“We hear you loud and clear. We're good at sneaking. We aren’t going to go into how we got so good at it, but rest assured it’s almost a specialty of ours,” Jen told her.
Jacque was shaking her head, clearly not in agreement with the things that were transpiring.
“Wait just one darn minute! I can’t let you guys do this. Don’t you realize how dangerous this is? If anything happened to ya’ll because of me I would never be able to live with myself.” Jacque was on the verge of having one of her two year old moments.
Sally and Jen both wrapped their arms around her and squeezed her tight.
“I hate to break it to you, Watson, but Jen and I tend to do what we want even when you tell us not to. Usually we just agree with you and then do what we want. Surely you know this?” Sally told her in a sweet tone of voice.
“You two drive me crazy!” Jacque exclaimed.
“Whoa, back up wolf chick. What would you do if you were in our shoes? You cannot tell me for a minute you would sit at home and wait for us. So you just take your little safety speech and shove it,” Jen said as she let go of Jacque and backed up, putting her hands on her hips.
“Well, Jen, how 'bout you tell me how you really feel?” Jacque said sarcastically.
Jacque knew they were right. There was no way she would let them go off to something so dangerous and sit at home. How could she possibly ask them to do the same?
“You’re right, I wouldn’t sit at home. Please promise me you will be careful!”
“Sweet!” Jen said, giving Sally a high five. “We are so going on a stakeout, this rocks.”
Jacque took a deep breath and tried not give into the panic that was threatening to overtake her.
“Jacque, it’s time,” Alina told her gently.
Alina turned, and once more told Jen and Sally to make sure they were not seen and to stay downwind so their scent would not reach the wolves. She then walked out the front door without a glance. Jacque knew that Alina trusted she would follow, but she was also giving her a moment in private with her friends.
“I love you two. Please be careful,” Jacque said as she hugged them both.
“Don’t worry ‘bout us, Sherlock. You focus on your task, and we'll focus on ours,” Sally told her.
Jacque didn’t linger, she didn’t want to turn on the water works and knew they would come if she didn’t leave quickly. She waved one last time and rushed out the front door. She saw that Alina had pulled the rental car to the curb. She climbed into the passenger seat and they started off on what proved to be the longest ride of her life, even though the field of dreams was only fifteen minutes from her house. They were both silent on the way there, absorbed in their thoughts, coming to the realization that the man they both loved was going to be in the fight of his life tonight and they would be watching, whatever the outcome.
Once again Jacque was trying to reconcile the fact that no one could help Fane, not even his own Alpha and father. How crappy is that? she thought. Alina reached over and touched Jacque’s hand, startling her out of her thoughts.
“We are here. There are some things I need to explain quickly. First, I know you’ve already been warned, but I will warn you again. Do not seek out Fane’s thoughts. The images you would see there while he is in battle are images you would never forget. Also, it would distract him. Second, we don’t want to draw any unnecessary attention to you so stay close to me and keep quiet. Lastly, should the worst happen you will turn tail and run as hard as you can to the rendezvous point where the girls are. You will go straight to the airport and board the jet we have chartered. You will not wait for us, do you understand? We have wolves in position to pick you up at the necessary locations. Your friends and mother are to accompany you. There will be no argument.”
Jacque’s brain was in overdrive. This just couldn’t be happening. Seriously, she thought, how had it all come to this? Jacque shook her head to clear it of the negative thoughts, she needed to be focused. Just accept it, Jacque, she told herself. This is the way it is and you are just going to have to suck it up and deal. Ok, deep breath.
“I understand,” Jacque told Alina, looking her straight in the eyes. Alina simply nodded her head, accepting Jacque’s answer. Jacque looked up for the first time, out at the field of dreams, seeing it in a whole new light. It was nothing special, and because no one was coming here anymore, the grass had grown tall. There was a path that had been made by a vehicle driving over the tall grass, flattening all in its way. She couldn’t see very far because the path took a sudden sharp curve to the right, and the grass left standing was blocking her sight. She decided that was a good thing. Just in case someone came by, they wouldn’t see anything.
Alina opened her door and Jacque took this as her cue to get out of the car. As they walked down the manmade path, she did not hear anything. But as they walked further, she began to hear growling and deep voices. After going around the sharp curve, they took several more turns, and on the last turn the area suddenly opened up into a perfect circle. All the grass in the circle had been completely mowed. They'd set up lights that were attached to chargers all around the circle. That made Jacque think this must've been something they've done many times, and she shuddered.
As soon as she and Alina stepped into the clearing everyone froze except for Vasile. He just continued speaking to Sorin, who was trying to listen but was watching everyone else as well. Alina grabbed Jacque’s hand and began to walk towards her husband. A man Jacque had never seen stepped in front of them and fell down on one knee. He turned his neck to the side, exposing it. Jacque looked to Alina, not sure what to do, but Alina was not looking at Jacque she was staring daggers at the man on the ground. To Jacque’s surprise, Alina was growling as well.
“She is not your Luna,” Alina said in a very calm but very scary voice. “Move out of our way or I will break your neck.” Again she sounded so calm, much scarier than if she were yelling.
The guy, or wolf rather, ignored Alina completely. So, taking a page from her book, Jacque pulled her shoulders back, stood as tall as she could, and in the firmest voice she could muster she ordered, “Go back to your Alpha. Now.”
The wolf whined, but stood up and with eyes on the ground, turned and walked away. Jacque took a deep breath, closed her eyes to regroup, and then began walking forward with Alina again. She still had not seen Fane, or Lucas for that matter. She saw that Vasile’s other pack members were here, and as soon as Alina and Jacque reached Vasile, those wolves flanked both of them. Vasile stepped in front of Jacque and looked her in the eyes. Although Jacque was not a full werewolf, she felt the power in that stare and had to drop her eyes.