Chapter 5

Decebel watched as Vasile and Alina came into the back room. Following them was Sorin, Skender, and then others that smelled like pack, but that he had no memory of.

He noticed that the healer and the redhead kept sneaking glances at him. It was obvious that they knew him, but no matter how hard he tried, they remained black voids in his mind.

"Alright, daddy-o. Let's get this party started." Jacque clapped her hands together, punctuating her obvious eagerness.

"Fane." Vasile's voice was a warning.

"Luna, sit," Fane growled at Jacque.

Jacque glared at her mate, but acquiesced while murmuring, "You are so going to pay for that later."

Fane groaned. "As my bonded mate you have way too much power over me."

Jacque laughed out loud. "That, my love, is because you are male and therefore easily distracted by all things female. Which works to my advantage when you are being a butt head."

Fane chuckled as he tugged a strand of her hair in mock retaliation.

Meanwhile, a semi-circle formed around Vasile and Alina at the front of the room. As everyone settled in, Costin took the wall directly behind Sally, looking every bit the role of a sentinel. A fire burned directly behind the group in a large stone hearth casting shadows over the room adding to the mystery that held them all captive.

As the room quieted, the popping of burning wood and crackling flames filled the heavy silence. Vasile stood, but remained silent as he looked at each member of his pack, each member that he had chosen because of their fierce love and loyalty for one another. Not that others in the pack wouldn't give their all, but Vasile knew this group had grown close. That's what happens when people go through the fire together. Like heated metal, they began to soften, and when pushed together, their emotions and loyalty became soldered, no longer separate pieces. As they left the fire, cooling, that joining was permanent and unbreakable.

That was the kind of bond that it was going to take to get through this. Vasile was under no illusions that before the end, tears would be shed, pain would threaten to tear them apart, and blood would coat the walls. Yes, it would take the bond forged in fire to walk through the hell they were going to soon face.

Very soon.

"I've been thinking over the situation,” Vasile began. “I'm going to explain this and then we will decide how to divide our resources." Vasile paused to see if anyone had anything to add. No one spoke, but every eye fixated on him.

"We have three dilemmas,” Vasile continued. We have a missing pack member and mate to our Beta. All we currently know is that she is lost on this mountain somewhere. Second, Decebel's been cursed, twice. Thanks to Sally we understand the nature of these curses; however, we don't know how to break them or who performed them. Which leads me to our third dilemma: there is a witch, a very powerful witch, assisting the Serbian pack. We need to know her identity. There is power in possessing the name of an evil being, drawing it into the light, exposing it. That is when weaknesses are found."

Vasile began to walk around the room. The movement helped his wolf settle, allowing him to better work through the problems.

"Fane, Jacque, Costin, and Sorin. You will be returning to the pack mansion." He turned and addressed Sorin. "You are to seek out Wadim. It's time that we looked into our pack's history, which we have too long neglected. I think if you dig deep enough you will be able to uncover something about the witch or why the Serbian pack has attacked us."

"Who is Wadim?" Jacque asked.

Sorin answered, "Our pack historian."

"Ooh, the pack historian. Do you keep him in a dungeon or something? I've never seen him."

"Something like that." Sorin smiled.

Vasile continued. "Sally, Cynthia, Crina, and Decebel, I am going to send you to visit a friend of the pack. She is not a healer, but she has lived among them and kept records of their history. I normally avoid seeking her out. Few know of her connection to the gypsies, and I don’t want to expose her. If Thad knew of the knowledge she possesses, he would do anything to get his hands on it." His eyes crinkled in the corners as he looked at Sally and smiled. "I think you will be pleasantly surprised."

Sally returned his smile, although she was wary of the look in her Alpha's eyes.

"Alpha," Costin cleared his throat as he spoke. "I would like to go with Cynthia and Sally." He gave no reason for his request, just waited to see what Vasile's response would be.

Vasile looked over to Alina, who gave a nearly imperceptible nod.

"Don't meddle," she told him through their bond.

"Mina." His voice was a teasing reprimand. "You hurt me to say such things."

"Let fate take its course, Alpha. If he's requesting to be with her maybe his wolf knows something the rest of us don't. I don't know that Costin is completely aware of the possessive and protective behavior that he has been exhibiting. Grant his request, my love."

"You make me a better man, a better Alpha, Alina mine." Vasile caressed her face through their bond.

"Don't you forget it," she teased.

Vasile groaned aloud. "Bloody Americans rubbing off on my woman," he grumbled.

Alina winked at the confused-looking Sally and Jacque.

Vasile conceded, "Alright. Costin, you and Crina switch places. You may go with Sally." He heard his mate growl at him for adding that last little bit. After all, he didn't have to point out that Sally was the reason for Costin's request, but then sometimes deliberateness was the best course of action…especially for an Alpha.

Costin didn't respond to Vasile's jab; he simply nodded and returned to his sentry position.

Vasile turned to Sally. "Her name is Perizada but she prefers Peri." He watched Sally's face because he knew that her gypsy blood would intuitively understand the meaning behind the name.

Sally gasped. "Oh, they can’t be real?"

Vasile smiled again. "Werewolves exist, don’t they" he said in answer.

"Yeah, but that just seems normal now."

"Is who real?" Jacque asked puzzled, cocking her head and looking at her best friend.

"Perizada means fairy-born." Sally grinned at Jacque. "I'm going to meet a Fae."

“You mean with little wings and pixy dust?” Jacque asked.

“Something tells me that there won’t be any pixie dust,” responded Sally gleefully.

"Ah, man," Jacque whined. "She gets to meet the Fae and I have to go to a dungeon to talk to some old, reclusive werewolf scribe who's probably as worn and dusty as the records we'll have to sift through."

Sally looked at Vasile and then back to Jacque. "That about sums it up, Red." Her grin remained in place.

"That is so not cool, V. Not cool at all." Jacque glared at her father-in-law.

"Still with the V?" Vasile asked.

"Yeah, well, just because you're Alpha doesn’t mean you are exempt from nicknames. Although, I could call you A, but it would be too tempting to add the word hole behind it."

The room erupted in much needed laughter.

Sally fist bumped Jacque. "Score."

Vasile growled at the two girls, but softened it with a wink. "I suppose I prefer V."

Jacque gave him a nod. "Good choice."

"Thank you, Luna," Fane whispered in her mind.

"For what?"

"Bringing laughter. There will be little joy in the coming days and we must grab it when it comes. You gave us a gift." He was absently tracing the markings underneath her red curls.

"Thanks, wolf-man. But you're not out of the doghouse yet. Don't think your sweet words will sway me."

Fane chuckled. "I can think of several things that could sway you."

Fane sent her images to punctuate his words. Jacque gasped and slapped his chest.

"Fane, quit flirting with your mate. Pay attention," Vasile growled, though he was trying not to laugh.

Decebel watched from across the semi-circle. The easy way in which Fane and his mate interacted, the obvious love and affection they shared... I had that, he thought.

How could I forget having that? Did she tease me? Did I look at her in adoration as Fane does at Jacque?

Decebel's mind wandered. He puzzled through the idea that if he did indeed have a mate, he'd more than just forgotten her—her face, the color of her eyes or her hair. He hadn't just forgotten the feel of her skin or the feel of her body against his. He had forgotten all that they had shared. He felt a sharp pain rip through his chest. Did I hold her? Kiss her? He closed his eyes, squeezing them tight, trying so hard to find something, anything that would confirm that she did exist. Jen, his mate. But there was nothing.

He growled as he felt his wolf stir. His wolf knew something that he didn't. Maybe his wolf remembered her—or maybe he just remembered having her and now knew there was something lost. He looked across at Fane and made eye contact, a silent request to talk later. Fane nodded, his lips tightened in something that looked like sadness.

Vasile cleared his throat, bringing everyone back on task. "Alright, those are the plans. I chose you all because you have been through much already and triumphed. Make no mistake, this will not be easy. Dealing with a witch is dangerous, especially one that we know nothing about. Rely on each other's strength. Protect one another. Pay attention to any emotions or actions that seem out of character for yourself or another in your group. If you notice someone acting odd, it could be dark magic. You must fight it."

The group was quiet as they thought on Vasile's words. Then Sally broke the silence with a giggle.

"What's tickled your fancy?" Jacque asked her dryly.

"I feel like we should all stand together in a bunch and Vasile should announce -"

Jacque caught onto Sally's train of thought and they both said at the same time: "We'll call you the Fellowship of the Ring."

Both girls began laughing and high fiving each other.

Decebel looked over at Alina.

"Yes, they are always like this," she answered his unspoken question.

Decebel let out a deep breath, shaking his head at the giggling pair.

"Man, Jen would have so rocked that." Jacque laughed.

"We should record this stuff so when she's back we can play it for her."

"Sally, I think Jen would tell you that your recording privileges were revoked at the hospital," Jacque teased.

Sally looked over at Decebel and Jacque saw her wheels turning.

"No." Jacque shook her head emphatically.

"It might spark something. I mean, she was butt freaking naked," Sally reasoned.

"Okay, so let me get this straight. You want to show Dec pictures of his mate butt naked, pawing all over him, while he looked like he wanted to crawl under the bed? Do you not remember when the cheerleaders made fun of her Beauty and the Beast backpack last year? She put K-Y Jelly all over their cars, put condoms over their antennas, and then wrote 'cheerleaders got rhythm' on their windows. This, the same Jen who broke into the field house, got the field chalk, and drew a picture of boobs and put 'nice rack' underneath it just because the team's mascot we were playing was a Buck?"

Sally snorted. "That was freaking hilarious."

"The point is, Sally, do you really want to provoke the wrath of Jen?"

"Fine," Sally whined. "You have to admit, though, that it would be funny as hell to see his face when he saw the pictures."

Jacque chuckled. "It's almost worth her wrath…almost."

The girls realized that the room had gotten quiet during their discussion. They both looked around to find everyone looking at them, mouths dropped open, eyes wide.

"Oh. Um, I guess ya’ll didn't know Jen could be a little revenge happy. And usually that revenge takes the form of some sexual reference."

Everyone nodded and grumbled their agreement that Jen liked to joke about all things sexual.

Decebel stood up, arms crossed over his broad chest, his six foot four inches seeming to fill the room. "This is my mate you are talking about?"

"Not what you were expecting was it?" Jacque questioned with a broad grin.

"She openly jokes about sex?" he asked, disbelieving any mate of his would be so crass.

"Jokes about it, talks about it, makes reference to it in everyday conversation. Yep, that's your mate." Jacque laughed at the worried look on Decebel's handsome face.

"Jacque quit scaring Decebel about his mate," Vasile reprimanded. "Decebel, she is a remarkable woman. You both complement each other well."

"Oh, I'm sure she compliments him well," Crina muttered under her breath.

Sally and Jacque both laughed so hard they had to grab their sides.

Crina just smiled when Vasile shot her a look that pretty much said to shut up.

Rolling his eyes, Vasile ignored the laughing girls. "Today and tonight we rest. Say your goodbyes to the other packs." He gave Jacque, who had finally gained her composure, a pointed look. "They will be leaving shortly."

Later that evening

Fane and Jacque came into the meeting room after having said goodbye to Dillon as he and the other Alpha's began to take their packs down the mountain. Several pack members had driven the Hummers and vans down the mountain to retrieve more vehicles to transport the packs.

"Everything okay?" Sally asked Jacque.

"Yeah. I know my dad wants to stay but Vasile thinks that in this instance less is more."

"I have to agree with my father on this one,” said Fane. “Our wolves are magical beings. A witch can track that magic. Dillon is a powerful Alpha. The more Alphas we have around, the more attention that we are going to draw to ourselves.”

“What is it you wanted to talk about, Decebel?" Fane turned his attention to his Beta as he and Jacque took a seat on a small couch in front of the fireplace. Sally, Costin and Crina all took chairs around the stone fireplace in the meeting room. Jacque sat draped across Fane's lap as he absently played with her hair.

Decebel sat on the floor across from the couch near the hearth of the fireplace. His knees where drawn up and he had his arms resting across them, left hand clasping his right wrist.

"I was just wondering if you could tell me about her. What she looks like, what our relationship was like? How long have I known her? That kind of stuff. Maybe it will help jog my memory." Decebel stared into the orange and yellow dancing flames as he spoke.

"I can actually do you one better than that if you would like," Sally spoke up.

"Sally," Jacque's voice was thick with warning, "I thought we agreed not to go down that little path."

"Oh chillax, wolf princess. I can show him the pictures of her with the sheet wrapped around her body—granted she is still pawing all over him." Sally's eyes twinkled with mischief. Costin watched the brunette with fascination, still not understanding why she was quickly becoming something he and his wolf were inexplicably drawn to.

"You have pictures of her?" Decebel asked eagerly as he pulled his eyes away from the fire to look at Sally.

Sally nodded as she pulled out her cell phone. She went over and sat down next to Decebel on the hard wood floor, warmed nicely by the heat of the fire.

"Now before I show you let me explain why she is so scantily clad," Sally grinned as she remembered the night she and Jen had decided that it was their job to rescue Jacque from loneliness in the ICU—yeah that had worked out so well. Sally began the story at the wreck the girls were in with Jacque's mom. She weaved the story masterfully, holding Decebel in thrall knowing that he was soaking in every word to learn more about the woman he no longer remembered. By the time she was finished, Sally had the complete attention of everyone in the room, even though they had all lived through the events themselves. Finally, a half hour later she concluded, "So that is why your beloved is wrapped around you dressed only in a hospital sheet."

Sally looked over at Jacque who had her hand across her face as she shook her head at Sally's story.

"Geez, hearing you tell it makes us sound like nut cases," Jacque murmured.

"Truth be told Jac, you aren't far off the mark," Crina teased.

Sally looked back at Decebel who sat wide eyed and speechless. Finally, he said, "Show me."

Sally pushed some keys on her phone and held it up to him, "Scroll side to side by swiping the screen."

Decebel took the phone from her hand and stared at the blonde beauty who, wrapped in the hospital sheet as described, had one arm wrapped around Decebel's neck, her other hand rested on his chest. She stared up into his face with a look that could only be described as complete adoration. He scrolled through each picture noting the different looks of confusion and panic on his own face as he struggled with what to do with the girl they claimed was his mate.

Finally, the last picture Sally had captured was of him looking down at the sleeping girl. He noted that his own face held a fierce protectiveness as he stared at the one who had obviously captured his heart and most likely his soul.

He handed the phone back to Sally and pulled out his own phone. "Could you please send me a few of those," Decebel quickly explained his request, "Not because I'm being-" He struggled to find the words.

"We don't think you are trying to lust after her Decebel. Relax. If I had forgotten Fane, I would want pictures of him as well, and if they happened to be of him half dressed-well then lucky me." Jacque laughed as Fane nipped her neck gently with his teeth, "Wicked women," he murmured against her skin.

Decebel looked up at Jacque while Sally worked on sending him the pictures.

"Did she like me?" He asked her apprehensively.

Jacque grinned, "Does she like you, you mean?" Jacque clarified, "Decebel, she is still alive and we will get her back. And yes, she is crazy as hell about you."

Decebel's lips lifted slightly in a small smile, "Do I like her?" his eyes twinkled wickedly.

Fane chuckled and answered before Jacque could, "I think like is putting it mildly, although she did cause you to lose considerable amounts of sleep."

Decebel's face broke into a full grin making his strong features appear boyish, "Would she be worth it if she didn't?"

"Good point," Fane conceded.

The room grew quiet as they each turned to their own thoughts. The silence was comfortable even with the darkness that loomed over them. They each had accepted their part in the trials that would come.

Sally felt the hair on the back of her neck stand up as she realized she was being watched. Slowly she turned her head in the direction she felt the stare coming from. Her eyes collided with Costin's. She felt goose bumps rise across her skin at the heat that filled his deep hazel eyes. The pull she felt between them was strong, and like nothing she had ever felt. She didn't understand how it was possible when she knew that she had no werewolf blood in her. Sally let a small smile form on her lips as she thought about how she would need to tread carefully with this or she would inevitably end up with a broken heart. Costin had an easy charm about him. He was light-hearted, shamelessly flirty, unbelievably handsome and dominant to the core. Yea, Sally thought, this one has the potential to rip my heart out, grin, and wink, with me swooning all the while at his good looks and unbelievable charisma.

Her heart dropped to her stomach as a breathtaking grin spread across his face. He cocked an eyebrow at her and winked, mischief danced in the depths of his eyes as she felt the blood rush to her face while she looked upon his sensual lips and felt the easy confidence that he wore like a favorite shirt, pouring off of him.

Sally finally pulled her eyes from him as she heard Decebel take in a sharp breath.

Every eye turned to him as they watched him raise his eyes, wide with confusion and look at them, "I feel her. She's seeking me out." His words were so soft that even the crackling of the fire threatened to drown them out.

"Has she spoken to you?" Jacque asked him gently as if to keep from spooking him.

"No, she needs comfort. She's hurting." Decebel instinctively pictured the image of her from the pictures on Sally's phone in his mind and then imagined caressing her face. He didn’t' know what he felt for her, he didn't even know her, but feeling her in his mind called to his wolf. And his wolf refused to deny this woman anything she needed.

"Jen?" he reached out tentatively.