Decebel growled. He pulled her closer so he could whisper in her ear. "Not a good subject to bring up, baby."

Jen kissed him on the cheek. "Sorry, B."

Jacque looked at Sally, who was as dumbfounded as her.

"She has a gentle side?" Jacque muttered.

"Did she just use the word 'sorry' and 'B' in the same sentence?" Sally countered.

"I guess every creature has their weakness. Hers is similar to mine." Jacque smiled. “Hot, sexy, furry men."

Crina and Marianna laughed.

"I like mine with whipped cream," Jen said conspiratorially to the two she-wolves. Then she looked at Jacque. "What do you like yours with, Red?"

Fane spoke up quickly. "Don't answer that, Luna."

Decebel busted out with a loud laugh at the firmness in Fane's voice, and the girls all fell in line behind him. Fane didn't even crack a smile.

"So what brings the motley crew to see us?" Jen asked once the laughing was under control.

"We went to your room to check on you, but you weren't there," Sally told her.

"All of you?"

"You're pack." Marianna answered as if that was all that needed to be said.

Decebel's phone rang and Jen climbed up so he could reach his pocket. Since they were all super unnosy, they made sure to be as quiet as possible while he answered the call.

"They didn't?" Decebel asked.

The room was silent as he listened.

"Okay. Yeah, I got it. Thanks, Vasile." He closed his phone and looked up to find six sets of eyes glued to him.

"So is there a plan for this evening?" he asked casually.

Jen rolled her eyes. "Spill it, wolf."

Decebel grabbed her wrist and pulled her forward. She fell against his chest. He wrapped his arms around her, enjoying the freedom to touch her.

"That was Vasile," he said finally.

"Yeah, we sort of got that when you thanked him and used his name." Jen's eyes narrowed. "Try again."

"Testy tonight, aren't we?" Decebel teased.

"I think I liked it better when you were broody," Jen muttered, which only made him chuckle and squeeze her closer.

"Vasile informed me that the Alphas have decided to not subject me to any punishment for my actions against the mongrel who touched you." Decebel's words became rougher as he spoke.

"It would have made no sense for them to punish you," Fane told him.

"Why do you say that?" Jacque asked her mate.

Fane took her hand and tugged him to her, tucking her under his arm. "Any mated female who had been touched that way would have watched as her mate tore the offender limb from limb."

Jacque shivered at the menace in his voice.

Jen cocked her head at Decebel. "Aw, would the little furry wolf make a chew toy of the pervert for me?" she teased, squeezing Decebel's cheeks like she would a baby's.

Decebel gently removed her hands and took her face in both of his. "I will kill the next male who touches you. I'm done playing nice," he said, snapping his teeth together as his canines descended.

"Sally, get a hose." Jen grinned wickedly. "Because that was so freaking hot and I'm on fire."

Decebel rolled his eyes, but softened it with a smile.

“Ohhh nooo," Sally groaned. "I thought it was bad before the nympho had an outlet. Now she has her very own boy toy."

Decebel growled. "I'm not a boy toy," he said, clearly offended.

"Don't mind her, B. She's just sexually frustrated," Jen placated.

Decebel shocked the room into silence when he looked at Sally and dryly quipped, "Join the club."

Jen's face turned eight shades of red.

Jacque recovered first. "Bloody hell, I didn't know Jen had that color in her skin repertoire."

Crina and Marianna snickered while Jen tried to recover herself. She hid her flaming hot face in Decebel's neck. He rubbed her back soothingly and murmured to her in Romanian.

Note to self, Jen thought. Find out what he's saying… Correction, throttle wolf for joking about his needs in front of my friends, then find out what he's saying.

"So what are we going to do tonight?" Fane asked.

Jen sat up, having finally composed herself. "Isn't there some sort of something going on tonight?"

"Yes, but my father thinks it best that we lie low. Just until things simmer down."

"Well, my vote is that we hit up the mess hall first and foremost," Jen announced.

Sally rolled her eyes. "Here we go with the military lingo."

"Where does she get that?" Jacque asked, shaking her head.

"I can't decide if she was in special forces in a past life or if she was dropped on her head as a child." Sally shrugged.

"I definitely wasn't dropped on my head, Sally dear. My head is perfectly rounded, free of any discombobulation," Jen said haughtily.

Marianna, who usually stood quietly and observed, chuckled. "Only an American would describe the shape of her head as if it were some sort of special art form to be prized."

Jen stood up from the couch, straightening her clothes and tugging at her ponytail. She smiled brightly at Marianna. "Seriously, she-wolf. Are you looking at the same head I see in the mirror?" she asked as she made a circular motion around her head. "This is God's way of showing that he is indeed capable of creating perfection."

Jacque and Sally snorted as Fane and Decebel chuckled.

Jen looked down at Decebel as she heard him mutter, "Niciodata nu inceteaza sa el (she will never cease to amaze)."

"Have something to tell me, B?" Jen asked sweetly.

"Just that I have never beheld a head possessing such utter flawlessness, baby," he told her, dramatically bowing at the waist.

Jen narrowed her eyes. "Definitely liked you better as an ominous, brooding, fur ball."

His response was a wicked grin and a wink.

Chapter 20

"Ugh, if I eat another bite I'm going to be sick," Jacque groaned as she looked at the feast they'd all heartily dug into.

" I have to agree, Thelma." Jen leaned back in her chair, rubbing her belly. "I'm as full as a tick stuck to the flesh of a bull mastiff on a hot summer day."

Jacque shook her head. "I swear, Louise, you really know how to ruin a good carb-induced buzz."