Jen pressed her lips together and swallowed down her knee-jerk response. “Fine. I promise. But how long are we going to let this go?”
“He will tell us when he feels the time is right, Jennifer. Being alpha is difficult, and the job is full of hard decisions that make others judge you. What he needs, what both of them need, is our support.”
Jen looked over at Jacque. The alpha female had stepped out of the sparring circle to get a drink of water. When she lowered the bottle, Jen noticed the worry in her redheaded friend’s eyes. She saw the lines on Jacque’s forehead and the tightness around her mouth. Jen hadn’t been paying attention. But now she could tell that whatever weighed on her and Fane was heavy. She wished she could take some of the burden, but her mate was right. Fane and Jacque wanted what was best for their pack and allies. Whatever they knew, it was something they felt needed to be kept quiet.
Jacque’s head turned as if she could feel Jen’s eyes on her. When their gaze collided, Jen could see an apology in her best friend’s eyes. Jen reached to her through the pack bond, but it was closed up tight.
“I’m sorry,” Jacque mouthed from across the room.
Jen walked over to her and pulled her into a hug. “Never apologize to me for doing what you think is right. I trust you, Red. Always.”
“Thank you,” Jacque said softly.
“Why did I not know it was group hug time?” Sally came up beside them.
Jen rolled her eyes. “We don’t have scheduled group hug times.”
“You say that like it’s weird, yet I know for a fact that you have Momma-Daddy time—as you call it—on a schedule,” Sally replied.
“Sorry, babe.” Jen patted her shoulder. “But your hugs don’t rate up there with Decebel’s bedroom skills. Be happy I do schedule Mommy-Daddy time, or we might never leave our bedroom.”
Sally tried to keep from smiling. “And how would that be a problem for the rest of us?”
“Pregnancy is making you bold.” Jen grinned and then her face sobered. “I’m not sure I like it.”
“Shut up.” Sally shoved her. “You love it.”
Jacque laughed, and Jen was glad to see the smile on her friend’s face. Sally winked at her, and Jen realized that had been the brunette’s plan all along. Damn, she had good friends.
“Okay, well, sit your pregnant ass down. I’m about to school your kid on how to sneak up on his prey.” Jen turned and lunged at the little wolf who’d been trying to catch her off guard.
Titus yipped and took off running. Jen phased, letting her clothes fall away in shreds, and chased after Sally's son. She heard the laughter of others in the room when Titus made ridiculous squealing sounds every time he looked back and saw how close she was to nipping his hindquarters. Her wolf loved the chase. She loved it even more because she was getting to play with one of their pack’s pups. Vasile and Alina would have been overjoyed to witness this.
Fane suddenly appeared out of nowhere in his massive wolf form. Titus tried to stop, but his claws could find no purchase on the floor. The pup went skittering, his legs flailing. Fane grabbed the cub by the scruff of his neck and tossed him up in the air. Then he moved, so Titus landed on Fane’s back. Vasile and Alina would be proud of their son, too. Jen watched Fane interact with the pup, and she realized this was the first cub phasing to occur since Fane was born. The alpha’s bright blue eyes met hers briefly, and Jen’s wolf dropped their eyes immediately. She felt reassurance flow through the pack bonds and knew Fane was trying to put her at ease.
Jen lifted her head when she heard little claws against the floor. Titus ran straight for her, but instead of attacking her, he ran right underneath her belly and stayed there. Jen’s wolf laughed. She looked down at him, trying to nudge him out from under her. Then she felt breath on her fur. She raised her head and came face to face with her mate’s muzzle. Titus had been running from Decebel. The amber eyes of her mate danced with humor as he made to lunge for the pup. Jen snapped her teeth and growled while using her back leg to push Titus farther away from Dec.
“You really want to do this?” There was a hint of seduction in his tone.
Jen snorted. “By all means, mate. Please try to get the pup from me.” It was Jen’s wolf who answered.
Decebel’s lips pulled back in a creepy wolf grin. It was disturbing, even to her. “Game on,” he whispered. She turned, snatched Titus up in her jaws and took off running like the hounds of hell were on her heels. To be fair, her mate looked a bit like a hellhound.
“I heard that,” he rumbled.
“Excellent! That means you’re paying attention.” She ran through the doors that led out into the hall. Jen sent her mate an image of herself, sans clothes. She heard a loud bang. When she glanced back, with Titus dangling from her mouth, Jen saw Decebel had run into the wall. “So predictable, babe. You’re going to have to up your game.”
“Jennifer,” he snarled.
She kept running, enjoying the momentary break to just be a mom, an aunt, and a mate, instead of a warrior. Maybe tomorrow Fane and Jacque would share what burdened them. Regardless, they were pack, and this was what they needed. So that when they were exhausted from fighting, they could remember this was what they were fighting for.
Chapter
Seventeen
“Things you think you’ll accomplish in life: Graduate high school, possibly go to college, meet a nice guy and get married. Perhaps have a kid or two. Buy a house. Get a dog. Become a bloodsucking leech. Yep, sounds about right.” ~Lizzy
Lizzy clawed at her neck. Every swallow sent a tongue of fire down her throat to her stomach. She laid back on the bed and closed her eyes. When they were open, the room spun. “What in the actual hell?” she asked the empty room. Lizzy felt her abdomen tighten, and her stomach seemed to curl in on itself. She rolled to her side and pulled her knees to her chest. “Daaaaaaammmmmit,” she ground out, her breaths coming out in quick pants as she tried to breathe through the pain. It wasn’t like the pain she’d felt when they’d given her their blood. She wasn’t burning on the inside. This was only her throat and stomach. But her stomach felt as if it was trying to eat her from the inside out.
