Thad's eyes followed the movement around the room but his mind was elsewhere. He couldn't help but wonder if he would finally find his true mate among those who were coming to The Gathering. Two centuries was too long to be without a mate. Especially when the other Alphas were all mated. He wasn't a weak Alpha by any means, but it was a fact that a mated Alpha was a stronger Alpha. So regardless of his own strength, until he was mated he would not stand a chance against another.
Thad was pulled from his thoughts when the double doors to the large room opened. He watched as Vasile and his mate entered. Behind them he saw his Beta and Fane, the Grey Wolf Prince. The sheer size of them blocked any view of those who might be behind them. Thad was sure that was a tactical move on Vasile's part. His females would be well protected. That could be a problem, but not insurmountable, he thought.
"Daaaaang," Jacque whispered as the double doors opened and they walked into a large room. "Would you look at this place!"
"I feel like Beauty in Beauty and the Beast," Sally whispered to Jen. "You know, when she walks into the grand ballroom for the first time?"
"Well, you got one thing right, Sal," Jen murmured as she too took in her surroundings, "we are not short on beasts."
Jen tilted her head back at Jacque's prompting and her own mouth dropped open at seeing the height of the ceiling. That wasn't the only thing that had their mouths hitting the freshly waxed floor. Painted on the ceiling was a forest covered in shimmering snow. Somehow the artist had achieved a nearly three dimensional effect, and by looking at it you felt as if you were falling into the painting. Among the hills and trees there were wolves. Some were running, others lying quietly.
The theme was quite obvious once you picked up on it, Jen realized. There wasn't a single wolf alone. Each one was paired with another. And as she looked harder she could see that every pair was touching. The wolves running side by side were painted so that their tails intertwined as they ran, the ones sitting together had one tucked in close to the other, and those lying down had one wolf literally curled around the other, protecting, sheltering. It was beautiful, and the meaning was clear: wolves weren't meant to be alone. They were created for a mate.
Jen pulled her eyes from the compelling painting when she felt a tug on her sleeve. She turned just as Mariana was waving them all to follow.
“This handsome gentleman offered to show us to our rooms,” Mariana told them. Jen looked back and saw that Vasile was talking to some other guy who looked to be in charge of something. They probably weren’t needed. She looked at Jacque and nodded in the direction Mariana was headed.
“I’m in. You?”
“Lead the way,” Jacque answered.
Jen didn’t know if she should say something to Decebel, but she figured, He’s got wolf hearing, surely he'll hear us leaving. Not only that, but there was no way Fane would not keep tabs on his little she-wolf. So she shrugged her shoulders and followed the rest out of the large room. With her back turned she didn’t notice Decebel nod to Costin, a silent order to keep an eye on the girls until he could leave without appearing disrespectful.
“Vasile.” Thad raised his voice to be heard across the room as he made his way over to the Romanian Alpha. “So glad that you could come.”
“I want our species to thrive just as you do, Thad. Our pack appreciates you inviting and giving our single pack members a chance to possibly meet their true mates.”
Decebel felt his skin begin to prickle as Jennifer got farther and farther away from him. He was very close to simply ignoring protocol and going after her, but that would make Vasile look bad in the eyes of other wolves and he wouldn't do that to his Alpha. He just kept reminding himself that Costin would keep an eye on her and not let other wolves near her. Still, his wolf was restless. This is going to be a long week, Decebel thought.
"What time should I have my pack down for the gathering tonight?" Vasile asked Thad.
"We are to begin at six, so you probably want to have them down a little before to get seated. I will have two of my wolves show you to your rooms." Thad looked around Vasile at where the girls had been standing only moments before. "It looks like the dominant males have already made themselves known to your females." He chuckled.
Decebel growled, but before he could get much sound out Fane elbowed him hard in the side. Decebel coughed. He cut his eyes at Fane, who had the gall to wink. His red headed mate was rubbing off on him already.
After Thad and Vasile finished talking, Vasile turned to the pack members who had stayed with him. "Follow those two gentlemen, they will take us to our rooms." Vasile indicated two wolves standing directly in front of a large staircase in the entryway.
As they climbed the stairs, Vasile positioned himself in between Fane and Decebel. "I want you two and Sorin to go and make sure the girls stay out of trouble until tonight."
"As you say," Fane and Decebel spoke at the same time.
When they reached the top of the staircase, Decebel's head snapped to the right. There was loud laughter coming down the hall.
He nudged Fane. "My bet is we'll find trouble down that way." He indicated the direction the giggles were coming from.
"Are we going to survive this week?" Fane asked Decebel wearily.
"What's this we crap? You're mated, you can go hole up with your woman. I, on the other hand, get to be smack in the middle of the festivities," Decebel said the word as if it were a disease.
Fane laughed and patted Decebel on the back. "However I can help, Beta, I will. But I don't envy you when it comes to being responsible for Jen."
"No doubt. She's a handful."
"You wouldn't have her any other way, would you?"
"Not on my life," Decebel admitted shamelessly.
Just as they reached the door from which all the noise was coming, they heard – for the first time – male laughter. Decebel snarled as he grabbed the doorknob and threw the door open. Fane was right behind him, immediately searching the room for Jacque. He wasn't as angry as Decebel because he'd been able to feel Jacquelyn, and knew there was no danger.