"What is it you that wanted to talk about Decebel?" Fane asked his Beta as he and Jacque took a seat on a small couch in front of the fireplace. Sally, Costin and Crina all sat around the stone fireplace in the meeting room. Jacque sat draped across Fane's lap as he absently played with her hair.
Decebel sat on the floor across from the couch near the hearth of the fireplace. His knees where drawn up and he had his arms resting across them, left hand clasping his right wrist.
"I was just wondering if you could tell me about her. What she looks like, what our relationship was like? How long have I known her? That kind of stuff. Maybe it will help jog my memory." Decebel stared into the orange and yellow dancing flames as he spoke.
"I can actually do you one better than that if you would like," Sally spoke up.
"Sally," Jacque's voice was thick with warning, "I thought we agreed not to go down that little path."
"Oh chilax wolf princess. I can show him the pictures of her with the sheet wrapped around her-granted she is still pawing all over him." Sally's eyes twinkled with mischief. Costin watched the brunet with fascination, still not understanding why she was quickly becoming something he and his wolf were inexplicably drawn to.
"You have pictures of her?" Decebel asked eagerly as he pulled his eyes away from the fire to look at Sally.
Sally nodded as she pulled out her cell phone. She went over and sat down next to Decebel on the hard wood floor, warmed nicely by the heat of the fire.
"Now before I show you let me explain why she is so scantily clad," Sally grinned as she remembered the night she and Jen had decided that it was their job to rescue Jacque from loneliness in the ICU, yeah that had worked out so well. Sally began the story at the wreck the girls were in with Jacque's mom. She weaved the story holding Decebel in thrall knowing that he was soaking in every word to learn more about the woman he no longer remembered. Finally, a half hour later she concluded, "So that is why your beloved is wrapped around you dressed only in a hospital sheet."
Sally looked over at Jacque who had her hand across her face as she shook her head at Sally's story.
"Geeze, hearing you tell it makes us sound like nut cases," Jacque murmured.
"Truth be told Jac, you aren't far off the mark," Crina teased.
Sally looked back at Decebel who sat wide eyed and speechless. Finally he said, "Show me."
Sally pushed some keys on her phone and held it up to him, "Scroll side to side by swiping the screen."
Decebel took the phone from her hand and stared at the blonde beauty who, wrapped in the hospital sheet as described, had one arm wrapped around Decebel's neck, her other hand rested on his chest. She stared up into his face with a look that could only be described as complete adoration. He scrolled through each picture noting the different looks of confusion and panic on his own face as he struggled with what to do with the girl they claimed was his mate.
Finally the last picture Sally had captured was of him looking down at the sleeping girl. He noted that his own face held a fierce protectiveness as he stared at the one who had obviously captured his heart and most likely his soul.
He handed the phone back to Sally and pulled out his own phone. "Could you please send me a few of those," Decebel quickly explained his request, "Not because I'm being-" He struggled to find the words.
"We don't think you are trying to lust after her Decebel. Relax. If I had forgotten Fane I would want pictures of him as well, and if they happened to be of him half dressed-well then lucky me." Jacque laughed as Fane nipped her neck gently with his teeth, "Wicked women," he murmured against her skin.
Decebel looked up at Jacque while Sally worked on sending him the pictures.
"Did she like me?" He asked her apprehensively.
Jacque grinned, "Does she like you, you mean?" Jacque clarified, "Decebel, she is still alive and we will get her back. And yes, she is crazy as hell about you."
Decebel's lips lifted slightly in a small smile, "Do I like her?" his eyes twinkled wickedly.
Fane chuckled and answered before Jacque could, "I think like is putting it mildly, although she did cause you to lose considerable amounts of sleep."
Decebel's face broke into a full grin making his strong features appear boyish, "Would she be worth it if she didn't?"
"Good point," Fane conceded.
The room grew quiet as they each turned to their own thoughts. The silence was comfortable even with the darkness that loomed over them. They each had accepted their part in the trials that would come.
Sally felt the hair on the back of her neck stand up as she realized she was being watched. Slowly she turned her head in the direction she felt the stare coming from. Her eyes collided with Costin's. She felt goose bumps rise across her skin at the heat that filled his deep hazel eyes. The pull she felt between them was strong, and like nothing she had ever felt. She didn't understand how it was possible when she knew that she had no werewolf blood in her. Sally let a small smile form on her lips as she thought about how she would need to tread carefully with this or she would inevitably end up with a broken heart. Costin had an easy charm about him. He was light hearted, shamelessly flirty, unbelievably handsome and dominant to the core. Yea, Sally thought, this one has the potential to rip my heart out, grin and wink all the while with me swooning at his good looks and unbelievable charisma.
Her heart dropped to her stomach as a breathtaking grin spread across his face. He cocked an eyebrow at her and winked, mischief danced in the depths of his eyes as she felt the blood rush to her face while she looked upon his sensual lips and felt the easy confidence that he wore like a favorite shirt, pouring off of him.
Sally finally pulled her eyes from him as she heard Decebel take in a sharp breath.
Every eye turned to him as they watched him raise his eyes, wide with confusion and look at them, "I feel her. She's seeking me out." His words were so soft that even the crackling of the fire threatened to drown them out.
"Has she spoken to you?" Jacque asked him gently as if to keep from spooking him.
"No, she needs comfort. She's hurting." Decebel instinctively pictured the image of her from the pictures on Sally's phone in his mind and then imagined caressing her face. He didn’t' know what he felt for her, he didn't know her, but feeling her in his mind called to his wolf. And his wolf refused to deny this woman anything she needed.