“I’m here to guard you. I mean guard all of you. Not just you, but each one of you at the same time, not alone,” Decebel stumbled along.

“Yeah, I got it, no need to hurt yourself further,” Jen told him sarcastically.

Decebel’s head jerked up to look her in the eyes. Jen saw what she could only describe as hurt. Had her words hurt him? She swallowed and felt a knot forming in her throat at the cold look in his eyes. After several seconds he turned and looked at Fane. “I will be downstairs for a few minutes. The Alpha will be standing guard with Alina.” Without another word or glance back, he strode out of the room.

Everyone in the room let out a deep breath none of them had realized they'd been holding.

“Would one of you yahoos like to explain to me what has his tail in a twist?” Jen asked, looking from person to person, waiting for some plausible explanation.

“Okay, one," Sally said holding a finger up, "we have no clue, he has just been like that since we got to the hospital. And two, did you just say his tail was in a twist?” Sally asked with repressed laughter at her friend.

“If I did it’s only because half my body has been deep fried and I feel like someone beat me with a sledgehammer. So, that said, I am allowed some dumb ass remarks. Lay off, Polly Perfect, or I’ll have M&M’s personalized with your phone number on one side and for a good time on the other,” Jen threatened irritably.

“And she’s back again,” Sally grinned.

Jen flipped her off.

Yep, Jacque thought, we’re going to be okay. Jen’s being a female dog, as she put it, Sally is egging her on, and I’m in the corner staying out of the line of fire laughing my butt off. Things will be back to normal in no time. Jacque looked up at Fane as he leaned down and kissed her on the forehead.

“What was that for?” she asked him.

“For every smile I see on your face I will kiss you,” he told her lovingly.

“What do I get for a laugh?” she asked, her voice thick with suggestion.

Fane grinned at her, flashing those amazing dimples. “I don’t think now is the appropriate time to demonstrate that love.”

Jacque thrust out her bottom lip, attempting to pout, which only made Fane grin bigger.

“So what was so interesting in the hall?"

Fane hesitated just long enough for Jacque to wonder if he was being totally honest. He had his thoughts closed off, which also made her wonder what was up.

“It’s nothing big. My father got a call from a pack that is driving through the area, and he likes to make us aware when another pack is about.”

Something in Fane’s nonchalant tone told Jacque that Fane was hiding something. It didn’t make her mad because at this point she knew he was going to try to protect her,even if it was just from a fly wielding a toothpick as a sword. Fane would not leave her unprotected ever again. She had a feeling the number of fights they were going to have in their long lives had just increased exponentially.

"So Jen, how'd it go with your parents once you woke up?" Sally asked. "They were here constantly while you were checked out."

"Oh, it went fine, but I can't handle my mom being all emotional and hovering. You both know I don't do hovering." Jen rolled her eyes.

"Ah, yes, the hovering. Your mom does tend to hover when she is upset," Jacque agreed.

"I wouldn't call it hovering, actually," Sally said thoughtfully. "It's more like full blown nose diving. You almost have to duck for cover when Jen's mom comes at you and she's worried."

"Hence why she is no longer here," Jen acknowledged."It took some convincing, but with a little help from Alina we got her and my dad to think it would be better for them to let me get some rest and unless something is wrong they will come up tomorrow night."

Jen looked at Fane thoughtfully before asking, "Does your mom have some sort of ability to make people do what she wants?"

Fane chuckled but shook his head no. "Not unless she hasn't told me. My mother has always been able to get people to see things from her point of view. My father says it's an art the way she can work people around her. I don't know, you will just have to ask her."

Fane squeezed her hand. "How are you, Luna?"

"Considering I've been burnt to a crisp, my leg crushed like it was run through a blender and glass sprinkled in my skin like I was a cupcake, I'm pretty stinking good," she told him with her lips turned up in a smile that nearly melted his heart.

"I love you," he whispered.

"What's not to love?" she teased.

"Indeed," Fane muttered under his breath.

Decebel stepped back into the room and without looking at anyone he walked across the room to Jen's bed. "Are you alright?" The words revealed some sort of emotion but his tone of voice was just as gruff as ever.

Jen was beginning to get frustrated with his odd aloofness towards her. What the hell, she thought, if he doesn't care why even freaking bother to ask. Just like earlier she decided to handle his coldness with what she did best, flirting.

"I could be better," she told him with a slight pout. Out of the corner of her eye she winked at Sally, who was giving her a questioning look.

"What does that mean?" he asked even more gruffly if that was even stinking possible.

"It just means that my circumstances could be improved, which in turn would make me feel better," she told him innocently.