safe.
The door to Sheridan’s old room slammed, telling him Adele had retreated to her own private space. She was probably pissed at him, with good reason, since he’d threatened to sue her.
And he would to protect the secrecy of the clan.
He was glad she was in her room. It might make it a bit easier to talk to Étienne.
“Chief Jared?” Étienne called out.
Jared printed out Vernon Jefferies’ wanted notice and met Étienne in the main foyer, motioning for him to be quiet.
“Follow me.” Jared walked across the foyer to his father’s receiving room. His hand hesitated on the doorknob. He hated using these rooms. It just reminded him that his parents were gone. It reminded him of the destruction Levi had wrought upon his clan, of what no longer remained.
Once they were in the chamber with the door shut Étienne cocked an eyebrow in question. “Must be serious.”
“It is,” Jared said grimly. “I need you to track someone.”
Étienne crossed his arms. “You’ve tracked more of Levi’s gang?”
“No.”
“A missing clansperson?”
“No.”
“Then who am I to track? I wasn’t aware of anyone else.”
“I need you to track a human male.” Jared handed Vernon Jefferies’ rap sheet to Étienne. “I want you to track him only, don’t harm him.” Though it pained him to say that. The beast inside him wanted to tear Vernon Jefferies apart, to shred him until nothing recognizable was left to piece back together.
Étienne took the sheet and frowned. “A human criminal? Why?”
“It doesn’t matter.”
Étienne’s eyes narrowed. “It’s because of Ms. Banks isn’t it?”
Jared snarled. “She’s an employee of Beare Enterprises. I have to protect our employees.”
“She’s not Mukswa .”
“It doesn’t matter.”
“It does, with all due respect, Chief.” Étienne took a step back and lowered his gaze. “I have more than Levi’s clan to track. Other clanspeople have been coming to me to track their missing…their missing daughters.”
Jared’s stomach twisted. I’m a shitty chief.
Étienne had no time to track down some random human criminal, even if that man was responsible for hurting Adele. Jared’s first priority was the clan. Adele was from a different society, with different rules and he had no right to interfere.
“Then find the missing daughters. I’m afraid this human will track Adele here and put the clan at risk, so we should double up security around the building.”
Étienne nodded. “Of course. I didn’t mean to talk out of place—”
Jared held up his hand. “You weren’t. You’re my second-in-command, bro. I need your advice. I’m sorry I snapped at you.”
Étienne wouldn’t make eye contact. Instead he just ducked his head, handed Jared the sheet back and left the receiving room.
Jared crumpled up the sheet and tossed it into the recycling bin. What the hell was he thinking?
Protecting my mate.
Jared shook his head. Adele wasn’t his mate. She couldn’t be. She wasn’t Mukswa and his mate had already been chosen. He would be joined with her by the end of the month. The thought of joining with Cassandra, his chosen mate, made him sick to his stomach. It physically pained him.
He wanted Adele. Only she’d been able to release his trapped beast and he knew she’d be the only one to heal his broken soul.
Though he knew he shouldn’t seek her out, he couldn’t help himself. He wanted her in his arms again, even if just for a few stolen moments, before he was joined with what everyone else deemed was a suitable mate.
Jared ended up in front of Sheridan’s door and he didn’t know how he got there. He hesitated, but then tried the door, finding it opened. Adele was sitting in a chair, reading. He shut the door behind him, locking it.
“Jared?” she asked in wonder. She set her book down. “What can I do for you?”
I just want you. Forever.
He said nothing as he closed the distance between them and scooped her up in his
The door to Sheridan’s old room slammed, telling him Adele had retreated to her own private space. She was probably pissed at him, with good reason, since he’d threatened to sue her.
And he would to protect the secrecy of the clan.
He was glad she was in her room. It might make it a bit easier to talk to Étienne.
“Chief Jared?” Étienne called out.
Jared printed out Vernon Jefferies’ wanted notice and met Étienne in the main foyer, motioning for him to be quiet.
“Follow me.” Jared walked across the foyer to his father’s receiving room. His hand hesitated on the doorknob. He hated using these rooms. It just reminded him that his parents were gone. It reminded him of the destruction Levi had wrought upon his clan, of what no longer remained.
Once they were in the chamber with the door shut Étienne cocked an eyebrow in question. “Must be serious.”
“It is,” Jared said grimly. “I need you to track someone.”
Étienne crossed his arms. “You’ve tracked more of Levi’s gang?”
“No.”
“A missing clansperson?”
“No.”
“Then who am I to track? I wasn’t aware of anyone else.”
“I need you to track a human male.” Jared handed Vernon Jefferies’ rap sheet to Étienne. “I want you to track him only, don’t harm him.” Though it pained him to say that. The beast inside him wanted to tear Vernon Jefferies apart, to shred him until nothing recognizable was left to piece back together.
Étienne took the sheet and frowned. “A human criminal? Why?”
“It doesn’t matter.”
Étienne’s eyes narrowed. “It’s because of Ms. Banks isn’t it?”
Jared snarled. “She’s an employee of Beare Enterprises. I have to protect our employees.”
“She’s not Mukswa .”
“It doesn’t matter.”
“It does, with all due respect, Chief.” Étienne took a step back and lowered his gaze. “I have more than Levi’s clan to track. Other clanspeople have been coming to me to track their missing…their missing daughters.”
Jared’s stomach twisted. I’m a shitty chief.
Étienne had no time to track down some random human criminal, even if that man was responsible for hurting Adele. Jared’s first priority was the clan. Adele was from a different society, with different rules and he had no right to interfere.
“Then find the missing daughters. I’m afraid this human will track Adele here and put the clan at risk, so we should double up security around the building.”
Étienne nodded. “Of course. I didn’t mean to talk out of place—”
Jared held up his hand. “You weren’t. You’re my second-in-command, bro. I need your advice. I’m sorry I snapped at you.”
Étienne wouldn’t make eye contact. Instead he just ducked his head, handed Jared the sheet back and left the receiving room.
Jared crumpled up the sheet and tossed it into the recycling bin. What the hell was he thinking?
Protecting my mate.
Jared shook his head. Adele wasn’t his mate. She couldn’t be. She wasn’t Mukswa and his mate had already been chosen. He would be joined with her by the end of the month. The thought of joining with Cassandra, his chosen mate, made him sick to his stomach. It physically pained him.
He wanted Adele. Only she’d been able to release his trapped beast and he knew she’d be the only one to heal his broken soul.
Though he knew he shouldn’t seek her out, he couldn’t help himself. He wanted her in his arms again, even if just for a few stolen moments, before he was joined with what everyone else deemed was a suitable mate.
Jared ended up in front of Sheridan’s door and he didn’t know how he got there. He hesitated, but then tried the door, finding it opened. Adele was sitting in a chair, reading. He shut the door behind him, locking it.
“Jared?” she asked in wonder. She set her book down. “What can I do for you?”
I just want you. Forever.
He said nothing as he closed the distance between them and scooped her up in his
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