13

Thad answered the knock on his suite door and wasn't surprised to see his contact on the other side.
"You have news for me?"
"Can I please come in? I'd rather not be seen in the hall."
Thad stepped back so she could enter.
"I've decided that if someone spots us, I will simply lead them to believe there might be a bond going on between us. That will explain any rendezvous." She shut the door behind her. "Now, Jen is under Decebel's protection and it's serious. Jen claims there are no mating signs but Decebel acts as if she is his mate."
"Well, you will just have to make sure to earn the Americans trust. That way when you finally lead them to their demise no one will be suspicious of them being with you. Does your sidekick suspect anything?"
"No."
"Good," Thad walked over to the wet bar and poured himself a drink. He didn't offer one to his guest. "I have a plan to get Vasile alone. I can't take the chance of Fane or Alina being there. I'm thinking that once the girls are out of the picture and Fane's mate is dead, I will give the appearance of wanting to help Vasile, gain more of his trust. Then it should be easy enough to take him out. It would make things easier if Jen and Decebel were bonded – take out one, the other falls. Got to love how the fates worked that one out."
Thad took a sip of his drink and, with a nod, dismissed the contact. "You know what I want you to do. Don't disappoint me."
"Yes, Alpha," she answered and turned to go.
Thad dialed his Beta as soon as the door closed. "Damion, report."
"Decebel's mated, no doubt. No male would react that strongly unless it was family or a mate."
"Hmm. Well, he might be easy enough to deal with. If Jen is suddenly missing, Decebel would probably remove himself from the equation," Thad thought out loud.
"What would you like me to do, Alpha?"
"Unfortunately, you are going to, as the American's say, take one for the team. Continue to pursue Jen. Let's shake Vasile's Beta up a bit and keep him distracted."
"As you say," Damion responded and ended the call.
Thad checked his watch for the time and saw that it was getting close to the first gathering. He still needed to shower and dress.
"Planning the downfall of a pack is more time consuming than one might think." He chuckled to himself as he headed for the shower.

Fane ran his hand down Jacquelyn's back as she lay on her stomach on their bed.
"What's on your mind, love?" he asked her gently.
Jacquelyn let out a loud huff. "I just can't believe the way Decebel lost it back there."
Fane laid down on his side next to her and propped himself up on one arm. He continued to rub her back, unable to keep from touching her at any opportunity. If anyone had told him being mated would be so indescribable, he would have said they were exaggerating, but truth be told Jacquelyn amazed him. Every day he felt more and more blessed at having her in his life.
"I don't see how he can deny anymore that she is his mate," Fane admitted. "A male would only respond that strongly to his mate being touched by another."
"I don’t get it," Jacquelyn told him as she turned to look at him. "Why do ya’ll freak? It was an accident that she even landed in the dude's lap. Are wolves that insecure?"
Fane chuckled. "You forget, Luna, we are not human. I know it is hard to truly grasp but an animal lives in us, is a part of who and what we are. That part of us will always respond in its own nature. Natural wolves are very territorial. I think because we add our human emotions it just amplifies our wolf's traits. I wouldn't call it insecurity when we respond to another male touching our mate, more an issue of protection. You've seen the depths to which I will go to protect you."
"Very familiar, yes," she agreed with a grin.
"Well, for me it just makes sense that it's better to avoid the possibility of something happening to you. You can effectively do that by avoiding situations that open doors to those possibilities. If a male doesn't touch you, he doesn't have the opportunity to harm you."
Jacquelyn laughed at him. "I think that's a little overboard, wolf-man."
"You may, but that's why I'm Alpha."
Jacque's eyes widened. "Did you seriously just say that?" She sat up abruptly and pushed at his chest, putting him flat on his back. Jacque leaned over him. "Take it back," she growled, but still there was a hint of humor dancing in her emerald eyes.
"But I am Alpha," Fane told her, his brow drawn together.
"Maybe, but you implied that because of that you get to boss me around."
Fane ran the back of his fingers across her cheek. Jacque closed her eyes at the feel of his skin against hers. "As Alpha, I do get to give you orders,"
"Is that so?" she challenged, her eyes still closed, savoring the closeness between them.
"That's so." Fane switched to the more intimate way of communicating between them. "And right now, I'm ordering you to kiss your mate."
Jacque's eyes popped open and, grinning wickedly, started to get up. Fane quickly wrapped an arm around her waist, drawing her down to his chest. "Where are you going?"
"You told me to kiss my mate," she answered. "I have to go find him, cuz my mate wouldn't be such a bossy butt."
"Bossy butt?" Fane laughed.
Jacque poked his chest. "Don’t laugh at me or I'll bite you."
Fane drew her closer and leaned up to whisper in her ear. "Promise?"
"Geez, Jen's influence reaches further than I realized."
Fane stared into her eyes, a silent challenge, daring her to do as he ordered. She moved closer and leaned down as if to kiss him, but nipped him instead and tried to squirm away before he could retaliate. But his werewolf reflexes were faster. He flipped her on her back and quickly pressed his lips to hers. When he pulled back, Jacque was grinning.
"What?" His eyes narrowed.
"You kissed me, oh great Alpha." Jacque laughed. "I win."
Fane groaned. "Why do I have this sense of dread that this is a foreshadowing of our very long life to come?"
"And you will love every minute of it."
Fane stood and pulled her up as well. "I will more than love it, Luna," he agreed impenitently. "Now, we must get ready and then go gather up Sally and Jen."
"Sounds like a plan, Stan," Jacque chimed.
"Who is this Stan?"
Jacque laughed. "We have really got to work on your lingo."
"Work away, my love."

"So, let me see if I'm catching what you're throwing." Jen sat up a little straighter as she faced Cynthia and tried to wrap her brain around what the good doctor was telling her. "According to this Alpha from way back, in order for the mating signs to become apparent there has to be some sort of catalyst?"
"Pretty much," Cynthia answered.
"Huh, who knew?" Jen's eyebrows rose as she considered her options.
"The problem is, and I don't know if he has talked with you about it, but Decebel is reluctant to push it."
"Well, if by talk you mean cornered me in the hall and tactfully told me he couldn't kiss me because, and I quote, 'it's not that simple, Jen,' then sure, he talked to me." Jen rolled her eyes at the memory of Decebel's words.
"What is it with men and their inability to commit?" Cynthia wondered out loud.
"I don't know that it's their inability to commit so much as they're just scared witless."
"Witless?" Cynthia smiled.
"Yeah, I'm trying to clean up my potty mouth."
"How's that going for you?" Cynthia teased.
"It's painful, but necessary." Jen winked at her. "Well, I don't really know what I can do about the B-man. I'm not saying I don't want to look into it because there is obviously something there – it's practically beating us both over the head. At the same time, I can't make him do anything. Freaking stubborn flea infested punk."
Cynthia stood up from where she had been perched on Jen's bed. "You better get ready for tonight. All your bags have already been put in your closet, and the pack paid for some extra nice clothes for you to wear as well."
"How'd they know my size?"
"That's what nosy friends are for, Jen." Cynthia grinned as she headed for the door. "My advice to you, dormant – when a dominant won't do the necessary thing because other things in his life have made him leery, it may be necessary to force his hand."
Jen cocked her head to the side. "That has potential for disaster written all over it, doc." Jen smiled. "I like it!"
Cynthia laughed as she pulled the door closed behind her.
Jen headed for the closet and she started humming. She realized as she stepped into the closet that she was humming Katy Perry's “ET”. She shook her head, trying to dislodge the song. "Yaaaa, no, don't need to go there." And even alone she blushed at the memory of the pictures Sally had showed her from that utterly embarrassing morning. Thankfully Decebel had yet to bring it up, and Jen definitely would not be opening that particular can of “what the hell was I thinking.”
She started flipping through the clothes that had been hung by whoever had drawn that particular straw. She had to smile. Jacque and Sally had definitely had their grubby little paws all up in this little endeavor. It was apparent that they were dressing her to either make Decebel pant like the wolf he was, or to drive him insane with jealousy. This was going to be fun indeed…probably the understatement of the century as far as Jen was concerned. She grabbed an outfit and headed towards the bathroom. This time she was humming Natasha Bedingfield's “Strip Me”.
"I'm so messed up in the head." Jen laughed out loud.

Dillon Jacobs stood with his pack on the far-left side of the large gathering room. He had yet to talk with Jacque because he wanted to let her get settled in. Then word had gotten around that Decebel had attacked Thad's Beta, so he had gone and talked with Vasile, who assured him things were most certainly out of control. Not the answer Dillon had been hoping for, but Vasile said it was a necessary evil. Dillon responded by saying the Americans were rubbing their pension for drama off on his pack. Vasile had simply laughed him off.
Dillon had decided that he better warn his wolves to be on alert for any retaliation from Thad's pack. His next warning had been for the unmated males of his pack, and had gone something like, "And for goodness' sakes, stay the hell away from Jennifer Adams. She's the blonde flirty one. If she heads your way, I had better see you running for the hills like your life depends on it. Because, frankly, it does." Of course, his more dominant wolves had seen this as a challenge and asked why, if Decebel and Jen weren't mated, did they not get to see if she was a potential mate for one of them? Dillon had calmly but firmly explained that Decebel was, in his own right, strong enough and dominant enough to be an Alpha of his own pack. Out of loyalty to Vasile he served him. In other words, he would wipe the floor with their hides if he felt challenged. Dillon did not come all the way to Romania to witness a bloodbath, and he certainly hadn't brought his mate to put her in harm's way.
Back in the present, Dillon felt arms slip around him from behind, bringing a smile to his face. He turned to look into his mate's eyes.
"How you hanging in there, Alpha mine?" Tanya asked him.
"I'm just ready for this week to be done. Preferably without loss of limbs or life."
Tanya smiled. "Such an optimist. Is Jacque just the same?"
"Sickeningly so." Dillon chuckled. "She really is a positive person. You're going to like her."
Tanya sighed. "The pertinent question is, will she like me?"
"Mate, what's not to like?"
Tanya laughed at her mate's teasing, thankful that he was beginning to loosen up a bit. She suddenly stiffened in his arms and Dillon turned his head to see what had caught her attention. The Romanian Pack had arrived and Jacque had just spotted them. He watched as she smiled and waved. He read her lips as she mouthed, "I'll come visit shortly." Dillon nodded and turned back to his mate.
"She said she will be over shortly, so you have a small reprieve to fret and worry some more, my love." Dillon grunted when Tanya retaliated by poking him in his ribs.
He saw the three other Alphas who had been involved with organizing The Gathering and decided it was time to take their seats.
He indicated towards the table that had been assigned to them. "Shall we?"
"Don't suppose we can bail out now?" Tanya asked, only half joking.
"Nope, I'm afraid we have dug our graves and now must get coffins measured for us."
"There you go again, ever the optimist." Tanya took the seat he pulled out for her and watched as the rest of their pack followed suit, ready to hear what the night's activities would be.