2

Fane had spent the morning doing absolutely nothing other than conversing periodically with Jacquelyn. Verbally sparring with her was one of his favorite things to do. No one would let him help prepare for the ceremony, his father saying Fane needed to take this time to prepare himself for his Luna, for tonight. In all honesty, Fane was trying to avoid thinking about it, or at least about one part of it—the actual biting. He knew Jacquelyn was nervous about it, and he was as well. He had asked his father what he needed to do, and all the Alpha had said was that instinct would take over and the magic of the mate bond would help. As nervous as he was about performing the Blood Rites, his wolf growled low at the thought of their mark on Jacquelyn’s neck for all Canis Lupus to see. He realized his wolf was restless, eager to finish the bond before any other usurpers tried to lay claim to his precious mate. Fane decided he needed to let the wolf out for a little while, so the beast could run off some of its energy.

He went out the back door and stood on the porch of the guest house on the property his parents were renting. The entire estate was eighty-five acres of forest. No prying eyes could see him. Fane stripped off his clothes and felt the change pour over his skin, reshaping him inside and out. Within moments, where a man had stood, was now a large black wolf. Although he was a Canis lupus (grey wolf), his grey undercoat was tipped with black, the effect making him look nearly solid black unless his fur was rubbed the wrong way. The wolf shook his entire body, as if he were wet and trying to expel the water from his coat. He put his nose in the air and, breathing deep, filled his lungs with wildflowers in bloom, fresh cut grass, and damp earth from a recent rain. The beast finally let out a long howl. Fane heard a twig snap to his left. He closed his mouth and looked to the direction of the noise. He saw a rabbit bolt out of a bush and, just like that, the chase was on. Fane took off like a bullet, eyes glued to the bouncing prey that wove in and out of bushes, around trees, and over fallen logs. The wolf stretched his legs and lengthened his stride, reveling in the hunt. Air flowed through his fur, rippling every strand. As Fane chased after his quarry, he realized this hunt felt different from others. He felt whole. The emptiness, that was every unmated male’s constant companion, was being filled. Because of that, the wolf could focus more thoroughly on the hunt, his thoughts no longer divided between man and wolf. If he felt this good just from finding his mate, how good would he feel once the bond was complete, once their mating consummated?

Fane lunged one final time, pushing his long body to its limit. He landed on top of his prey, breaking its back instantly. The wolf enjoyed the spoils of the hunt and, once he had his fill, found a sunny spot, the grass warm from the sun’s rays, and laid down, rolling to his side. Feeling the warm air heat his fur, Fane’s mind unintentionally reached out for Jacquelyn’s. It was like his soul needed to feel its other half, and if he went too long without that contact, he became bereft and restless. He said nothing to her. Fane just slipped into her thoughts, enjoying being with her even if he couldn’t physically touch her. Once his wolf was content their mate was safe, he got up, shook off the grass and dirt, and began the run back to the guest house. The man would need a shower now, and he still had his vows to write. Fane struggled with what to say to Jacquelyn. He knew what he felt, but he just couldn’t find adequate words to communicate his feelings.

Two hours later, after sitting and staring at a blank piece of paper until his eyes hurt, trying in vain to put his emotions into words, Fane took a break. As he laid on the bed, all he could think about was a certain fiery redhead and the fact that, tonight, she would be all his. He had hoped Jacque would be willing to incorporate the human wedding vows into the bonding ceremony, but she wasn’t ready for that, even after he’d explained their bonding was permanent, unlike a human marriage. But the idea of being married at seventeen seemed to make Jacque nervous, so he would wait. Fane was quickly learning that waiting really sucked.

“Wolf man, we are heading your way, hope you’re ready for this.” Fane heard Jacque’s voice in his mind. He grinned at her playfulness, which was one thing his wolf liked about her. Playing was something even wolves in the wild did as a part of the mating dance.

“I have been ready for you since I laid eyes on you. Be safe, I will see you shortly,” he told her as he imagined himself caressing her soft face. He sent her that feeling through the bond and felt her shiver in response. That made him smile even bigger.

Looking at the time on his phone, Fane got up, deciding it was time to get dressed. He heard a knock at the front door.

“It’s open,” he said loudly.

Fane’s mother, Alina, came through the doorway. “I’ve brought you the traditional ceremony vows that must be recited during the Blood Rites.”

“Thank you,” he replied.

“And what is your offering for your future mate?” she asked.

“Two things,” said Fane. “The first is an autographed book she told me she loved as a child. She had a copy, but it was lost. I hope it shows her I listen when she speaks, and the things she feels are important to her are important to me as well. The second…I think I should show you.” Fane walked out of the living room and went back to the bedroom, returning with a small black box.

“Fane, is that what I think it is?” Alina asked.

“Jacque told me she is not ready to go through the human ritual of marriage. I have tried to explain to her that Canis lupus bonding is more permanent than marriage, but still she wants to wait. Through the bonding ceremony she will have my mark, my scent, and that will tell all Canis lupus she is mated, but human males will not recognize this. They will, however, recognize an engagement ring,” Fane explained.

Alina shook her head. “Barbarians, all of you. Possessive, bossy, over-reacting wolves.” Fane knew she was teasing because his mother was beaming from ear to ear. “Well, let me look at it,” she said.

Fane opened the box to show his mother the ring he had chosen to put on the finger of the one woman who would complete his soul. The ring was a wide platinum band. Engraved on its surface were the Romanian words ‘finalizarea, absolut, chiar, intreg’ (complete, absolute, unmovable, whole), and, in the center, was a rare red diamond in a marquee cut.

“Fane, it’s beautiful. I recognize the band, of course. It’s been in our family for generations. But where did you get the stone?” his mother asked him.

“The day I spoke with Da and he told me Sorin was coming, I called Sorin and asked him to look in the vaults in the pack mansion for a red stone for the band. I thought, with the vast size of the vault and the centuries of things accumulated, he could surely find one. I knew the bonding ceremony would take place sooner than we originally planned and I wanted the ring to be ready. The day Sorin took Lilly to her book store, he made a stop at a jeweler while Lilly was working and had the stone set. I wanted red for two reasons. One, she is my micul incendiu (little fire), with so much personality packed into such a small package, and two, it will be a reminder of this day when we both shed blood to bind our souls to each other.”

Fane suddenly fell onto the couch, face held in his hands. “Mama, how is it possible to love someone so intensely, so much that at times it feels like it’s going to make your heart explode because you just can’t contain it?”

Alina sat down next to him on the couch, handing back the black box, taking his free hand in hers. “I don’t know if there is any way to explain or truly understand the bond between mates. It’s not human. It’s beyond the realm of reason and that makes it hard to believe it is even possible. I know you haven’t known Jacque long. I know you are both young, but you will grow close faster than you can imagine. She will become your best friend and you will become hers. Even now, I know you feel it—the feeling no one in this world will ever love you as she will. You were born to love each other, and that love will grow stronger as time goes on.” Alina wiped a tear from her cheek as she looked upon the face she had watched grow from an infant to a strong Alpha male.

“What if I don’t make her happy?” Fane’s voice was so soft, laced with fear and worry.

“Oh, Fane.” Alina began wrapping her arms around her only son, pulling him close. “You will make her happy. You will also make her mad, sad, annoyed, and probably a little claustrophobic at times, but you will make her happy. Your wolf will intervene when your human side steps out of line. The wolf only sees black and white, all he understands is she is your mate, that you must love her, protect her, provide for her, play with her, and make her content. Your human side will fill in the gap of emotions the wolf does not understand. She will make you a better Alpha, a better man. You will give her what no other man ever could: the other half of her soul.”

Alina stood up and handed him a piece of paper. “These are your vows, you can add to them, but the first part must be said, for it solidifies the bond.” She turned to go.

Fane stood up then, and, before his mother could make it out the door, he said, “Mother, my Alpha, thank you.” And he turned his head, baring his neck.

Alina looked Fane in the eye and held his stare as she told him, “Te iubesc fiul” (I love you, son). She turned and walked out the door, closing it behind her.

Fane unfolded the piece of paper and with hands shaking read:

On this day I kneel before you, my mate, to ask if you will make me whole. Will you give yourself to me, finally calming the beast inside, bringing order to chaos, shining light where there has been only darkness? Will you bind your life to mine, your fate to mine, and your soul to mine, and, in doing so, complete the mate bond?

Fane knew after he read these words it would be Jacquelyn’s turn to respond with her answer and her vows. Once they read the formal vows, if they so chose, they could recite their own. Until a few moments earlier, Fane hadn’t been sure what to say, but his mother had remedied that. Alina had put words to what Fane was feeling. He grabbed a pen, sat down, and jotted out the words he would pour from his heart to his mate.

Checking his phone, Fane saw that he only had fifteen minutes until he was to be in the garden where the ceremony would take place. He grabbed the suit hanging on his bedroom door, stripped faster than he thought possible, and slipped into his jacket. Suddenly, he heard a scream in his mind. He fell to the floor from the force of the emotions coming through the bond. He felt confusion, pain, and, most of all, fear—all-consuming fear.

“JACQUELYN!” Fane screamed back at her through the bond. “Where are you? What’s happened?” Fane waited for her response, but no words came, only more fear and pain. She was scared and hurt. Fane took off at a dead run out the front door and nearly collided with his father.

“Something is wrong, I can feel it in in the pack bonds. What is going on?” Vasile asked.

“I heard Jacquelyn scream and felt her fear and pain and now I can’t get her to answer me,” Fane said blurted.

“When was the last time you spoke with her?”

“A few minutes ago. She said they were headed our direction. She sounded fine.”

Vasile was halfway back to the main house before Fane even realized he had walked away. Running to catch up, he heard his father on the phone with Decebel.

“Get the vehicles started and the pack loaded. Skender and Boian together, Sorin and you together, I will have Alina and Fane. I want each vehicle to take a different route going toward Lilly’s house. Keep your phones on, be prepared for anything. We don’t know if they were just in an accident or if this is the act of an enemy.” Vasile didn’t wait for a response before he hung up. Just as they reached the door to the house, Alina stepped out dressed in black cargos, a fitted black t-shirt, and combat boots. She passed Fane a holstered semi-automatic pistol and then turned to her mate.

“We ready?” she asked him.

“Yes, let’s go. You drive, Mina, just in case we must engage anyone. Fane, you keep trying to get in touch with your mate. Do you have her cell phone number?”

“No, I never asked for it because we’ve always just spoken through our thoughts,” Fane said in frustration, clipping the gun to his belt. “Wait, I can call the Henrys and see if they know anything.”

Brian picked up on the second ring. “Hello?”

“Brian, it’s Fane. Did you see Lilly and the girls leave today?” Fane spoke in clipped tones, holding it together by a thread.

“No, Fane, I didn’t see them leave. Is something wrong?”

“I don’t know, but I think something may have happened to them. If you hear from them, please call me right away.” Fane hung up before Brian could respond. His hands shook as he set the phone down on the seat next to him. He closed his eyes and concentrated as hard as he could on Jacquelyn. He focused on her face, the sound of her voice, the color of her hair, every detail he could think of and he reached out with a push of his power. “Jacquelyn, tell me where you are.”

Silence.

“Luna, please answer me, if you can’t speak, give me something, a feeling, a picture in your mind, something to tell me you are still with me.” Fane grew more desperate the longer he went without hearing a response.

He laid his head on the headrest, fear and frustration threatening to unwilling force him into the form of a huge black wolf. As their vehicle neared town, Fane called on his wolf to use its superior hearing. He detected the faint sound of sirens.

“Da, do you hear that?”

“Yes, it sounds like it’s coming from downtown,” Vasile answered.

“Lilly’s book store is downtown,” Fane told his mother.

“Would they be there now?” Alina asked.

“Not that I know of, but I still haven’t been able to communicate with Jacque. She said they were on their way. She didn’t mention stopping by the book store,” said Fane.

Vasile was somber. “If you cannot communicate with her, then she is probably unconscious.”

At the thought of his mate so helpless, Fane struggled to hold on to his wolf. Vasile, realizing Fane was about to lose it, turned to him and placed his hand on his son’s shoulder and let out a low growl. Fane’s wolf submitted reluctantly, but only just, to his Alpha. Finally, they turned the corner onto the street of Lilly’s book store. There were no other cars, but they heard sirens somewhere up ahead. Soon, they saw smoke in the distance. Alina increased their car’s speed, ignoring stop signs and lights. Suddenly, they saw bright orange flames surrounding an SUV that lay upside down in the ditch.

Before Alina could even slow the car, Fane opened his door and leaped from the vehicle and hit the ground at a run, moving at wolf speed. He gave no thought to his surroundings, uncaring if his actions drew attention, uncaring if people realized that there was no way a human could run that fast. As he got closer to the vehicle, he saw four figures some distance from the burning wreck—two sitting, two lying down. The two prone figures were motionless. Fane’s wolf pushed forward, his eyes going bright wolf blue, his teeth growing longer as he struggled to hold his form, running to his unconscious mate.

---

Lilly’s phone rang as they turned off their street onto the service road, headed toward the estate being leased by Fane’s parents.

“This is Lilly.”

“Lilly, it’s Jeff from the store.” She heard nervousness in his voice.

“Jeff, is everything okay? You sound a little tense,” Lilly said.

“Well, there is a little problem. We have an irate customer demanding to see you, saying something about being ripped off. He won’t go into details, but he is furious, and I didn’t know if I should call the police or what, so I called you.”

“If he hasn’t hurt anyone, don’t call the police. We don’t need to bother them if I can handle it. Give me five minutes and I will be there,” she said.

Lilly hung up the phone and took an upcoming turn that would lead to her bookstore.

“Mom, what’s up?”

“I’m not sure. That was Jeff, one of my assistant managers. He says there is an irate customer demanding to see me. Jeff seemed pretty apprehensive about it, so I think I need to stop by.

“No worries, Mrs. P. We’re just on our way to bond your only daughter to her soulmate. No need to rush.”

“It’s no big thing, wolf-man can wait a few moments,” said Jacque. “I’m not going to tell him we’re making a detour. Let’s make him sweat a little when I don’t show up exactly at 1:00.” Jacque flashed a mischievous smile.

“I don’t think you and Jen should be allowed to hang out any more, Jacque,” said Sally. “She s rubbing off on you and I can’t handle more than one evil witch at a time.”

Jen rolled her eyes. “There’s nothing wrong with making the man sweat a little. I mean, come on, he faked his own death and nearly drove our sweet little Jacque out of her mind. All’s fair in love and war, baby.”

“Well, there is that,” Sally conceded.

They pulled up to the curb in front of the book store and all four of them piled out of the car, each eager to get a glimpse of the lunatic bibliophile. They could see nothing out of the ordinary through the storefront windows. The group came through the front door and saw everyone in the store was quiet, perusing the shelves, some talking softly to one another. Lilly walked up to one of her employees, a girl named Lisa.

“Where’s Jeff?”

“He said he had to leave, something about an emergency,” Lisa answered.

Strange. “What happened to the customer who was so upset?” Lilly asked.

Lisa gave her a strange look. “What customer? There haven’t been any upset customers that I’ve seen.”

Although Jacque had noticed that she hadn’t been picking up emotions lately, she could feel something wasn’t right. “Mom, something’s weird. Let’s go, okay?”

“Yea, I’m with ya, Jac. I’m getting a bad vibe,” Jen added.

Lilly felt the same way. Something was wrong. But she didn’t feel comfortable leaving the store without a manager. Lilly turned back to Lisa and told her to politely inform the customers there had been an emergency and the store needed to close. She gave Lisa a key and asked her to lock up. Lisa looked perplexed but obeyed.

As Jacque, Lilly, Sally, and Jen climbed back into the car, a chill ran through Jacque’s body. She blocked her thoughts and emotions from Fane. She knew if he thought she was in the tiniest bit of danger, or if there was even a potential for danger, he would come flying to the rescue. Jacque was troubled, but she didn’t feel the situation was that dire.

As Lilly pulled away from the curb, Jacque asked, “Mom, what do you think that was about?”

“I’m not sure. I can’t imagine why Jeff would lie about an irate customer,” Lilly answered.

“Maybe he’s one of those disgruntled employees who’s gotten his panties all in a twist because he didn’t get a raise he wanted,” said Jen. “Or maybe he’s got one of those problems where you hallucinate and see things that aren’t there. Or maybe he’s on crack, which causes him to hallucinate and see things that aren’t there, or hmphmm—” Before Jen could continue, Sally slapped a hand over the girl’s mouth.

“We really need to work on that whole brain, mouth filter, Jen,” said Sally.

“Hmm hmm hmming,” Jen grunted around Sally’s hand.

“Yes, yes, we know you’re just saying,” Jacque translated.

“Well, whatever his panties are in a twist about, as Jen so eloquently put it, they just became the least of his problems considering he lied to me and then left in the middle of his shift.” Lilly pinched her forefinger and thumb on the bridge of her nose. It was times like these that owning her own business seemed like the least brilliant of all her bright ideas.

Jacque looked at her mom, seeing tiredness seep into her like water searching for cracks in a foundation when she heard Jen whistle.

“Check out that tall drink of somin, somin.”

Suddenly, Jacque heard a loud bang and felt the car rattle. Lilly swerved. She jerked the steering wheel hard to the right to compensate. The SUV spun, and they hit the ditch on the side of the road. All the occupants except Sally screamed wildly. The car flipped sideways and rolled. Jacque felt her face hit the windshield. The world went momentarily black.

Over and over the SUV trundled like a barrel down a hill until it finally came to an abrupt stop, landing with its wheels in the air. Jacque awoke, but she was barely conscious. Dimly, she could feel the passenger side door crushed into her side and the dashboard mashed into her leg. The seat belt was like a noose across her neck. She wasn’t sure what had happened. Then, slowly, the world dissolved into blackness again. This time, she didn’t reawaken.

For a few moments, there was eerie silence. Finally, Sally groaned and tried to move. She shifted her legs, experimenting to make sure her body was still intact.

“Everyone okay?” she asked.

“If, by okay, you mean are my ears ringing out of my head, my leg all scrapped to hell, my neck cut from the seatbelt, and did our car just do the tango down the side of a ditch, then yes, Sally, we are okay,” Jen answered.

“Shh,” said Sally. When she didn’t hear Jacque respond with a snarky comeback, Sally knew something was seriously wrong.

“Jacque, are you with us?” Sally asked. No answer. “Ms. Pierce, are you okay?”

A few seconds passed, then Lilly answered in a strained voice. “I hit my head pretty hard but otherwise I’m good.” Sally watched as Lilly sucked in a deep breath and let it out slowly. The woman reached over, hand shaking, to check her daughter for a pulse. “Jacque’s hurt. I can feel a pulse, but it’s not strong.”

Then a loud popping sound erupted, startling them and drawing their attention to the front of the car. Orange flames began spurting from under the hood.

“Ok, so I’m thinking that’s not a good thing,” said Jen in a quavering voice.

“Jen, your powers of observation astound me,” Sally replied.

“Dammit girls, your smart-ass remarks aren’t helping,” Lilly growled uncharacteristically. She drew in a large breath. “I’m sorry, that was uncalled for.”

“It’s okay, Ms. P. Few of us handle being burned alive very well. It can be a little traumatic,” Jen said. “Here is what we are going to do. I need you to get your seat belt off and crawl to the back seat to climb out because the fire is going to keep you from getting out the front. Sally, you need to get your seat belt off as well and crawl out your window. I’m going to crawl to the front next to Jacque and help get her turned so we can slide her out of her window. Sally, I need you to go around and pull her from the outside.”

“But what about the fire? We will get burned. How will we slide her? What if her neck is broken? You aren’t supposed to move someone who might have a spinal injury. What, OWWW HOLY CRAP! What was that for, you psycho cow?” Sally screamed as she placed a hand across the cheek Jen had just slapped.

“GET A HOLD OF YOURSELF, MAN! Do what I tell you. We can’t worry about her spine because it won’t matter if she burns to death, dammit!”

“Okay, okay. I’m good. I just needed a minute to lose it, but I’m good now,” Sally said as she climbed out the passenger-side window. Lilly made her way to the backseat to climb out the window. She said nothing, and it looked to Jen as if the woman might go into shock. They made it out and Jen clambered to the front of the vehicle.

“Jacque, babe, you with me?” Jen asked gently, pushing Jacque’s fallen hair from her face. Jacque didn’t respond. Jen could feel the heat from burning engine mere feet from her body. “Okay, chickadee, here is what’s going to happen.” Jen spoke to Jacque as if the girl were conscious. It was the only way Jen could keep from falling apart. She couldn’t believe this was happening, couldn’t believe that her spunky friend was lying limp, all spark gone from her body. “I’m going to grab you under your arms and turn you, so your legs are facing the passenger window. Then Sally is going to grab your legs and help me drag your ass out of this royally screwed up SUV. Do you hear me, Jacque? You have to be okay. You have to be because someone has to argue with me and tell me when I’m being a pervert. Jacque, Fane will go crazy without you and we both know how much damage a crazy ass werewolf can do.” Jen squeezed her hands under Jacque’s back until she reached the girl’s armpits. Then, bracing her back against the side of the driver’s seat to gain leverage, Jen lifted and turned Jacque’s body. “Holy crap, your little frame is deceiving, hoss. Did you hear that, Jacque? I basically just called you a fat ass, so wake up and chew me out already!” Silence.

Jen saw Sally trying to get close enough to the window to grab Jacque’s legs. But the flames from the engine kept shooting her direction, forcing her back.

“Jen, what do I do?” The flames were roaring now and Sally had to scream to make herself heard.

Jen wracked her brain for ideas, knowing time was running short. “Look around for some water!” she yelled.

“Water?! Where?” Sally replied and Jen heard hysteria in the girl’s voice.

It occurred to Jen it had rained the night before. “A ditch, a muddle, I don’t know. Find something!’

She watched as Sally took off at a run. Jen temporarily let go of her burden and stripped off her shirt. As gently as she could, which wasn’t very, but crap the car was on fire, she pulled off Jacque’s jacket.

Sally reappeared. “Yes, there’s water in the ditch.” Smoke swirling around the vehicle obscured her form, and she coughed.

Jen threw her shirt and Jacque’s jacket out the window to Sally. “Take these. Get them wet and bring them back. Get your own shirt wet, too, and you should be able to get closer. We’ll cover Jacque’s body in them to protect her.”

“What about you?” Sally worried

“DAMMIT, SALLY, JUST GO!”

Sally was gone and back in a flash, now dripping wet. The wet jacket and shirt landed next to Jen. She grabbed the garments and draped them over Jacque as best she could, focusing on her face and stomach. This left Jacque’s arms partially bare and her legs completely uncovered, but it couldn’t be helped. Jen, once again, shoved her arms underneath Jacque’s armpits and lifted. Sally grabbed Jacque’s legs. On Jen’s count of three, Sally pulled and Jen pushed. With strength neither knew they had, the girls forced the lower half of Jacque’s limp form out the window. Jen saw the flames leap forward and scorch Jacque’s legs. Jen expected Jacque to come awake screaming. Her friend never stirred.

With another heave, they shoved Jacque’s upper body through the window which put Jen directly in the line of fire, literally. Jen screamed as she felt the flames on her bare skin. The flames were like a whip, their lashes forcing her forward. She lunged ahead with all her might, shoving Jacque completely out of the car, her momentum sending her own body tumbling after. Landing roughly on her hands and knees, she made to grab Jacque and pull her away from the car. Just as she lay hold of her friend, there was a resounding boom, a flash of light, searing pain, and then Jen saw no more.

Sally screamed as the engine exploded. The force of the blast knocked her on her backside. The haze of gasoline fumes in the air burned her lungs and throat. She sat up and saw Jen and Jacque lying on the ground. Neither moved.

“MS. PIERCE!” Sally yelled. No one responded. Sally scrambled to her feet, frantically searching the area for Jacque’s mother. Finally, Sally saw Lilly through the haze of smoke billowing from the burning vehicle, sitting and staring into the flames, the woman’s face as blank as a freshly painted white wall.

“LILLY! GET UP AND GET YOUR BUTT OVER HERE AND HELP ME!” The urgency and desperation in Sally’s voice must have snapped Lilly out of her shock. The older woman ran over and looked at the two bodies, seeming to realize suddenly what was going on.

“Grab Jen’s arms, flip her on her back, and start pulling as fast as you can. Don’t worry about her skin, it will heal. We have to get them away from the vehicle.” Lilly sprang into action, grabbing the closer of the two girls by the arms, her daughter.

“Okay, okay, let’s do this,” Sally said as she grabbed Jen and flipped her on her back and pulled and walked backward as fast as she could.

The two women groaned and strained, dragging their charges across the ground. When they were finally what Sally felt was a safe distance away, they fell next to the two unconscious forms. Sally immediately checked to see if Jen was breathing. She was, though labored. Both girls were severely burned, but they were alive, and that was all that mattered. Sally could hear sirens blaring in the distance. She assumed someone must have seen the smoke must and called 911. The sirens were getting closer, but she saw something else first. Suddenly, through the haze of smoke, Sally saw a large form racing towards them, moving faster than she thought possible. It was Fane.

The man came to an abrupt stop in front of Jacque’s prone, still form. Sally watched as he ignored herself, Jen, and Lilly and kneeled next Jacque. He cradled her head, took a deep breath, and let out a loud howl of sadness and fury.