Page 6 of Jacob

“You still protect the pride.”

“Yeah, but against what?A strange scent in the woods?There’s nothing to protect the pride from.With Alpha Carter gone and Gal being so close to the council, the pride is fine.Everyone has moved on from the way Alpha Carter led us, but I can’t.”

“You could find a job in town like lots of pride members did.I don’t think Gal would try to stop you if you didn’t want to be a guard anymore.”

“He wouldn’t, but what can I do?”

“I know you said you don’t have skills, but think about it.You’ve been protecting people for years.You could find something like that.”

“There aren’t many people who need bodyguards in town.”

“What about being a deputy like Taylor?”

“I tried talking to the sheriff, but he said he didn’t need two deputies.”

“Yeah, but that was the old sheriff.He retired, remember?”

Jacob hadn’t remembered that.He’d been too busy complaining.“You think it would be worth talking to the new guy?”

“If that’s something you can see yourself doing, why not?And if you’d rather step away from helping people that way, you can find something else.Most of the pride members didn’t have skills when they found jobs in town.”

Drake was right.Alpha Carter had forbidden everyone from leaving the house at one point.That meant that pride members hadn’t had jobs, but they did now.Everything had changed when Gal had arrived, and the pride was thriving.

Jacob wanted to be part of that.He wanted to help the pride, and he wasn’t doing so as a guard.Maybe talking to the sheriff wouldn’t be a bad idea.

“I’m sure Taylor could put in a good word if you want to become a deputy,” Drake offered.“And even if it doesn’t go well, we’ll find you something.Just say the word, and I’ll start looking.”

Jacob stopped walking.It took Drake a few seconds to realize he had and turn to him.When he did, Jacob pulled him into his arms.Drake squeaked but hugged Jacob back.

They didn’t hug for long, but it made Jacob feel better.“Thank you,” he said when they started walking again.

“Anytime.I mean it, Jacob.You guys welcomed me into your group of friends when I arrived in town, and I’ll never forget that.”

“You don’t owe us for that.”

“I never thought I did, but you’re my friend.If I can help you, I will.”

Of course he would.It was what Drake did.He helped people, even when he didn’t know them.It was one of the reasons Jacob loved him so much.

All of his friends would help him if he reached out and asked for it.He probably should’ve thought about talking to Taylor sooner, but now that he had, he couldn’t wait.Even if it didn’t go well, it was a step forward.

Jacob would have to talk to Gal, though.His job might not be needed, but Gal would have to know that he was unwilling to continue doing it.Jacob doubted that the alpha would have to find anyone to replace him, but he wanted to do things the right way.

“Do you know what kind of training goes into being a deputy?”he asked.

Drake shook his head.“No, but we can find out.”He took out his phone and started typing.

“Don’t you have to go back to your apartment to pack your stuff?”Drake was moving in with his mate, and since Christopher lived with the pride, Drake would, too.That would only leave Eddie in town, and Jacob wondered if he might like to move in with the pride, too.

With the pride now being freer than they’d been in decades, some pride members had started leaving.It happened in every shifter group.People met their mates and moved in with them, they moved in with family in another town, or they decided they wanted to be alone for a while.New people moved in, too, and everything went on as normal.They didn’t need the pride to be strong and numerous anymore.No one would attack them.

Or at least, Jacob hoped no one would.He wouldn’t put it past fate to throw an enemy at them right after Jacob had decided to get a new job.

* * * *

TONY REALLY NEEDEDto find a receptionist.As it was, every time someone came into the station, they called out for him.It didn’t matter that Taylor was right there.Everyone needed the sheriff.

“I need to talk to you,” the older man standing in front of the front desk said.

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