Jacque grinned at Sally. "Jen would have been all over that. 'Any other part near what does not belong to you'," she repeated Vasile's words. "She's going to be ticked off that she missed an opportunity to embarrass Decebel."

"Totally," Sally agreed.

Fane lightly slapped her thigh. "Luna, behave."

"Make me," she challenged as she leaned back, causing him to growl low in his chest.

Vasile finally dismissed the meeting. As Jacque stood, Fane whispered in her ear, "I suppose your challenge will have to wait since you want to find out what caused Jen to leave so abruptly?"

Jacque smiled at her mate, but before she could answer Sally spoke. "I know why she stormed out of here."

Decebel's and Jacque's heads both whipped around. "You do?" they both asked at the same time.

Fane raised an eyebrow at Sally's words.

Sally in turn eyeballed Decebel. "Jen never really learned how to use an inside voice. So, Decebel, why don't you share how she asked you if you were involved with Crina, and how you never really gave her an answer but instead taunted her, and then nearly made her hyperventilate with desire."

Decebel's head cocked to the side, his eyebrows drawn together. "How -"

"I would say it's a gift, but really I'm just nosy as hell. And damn, boy, the look you were giving her nearly had me in a puddle."

"Shut up!" Jacque squealed. "Are you telling me Jen stormed out of here because he got her all hot and bothered?"

Sally was grinning from ear to ear. Decebel looked like he would be perfectly happy if the universe would just swallow him whole.

"She was angry when she left," Decebel defended. "She left because she was mad."

"Yeah, mad because she's got it bad for you, Sherlock," Sally told him, rolling her eyes.

"Really? She likes me?"

Jacque laughed at Decebel's cocky smile.

"Um, if you aren't her mate that's not a good thing, Casanova," Jacque reminded him.

Sally nodded in agreement, scrutinizing Decebel. "Let's just hope that she finds her mate at Mate Fest so she can get over you."

Decebel took a step towards Sally. Fane stepped around Jacque and laid a hand on Decebel's chest, stopping him. "Easy, Beta."

Decebel closed his eyes taking slow breaths, leashing his wolf. Then Sally's words worked past the jealous fog. "Mate Fest?" he questioned.

Sally grinned. "Jen deemed it."

"Naturally," Decebel muttered with a slight smile.

Chapter 10

Decebel made his way to Cynthia's office after the pack meeting. He needed to share this new development about Jennifer's scent changing and see what the good doctor had to say aboutit.

The door to the infirmary was already open when he arrived. He walked in to find Alina and Vasile sitting across from Cynthia's desk.

"Decebel." Vasile inclined his head.

"I'm sorry, Alpha, I didn't mean to interrupt. I can come back," Decebel told him, backing out of the room.

"Actually, I would like to talk with you about what happened in the meeting."

Decebel cringed mentally, remembering how he had snarled at Stelian for daring to worry about Jennifer's fate.

"Of course.” He stepped back into the room and grabbed an extra chair. He brought it over and sat next to Vasile's.

Vasile stared at his Beta for several moments before he spoke. "Is she your mate?" he finally asked.

Decebel let out an audible sigh. "I don't know, Vasile," he answered in a rare show of vulnerability, shown by using his Alpha's first name. It let Vasile know that Decebel needed his friend's guidance just as much as his Alpha's.

Vasile nodded. "Explain."

"I don't hear her thoughts, my markings are the same. She hasn't mentioned that she has any marks on her body. That said, my wolf has claimed her." Decebel ran his hands through his hair, the frustration evident in his tense jaw as he continued to speak. "I've been battling him for the first time in over a century. No matter how much I remind myself that there aren't mating signs, my wolf doesn't care. He has claimed her and he wants her."

"So other than how you feel about her, there is no evidence that she could be your true mate?" Alina asked him gently.

"Well, actually..." Decebel looked over to Cynthia, who had been silently listening to the conversation. "While I was sitting next to her in the meeting I caught her scent." He paused.

Cynthia perked up. "And?" she asked.

"It's changed," Decebel told her. "It's very faint but I swear I could smell the mating scent on her."

"What did she smell like?" Vasile asked carefully. Decebel knew Vasile only asked because he would have another wolf scent Jennifer to see if what he smelled matched what Decebel did, but he still bristled. Asking another wolf what his mate's scent was to him was like asking a human man to pass around his wife's lingerie. In other words, it was extremely personal.

"Before, she always smelled like warm vanilla." Decebel thought back to the meeting, when he had breathed it in so deep. "But today there was a hint of cinnamon. It was just barely there, but it was intoxicating." Decebel's words softened as he thought about Jennifer's scent, remembering how it had stirred his wolf.

"Interesting," Cynthia murmured. "How long have you been back?"