Jen stood there, dazed as Decebel abruptly stepped away from her. Did I do something wrong? she wondered. She looked at Decebel and saw that his breathing had quickened. His jaw was tense and his eyes were brighter than she had ever seen them.
"Are you okay?" she asked him tentatively, afraid she'd startle him.
"I just need a moment." His voice was rough.
"Did – did I do something wrong?" Jen stammered out her worry. She suddenly couldn’t stop rubbing her hands down her jeans. They weren't clammy or sweaty, but she felt like she needed to do something with them.
"No, beautiful. You didn't do anything wrong. You did, however, do something right. Very, very right." Decebel let out a deep breath as he ran his hands through his hair.
"Then what's wrong?" she asked, cocking her head to the side and folding her arms across her chest, effectively drawing Decebel's eyes to her now pushed up breasts.
Decebel's head snapped away just as quickly as his eyes had landed on her. He cleared his throat, unmistakably uncomfortable and embarrassed by his actions. Jen couldn't help the smile she felt inside at his obvious attraction to her. Well, a girl likes to know, she thought defensively.
"It's not that there is something wrong. It's just...well, you see..." Decebel was seriously flustered.
That's a first.
"I'm attracted to you," he finally blurted out.
"Well, I hope so," Jen shot back.
"I'm not saying that's bad, Jennifer. I'm saying it's intense and...when you make sounds like you just did -"
Jen's hand flew to her mouth. A muffled, "What sound?" came around her hand.
"The moan," he said matter of factly. "Baby, you can't make sounds like that. It's like handing a man an invitation to a banquet made just for him."
Although Jen heard all his words, she was stuck on the “baby” endearment.
"Did you just call me baby?" she asked him sweetly.
"Jennifer, did you hear what I said?"
"Yeah, but did you call me baby?"
Decebel stared at her and confusion filled his expression. "Yes. Is that a problem?"
Jen shook her head. "No, I kinda like it," she admitted shamelessly. "I just never pinned you for the baby type."
"I have a feeling there's quite a bit about me that will change because of you," he confessed.
"Huh. Well, I like it. Don't stop." She winked at him.
Decebel chuckled and shook his head, once again running his hands through his hair. "You're going to be the death of me, Jennifer Adams."
"So will I see you today?" she asked.
"Yes. I will be in all the groups you are in. It was arranged beforehand since I've been assigned to keep you safe."
"But is it safe? I mean, for you to be with me?"
Decebel didn't look at her when he answered. “For you."
Jen didn't respond and he walked back over to her. Reaching up, he stroked her cheek and promised, "I will try to keep it together."
"I don't like seeing you with anyone else either. I'll be trying to hold it together just as much as you."
"We are quite the pair, are we not?" he said, grinning.
Jen smiled back.
There was a knock at the door and Decebel automatically stepped in front of Jen. She pushed around him.
"Chillax, wolf. It's probably the girls."
Decebel followed close behind and before she could open the door, asked, "Who is it?"
They both heard giggles on the other side. Jen rolled her eyes and pulled the door open. Jacque, Sally, Crina, and Marianna all stopped and wiped the grins off their faces.
"Ladies." Jen eyeballed them sternly.
"Jen, I would like it noted that I did not participate in the giggling." Fane spoke from behind the pack of hyenas at Jen's door.
"Noted, fur ball," Jen acknowledged.
Jacque smiled sweetly. "We came to see if you were ready to go down for breakfast."
"Yeah, sure ya did." Jen felt Decebel's hand on her lower back and she relaxed, allowing her annoyance to fade. "Let's do this," she relented with a smile.
"Let's get our grub on, ladies," Jacque spouted as the group headed downstairs.
"Jacque, I thought we discussed not using that saying," Jen reminded her.
"No," Jacque responded. "You talked about me not using it and I ignored you."
"Good to know you value my opinion," Jen muttered.
"Most ardently, Jen." Jacque's response brought a snort from Jen.
The room they were to eat in was much smaller than the large ballroom they had been in the night before, but it was every bit as nice.
They all took their seats and Jacque sat on Jen's left side and Sally on her right. When Jacque noticed that Decebel sat across from Jen, not beside her, she looked at Jen, brow furrowed. Her eyes plainly said, “What gives?”
Jen leaned over and whispered close to Jacque's ear. "We have to keep things on the DL."
"Got it."
Vasile and Alina soon arrived and the other pack members slowly ambled in. Jen nodded at Cynthia when she showed up. She'd apparently arrived late last night after all the drama. Jen guessed that she and Decebel were going to have to fill her in on what they'd decided last night.
Dorin and Cami arrived and smiled at Jen. She returned with a smile of her own and watched as Anton and Delia acknowledged her. Once the entire pack was present, Vasile motioned for the meal to be served.
Breakfast consisted of ham, bacon, some sort of bread that was supposed to be a biscuit, eggs, and pancakes if you wanted them. Most of it was spent in silence as everyone concentrated on eating.
Vasile finally addressed them. "Each of you knows what you are to do today. Represent us well." His eyes landed on Decebel and Jen tried really hard not to snicker. Jacque, Sally, Crina, and Marianna weren't so successful. Decebel glowered at them and they immediately shut up.
"I don’t really understand the point of these activities," Crina said, adding quotations when to activities. "I mean come on, Alpha. The TFFs are going to be working on self defense with the males from the Serbia pack. What is that?"
"The TFFs?" Vasile asked before addressing her question.