“Kick the gene in the balls?” Zara said.
“Exactly! When in doubt, always kick it in the balls.”
Wadim held open the door at the top of the stairs as he shot Jen a look. “Could you maybe not encourage my mate to go around kicking things in the balls?”
“Hey, it’s not my fault that if something has balls it usually deserves to be kicked in them at least a couple times in their existence.” Jen winked at him as she stepped out into the hall with Zara right behind her.
Zara patted Wadim’s shoulder as she smiled at him. “Don’t worry, history boy, I’ll warn you if I ever feel the need to kick you in—”
Wadim placed a finger over her lips and shook his head. “Nope. Don’t even say the words unless you want to see me cringe.”
Jen let out an exasperated sigh and flung her hands in the air. “It’s not like you guys are defenseless. You can totally punch us in the boob when we deserve it, and I’m big enough to admit that occasionally a woman needs a good punch to the boob.”
Zara laughed and Wadim felt his wolf hum in contentment. They loved hearing their mate laugh. If Jen talking about punching boobs and kicking balls made his mate light up like that, then he’d deal with the painful topic.
He leaned down next to her ear as they approached Vasile’s office. “I adore you,” he whispered.
Zara nudged him with her shoulder. “I’m pretty fond of you myself.”
“Okay, enough mushy crap, people. Game faces on. Zara, we’re going to have to stand our ground when Vasile tells us we can’t help, because hewilltell us that. It’s like some sort of man code they feel they need to follow despite the fact they know they will eventually give in and let us assist them in saving the world. I mean, as if they could do it without us.” Jen said. “Be strong and do not surrender. Clear?”
Zara saluted and grinned when Jen stuck her tongue out at her.
“We’re going in.” Jen growled as she opened the door to the Alpha’s office.
Decebel watchedas his mate entered the room with Wadim and Zara right behind her. The look on her face was one with which he’d grown very familiar. She was going to put up a fight and dig her heels in if she wasn’t allowed to help with whatever Vasile was about to tell them.
He held his hand out to her, wanting her close to him. There were two unknown males in the room, and Decebel didn’t like the idea of Jen in the same vicinity. Call him overprotective, but after everything they’d been through, he felt he had every right to be.
The office door opened again, and Jacque and Sally stepped in, closing the door quietly behind them. Decebel watched as Fane pushed off the wall where he’d been leaning and made a beeline for his mate. He pressed a kiss to her forehead and then turned around, placing his body protectively in front of hers. A small smirk appeared on his face when Jacque huffed for him to move. He simply shook his head and folded his arms in front of his chest.
Costin was sitting on the couch and had snatched Sally’s hand the moment she was within reaching distance and pulled her down onto his lap. Of all of them, Costin looked the most relaxed, but Decebel knew better. His former Beta was just as observant and vigilant as he and Fane. He just hid it better.
“Gavril and Rachel have the kids?” Decebel asked through their bond.
“Yep. I think Gavril secretly wants them to call him Grandpa, despite the fact that he doesn’t look old enough to be anyone’s Grandpa.”She snickered in his mind. Decebel had to agree the old wolf loved the three newest members of the pack as if they were his own, and so did Rachel. It was a blessing to have people they could trust watch their kids, and the list of people Decebel trusted with their pups was extremely short.
Vasile stood from his desk and walked around to the front, leaning back on it as he often did. He was dressed in black dress pants and a casual polo-style black shirt, looking more like a relaxed businessman than a deadly werewolf.
“He’s hot,”Jennifer said into Decebel’s mind, obviously eavesdropping on his thoughts.“I mean, especially for his age.”
“Could you please refrain from checking out Fane’s father?”Decebel growled.
“What about the pretty fae boys? Can I check them out? I mean, they aren’t exactly super masculine, but they have a lethal edge to them that has a sexy vibe going on. Sort of like they would just as soon slit your throat as kiss you.”
“Jennifer.” He growled out loud, unable to keep it to himself.“Could you please refrain from talking about the male fae and kissing?”She knew exactly which buttons to push, and she did it well. Decebel knew she was just goading him, but he was a possessive male and wouldn’t pretend otherwise.
“What about slitting throats? Can I talk about the new male fae and slitting throats?”
He growled again. It was a regular occurrence with his mate.“Only if it’s me slitting their throats.”
She purred in his head.“Are you trying to best them in sexiness?”
“She’s checking out the new eye candy, isn’t she?” Jacque asked Decebel.
“I’m hardly new,” Fane said without missing a beat.
Jen laughed out loud, a sound that Decebel and his wolf adored. “Fane, I swear, you’ve been a dull, brooding bore lately, but that was actually funny.”
