Free Piercing Silence by Quinn Loftis Page B

mate.” Vasile
motioned toward Decebel. “He needs a mate. Hell, half the pack
needs mates, and they haven’t found any here. Maybe you are to be
the catalyst for something good, Fane.”
    “So you’re telling me that if I don’t go
then I’m responsible for the other males not finding their mates?”
Fane’s eyes narrowed on his father.
    “I simply want to know what you’re afraid
of.”
    Fane stood from his spot and walked over to
the fireplace. There were no flames in its hearth, which only
served to make the room seem colder. His shoulders were tense and
Jacque wished she could ease his frustration.
    “I just have a feeling that I’m not going to
like what I find,” he answered finally.
    Jacque knew she shouldn’t be offended
because she didn’t think he meant that he wouldn’t like her, but it
still stung.
    “You don’t think you will like your mate?”
Sorin spoke up for the first time.
    Fane shook his head in frustration. “No,
that’s not what I mean. I mean something is wrong.”
    “I would think that if something is wrong
and your mate might be involved it would be all the more reason to
go.” Decebel’s deep voice sounded foreign to Jacque’s ears. There
was no warmth in it. Like his dead eyes, his voice was
lifeless.
    “We’re going,” Vasile said as he stood up
briskly. “As your Alpha, I’m telling you that we are going.
Decebel, Sorin, and Costin will join us. We are going to lay this
to rest once and for all. Get your stuff packed and meet at the
vehicle in twenty minutes.” Vasile stormed from the room leaving
behind a very frustrated Fane, surprised Sorin, and unmoving
Decebel.
    “Why do you want to go?” Fane turned to face
Decebel.
    Decebel’s amber eyes looked at Fane and for
a second Jacque saw them flash with the glow of the wolf. “I
honestly don’t know. I’ve given up on finding a true mate. I don’t
deserve one. But like a blister being rubbed over and over, I’m raw
with the need to act. My wolf is more restless than he’s ever been,
and the only thing that seems to calm him is the idea of going with
you to this Cold Spring place.”
    “And what if you do find your mate there?
What if you don’t like what you find?”
    A wicked grin that was similar to the ones
Jacque had seen on Decebel’s face before took the place of his
frown. But unlike the wicked grins she’d seen, this one lacked any
emotion. “Then I will kill him.”
    Fane’s mouth dropped open briefly before he
caught himself. “So if you find your female and she’s already with
someone then you…” Fane’s words trailed off.
    Decebel nodded. “Yes, then I’d take care of
it. Though I do not feel I deserve a mate, my instincts would never
allow me to walk away from her if I found her, and I sure as hell
wouldn’t leave her in the hands of another male.”
    Jacque wasn’t surprised by Decebel’s words,
but she was surprised at how cold they sounded.
    “Is that what you think you will find?”
Sorin asked Fane having stood up and walked toward the door.
    Fane nodded. “I should have gone when I felt
prompted the first time, but I just couldn’t rationalize as to why
America or why Texas. My gut tells me she’s there, but she’s no
longer alone.”
    Jacque’s stomach dropped to her toes as she
realized what was about to happen. She didn’t feel the Great Luna’s
hand on her arm or even notice the pull and empty space as they
traveled. All she could think about was that Fane was coming to
find her, two years after it should have happened, and he was going
to find her with Lucas.
    “I think I’m going to be sick.” Jacque
slumped forward as the ground appeared beneath her feet. She
stumbled forward but was caught by the goddess’ hand. She didn’t
have time to recover or to prepare herself.
    “Why are you here?” Lucas’ voice rumbled
through the air.
    Jacque straightened up and looked around her
trying to get her bearings. She was standing in her front yard and,
to her