Page 13 of Her Bossy Wolf Protector

The unease she stirs within me is undeniable, and I can’t have that at the office. She stirs things in me. She distracts me. She has been distracting me since our unexpected meeting in the alley, and now it has intensified.

After getting a report from the IT Department that she had been researching witches and wolves, I know keeping her around is way too dangerous.

Why can’t she just fucking drop it? She really does not understand just how dangerous all of this is to her.

I was looking for a way out of this mess, and maybe I’ve found it.

With a sigh, I reach for my phone and dial my assistant, Lily. “Please call HR and ask if they can send someone down to speak with me.”

“I’m on it, sir.”

Within 5 minutes, Susan from HR is walking into my office.

“Susan, thank you for coming. I have a few questions about your onboarding procedures for new hires.”

“Okay, sure. How can I help?” she says.

“I was wondering if the employees sign some sort of acknowledgment or agreement when they are first hired so that we can complete a background check.”

“Yes, that is a common request from most managers. The agreement states that if anything found in the background check conflicts with what they’ve stated on their application, then it could be grounds for termination.”

YES! This is the way I can terminate her without raising any uncomfortable questions.

“I see. Has the background check been completed on Jade Easton?”

“No, sir. We are still awaiting the report. But it may not even be an issue. She didn’t show up to work this morning.”

“Really? Has anyone tried to reach her?”

I glance at the clock on my desk. It’s nearly 11 am, and a cold feeling settles in my gut. The unease I’ve felt around Jade has transformed into something closer to fear. What if something happened to her? What if the wolves got to her?

I don’t understand it, but I feel responsible for her well-being, even though I’d rather not.

Susan quickly responds, and after a brief conversation, she relays the unsettling news to me. “No one knows where she is,” her voice tinged with concern. “And her emergency contact, Alyssa Wraith, is also unreachable by phone.”

I pinch the bridge of my nose, battling the frustration and fear that tugs at the edges of my consciousness. “Alright. Thank you, Susan. I’ll handle it from here.”

As Susan turns and leaves my office, I’m inundated by a mix of emotions. It’s been less than a week since Jade entered my life, and yet she’s already managed to disrupt my carefully structured schedules. But my annoyance is eclipsed by an overpowering sense of dread.

Fuck!

Whatever this is, I’m going to have to deal with it. Jade’s absence has become a puzzle; it can’t be a coincidence that her friend is also unreachable. My “humans in danger” alarm is going off in my head, and asProtector, I have to ensure this is not a supernatural problem. With a sigh, I instruct Lily to cancel the rest of my day.

As I drive to Jade’s apartment, my initial frustration quickly becomes a growing sense of worry. The possibilities of what might have happened to her keep circling in my mind. What if she’s in danger? What if those creatures from the alley have returned?

Jade is just a human, simple and unassuming. Perhaps I have been too harsh, too quick to distance myself from her. Saving her from those creatures may have inadvertently put a target on her back. Regardless of my reservations about her, she doesn’t deserve this sort of trouble, and I need to ensure she’s safe.

When I arrive at her apartment building, a sense of foreboding gnaws at my insides. What if I’m too late? What if something terrible has happened?

Standing before her apartment door, fear beckons me in. The door is locked, but I hesitate for only a moment before picking the lock, a skill I had to learn as part of my responsibilities as Protector.

Jade’s apartment is small but welcoming, with a tapestry of colors and life. Plants adorn almost every available surface, their vibrant greenery contrasting with the muted tones of the walls and furniture. Stacks of books are scattered throughout. A laptop rests on the coffee table, surrounded by scribbled notes and open books. It’s a cozy, lived-in space.

My unease grows as I approach her bedroom. The bed appears as though it hasn’t been slept in, and a sense of foreboding washes over me.

Where the hell is she?

Desperate, I exit the apartment, locking the door behind me, and return to the alleyway where I first encountered Jade. The place is still abandoned, of course.

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