"What the hell happened to her?"

Jacque and the others had just arrived in the house when they heard the screaming. At first Vasile told everyone to wait, that it wouldn't be wise to interrupt them, especially if Decebel wasn't in control of his wolf. But as soon as the yelling stopped, Jacque had had enough. With Fane on her heels, she burst in the room just in time to see her best friend slump forward, blood pouring from all sorts of areas where blood should definitely not be pouring from.

Alina, Sally, and Jacque all stepped forward to take Jen from Decebel and all jumped back at the same time when he snarled in warning.

Vasile's voice rose above the snarl. "Release her, Beta. NOW."

The power of the command had Decebel handing Jen's body over even as he tried to fight the compulsion.

"Peri," Vasile turned to look at the fairy, "bind him."

"You think that wise?" she asked him.

"He isn't safe. Bind him."

Peri nodded once. "So be it."

She walked around to the other side of the bed where Decebel still knelt on the floor. His shoulders slumped in defeat and he didn't fight her when she placed her hand on his chest and murmured unintelligible words.

"It is done," she announced, then walked out of the room to leave the wolves to care for their own.

After they had gotten Jen back on the bed, all the ladies went to work. Sally placed her hands on her friend again and cleared her lungs. Meanwhile, she looked for any other damage, making sure to not leave any part of her unexamined.

When she took her hands away she began to slump back, but strong arms were there to catch her.

"I got you, Sally mine," she heard Costin whisper in her ear as he placed her in a chair. Sally looked up to watch Alina, Crina, Jacque, and Cynthia clean blood from Jen and change her clothes. She was breathing, her heart was beating –  But for how long? Sally wondered solemnly.

Several hours later, as darkness descended, Jacque and Sally sat next to an unconscious Jen. Every once in a while Jacque would run a warm washcloth across Jen's forehead, needing to do something.

"What do you think happened between them?" Sally whispered, not knowing why she felt the need to be quiet.

"I have no idea. But Decebel's a dominant Alpha wolf, which means he's prone to saying stupid things."

Sally chuckled weakly at Jacque's words. Knowing she really wasn't joking made it even funnier.

"She won't last without his blood."

"I know," Jacque answered, then continued tightly, "She won't live without the bond."

"Their bond is..." Sally paused, trying to find the word, "powerful."

"Knowing Jen, she probably told him she wouldn't bond with him if hedidn't remember her." Jacque looked back at Sally. "If she told him that, that explains him going ape shit, and of course our meek little Jen sat here quietly and said 'yes, dear'…Not," Jacque finished sharply.

19 days post-curse

Days went by and still Jen remained unconscious. Decebel remained bound by Fae magic and Jacque and Sally rarely left Jen's side.

Five days after Jen and Decebel's blowout, Jen awoke. The first thing she saw was Jacque's emerald eyes, quickly followed by Sally's honey brown ones.

"Hey there," Jacque whispered.

Jen rolled her eyes, and unfortunately even that hurt. "Don’t talk to me like I'm a toddler, Red. And, Sally, get that damn goofy grin off your face."

She heard Sally chuckle from somewhere behind the curly red head blocking her sight.

"I would ask how you're feeling, but it must be better than before if you have the energy to boss us around." Jacque smiled and winked.

"It's the one thing in life that brings me pleasure, but don't read too much into it." Jen gently turned her head to look around the room, trying to be inconspicuous – yeah, that didn't work.

"He's not here."            

Jen felt her heart drop at Jacque's words. Jacque must have noticed the distress on Jen's face because she quickly added, "I mean, he's here, just not in this room."

"Why do I give a damn where the bloody hell he is after the mean-ass things he said to me?"

"Hey, Jen, how's that stop-cussing commitment going for you?" Sally asked sarcastically.

"I'm dying, Sally. I don't really give a damn about what bad words might come from my mouth. In fact, I know what I want you two brats to put on my tombstone. 'Jennifer Adams, 1993 to 20 -" She paused. "Is it 2011 yet?"

Jacque nodded. "Yeah, New Year's has come and gone. Turns out it doesn't stop for werewolf curses and dying mates."

"Huh," Jen muttered. "Go figure. Anyway, 1993 to 2011. 'Here's to all you werewolves. Come on, raise your glasses. All you flea-infested fur balls, you can kiss my ass.' Then put dot, dot, dot, followed by, 'Put that in your pipe and smoke it'."

Jacque and Sally were trying not to laugh considering their friend was in fact dying, but, seriously, only Jen would request something like that on her tombstone – and mean it.

"Jen, I refuse to put that on your tombstone." Jacque shook her head at her precocious friend. "And I refuse to discuss this because you aren't going to die."

"Well, I'm not doing the Blood Rites with that jerk."