“I heard that little joke,”Jen told Decebel through their bond.
“I’m not proud,”he replied.
“But you should be. My big, bad wolf is jumping in the gutter.”
“More like I fell. Or even more accurate, I was pushed into the gutter by my tenacious, dirty-minded mate.”
“You won’t be complaining on Thursday,”she challenged.
“It’s Monday, female,”he practically snarled.“By Thursday, all I’m going to be doing is complaining. Now leave me alone so I can pick out some more trees. I love you,”he added, because he knew why she was working so hard for this celebration, even if she was a little obsessive about it.
“Love you too, B. Happy hunting.”
To be honest, Decebel didn’t really mind being in the forest. His wolf loved it. And both were itching for a good run in their four-legged form. He stopped walking and looked at Lucian. “You want to phase? We can still look for trees and point out the ones we want Adam to take down and flash back to the mansion.”
“My wolf is restless,” Lucian said. “I could use a run.”
They stripped down while Adam took off into the forest, already looking for trees. He seemed just as restless as they did, even though he wasn’t a wolf. As soon as Decebel transformed, all thoughts apart from the desire to run fled. It felt good to be in his wolf skinonceagain. He shook out his fur and then took off in the same direction as Adam, following the fae’s scent. Decebel could hear Lucian behind him. The other wolf let out a long howl, and Decebel joined him in the song.
When they caught up with the fae, he’d already used his magic to cut down three trees. “You guys are slow,” he said, his grin not quite meeting his eyes. “I’ll take these back and then return for the ones you two find. Don’t pee on them to mark them, please.”
Decebel growled at him, but Adam just laughed. The fae picked up the ends of the tree trunks and then flashed.
Lucian and Decebel began searching for appropriate trees. When Adam came back, they showed him the ones they’d chosen, and he cut them down and flashed them back to the mansion. This went on and on until the sun began to sink low in the sky.
Adam groaned. “Okay, if we’re going to keep going, you two have got to change back. I’ve gone all day having no one to verbally spar with. It’smessing with my head.”
Decebel phased back, not concerned with his nudity. He’d spent two centuries ending up naked when he changed from fur to human. Lucian phased back as well. “You’ve talked to us all day,” Lucian pointed out.
“And you two just tilted your heads and then trotted off. Talking to your wolf butts isn’t my idea of stimulating conversation,” Adam said dryly.
“Let’s go get our clothes.” Decebel motionedforthem to head back. He and Lucianphased back so theycould run without being naked while they did so. Adam kept up with them easily. Soon, they were back where they started, and Lucian and Decebel phased and began getting dressed.
Decebel paused and looked at the fae. He focused all of his senses on Adam because he suddenly realized something was amiss. Yesterday,themanhad been a little distracted but still seemed more like himself. But today, Adam appeared agitated and, at times, even a little angry. Decebel had assumed the fae was irritated over the number of trees they’d chosen. Now, however, Decebel noticed dark circles under Adam’s eyes. His face was drawn, and he kept opening and closing his fists. “Adam, are youallright?” Decebel’s wolf smelled fear, worry, and desperation all over the fae.How did I miss this?
Adam shifted on his feet and glanced at the ground. “She keeps telling me to leave her alone.” He paused and rubbed the back of his head. His jaw flexed, then he continued. “So she can focus. Apparently, the girls have decided this is some sort of competition to be the jolliest squadron.” Adam sighed, looking much more human than fae at the moment.
Lucian stoppedand also looked at Adam. His brow furrowed as he must have seen the same thing that Decebel had sensed.
Adam’s jaw clenched, and he took a deep breath. He shook his head, a silent answer to Decebel’s question, but then he said, “Crina’s not sleeping. I have to practically force her to eat. She keeps the bond open only enough to let me feel her. I can force it open, which I don’t like doing, but I’m worried about her.” His voice sounded tight as he spoke about his struggling mate. “She seemed a little better last night after she spent the day with Jacque, Sally, and Zara. But this morning she was distant. I’ve reached out to her several times today, but she just says she’s fine and busy. She puts on a good face for everyone elseoncewe leave our suite.” He paused and leaned forward, resting his hands on his knees, as if he’d simply lost the strength to stay upright. “I’ve asked her if I’ve done something or said something. She says no, but she barely lets me touch her.”
Decebel’s wolf perked up even more at that last bit of information. Touch was essential to the wolf inside of them. Adam might not beCanis lupus,but his mate was, and her wolf would demand her mate be affectionate. “She won’t let you touch her? So, the shower joke the other day?”
Adam shook his head. “I knew if I teased her in front of everyone, she’d touch me. I didn’t care that it would just be her pushing or elbowing me. I’ll take anything. How pathetic is that?”
“I would have tied my mate to the bed and laid on top of her until she agreed to allow touching again,” Decebel said, and he meant it. “If you think teasing your mate is pathetic, then you need a lesson inCanis lupusnature and what it means when the wolf’s needs are not being met.”
When Adam straightened back up, he looked like a man who’d been gutted. How had Decebel missed this yesterday and all day today? Was it because Adam wasn’t a wolf? Or had he been so focused on keeping tabs on Jen through their bond that he just hadn’t paid attention? Jen’s emotions were all over the place, but she turned to Decebel, not away from him. She demanded he give her what he already wanted to give her, which was her right as his mate, just as he had rights to her because she was his. Then again, if Adam had been a wolf, he would have come to his alpha or beta to tell them what was going on. It would have been instinctual to reach out to hispack leaders.
“If she won’t let you touch her,” Lucian began. He pulled his shirt over his head and then continued, “Then it’s because of her wolf. She’s grieving the loss of her alphas. The bond between the alpha pair and the pack is as unique as the bond between true mates, though different, of course. Every member of the pack will grieve differently. You are pack, but you don’t have a wolf inside of you that is attached to its pack leaders.”He paused and seemed to look Adam over again. “But youdohave that bond with your mate, and you are taking on the physical weight of her mourning. I didn’t notice it yesterday. But it’s more than that,” Lucian said softly, mostly to himself it seemed.
“I didn’t either,” Decebel admitted. As beta, he should have realized something was wrong. Over the past few months, the majority of the pack that didn’t live in the mansion had stayed in their own homes. Fane and Jacque had met with every pack member, checking on them, ensuring they were dealing with their grief in a healthy manner, especially for their wolves. Even now, Decebel could feel the bond to his new alpha. Fane loved their pack. He always had. Vasile had taught him from a very young age what it meant to be the alpha.
Since Fane had taken on the pack bonds, there had been a steady pulse of power being sent out through the bond to every wolf in their pack. AsDecebelstared at Adam, he wondered if maybe the bond between him and Fane was different, perhaps not quite as strong because what tied Adam to the pack was Crina. There was no beast in Adam to be connected to Fane’s wolf. “Lucian,” he said, turning to look at him. “How is Peri doing?”
“She has good days and bad,” Lucian admitted.
“And you, your wolf?” Decebel asked.
