Just One Drop (24 page)

"Which part? Your taste? The feel of your lips on mine? Having your body pressed so close to me? What would you have me describe, baby?"

"Somewhat." His smile faded, replaced by a clenched jaw and furrowed brow. "I just need some time with you. Just you."

Jen watched as Decebel allowed the wall he always erected in front of others to come down. She took his hand and led him over to one of the love seats. Kicking off her shoes, she pulled her legs up on the couch and leaned into his side as his arms came around her. She closed her eyes and she felt him lay his cheek against her hair. There was a low rumble in his chest as she snuggled closer.

Decebel closed his eyes as he held Jennifer. This was what his wolf needed. He was beginning to realize why Fane touched Jacque all the time. It was like he couldn't not touch her. The reassurance, comfort, and peace that came from Jennifer's touch was a drug. A drug that he was fast becoming addicted to.

Gladly,
he thought.

"Let's just stay here for a little while, okay?" Jen asked him sleepily.

"Ten thousand could not pull you from my side."

Chapter 19

"You are asking me to allow you to retaliate against the Romanian Beta?" Thad asked the wolf who stood before him, the same wolf who had grabbed Jen.

Thad was quiet for a few moments while he considered his options. This situation could actually work in his favor – if he played it just right. He turned back to Dragos. "Why not attack the one who allows Decebel such liberties?” The other wolf peered up at him, betraying his interest. Thad went on, “Why not take out the one who controls Decebel?"

Dragos couldn't deny that taking out the most powerful Alpha in a century appealed to him. "How could I take him out? He's too strong and protected."

"Otherwise known as Moonseed," Thad concurred. "Well done. You must know, then, that the juice that comes from it is fatal."

Dragos nodded.

"So your task is to get this into his drink. I have simplified this by inviting the Alphas to dine with me privately. They will each have their own place setting with their names. You will be one of the wolf caterers that night and you
will
make sure Vasile gets the special drink. Then you can watch in satisfaction as the great Alpha withers away slowly. You see, unlike Kamalah, Moonseed kills slowly, makes the victim suffer."

Thad dismissed the wolf. He then sent a text on his phone: "
Have orders for you
."

A few minutes later his contact from the Romanian pack entered the room.

"I have a plan set for Vasile's death. Your job will be to lead Jen off on a wild goose chase to find the antidote for Moonseed. While you are out searching, somehow Jen will fall into one of those pesky cracks in the mountain."

"The antidote for Moonseed is Wolfsbane." The contact's brow furrowed. "It grows all over. How will I lure her so far away?"

"I will make sure to have all the Wolfsbane closest to the estate destroyed, thereby forcing you to wander out to find more. The reality is, I don't really want the Wolfsbane, but I will need some of the plant to fool them when we administer the so-called antidote. You see, when in their liquid form they are nearly impossible to tell apart. In fact, the only person I know that can tell them apart are gypsy healers. But, conveniently, there isn't a gypsy healer around," Thad explained with a satisfied smirk.

He watched as his contact thought about the plan, then nodded. "Okay. When?"

"Vasile will be poisoned in three days. Jen strikes me as the hero type. You will be able to convince her to go with you, no problem."

The contact said nothing more and left.

Thad smiled. His plan was coming together quite nicely. It was pure dumb luck that Dragos had come to him seeking revenge. Now the blame for the poison would fall on his shoulders. Thad would be left in the clear and even be able to act like he was helping. In three days' time he would watch the Romanian Alpha brought to his knees and, ultimately, his demise.

Vasile and Alina sat in a small gathering room with the other Alphas and their mates, the exception being Dillon, who was spending time with Jacque. Vasile had been the one to call the meeting, feeling like it would be best to meet the consequences of his Beta's actions head on.

"Did you find out exactly what provoked your Beta?" Victor, Alpha of the Bulgaria pack asked.

"The wolf training Jen was touching her inappropriately. Apparently Decebel saw the wolf touching her before Jen could
handle
it on her own." Vasile waited to see if any would contradict him. No one spoke so he continued. "As you know, Decebel is Beta of my pack. Jen is an unmated female, making it is his job to protect her since she has no mate to do so."

"I agree that he should protect her," Dragomir spoke up. "The question is, did he go too far?"

"I don't think her unmated status should decide the amount of defense she is allowed," Alina addressed Dragomir. "If any mated female had been grabbed so hard that bruises and claw marks became visible, her mate would kill the offender. There would be no fight to submission as Decebel did. The wolf who would touch a mate in that way would be signing his death warrant. Are our unmated females worth so much less?"

"I have to agree with you, Alina," Victor stepped in. "I don't think any disciplinary action is necessary. It's been dealt with. Decebel put the pup in his place, and I'm sure the young wolf has learned his lesson about what happens when one touches a female inappropriately."

Vasile stood, pulling Alina up along with him. "I appreciate you all discussing the matter. If we are done..." He left the sentence hanging.

"Vasile, you are still planning on joining us for the dinner for the Alphas, yes?" Thad asked as Vasile and Alina headed for the door.

"Yes, thank you. We will be in attendance."

"So how are you liking pack life, Jacque?" Tanya asked as she, Jacque, Dillon, and Fane sat together in one of the many small sitting rooms in the mansion.

Fane had his hand across the back of the couch he and Jacque were sitting on. He worked his hand underneath her hair and his fingers traced the markings on her skin – he knew them by memory. Jacque tried not to shiver at her mate's touch.

"Could you please behave?"
Jacque asked, using their bond.

"I'm only rubbing your neck, love. It's not like I'm touching -"

"Fane, don't you dare,"
Jacque threatened before he could finish his sentence. It didn't help that he pictured what he'd been about to say. Jacque just knew her face was beet red.

"Are you taking notes when you're around Jen?"

Fane sent her another picture and Jacque about jumped up and left the room at that.

"If you could only see the beautiful shade of red your skin is glowing with right now. You look quite luscious."

"I've really been enjoying it. I'm learning a lot about pack history, which I find really interesting," Jacque answered, more tersely than she intended. Fane was going to pay for his fool's play.

Jacque spent the next hour talking with her dad and Tanya, all the while trying hard to ignore her mate's words and images, ones that would've made even Jen blush.

"I want you to know that this means war,"
Jacque promised as they were saying their goodbyes.

"No." Jacque looked at him from the corner of her eye. "I'm saying he's going to be completely unreasonable and we'll be lucky if he doesn't make her wear sack cloths when she's out in public."

"Was I that bad?"

"Uh, Fane, you didn't let me leave your sight except to take care of personal stuff for over a month. So, yes. Yes you were that bad and then some." Jacque bumped him with her shoulder.

"It appears we weren't the only ones concerned about her," Fane said as they joined Sally, Crina, and Marianna at Jen's door.

"We've been knocking for about five minutes. Either Decebel has her tied up and won't answer the door, or she isn't here," Sally told them.

"I'll take your bet and raise you five. I say they made up but smooching has come and gone on the agenda." Crina winked at them.

"You're wicked bad." Jacque grinned. "Jen would love it."

Decebel awoke when he felt Jennifer moving. At some point she'd taken a pillow and laid her head in his lap. He had stroked her hair until he himself had finally fallen asleep. He couldn't remember a time he had slept so well – even sitting upright on a love seat.

Jennifer had his wolf practically purring. He was so content at having her so close, so relaxed in his presence. He glanced down and could tell she was beginning to wake. He ran the back of his fingers across her check and her eyes fluttered open. She looked up at him and smiled. At that moment she could have asked him for anything and he would have toppled empires to make it happen.

"Hey," he murmured.

"Hey yourself."

She stretched her arms up and arched her back like a cat waking from a long nap in the sun. Decebel made sure to keep his eyes plastered to her face and off her beautiful form. When she looked at him again, he brushed the hair away from her face and leaned down to capture her lips with his. When he moved back, she was grinning like the Cheshire cat.

"More," she ordered.

Decebel chuckled as she wrapped her hand around the nape of his neck and pulled him back to her. He placed his hands on her hips and was fixing to drag her onto his lap when the door behind them flew open.

"I win!" Jacque hollered.

"No you don't," Crina countered. "Look at his hands. They were absolutely not
just
smooching. There was some definite hand action."

Jen's mouth dropped open. "I've already been felt up once today and look what that got me. You really think I'm up to more?"