Wyvern Protection Unit - Chapter 6: Chapter 6

He had no intentions of getting teary-eyed with his hard-as-nails handler. She scrunched her nose to keep her glasses from falling off the tip, but he wasn’t fooled.
Sure, she might look cute and cuddly, but behind the façade was one dangerous as hell Shifter. She was a pit viper in sheep’s clothing. He nodded, getting ready to answer her inquiries.
“Let’s see. Got my weapons, surveillance equipment, microwaveable popcorn,” he told her. “And—oh yeah, a brand new mega pack of condoms!” He winked.
“Oh, for fuck’s sake, Jas, keep it in your pants! I told you, this one is a friend of mine,” she snarled, giving him her best scathing glare.
Jasper wasn’t expecting that. A real friend, huh? He better tread lightly then.
“Like someone you used to have sleepovers with?”
“Yes, actually, we go way back,” she answered with a sniff.
“Like pillow fights and skinny dipping? Got any pictures? It’s only fair you give me as much information as possible,” he teased, attempting to lighten the foul mood he was in.
“Don’t be gross! You haven’t even opened the file yet, have you?” she accused, but fuck, she was right.
“Uh,” Jas scratched the back of his head.
“Hands on the wheel, Romeo,” she snapped.
“Hey, Jenn, about my case?” Dor yelled from somewhere and he realized she was still at the Wessex house.
“Shut up, Heliodore, I’ll deal with you later,” Jennifer called back to his brother. “Listen up, I’ll fill you in,” she said, pulling out her notes and muttering something under her breath about cocky lizards.
Jasper frowned. Now, that was just mean. He was a magnificent mythical beast, a Wyvern, not some lowly lizard! Really, he should put her in her place, but he knew better than to give Jennifer any of his usual shit.
The Great Horned Owl Shifter was a straight up savage when it came to kicking ass. Shit, she handed out lessons to her charges with a ferocity that rivaled any of the four Wyvern’s.
His ass still hurt from the last time she’d taken him by surprise and knocked him out of the tree he’d climbed. Asshat that he was, he’d arrogantly retained his human form all but forgetting she could fly when Shifted. And those talons of hers? Serious fucking ouch!
“Carolina Moore is more than a good friend. We grew up together, and she’s recently been through a rough divorce. It's Christmas, and I imagine she’s having it rough. Do not give her any of your sleazy pickup lines, Jas, I mean it!”
“They aren’t that sleazy,” he protested.
“Really? ‘Nice shirt, babe, can I talk you out of it?’ That went over really well with the Ecuadorian Ambassador’s wife,” she retorted through gritted teeth.
“Hey, I apologized for that. I thought she was his daughter!”
“As if that would have been any better.” Jennifer rubbed the bridge of her nose. “Listen, Jasper, Caro is like a sister to me. She knows nothing about Shifters except that they exist, and that is only because I told her that. So please, keep everything about you, including your so-called charm, to yourself,” she huffed.
“Geez, looks like someone needs a little somethin’ somethin’ to relax,” he whispered, but not low enough to stop her from hissing at a decibel that she knew drove his Wyvern crazy.
“Fuck. Do you have to be so loud?”
“Yes, I think I do.” Jennifer smirked. “Ready to listen? Good. Now, where was I? Oh yes. Well, Carolina was on a dig in Egypt⁠—”
“What is she, Indiana Jones or something?”
“No, she’s an artist. I told you this. She is a sculptor, actually, and a critically acclaimed one at that.”
“Okay, so she was on a dig in Egypt, and she ran into some trouble⁠—”
“Yes.”
“What kind of trouble?” Jasper asked, all business now.
“The kind that you are uniquely equipped to deal with. Read. The. File.”
“Alright, Jennifer, keep your secrets. So, you got her holed up? The GPS coordinates were already in my truck. This little adventurer braving the NY mountains in the snow?”
“You recognized the coordinates? Good. Yes, I sent Caro to my cabin. I know how much you enjoy roughing it in the great outdoors.” She smirked at him.
Jasper barely withheld a growl. Frigging woman had a strange sense of humor. He didn’t mind the woods or mountains. It was just so isolated. There was nothing to do there.
The last time he was there he had the Bear cub to play with. Who would entertain him now?
“Stop it. You’re there to do a job.”
Damn freakish woman, he swore she could read his mind sometimes.
He had planned on heading down to Miami after his last gig, but he couldn’t do that now. No beach babes and surfing in the wee hours of the morning. No downtown bar and body shots off his favorite bartender.
This Christmas was so going to suck.
Ugh.
Freaking Indian Lake. What was so great about it? The lake was just so dang lake-y. And yes, he knew it was a lame complaint. Would it even be iced over yet so he could skate? Probably not.
Stupid lake.
His Wyvern scratched and roared inside his mind’s eye, and Jasper’s thoughts turned to that bit of news he’d been avoiding.
Fuck.
His heart was heavy with thoughts of his father’s illness. It was just like the old man to spring that on them without any aplomb.
Arthur Wessex was not a cruel man or a bad father—not in the least. He simply did not believe bad news should be sugarcoated, and he never mollycoddled his sons. Not ever.
School didn’t close because the expected snowstorm didn’t add up to more than an inch? Wake up, buttercup.
Your brother ate all your cereal? Eat some bran.
You lost the soccer game? Try harder next time, no one ever won without practice.
Goldfish died? The toilet is that way.
You failed your driver’s test? Walking is good for you.
So, that girl you had a crush on likes someone else? I believe it, but get your ass back out there, son, and try again.
Didn’t I mention I have cancer? No? Well, I do, now get back to work.
Good old Dad. His brothers were upset too, and that rankled his beast. All three looked to him for guidance, as if he needed any more responsibility weighing him down.
Shit.
Jasper wasn’t mad at them. He simply couldn’t believe this was happening. Sure, the years without Mom had been rough, but he’d never thought his father would ever stop fighting.
No treatment? It was beyond comprehension. Maybe he just didn’t want to live without his wife anymore. Jasper’s Wyvern let out a sorrowful growl. His beast seeming to understand his old man where Jasper did not.
Even worse were his parent’s parting words. Who had time to think of women just then? His old man never used to have shit timing, but what else could explain it? Jasper didn’t have the heart to fight, so he’d simply nodded and left the room.
If loving his wife had made Arthur Wessex give up on life after the doctor had given him bad news, then Jasper was just fine, never knowing that kind of love. He could not even imagine it.
“Better off alone,” he muttered, taking a left onto the highway, and settling in for the long drive to the mountain cabin where his assignment was, hopefully, staying out of trouble.