not greener on the other side. It doesn’t matter who you are with, they will have faults, as you do. It is important on those days, when you are making a conscious choice to love because the feeling isn’t happening, that you show your commitment. Just because you are true mates does not mean things are easy. When you have days where you look at her, and your heart nearly hurts with how much you need her, you tell her, because those days are precious. We never know if we have tomorrow, so make sure that she knows every day that she is yours and you are hers.”
The words faded from his mind as he stared at his mate. The wisdom his father had given to him that day he knew without a doubt would make his relationship with Jacquelyn healthier. He’d prepared Fane for things that the younger man would never have even considered. And because of that, when he and Jacquelyn faced those trials, Fane would have the wisdom to fall back on. “Thank you,” he said quietly, still unable to stop the tears of loss that slowly trailed down his face.
Jacque had no idea when the dam had broken, but at some point while Fane had been saying his goodbyes, she’d simply lost it. And now, she’d found herself holding Alina as if she could somehow force life back into her. It was as if she’d just found out all over again that they were gone, the gaping wound suddenly torn open, exposing raw nerves.
“Just a few more minutes,” she whispered as she laid her head on Alina’s shoulder. Whatever spell Peri had used, it kept her in-laws feeling normal, warm without the chill of death. Jacque couldn’t understand why she couldn’t get her emotions under control. She’d told herself she would be strong for Fane, and yet here she was falling apart. She thought back to her words to Fane and realized they weren’t just words. They were true. This hurt. It hurt until she couldn’t breathe, until she just didn’t want to breathe because that seemed better than feeling this agony.
When her tears finally ran out, Jacque leaned back and smiled down at the woman who’d become a second mother. “Thank you, too. You didn’t lose Fane’s heart. You simply gained mine. I hope that I can be half the alpha that you were.”
When she stood up, Fane immediately turned her and held her against him. She pressed her face into his chest and soaked up his strength. “I love you, Fane Lupei.”
“As I love you, Luna,” he said, his chest rumbling as he spoke. “Thank you, for being here with me, for loving them as I do.”
They stayed like that, quietly holding onto each other until the exhaustion of everything settle over Jacque. She felt raw, but at the same time, a small amount of peace had been hard won through the time spent with Vasile and Alina. It was a precious time they’d both needed.
“Let’s get some sleep,” Fane said, his own voice rough with emotion. “We will need rest for what is to come.”
She nodded and let him lead her from the room. He closed the door gently behind him and then placed his hand against it, quietly standing there a moment before turning away. They walked hand in hand back to the room they’d been given. Slate was no doubt asleep in Gavril’s arms because it turned out the gruff male had a soft spot for pups. So she forced herself to let go of that worry. She just let her mind wander so she couldn’t grasp onto any one thought and obsess over it.
Fane helped her undress and get into the clothes Peri had left for her, along with a note telling them to eat the food on the table and get some rest. Her mate fed her, held her hand as they brushed their teeth, and then tucked her into bed, pulling her body tightly against his. Fane seemed to fall sleep immediately, but Jacque was almost too tired to sleep.
“Sleep, mate,” his wolf’s voice rumbled in her mind. “He will need not only your strength tomorrow but also your peace.”
“I love you, wolf, just as I love him,” Jacque said, because she felt like he needed to know.
“And I adore you, as I do your she-wolf. You both are ours. As we are yours. Always.”
With those words filling her mind and her heart, Jacque was finally able to