Wyvern Protection Unit - Chapter 90: Chapter 90

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 see him. 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.
Jennifer hated it when she got like this. Forcing the memories back, she pulled her calm, cool façade back into place. Her mother was dead, and her father long gone, and Jennifer was an adult now. She didn’t need either of them.
Besides, she did not have to worry about fated mates. Jennifer didn’t believe in all that, despite evidence to the contrary. It didn’t work for her mother. Maybe her friends were just lucky exceptions. Or maybe the fact they’d found mates in the Wessex boys was the key.
But no, she could not think that way. Couldn’t let false hope enter her brain. It didn’t matter why the others found happiness. The point was, she wouldn’t. Not ever. Thank the gods for her job. She was too busy to date anyone seriously, and she wasn’t looking. She couldn’t be someone’s mate in her line of work. It wouldn’t be fair. She wasn’t good mate material. Even she knew that.
Looking at Zircon as he stood there, taking up all the space in her neat and tidy office was almost more than she could bear. All she wanted to do was hurl herself at him. Feel those big, muscular arms wrapped around her body. But no. She couldn’t do that.
Never again.
“What is it?” she asked coolly.
“I came to check on you,” Zircon stated, his voice husky and deep.
She cursed the way her skin heated, and her stomach tightened just listening to him. It was ridiculous. She’d already slept with him, what was the big fucking deal? But she knew. Hell, yes, she knew. He was the big deal.
Like a really big deal.
Sex was not her forte, but one night with Zircon had changed her. It wasn’t like Jennifer was beating them away with a bat, but she wasn’t a virgin. Still, it was the first time she’d discovered sex could feel good if done right. And Conny did it very, very right.
“No one else. It’s only ever been you, Jenn,” he’d whispered to her, and gods, she’d wanted to believe him so badly.
But how could that be? The man was physically perfect. He looked like he was carved from marble, for fuck’s sake. His six foot three-inch frame was roped with thick cords of muscles, and as if that wasn’t enough, he had glossy dark hair that hung in thick waves across his forehead.
Like he needed that reckless bad boy edge to complete his whole appeal, or something. If he was any more appealing, Jennifer would be leaping across the desk to get at him. Zircon was sex on legs, and she was right the first time, it was a mistake to sleep with him.
Despite his claims he’d never been with anyone else, he had done it very right. As in fucking perfect. And even though she knew it was wrong, Jennifer wanted him again.
“Why are you checking on me, Conny? Haven’t we been through this⁠—”
He raised his perfectly arched eyebrows, looking at her as if he could see her naked through the desk, and Jennifer squirmed.
“Easy there, Jennifer, or someone will think you give a shit about me. Can’t have that,” he growled.
“Look, I don’t want to fight,” she said, her voice betraying nothing of the raging emotions she felt.
“Me either,” he said, interrupting her for the second time. “Look, I heard you were being put in charge of the Drakeins staying with us, and, uh, I wanted to see what I could do to help with their assimilation into society.”
He rubbed the back of his neck, a dead giveaway he was uncomfortable. But Jennifer enjoyed the sight of his muscles flexing as he moved his hand up and down. How could he be so completely unaware of the devastating effect he had on women? She shook her head.
So he wanted to help, huh? Fine.
“I have just the job,” she muttered, smiling slyly as she stood up and grabbed her things. “You get to take Ox and Xabat on a test run to the grocery store. See how they act when confronted with shopping with humans⁠—”
“Is that all? No problem, Jenn, I can do that.”
“Don’t look so smug, Zircon, I forgot the best part. You have to go on senior discount day.”
The Drakeins who remained Earth side were taking a bit longer to assimilate than she’d expected. Arthur Wessex had graciously extended the use of his guest houses and grounds for their training, and Jennifer had her hands full with creating lesson plans for them.
“Ah, I knew you could be mean, Jenn, but senior discount day?” he snarked, but he was wearing that bad boy grin she secretly loved.
“Yep. After that, I need help moving. Those boxes there are to be brought to my new quarters at the estate⁠—”
“You’re staying with us?” he asked, and was that hope she saw glittering in his bright blue eyes?
“Yes. Is that a problem?”
“Not at all. You belong there, Jenn.”
She closed her eyes, ignoring that last bit he’d whispered. No. She would not allow herself to feel all warm and buttery at his words. No matter how much she liked his family home, it was not hers. For the sake of this assignment, she needed to move in asap according to Mother’s instructions. It was all business, not pleasure. If Zircon was determined to help, she would put him to work. Jennifer was good at that.
“Alright. I’ll text you the details of your assignment,” Jennifer said, dismissing him without another glance.
She felt his eyes on her, but Jennifer resisted the compulsion to meet his gaze. Oh, she looked calm. Had worked hard to maintain that mask of indifference, but it was all camouflage. Smoke and mirrors. On the inside, Jennifer’s Owl screeched his name into the wilds of her inner mind’s eye.
Zircon. Mine.
No, she told her animal forcibly. He could never be hers. And that was something she would have to live with. Even if seeing him every day gutted her.