Page 17 of Wolf's Whisper

Just then, the clubhouse door swings open, and Battle Axe walks in, his face serious, scanning the room. “Are we here for gossip hour or meeting about current and new protection cases?”

Everyone straightens up, the mood shifting as Battle Axe's presence commands attention. I wipe the residual smile from my face, switching gears from personal to professional.

"Meeting time," Smoke confirms, shooting me a quick wink before turning serious. "Let's gather up."

We enter Church, and all move toward the large table at the center of the room where our meetings usually occur. Chairs scrape against the concrete floor as everyone finds a seat. Battle Axe stands at the head of the table, folders and papers in hand, his expression unreadable.

“Can I have an update on the Janelle Pierce case?” He asks, but I feel his eyes on me.

I clear my throat. "All quiet on that front," I start, keeping my report professional. "No new incidents. The gifts have stopped appearing after we increased patrols around her place."

Battle Axe nods, his eyes scanning the room, ensuring everyone’s attention is on the matter. "Good work on that, Wolf. We'll keep the patrols up, though. Better safe than sorry, especially with her ex still out there."

"Absolutely," I agree, feeling the protective instincts kick in strongly.

The meeting continues with reports on other ongoing cases and plans for upcoming rides, but my mind keeps drifting back to Janelle. It’s hard to keep my face neutral professional when inside I’m replaying that kiss, her smile, and the hopeful look in her eyes.

Battle Axe lingers at the table as the meeting wraps up, scribbling some last-minute notes. I wait until the others have left before approaching him.

“Got a minute?” I ask.

He looks up, his face softening slightly. “Sure thing, Wolf. What’s on your mind?”

I hesitate, knowing what I’m about to share could change how we handle Janelle’s case. “I need to disclose something,” I start, trying to keep my voice even. “Janelle and I... we’re exploring a relationship.”

Battle Axe raises his eyebrows but doesn’t seem surprised. “I sensed something was changing,” he admits. “Does this affect your ability to stay objective?"

I take a deep breath, considering his question. "I can keep my personal feelings separate from my professional duties," I reply confidently. "But I wanted to be upfront about it."

Battle Axe nods thoughtfully, tapping his pen against the table. "I appreciate your honesty, Wolf. It's important for the integrity of the club and our operations. We'll need to discuss this with the rest of the leadership to see if we need to adjust the case management."

I take a deep breath, "I can remain professional," I say firmly. "I know the stakes, and I wouldn’t let my personal feelings interfere with her safety or the club's operations."

Battle Axe nods thoughtfully, his eyes carefully studying me. "I appreciate you bringing this to my attention. We need tomake sure there are no conflicts of interest. Wolf, you're one of our top members, so please keep me informed about any developments."

“I will,” I assure him. “And if you think it’s becoming a problem at any point, I’ll step back.”

He gives me a sharp nod. “Fair enough. We'll monitor the situation closely.”

"Thanks, Axe," I say, relief washing over me at his understanding. "I want to do right by the club and by her."

"We know you do," he replies, giving me another firm nod before gathering his papers and standing up. "Keep me updated, and let's keep our standards high."

As I leave the meeting room, I feel a weight lifted off my shoulders. Being honest with Battle Axe was necessary, though not easy. Balancing personal feelings with club duties is tricky, but it's a line I'm determined to walk carefully.

Chapter Eleven

Janelle

As I watched Wolf leave, I touched my lips. I still don’t know how I went from being married to a man to having this attraction to a woman. I know nothing is wrong with it, and my parents instilled in us the belief that a person's character matters, not their choice of who to love.

But still, there's a part of me that hesitates and wonders if this is right. Not because of Wolf, but because of how fast everything is moving. I’m still protected by my soon-to-be ex-husband and trying to regain my life. Here I am, caught up in something that feels like it could consume me.

I shake my head, trying to clear my thoughts. I need to do some laundry and get the kids started on their homeschool studies.

As I'm sorting through the laundry, I can't shake the image of Wolf's smile and how she looked at me with such intensity. It's a feeling that is exciting yet scary because of the unknown. I take a deep breath and focus on the task at hand.

Abel comes bouncing into the room, his energy levels are always high. "Mom, when's lunch?" he asks, his eyes wide and hopeful.

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