Those Who Have Faith
1116 Words
Jacob POV
We’re done here.
I was seething. The absolute audacity to accuse me and then dismiss me as though I’d orchestrated this whole thing for glory! There was no evidence! I slapped an empty crystal decanter off my brand-new desk, shattering it against the wall as I let a snarl free of my throat.
They’d blamed my mate – a girl who hadn’t even wanted to be there. A girl I’d dragged through the ruins of a building to find the lost people.
I don’t want you anywhere near this investigation.
Why? When I had found the people, why not let me help search for the cause? Especially if it would clear Zahraa’s name. I picked up one of the beautiful matching tumbler glasses off the serving tray of the decanter and launched it against the wall, shattering it as I roared my frustrations.
Behind me, I heard a whistle. “I’ll do you a favor and not tell the good luna that you destroyed her promotion gift.”
I looked at the shards of the decanter. That’s right – I’d never had anything like it in my old office.
Guilt, like a base neutralizing an acid, stamped out my rage, turning it into an even uglier, muddier emotion. “Sorry, dad,” I sighed. “I just- they pulled Zahraa and I in to question us after we found those wolves. I just… can’t understand why we’re under investigation in the first place. I mean, Jared was there.”
To my surprise, dad huffed a laugh. “Son, to my understanding, that must’ve been one hell of a party. I’m sure there was no shortage of drugs and liquor. If I were Jared, I’d want somewhere to redirect the blame myself.”
I looked at him, brows furrowed. There were too many strange factors for him to truly believe that it was a party that had dragged those wolves away. What about the space that didn’t accommodate them? What about the conflicting memories, conflicting testimonies, the concussions without cause?
My eyes returned to the shards of the glass. Much like this case, there were many pieces, and they may never line up perfectly again, but there should be a way to recreate the shape. To learn what the shattered object’s true nature was.
Dad’s hand was heavy on my shoulders. “You’re not losing anything, Jacob.” There was a surprising amount of understanding in his voice when he sank into one of the chairs in front of my desk. “The promotion, the new office, the way wolves will look at you when you walk around this place – you get to keep it all. But understand that, for the record of our investigation, we needed to ask some questions about how you found those wolves. With it on the record, they can focus on a real suspect.” He scowled, “Though I wish they’d leave Miss Rogers alone.”
Miss Rogers, the head omega, pulled in only because she had a key to my office. Because a mysterious map had been left there.
I sighed, following dad’s lead and falling into my chair. At my request, they’d brought in my old, comfortable office chair to sit at my new, slightly larger desk. My upgrade even included a new plant – one of those winding money plants they put in practically everyone’s office.
I should be happy, I realized. But somehow, I wasn’t satisfied.
“Let it go, son,” dad sighed. “I came here to make sure you’re settled. After that incident, I’d like to see the factory demolition hurried along. I’m putting you in charge of assigning a crew.”
I nodded, wondering what kind of evidence might be lost if I was careless here. “Sure. Of course.”
He stood, knocked on the wood of my desk twice, then let himself out.
I only had a moment to rifle through my files (did I have maps printed anywhere else? Did those maps have the factory on them?) before Zahraa tapped lightly on the door frame and let herself in. She had a steaming mug, and I raised my brow. “I don’t usually do coffee this late in the afternoon.”
“It’s tea,” she replied, setting her small, silver serving platter on the surface of the desk, so she could lean forward and put the mug on my cup holder, offering, alongside it, a stirring spoon on a napkin, some honey and a small dish of milk. “I figured you could use something to relax you after that interrogation.”
“I’m sorry,” I blurted, standing. “They should never have handled you that way. I hate that they did.”
Her smile was soft. Accepting. The smile of someone used to being kicked that had learned to never take it too seriously. “It’s okay,” she paused only a moment before adding, “I’m okay. They need to cover every angle, and we have nothing to hide. They’ll learn that soon enough.”
Just her sweet scent in the air was enough to start soothing me. Her soft tone, her golden eyes, the way those long lashes kissed her cheeks when she blinked. All the details eradicated the remaining fury.
Zahraa believed in me.
Father believed in me.
I took a deep breath and reminded myself that Jared had always been a raging asshole, and Rowan always covered every possible scenario, looking at things through an objective lens rather than an emotional one. And at the root of it all, I’d done nothing wrong. Like Zahraa had said; we have nothing to hide.
She stood there, squeezing the serving tray as she stared me down. “Um. Jacob,” she sounded apprehensive, and it caught my attention immediately.
“Yes?”
She swallowed. “Perhaps it might take your mind off of things if you were to come over tonight? We can look through that file.”
The file.
Shit.
I’d almost told her at the factory that I didn’t have it, but we’d gotten distracted. If I admitted it now, what an ass I’d look like.
Except…
My eyes darted to the new computer. Our pack had it’s own secure database, within which her file should be floating. At my old position, I might’ve needed to go through Rowan to get it, but now, I might be able to print my own copy.
“Sure,” I said, injecting a false confidence into my words, forcing my lips to curl into a smile. “I’ll bring it by tonight.”
Goddess, I was such a liar.
- Writer
