Sally nodded. “I know, but in case you hadn’t noticed, it’s driving the others crazy as well. Truly, you are more of a threat to each other than to us females. You all are so consumed with the thought of one of us being hurt that you don’t realize that there really is no threat.”
Costin pulled her onto his lap and kissed her neck. “There is no reasoning with me or my wolf, love, not right now.”
Sally rubbed his back gently and let out a slow breath. “Okay,” then repeated, softly, “okay.”
The morning light began to penetrate through the trees as the wolves and the Fae began to stir. Jacque looked around and as she saw the gaunt and tired faces of the males, she knew that none of them had slept. They were on edge and distrustful of one another and it broke her heart. They may have made it out of the In-Between alive, but they had not emerged unscathed.
“Hey,” she felt Fane’s breath on her neck and fought the urge to climb into his arms, pushing away everything else but him. “You alright?”
She leaned back against his chest as his arms came around her. He pulled her tight against him and she felt his chest rumble with satisfaction at his mate’s eagerness to be close to him.
“Yeah, I am just worried about all of you.” She turned her face up to look at him and the slight glow in his blue eyes called to her wolf. She wanted to be alone with her mate, needed to feel his strength surround her and submerge herself in his scent.
“If you don’t stop that line of thinking I’m going to drag you off into the forest and throw my gentlemanly ways to the curb,” Fane growled in her ear.
Jacque shivered at his words and blushed as she saw his thoughts. She slapped his hands that rested on her stomach. “Behave.”
“You first,” he parried.
She turned in his arms and looked up into his handsome face. His skin was lined with worry and fatigue and still he was the most beautiful thing she had ever seen.
“I’m so glad you’re okay,” she whispered to him.
His eyes softened and he leaned down and pressed a gentle kiss to her lips.
“Because of you,” he murmured them.
His hands began to slide down her back and just before they reached her butt, she pulled them back up. Her eyes widened in surprise. “Feeling bold?”
He growled at her. “Mine.”
“Yes,” she nodded, “but now is not the time.”
Fane stepped back and grabbed her hand. He began to pull her towards the semi-privacy of the forest. “I can make it the time.” His voice was low and laced with the desire she could feel radiating from him.
Jacque pulled against his hold and he stopped instinctively at her struggle. He looked back at her as his eye narrowed.
“Fane, you know I want you. You can feel it just as I can feel it coming from you, but we are in danger and need to get back to the mansion.”
“Do you have any idea what I have been watching for the past weeks?” His words rang in her mind as he took slow, measured step towards her, stalking her.
“I can’t begin to imagine what you have been through, and I know that you need to know I’m okay, that we’re okay.”
“YOU DON’T KNOW!”
Jacque flinched at the snarl in her mind and the rage behind his words. She knew he was hurting, knew he felt out of control and for that reason she let the disrespect he had just shown her pass. He loomed over her as his body trembled with pent up hurt, anger, desire, and love for the woman standing before him.
“I’m the only one who has the right to touch you. I’m the only one who has the privilege of protecting you. I’m the only one who should know you, and I know it wasn’t real, I know it in here,” he beat his hand on his chest over his heart. “But in here,” he tapped his head, “in here I keep seeing someone else’s hands on you. Sometimes forced, and sometimes invited.”
Jacque gasped as a hand flew to her mouth. She had never considered that he might fear her actually turning to another, cheating on him, allowing another near her. So he hadn’t only watched someone force themselves on her, Fane had watched her invite another to her bed. Her stomach rolled with nausea as she saw his thoughts, saw what he had watched. She turned and ran for the forest barely making it before she began to wretch. The thought of someone else was horrendous; actually seeing herself in the arms of another was too much. She finally understood his need to claim her. In his mind, they needed to consummate their bond again.
Tears streamed down her face as she heaved. Sobs pushed themselves up through her throat and she collapsed to her knees. She shook with revulsion and tried to push the images away. The worst part was the faces of those she had willingly taken; the two men who had taken her, one who had scarred her body and her soul. Trent, the human male she had dated, but never allowed to touch her in such a way. And worst of all, males of her pack, men she considered brothers. Those faces made her vomit more and she fought to keep from passing out.
“Jacquelyn, look at me.” Fane’s voice came from a few feet behind her. He wasn’t touching her, he wasn’t comforting her, and she knew she must revolt him. That thought tore through her soul, ripped right through her and she gasped at the pain.
“Jacquelyn,” he said, more insistently.
He wouldn’t want her any more. Not after seeing that. How could he, even knowing it wasn’t really her, how could he ever move past those images. He would leave her and she would be alone. He would turn to another for his comfort and she would be forced to watch, as he loved another.