Page 4 of Jasper

Inside the small building that served as the security office and a place for VIP tour guests to pick up their souvenir photo albums, he found Jupiter, who was head of security, and Lucius, both lion shifters.

“How was your shift?” Lucius asked.

“No problems.”

“That’s what we like to hear,” Jupiter said. “I know you like the night shift, so I was wondering if you would like to switch with Amadeus for a while? He’s tired of the night shift and wants to spend more time in the paddocks during the tours.”

“Yeah, sure. Tonight?”

“No, he’ll work tonight, but you can start tomorrow night. Eleven p.m.”

“Works for me.”

“Awesome, thanks. Enjoy the rest of the day.”

Jasper turned in his walkie and clocked out, then headed into the employee cafeteria to take the private stairwell down to the wolves’ private living area. There, among the small homes that were covered with stone to look like actual dens, he collapsed onto his bed and closed his eyes. He didn’t bother stripping because he wouldn’t sleep much anyway, even though he was exhausted and weary.

If only he could stop thinking about her.

If only he could move on.

If only…she’d show up and tell him everything that happened had been a mistake and she’d come for him so they could finally be together.

But that was a pipe dream and something that kept him from resting peacefully.

Growling at his inner monologue and his wolf who refused to stop thinking about her, he closed his eyes and forced himself to think of anything but her.

It was futile, but maybe he could get some decent rest today and hopefully tomorrow would be different.

He doubted it, though.

Melody shoulderedher backpack and stepped from her bedroom, in the home she shared with her parents, Finn and Viola. Her father was second-in-command of their wolf pack, and her mother was always busy doing one thing or another in the pack. As she left her suite on the second floor, she stopped at the hall closet and grabbed the box containing her favorite card game.

Her steps were soft as she made her way down to the first floor, down the hall, and into the kitchen where her mom stood at the stove and stirred a large pot.

The kitchen was filled with the scents of her day-long cooking adventure to find theWorld’s Best Spaghetti Sauce.

This was attempt four.

“Attempt five,” her mom corrected her with a smile.

“Oh, right. I forgot about the one with the cherry tomatoes.” Melody made a face.

“Uh, yep, that wasn’t my finest hour. But this one is the one. I’m sure of it.”

“You said that last time,” her dad said as he walked into the kitchen.

“So sue me for being optimistic.”

Melody smiled and also grimaced a little as she turned away from her parents’ embrace at the stove. They were so sweet together and very much in love.

But a girl didn’t need to see everything.

She also wanted that for herself: the kind of storybook romance that defied everything that came against it.

But it wasn’t to be.

The male who was her other half, the one meant to be hers forever, had disappeared without a trace and never contacted her.

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