Den of Sorrows (The Grey Wolves #9)(31)

With the shirt finally in place, Fane took Jacquelyn’s face in his hands and stared intently down at her. "Are you alright?" he asked again, more slowly.
"I'm fine. I meant it when I said he wasn't hurting me," she promised.
He studied her a minute longer before leaning down, closing the space between their faces, and claiming her mouth. Fane wasn't usually one for a whole lot of public displays of affection, simply because he didn't like making his mate uncomfortable. But in that moment, he needed her like he needed the blood flowing in his veins. He slipped his tongue into her mouth, tasting her and reveling in the desire he felt racing through her.
His hands released her face and he wrapped his arms around her, sliding one hand up her back until it was buried in her hair. He moved the other one to her lower back and held her close to him. The image of her in the vampire’s hands flashed in his mind and he pulled back from the kiss. He pressed his forehead to hers as he tried to regain control of himself.
"Better?" she asked him with a shy smile.
He chuckled, which is what she intended. His mate was anything but shy when it came to him. 
"Don’t ever do that again," he growled, though it was without real heat.
Her mouth dropped open. "Do what?"
"Get grabbed by a vampire."
Her eyes narrowed and he could see the redheaded temper that he loved so much flaring up. "I did not get grabbed by a vampire on purpose, you overgrown mutt."
"That was weak, Red." Jen’s voice popped the bubble that seemed to have kept the rest of the world out while they focused on one another. "Chick, you're pregnant. You can do so much better than that."
"Jennifer," Decebel's voice joined in.
"What? I'm just saying…if she's going to insult him then she needs to do it right."
"Yes, that is a very important lesson any female should know," he said dryly.
Jacquelyn rolled her eyes before looking once again up at him.
"I love you," he told her softly. Fane wanted nothing more than to take her somewhere away from vampires, away from her mouthy friends and their mates, so that he could show her with more than just a kiss.
"You better," she warned. "I'm not above sitting on your lap while my water breaks."
Fane tried really hard not to make a face. She laughed. Apparently he hadn't succeeded.
"You can't really do that, right?" He looked over her head at Jen and Alina, two women who'd had babies. "She can't really do that, right?" he asked them as well.
Jen shrugged. "I'm convinced my little half blood is capable of anything she puts her mind to. So if she thinks hard enough about her water breaking while snuggled up on you, then yes, yes I think she could do it."
Fane looked down at his mate who wasn't giving anything away by laughing. She was just staring up at him, waiting for him to decide what he believed. Then his eyes narrowed because he could feel the humor through their bond.
He leaned down to her ear and put his mouth right against it as he spoke. "Let us make a bargain, sweet Jacquelyn. You promise not to do this water breaking thing on me, and" —he paused blowing warm air down her neck and feeling her shiver against him— "I promise to…" Fane trailed off, not daring to speak the rest out loud because he knew how well all those around them could hear. So instead he spoke through their bond. Keeping his head bent down to her neck, he pressed a kiss on his mark as he struck his part of the bargain. When he pulled back to look down at her, she was frozen, her face flushed, and her heart beating so hard he could see the pulse in her neck.
Fane was pretty sure she'd make him pay for that later. But the look on her face, as she tried not to react to his words in front of everyone, was worth whatever she dished out.
Jacque's heart hadn't pounded this hard when the vamp had held her, yet the words her mate had just whispered into her mind had it beating painfully.
"You are so dead, wolf-man," she said through the bond once her brain was working again.
"At least you're calling me a man again. That whole wolf-boy thing was starting to give me a complex."
"You'll have more than just a complex when I'm done," she muttered under her breath.
Peri dealt with the vampire Fane had maimed and then called everyone to gather round. Nissa was still gone, so she knew she'd need to check on the fae after she'd gotten the wolves safely home.
"All of the children found," —she paused and looked at Costin who held Titus in his arms— "save one, have been successfully returned to their families. Cyn, Nissa, and I have taken great care to ensure that they will not remember their time with the vampires. Even though they are dormants, they are too young to understand. So Vasile has asked that we keep an eye on them as they grow up and from there we will see what the Great Luna has planned for them."When she stopped, no one said anything so she just continued. "It's been a long day and after our visit from Sincaro’s lackey, we have much to discuss. We will get you all back to the Serbia mansion and give you time to clean up and eat." She turned to Vasile and indicated for him to take over.
"We will meet in the library at" —he looked down at his watch— "nine-thirty."
With rumbles of agreement, Peri, Alston, and Cyn began to flash the tired wolves and warlock home.
Once they were all safe and sound, Peri flashed to the Coldspring pack headquarters in search of her fellow high fae. Peri flashed directly in front of the Alpha's home and stood still, trying to get a read on Nissa's mind or essence. When she felt nothing, she marched up to the door and knocked. She decided against flashing inside because she wasn’t as familiar with these wolves as she was the Romania ones. She didn't know how they'd react to her sudden appearance.
The door was opened a minute later by a very tired looking Alpha.
"Jeff Stone." Peri nodded curtly. "Why do you look as though the vampires kicked your ass?"
The Alpha's eyes narrowed. Okay, so he's a little sensitive on the matter.
"There were more than we anticipated," he said through gritted teeth. "But we managed to get them all, and saved four children. Nissa has been returning them to their homes. Two of them were older, perhaps eleven or twelve. She said it would be a little more work to alter their memories."
So that's what had been taking her so long, Peri thought. "Did you suffer any losses?" Peri asked him.
Jeff shook his head. "A few minor injuries, nothing more."
"Take a day to rest before you follow any more leads. Most of your wolves are younger and the magic left by the vampires will affect them more quickly."
He nodded. Peri could see that there was something bothering the Alpha. She debated whether or not she should ask. She really wanted to see her mate, but damn those puppy dog eyes. "Is there something else?"
Jeff looked at her for several moments before deciding to answer. "They've been taking dormants for centuries," he said, his voice hoarse with emotion. Peri knew where he was going with his statement. Vasile and the others hadn't had time to consider what that meant, especially since all of them except Drake were mated.
"Yes," she answered unnecessarily.
"How many mates?" He paused, the emotion catching in his throat.
Peri waited, allowing the man a moment, knowing how hard it was for a dominant male to show any emotion. Jeff Stone was hurting and not just for himself but for his wolves as well.
"How many of my wolves have lost their true mates because of the vampires? How many will we lose to the darkness?" 
Peri didn't have an answer. What could she say? He was right. There would be males and possibly females that would never have a true mate if theirs had been one of the dormants taken and bled dry. The guilt came rushing back as Peri remembered so very, very long ago when she'd foolishly thought Sincaro to be destroyed. She had not pursued his body after striking him down, and because of that he lived. And because he lived, hundreds, upon hundreds, have and would continue to suffer.
"I'm sorry, Alpha." Peri bowed her head to him. "I truly am."
Jeff didn’t say anything. He simply gave her one last look and then slowly closed the door. Peri was gone before it was shut completely.
Peri stood outside of the Serbia mansion attempting to get her emotions under control. She couldn't imagine what it would be like to wonder if your mate had been one of the ones taken. How would it feel to wonder if the fight against the darkness was futile? What would it feel like to struggle in vain because your mate was already gone?
"Peri," Cyn’s voice snapped her out of the near panic attack.
"Perizada," Lucian’s voice came just after her friend’s.
"I'm fine, wolf. I'll be there soon."
"There is still hope. Jeff and his unmated males were taken by surprise. They will be alright." Lucian’s voice caressed her tired soul. More than anything she just needed to be in his arms, but that wasn't going to happen, not yet. "I'll be waiting."
Peri wanted to scream. Lucian meant his statement to be a reassurance to her, but what Peri heard was, 'I'll be waiting like I always am.’ It wasn't his fault she felt that way. It was her own insecurity. And that made her laugh out loud. Who would have thought that Perizada, high fae and all around know-it-all, had insecurities? "Will wonders never cease?"
"Peri?" Cyn's voice beckoned again.