Page 28 of Her Bossy Wolf Protector

I’m left speechless, grappling with the dissonance between what I’ve learned and Alyssa’s adamant denial. The air in the room feels charged.

“I know it’s confusing,” I finally say, my voice softening. “But we need to figure out what happened. Maybe there’s a logical explanation.”

Alyssa looks away, her gaze distant. “I just want to go home, Jade. And forget all this craziness.”

I nod, respecting her wishes, but a nagging sense of unease lingers. There is someone who knows more about this, and it is time to pay him a visit.

After making sure Jemma is keeping an eye on Alyssa, I head back to my apartment for a quick shower and change of clothes before facing the imposing structure of Night Corp. The familiar facade looms before me, and I stroll past the entrance, determined to maintain an air of belonging. If I act like I still have a place here, maybe no one will realize I’ve been fired.

As I approach the elevator, I offer casual smiles and waves to familiar faces. With a practiced nonchalance, I press the button for Gabriel’s floor, trying to steady my breathing. The elevator ride seems to stretch on, each passing floor bringing me closer to the uncertainty awaiting me.

When the elevator halts, the doors open to reveal Gabriel standing there, his presence immediately filling the confined space. “What are you doing here?”

“I need to talk to you,” I reply, my voice steadier than I feel.

Gabriel raises an eyebrow. “And what makes you think I want to talk to you?” he questions, stepping into the elevator and hitting the down button. I watch his every movement, the fluid grace that seems to come so naturally to him.

“I got fired,” I admit, meeting his gaze.

“Yes, and I told you I was done the last time we spoke. That’s why I don’t understand why you’re here. I thought you’d be by your friend’s side at the hospital.”

As the elevator descends, I gather my courage to tell him what I saw on Alyssa’s neck. “Gabriel, I saw something at the hospital. Marks on Alyssa’s neck. Fang marks.”

He dismisses my words with a nonchalant wave. “Stop digging into things that don’t concern you, Jade.”

I refuse to back down. “Gabriel, there’s something supernatural happening, and Alyssa is right in the middle of it. I need to know what’s going on.”

He steps closer, looking down into my face. His proximity is unnerving yet strangely magnetic. “It’s dangerous for you to get involved in this, Jade. Trust me.”

Our eyes lock, a tension building in the confined space. The air becomes charged, and I find myself drawn to him despite the warning bells ringing in my mind. Our faces are inches apart, and the elevator doors open just as the tension reaches its peak. One more second, and I swear he would’ve kissed me.

Before we part ways, Gabriel, almost reluctantly, says, “I’ve decided to give you your job back, but you need to do something for me.”

Oh great, another ultimatum.

“What’s that?” I ask reluctantly.

“Stop asking questions.”

I’m left standing there as the elevator doors close, the echoes of our unresolved conversation lingering.

I don’t care what Gabriel says. He knows something and basically just admitted that thereissomething supernatural going on.

Now that Alyssa is much more stable, I guess it’s time for me to get back to work. Night Corp brings me closer to Gabriel and hopefully closer to some answers.

Chapter 9

Gabriel

The awkward tension between Jade and me lingers in the air after the almost-kiss in the elevator. I find myself avoiding her, regret gnawing at me for offering her job back. It’s a decision I’m not sure I can undo, and yet my life has been reduced to lurking in the corridors of Night Corp, worrying that I’ll run into her.

Jemma keeps me informed about Alyssa’s condition, reporting that she still hasn’t regained any memories. However, I’m worried that Jade’s insistence on uncovering the truth might lead her into dangerous territory.

Despite my attempts to distance myself from Jade, my concern for her safety persists. So, I watch from a distance, her silent guardian in the shadows, ensuring she doesn’t stumble too far into the unknown. It’s a conflicting role—protecting her while outwardly avoiding her and pretending aloofness. I regret the need to be involved in her life once more.

Every night, I follow her, watching her movements until I know she is safe in her apartment. Then I head home.

I drive to work in a different car every day so she won’t suspect she’s being followed. It’s for her own good, but somehow, it feels dishonest. Even on lunch breaks, when she visits Alyssa, I wait in the parking lot until it is time to follow her back to the office.

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