Page 9 of Claimed (The Captain’s Captive #2)

Throughout the day, Jordan kept Trish close by his side, as he often did, but now she found the meetings he was attending much more interesting.

Before, she would try to understand the focus of the conversation, but those in the meetings often named people and places Trish was unfamiliar with, which made it hard to have any real understanding.

Now, with Cora and Trace present, the discussion had less to do with Earth and more to do with the Moon and the Wolf’s future plans, in general.

Trish probably shouldn’t think of the plans as the Wolf’s.

She was used to thinking of him as the leader of everything on Earth, since he was the only one in the spotlight, but it had become clear that those in charge on Earth used him as a distraction.

He wasn’t just a figurehead—he was powerful in his own right.

The choice to make the Wolf’s name known and surround him with mystery, intrigue, and interest seemed to be deliberate on the part of the Earthers.

That, or the interest of the Moon populace in him had started on its own, and the Earthers had taken advantage of it.

Trish could believe either.

Now, she listened to meetings about the aftermath of their successful thievery mission, and things were becoming clearer.

Cora, the Wolf, and a man named John had wanted to keep the shipment from reaching the Moon.

The new memory drug had already been used on Alex and Bella, and the Wolf said it worked despite the antidote John’s people had created for the previous memory drug.

Benson and Mirabelle led another faction on Earth that had created the memory drug in exchange for promises of new homes on the Moon, along with wealth and power. The Wolf and his allies considered them traitors—as well as stupid for thinking the Moon’s government would give them what they wanted.

Wealth and power, as well as a new home, were easy to give; respect from the other citizens of the Moon was not.

John, in particular, was vehement about the Earth’s rival leaders ‘selling out’ to the Moon; his vitriol toward Mirabelle felt personal.

Trish had heard their names before but hadn’t understood who they were or why they were important until today.

She’d been under the impression everyone on Earth hated the Moon’s people, but apparently there was a faction willing to work with them.

Trish was horrified as Cora and John shared more information.

Benson and Mirabelle had been promised prominent places on the Moon once they fulfilled their contract, and they didn’t care what happened to the Earth or their community.

They’d decimated the environment, poisoning the water and the land in their area to achieve their goals; the new drug was the latest step in their selfish bid for leaving the Earth.

John wanted the Wolf to stop selling food and clean water to Benson and Mirabelle’s people.

“If they had to face the actual consequences of what they’re doing—consequences that effected them immediately—they’d either have to start really thinking about what they’re doing or they’d just kill themselves off,” John said harshly, glaring through the vid screen at the Wolf.

“There are plenty of people working for Benson and Mirabelle who have no say in what’s happening, and who don’t deserve to suffer for their actions,” the Wolf said calmly while he examined a printout in front of him.

On his right, Jordan held Trish on his lap but kept her on the opposite side from the Wolf, so she couldn’t see what the Wolf looked at without leaning forward and drawing attention to both herself and her nosiness—neither of which she was keen to do.

“The two of them will be the last to feel any effects; it’s the innocents who will die off, first.”

“Or they’ll revolt and take out Benson and Mirabelle for us,” John argued.

This compassionate side of the Wolf was strange.

He was willing to kidnap and torment young men and women from the Moon for his own sexual pleasure, but he insisted on helping an entire populace of people he would never meet.

Even more disconcerting was that part of John’s reasoning included the accumulation of more power for those allied against Benson and Mirabelle.

If the Wolf wasn’t motivated by power, what was he motivated by?

The man was far more complex than anyone from the Moon had realized. It wasn’t just his own people he treated well and cared for, he also took care of people who could be considered his enemies.

“They don’t have much longer, anyway,” Cora said dismissively, waving her hand at the screen, where John scowled.

“I’ve had some of my people spreading the evidence of Benson and Mirabelle’s agreement with the Moon, which includes leaving the community, but not with all the people who live there, leaving them behind in a district which can no longer produce food or water and where they’re becoming sicker from the air itself.

“My reports say they’re already on the verge of revolt; now that the drug is gone and the Moon is demanding a replacement shipment, Mirabelle and Benson are going to have to stay right where they are until they can provide it.

And they’re going to have to start answering some hard questions to their people about what the reward is because all the damage they’ve done to their area makes it unlivable without outside resources.

People are becoming panicked and angry. Removing their access to the food and water we sell them will only allow Benson and Mirabelle to stir up resentment against us, rather than where it currently, and rightly, is directed. ”

John snorted. “I think you’re giving them far too much credit. They haven’t figured out on their own that Benson and Mirabelle care for nothing but themselves, despite how obvious it is.”

“Benson and Mirabelle are smarter than you give them credit for,” the Wolf said calmly.

“Which is why we continue to supply their people, so they can’t use that against us.

If we need to, we’ll send someone in to take care of the matter.

” His eyes flicked to Jordan. “But we aren’t at that point yet. ”

Trish tensed as worry rushed through her. Surely, she was just worried for herself though, right? If something happened to Jordan, what would become of her? She couldn’t possibly be worried about him for his own sake … could she?

Relief strummed through Trish as Jordan’s fingers slid over her back muscles.

He’d obviously noticed her sudden tension.

His fingers pressed into her shoulders, kneading and drawing her closer to him.

Her spine slumped as she let her head drop into his shoulder, her breathing coming out on a small sigh as he massaged her.

Across from her, next to Cora, Trace watched Trish and Jordan with obvious interest, and Trish’s muscles tensed again.

Jordan’s fingers moved up to her neck, and she closed her eyes, swallowing hard as she let him rub away her anxiousness.

He’d shown no signs of wanting to share her with any other men, no matter how interested Trace seemed to be.

If Trish begged hard enough, was upset enough, Jordan wouldn’t do it.

Unless she’d done something very, very bad.

But she hadn’t. Her pussy still throbbed from the reward he’d given her after she’d stayed away from Alex and Bella that morning.

The meeting continued as Jordan rubbed her neck and shoulders, only occasionally contributing to the discussion in that deep rumble of his.

He supported the Wolf completely in how to deal with Benson and Mirabelle’s people, which surprised everyone except the Wolf.

John grumbled about how Jordan was getting soft, implying it was Trish’s fault—though John called her ‘that girl.’ Jordan shrugged and began to massage the back of Trish’s scalp, his hand on her thigh beginning to caress her gently, leaving her to wonder if she had changed him … and how?

If it was true, she was glad. Trish didn’t like the idea of innocents being condemned because they had careless and selfish leaders.

She definitely didn’t like the idea of a man who didn’t care, which meant she didn’t like John very much and was doubly relieved Jordan didn’t agree with the cold man.

The Wolf seemed pleased at Jordan’s reversal of opinion. It made things easier for the Wolf when his own right-hand man agreed with him. Not that Jordan ever disobeyed orders, but it was easier when he and the Wolf agreed.

John was correct, in part: Trish had been the cause of Jordan’s change of heart.

After all, he’d disagreed with the Wolf about this whole plan.

He hadn’t wanted to give the Moon’s people a chance: he’d been with John on cutting them off from the Earth’s resources and letting them slowly run out of air, food, and water.

Even with the allies they had on Earth, the population on the Moon wouldn’t be able to sustain itself with just the resources from those districts.

Today the Wolf, Cora, and several others had argued otherwise, and John had been outvoted.

If John had won, if Jordan hadn’t taken Trish when he did, Trish could very well have been up on the Moon.

As an orphan without connections to anyone powerful and wealthy, she would have been among the first to die.

Jordan couldn’t help but think about that when voting now.

So, yes, Jordan had changed his mind. Because there were people on the Moon other than the leeches.

With Trish snuggled into his body, curled trustingly in his lap, Jordan was aware of everything he could have missed out on. He ran his fingers through her silken hair, enjoying her presence and the way she had relaxed on his lap while focusing on the discussion.