Just One Drop (15 page)

"He's interested in you," Decebel bit out.

"Of course he's interested in me, flea bag. There is all kinds of interest to be had up in here." Jen couldn't help but goad him on, it was just too stinking easy. She could almost see steam rising from his head at her words.

"You aren't helping, you know."

"You didn't ask for my help, B. You barged in here thinking the worst of me and then acted like a barbarian.
Then
you accused me of purposely throwing myself at some guy I don't even bloody know." Jen was to the point that she just really wanted Decebel out of her room. Her emotions were raw. She had been having fun, laughing and, sure, flirting a little. But much to her chagrin, no matter how hot Damion and Adrian were – who, by the way, were mega hot – she wasn't interested.
Then Decebel has to come in and be all, well, all Decebel.

Yeah, well, that's what you get for being something that rhymes with stick
, Jen thought angrily. "Can you not get that through your thick skull?" She threw his words back in his face.

Decebel felt like she had slapped him, and realized how his words must have made her feel.

"Jennifer..." He took a step towards her, his voice much gentler.

Jen held her hand up to hold him off. "Save it. I'm not ready to hear how you didn't mean to hurt me and blah blah, boo hoo. Okay? I just want to chill out before this thing tonight."

Jen walked to the door, pulled it open, and waited.

Decebel stood there for a moment, still completely shocked that she was kicking him out. Finally he shook his head and made to leave. As he walked through the door he heard her mutter, "It'd be nice if you could try not to pee around my door." Then she slammed it shut. Decebel heard the lock click in place.

Jen leaned her back against the door and slid to the floor. She drew her knees up and looked around the room. It was very elegantly done in candlelight and sage. It had a calming effect – well, when there wasn't a raging werewolf standing in the middle of it.

She closed her eyes as she leaned her head back. "Well, this has started out splendidly. Fall in one little lap and all goes to hell in a hand basket" she said to no one.

Jen jumped when there was a knock at her door. She rolled her eyes and growled, "Go away, fur ball. I told you I'm done."

"Jen, it's Cynthia. I think we need to talk."

Jen's eyes popped open and she stood up. "I think you read my mind."

Chapter 13

"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."

"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 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 y'all 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."

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."

"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?"

"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.

"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.