Page 3 of Thrilled By Her Protector

It was concerning for sure, but bad things happened to unsuspecting people everywhere. Sometimes an all human group came across supernaturals and decided to eradicate them for sport. More often though, it was a rogue supernatural sect or coven, deciding Shifters were fair game.

One thing remained the same. It was up to the DPCA to nip that sort of thing right in the bud. But her assignment was lessgung ho let’s go into battle, and more teach the Alien Wyverns how to blend in.

Boring.

At least she had a place to accomplish this. Arthur Wessex had offered his family estate to this project, with its guest houses and acres of land, it was ideal. Of course, it was also perfect that the grounds were so heavily guarded with state of the art Draco Fortis surveillance equipment. Not to mention, it was the home of the WPU.

All four Wessex brothers, and their recently sort of adopted brother, Medjed, had quarters in the family mansion. The place made Windsor Castle look small by comparison, though they were pretty modest about it. Jennifer had never seen such opulence from a more laid back group of people.

But maybe that was what happened when you grew up with that kind of money. She wouldn’t know. Her mother had died when she was young, and at that point in time, her father was not in the picture. She’d been raised by her Nana in a modest apartment. That was just another thing separating her from the group of highly trained operatives she handled.

Jennifer had been taking care of the brothers Wessex and their caseload for years. They had a very long history together, and she respected and valued Arthur Wessex more than any other adult male in her life. The man was like a surrogate father, though she knew she had no right to harbor such feelings. He’d been nothing if not professional and welcoming with her from the very beginning.

Still, this was risky, offering sanctuary to a group of powerful adults they knew very little about was not something she would have recommended. But who was Jennifer to argue with the man? It was his home, after all. She’d tried to get his sons to listen, but with Heliodore mated to one of them, it was a hard sell.

Not to mention the fact Zircon was not talking to her. He used to talk to her all the time. In fact, now that he’d been ignoring her, she’d come to realize he was probably her best friend. Sure, she had her girls, but they were all mated now. And as Jennifer discovered, mates trumped besties.

Fuck. She was lonely. She missed him. Not that she would ever admit that. Everything was fine between them until she did the stupidest fucking thing in her entire life and slept with the man. Sure, he’d been saying she was his mate for years, but Jennifer had that mostly handled.

At least, she thought she did. She wasn’t mate material, and from what his brothers told her, Zircon had been untouched, a virgin. Shifters aged differently from humans, and they knew nothing about Wyvern, or Drakein, lifelines. But the brothers were closer to fifty than she was, and well, she had no idea he’d never been with a woman.

Couldn’t tell from the things he’d done, and the ways he’d made her feel—fuck, did he make her feel!

Clutching the file folder in her hand, she hightailed it to her office and closed the door with a quiet little thud. Growling, she slammed down into her chair and dropped the folder, covering her face with her hands.

That was probably why she didn’t seehim. But Jennifer didn’t need to see Zircon Wessex to know he was there. His scent was a dead giveaway. Cool winter breezes and fresh running water, the kind that ran near to her cabin in upstate New York—that’s what his scent reminded her of.

He was the bane of her existence. Always pushing her for more than she could give. Didn’t he understand she was married to her job? She didn’t know how to be a mate, and she was not really sure he wanted her, anyway. Maybe he just liked the chase. Despite his claims she was the only one for him, Zircon had never really made any attempts to be with her.

No. That was not entirely true. Memories of the aftermath of their battle with Cass Viper filled Jennifer’s brain, and she closed her eyes on a wave of longing. She had to nip that in the bud, or else Zircon’s keen senses would let him know how much she still desired him.

One night hadn’t been enough to sate her curiosity. But it would have to do. Clearing her throat, she placed her hands on her lap. Jennifer needed a moment before looking at him, and she took it, steeling herself before glancing up into eyes the color of a pellucid brook.

Her breath caught in her throat. How did he always manage to do that? She’d known Zircon Wessex for years, but he still had the power to render her mute. Crystalline eyes, so blue, intense, and brooding, she could have swooned.

It was like he knew exactly what she’d been thinking. Maybe he was thinking it, too? Her insides burned at the possibility. Could he have been picturing that night? The way his gaze bore into hers as he penetrated her willing body would forever be ingrained in her memory.

“Fuck, Jenn. You feel perfect. Better than I imagined,”he’d whispered, and she damn near lost her mind.

Her Great Horned Owl reared up inside. Jennifer had immeasurable control over her beast, but that did not stop the enormous bird from fighting her. Jennifer could not blame the creature. So close and yet so far from her mate, what choice did the beast have? But she simply could not relent.

One slipup could be swept under the rug, but not two. The fact was, she could never truly have Zircon Wessex. Any relationship with him would be unprofessional. Besides, Jennifer doubted the gorgeous Wyvern Shifter would still want her if she accepted his so far tireless pursuit.

Wasn’t that how men worked? Didn’t they chase after the unattainable and grow bored when they caught their prey?

“Men aren’t built like us women, Jenny. They take and take and take, and we’re left with nothing.”

Her mother’s voice played back in her mind, and she closed her eyes, fighting against all the old feelings it brought back. It was safer to keep them hidden beneath the surface. Love wasn’t like they told you in books and movies. It was cruel. A killer. She should know. Her mother died because of it.

Jennifer was just a kid, but she understood more than other children her age. She was smart, so very smart. She’d seen the distance grow between her own parents, no matter how hard her mother tried to desperately cling to their bond. Ultimately, Cynthia Dylluan was just not strong enough to survive her husband’s betrayal.

Jonathan Dylluan disappeared on them before Jennifer turned ten. After that, it was a downward spiral for her mom. She could not count the times she had to pick Cynthia off the floor and bring her to bed, helping her nurse her heartache the only way a child could.

But she wasn’t enough. Jennifer couldn’t save her mother any more than she could have stopped her father from walking away without ever looking back. It was a cold, hard lesson, and yes, it tainted Jennifer against love and romance.

There was one thing her parents’ tragic coupling had taught her, though. Jennifer was better off alone. She’d promised herself way back then she would never fall victim to the whims of the Fates. Those immortal beings didn’t know what it was like for the souls they messed around with.

Jennifer watched her mother wither away to nothing while her father left her for younger, prettier females. His infidelity destroyed Cynthia. Gods forgive her, Jennifer hated her mother sometimes for being so damn weak. How could she have given a man so much power over her? How could she leave Jennifer alone like that? She was just a child.

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