“Jacquelyn,” he growled. “We need to talk.”

“Fine. I’ll talk to you if you’ll let me close the door.”

He was taken off guard by her comment and nearly pulled his foot back. “You don’t want to look at me while we talk?”

“Nope.”

“You don’t want me to touch you while we talk?” he asked.

Jacque rolled her eyes. “When you say it like that it sounds so freaky.”

Fane grinned. “We could make it freaky. I still want you even when we’re fighting.”

Jacque shrugged. “Good to know. Now move your foot.”

“Nope,” he mimicked her early word.

Jacque decided she was going to have to fight dirty. She leaned forward a little and motioned with her finger for him to come closer. When he leaned close enough for her to whisper in his ear, she bit down, hard. Fane yelped and instinctively backed away which gave her the time she needed to get the door closed and locked.

Jacque began getting ready for a much-needed shower and was just about to step under the spray when the door was suddenly kicked open. Wood splintered from the door frame and the walls shook. Fane stepped in looking like a bull who’d been kicked in his boy parts. He turned to look at her and his eye were bright blue.

“Oops,” she whispered. Apparently Fane wasn’t the only one ticked off, his wolf looked pretty ticked too.

“It has been two months since I have held you, kissed you, spent time with you, listened to your voice, or held you while you slept, and you dare keep a door between us?” His voice was cool and stiff.

“I dare?” Jacque growled. “I am a grown woman. If I want a damn continent between us then that is what will happen.”

“You are my woman,” he snapped back.

Jacque pinched the bridge of her nose and let out a breath. “Sally needed me, Fa—”

“I NEEDED YOU. YOUR SON NEEDED YOU.” he roared.

Oh, he did not just pull the mommy card. Jacque growled as her wolf perked up at the insinuation that she hadn’t cared for their pup properly. “It would be wise of you, mate, to go until we are ready to speak.” It wasn’t Jacque’s voice that came out of her. It was her wolf and she was pissed.

Fane’s head turned as his eyes glowed brighter. “You are mine.”

“Yours to protect, love, provide for, and respect—not command,” her wolf snarled back. “We do not take orders from you. We do not walk a pace behind you. We do not turn belly up to you. We do not take the lead. We stand beside you as your equal.” Jacque felt her wolf give her back control. When she spoke it was her own voice. “Please let me take a shower and then we will talk.” He didn’t move. Jacque knew part of it was that he didn’t want her out of his sight. Stupid, possessive wolf.

He looked in pain when he spoke. “My wolf doesn’t want to leave.”

Jacque sighed. “Whatever,” she huffed as she slipped the towel off and climbed into the shower. She was tired. She was shaken. She missed her son and her mate and she didn’t need him projecting his drama onto her.

Jacque didn’t realize she was crying until a choked sob broke through. Half a minute later, she was in Fane’s arms as the hot water beat down on them.

“Shh,” he purred in her ear as he held her face to his chest. “I’m sorry. I let my fear and worry for you overwhelm me. I should have considered what you were going through. I’m sorry, Luna. Shh, please don’t cry, love.”

But that just made her cry harder. “Am I a bad mother?” she asked through a sob.

“No,” Fane said quickly. “You’re the best mother ever. I was an ass to say that. I shouldn’t have. I couldn’t ask for a better mother of my child.”

After a while, she calmed down and Fane was able to coax her out of his arms. “Turn around and let me wash your hair,” he told her.

She was too tired to tease him about being bossy. And besides, she really didn’t want to raise her arms to wash it herself; she was just too tired. So she let her mate tend to her. In fact, Jacque let Fane handle everything because he was willing to and she was worn out.

By the time he had her in one of his t-shirts and in their bed, she felt as if she’d had a day at a spa. Fane was staring at her with adoration and hurt in his eyes.

“I’m sorry,” he said for the millionth time. “Please forgive me,” he whispered as he slipped an arm around her waist and pulled her closer to him.

“I’ll forgive you this time,” she murmured against his neck where she’d tucked her head.

“And what about the next time?”

“It might take more than pampering me to get back in my good graces.”

He chuckled and it was dark and rich. “I’ll give you anything you want.”

“I just want you to refrain from flipping your lid, and I don’t want to be the cause of our son’s future counseling.”

“Where’s the fun in that?” he teased her as he let his hands wander.

“Hey, whoa, mister. What do you think you’re doing?” Jacque growled.

“Having a little fun,” he said against her ear. “It’s what I should have done instead of wasting time fighting.”

An hour and a half later, Jacque lay glowing and sated in his arms. “You are so forgiven.”

Fane laughed. “Good to hear, love.”

Alina snuggled into Vasile’s arms as they sat on their couch. When I Fall In Love, by Nat King Cole, played quietly in the background and candlelight danced softly around the room. It was peaceful, Alina thought, though they were far from peace.

“Everyone is safe tonight,” Vasile told her gently. He thought it was cute that she felt protective of everyone that they’d grown close to, even Cyn and Thalion.

“But for how long?” Alina whispered.

Vasile pressed a kiss to her neck. “We can talk about the future tomorrow. Tonight we will give thanks that we are all alive. And though some aren’t whole, they have already begun healing.”

“I love you, Vasile.” Alina turned to look up at him. “I love you so very much.”

Vasile leaned forward and pressed a kiss to her forehead, her cheeks, and then her lips. “Mina,” he whispered against her lips. “Without you there is no life in me. There is no joy or light or peace. You bring those things to me. Please, love, stop worrying just for tonight and focus on us.” He pressed another kiss to her lips, this one lasting longer. “I love you just as much, Mina, if not more.”