Eugene pulled her in close. “Hey, it’s going to be fine. I know where you’re coming from, I didn’t want to go back to work, either. If you really don’t want to, you can tell them you need a few more weeks.”
Clementine brushed the ridiculous tears away from her eyes and shook her head. “No. It’s not that I don’t really want to go back to work. I am looking forward to it. I love helping people. It’s just that everything is changing, and everything has changed, and I want to cry over it a little bit.”
“Fair enough.” Eugene squeezed her tightly. “But are you happy?”
She twisted and gave him a look. “Of course I’m happy. I wouldn’t go back to the way things were for everything in the world.”
“Good because I—shit!” Eugene jerked suddenly, sending water splashing out of the tub. “What time is it?”
“It’s almost seven, why?”
Eugene glanced at her. “Weren’t we having people over tonight?”
Clementine’s heart bottomed out. She sprang out of the tub and hurriedly began to towel off. That was right. In hindsight, it probably wasn’t a good idea to plan a dinner party on a day when the Blaze Ops went on a mission, but at the time, they hadn’t really had the mission planned. She grabbed her phone to see a bunch of texts from their guests asking if the party was still on.
“We have mini quiches in the freezer, I’ll throw them in the oven if you run to the store and grab a couple roast chickens and some salad,” she said as she blasted out a group text to tell them that, yes, it was still on.
She dressed quickly, threw on an apron and started getting stuff ready while Eugene dashed out the door. By the time their first guests arrived, the appetizers were cooked and ready and everything else was sitting in their containers, ready to be served. Clementine had used boxed mashed potatoes and just zapped some frozen veggies, but there was plenty of food for everyone.
Evan, Erica, and Cooper were the first to arrive, followed quickly by Liam and Utopia, then Fiona and Patrick. Stephen was next and they were just getting things on the table when Maura arrived. Last of all was Adam, looking distracted. Clementine saw the corner of a book peeking out from under his jacket when he hung it up and grinned. So that was why he was late.
After supper, they lounged around the living room, chatting. Adam cleared his throat as the conversation rose and sidled up to Clementine. “Can I talk to you privately?”
Clementine turned to him in surprise. He had an embarrassed look on his face, and she nodded, her brow creasing. What could he want to talk to her about? She led the way to the kitchen, under the pretense of refilling the water pitchers, and closed the door softly.
“What’s up?”
“I wanted to ask you something…”
“Yes?” Clementine prompted.
Adam’s brow furrowed. “What were your impressions of Karey? The Alpha’s daughter,” he added, as though there was another Karey that she was in the habit of spending time with.
“I don’t really know,” Clementine said slowly. She frowned. “Why not ask Utopia? They worked together for years.”
“I did ask her. But I want more than one person’s opinion. Utopia was also being held prisoner, her son being threatened. She saw Karey as the only ally she had in the Pack, whether it was true or not. So I need to know what you think.”
Clementine considered the question for a while. She thought about the way Karey was always so hunched in on herself. The way she trembled with fear whenever her father was around. The pain in her eyes when he put her down. The desperation she had shown to prove herself, to have his affection. She was the victim of abuse, but she also perpetrated abuse by participating in his experiments.
“I don’t know how much of the Pack’s propaganda she believes,” she finally told him. “And even if she doesn’t, she is more dangerous than she looks at first glance. She’s very smart. I think she’s better at manipulating situations than she lets on.”
Adam’s brow furrowed as he nodded. “I see.”
“Why?”
He shook his head. “Because from what I’ve been able to glean from Cooper’s reports, she is the key to bringing the Pack down—oh, but I shouldn’t be talking about that. Patrick didn’t want word to get out. Don’t say anything, okay?”
Clementine blinked in surprise but nodded. Karey, the key to bringing the Pack down? How did Adam figure that? Well, as much as she would have liked to ask, she knew she wasn’t going to get answers. She also had other guests to see to.
Before they headed back, though, she put a hand on Adam’s arm. “Whatever you are planning, I hope it works. Now. I have to get back to Eugene. Jameson is going to wake up soon and he’s going to want to see his daddy.”
Adam grinned. “Go, on, then. I wouldn’t want to keep you from your mate.”
“Oh trust me, you can’t,” Clementine laughed. “Nothing can keep me from my mate ever again.”
*****
THE END
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Thank You!
Thank you so much for reading “Dragon’s Pride”!
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P.S. Stay tuned, there are more books in the “Dragon Blaze Ops” series to follow:
Dragon’s Mission (Book 1)
Dragon’s Frenemy (Book 2)
Dragon’s Pride (Book 3)
Dragon’s Prisoner (Book 4)
Dragon’s Challenge (Book 5)
Dragon’s Obsession (Book 6)
Make sure to visit my Amazon Author Page to check their availability.
Also by Jasmine Wylder
Shifter Dating Service
Accidentally married to a Dragon (Free prequel)
The Wolf’s Surprise Babies (Book 1)
Between Good and Evil (Book 2)
In Bed with the Vampire (Book 3)
The Shifter’s Fake Fiancé (Book 4)
Sold to her Enemies (Book 5)
Paranormal Friends with Benefits (Book 6)
Savage Brotherhood MC
The Complete Series (Book 1- 8)
Separated by Time
The Complete Series (Book 1 - 8)
Dragon Secrets
The Complete Series (Book 1 - 5)
Fated Bears
The Complete Series (Book 1 - 5)
Rocky Mountain Shifters
The Complete Series (Book 1 - 4)
Bound by Fate
The Vampire's Bride Awakening (Book 1)
The Vampire's Secret Baby (Book 2)
About the Author
Jasmine Wylder is a Real Estate Agent by day and an emerging Paranormal Romance Author & Adventurer by night. Hailing from California, her passion for sultry stories, steamy scenes, and all-things romance began early on and it has stayed with her ever since.
When she isn’t creating captivating storylines, Jasmine loves spending time in the great outdoors, practicing yoga, and treating herself to fine cuisine.
Whether it’s out-of-this-world love (literally), dragon shifters setting your heart ablaze, or unquenchable vampiric desire, Jasmine has you covered!
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Dragon's Pride (Dragon Blaze Ops Book 3) Page 19