Chapter 25

"What exactly are you doing now?" Thad asked the witch his pack had employed for centuries. She sat in a chair in the room she called her "cave". Thad tried not to look around at the things hanging from the ceiling or staring out at him from the jars that filled the shelves lining the walls. He didn't look on the floor to see what he might be stepping on, or worse, in. Mona stared out the window as she flipped her wrist at him absentmindedly.

"I'm doing my thing. A better question would be - what are you doing, Alpha?" Mona threw it back in the Alpha's face.

"What can I do?" Thad blustered. "I don't know where they are. It's kind of hard to attack someone when you don't know their location."

"You know, Thad, beggars can't be choosers. So, you either wait patiently for me to tell you when the time is right, or I can turn you into a toad. Really, it's your choice."

Thad's face was turning an unnatural shade of red as he glared at the back of Mona's head. His thoughts from earlier swirled in his mind. What was in it for Mona?

"Mona," Thad said her name sweetly. "Why are you still helping me and my pack after all this time?"

"You know why. Protection from the Fae."

"The Fae haven't set foot across the Veil in centuries and your power is stronger than ever. Why are you hanging out with the wolves, Desdemona? What's your interest in the healer?"

Mona turned in her chair slowly. Her mismatched eyes met his. She smiled as she stood and walked toward him. Thad knew better than to back away from a predator, so he held his ground.

"Thad, Thad, Thad," Mona purred. "You know better than to question me." Mona took a long fingernail and trailed it across Thad's cheek and down his neck. She leaned close to his ear and whispered, "Don't go digging where you shouldn't or you just might find you've been digging your grave all along."

Thad didn't let her see how much her words disturbed him. He kept his face cool and devoid of emotion. She walked away with a sway in her hips and said over her shoulder, "I will contact you when the time is right. Have your wolves ready, Alpha. When this is all said and done you will have more than a little blood on your underworked hands." Just as he thought she was finished, he jumped when he heard her yell, "Oh, and GET OUT!"

Thad stormed into his pack mansion, Mona's words echoing in his head. Digging in. There was something buried that she didn't want him to know. Something about healers and what they meant to a witch. It was time for him to visit his pack archives, even as much as he hated going into the place that smelled of old parchment and dust. But he needed to know what Mona was up to. He was no fool, it was apparent now that Mona wasn't helping Thad, she was using him to achieve her own agenda. He had been blind all along. If she thought to get her hands on his healer, then she wasn't as smart as he always believed her to be. As a witch, yes, she was powerful. But it wouldn't be beyond him to make sure she got caught in the crossfire of fighting wolves. She could stand against some, but there was no way Mona could stand against two packs. Not packs with Alphas and dominants as strong as his and Vasile's. It was actually a shame that he had to rip Vasile's pack to shreds - a real shame, but necessary.

"You. Want me. To bind. All your males?" Peri's words were clipped and her face told Jen and Jacque everything they needed to know. She thought they had lost their ever-loving minds. She was probably closer to the mark than she realized.

"Yes." Jen and Jacque answered at the same time with no hesitation.

"Look, we know that they would be mad -"

"No child, mad is not the word I would use. The wrath that Vasile would rain down on me... You cannot understand. Have you not been around the dominant and Alpha wolves of the Canis lupus? You know what they are like about their females."

"Yes, yes. We get it." Jen rolled her eyes "But here's the thing, while they are so busy worrying about us poor, weak females, they are totally ignoring the fact that there is a whole, big freaking world out there that needs our help. If Rachel and Sally are the ones who can drop a house on this witch, then we need Rachel. If Jacque and I are the ones to get her here, then WE WILL DO IT. Damn the consequences. We won't let them hurt you when we get back. Just keep them bound the entire time." Jen smiled like she had just solved all their problems.

"You want me to keep them bound the entire time?"

Jen looked at Jacque, letting out an exasperated breath. "Why does she keep repeating me? Am I difficult to understand?"

Jacque shook her head. "I think we are putting her in shock, or she is going to have a panic attack or something."

Peri looked from girl to girl, at a serious loss for their request. She saw the eagerness in their eyes to help and the determination beneath that. She didn't know any other way to do this. So be it. She was going to get her ass handed to her on a platter by the males of the Romanian grey wolves. Who said she didn't like to live on the edge?

"Okay, fine."

Jacque and Jen gave each other silent fist bumps with exploding fingers.

"That's what I'm talking about, Peri! Sticking it to the man! Letting them know that they don't own you, they aren't your daddy, they can't -"

Peri slapped her hand over Jen's mouth and looked at Jacque. "How do you deal with her?"

Jacque chuckled. "She grows on you."

Peri snorted. "What, like a fungus?"

It was Jacque's turn to snort at Peri's remark.

Peri finally took her hand away from Jen's mouth - only after giving her a pointed look that said, shut your mouth.

"This is how we will do this. I'm going to put the binding curse on them now while they are asleep and can't feel it working on them. You gals are going to take the gear I give you and go through the Veil. I will give you a sort of compass that will take you to Rachel and Gavril. You must move quickly, quietly, and try to go unnoticed. Meanwhile, I will be here to incur the wrath of five very stiff, pissed-off wolves." Peri smiled and added sarcastically, "Won't that be fun!"

Peri turned to the door and closed her eyes. She began to mumble under her breath and Jen and Jacque looked on, waiting.

"So, how do you think our furry friends are going to be when they wake up and find us gone?" Jen whispered to Jacque, whose eyes were on Peri.

"Let's just say I'm glad that I'm going with you. And you do realize that if you thought Decebel was going to be bad about not letting you out of his sight before, it's fixing to be multiplied by like a million, right?"

Jen rolled her eyes. "He probably won't even let me pee alone when we get back."

"Fane won't be much better," Jacque added.

"Yeah, but Fane is so much more reasonable."

"That's just because you're married to someone from the dark ages who thinks men should hit their woman over the head and drag her back to their man cave by her hair."

"True that," Jen agreed dryly.

Finally, Peri turned back to the girls.

"It's done."

Peri got them everything they needed. Jen and Jacque were both amazed as the fairy conjured things out of thin air. Once they had warm clothes, light packs on their backs, Fae food, and water, they were ready.

"Remember," Peri told them, "quickly, quietly."

"Q squared, got it," Jen told her as they followed her to the Veil.

Jen and Jacque looked back at Peri one last time before they both stepped through the invisible shield between the two worlds.

Peri closed her eyes as the girls disappeared. What have I done? she asked herself. She was trying to decide if maybe she should just leave Alina a note explaining what she had done and then add that the Fae council needed her. Peri immediately threw that idea out of the window. She wasn't a coward. She would take responsibility for her actions. She would, however, be sure to stay out of reach of any snapping jaws.

"So, I totally feel like we should have the Mission Impossible soundtrack playing in the background as we embark on our little journey." Jen chuckled.

"Did you just say embark?" Jacque asked as she looked over her shoulder at her best friend.

"Hey, I died, I get leeway on any vocabulary improvements or issues."

"That sounds so familiar coming from you. Seems like anytime you get burned alive or die, you suddenly have a license to say anything you want."

"You're catching on, Red. You totally should have milked your catastrophes a little more."

Jacque rolled her eyes as she pulled out the pocket watch-looking apparatus that Peri had given them. All Peri said about it was that it was tuned, so to speak, to Rachel's pulse or whatever. Jen had politely told her that technicalities were not necessary as long as the damn thing worked.

"Okay, it's pointing us that way." Jacque pointed to the left, through trees, bushes, and who knew what else.

"How are we supposed to be quiet when we have to veer off the beaten path, stumbling through tree limbs, thorny bushes, and whatever else gets in our way?"

"Just try to step carefully. We can do this, Jen. For Sally, for all of us."

Jen took a breath, looking into the woods. I've died and come back, she told herself. I can stumble through some cold, dark woods. Anything should be a piece of cake after dying. right?

She nodded at Jacque and added, "I'm with you. We totally got this."

They started off into the trees, trying to be light-footed and not stumble.

"So, how are things with you and Decebel?" Jacque asked, trying to get their minds off the cold and the possibility that an evil witch was at that very moment tracking their every move.

Jen let out a whispered laugh, trying to be quiet like Peri had warned.

"You know how we argued about the whole not withholding sex as a form of manipulation?"

Jacque growled. "Yes, I can't believe he said that to you. I didn't tell Fane because he would've been very offended thinking that Decebel might've thought he just wanted to mate with me to get in my pants."

"He doesn't think that about Fane."

"He thinks I can manipulate Fane that way."

"Well, can't you?" Jen asked, raising her eyebrows.

Jacque turned red from the neck up. "Yes, but geez, he's not over a century old and been with other chicks. He's still pretty eager about the whole thing."

It was Jen's turn to growl. "Yeah, Decebel was so kind to remind me that he isn't as white as freshly fallen snow. But I'm not holding it against him. I mean, multiple decades being celibate? I would begin to wonder if he was even attracted to women."

"So, what happened when you guys went to bed?" Jacque wiggled her eyebrows at Jen suggestively.

Jen really laughed then and had to put her hand over her mouth to stifle the sound.

"Oh man, it was priceless, Jacque. I really should keep my phone on Record when we're alone. There's a whole side to Decebel that you guys don't get to see."

"Spill," Jacque encouraged.

"Okay, okay. Well, at first, I was mad, right? But then he told me it hurt him that I was blocking him. His voice was so soft, so unlike Decebel, and it really hit me hard. I don't want to hurt him, ya know? So, I relented and apologized for blocking him from my mind. We started kissing, and things were moving along, then he pulled back and pushed me away."

"What?" Jacque's mouth dropped open.

"I know, right? At first, I was hurt. It felt like rejection. I felt like he was just confirming what he had said, that he wasn't excited to be with me. But then he explained how he did really want me but didn't want to be manipulated. It was about that time that I realized you guys were probably waiting on me."

"Yeah, well, we thought you might be awhile."

"Ha ha," Jen retorted.

"So, then I decided to give my fur ball a little dose of Jen. I wasn't mad anymore, really, but I just couldn't resist."

"Spit it out already." Jacque was making a motion with her hand that punctuated her words.

"I told him that I understood that he was nervous about meeting my expectations because it had been a while for him."

Jacque stopped walking as she doubled over, trying to laugh quietly.

Jen continued despite Jacque's lack of composure. "And I told him I would go as slow as he wanted while we explored our physical relationship." She finished with a very self-satisfied look on her smug face.

Jacque kept on laughing and finally Jen gave into her own laughter after having to hold it in while she'd tortured her mate.

"Bloody hell. I wish I had been a fly on your wall. I bet his face was utterly horrified."

"Oh, he looked confused at first, but then it sank in that I was basically saying he was having trouble performing. Yeah, he was beating on the bathroom door by the time I walked away."

"Good grief, Jen, you do love to provoke an already pissed-off lion."

"How boring would life be if I just nodded my head and said, 'yes, sir'?"

Jacque snorted. "Well, my life would definitely be a whole hell of a lot more boring. You just never cease to amaze me."

They began walking again, Jacque checking the device they had deemed the LT - locator thingy.

They walked, and at times when they could feel eyes on them, they jogged through the forest. The tree limbs snagged at their clothes and their noses were pink from the unforgiving temperature, which had dropped when they'd left Peri behind.

Twenty-One Days Post-Curse

They had been walking/jogging for several hours and the morning light was just beginning to penetrate the thick cover of the trees when suddenly both girls nearly fell to their knees.

"JENNIFER!"

Jen squeezed her eyes shut against the onslaught of emotion that she felt pouring into her mind from the bond with Decebel. She opened them slowly to see Jacque doing the same thing.

"Guess they woke up," Jen said weakly.

Jacque nodded slowly and it was obvious to Jen that she was talking to Fane, and from her narrowed emerald eyes, it was apparent that she was getting a proverbial earful.

"I want to say I understand why you did this, Luna, but at the moment all I can ask is how the hell you could be so irresponsible?"

"Irresponsible? Seriously, Fane? Someone had to do it! Someone had to take the risk and the best option was Jen and I. You don't always get to be the hero. Just because you're a man and I'm a woman doesn't mean I'm not capable of doing what needs to get done."

"I DON'T CARE ABOUT BEING A HERO, DAMNIT!"

Jacque cringed at the fierceness in his voice. She'd never dealt with Fane this angry. But she knew it was anger originated from fear. He was afraid for her.

"This is about me wanting my mate safe, Jacquelyn. This isn't about me being a man and not wanting my woman to show me up, or me thinking you aren't capable. I know you are more than capable, but sometimes we have to know when to admit the enemy is more than capable. Don't you get that? You are mine to protect - mine! You have taken what is mine and put it in danger. You went behind my back when you knew I didn't want you to do this. And now you're out there where I can't protect you and I'm here unable to move, wondering if you will be alright. So please forgive me if I'm not really concerned about whether or not I hurt your feelings when I say you're being irresponsible. I love you, Jacquelyn. I'm pissed at you, but I love you. You better keep yourself safe. Imagine if we were in reversed roles. Just try to imagine that."

Jacque took a deep breath and let it out slowly. She had known he would be mad, but truly hadn't prepared herself for the force behind that anger. Though she hated making him upset and hurting him, she still felt she and Jen had done the right thing.

"I'm sorry I scared you. I'm sorry that I went behind your back. But this had to be done. I won't apologize for that. I love you, I will be safe."

"Just come back to me, love. Come back to me."

"So, how'd you sleep, babe?" Jen asked casually, fighting the very dominant and Alpha nature that Decebel was attempting to use on her.

"Come back. Now." Decebel was using the same voice Vasile used when he didn't give his wolves a choice but to obey.

"Don't do that Alpha mojo on me, B. It won't work. I'm your mate, your equal."

"After everything we've been through in the past weeks, all the hell, you leave me. You go out unprotected into a world where an evil witch and a corrupt Alpha are focusing all their energy on wiping us out. Why would you do this to me, Jennifer? How could you do this?"

Jen was biting her lip and felt blood seep into her mouth. She hadn't even realized how hard she was biting until the metallic taste hit her tongue. She cringed and closed her eyes as the memories of her pain assaulted her mind, brought on by that small reminder.

"Don't. Don't use memories to try and soften me." Decebel thought she was trying to manipulate him yet again. Now that just ticked her off.

"I wasn't trying to use my memories of the most amazing thing to ever happen to me against you. Didn't we just have this discussion last night? I told you I got it, I heard you, and I apologized. The images hit my mind because of the blood currently in my mouth." Jen winced as she realized that might have not been the brightest thing to say.

"Blood!" Decebel's voice was a deep growl. "Why are you bleeding, Jennifer?"

"I bit my lip because you are freaking me out. I feel like the worst mate in history, like I've betrayed you or something when this has nothing to do with you or us. This is bigger than us."

She felt Decebel's hands on her face. She knew if she had been in front of him right then his lips would be so close to hers that she would feel his warm breath across her face.

"I didn't mean to imply that I felt betrayed, love. But I just got you back. I've lost you twice and I can't lose you again. I wanted to hold my wife, my mate, for the first time all night last night. I wanted to wake up and the first thing I saw to be your beautiful face. But instead I woke up realizing I couldn't move, and you weren't beside me, not even in the house. Can you please try to see where I'm coming from?"

Jen took a deep breath. She knew that she and Jacque were doing the right thing. In her gut she knew it was what they were supposed to do. But that didn't make it any easier to hurt her mate, to disappoint him and scare him.

"I can only begin to imagine how upset you were and are. Decebel, I have to do this. Jacque and I have to do this. I can't explain it but I just know that we are the ones who are supposed to get Rachel. Please trust me. Please know that I love you so much that at times I think my heart will explode. We'll be fine. We're moving quickly and being quiet."

Jen heard him snort.

She bristled. "I am capable of being quiet."

"I'm sure you are, baby," Decebel placated her. "If this is something you think you need to do and you've already left without me, there isn't anything I can do about it now, since I'm bound to this damn bed. But never again, Jennifer. Never again will you go off into danger without me. You told me that if I didn't save your friends you would never forgive me. That was a line you drew. Well, I'm drawing one now. I won't be able to forgive you if you willingly place yourself in danger with no regard as to how it will affect me. My love for you is unconditional, Jennifer, that will never change, but there has got to be mutual respect for each other's feelings. You have got to meet me halfway. Can you do that for me?"

Jen wiped the tears that were trailing down her face. Her hand was trembling and Jacque had come up and wrapped an arm around her shoulders. She tried really hard to keep the tremble out of her voice when she responded, but she could never hide from Decebel.

"Yes. I can meet you halfway."

She heard Decebel growl. "Baby, I didn't mean to make you cry. Damn!" He growled in frustration.

Jen knew that Decebel was very upset and holding on by a thread because he rarely cursed when in her presence, be it physically or through their bond. She could imagine him lying in their bed, held immobile by invisible binding. His jaw was probably clenched so tight his teeth were on the verge of breaking and his eyes would definitely be glowing. Yeah, Jen had no problem seeing her mate in her mind, unable to protect her, unable to get to her.

"I'm okay, Decebel." Jen pulled herself together, knowing that if she didn't it would only make things worse on him. "Really, I'm okay. I'm sorry that I put you in this position and for scaring you."

"You just make sure you come back to me, whole and untouched. I'm thankful that the bond is complete because now I can go with you if the worst were to happen, but I would rather be here together - alive together. So, Jennifer Anghelescu, you better bring your stubborn ass home to me."

Jen couldn't help the smile that spread across her face when he used his last name with her first. It felt right; it was right.

"I already told you, you're stuck with me. I'll be back before you know it, dancing on that last little nerve of yours. I love you, B."

"And I you, love. Do not block me from your mind at any point." Jen smiled again when he added, albeit begrudgingly, "Please."

Jen looked over at Jacque, who still had an arm wrapped around her.

"So, how'd your furry prince take it?"

Jacque shook her head, closing her eyes. "Not good. Not good at all. What about you?"

"Well, he told me he loves me."

"That's good," Jacque interrupted.

"Then he told me if I ever do something like this again, he will never forgive me."

"Ouch," Jacque muttered.

"Understatement, Thelma."

"We seem to have a lot of those." Jacque pulled out the LT again and nodded in the direction they needed to go. "Let's head out. There's nothing we can do about it now."

"Do you think Peri will leave them bound?" Jacque asked.

"She'd be stupid not to. If Decebel gets loose before we're back, he'll come after me. I could feel his resolve, Jacque. I've never heard him that mad, or felt his anger and fear like that. No doubt, if she lets him go, he will be crashing through these woods like a wolf possessed."

"I have to say that Fane would be right on his tail. No pun intended."

Jen laughed. "Oh, come on, you should always claim a pun like that when it comes at the fur balls' expense."

The girls continued on, only stopping periodically to drink water or eat the Fae food Peri had provided. It was the same food Elle had given Jacque and her group on the way to the Veil. It gave them the energy to walk all that day and into the night. Jen's toes were beginning to feel numb and her legs were so very cold. Jacque's teeth chattered as they forged ahead, determined not to stop. Several times the girls both checked in with their mates. They tried to keep those conversations short and sweet since every time Decebel or Fane used the bond it was not just to ask them if they were okay, but to also remind them how what the girls' thought was a brilliant plan fell under - according to Decebel - reckless, rash, impulsive, and idiotic as defined in the Webster Dictionary. Jen let him know that she would be looking those words up to double check his accuracy. His retort was not something Jen felt necessary to share with Jacque since it involved chains, spanking, and duct tape. If it hadn't been for the tone of voice and other, nicer words Decebel had been using, she might've been inclined to think her mate was kinky.

Midway through the second day after their departure, Jacque let out a huge sigh of relief as a cottage came into view. It was exactly as Peri had described it. Jen and Jacque approached cautiously and jumped back when the front door swung open hard, bouncing against the little house.

"Wow," Rachel let out a gasp as she looked at a completely healthy Jen. "You completed the bonding and Blood Rites?"

Jen nodded with a smile. "Yeah, he's officially tied to me for all time. Poor guy." She motioned to Jacque as she continued. "This is Jacque Lupei, daughter in-law to our Alpha and mate to Fane, son of our Alpha."

Jacque nodded and to her surprise, Rachel and her mate Gavril, who had stood silently beside his mate, both lowered their eyes and exposed their necks to Jacque in a show of submission. Jacque still wasn't sure how to respond to that gesture, so she simply said thank you.

"Okay, so we need you guys to pack up real quick-like and shove off with us." Jen smiled as she spoke.

"Peri has sent for us?" Gavril asked gruffly.

"Yes. She said it's time for you and Sally to meet and begin doing whatever it is you healers do so you can defeat the wicked witch of the east."

Rachel shook her head at Jen in mild amusement - she was beginning to understand the full force of her personality. When Jen had stayed with them, she had been so sick, so weak. The Jen before her now was full of life, spirit, dominance. She was no doubt an Alpha.

When nobody moved, Jacque spoke up. "Um, no offense, but there is a witch who has her little feelers out in the woods looking for us, so we really need to be on our way."

"Don't you think you should rest?" Rachel asked, her healing nature coming out. The girls were obviously exhausted.

"We'll sit while you two pack. But we really don't need to stay here any longer than necessary. Peri said to hightail our butts back once we got you guys." Jen brushed some snow off the ground at the base of a tree and sat, leaning her back against the trunk. She saw Jacque do the same and both girls closed their eyes, not even realizing they had dozed off.