"They do not know he is an Alpha in his own right." Alina's voice was low.

"No, Luna. Decebel purposely allows others to underestimate him." Vasile's eyes snapped up as Skender, Boain, Dorin, Anton, and a couple other males ran up the stairs.

"You are aware of the situation?" Skender asked.

"Costin has just informed me. Since there hasn't been widespread panic, do I correctly surmise that Decebel hasn’t yet made it there?"

Skender and the males with him couldn't stop the chuckles. "He has been momentarily... distracted."

"Do I even want to know what with?" Vasile asked dryly.

"No, Alpha. You most definitely do not want to know," Skender replied.

"Fine," he snapped. "Let's go. Alina, please come and retrieve the females. And call Cynthia. We're probably going to have to tranq him."

It'd been a long time since Vasile had subdued one of his males in such a way, but Decebel was powerful, and he had found his mate and couldn’t bind her to him. That was a deadly combination even without adding unmated males to the mix. Vasile had underestimated Decebel's feelings towards Jen. That wouldn't happen again, if they all survived this.

The wolves followed their Alpha as he made his way down the stairs with a single, determined thought: he had to stop his Beta from destroying an entire pack…or two.

Jen's bra came up just as Skender and a slew of Romanian pack males rounded the now infamous corner. Fane cursed and turned away.

Skender and the other males' eyes hit the floor faster than humanly possible as they continued to run, but Jen heard Skender loud and clear as he passed by.

"Keep up the good work, dormant."

Decebel was so stunned that he hadn't moved. His eyes were glowing and he looked angrier than Jen had ever seen him. Okay, she thought. At least it's working.

"Um... Kinda getting cold here, Dec." Jen squirmed.

Decebel moved faster than her eyes could track. He grabbed her around the waist and hauled her into an empty room. He gently, but quickly set her down. Then he turned and stepped out.

Before he pulled the door closed, he growled, "Cover yourself, woman, and pray that I have regained control when I return for you." Then he slammed the door so hard it nearly came off the hinges.

"That went well," Jen grumbled as she pulled her sports bra back down. She stilled as the door opened, thinking that maybe Decebel had decided to punish her now – but Jacque, Sally, Crina, and Marianna walked in. Jacque tossed Jen the shirt she had discarded.

Marianna walked up to Jen and placed a hand on her shoulder.

"I just wanted to touch the one who would purposely provoke the wrath of an Alpha," she told her, then stepped back with a shake of her head.

"He's Beta," Jen corrected as she pulled her shirt on.

"No," Crina disagreed. "He's an Alpha, he just chooses not to take that title. He definitely has all the power of one. Some wonder if he would be as powerful as Vasile if he decided that was his path."

Jen let out a deep breath. "Well, Fane said to distract him. What else would you suggest to stop an Alpha with deadly retribution on his mind?"

"We're not saying your method wasn't effective. We're just saying you are one brave she-wolf." Crina's voice actually held awe in it.

"So, do we know exactly what hell-like situation made it necessary for me to bring out the big guns? Pun naturally intended." Jen laughed.

Jacque snorted. "Only you, Jen. Only you."

After Decebel pulled the door shut, he closed his eyes and took a slow breath. I have got to get it under control¸ he told himself as he tried to pull his wolf back. His mate was going to get every male in her vicinity killed. How many of his pack mates had just witnessed her little stunt? He squeezed his eyes tightly, only to see the bruises and claw marks that marred her skin. His wolf snarled. Okay, that was not something he needed to think about. Finally, he opened his eyes and turned to Jacque.

"She is not to leave this room."

Without another word he began moving in the direction of the noise he'd heard earlier. Fane was trying to keep up and reason with him at the same time.

"Beta, don’t you think we should maybe heed Costin's advice and wait for our Alpha?"

Decebel didn't respond. The closer he got the clearer the noise became. Fane's head snapped up when he heard Jen's voice.

"We may be fine, and smokin' hot,

But gentle she-wolves we are not."

Decebel stopped dead in his tracks. The images of Jennifer and that dance flashed through his mind. Fane watched Decebel's canines descend – his claws grew, his eyes glowed feral. Fane moved quickly to get in front of his Beta, which was probably the dumbest thing he could have done.

Fane tried being forceful. "Decebel, stop."

Decebel batted him aside as if he were no more than an annoying fly. Fane wasn't using all his power – he didn't want to provoke the already enraged wolf. When Decebel reached the room where all the noise was coming from, Vasile was already there with the others.

Fane looked in horror as a room full of males whistled and hollered as his female pack mates danced oh so very suggestively on a huge cinema-sized screen.

Vasile turned to Fane. "Stop that from playing."

Fane didn't wait to see what would happen. He walked into the room, shoving other males out of his way in order to look for the source of the video feed.