Jeff ended the call with Skender, and then looked over to his Beta and the other two at the top of his pack.

“We’re going to Romania. Get packed. I’ll explain on the way.”

Q

Denver, Colorado

Dillon stood next to his assistant Colin, along with his Beta, Lee, and his other top two wolves. Dalton, and Aidan. They were just about to board the plane when they felt it.

“Wadim said this would come,” Dillon explained, softly.

Lee looked over to his Alpha; the line of his mouth was tight giving his face a severe appearance.

“We’ve never been called before Dillon, in fact, though we’ve learned about the moon stone in our history, it’s never been used.”

“Well, it’s being used now,” Aidan spoke up and though he was usually the most light hearted of Dillon's wolves, tonight, with the call of the moon and the information Dillon had shared, he was as focused and intense as his pack mates.

As their ticket numbers were called to board the plane, Dillon looked each of his wolves in their eyes, waiting as one by one they lowered them.

“Remember what I told you. We were created for such a time as this. The Great Luna needs us, our pack mates need us, the world needs us, and so we go.”

They spoke as one, when they answered their Alpha.

“For the pack.”

Q

Vratsa Province, Bulgaria

Adrianna watched Victor pack quickly and efficiently. She felt the pull, the call of the moon stone, but Victor didn’t want her to go, not after what had happened at The Gathering.

“Are you sure?” She asked for the hundredth time.

“Luna,” Victor stopped his packing and walked over to his mate. “We are called and gathered as one pack for one reason.”

“War,” Adrianna answered. “Yes, I know that. I’m an Alpha Victor, you know I can fight.”

“I don’t doubt it for a second.” He smiled at her and the adoration he felt for her showed in his eyes. “But, I’m taking Andrei, Sergey, and Pavel. Leaving the fourth in charge, and you are more dominant than he. I need you to stay and lead our pack. Keep them safe for us. That is what would help me the most.” He took her hands in his and pulled them to his chest. “You are strong and I don’t keep you here to protect you from harm. I keep you here to protect the pack.”

Adrianna leaned forward and kissed her mate. Before she pulled back, she whispered against his lips. “For the pack.”

Q

Ramnicu-Valcea, Romania

Serbian Pack Mansion

Seraph answered his cell on the first ring.

“Seraph,” his voice was clipped, as he answered.

“You are in charge of Decebel’s pack as his fourth,” Skender began speaking without introducing himself.

“Yes,” Seraphanswered though Skender hadn’t been asking.

“You will need to come here. The others are on their way.”

Seraph’s words came out in a hushed voice. “All of them?”

“The call has been sent. Be here as soon as possible. Just you. Set up whoever is supposed to be in charge after you and let them know what is going on.”

“For the pack.” Seraph spoke without thinking, before ending the call.

Q

“They’re all coming.” Wadim stood next to Skender, peering out into the crisp spring afternoon. Winter continued to hang on like a claw, refusing to relent to Spring, whose time had already come.

“They should begin arriving with in a few days,” Skender answered.

“What the hell are we going to do if Vasile and the others aren’t back by then?”

Skender looked over at the historian, and longtime friend. He chuckled briefly at the shirt Wadim wore, it said: Save a garden, eat a rabbit. Then the smile faded as his eyes met Wadim’s.

“We fight.” Skender’s words reverberated in the quiet room. “And we have to assume they won’t be. We must prepare for the worst.”

“For the pack.” Wadim answered.

Chapter 6

“I dreamed I was running. I was trying to find you. Searching. Every time I got near you, you were gone. I was growing so tired and my breathing was labored, but still I ran. I called out your name but you didn’t look back. I started to fall, but you weren’t there to catch me.” ~ Jacque

“You must wake up.” Jacque knew that voice. It was so familiar to her and yet foreign at the same time.

“Jacquelyn, you must wake up.”

The voice was growing more insistent, pushing into her mind, trying to force its will on her. She wasn’t ready to wake up. The world was in chaos, her mate was gone, and her friends were broken by their loss, why on earth would she want to wake up?

“Because they need you love, I need you.”

“You need me?” She asked the voice.

It was a male voice and it sounded strange, like he was straining under a great weight.

“Who are you?” She finally asked.

“I am yours,” he answered, through gritted teeth.

She tried to think. She’d heard those words before. Her mind was a whirl wind of images and words all jumbled up like a bowl of alphabet soup. Nothing made sense.

“Luna,” the growl in his voice, brought the barrage of thoughts to a halt. “I am Fane, your mate. I have been captured. You are under a spell and you must fight it! I can feel you slipping away. I think that is the only reason that I am able to block this horrid place. My wolf and I can feel us losing you. You must not succumb. Fight Jacquelyn. Fight!”