Page 25 of Change

Now there wasabsolutelyno way I wasn’t going to be working with Ms. Protean. I’d love to see Brycetryto stop me.

Ms. Protean was in a meeting when I arrived.

I could hear their argument from down the hallway—which didn’t bode well for secrecy. But then again, it seemed empty today outside of me and them.

“You have a responsibility!” A woman’s voice drifted from Ms. Protean’s cracked door. “You’re still an officer, aren’t you?”

“I am,” Ms. Protean replied. “But I’m still not certain what you’re expecting from me.”

“I need you to come with me andbean Alpha!” Ms. Protean’s visitor half-pleaded. “This entire situation reeks of wolf involvement and I need help.”

“If you need a wolf, then maybe you should ask Mr. Fernandez, heisMr. Ducharme’s Jiangjun, and he’s far younger than me. He’ll ‘out-Alpha’ anyone you need, as you so aptly put it.”

By this point, I’d made it to the door and peeked through into the conversation taking place inside. I almost felt bad for spying, but not really. There was really no way neither of them didn’t know I was here—Ms. Protean had called me to come,andshe was a shifter. I wasn’t sure who her guest was, but I was guessing probably another shifter from the way the woman was pacing the room and glancing toward the door. She wore a beige pant suit that complimented her dark skin, and high, maroon heels. I’d only ever seen such masterful control of stilettoes during runways shows, and instantly, I was jealous. But my envy was short lived, turned into shocked alarm, when she stopped suddenly, pointing at me with a violent motion.

“Is that okay?” she asked Ms. Protean.

I stepped back, my skin flushing at being so boldly called out, and fumbled forward, creaking open the door and peeking inside. “Hi…” I felt so stupid as the dark-eyed woman studied me, and her features pointed in concentration.

“Bianca, meet Ada Sartore.” Ms. Protean was studying a paper on her desk and didn’t even look up at my arrival. “Ms. Sartore is Mr. Ducharme’s Tongjun. She’s the Alpha of the hyena pack and our client today.”

Client?

The blood rushed to my head as my cheeks grew hot. She had already expected that I’d come.

I felt so honored.

Ada rounded on Ms. Protean. “So youarehelping me? Then what was all this?” she asked, waving her hand in a circle.

“It’s a lesson in learning to relax,” Ms. Protean said, shuffling her papers. “I figured you’d tire yourself out until you were forced to stop worrying, then we could have a rational discussion.”

I frowned. Rational discussion… Just like the one that Uncle Gregory wanted to have with me.

Ada seemed far from relaxed. “Mr. Ducharme is about to have myhead. I’ll only be able to relax once we stop the leak in Jinshu Security. I’ve already gone through the hyenas, but Iknowthere’s wolf involvement.”

“So again, I ask, why not go to Mr. Fernandez?” Ms. Protean was frowning at the hyena shifter. “He’s even onsite. Unless you suspect him?”

“Mr. Fernandez?” I couldn’t help but ask—his name seemed familiar.

“Matheus Fernandez,” Ms. Protean responded. “I believe you’ve briefly met. He was shot during the Daniel Cole situation.”

“Oh.” I twisted my hands in front of me. I still felt bad about that—it’d been my fault after all. The last I’d seen the burly man, he’d been laying—in wolf form—in his own blood while Bryce was passed-out at the table. “Is he okay now?”

Ada’s attention snapped to me and she lifted her chin, nostrils flaring. “Guilt?” she asked. “You’re the little fae he was trying to protect.” She let out a long breath, brow furrowing, and her appraising stare kept me rooted in place. “Why does your scent seem familiar?”

“Ada, meet Bianca Dubois.” Ms. Protean moved around her desk until she was at my side. The older woman seemed taller than I remembered, but then again, she wasn’t leaning on her walking stick at the moment. “She is my assistant and will be helping me with this case.”

“Dubois…” Ada’s eyes narrowed, and I could see the wheels in her head turning. “The Dubois family has no younger women.”

“She’s married to Bryce,” Ms. Protean said lightly. “They’re newlyweds.”

Ada’s distrustful stare grew harsher, and she stepped forward, obviously inspecting me. “That’s even more suspicious.”

“Why?” I breathed, and it wasn’t until she raised her eyebrow that I realized I’d even spoken out loud.

“You’re not his type—least, not that I’m aware of. But heisfull of surprises.” She snatched her gold clutch from the seat of Ms. Protean’s worn leather chair. “Now there’s something else for me to worry about,” she was grumbling. “That idiot is up to something, I swear. Where’s Xavier?”

MyXavier? If he’d kept the same schedule, he should be in French class right now. I opened my mouth to respond, but she brushed past me, addressing only Ms. Protean as she looked back. “I’ll set up a meeting.”