the same room every night, so that he could be there if Fane’s wolf began to lose control. But so far, the younger wolf had kept himself in check.
“There’s not really any other choice at this point.” Dillon sighed, his narrowed eyes conveying the same frustration that Decebel and the others were feeling.
Decebel couldn’t disagree with Fane. Waiting was its own special form of hell.
Fane’s wolf was ravenous. He wanted the bone, flesh, and blood of his enemies between his jaws. He wanted to take action. He wanted his pup and mate back safe beside him where they belonged. Instead, he was standing in the Denver, Colorado pack mansion, staring out a large window that displayed what he knew to be majestic mountains. But the only thing he could see was their faces.
Five days. It had been five days since Fane had held his female and child. He’d been in this position too many times before, but this time, it wasn’t just his Luna. It was Slate, as well, which made Jacquelyn even more vulnerable. She would do anything to protect their child, which both impressed him and terrified him.
“Wolf-man?” Jacquelyn’s voice filled his mind, and like all the times before when she reached out to him, for a brief minute, he could breathe.
“Are you alright? How is Slate?” He tried to keep the growl from his voice, but his wolf had too much control. He’d been able to feel her, but she’d had the bond closed enough so he couldn’t speak with her. Fane hadn’t wanted to distract her by pushing harder to get through. He figured Jacque had to have had a reason to keep him blocked, and he trusted her judgment.
“We’re fine,” she assured him. “They haven’t come for me, and Slate is still with me. They haven’t hurt us. They bring us food and have provided what I need to care for Slate. It’s almost like an unwanted stay in a hotel with decent room service.” She was trying to lift his spirits by joking, but he couldn’t bring himself to laugh.
Fane growled. “They took you. I consider that hurting you both. Alston and Skender will die horribly for touching you and our pup.”
“Are you okay?”
Fane could hear the worry in her voice and feel the anxiety coming through the bond, but it wasn’t for her and Slate. It was all for Fane. She was terrified he was going to do something drastic. She knew him well.
“You don’t need to worry about me,” he told her gently. “I promise I won’t do anything stupid.”
“I can feel your wolf, Fane. He’s holding it together by a thread.”
Fane took several deep breaths and forced his wolf back so he could think clearly and comfort his mate. He didn’t want her concerned about him. He needed Jacque to focus on taking care of herself and Slate. “I’ve got him under control. He needs his mate and pup. But I’m not in danger of going feral.” He didn’t add “yet” to the end of the sentence, even though he knew Jacquelyn could hear the unspoken word. His mate was no fool, and she had been with him long enough to know how crazy his wolf got when she was in danger.
“I love you. I won’t let anything happen to Slate. I will do anything I have to in order to protect him.” He could hear the fierce determination in her voice, and it worried him. Of course, he wanted her to protect their son, but he didn’t want anything to happen to either of them.
“I love you, Luna. I know you will protect our son. You are so very brave. I have no—”
“Someone’s coming in,” Jacquelyn interrupted, her voice becoming anxious. “I’ve got to go. Don’t do anything stupid, wolf-man.”
“Jacquelyn!” He roared, but the bond was shut down tight. Fane reached for the nearest item, which happened to be a large lamp, and turned, launching it across the room. He didn’t even consider that he might hit someone. He didn’t care. All he cared about was his mate and son and the enemy who was walking into their room. Fane needed to protect them, needed to see them and touch them.
The loud crash and accompanying growls brought his attention back to the room where he stood. His breathing was fast, his chest rising and falling in rapid succession. His hands were curled into fists at his sides, and he could feel that his claws had come out and were digging