10. Mai

Chapter ten

Mai

T he soothing familiarity of Jem's old study wrapped around me like a warm embrace as I stood in the doorway, taking in the quiet stillness. Sylvie wasn't here, but she'd left a food platter in the fridge, and I'd noticed fresh flowers in the hallway. Stepping inside the study, I let the oak door close behind me with a soft thud that echoed in the large, book-lined room. This had been Jem's sanctuary, a place where the duties and stresses of the Pack could be momentarily set aside. Brock hadn't had time to gut it, and the scent of Sylvie here told me that whatever changes he'd made, she had undone. And now, it was mine.

I moved further into the room, my fingers trailing over the leather spines of books, loving the feel and scent of them. Jem's presence, while gone, still lingered here, whispers of him woven into the very walls. Photos in simple frames dotted the room: Jem and Hayley at the annual Moon Dance, some of the enforcers after a successful hunt, a candid shot of Ryan and Jem drinking at Bottley Bar, a photo of me and Jem playing football taken just before our parents died. Each captured moment was a glimpse into his life, into who he was and what was important to him.

I sank down into the plush leather chair behind the desk, the faint scent of sandalwood—the scent of my brother—still clinging to it.

I leaned back, tilting my face up to the light streaming in through the windows behind me. The warm rays splashed across my face. Was Jem really dead? Or was he out there somewhere, in Brock's hands? Every passing hour twisted my anxiety tighter.

A polite rap at the door stopped my thoughts from spiraling.

"Come in," I called, straightening in my seat.

The door opened, and Jase poked his head in, an uncertain smile flickering across his boyish face. "Hey, sorry to bother you. Just wanted to check if you need anything?"

Jase's presence brought a small smile to my lips. I beckoned him inside. "You're not bothering me. Come on in."

Jase stepped into the study, softly shutting the door behind him. He stood awkwardly for a moment, hands behind his back, as his eyes roamed the room before settling on me.

"Nice digs," he said, a hint of awe in his tone as he took in the dark wood, the floor-to-ceiling bookshelves brimming with volumes, the plush rugs underfoot. "Swanky."

I let out a short laugh. "It's not really my taste. A bit too formal and serious, but I can see why Jem liked it."

Jase moved closer to the desk where I sat. "Yeah, it fits him. Kinda old-fashioned but in a distinguished gentleman kinda way. "

"You never came in here before?"

Jase shook his head. "I had no reason to come here. My parents came a few times when Oliver was Alpha. After that, with Jem and Hayley, I had no problems, nothing I needed to discuss with the Alphas."

I looked around the room, thinking that I wanted to change that. I wanted this to be an open place for people to come and chat and just talk about everyday things, not just when they had an issue only an Alpha could resolve.

"Anyways," Jase said, breaking the moment, "how're you holding up?"

I gave a small shrug. "Hanging in there. Trying not to think about..." I trailed off, but Jase understood.

"If Jem's there, Ryan will find him."

"I know. I just wish I was there, too. But Ryan was right. We can't risk leaving the Pack unprotected." Even as I said the words, they tasted bitter. My brother was out there, and my place was here dealing with paperwork and Pack business.

Jase perched on the edge of the desk. "For what it's worth, I think you and Ryan are a fucking great team. You've got this Alpha stuff down."

I grimaced. The boy wonder was trying to pep me up.

Jase's expression hardened. "I'm serious. You're one of the strongest people I know, Mai. Whatever happens with Jem, Brock, all of this crazy stuff...you've got this."

I couldn't stand having Jase try to cheer me up. I was his Alpha, I was supposed to look after him. "What're you doing here, anyway? Shouldn't you be at work at this time of day?"

Jase shrugged, unconcerned. "I quit."

I blinked. "You what now? "

"I quit. I wasn't going to be a delivery boy forever, and this is more important."

"This being?"

"Watching your back."

A warm fuzzy feeling spread through my chest. But still. Watching my back would put him in danger. He'd already been through a lot supporting me and Ryan. If it wasn't for us, he never would have had both his ankles broken. I wasn't sure I felt comfortable with little Jase Miller being a target for me. I started to reply when hurried footsteps and a quick rap at the door had us both twisting around.

"We'll talk about this later," I said quietly before raising my voice again. "Come in."

The door burst open and Evelyn strode in, slightly breathless. In her mid-thirties, with a slender build with defined muscles, and long dark brown hair that she usually wore in a braid, Evelyn had been a staunch supporter of me and Ryan, even letting us crash at her cousin's place when we were hiding from Brock and Hayley.

"Evelyn?" I questioned, rising from my seat. "Everything okay?"

She closed the door swiftly behind her before facing us, her expression grim.

"I just got a tipoff that there's a ripple pickup at the farmer's market. This morning."

Her words dropped like stones in the quiet room. I stiffened, exchanging a startled look with Jase.

"The farmer's market?" I repeated. "That's in the middle of town. Are you sure? "

Evelyn nodded. "My contact is one of the stall owners. Said they'd seen suspicious activity in the last few weeks. He thinks they're using one of the stalls as a front for the exchange."

Before I left, the farmer's market had been a cornerstone of the Three Rivers community. A lot of trade happened in the market. Three Rivers was a convergence point between the smaller towns further north, and the big cities in the south. Most goods passed through here and the market was a key place for trades to happen. If the stall owner was right, this could be our chance to finally get a solid lead on Ghost.

My mind kicked into gear as the pieces fell into place. "We need to intercept that pickup."

Evelyn's eyes gleamed. She knew the opportunity this presented. "I can pull in maybe five Renegades that are nearby."

I nodded. "Do it. We'll meet them there."

"I want to come," Jase said. Something in his tone stopped my immediate reaction that he should stay here. Jase wanted to be an enforcer for the Pack, had proven himself on a number of occasions. If he could get his ankles broken and still want to do this, then he would find a way. Maybe watching my back wasn't such a bad idea; at least that way I'd be able to keep an eye on him. I still wanted to talk to him about quitting his job, though.

"Alright, get the car ready. We need to move fast."

As Jase sprinted from the room, I turned to Evelyn. "Make sure your team is ready, but keep it quiet. We don't want word getting back to Ghost's people and spooking them. If they get there before us, tell our enforcers not to engage, just observe for now. "

Evelyn nodded, already typing rapidly into her phone. I strode from the study, my earlier uncertainty burned away by pure, propulsive purpose. This could be it—our chance to finally gain ground against Ghost and his ripple.