Out of the Dark (5 page)

"I will go with you."

Decebel gritted his teeth as he followed Sorin to the vehicles. As he climbed in
,
he recognized Skender, Dorin, Boain, and Anton. Ealier, he'd recognized a few others – Emilian, Ciprian, and Stellion. He ignored the wolves he didn't recognize. He could feel his dominance over them. They were no threat.

"Where are we?"

Sorin answered, "We've been in the Transylvanian Alps for nearly a week. We had a mutli-pack gathering."

Decebel's forehead wrinkled as he drew his eyebrows together. Images filled his mind, images with black holes in them.

"Why do I remember this?"

"What do you remember?" Skender spoke to his Beta for the first time since
Decebel had regained consciousness
.

"I remember being here. I remember fighting with some wolves from the Serbian pack, but I don't know why. I remember being locked up, but
I can’t remember why
. There are these blank dark spaces in my memory." Decebel's voice was steady, though his words became terse as his frustration grew. "Why don't I remember some of these wolves with us? I can smell that you are pack, but I have no memory of you."

"I wish I had answers for you, Beta. I'm as lost as you are," Sorin admitted.

Decebel stiffened. "I am not your Beta, Sorin."

"
Yes, you are. You became our Beta shortly after your sister's passing
," Skender offered.

"I have no memory of that. Surely I would remember something as important as that," Decebel growled out.

The vehicle drew quiet after his words, the only sound the hum of the engine as they traveled down the mountain to the village. Decebel stared out the window into the darkness – he felt one with that darkness. The empty places inside him, and this unexplainable pain that was ripping him in half, drew him away from the light. He closed his eyes, searching for things that
he didn't even know were lost. But
he could feel that
something was gone. Something very important and sacred to him was gone.

When they arrived in the village, Sorin saw Jacque and Sally standing in front of a large building. The lack of light on the street allowed the sky to twinkle with stars as far as the eye could see in every direction. The building, a tavern, was two stories and had a sharply pitched roof that glistened with snow. Five chimneys stood proudly from the roof and smoke billowed from them, disappearing into the cold night sky.  The four windows on the second story flickered with light, most likely due to oil burning lamps or
lit
candles– making it evident
that
this town had no electricity. The first story boasted a large
covered porch with two wicker chairs facing each other
.
Next to the chairs, t
wo worn wooden benches sat on either side of the large door that granted access to the interior
.  A
sign hung from the roof that declared the tavern name “
Cîrciumă
”
(Tavern).

Very original,
Sorin thought. His eyes swept back to the two girls huddled close together to keep the cold at bay. They waved the vehicles over.

After exiting the car, Fane
walked
over to Sally and Jacque. He needed to briefly fill them in before they could provoke Decebel with their usual abrasive remarks.

Sally and Jacque's mouth's both dropped open as their eyes fell on their Beta. They noticed his overly grim face and shadowed eyes. Fane quickly explained what had happened, but the subject was dropped as Decebel came near.

"There is a large gathering room at the back," Jacque told Fane, "but we're already at standing room only. Isn't there another group coming?"

Fane nodded as Decebel passed them. Once he was out of earshot, Fane went on. "We would have waited to be the last ones down, but Decebel is dangerous right now. We needed to get him here." His eyes fell on Sally, who took a step back at the look that
he was giving her—a look that
said he was
about
to drop a bomb in her lap. "We need you to work your magic on him. We don't know what happened. Sorin thinks it's a curse."

“What magic?  I don’t have magic.” 
Sally's eyes widened. "How will I know
what to do
?"

Jacque took her friend's hand. "Every time you've need
ed
to know something
,
your gypsy brain has provided it. Trust your gift."

Sally took a deep breath and let it out, puffing her cheeks as the air left her lungs. "Okay. Bring it
,
"
she said steeling herself.

"That's my little gypsy trooper." Jacque winked at her.

"Gypsy trooper, really?" Sally rolled her eyes.

"When Jen gets back I'll let her take over the nicknames and insults
.
B
ut
right now
I
think
that she would want me to fill in for her," Jacque teased. She and Sally had decided to talk about Jen in th
e present and with a positive attitude,  as if she would be returning at any moment
. They felt that maybe if they pushed for a positive outcome it would happen. Thinking of the alternative
just wasn’t
an option.

"Fair enough." Sally nodded as she turned to follow the other wolves into the tavern.

She, Jacque, and Fane were the last to enter the back room. Oil burning lamps hung on the walls, creating a soft, eerie glow. The fire in the large stone fireplace crackled and popped as the wood burned with bright orange flames.

Jacque noticed the packs had created a semi-circle, facing Vasile and Alina at the front of the room. She then observed Decebel kneeling before them, shoulders slumped forward, head bowed. 

"What's going on?" she whispered to Fane, deliberately not using their bond so Sally could hear.

"He's paying fealty to his Alpha. He does
not
remember that he is our Beta."

Jacque gasped. "You're kidding."

"Afraid not, love," Fane responded as he guided the two girls through the crowd. As he got within listening range he heard Decebel's soft words.

"I renounce my right as Alph
a and in doing so dissolve the We
stern Romanian pack. I believe we should merge our packs and be one, as you have said – The Romanian Grey Wolves. I choose to be your second, to support you and no other. I will protect you with my life; I will protect my Luna before all others, as you have commanded; I will protect the pack; I will be faithful; I will be humble in this role you honor me with. Do you accept my fealty?"

"Decebel, look at me," Vasile told him gently.

Decebel raised his head and looked at the man who had mentored him and loved him like a son.

"I know
that
you do
not
remember, but I have already accepted you. You have been my Beta for a century."

Decebel began to shake his head, the glow in his eyes filled with disbelief.

"You have trusted me, just as you have trusted Sorin. Would I lie to you?" The question was also a challenge. If Decebel disagreed – essentially calling his Alpha a liar – he would be subject to discipline, or even a challenge.

"I know
that
you would never lie to me," Decebel conceded.

"Will you allow our healer to look at you?"

Decebel nodded once.

Vasile addressed the three Alphas that stood to his left.

"I would ask that you please take your packs upstairs. There are several large rooms available."

Dragomir and Victor started off towards their wolves.

Dillon took a step forward. "Do you need me for anything?"

Vasile shook his head. "Thank you for the offer, but right now
,
this is a pack issue. I'm going to speak with you, Dragomir
,
and Victor in a little while to discuss the best course of action for your packs. I know your daughter is here, Dillon, but she is
part of our pack
. We are responsible for her now."

Dillon nodded. "I know. That doesn't make it any easier."

"Understood."

Dillon led his pack out and pulled the door closed behind him, all the while trying to accept that his role here just might be over.

Chapter 4

Vasile stood, more of his strength returning every minute. "Sally, come forward."

Sally took tentative steps to the front of the room and took a position next to Decebel. It didn't escape Vasile's attention that Costin was moving amongst the pack, following Sally's progression to the front.

"Everyone else take a seat.
On the floor if there aren’t enough chairs
."

As Vasile had expected, the dominant wolves remained standing, as did their mates.

Sally looked up at her Alpha. "I don't really know what I'm doing, so I'm just going to touch him as I did you."

Vasile nodded.

"Decebel." Sally's voice was tentative.

Decebel turned his amber gaze on her, and though Sally knew he didn't remember her, it was still shocking to see the lack of recognition in his eyes.

"May I place my hand over your heart?"

He stood up, towering over the small healer. "You may."

Sally reached up and placed her small hand over Decebel's heart. She was not surprised by the strength she felt in his muscles or the way they tensed as she made contact.

She closed her eyes and let
the knowing force inside her
take over. She saw darkness. An entity flowing through his veins, moving through his body until it reached his brain, where it created a
slimy supernatural
film. Sally reached into the darkness, seeking its origin, its purpose. She gasped as she felt the wicked intent behind it. A curse.

No,
Sally thought
.
N
ot
a
curse. Two curses.
She pushed against them and briefly felt the magic behind it – dark magic meant to destroy memories. Not just any memories, but cherished memories, life altering memories.

Sally couldn't believe the curses' intricacy. The second
curse
bound Decebel as the sole wolf able to seek out Jen. She wondered why the one who cursed him would choose Jen's mate as the only one able to find her. He could track her, couldn’t he?