“She is strange,” Gustavo admitted.

  “Yes, she is definitely that as well.”

  “But hot,” Costin piped in as he came up behind Decebel.

  “I’ll tell your mate you said that,” Decebel threatened, as the other Alphas watched Decebel warily, having seen firsthand how protective he was of his mate.

  “I’ll just point out that she’s hotter, she’ll forgive me.”

  Decebel rolled his eyes. “You are the only wolf whose mate wouldn’t castrate you for calling another woman hot.”

  “Oooh, who are we castrating?” Jen asked as she wrapped her arms around Decebel who had seen her coming and held them open for her.

  “Costin,” Decebel told her.

  “Sally won’t be happy with you B,” Jen looked up at her mate, grinning.

  “It doesn’t appear that he ever plans to need them, as slow as those two are moving, so I honestly don’t think she’ll mind.”

  Jen laughed and gave her mate a high five. “Good one babe.”

  Costin frowned at the pair. “Jen that was so not cool.”

  Jen laughed. She stood on her tip toes and kissed Decebel. The others left the couple, giving them a semblance of privacy.

  “You stay safe,” Decebel told her.

  “I will only be as safe as you are B,” Jen told him, honestly.

  “I know,” Decebel’s voice was soft and she heard the regret in it.

  “Hey,” she nudged him. “Would you want to exist in a world where I was not?”

  “You know I wouldn’t,” Decebel frowned.

  “Then do not be sad that we fall together, because I would not want to exist without you.”

  “We have a child to think of now Jennifer.”

  “All the more reason for you to prove that you are the badass you claim to be and come back to me.”

  “Language,” he growled.

  “Babe, it’s the end of the world as we know it. As such, I reserve the right to indulge in the pottying of the mouth.” Jen smiled.

  Decebel shook his head and rolled his eyes as he leaned down and kissed his mate passionately. His lips parted and Jen boldly explored his mouth. He smiled against her lips.

  “What?” she asked him, breathlessly.

  “I have always loved that you are not shy with me.” He tucked her long, blonde hair behind her ear.

  “Why would I need to be shy? Have you seen all this?” She motioned up and down her body with her hands.

  Decebel grinned as his eyes began to glow. “Why, yes mate, yes I have.”

  Jen laughed. She took his face in her hands and all humor fled.

  “You live so that we can live, do you hear me?”

  Decebel nodded and fell to his knees before her. He pressed his lips to her stomach, and then looked up at her.

  “I love you.”

  She ran her fingers through his thick hair. “And, I’m one lucky woman because of it.”

  She backed up from him and blew him a kiss. As she turned to go, she looked back over his shoulder and grinned at her still kneeling mate. “Oh, by the way, I love you too.”

  Decebel winked at her as he stood up.

  “And, I am the luckiest man because of it,” he whispered to himself as he watched her walk back to the group of females.

  “When we get back, we are getting married,” Costin told Sally, as he held her close.

  Sally smiled. “You’ve been around Decebel too much, you’re getting bossy.”

  Costin laughed, “No, I’m getting desperate.”

  Sally pulled him down to kiss her. She pressed her body tight to his and drew strength from his confident hold.

  “I am yours, every square inch of me.”

  Costin raised a brow at her. “I’ll hold you to those words Sally mine.”

  “I love you, I want you, and I need you,” She told him, as her lips brushed against his.

  Costin closed his eyes and used the intimacy of their bond.

  “The time I’ve had with you has been the best in my sixty years. And, I want many more. You are precious to me. Please be careful out there.” Costin kissed her forehead and held his lips against her. “I love you. I want you more than you could possibly understand and I need you even more than that.”

  Sally let out a shaky breath as they stared into each other’s eyes. Finally, he pushed her back with a small grin. “Go do your thing, gypsy lady.”

  Sally waved as she backed away. “See you soon lover boy.”

  Costin winked at her and she blushed.

  Fane pulled Jacque close to him as he pressed his lips to her neck where he had left his mark. She shivered under his touch. She was still worried about him as he continued to keep himself closed off.

  “I love you, Jacquelyn,” he told her, solemnly.

  Jacque looked up into his blue eyes. “Do you?” She asked, for the first time in their marriage and mating.

  Fane’s eyes filled with pain, as he felt the doubt inside her. He knew that it was his fault and he didn’t know how to fix it. He didn’t know how to show her just how broken and tormented he was over what she had been through while under Mona’s spell. He had tried to just rejoice in the fact that she was alive and healthy now, but he just kept seeing the things she had endured and because of that, he had not let her into his mind, even when he had made love to her. Even then, he had felt her pain.

  “More than anything,” he told her.

  “Then what have I done that you keep yourself from me? Are you mad, because of what I did in the forest? Because I wouldn’t let you touch me, are you punishing me?” Her voice grew distressed as she tried to understand.

  Fane scowled. “I would never punish you for anything Luna. How could you think that?”

  “You won’t open the bond; you won’t share all of yourself with me. What am I supposed to think?”

  Fane kissed her fiercely as he ran his hands up her back to her hair. He released her and stepped back. “All you need to know right now is that you are mine and I love you. We will talk after this is over. We will go into this battle safe in the knowledge that no matter what, we will always belong to each other, please believe that.”

  Jacque’s mouth dropped open, shocked that her Fane was acting like this. “I’m pissed at you Fane Lupei.”

  “I can live with that, as long as you don’t doubt that I love you, and I will never give you up.”

  Jacque stomped her foot as he turned and walked away from her.

  “Being a butthead?” Jen asked as she came to stand next to her best friend.

  Jacque growled. “He doesn’t know it yet, but I’m going to kick his ass when this is over.”

  Jen snorted. “Decebel would be so turned on if I said that.”

  That brought a grin to Jacque’s face as Jen nudged her shoulder. “Come on Red, we have a witch’s britches to kick before you can start your foreplay with your wolfman.”

  “Did you just say witch’s britches?” Jacque asked as they joined the group of females that Peri was currently talking to.

  Jen grinned. “There’s more where that came from.”

  “Of that, I have no doubt,” Jacque agreed.

  Peri pointed to Jen as she and Jacque walked up. “And, if you give me any jacked up act of heroics I will tan your pregnant hide.”

  “Dude, I just got here. How can you possibly be chastising me when I haven’t even opened my mouth?”

  “I have no doubt that you have said something, or fifty-somethings, already this morning that deserve more than just chastising,” Peri pointed out.

  “Were you listening in at my bedroom door this morning Perizada?” Jen’s smirk told the group of females more than they wanted to know and they all groaned.

  “Listen up,” Peri snapped. “I’ve already told each of you exactly what your roles are as we go into this crapshoot. Do not deviate from the plan or I will zap your ass. Be aware of your position and your enemy’s position at all times. Mona will try to disorient you. Wolves use the superior senses the Great Luna gave you. Rachel and Sally follow my lead. Elle, do your thing.”

  “What do I do?” Jen asked.

  “You are going guard the healers in your wolf form.”

  “I thought you just said no heroics.”

  “Since when do you do anything that anyone tells you?”

  “Good point,” Jen nodded.

  Peri looked over the women and saw that the males were shedding their clothes and phasing.

  “Okay, it’s go time. Sally, you will ride your male,” Peri paused as all their heads swung to look at Jen.

  “What?”

  Peri tilted her head at her. “Nothing?”

  “Okay, if you insist. Sally, if you need any pointers on how to hold on just let me know.”

  Sally’s face turned bright red as she heard Costin add in her mind. “No more waiting brown eyes, you have been ordered to ride me.”

  Sally choked as she tried to swallow and Jen had to slap her on the back.

  “Your man just gave you a line didn’t he?”

  Sally nodded.

  “I knew I was gonna like him the moment I laid eyes on his lickable, dimpled, face.”

  Decebel walked by the group of women to meet up with his pack and slapped his mate on the butt. “Behave,” he growled.

  The group of females laughed.

  Lilly came hurrying over and wrapped Jen, Jacque, and Sally in a hug. “You three be safe. Peri won’t let me come. She threatened to hogtie me. Since when does a Fae know anything about hogtying?” Lilly frowned at the smirking Fae.

  “Peri knows all forms of torture; it’s her thing,” Jen quipped.

  “Well, I guess everyone has something,” Lilly scoffed.

  Jacque hugged her mom again. “Please stay here. We’ll be back, I promise.”

  Lilly met Jacque’s eyes. “I’m so proud of you.”

  Jacque smiled. “I am what I am because of you.”

  Lilly shook her head. “No sweets, this is all you.”

  Lilly backed away until she was nearly at the door of the mansion. She bit her lip to keep the tears back and prayed that not only her daughter but all those she had come to care for would return victoriously and safely.

  Jen, Jacque, Crina, Rachel, and Alina undressed quickly and phased. They shook out their fur and stretched out in their wolf form and then the mated females trotted over to stand next to their mates. Each male nuzzled their faces and pressed against their smaller frames. When Crina reached Adam’s side he knelt down and gave her a quick tap on the nose. “You watch yourself out there okay?” She nodded her big head once and leaned in to press her face against his chest.

  “Peri has requested that I and Elle use our power in conjunction with the other Fae so try and stay as close to me as you can, but we will be spreading out,” he explained and gave her one last loving tap on the muzzle.

  Peri motioned for Elle, Adam, and the Fae council to spread out amongst the wolves. Peri began to speak softly as her hands moved smoothly in the air, arcing over the group as the other Fae joined in. The warlocks and elves took up the rear.

  Vasile stood proudly at the head of the pack, his mate at his side. He threw his head back and howled. The pack joined in and the trees shook from the sound. He sniffed the air and found Cypher’s trail. Like a bolt of lightning, he shot off with the largest supernatural army in history, at his back.

  ***

  Sorin’s legs stretch as he ran and his fur blew as the air rushed through it. He glanced up briefly at his mate, who ran beside him. She was breathtaking in all her warrior glory. The memory of the night the curse was broken came crashing down on him and he nearly stumbled under the weight of it. When he had finally been able to hold her, it had not been enough. He had not been able to get close enough. He had helped her shower and dress and then held her in his arms as she wept. When she had finally calmed down, she had opened up to him and shared all she had endured and it had enraged him. He had watched in awe as she had calmed him as only a true mate could. She had given freely her love, comfort, and touch. In his very long life, he had never had felt such passion, such need as he found in her arms. Over and over, he had whispered to her all the emotion in his heart and tried to show her through his touch just how precious she was to him. She had asked him to do the Blood Rites with her because she did not want to go into this battle with the chance that they would not be together one way or the other. His wolf had howled in victory, but the man had hesitated. He did not want to seal her fate in case anything went wrong. But, she was his mate, his equal, and it was as much her choice as it was his. So, he had given her what she wanted and what he so desperately needed.

  ***

  “I love you,” Crina whispered to Adam. She felt his smile through their bond. “I think you know just how much I love you,” he teased her, with his never-ending good nature.

  She treasured the playfulness in him and knew that it was a blessing to her. But, the night all the females had been saved from the curse by Peri and the Fae, she had seen another side to Adam, a side that broke her heart. She had known that he loved her. But that night, she realized the depth of that love. To her surprise, he had wept as much as she had. His possessiveness was no less than the Canis lupus males and his ferocious protectiveness called to her wolf. She knew that the human females had waited to complete their mating until they were married, but she was not human, and marriage was not a part of her heritage. The Blood Rites was essentially the equivalent of a wedding for their race and when Adam had told her they were going to finish their mating that night, she had reveled in the dominance and her wolf had gladly submitted. It had been the best night of her life, which she was sure, was what every woman said during that time, but she couldn’t imagine anyone experiencing what she had in the arms of her mate. He had worked magic that no other could.

  “I am Fae you know, so I have a slight advantage in the whole magic working.” Crina laughed as they ran. Here they were, running into a battle they might not survive, discussing their love life.

  “What better time to think about the magic we made together? I mean seriously, I can die a happy man now that I’ve had the privilege of being with you. And, I totally mean that in any perverted way you would like to take it.” Adam’s voice brought chills to her skin as he reminded her of all they had experienced.

  “I would tell you to behave, but it would be a waste of words.”

  “Too true, my sexy wolf lady, too true. Don’t wear yourself out here today, I got plans for you.”

  Crina cut a glance over to him as her wolf perked up at their mate’s teasing. She wanted to chase him. It was the wolf’s form of foreplay, and by the grin on his face, he knew it.

  Chapter 22

  “With every step, we draw closer, with every breath we close in on our prey. Do you feel us coming? We move silently as one, a pack united in purpose, driven by the belief that evil will not prevail. Your end is imminent; your time in this life draws to a close. We are coming. You may have never feared the hounds of hell, but you should fear us. Fear the wolves that live in us, fear the ones who join us and know that you will answer for the crimes that you have committed. You will answer and you will pay.” ~Fane

  Mona felt them, Vasile, and his wolves. She knew that she would not hear them. They were hunters and, as such, would come silently, seeking the killing blow. They were too late. Cypher had fallen to his knees long ago and his pale flesh testified to his pending doom. The opening to the veil grew more and more solid as Cypher’s blood fed it.

  “Turns out I won’t need you after all,” she turned to Ainsel. “The King has killed himself. You need not worry about capturing him.”

  Ainsel backed away, slowly allowing the forest to swallow him up. He had felt the wolves, had felt their intent and he wanted to be as far as he could be by the time the battle started.

  Mona raised her hands and looked up into the sky.

  “Water, earth, wind, and fire,

  Hear me now, fulfill my desire.”

  She called on the rain, thunder, and lightning, and the skies opened. Thunder shook the ground and lightning lit up the dark sky, shooting down into the forest.

  Her hands moved wildly as she manipulated the wind, pulling and pushing the currents. The gusts were strong enough to uproot trees and send them crashing into the ground.

  She watched as all nature bent to her will. It would not be enough. She called on the birds that did her bidding. The blood of the many beasts that she would summon was painted on her clothes, as the presence of blood was often required to control the minds of such creatures. She sent out her will, demanding the trolls leave their hiding places. She called upon the pixies, and though she knew Ainsel would not come, there were those among his kind with black hearts that would gladly answer her call.

  Suddenly there was a blinding flash. When Mona’s vision cleared, a woman stood before her.

  “You are the Fae who has betrayed her people,” Mona smiled.

  “Peri and the healers will be moving in behind the warriors,” Lorrelle told her.

  “Warriors?” Mona frowned. “What warriors?”

  “Didn’t I mention those?” Lorrelle looked smug. “The warlocks and the elves have come to join the party.”

  “Is this all the help you are providing?”

  Lorelle pulled three stones from her pocket. “I have weakened my sister significantly. She doesn’t have all the stones of the Fae. If that is not enough to give you a slight advantage, then you are not as powerful as you claim.”

  Before Mona could answer, the Fae was gone.

  “Coward,” Mona growled.

  Mona felt the power of the pack surrounding her as they moved closer. She closed her eyes and held her hands out. She spoke quietly, calling on her power. She smiled when she felt the heat of the fire that blazed. It wasn’t real, but the wolves would hesitate and sometimes that was all she needed to have the upper hand.