He realized that she wouldn’t understand the whole heir reference, but in an effort to be as honest as possible where he could, he told her.
“So, um, I was wondering if you,” Jacquelyn stumbled around her words. It was obvious she was uncomfortable with what she wanted to know. Catching the thought in her mind, he understood she wanted to know if he had a girlfriend in Romania. He was actually a little shocked that she thought he would pursue her if he did have a girlfriend, but he had to remember she did not know him yet.
“No, Luna. I do not have a girlfriend, nor am I recently out of a relationship.” Fane knew the jab about her ex wasn’t necessary, but he couldn’t help it. He loved to see her get riled up and, sure enough, if she had had hackles they would be at attention.
“Why does it bother you so much that I had a boyfriend? I mean, it’s not like I even knew you existed a week ago, not to mention Trent and I aren’t together anymore,” she said firmly.
“I know, Jacquelyn, I’m sorry. I’m not really bothered by it anymore. Well, mostly not bothered by it. I have to admit I don’t like the idea of another male touching you, but as long as I know he won’t be again, I think Trent is safe,” Fane told her honestly.
“So you’re saying that if I dated another guy they wouldn’t be safe?” she asked him in disbelief.
“Do you want to date another guy?” Fane countered.
Fane felt the wall in her mind go up and knew the answer was no, she didn’t want to date anyone else, and he smiled at that, which was not a smart thing to do at that moment.
Jacquelyn stepped forward and put a finger against his chest, poking him with every word. “Don’t dodge my question with a question of your own, you pushy, bossy, Romanian butt head!” She was fuming. Fane imagined that if it were possible there would be smoke rising off that hot tempered red head of hers, and she wasn’t done yet either.
“I can damn well date who I want, when I want. There is nothing you can do or say to change that, so if you want to continue with this…this…thing between us,” she said, flinging her hand back and forth to indicate them both, “then you'd better just back the hell up, buddy!” By the time she was done, she was panting from her little rant.
“I didn’t say you couldn’t date another person, I asked you if you wanted to,” Fane told her. “Is that so hard to answer?”
Jacquelyn glared at him, obviously wanting to hit him with something. He decided to back up just a little. He continued to stare back at her into those deep green eyes, waiting to see if she would admit to him what he already knew.
Jacquelyn looked down as if something could possibly be of interest to her on the ground. In a voice so soft, he would have missed it if not for his wolf hearing, she said, “No, I don’t want anyone else.”
When she looked up at him there were tears in her eyes and his heart broke.
“Meu inimă, why the tears? I did not mean to hurt you. Please tell me what I can do, you are breaking my heart,” Fane told her with agony.
He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close. He stroked her hair gently and whispered to her in his native language words of comfort and reassurance. Finally, after several moments she began to speak. She didn’t pull away from him, which was good because he wasn’t ready to let her go. He had hurt her. His wolf was not happy and needed the touch of his mate.
“I’m sorry. I’m not usually a blubbering idiot, it’s just that I’m so confused. My emotions for you are so freaking intense and I’ve known you all of three days. I mean, this isn’t a movie where we meet and fall madly in a matter of days, Fane. This is my life!”
“I know, I’m sorry I wasn’t more considerate. Please, love, forgive me. I won’t let my jealousy or pride get in the way of taking your feelings into consideration again,” Fane told her in all sincerity.
Before she could pull away, Fane kissed her lightly on the forehead and took a deep breath, enjoying the way she smelled.
She looked at him oddly and said, “I’m not even going to ask why you just sniffed me.”
“Because you smell wonderful.” Fane was completely unashamed that he had been caught.
They were quiet for a few moments before the questions he had been waiting for her to ask finally came.
“So, are you going to fill me in on why we can share thoughts or why I suddenly have markings on my skin that would fit yours like a puzzle?” Jacquelyn asked him.
“So you noticed that the markings matched?” Fane was surprised.
He had to tell his wolf to chill out because he desperately wanted to preen in front of her, proud that she'd noticed his markings. Good grief, Fane thought to himself. This is ridiculous, wanting to prance in front of my mate and show her I'm worthy of her. Act normal, you hairy baboon, or she’s going to run from you screaming.
“They are unusual markings, climbing up your neck like that, so naturally I noticed them.” She tried to sound nonchalant about it.
“Look, Jacquelyn, I want to tell you. You have no idea how badly I want you to know everything. Your mom needs to talk with you first. She needs to tell you what she knows and then when I explain how I fit into it, it will make more sense to you,” Fane explained, imploring her to accept this.
Fane knew, however, that she would never let it go that easily.
“What does my mom have to do with any of this?” she asked him incredulously.
Just as Fane was about to answer her, a car pulled in next to his motorcycle, which was quite a distance away from where they were sitting on a bench. Fane let his wolf out enough to use his eyes, and saw to his displeasure that it was the wolves that had driven past Jacquelyn’s house the night before.
The four Greys began walking toward them and Fane tried to figure out what his best strategy would be. He and his wolf were in agreement that they did not like their mate in danger, but what could he do? If he attempted to fight them, she would be left unprotected. If they tried to make a run for it, the Greys would easily overtake them because she couldn't run faster than the wilves. He could carry her, but Fane had a feeling that would not go over too well with his Luna.
He would just have to wait and see what they wanted.
“Who are these guys? Do you know them?” Her thoughts were clouded with worry.
“I know very little about them. This is another thing we need to talk about, but we must talk to your mother first,” Fane answered.
Fane never took his gaze off the wolves coming towards him and his mate, but out of the corner of his eye he saw Jacquelyn give him a displeased look, obviously not happy with his answer.
As the wolves approached, Fane couldn’t suppress the low warning growl that escaped from his throat. If he had been in wolf form his hackles would have been standing, tail down, stance wide and low, ready for any sudden movement they might try.
The wolf from the dealership, Steve, spoke first. “My Alpha wants to know why you are still here.”
Fane took a step forward, which caused the wolves to back up a step. None of them could help lowering their heads just a little because Fane was more dominant than them all.
“I hate to break it to you, Beta, but your Alpha has no authority to order me out of a town that he has not made known as his territory. There is no record of this pack existing.”
The Grey looked a little confused by this, which meant either his Alpha didn’t know this, or his Alpha didn’t share this information with his pack.
“Regardless, there is only one of you compared to an entire pack. What do you really think you can do against those odds?” he asked Fane.
Fane glared menacingly at the four Greys; they backed up even more. “You tell your Alpha to back off. There are only so many disregards for Pack Laws that I will concede.” Fane looked each wolf in the eyes and they dropped them instantly. Then, in the same voice his father used to make his wolves obey, Fane told them, “Leave, now.”
When a dominant issued a command like that the submissive could only obey, whet
her they wanted to or not.
Steve fought the order as he walked away. Before he got in his car, he turned to Fane and said, “Just so you know, pup, she has already been claimed. If you don’t stay away, her true mate is going to challenge you, and rest assured he will tear you apart.”
At that Fane snarled furiously. His eyes began to glow and he felt his canines elongate. The Grey whined and scrambled into his car, his tires squealing as he peeled out.
Fane closed his eyes and took slow deep breaths. Calm yourself, Fane thought. No one is going to take her from you. He sort of chanted this to himself over and over until he and his wolf were somewhat in control. Fane turned to face Jacquelyn and saw confusion, but to his relief there was no fear.
“Ok, you can forget trying to get away with not explaining that little episode of the Twilight Zone. I'm not an idiot, so don’t think I didn’t pick up on the whole animal kingdom reference, the way you just nearly went postal on their hides, or the fact that the 'she' they were talking about was me,” Jacquelyn said, arms crossed, brow furrowed in determination.
Fane walked up to her, towering over her short frame To her credit, after seeing him act like the animal he was, she didn’t take a single step back.
“You’re right, Luna. It’s time to talk, but your mom will start. Let’s go.”
With that, they were on his motorcycle headed back to Jacquelyn’s house.
Chapter 17
Jacque held on tight to Fane’s waist, laying her cheek against his back, taking in his warmth. She was nervous, but glad she was finally going to get some answers. That whole little scene at the park had freaked her out. She could not make sense of anything those guys had said to Fane, or vice versa.
The only reference she had of the term ‘Alpha’ had to do with dogs or wolves. And who were they to tell Fane he had to leave and what did they mean she already had a mate? The questions swirled around in her brain over and over again, yet she could find no explanation.
“Luna, are you ok?” Fane asked her, sounding worried.
She smiled, not able to help liking the fact that he worried about her. It felt good to be cared for, not that she wasn’t cared for by others, but it felt good coming from him.
“I guess I’m as good as can be expected. Don’t be alarmed if I freak out or have a melt down, it will pass,” she told him with only a small amount of teasing in her voice.
The truth was she was already on the verge of a panic attack. When those guys told Fane he had to leave, the mere idea of him gone actually caused her pain. How messed up is that?
Jacque closed her eyes and concentrated on her breathing. In and out, in and out. Whatever it is, whatever he tells you, you will not cower in a corner and shake like a frightened puppy, she told herself firmly. No, but I make no promises that I won’t pass out from shock. There is no shame in passing out, it’s simply the brain’s way of saying 'hold the stink up, I need to process this mess'. Jacque smiled at her monologue, wondering if other people talked to themselves like that. Probably not, but everyone’s got something, right?
Fane pulled into her driveway and turned off the engine. It seemed eerily quiet. Jacque climbed off his bike, taking the helmet off, and shook her hair out. She looked up to find Fane watching her.
“What?” she asked him.
To Jacque’s surprise, Fane actually blushed! He turned his head away from her and she saw the small smile that had appeared.
“Sorry, it’s just, um, well, you looked attractive shaking your hair out,” Fane stammered.
Jacque tried really hard not to laugh but was completely unsuccessful. She looked up at him and saw embarrassment in his eyes.
“Fane, you can’t possibly be embarrassed by thinking I’m hot. I practically drool all over you every time I see you. I should be the one embarrassed,” she confessed to him.
“Are you?” Fane asked.
“I guess maybe I should be, but throw me a bone, you are freaking hot. I can’t change that so I’m embracing it.”
Fane chuckled and told her, “You amaze me, Luna. Truly you do.”
It was Jacque’s turn to blush. “Thanks,” was all she could think to say.
Fane took Jacque’s hand as they were walking to the front door. She felt warmth spread up her arm and throughout her body just from holding it. When Jacque opened the door, she saw the man that had been the driver of the limo Fane arrived in just three nights ago, standing in her living room. Jacque froze, not really sure what to do.
Fane stepped around her and went to the man and embraced him just like they had done on the night he arrived. Okay, Jacque thought, I’m fixing to have a two-year-old moment.
“MOM!” Jacque yelled, “WHO IN KING ARTHUR’S NAME IS THIS MAN IN OUR HOUSE, WHAT THE CRAP DO YOU KNOW THAT YOU AREN’T TELLING ME, AND FOR THE LOVE OF ALL THINGS THAT KEEP US SANE WHAT HELL IS GOING ON!”
In the kitchen Lilly Pierce closed her eyes and took a deep breath. It’s time, she thought to herself. She'd hoped this day would never come, that Jacque would grow up and have a normal life, never affected by her father’s blood. Apparently that had been too much to hope for.
Lilly stepped into the living room. “I guess it’s time for me to tell you the truth about your father,” she told her daughter.
“Why have you waited this long to say something? Were you ever going to tell me?” Jacque asked, the hurt evident in her voice.
Lilly sat down on the couch, hands folded in her lap, eyes focused on the floor. “Actually, no. I wasn’t planning on telling you as long as it never affected you. I figured there was no reason to add confusion to the pain of your father leaving.”
“Did you ever think that it wasn’t your choice to make?!” Jacque was yelling now, she was so upset and yet knew that her anger was disproportionate to the situation.
“Jacquelyn, calm yourself. She was just trying to protect you, not hide things from you,” Jacque heard Fane’s soft, comforting voice tell her. Unfortunately, it just fueled her fire.
Jacque turned on him. “Do not tell me to calm down! Everyone in this room seems to know something about my life that I don’t and frankly that just ticks me off a teeny, tiny bit, so back off!”
Fane held his hands up in surrender and took a seat across from Lilly on the loveseat. Sorin sat in the ugly winged back chair, leaving Jacque the only one standing.
She wasn’t ready to sit down so she started pacing around the room.
“I understand why you're angry and that you're hurt, but I need you to hear me out before judging me,” Lilly told her.
Jacque stopped and tried to wipe away the tears that were running freely down her cheeks. She turned to look at her mom and simply nodded her head. Her mom patted the couch for her to sit on, but Jacque took one look at Fane and knew she needed to sit by him.
“I’m sorry, love, it’s just that I see you hurting and all I want to do is comfort you. It’s MY job to comfort you. Please bear with me a little longer. Sit by me, calm the animal inside please.” Fane’s thought was so emotional that Jacque found herself walking over to the love seat and sitting next to him.
Jacque’s mom looked a little shocked, but as quick as it appeared it was gone.
“Jacque,” her mom began, “there is no easy way to explain this. There is no way that I can say it that sounds sane, so I’m just going to lay it out there, okay?”
“If you knew what my life has been like the past few days you wouldn’t even have to lead off with that. So as Jen and I like to say, slap me with it,” Jacque told her.
Lilly took a deep breath. “Your father is a Canis lupus, a werewolf.”
When Jacque didn’t respond Lilly just continued. “I knew there was something different about him when I met him. The longer we dated, the more sure I was that he wasn't normal. So one night I just asked him, ‘What are you?’ And he told me. At first, naturally, I didn’t believe him, but then he showed me his wolf and he was beautiful. Over time, he told me more and more about his
culture and species. I knew one day he would leave because he would find his true mate. He was honest with me about it and I chose to stay with him anyway because I felt that whatever time I could have with him was better than none at all.”
Lilly paused for a moment and looked at Jacque, who was just sitting there staring at the table in front of her. Fane took one of her hands and looked like he was waiting for her to go into hysterics at any moment. Still, she said nothing.
Lilly continued. “Three days before he left I found out I was pregnant with you. I was going to tell him that very night, but when I got home there was a note waiting for me instead of him.” Jacque looked up at her mother when her voice wavered and saw she had tears in her eyes.
She realized then that her mom still loved her father. Even though he's a Canis Lup-whatever, she thought to herself.
“Canis lupus, meu inimă,” Fane told her.
“I wasn't thinking to you, was I? No, I was not. I was thinking to myself. So if you don’t mind, keep your nosy Romanian brain out of mine,” Jacque growled.
Fane just squeezed her hand and this angered Jacque even more because she didn’t want anyone’s comfort or understanding, she just wanted to be pissed off.
Lily pulled herself together and when Jacque still did not say anything she said, “I had no idea what would happen to you as half Canis lupus. I didn’t know if I would come in your room one day and find a wolf puppy in your crib. As time went on and you seemed to be completely normal, I decided to just let it go. When you hit puberty I was worried maybe that would trigger some change in you, but it didn’t and I thought we were home free. And then,” Lilly looked at Fane, there was no condemnation when she said, “you came along, and I knew all my hope was in vain.”
Fane looked Lilly in the eye and told her, “I am sorry to have brought your fears to pass, but I am not sorry to have found Jacquelyn. She is my mate and I will claim her, as is my right. You know she will not be complete without me, nor I without her.”