“Jennifer, love, talk to me.” Decebel brushed her hair from her face and kissed her gently.

Meanwhile, Costin lunged forward and grabbed a pixie in his now-phased hand. He growled.

“What have you done to her?” he asked as he pointed to Jen.

It was the pixie King who answered.

“It’s what will happen to all of your women if you do not come with us.”

Costin threw the pixie from his hand and it hit a tree and crumpled.

Almost simultaneously, Sally screamed in pain. She folded in on herself, trying to stop the sharp stabbing in her abdomen.

Costin snarled, “STOP THIS!”

One by one the females fell – Rachel, Alina, Cynthia, Elle, Crina, and even Peri.

Vasile lunged for the pixie King and out of nowhere a spear appeared in the pixie’s hands. He parried Vasile’s lunge and Vasile just barely sidestepped the jab.

The other males jumped into action. Adam began wielding his Fae magic, tossing bolts of power at every pixie he could see. He hit as many as he missed. They were fast, dodging left and right and engaging with their own war tactics – which mainly included hand-to-hand combat.

Adam managed to put a shield over the males. He tried to help the females, but whatever the pixies had done, he could not undo.

Gavril had phased into his wolf form and held nothing back when he got his teeth on a pixie. It was not pretty, but with every whimper he heard from his mate the more feral his wolf became. 

Drake and Costin teamed up and fought back-to-back, but with every pixie they dispatched another five literally came out of the woodwork.

Lightning crashed to the ground and thunder rolled through the charged night air.

“ENOUGH!” the pixie King yelled in a booming voice.

The wolves froze – not because they wanted to. The King was holding them with his magic.

“Enough of this, Vasile, Alpha of the Romanian pack. Say your goodbyes to your women. You cannot win against us and I will not continue to let you kill my people. Say your goodbyes and then pass through the portal. If you refuse, I will continue to torture your women in front of you.”

As soon as the King stopped talking the wolves were able to move again.

Decebel made to lunge once more and Vasile caught him.

“We must pick our battles, old friend,” Vasile told him quietly. “Go to your mate.”

Decebel didn’t move for several moments. Then he nodded once and turned to Jennifer.

Costin knelt down beside Sally and pulled her up into his lap.

“Are you still hurting?” he asked gently.

Sally nodded with a tremble on her lips. “Please don’t go,” she whispered to him.

Costin closed his eyes and pulled her close.

“I have to, Sally mine. I don’t want to, but I won’t watch them torture you. It would kill me.”

Sally tried to stop the tears from falling, knowing she needed to be strong for him, but the more she tried to stop them, the more they fell. She looked up into his eyes and leaned forward, pressing her lips to his. When she pulled back, she saw the glistening wetness in his hazel eyes.

“I’ll be back. You can’t get rid of me this easily,” he tried to tease, but the effect was lost in the pain that filled his voice.

“I’m coming for you, Costin,” she told him with conviction. She gathered herself and straightened her spine.

Costin shook his head. “Don’t. I need to know you are safe.”

“Too damn bad,” she snarled. “You are mine and no damn crazy ass pixie is taking what’s mine without a fight.”

Sally heard Jen’s weak voice from behind her saying, “I second that motion.”

Costin smiled at his mate and closed his eyes, letting out an exasperated sigh.

“I love you ,Sally Morgan.”

“Bet your hot butt you do.” Sally tried to keep the catch from her voice.

Costin and she stood, and then he wrapped her in his arms.

Decebel pulled Jennifer to her feet and placed his hand gently on her stomach.

“Are you alright?” he whispered.

Jen looked up into his too-handsome face.

“She’s fine,” she answered his real question, covering his hand with her own, speaking of their unborn child.

“We will find you, Decebel.” She held up her hand before he could argue with her, “I don’t want to hear it. You are my mate. I’m carrying your child and I’ll be damned if I’m going to go through this pregnancy without having you around to make miserable as I get fat. So get used to the idea. I’m going to find you and when I get my hands on that witch I’m going to gut her.”

Decebel’s eyes were glowing when he leaned down and kissed her. “You’re really sexy when you’re blood thirsty.”

Jen snorted as he pulled her close.

“Stay safe, please. Be careful, and do whatever it takes to keep our baby safe.”

Jen nodded and smiled up into her mate's face.

“Give 'em hell, babe.”

Adam kissed Crina passionately.

“That’s for you to think about while you’re missing me.” He winked at her as he pulled back.

“Adam, don’t do anything stupid,” Crina growled at him.

“Dec is right, you females are hot when you’re snarling. I’ll be back before you know it, and then, my sweet she wolf, we have business to take care of.” He looked at her pointedly and Crina blushed.

Sorin held Elle closely as he watched his pack mates and his Alpha tell their females goodbye. He had never felt so helpless in his long life.