The Burning Claw: Book 10, The Grey Wolves Series (9 page)

Jacque waved a hand at him. “Yeah, yeah, yeah, whatever. Where’s our baby?” she asked again, staring at Peri. Jacque was able to ignore the pain she felt in her lower body. She was able to find energy where none had been. She could probably shove aside a mountain if it meant she could get to her child.

Before Peri answered her, the high fae made a motion with her hand and muttered under her breath. The water was suddenly gone and they were in new, dry clothes. It was good to have a high fae as a friend.

“Thank you,” Fane said as he stepped closer to Jacque.

“Let’s get you more comfortable and then I will bring him to you.” Peri placed her hands on each of them and flashed them to their suite. She pointed at the couch and told Jacque to sit.

“Sit on her if she won’t keep her butt on that cushion,” she barked at Fane and then disappeared.

“I love you,” Fane said as he sat down beside her.

Jacque turned to look at him and it finally hit her that they’d almost died, that she might never have been able to see that face again. Tears fell from her eyes as she leaned forward and wrapped her arms around his neck. Fane’s arms went around to her back and his strong hands pulled her tightly against him.

“I love you back,” she whispered against his neck where she’d tucked her face. His skin was warm against her own and her wolf rumbled with the satisfaction of finally touching their mate. Fane held her as they waited for Peri to bring their child to them. He murmured a few things in Romanian to her and she blushed when he sent the visual images of those words through their bond to her mind. He was trying to distract her and it was mostly working.

“Jacque.” She turned as she heard her mother’s voice. Her heart leapt at seeing her mom but then her eyes fell to the wrapped bundle in Lilly’s arms, and Jacque was sure her heart was going to beat out of her chest. She stood up and walked over slowly, feeling as though she needed to be quiet so that she wouldn’t scare him.

“He’s beautiful.” Lilly’s smile beamed at her.

Jacque held out her hands and her mom transferred the little boy to her arms—the boy that she and Fane had created. And he
was
beautiful.

“Fane,” Jacque said, not wanting him to miss anything. She sucked in a sharp breath as the small child opened startling blue eyes that seemed to warm as he stared up at her. “Do you recognize my voice?” she asked. He continued to gaze at her intently and Jacque felt as though he was as mesmerized as she was. She wasn’t just seeing him for the first time, he was also just seeing her for the first time—the owner of the voice that he’d heard the entire time he’d been growing inside of her.

“Say something,” she said looking quickly up at Fane and then back to their baby.

“Slate,” Fane said softly. “Your name is Slate Lupei.”

Jacque looked at him from the corner of her eye. “I like it.”

“I’m going to step out and let you guys spend some time with your little one,” Lilly said as she patted Jacque affectionately. “We can talk later.” She paused and stared silently at her. “I am so glad you are alright.” Jacque could tell that her mom wanted to say more but she was trying to give her and Fane time to meet the child they nearly never knew.

“Love you, Mom.” Jacque smiled at her and then looked back down at Slate. She didn’t hear the door open or close. Her focus was solely on her little boy. She carried him over to the couch and sat down. Fane sat next to her.

“He’s strong,” Fane said as they watched their son try to hold his head up.

“He’s trying to look at you.” Jacque grinned. “Here” —she held him out to Fane— “you hold him.”

Fane took the child in his large arms. Her mate’s huge frame made their child look as tiny as a doll. She watched in awe as her strong mate was reduced to a babbling, love struck man as he talked to Slate. It was the best thing she’d ever seen—her love, holding their child.

Jacque simply observed, wanting the moment to last forever. Several minutes later a bright light flashed in the room and then dimmed to a less intense white glow. That glow surrounded a glorious sight.

“Great Luna,” Fane said reverently. He clutched Slate to his chest as he slid from the couch onto one knee and bowed his head. Jacque followed suit. Her heart was pounding almost painfully in her chest as she waited to see what the goddess would say.

“This is the second child to be born to my wolves in eighteen years.” Her voice was soothing and as warm as the glow coming from her body. “Rise, Jacquelyn and Fane,” she instructed.

Both Jacque and Fane stood, raising their heads at the same time to look at her. The Great Luna walked toward them until she stood a foot away. Her eyes were on their child and her face held all of the love that Jacque felt toward Slate.

The goddess reached out her hand and laid it on the child’s forehead. She closed her eyes and spoke in a soft voice “You are marked for greatness, Slate Lupei, son of Fane and Jacquelyn Lupei, grandson of Alphas Vasile and Alina Lupei, grandson of Queen Lilly of the Warlocks, and Alpha Dillon Jacobs of the Colorado pack. Change is here. It begins with your parents but will be continued by you and your future mate. I bless you as a child of mine. I have created you and I love you. Stay on the path set for you and I will not let your feet falter. Remain true to the purpose I have for you and you will be victorious. Your plight will not be free of hardship or pain. Your journey will be wrought with trials, enemies, and temptations. Do not be swayed. Do not give up. Do not back down. I have gone before you, I have seen what is behind you, and I will always be with you. Be strong, little one.”

Jacque felt tears on her cheeks as she stared in awe at the Great Luna. She was speechless. Her mate was, thankfully, able to talk for both of them.

“Thank you for blessing us with a child,” Fane said reverently.

“Fane and Jacquelyn, you have already faced so much. You have fallen many times, only to get back up again. Never stop getting back up. You still have much to do in this world. I am with you. I will hear you when you call. I love you both more than you can understand.”

Jacque felt that love wrap around her and she let out a calming breath. There was another flash of light and then the goddess was gone.

“Do you feel stronger?” Jacque asked her mate.

Fane nodded. He walked back over to the couch and sat back down. He seemed to be at a loss for words. Jacque sat next to him, her body no longer weak from the near death experience. Whatever the Great Luna had done, it had restored their bodies.

“That was intense,” Fane’s voice rumbled as he stared, wide-eyed, at their son.

“Understatement, wolf-man. Major understatement,” Jacque said softly.

There was a soft knock at the door, interrupting their shock.

“Come in,” Fane said.

Alina pushed the door open and stepped inside. She looked strong and regal, as always, but Jacque could see the fear, joy, and love all mixed together in her eyes.

“He’s beautiful,” she told them. “I got to spend some time with him while you—” She paused, the words too much for her to say. She smiled and then said, “He’s a good baby. Like his father.”

Alina was looking at Fane as though the moon and sun rose and fell at his feet. Fane saw it too. He took several large strides and, just as Alina’s tears began to fall, he wrapped her in his arms.

A
lina had told herself that she would be strong. She’d told herself that when she saw him she would not be a blubbering idiot. It was why she’d waited to come see him. When Vasile told her that Fane and Jacque were awake, her first instinct was to run to him, grab him, and never let him go. But she was no longer the first woman in his life. It was not her job to hold him first. She wanted to let Jacque be what she was—his mate. Then she’d get to hold him. Vasile was choked up as well and only shook his head when she’d asked if he was coming to see his son. “I will speak with him soon,” was the Alpha’s reply. 

Alina knew that he’d already gone to their room, right after Lilly had left. But he hadn’t gone inside. He’d simply stood outside their door, leaning with his back against the wall and crying at the sound of their voices. He was giving them their time as a family. He would give Alina her time and respect as the woman who’d carried their son for nine months, bore him, held him, and nursed him. Her mate was a man of high character with the ability to lead by serving. In this, he was serving her.

As Fane released her from the hug, he pulled back and looked at her. “Want to talk?”

She laughed through the tears. “That would be good.”

Fane looked over at Jacque and she smiled. “Please, go,” Jacque said. “I’m good; we’ll be here when you get back.”

He turned back to Alina and then led her from the room. They walked in silence, the sounds of their feet hitting the floor echoed off the walls. As they rounded the first corner, Alina knew he was taking her to the Serbian pack library. Usually, he would have taken her to the garden room, but at the moment the garden room didn’t hold the greatest memories.

He entered first, as was a custom of their species and she followed him. When they were both seated, Alina looked at her son, really looked at him. He had grown into a strong young man, with good character, compassion, and the ability to serve when needed. One day he would be a pack Alpha and he would be a great one.

“There is nothing,” she began, willing her voice to be steady, drawing on the calm, unwavering strength of her wolf, “in this world that a parent wants for their child more than to see them grow into healthy, vibrant, respectful, kind, loving, giving, and merciful adults. This world is filled with just the opposite and I can only hope that your father and I have taught you these things. But even if you had turned out to be a terrible person, if it meant you’d be alive, then I’d take you.” She let out a shuddering breath as she remembered his body, laying lifeless on a table. “There is nothing worse than a child dying before a parent. It isn’t right. Watching you, wondering if you would pull through, wondering what I would do if you didn’t, was the worst kind of torture. Without being too sappy” —she laughed and wiped from her eyes the tears that hadn’t fallen— “I just want you to know how much we love you, regardless of who you once were, who you now are, or who you will become. You will always be ours.”

Fane wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close. He whispered words to her in their native tongue and pulled her even tighter when a small sob finally broke through the armor she’d put in place.

“I couldn’t have asked for better parents,” he told her. “And you, mama, will always be mine. You will always be the first woman to have owned my heart. I know it must be hard to watch your only son leave your den for another and lose the bond we once had.”

She shook her head and pulled back to look at him. “No. We didn’t lose our bond, it simply changed. It morphed into what it is supposed to be when you find your true mate. Once upon a time, you looked up at me as if I was the most wonderful thing you’d ever seen. You raised your arms up to me so I would hold you close. You came to me for every injury, every victory, every joy, and every loss. And that was as it should be, but now…” She pulled out of his embrace completely and held one of his hands in both of hers. “Now you belong to another. You have a different bond. You go to her with open arms to offer comfort and love. You go to her for every injury, victory, joy, and loss. She is the one who should be the salve to your soul. And I am so very thankful that you have found her. Does it hurt to have our relationship as mother and son change? Yes. But is it worth it? To see my son love his mate just as I’ve been trying to teach you for all those years through the love I gave, freely, without expectations and unconditionally, it is more than worth it. It is incredible and no words can truly describe it.”

“Thank you,” Fane said simply.

“It has been my honor, Fane Lupei.” She stood, patting her thighs and letting out a quick breath. “I do believe you have a mate and new son, which I will be stealing away as soon as you offer, so you should get back.”

She hugged him but this time it didn’t feel like she was losing something. This time it felt as if she’d gained something. He was her son, but he was also her friend.

Now another young pack member crept into her mind. If only she could be so honored to be a mentor, a parent of sorts, to Zara, then Alina would be fulfilling her role as pack Alpha.