The Burning Claw (The Grey Wolves #10)(72)

“You didn’t sleep hardly at all,” Decebel told her as he pulled her tighter against him.
“How do you know?”
“Because my wolf didn’t sleep. His mate was restless, and when my wolf refuses to sleep, the man doesn’t get much either. Baby,” —Decebel grabbed her chin and tilted it to look up at him— “Sally is not alone. Not only does she have her mate but she has all of us. We won’t let this destroy her. Can you trust me on that? Trust me as your mate and her Alpha. I won’t let her slip away.”
After a few heartbeats of holding his stare, she finally nodded. “Okay, I’ll trust you. But if you let me down, B, I will totally have babies with the mailman and name all of them after you.”
“And there’s the woman I love,” Decebel growled. “You scare me if you don’t threaten me with my manhood, stripping, or having another man’s babies, at least twice every twenty-four hours.”
She smiled up at him and patted his cheek. “Sorry about that. I’ll be sure to add extra threats to make up for the lost time.”
He chuckled. “So what do you want to do today before the meeting?”
Jen tapped her chin. “Well, remember how you built those dog houses for Thia?”
“Jennifer,” he warned.
“I’m thinking that she needs some doll houses too. So I ordered two kits for you to put together. That way if one falls apart, you at least have a backup.”“She can’t play with dolls or doll house stuff yet. She’d wind up eating the tiny lamp or plastic people,” Decebel argued.
“Dec?”
“Yes, baby?”
“Build the doll houses.”
“And if I decline?”
“The mailman gave me his number, like a month ago.”
He scoffed.
“It’s in the top drawer of my dresser.” She pointed as if he didn’t know where her dresser was.
He looked at her and she could tell he was trying to gauge whether or not she was telling the truth. Finally, he snarled and threw the covers back as he climbed out of bed. He pulled open the drawer she indicated and removed a piece of paper with the Serbian postal service logo on it, a name, and a number.
Decebel’s eyes turned a dangerous shade of amber. “You were telling the truth?”
“About which part?” Jen asked innocently.
“What time does the mail run?”
She rolled her eyes. “Quit being dramatic. I’m hot. Do you really expect guys not to hit on me?”
“Jennifer, the mail?” He wasn’t being dissuaded.
“Hey, wait,” she said with a wicked grin. “Isn’t today Sunday? Great day Sunday. You know why it’s a great day, B?” She winked at him as she climbed out of bed. “There’s no post on Sundays.”
Epilogue
“Defeat is never truly realized unless you lay down and refuse to fight. The Order of the Burning Claw does not lie down. We do not cower before those who are weaker than us. We do not accept the perverse order of the world because of tradition. We stand for change and change is coming. We will burn through your cities and towns, bringing everyone to their knees. And we will not stop until we have absolute dominion.” ~Member of the Order of the Burning Claw
Peri stood in the corner of Vasile’s office as a number of supernatural beings entered the room. The usual crew was there, though Sally did not hold her head up or meet anyone’s gaze— which pissed Peri off. Jen and Decebel were there, as well as Fane and Jacque, Cypher and Lilly, Cyn and Thalion, and Vasile and Alina. Rachel and Gavril had baby duty and wait—what? Peri thought to herself as she watched history boy walk in holding the hand of the dormant, Zara.
“Did not see that coming,” Peri muttered. “Well played, Great Luna, well played.” It was about time Wadim got himself a mate.
“I’m sorry,” Jen stood up suddenly.
“No you’re not,” Jacque said dryly.
“Not the point,” Jen snapped. “The point is why does Wadim have his paws on Zara?” 
All heads turned to the couple. Zara gave a wave and a smile but didn’t say anything, leaving it to her mate to speak up.
“Turns out I have a mate,” Wadim said with a huge smile. “And it happens to be this beautiful creature right here.” He motioned toward Zara.
Jen looked at Zara and narrowed her eyes. “You okay with this? Because if you’re not I totally know some people, who know some people, that can take him out.”
“No you don’t,” Decebel growled and grabbed the back pocket of her jeans and pulled her into his lap.
“Whoa, who spit in his kibble?” Jacque asked.
Jen shrugged “He’s mad because the mailman gave me his number.”
Sally’s head popped up. “No way,” she said and for a moment the old light was there.
“Way,” Jen confirmed. “And so my threats of having the mailman’s babies don’t seem so unrealistic to him anymore.”
“Zara,” Peri spoke up. “If you’re looking for someone who can help you cope with the whole true mate, furry guy, thing, Jen is your absolute last resort.”
Zara laughed. “I don’t know, Peri, I’ve heard her and Alpha Decebel volley and she’s got a wicked tongue.”
“That she does,” Decebel said under his breath.
Jen’s mouth dropped open. “Did you just make a sexual innuendo joke?” She clapped her hands like a proud parent. “I knew I could draw out your inner pervert one day.”
Vasile took that moment to clear his throat. The room grew quiet as everyone turned to face him.
“First, congratulations, Wadim and Zara. When you are ready to do the Bonding Ceremony, let me know and we will celebrate your union   as a pack. In the meantime, Zara, if you do indeed have questions, Alina will be happy to answer any of them. Second, Sally dear,” Vasile said, his voice becoming soft as he looked at her like a loving father, “we are so thankful to have you home. There was a big hole in all of our lives without you. You belong with us.”
“Thank you, Vasile,” she said as she wiped a tear away.
“Vasile,” Decebel spoke up. “Today is as good a day as any.”
Vasile nodded. “Very well. Decebel and I have been discussing the possibility of blending our two packs into one.” Before everyone could start throwing out questions, he held up his hands. “There is strength in numbers. If we were one pack, we would be even stronger than we already are. Decebel has agreed to step down as Alpha and return to his Beta position.
“Awe, that means B, has to go back to meaning Beta,” Jen pouted.
“What did it mean if it wasn’t for Beta?” Zara asked.
The whole room groaned.
“What?” Zara asked.
“We tried to avoid encouraging her quirks,” Peri told her. “It’s just better to treat her like you would a fungus. Spray something on her and hope she goes away. Otherwise, she infects everything around her.”
Jen was unable to respond because her mate had, oh so helpfully, placed his hand over her mouth.
“We will talk to all the pack members in both packs, obviously, before making a final decision,” Vasile continued. “But the choice will ultimately rest with Decebel and myself. This is not a democracy, as you know, because such arraignments do not work with wolves. So whatever we decide will be obeyed by all. However, rest assured, any decision we make will be for the good of both packs.”
Everyone in the room, except Peri, Alina and Decebel, tilted their heads back bearing their necks. Though Jen didn’t have to as an Alpha female, she did it out of respect for Alina.
“Moving on. As you all know, Bethany and Drake have been spending time together as a newly mated pair. They are doing well. I’ve called and spoken to Drake a few times and they are making a lot of progress. Eventually, they will join our group.” He took a step forward and Peri noticed how tired he looked.“I realize that it seems that we are facing yet another threat not just to our own survival but to all of mankind as well. We do not know how deep the tentacles of the Burning Claw reach into the supernatural world.
“Tentacles,” Jen snorted. “Good one, V.”
Vasile shook his head at her. “I aim to please.”
“I think I just threw up in my mouth,” Peri gagged. “Could we refrain from using Jen’s quotes for our own benefit? All it does is grow that already large head of hers, and she can’t manage the thing as it is.”
Vasile rubbed his forehead and then his chin before ignoring Peri and continuing. “The organization is shrouded in secrecy, but make no mistake, they are very real and they are very dangerous. But despite that looming threat, let us rejoice today. One who was lost to us has been returned—a gypsy healer no less. And that is no small thing. Further, we have removed four members of the Order. And that is a start. We will continue to search for and destroy vampire covens where we can find them. We know that they are mixed up with the Order somehow.
“And now, let us turn our attention to another happy union  . Cyn and Thalion,” he said, turning to the elf and the fae who were standing together holding hands, “congratulations on your mating. You have done something historic, and I hope that your union   will be the beginning of a period of peace and cooperation between elves and fae. We will need the combined strength of your races if we are to face the threat that the Order presents. We wolves will assist you in whatever way we can as you take back the throne from your father. I have no doubt that you will be victorious.” Thalion bowed his head in appreciation and acknowledgment.