rolling by the time I go into labor it will be your own stupid fault.”

  “I may not be able to touch her, but I can touch you.”

  “Not anymore,” Jen parried.

  “I can hear her heartbeat, Jennifer.”

  His words stopped her retort and her eyes held his. Jen fought her every instinct to run to him, to have him wrap her in his arms and keep her safe.

  “Make your choice B. Let me be what you need me to be.”

  Decebel closed his eyes and Jen imagined that he was counting to ten…or one hundred. It usually took longer for him to cool off when he was mad at her.

  “You females do not know what you are asking. There is a reason we are trying to protect you. Sometimes you have to choose the lesser of two evils and we have made the choice that we feel is best for you. We never consulted each other on how to deal with this situation so for me to see that we all made the same decision, to not let the horror we watched touch you, tells me that it must be the right decision.”

  Peri started clapping slowly as she walked over to the females and turned to face the guys.

  “Well said, Decebel. However, I can’t decide if that’s the most caring thing I’ve ever heard from you or the dumbest.” Her eyes lost her twinkling playfulness as she confronted them. “You see, when I hear you say that the majority making the same choice must mean it’s the right one, what I really hear is, hi I’m Decebel and I’m a total dumb ass.”

  Jen growled at the Fae. She didn’t like others insulting her mate. Only she was allowed that privilege.

  “Pipe down, prego chick,” Peri quipped. “Decebel you cannot believe that crap. If your logic is correct then we should all condone underage drinking, minors getting it on like rabbits, and thinking that reality TV shows are good forms of entertainment. By your logic, Alpha, when your daughter is seventeen and boy crazy it will be okay for her bear her lady bits because the majority of her friends are doing it.”

  Decebel took a menacing step towards her, his amber eyes glowing dangerously.

  “Uh, Peri, not really helping,” Jen snapped.

  Peri watched the seething Alpha as he glared at her. She could see that her words had hit a nerve and that’s what she had intended to do.

  “Okay, as much fun as this has been, we need to be on our way.” She looked one last time at the males. “Just a suggestion from one badass to another, it would not be smart for you to touch your women. So don’t even try it.”

  Chapter 12

  “Sometimes changed circumstances make a decision, even a decision that seemed liked such a good idea at the time, suddenly look really, really dumb. Now the question at that moment becomes, do you fess up and say hey, maybe I shouldn’t have done that? Or do you stick to your guns, even if swallowing your pride might end up saving your backside? You would think there was an easy cut and dry answer to that question—not if you’re mated to pigheaded werewolves.” ~Jacque

  Mona stood over the scrying bowl as she sought out the exact location of her escaped prey. She had considered just letting them be, for now, knowing they would be coming for her at some point, no matter how foolish that decision was. Then her pride had stepped up and she realized that if she didn’t exact some sort of revenge, she would appear weak. She closed her eyes as she pushed out her will, allowing the magic of the scrying to show her where they were. Her lips pulled up into an evil smirk when she finally located them.

  “There you are, little wolfies,” she murmured, as she watched them in her mind’s eye.

  She watched as the females stood across from their mates with Peri in front of them, appearing to confront them. Maybe the escape was not necessarily a bad thing if it was causing strife between mates.

  “Now, what to do with you,” she said, as she tapped her blood red lips with her finger. She had allowed the males to be tormented, to watch horrendous things, things that hadn’t been real. Now, what would it do to them if they really did see something happen to their mates?

  “Hmm, this has potential.” Her power had continued to grow and natural laws that once bound her were no longer obstacles to the dark magic she wielded. Mona reached into the forest, seeking out the dark creatures that lurked in the shadows. She drew energy from them, pulling it inside of her in order to shape it to her will. She weaved a spell as her mind and body felt drunk on the rush of power.

  “Earth, water, wind, and fire,

  Hear me now, feel my desire.

  I call on your forces and your ancient power,

  Rumble, blow, burn, and shower.

  Let no female leave unharmed,

  All males desperate and alarmed.

  Every step will pulse with pain,

  Every cry will be for his name,

  Let fire come between each one,

  Until they, fall and I have won.

  Her eyes flashed open as she felt the power leave her body, the spell riding on the wind. It would grow in power as it sought out its quarry. Owing to the size and power of the spell, it would take some time before it reached her prey.

  Mona let out a deep, satisfying breath and wiped her hands on her clothes. “Well, I’ve threatened a pixie, plotted with a traitorous Fae, and will soon hear the screams of the wolves. If that isn’t freaking awesome, I don’t know what is.”

  “Who are you speaking to?”

  The deep voice made Mona jump as she whirled around, ready to defend herself. A heart-stopping shot of fear ripped through her as she stared, wide-eyed at the one before her.

  “How did you get in here?” She asked after she had pushed the fear away and reminded herself of whom she was. But, that didn’t change the reality of the individual who was standing before her. This is bad, she thought to herself, very, very bad.

  ***

  Sally’s eyes watered as she desperately tried to focus on anything but the pain, which had become a constant companion as she fought her need to be with Costin. He was behind her with all the other males and she could feel his eyes on her, burning a hole in the back of her head. She could feel him willing her to turn around, to come back to him. And she wanted to so very badly.

  “How’re you holding up?” Jen asked, matching Sally’s pace as they continued trekking through the mountains.

  Sally gritted her teeth and composed herself before she spoke.

  “I’m dealing,” she finally answered.

  “Do you think we’re doing the right thing?”

  Sally’s brow wrinkled as she looked at Jen in surprise. “You’re having doubts?”

  Jen shrugged. “We’re not the only ones hurting. Dec is in more pain now than when I died.”

  “How?”

  “I think because I’m rejecting what was determined for us before we were ever created. I belong by his side and I’m choosing to deny him that.”

  Sally frowned. “Not to sound childish or anything but they denied us first. There are consequences to every action Jen, and their action to keep their mates out has brought on this consequence. It’s up to them to fix it.”

  Jen grinned at her and Sally saw the gleam in her eyes.

  “You did that on purpose didn’t you?”

  Jen gave a little nod of her head. “I could tell you were really struggling and so I thought maybe you needed reminding of why we are doing this. Decebel is relentless, pushing on my mind, and I honestly don’t think he is using his full power because I’m pregnant.”

  “Are you hurting?” Sally asked.

  Jen’s mouth tensed just before she spoke. “Badly.” Then, as only Jen could do, she pushed away the pain and sought out a way to ease the tension. “So I was examining my mate’s oh so encouraging words from earlier. He said that we had given ourselves to them in every way, basically. Because of that fact, then we no longer can make our own choices. I found a loophole.”

  Sally laughed as she shook her head. “Okay, I’ll bite. What’s the loophole?”

  “You,” Jen grinned. “I thought about Crina and Elle, and they may very well fit into that category as well. However, I don’t really know their business as I know yours.”