through it,” he assured her. “That’s what pack does.”
“Are you going to be okay?”
“I’ll be better when I have you and Thia back. I’m holding it together because I have no other choice. Being away from you two is killing me. Now with Vasile and Alina, it’s a punch to the gut.”
“By an elephant,” she added.
“Yes. But this won’t defeat us.”
“I love you, B,” Jen said. He could feel the passion and force behind her words.
“I love you, baby. Always.”
Holding a sleeping Thia in her arms, Jen slid down the wall until she was sitting on the floor of the room where they’d been confined. She could feel her mate’s pain, though he kept it locked down tight. Her own control wasn’t quite so good. Tears fell down her cheeks. Their bond was open, but she’d muted it because she wanted Decebel to focus on ensuring Fane didn’t lose his shit. He sort of had a history of doing that.
She pressed her face into Thia’s small neck and took a deep breath. Usually, the scent of her daughter was enough to help Jen get her emotions under control, but it didn’t work this time. This time, the pain was just too much. The shock of losing the heart of their pack wasn’t going to go away.
“How can we do this without you?” Jen asked the empty room, though she was speaking to Alina. The alpha female had become a surrogate mother to her. Jen had never had that great of a relationship with her own mom. Her mom wasn’t a bad mother. She was just different from Jen. She didn’t understand the way Jen thought. But Alina seemed to get her, just like she got Jacque and Sally. She just took them into the pack and they were hers, no hesitation or reservations.
Jen shuddered as memories of the alpha pair filled her mind. How many times had Vasile put up with her bad puns and ridiculous monologues, only to smile and shake his head? That man had the patience of a saint. She remembered back to The Gathering when Vasile had tried to prepare them for what to expect.
“Okay, so the moral of the story is to find a mate, don’t panic, and try to avoid any male pissing contests … literally,” she’d said.
“That sounds about right,” Vasile nodded. “I think you should just go about the rest of your day as usual. Try not to worry about The Gathering.”
“Yeah, I’ll get right on that.”
She shook her head and smiled at the memory. Vasile had always just rolled with her. She couldn’t help but quietly laugh as she remembered when she tried to leave Romania. Vasile had been so accommodating, all the while planning on how to keep her there. He’d never come out and said it, but he’d known that she and Decebel belonged together. “You were a sly one, V, I’ll give you that,” she whispered, trying not to wake her daughter.
Then her thoughts shifted to Alina. How many times had Alina been strong for her, Jacque, and Sally?
From the moment Jen had met her, Alina had taught them and helped them transition into the reality of the supernatural world. She’d never once belittled them or made them feel stupid because of their ignorance. She’d just loved them because that’s what Alina did: she loved. If it hadn’t been for Alina, Jen probably would have run the other direction the moment she realized that Decebel was the one for her. Another conversation filled her mind.
“What does the girl get out of it? I mean, that sounds great for him, but what about the hole in her soul?”
Jen choked back a sob as she remembered Alina walking over to her and raising her chin so that Jen had to look her in the eyes.
“She gets a man who will love her completely and faithfully. She gets a man who will not only save her life but lay down his own to keep her safe. He will provide for her no matter the cost. He will shelter her against all the storms that come their way. He will be the one to bring a smile to her face when no one else can. She gets a friend, a lover, and a mate. The only man in this world who can complete her and give her the other half of her soul.”
Those words had been written on her heart, and she knew one day she would repeat them to her daughter.