Zara felt his guilt through their bond and pulled him to a stop so she could look up at him. “Wadim, you make me a lot of things, but uncomfortable isn’t one of them. Just know, I’m yours. Even if it takes me a while to be ready for the whole Blood Rites and mating thing.” Her cheeks warmed as she spoke of the intimate encounters to come. “I’m yours.”
He leaned down, pressed his lips gently to hers, and then let out a deep sigh. “Thank you.”
She smiled and nodded. “Now, let’s get me some clothes so we can get down to Rachel before my wolf decides to come out to play again.”
Chapter Four
“Trust is a fragile thing. When trust is broken, restoring it can be next to impossible. Why? Because it is our natural instinct to protect ourselves. Not just our physical bodies, but our emotions and feelings as well. A person will only lie to someone he does not respect. When someone betrays my trust, it shows me that I was not worthy of their respect. Why would I willingly put myself back in a relationship with a person who does not respect me?” ~Decebel
Decebel stoodin Vasile’s office, leaning against the wall next to the door. He wanted to be near the exit in case his mate decided to act out while he was gone. She’d been extremely aggravated when he’d left her. While his female had grown and matured over the past couple of years since he’d met her, she still, at times, reacted without first thinking through the consequences. He understood her frustration at being left out of the meeting. There was, perhaps, no reason to be excluded from the proceedings since Decebel would tell her everything that was said. He’d long ago learned his lesson about keeping things from her. All it did was put distance between them, not to mention gain him bruises from well-aimed hairbrushes.
“No disrespect, Da’,” Fane said as he took a seat, “but you make my life difficult when you pull these private meetings.”
Costin grumbled his agreement. Decebel smiled. He’d called Costin earlier to inform him about the meeting, and the bartender’s mate had not been happy. The gentle healer had lost none of her fire despite the horrible ordeal she’d endured. She’d made it very clear she didn’t appreciate being left behind any more than Jennifer or Jacque did.
His eyes glowing slightly with the presence of his wolf, Vasile looked at his son. “I do not make decisions on a whim, Fane. If I exclude the females, there is a reason and it is a damn good one.”
Decebel’s brow rose at the sternness of Vasile’s words. The calm, serene Vasile who’d previously dealt with Zara was gone. In his place was an enraged Alpha. What could have possibly happened in the short amount of time from one meeting to the next that had put Vasile in such a dangerous mood?
“Costin, you in particular need to keep this private, at least for the moment. Once I explain the situation, I will leave it up to you what you want to tell Sally,” Vasile said.Costin met the Alpha’s gaze briefly before nodding.
“Whatever you pick up from this meeting, I need you to promise me to keep it to yourself until I say otherwise,”Decebel said through the mate bond. He could feel Jennifer hovering in the background of his mind.
“You have my word, mate,” she answered.“Thank you for not blocking me.”
“Apparently, old dogs can learn new tricks,”he said, feeling her ruffled feathers ease a bit.
“I received a phone call just before we all met with Zara,” Vasile began, drawing Decebel’s attention back to the room. “It was from Skender.” Vasile paused as he let the information sink in.
“After all this time?” Decebel asked. “Where has he been?”
“I asked him that very question,” Vasile said then went on to relay his conversation with Skender. When he told them Skender had known about Sally being kidnapped, Costin snarled and then cursed in several languages.
“Why didn’t he contact us with the information?” Costin growled. “We are his pack. He knew what was happening, and he didn’t do a damn thing to stop it or let us know?”
“He claimed he had to be careful because he was being closely watched,” Vasile said. “He also said he didn’t want to do anything that might get him separated from his true mate.”
“Then why is he coming back now?” Fane asked. “Is he bringing this supposed true mate with him?”
“Yes, he is bringing the female,” Vasile answered.
“No male would leave his mate with the Order, regardless of whether she was a member.”
“Agreed,” Fane said.
Costin was pacing, looking like a bull getting ready to charge. Decebel didn’t blame him. He’d be just as enraged if he was in the younger wolf’s shoes. In fact, if he were Costin, Decebel might just kill Skender the moment he saw him.
“Do you trust him?” Decebel asked Vasile.
Vasile shook his head. “Something about him seemed off. He sounded different. Skender said he wanted to come back because he needed to talk to me and he couldn’t do it over the phone. I want him to come back so I can look him in the eyes while he tells me whatever it is he needs to say. I will know if he’s lying to me then.”
“What are you going to do with him and his female when they get here?” Costin asked, still pacing rapidly.
“I’m not going to let them roam free, if that’s what you’re asking,” Vasile said. “Nor can I allow you to kill him or her. At least not before I’ve spoken to them.”
Costin’s eyes were glowing so brightly it was a wonder he hadn’t phased. Decebel pushed away from the wall, wanting to be ready if Costin flipped his lid and attacked Vasile. When it came to Sally and what she’d gone through, Costin was anything but rational. If his wolf took over with the need to avenge his mate, even attacking his Alpha wasn’t off the table.
“But killing himisa plausible outcome?” Costin asked.
