"Always, Mina,” Vasile whispered into her mind.

Chapter 26

"Look alive, people." Jen clapped her hands as she walked into the small room she had requested, via text, they all meet her in.

"What's going on, Queen o' drama?" Sally asked.

"Decebel texted me last night. I'll spare you the sappy details, but -"

"That's a first," Jacque muttered.

Jen made a hand motion like a mouth closing and shushed Jacque.

"What I will share is that he said he's getting out tonight."

Mutterings rippled across the room: "Crap." "Great." "Perfect."

"I knew this would happen," Costin growled. "Do you know what he's going to do to me when he finds out I helped you, Jen?"

"I have a fairly good idea. But we aren't going to freak out like a bunch of amateurs."

"But we are amateurs, you -" Before Jacque could finish, Jen interrupted.

"Uh-uh, no need for name calling."

"Puulease, I know you've called me much worse." She rolled her eyes.

"Jacque dear, that's the past. This is the now, and right now we need to figure out how we are going to keep the big bad wolf from finding out about the three little pigs' scheme."

"Did you just refer to us as the three little pigs?" Sally asked incredulously.

"Oh, good grief. Fine. Three little, hot as hell, give Ms. Piggy a run for her money, pigs. Better?" Jen batted her eyes.

"You're in rare form, Jennifer Adams."

"Okay, so what I'm thinking," Jen continued, "is that Costin or Cynthia will have to be the ones to be on the lookout for Dec because y'all will be able to smell him before you ever see him."

Costin groaned. "I knew I should have just stayed in my room. Kept to myself. But nope, I just had to hang around the hot unmated females. I just had to be my usual charming self."

"No self esteem issues on that side of the room, huh?" Sally interrupted.

He looked up at her and grinned. "I have a weakness for beautiful women and they seem to have a weakness for me."

"Definitely no self esteem issues."

Jen continued on, ignoring their play. "I don't think we need to change any of our plans at this point. I think we just need to be extra vigilant."

"Did you just use the word vigilant?" Jacque laughed.

"Jacque!" Jen growled.

"Okay, okay. I'll shut up. I realize your evil plan is stressing you out."

"Honestly," Jen agreed. "Who knew it would be so exhausting being the villain?"

"Haven't you ever watched any Disney movies?" Sally asked as they all stood up to go tobreakfast.

Jen looked at her questioningly.

"Seriously, Jen, do you think all those wicked witches look like they've been ridden hard and hung out to dry because it's easy being evil?"

Cynthia, Crina, and Marianna, who'd been sitting quietly through the meeting, lost their composure at that.

Jacque and Jen were grinning from ear to ear.

"I do believe we have managed to corrupt our sweet little Sally." Jacque high fived Jen.

"It's about time, too." Jen nudged Sally with her shoulder. "I was beginning to think that she was beyond help."

"You two are disturbed. Like, seriously in need of major pills and years of counseling disturbed."

Crina looked over at Cynthia. "Are all Americans like this?"

Cynthia winked. "No, I think it's a Southern thing."

Jen cackled. "It's like I always say, us Southern belles give 'em hell!"

"Yee-haw!" Jacque and Sally hollered as they made their way into the hall.

"Way to not draw attention to us, ladies," Costin muttered as they passed other pack members.

"Costin, sweetie, there is no way to not draw attention to all this."

All the girls laughed as Costin rolled his eyes.

"Let's go -" Jacque started.

"Get our grub on. Yeah yeah, we know, wolf princess."

Vasile waited for everyone to be seated before he addressed them about the day's plans.

"I wanted to give you all an update on the situation with Decebel."

Jen sat up straighter, waiting to see what Vasile would say.

"Alina and I will be dining with the other Alphas tonight, and I plan to broach the subject of Decebel and Jen. Hopefully, once I explain things, they will be willing to allow Jen and Decebel to spend some time together without requiring them to participate in any more events."

Jen let out the breath she'd been holding. "Is Decebel going to be allowed out tonight?"

Vasile's eyes softened as he looked at Decebel's mate. "I don't know yet, Jen. If the Alphas don't agree, then it will probably be best to keep Decebel separate from everyone until we return home."

Jen just nodded her head in understanding.

"As for the rest of the day, our females will be having fencing lessons. Some of the older unmated males come from a time period when guns were not the method of warfare."

"No offense, Alpha," Jen spoke up, "but telling us that the males we should be looking for as mates are old enough to be considered exhibits in ancient museums doesn't do much for the ol' libido."

Crina and Marianna snickered while Sally rolled her eyes and covered her face in exasperation.