Jade Crew: Captive Bear (A BBW Paranormal Shape Shifter Romance) (Ridgeback Bears Book 4) by Amelia Jade Page B

dozen times at best. It was the handwriting of their contact inside LMC. She thought that perhaps “informant” would be the better word as they never actually made contact with the person. Several months earlier, the mysterious envelopes had started showing up in Kierra’s work mailbox. There was absolutely zero clue as to who they were from. The letters were typed on plain printer paper. The only clue was the handwriting on the front, but all it ever said was “Kierra Valcke.” Even the address portion of it looked typed, which was odd.
    “Why go to the effort of handwriting my name, when they clearly have the ability to print address information on the front of the envelope? I don’t understand that.”
    Jenny and Hannah shook their heads. The three of them had discussed that subject several times before, without ever coming up with a reason. The closest they could get was “because they wanted to.” Which as far as reasons went was rather weak. Kierra was convinced that there was a reason, but no genius idea had presented itself yet and she was beginning to wonder if it ever would.
    “Well, I suppose we may as well see what this one contains,” she said and smoothly broke the seal.
    The letter was folded into thirds and she opened it gently before smoothing it down on the table, and began to read.
    KV,
    News that has not been shared to you. The “Stone Bear” program is being expanded. Code name: “Sentinel.” Likely to be muscle for the puppet masters when the time comes to rise up. The original trio believe it is being done for their benefit. They are wrong.
    The stink of corruption is stronger than ever, but I know not what else to do. I hope you are making good use of what I have been able to tell you.
    –Unity
    “Phew,” she said with a gush of breath. Kierra sat back into her chair, holding the letter in one hand as she stuck her tongue between her upper lip and teeth, deep in thought over the unwelcome news.
    “This is not good,” Hannah said at last, breaking the silence.
    “No shit,” Kierra agreed. Although she hadn’t forgotten Darren, he had been pushed to the side for the moment. Not that she was likely to be able to push his large, muscular frame anywhere he didn’t want to go. The bulging muscles of his arms would easily brush her aside.
    Or wrap tightly around her, his strong fingers grabbing her waist…
    She shook her head and tried to focus on the letter.
    “Sentinel program. A new force of shifters in the Valley?” Hannah said, talking it through. The letters were usually short and cryptic, as if whoever typed them had very little time in which to do it.
    “It says as muscle for the puppet masters. And that the original Stone Bears, Gabriel and his friends, are in the dark about it,” Kierra said. “That is really, really not good news.”
    “Why?” Jenny asked, not quite keeping up.
    “So far what have we been reporting on and running our campaign around?” Kierra pressed. She wanted Jenny to think it through and see the logic she had used to arrive at her conclusion instead of just handing her the answer.
    “The corruption and power abuses of the LMC and its shifters,” Jenny said easily.
    “Exactly. Who has the LMC been abusing and taking advantage of?”
    “Us.” Jenny meant the human portion of the Valley residents.
    “Precisely. Not each other. But now whoever is running things is keeping their internal police force in the dark about what they’re doing.”
    Jenny nodded, but Kierra could see that the light of understanding still hadn’t gone on.
    “Jenny, there are multiple factions within the LMC. One of whom is preparing now to take on the others, whoever that may be.”
    She watched as Jenny’s eyes flew open in surprise and horror. “Oh, that is definitely not good.”
    “Not good at all. The real question is, who are they trying to take out by expanding the Stone Bear program?”
    “The miners,” Hannah said slowly, as if working it through in