Blood Rites

  "Hey Dec, could you get Jen another blanket please?" Sally asked him. She could have done it herself but she was experimenting. What could she say? She was an opportunist.

  Decebel stood up straight and turned to face Sally directly. Trying to look past her into the room he asked, "Why, is she okay? Is something wrong?" Sally raised a single eyebrow at him. "I mean if something is wrong we might need to get Dr. Steele or something, that's why I'm asking," he said, trying to look nonchalant.

  "Uh huh, right. Well, I think maybe she just has a little fever. That usually makes me shiver. So if you would be so kind," Sally prompted.

  "I will bring them in to you," Decebel said as he turned away to search for her request.

  A moment later the door opened to the room, letting a stream of light in that shone across the white floor, making the room seem harsh and uninviting.

  Decebel walked over to Jen's bed instead of handing the blanket to Sally. He spread the blanket out over Jen while she simply watched him in silence. Once the blanket was in place he turned and walked out, closing the door quietly behind him.

  "Is he bipolar, schizophrenic, or is there some weird werewolf gene that makes you a jack ass one moment and then somewhat nice the next only to then throw you back into jack ass mode within a single breath?" Jen asked, turning to direct her question at Fane.

  "I don't know what is going on with him, Jen. I apologize if he is causing you distress. I can talk with him if you'd like."

  "Na, it's all good. If he keeps it up I will gladly tell him to get the proverbial stick out of his fine, furry butt." With Jen's final statement the room fell quiet and Fane began to hear one by one the even breathing of each girl that indicated they had fallen asleep.

  Chapter 13

  Standing in front of the window in the hotel suite that Colin had reserved for them, Dillon ended the call he had just received from Lilly and turned to his wolves. "I'm going to meet Jacque tomorrow morning at 10:00 a.m. All of you will accompany me to the hospital but only Logan and I will go up to the floor she is on, and only I will go into her room. Right now they are insisting that Fane stay with her while I speak to her, which I guess I understand. She doesn't know me, I would be leery as well."

  "It will all work out, Alpha," Logan told him in an unusual display of emotion.

  Dillon nodded his head once in acknowledgment of his Beta's words. There was a small part of him that felt that something was off with Logan but he just shook it off. Logan was his most faithful wolf and he'd never given Dillon a reason to doubt his trust.

  "I'm calling it a night. We need to leave here at 9:15 in the morning so make sure everyone is ready," Dillon instructed Logan.

  "As you say, Alpha," Logan responded. He watched his Alpha walk towards the room he was staying in until the door closed behind him. Logan told the other wolves that he was going to go get something to drink, they didn't question him. Why would they, he was second to the Alpha. In reality he needed to finalize his plan. He was going to have to make sure that Jacque wasn't conscious when he took her because she would be able to alert the pup who was trying to claim her. Much to his surprise, when he had contacted the Coldspring pack and sniffed around to find out which members were still loyal to their dead Alpha, he had discovered that the doctor treating Jacque was Lucas Steele's sister. And wouldn't you know it the dear old doc was very forthcoming about her anger towards Vasile and his pup, so upset in fact, she offered her assistance. Things could not be going better. Doctor Cynthia Steele was going to come in and check on Jacque during his guard shift and give her and Jen extra doses of morphine. He also assumed that the third girl, Sally, he thought he remembered them calling her, would be in the room. The only way to keep her knocked out without chemical use would be to use a pressure point in the neck to keep her unconscious. She would wake with a horrendous headache but it was better than having to harm her to keep her subdued.

  Next, he had to procure transportation and a place to take her. That was what he was going to do tonight. Once again the Coldspring pack was willing to accommodate this for him as well, and thanks to a few disgruntled wolves who were angry at the death of their Alpha, they had offered up their assistance. One of the wolves, he didn't know his name, he didn't want to know names, was giving him a car and once again Dr. Steele stepped up and loaned him the use of her ski lodge in Colorado. He thought that would work out well because he figured once they knew what had happened they would never think he would take her back to his home state. The tricky part was going to be keeping Jacque from knowing where they were so she couldn't send Fane any clues. Until he had bonded with her and done the blood rites she would have that mental connection with Fane.

  The wolf loaning him the car was going to meet him at the back of the hotel to give him the keys. He had parked the car in the hospital parking lot closest to the ER. The plan to get Jacque out was simple. Dr. Steele would transport her on a stretcher to a side door that physicians used right next to the ER. Since there was always commotion late at night in the Emergency Room, no one would notice a doctor wheeling a gurney out the side. Logan would pull the car right up and slip her inside. If things continued as they were he would be on his way to Colorado with his mate in tow in no time. He smiled to himself, quite impressed with his ability to plan all of this on his own.

  He walked out the back exit to the hotel and, true to his word, the wolf waited with the keys.

  "It's a tan Ford Escape, so it won't stand out. I parked right where you told me to," he told Logan.

  "Thank you, I appreciate all of your help." Logan's voice was full of truth, he really was appreciative. Without the Coldspring pack's help this endeavor would have been much more difficult.

  "We are just glad that the Romanian mongrel isn't going to get to keep our Alpha's chosen mate. We want him to suffer for taking our Alpha from us." The wolf's voice was dripping with malice.

  Logan didn't want to linger here so he thanked the wolf again and then headed back to his room. As he entered the suite, he saw that the others had turned in already. He decided to take a quick shower since he didn't figure he would get another one for a couple of days.

  As he laid down in his bed, the crisp hotel sheets itchy against his skin, he couldn't get comfortable. He had a feeling it had nothing to do with the itchy sheets and more to do with his conscience. He shut the door tight in his mind, not daring to examine the black spot that this choice was placing on his soul. His wolf approved of what the man was doing and that was enough. They both knew that Jacque would be better off with a mate who could protect her, one with experience. Logan closed his eyes, trying once more to fall asleep, but it eluded him for many hours into the night.

  Dillon woke to the sound of his phone alarm going off. He reached over to the bedside table and picked it up to cancel the alarm. He took a deep breath, sat up, and rubbed his hand across his face, trying to dislodge the sleep from his brain. Standing up, he stretched and grinned. Today he would meet his daughter for the first time. He was scared out of his mind, but he was happy as well. He took a quick shower, shaved and dressed quickly in plain Levi's, a black t-shirt, and black boots. When he emerged from his room he saw that all of his pack were up and dressed and ready to go.

  He looked at his watch and saw it was 9:15 on the dot. "Let's head out," he told them and headed for the door. Logan and the other wolves fell in line and followed Dillon out.

  Once in the car and on their way to the hospital, Dillon turned to Logan. "I made a decision while I was getting ready this morning."

  Logan nodded his head in encouragement for Dillon to continue.

  "I've decided that after I've introduced myself and spent a little bit of time with Jacque, I will announce my Alpha rights and let Lilly know my intentions to take Lilly to her true pack. The shit is going to hit the fan, so be ready. Dr. Steele is going to make sure security is ready if need be."

  "We will be ready," Logan assured his Alpha.

  Chapter 14


  Fane watched as Jacquelyn sat fidgeting in her hospital bed. Her skin was healing so fast and it was itching like crazy. So on top of being nervous about meeting her father in just a matter of minutes she was also itching like she had a bad case of fleas.

  "Are you okay, Jacquelyn?" Fane asked her.

  Jacquelyn looked at him sheepishly. "Just nervous and itching. My skin is healing so fast and the scabs are driving me crazy."

  "Do you want me to see if they can give you something for the itching?" he asked her.

  "No wolf-man, anything they give me will probably make me sleepy. I will just have to deal."

  Fane and Jacque turned their heads at the sound of a growl from a human throat. The sound was coming from Jen. She was rubbing her back vigorously against the wall. She actually looked like a horse scratching itself against a tree. Jacque thought about pointing this out, but held her tongue when Jen started spewing expletives.

  "I feel like my skin is crawling with little ants it itches soooooo bad!" Jen ground out as she continued to attempt to assuage the itching by rubbing her back against the wall. Sally opened her mouth to say something but promptly shut it when Jen's head whipped around. "One word, one word Sally Michelle and so help me you will have to sleep with one eye open for the rest of your life for fear that I will steal all your dolls and make them do unholy things, take pictures, and then put them on your Facebook page with the caption 'I still play with dolls'.” Jen was breathing hard after her rant.

  "Jacque, I think we should tie her up when she spends the night with us, just to be on the safe side," Sally told Jacque dryly.

  "Word," Jacque answered, using the slang she and her two best friends were so fond of.

  "I think I would have to agree with your sentiment, Sally," Fane added.

  "Watch it, Cujo. Just because you're hot doesn't mean I won't retaliate," Jen growled, still trying to allay the itching of her healing skin.

  "Wolf," Fane muttered, as Jacque patted his hand, "I'm a bloody wolf."

  The door to the room swung open and Decebel walked in and froze. He stopped cold at the sight of Jen growling and rubbing against the wall. She looked at him and nearly snarled. "Do you not know how to knock? And what the hell are you staring at? Haven't you ever seen a girl being groped by a wall before?"

  "Not one who was so obviously enjoying it," Decebel answered without inflection.

  Sally looked at Decebel, shaking her head from side to side. "The safest road at this point is to maintain neutral, in a non-threatening stance, and for the love of all humanity do not engage the beast. Just keep your mouth closed."

  "Right, well I just came to get you and Jen and take you to another room so that Jacque can visit with her father," he told Sally.

  "He's here?" Jacque squeaked.

  Decebel looked at her and nodded. "He is on his way up now." He turned back to Jen and Sally and simply said, "Come."

  Sally began to follow. Jen, of course, could not be that cooperative. "Oh, I'm sorry, did I miss something? Am I wearing a dog tag that indicates I should be walking on all fours and responding when a big grumpy ass werewolf tells me to come?"

  Decebel turned and growled, "One of these days your mouth is going to write a check that your cute little ass can't cash." Decebel thought this would render her speechless but he should have known better.

  "Oh, don't worry fur ball, I plan to be writing that check out in your name." With that she winked at him and hobbled past a dumbfounded Decebel, IV pole and all.

  Sally turned and patted Decebel on the arm. "Good try, chief, but you are sparring with a master in her craft, and didn't we just discuss not provoking the beast? Geeze, try to save someone's life and they just throw it out the window," Sally continued to mutter as she walked past Decebel, her hands in the air as if to show her surrender to another's stupidity. "I'm done, finished, and if you hairy, testosterone filled, egotistical, snarling, drooling, flea infested werewolves want Jen to neuter you in your sleep than far be it from me to stand in your way."

  Decebel turned and looked at Jacque. "Your friends have issues. Serious issues."

  "You have no idea," Jacque said, shaking her head as Decebel turned to follow her two best friends out. "Good luck with that," she hollered before the door closed.

  "Well, that was interesting," Jacque told Fane.

  "Interesting definitely, but something is up with Decebel and he isn't exactly the most forthcoming wolf. Figuring it out is going to be like trying to figure out who shot Kennedy."

  Jacque looked at Fane and grinned, "You know about Kennedy?"

  He laughed, "Why wouldn't I?"

  "You're from Romania," Jacque said with a 'duh' look.

  "Like I told you, I studied American history. My parents wanted me to know more than just Romanian history."

  "I guess that once we are in Romania and start school, I will learn all about Romanian history?" Jacque asked him.

  "You will learn a lot about Romanian history as it pertains to the pack. It is a lot of information, but important since you will one day be the Alpha female."

  "Ugh, don't remind me, it really freaks me out," she whined.

  "My silly Luna, you are going to make an amazing Alpha. Don’t doubt that." Fane leaned down and kissed her gently on the lips.

  "Mmm, there is not enough of that going on lately," she teased him.

  "Yes, well, I didn't think you wanted to give Jen free entertainment."

  "How right you are wolf-man," Jacque joked.

  There was a knock at the door causing Jacque to sit up straighter. Fane stood up and walked to the door to open it. Before he did he turned and looked at Jacquelyn. "You ready, love?"

  "You are with me, so yeah, I'm ready."

  "Always, meu inimă (my heart)."

  "Oh, and Fane?" Jacque started.

  "Yes?"

  "Try not to kill my father, okay?"

  Fane's eyes glowed blue and he growled low.

  "Stop it, wolf-man, answer the door." She laughed at him, thankful for the brief distraction.

  Fane opened the door and a man stepped in. He wasn't nearly as tall as Fane, but he had broad shoulders, red, wavy hair the same color as Jacque's, and he had the same piercing green eyes. Fane felt like he was looking at the male version of his mate, he had to admit it was a little creepy.

  The man held out a hand to Fane politely. "You must be Fane Lupei. I'm Dillon Jacobs, Jacque's father."

  Fane took Dillon's hand and shook it. "I am Fane, Jacquelyn's mate," Fane told him without looking away from the Alpha wolf's eyes.

  Jacque realized that neither of them was going to relinquish before the other, she had to step in before one of them did something stupid. So she cleared her throat. Okay, it wasn't much but she figured telling the two Alphas to get their heads out of their butts wouldn't go over real well.

  "It's probably best that you did not say that, you are right, my love," Fane told her, obviously listening to her inner dialogue. He had told her once that her thoughts fascinated him. Her response had been that she was glad she could entertain him.

  Dillon turned his head in response to Jacque. "You must be Jacque."

  "In the flesh. Well, at least what's left of it," she answered.

  Dillon let out a soft growl but caught himself quickly. "Yes, we will get to that shortly. First I just want you to know that had I known about you, I would not have stayed away. You don’t have to believe me, but I at least want you to know that I would have been here and a part of your life."

  "I believe you," Jacque told him, tears gathering in her eyes, and before she could stop them they were pouring down her cheeks.

  "Oh, little one, I'm sorry." Dillon walked quickly to her side, he felt awkward for a moment until Jacque made the first move, she reached out to him and just like that Dillon was holding the little girl he'd always wanted. He pulled her close and she cried harder. He rocked her and whispered over and over, "I'm so sorry little one, so, so sorry."

  Jacque co
uldn't believe she was blubbering like a baby, but crap, he was here. The one man she had always wondered about, where he was, what was he doing. If he had been around would he have taught her to climb trees, or change a tire? Would he have taken her to the movies the way Jen's dad did with her or taken her fishing? It just all sort of hit at one time and she couldn't hold it back any longer. It was pure instinct that had her reaching for a complete stranger, a stranger, but still her dad.

  Fane stood back, his wolf pacing as he watched a stranger hold his mate, his mate who was hurting. He hated that she was hurting and that he couldn't be the one to comfort her. Call him selfish, so be it, but she was his, his alone.

  "I'm sorry, wolf-man. Please don’t take it personally," Jacquelyn told him

  "I know, love, don't worry about me. Spend time with Dillon. I will be fine." He sent the thought to her as well has a picture in his mind of brushing his finger tips across her neck where his mark should be by now. That just made him growl again.

  Jacque finally composed herself and pulled back from Dillon. He gently brushed her hair out of her face.

  "I know I wasn't there for a long time, but I'm here now. I want to be a part of your life if you are okay with that."

  "I would like that," Jacque said honestly.

  "Why don’t you tell me about yourself: favorites, dislikes, and all the stuff a father should know." Dillon smiled reassuringly.

  "Well, where to begin?" From there for the next few hours Jacque and Dillon talked about anything and everything. Fane could tell that they had very similar personalities. Their likes and dislikes, even their sense of humor was alike. He was happy for her, he really was, but his wolf still did not trust Dillon Jacobs.

  Finally, Dillon stood up. He looked at his watch, realizing that they had been talking for four and a half hours. Lunch had come and gone and the entire time Fane had stood against the wall opposite Jacque's bed, never moving, just standing and watching her. Jacque looked up at him and smiled, that smile was worth every minute he had stood there keeping her safe.