by Quinn Loftis
“I’m just sayin'.” Jen shrugged her shoulders.
Jacque walked out of her bedroom shaking her head. She headed to the bathroom to brush her teeth and put on the tank top and boxer shorts she had left there the night before. When she took off her shirt, she turned around and held out a hand mirror to look at the marks on her back and neck.
She realized as she studied it that the markings on her neck looked like they would actually fit into Fane’s like a puzzle piece. As Jen would say, “Wicked,” Jacque muttered.
She felt a shiver go down her spine and quickly shoved on her tank top before realizing it wouldn’t cover the markings on her shoulders. The last thing she needed was her mom to see them and start asking questions, especially since Jacque didn’t have any answers. She brushed her teeth and washed her face and darted across the hall to her bedroom. Going to her closet, Jacque took off the tank and Jen saw the marks for the second time. Almost if talking to herself, she said, “This is really happening, isn’t it?”
“I’m afraid so, sweet girl. There’s nothing to do but go with the flow or sink fighting the current,” Sally said, using her best Mary Poppins voice.
Jen looked at her and narrowed her eyes, “If you bust out in ‘Just a Spoonful of Sugar’ I’m going to duct tape your mouth closed.”
“You really should seek help for that temper of yours. You know, they have medicine that would help,” Jacque told her, trying to sound gentle as if talking to an unruly child.
Jen simply flipped them both the bird and changed into her sleep clothes.
Jacque turned off the lights as they all lay down to sleep. They were quiet for awhile, but just as Jacque was drifting off, she could feel the waves of worry coming off of Sally.
“Sally,” Jacque said. “It’s all going to work out, remember? We’re all too stubborn to accept any other outcome.”
Sally didn’t respond so it was quiet again. Then Jacque spoke up once more, “Jen, seriously. You didn’t have some smart ass comment right when we needed it?”
Jen was quiet. Jacque and Sally seemed to be holding their breath, waiting for their outspoken friend to work her magic.
Jen finally answered, “I was thinking about the game we were playing tonight and about the one where the answer was tires on your vehicle. When Fane said he had two, I so wanted to ask him if they were big.”
And just like that the atmosphere lightened and the three girls laughed until they had tears. Of course, Jen could never stop at just one perverted or smart ass comment, so when they had all caught their breath she added, “Jacque, you could always throw your friends a bone or, heck, even just a kibble and find out for us.”
“Is that all you ever think about, Jen?” Sally asked in exasperation.
“What, how big Fane’s are? Good grief, no. I think about other things,” Jen defended.
“Anything not pertaining to the opposite sex, or for that matter sex itself?” Jacque asked sarcastically.
Jen started to open her mouth then abruptly shut it. Looking at nothing in particular, thinking, she finally answered, “Nope, huh-uh. Don’t think so.”
They all broke out in laughter again until they finally drifted off to sleep.
Chapter 14
Fane woke up early and decided to go for a run. Running always helped him clear his mind. He got up, resisted the urge to reach out to his Luna, figuring she was probably still asleep, and changed into some workout shorts. He decided against a shirt, knowing he wouldn’t leave it on long anyway. He brushed his teeth and went downstairs to the kitchen. Brian and Sara were still asleep so he tried to make as little noise as possible, which was easy for him do, being a werewolf and all.
He peeled a banana and nearly ate it whole, then poured himself a glass of orange juice. He rinsed the glass and put it in the dishwasher and picked up his phone from the counter. After putting it in his pocket, he headed out the front door.
Because he was Canis lupus, Fane could run for very long distances even in human form. He didn’t have to work out to keep his muscular physique, it was just the way all Canis lupus were built. Some were leaner than others, but all were very muscular. He glanced up at Jacquelyn’s window and, giving into his desire, reached out to her mind briefly. He decided if she was thinking about something he thought she wouldn’t want him to know, he would retreat quickly. As it was, she was still asleep and her thoughts were scattered. He kept seeing his own face and then another, unknown male's face. He assumed this was the Trent she'd been dating previously. She didn’t seem to be interested in him anymore, but it was obvious he had hurt her. Fane and his wolf did not like that.
He pulled back from her thoughts and started up the street. He had to restrain himself from running full speed because he was much, much faster than a human. The wolf wanted to run, wanted to hunt. Fane pushed down the urge and kept it at a nice fast jog.
He found his mind going over the previous night, when the car had driven by Jacquelyn’s house. He'd seen two males, one of which was the salesman from the dealership he had gone to earlier, so he knew it had something to do with the Greys. He still didn’t know what they wanted from Jacquelyn, but from what his father could tell him, they wanted Fane out of their territory.
So far his Alpha had not given the command to leave, so Fane wasn’t going anywhere. The problem was that once his Alpha did give him the command to leave he was going to have to convince Jacquelyn and her mother to come with him. There was no way he was going to leave her here unprotected.
As he continued to run, Fane’s thoughts would switch back and forth between thinking about Jacquelyn and their date tonight, to thinking about the local pack he had not known existed. When he finally made it back to the Henrys' house, he had been running for over two hours.
He went through the front door and as he walked in he saw Sara coming down the stairs in workout shorts and shirt, her hair up in a ponytail.
“We’re going out to run some trails at the park across town. You’re welcome to come but it looks like you’ve already been out and about,” Sara told him.
“Thank you for the invitation, but I did just finish running so I will pass for today. I wanted to check with you and make sure this was okay. I asked Jacquelyn out on a date for this evening so I will be out. Will that be a problem?” Fane asked.
“No problem at all. Jacque is a one-of-a kind girl and we all love her. I don’t think I have to tell you to treat her good, you seem to have impeccable manners. Do you have a helmet for her or did you want to borrow our car?” Sara offered.
“That is most generous, but I did buy two helmets when I bought my bike.”
Once the Henrys left and Fane took a shower, he sat down to call his father again and see if they could come up with some sort of plan.
The phone rang one time and his father’s voice was on the other end.
“Da.”
“It’s me,” Fane told him. “I need to know what you want me to do. Do I need to request a meeting with this Alpha and find out what his interest in my mate is?”
“I have been thinking about it a lot and have decided to send Sorin back to you. I think his experience as a werewolf will be of some help, not to mention it will show them you are not on your own,” his father told him.
“As my Alpha, what are you telling me to do?” Fane asked him.
“I want you to protect your mate and her mother, but do not act on anything unless provoked. If it gets out of hand, I don’t care how you get your mate and her mother on a plane, but you do it fast,” his father said firmly.
“Okay, so when will Sorin arrive? And where is he going to stay?” Fane asked him.
“He should be there sometime around eight pm. You might find this interesting, but he is staying with Lilly Pierce.”
“That’s my mate’s mother,” Fane said, confused.
“I am aware of that. I guess it’s time for me to tell you, but you must wait to talk to Jacquelyn until after her mother tells her. She musn’t
feel betrayed,” Fane's father explained. “I did a little searching and found out that your mate is indeed part wolf. In fact, she is half Grey. Jacquelyn’s father was a Grey. He and Lilly were together for quite awhile, although they never married. At some point in their relationship he decided to tell her about his origins because she had a special gift and knew there was something different about him. She actually received the news very well. After that, things were good, but one day Jacquelyn’s father came home, packed his things and left Lilly a note. All it said was ‘I have to go, I have no choice. I’m sorry.’ Jacquelyn’s father did not know Lilly was pregnant with his child when he left. I have since located him and found that he is with his mate, which is why he had to leave Lilly. You see, Lilly was not his true mate and even though he had feelings for her, they weren’t a pindrop compared to what he feels for his mate.”
“So Lilly has known this Jacquelyn’s whole life and never told her?” Fane asked him.
“She didn’t think she would ever have to. For all she knew, the rules did not apply to Jacquelyn because she is not full-blood. She knows who you are, Fane, and what you are. I called and spoke with her about what is going on and she took it really well. She agreed to let Sorin stay with them as he would be added protection,” his father explained.
“I know I can trust Sorin, but you know how hard it is for a male wolf to allow another to be so close to his mate, especially when the bond ritual has not been performed,” Fane told his father.
“I know it is going to be hard on you but you are going to have to set your wolf nature aside and recognize what will keep her safe. Still, I don’t know if Sorin will be enough of a deterrent to keep the other pack from attempting to take Jacquelyn.”
Fane growled at the idea of his mate in the hands of a pack to which she did not belong.
“How can they possibly want her when she is not a true mate to any of them?” Fane asked.
“I know it is hard for you to understand because you are so young, and you've found your mate so quickly, which is rare. Most go decades if not centuries before they find their mate. Female Greys are not abundant and after such a long time some Greys get desperate enough to settle for less and hope that over time their wolves will bond. What they don’t know, because they don’t remember what our ancestors have taught, is there is only one mate for each. Only one,” his father emphasized.
“Is Sorin going to need me to pick him up?” Fane asked.
“No, he is going to rent a car for the duration of his stay,” his father answered. “I will keep you updated as I learn things. You lay low, Fane. I don’t want my only son and the future Alpha of this Pack killed.” His father used his Alpha voice. It demanded obedience and could not be defied.
“Yes, Alpha,” Fane replied, recognizing that in that moment he was not speaking as son to father, but Pack to Alpha.
Fane hung up the phone and lay back on his bed, staring up at the ceiling. He decided to wait a couple more days before he confronted Lilly and Jacquelyn, but he was going to have to convince Lilly to tell her daughter. He would obey his father and not tell Jacquelyn before then.
Because he needed her touch, even if only mind to mind, Fane reached out to his Luna. “Are you awake, meu inimă?” He patiently waited for her response.
“Well, I am now. Is it customary in Romania to wake people at the crack of dawn?” she replied grumpily.
“It is not the crack of dawn, Luna. It is already ten thirty,” Fane told her.
“Oh, my bad. It’s moved up to still-too-freaking early,” Jacquelyn responded.
Fane chuckled at her grumpiness and found it rather endearing.
“So I take it you are not a morning person?” he asked her.
“I’m not a person until after noon, so make a note to yourself to keep your thoughts out of mine til then.”
“Duly noted. I will not seek you out until one minute after twelve,” Fane said jokingly.
“Aren’t you just so clever?” she retorted.
Fane wondered what she looked like in the morning, hair all a mess, rumpled clothes. He imagined she was adorable.
“I would rather you not see me first thing out of bed, nor imagine what I look like. I assure you, ‘adorable’ would not be the description you choose,” Jacquelyn told him.
“I believe how I see you is not really up to you, my Luna,” Fane said gently.
“What exactly does loona mean?” she asked him.
“I will tell you soon but not today. Rest assured it is a high honor to be called that,” Fane said. “I was planning on picking you up at five thirty. Is that too early?” he asked her. He hoped not because Fane would actually go pick her up now if he could. He so desperately wanted to spend time with her and get to know her. He wanted her to know him and he hoped that she liked what she learned. He wanted to be worthy of her because she brought him balance and control and love. Fane was careful not to let those thoughts be open to her.
“Five thirty is good. Are you going to tell me what we are doing?” she asked him.
“I was thinking that golf game Americans play that has the all the different obstacles,” Fane answered.
Jacquelyn giggled at his description and Fane grinned, glad he could make her laugh, even if it was at his expense.
“You mean putt-putt. That sounds like fun. Are you going to be in my head anymore today?” she asked him.
Fane’s voice was very soft and intimate when he answered, “Do you want me to be in your head, Luna?”
Fane felt Jacquelyn respond to his voice. When she answered, even her thoughts sounded breathless. “I um, I don’t know.”
“I will take that as a yes and you can tell me to leave at anytime. Talk to you later, meu inimă,” Fane said to her sweetly.
“Bye,” was all Jacquelyn could manage to get out.
Chapter 15
“Hello, earth to Jacque,” Sally said as she snapped her fingers in front of her friend's face.
Finally Jacque turned her head to Sally, looking quite spacey and out of it and said, “I’m in trouble.”
“What is that supposed to mean?” Jen asked her as she sat in the floor painting her toenails. She'd apparently found Jacques nail polish and, as always, helped herself.
“I was just talking to Fane and his voice got all sensual on me and it was like…”
Jacque didn’t know how to finish so Jen offered up, “Phone sex, virtual mind sex, I would say sex on a stick put that really only applies to Dove ice cream bars.”
“Jen, paint your toenails,” Sally ordered.
Jen stuck her tongue out , but obeyed.
“I could so fall hard for this tasty Romanian,” Jacque told them.
“There’s nothing wrong with that. Just make sure it’s not a rebound from the whole Trent thing,” Sally told her honestly.
“I hear what you’re saying, Tonto,” Jacque told her with a smile.
“So what’s the plan for the whole date thing?” Jen asked.
Jacque thought about Fane’s cute description of putt-putt. She was actually looking forward to it, she hadn’t been in a long time.
“He’s picking me up at five thirty and taking me to putt-putt. I think it will be interesting to see a Romanian hottie play something he didn’t even know the name for,” Jacque told them.
“He didn’t know what putt-putt was called,” Jen laughed, “that’s awesome.”
“It’s the little things, Jen, the little things,” Sally told her.
Jacque spent the day discussing various scenarios for her evening with Fane. Naturally, all of Jen’s included vivid make out scenes and somehow always ended with their clothes off. She truly was a piece of work. You can’t help but love her, Jacque thought.
At three thirty, Sally and Jen sat Jacque down on the edge of her bed and began pulling various options of outfits to wear. She decided right away that a skirt or sun dress was out because of riding the motorcycle. Finally she was down between a pair of jeans with hole
s in various places and “Daisy Duke” shorts that looked worn out, only they weren’t because that was how she bought them. She had already decided on a hunter green, spaghetti strap shirt with various sparkly designs on it.
“Just go with the jeans,” Jen said. “They’re sexy in a bad ass kind of way and they'll help keep your skin intact if you're in a motorcycle wreck.” Sally glared at Jen. “What? I’m just saying,” Jen defended.
“Yeah, I think I will go with the jeans. They leave something to the imagination,” Jacque decided.
“Okay, hair up or down?” Sally asked.
“I’m thinking down for the motorcycle ride because of the helmet. It's putt-putt, Sal, no need for a French twist,” Jacque told her. “I’m just gonna wear my green flip flops.” Jacque hated wearing shoes and if they weren’t required she avoided them, just another of her weird quirks.
She took a shower while her two best friends picked out eye shadow for her to wear. When she got back to her room they had Jen’s phone hooked up to her computer speakers and were jamming to Lynard Skynard. Jacque just shook her head at them. She got dressed and then Sally pushed her down into her desk chair and went to work on her unruly hair while Jen started on her eyes. “Man, I’ve got good friends,” Jacque thought to herself, not for the first time.
By the time they were finished with it was five. Sally and Jen looked spun her in a circle to see their finished product. Then they looked at each other, bumped fists, and said at the same time, “Damn, we’re good.”
“I would have to agree, ladies. Ya’ll are fantastic. Thank you both so much,” Jacque told them.
“Oh, hell no. Don’t go getting all sentimental on us. If you mess up the work I did on your eyes I will not hesitate to kick your butt between your shoulders,” Jen said sternly.
“I love you too, Jen,” Jacque said sarcastically.
“Are you nervous?” Sally asked her.
“If I said I wasn’t I'd be lying. But I would also be lying if I didn’t say I was absolutely beyond excited,” Jacque told them.