17 17. Sweet Challenge

Pieter nodded at Jerome and they both appeared on either side, just behind her. They both scowled at Kasey who paled at seeing the future Alpha and future Beta with their arms crossed looking displeased. He weakly greeted the Alpha pair and said good night. He turned around and went back on patrol.

"How often does he do that?" Pieter asked seemingly curious.

Gabriella shrugged, "This is the third time. He walked me home from the last dance party I was at last week and I can't get rid of him. He's so not my type."

Jerome snorted, "Gabriella, you're 11. Your type should be seventh graders. I would be seriously worried if you had interests in anyone done with high school. So would your mother. I think she's waiting for you to say good night." Jerome gently hinting at the phone she'd left on the kitchen counter.

That night Jerome and Pieter had waited until Aunt Ramona got back from her rounds at the hospital. Jerome had no idea that just a few months later he would find himself in a very awkward position regarding Gabriella Hemingford. Doctor Hemingford had thanked them and offered them a meal but they had declined and gone to the Pack House kitchen to fill their stomachs.

Jerome woke up from his short nap wondering why he had dreamt of that memory, in particular. He looked at his watch, he was supposed to be meeting with his team in an hour. He stretched, his muscles were still a bit stiff from his thunder tumble with DW.

He smiled, at least she was still in his dreams, he would have her in his arms soon. And now that his best friend had found his mate he didn't have to feel guilty for being happy. He checked his phone, Pieter had forwarded a picture of a pouting Gabriella.

Reading the message that it went with he saw that she hadn't been able to come to the club because Maltsev had made a house call to Tony's penthouse. She hinted that she missed her favorite clients, Jerome and Pieter. She signed XO. Pieter had joked that he knew the kiss was for him. Jerome texted back that he dared Pieter to say that while Michaela was there.

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Jerome looked at his team. DW was missing and a grin fleetingly crossed his face. He snapped back into Unit Leader mode the smile disappearing almost as if it had never been.

He sighed happily knowing his Beta was with the woman he'd been so sure he'd never meet. The rest of the team looked like they had partied hard. If it were only his pack members they would be on the mats in the gym.

"Good morning everyone. I trust you've had at least five hours of sleep each." He spoke as he walked past the three rows of his unit.

Each row had his team equally spaced, their hands behind their backs, feet shoulder-width apart looking directly at him. It was an informal meeting so their stance was correct. Their attention was solely on him.

"Yes, Sir." They answered as one.

"Good. You all did well yesterday. There is, however, more that needs to be done." His gaze swept over the entire group before he focused his attention on one young lady.

"Surveillance, you need to crack Tony's personal living space. I want every room of that penthouse under our observation." He told her.

She smiled, "You got it Chief!" She looked up at him and nodded sharply.

"Good." Jerome turned to a blond male. His skin was so white it was almost translucent. His veins could be seen on his forearm. His eyelashes and beard were platinum blond tight curls.

"Tactical, I want you liaising with everyone on the next move. You are to carry out the next phase, no changes."

The blond nodded. "Yes, Sir."

"No hesitancy, Thabang. We are dealing with criminals and their victims. No sympathy until you know which side they are on. That goes for everyone."

Thabang's spine straightened a bit more. "Yes, Sir."

"The rest of you wrap up your reconnaissance reports. Yes, I know they are not done. Everything needs to be submitted before lunch. Dismissed."

"Where's De Wit? The fucker keeps slacking. I swear shifters are run by their organs. He had one of the nurses on the wall a few minutes ago." One of the human males spoke in disgust.

"You got something against shifters, Jack?" Jerome asked almost uninterested.

Jack shrugged, "Not really, they just seem to always want to have their dicks wet or their walls coated."

"Always?" Jerome asked softly.

His pack members eyed Jerome warily. Thabang looked ready to run interference if necessary. The tension in the room rose.

"Okay, fine not always but isn't one of the reasons we're here now is because we're hunting for Pieter's Alpha's mate? The pussy can't be that good to risk our lives and the guy who it matters to the most is probably getting his dick wet."

"So you're okay with a girl who got kidnapped at 16 being in the hands of sex traffickers? What about the unlucky 12 to 18-year-olds we rescued yesterday? Did you see the condition of those girls?" Jerome asked softly. Anger rolled off of him in small waves.

"No, of course not! Those girls need to be rescued! I'm talking about a grown-ass man who clearly couldn't protect one woman and the only plus point of this is that we're saving these girls."

Jerome nodded. "How old is Diamond?"

Jack shrugged, "I don't know, 28? She's got two master's degrees so she can't be that young."

Jerome nodded. He turned away from Jack. He twisted his neck left and right. He looked at one of his pack members. "How old is Diamond?"

"Um, she's turning 17 today, Sir." The answer was softly given.

Jerome's hands clenched into fists. "And how old was she when she was kidnapped?" His voice was soft.

"J-just before she turned 16, Sir." The answer was hesitantly given by one of the female warriors.

"So, how long has that child been pretending to be an adult to survive?" Jerome asked, even though they all knew the answer.

Jerome nodded as if he was thinking about it. "DW, how long has your Alpha known that this girl was his mate?"

Pieter walked into the room, "Since she was 12, Sir."

"Does she know she's his mate?"

"She won't know for another year, Sir. If I may ask, what's going on? Did something happen to G-Diamond?"

"Jack, don't open your mouth. Pieter will rip you into shreds and he's too damn fine a Beta to rot in jail." Jerome warned. "You're dismissed Jack, go see Commander Weiss about a re-assignment."

"What?! Because I called out a weak Alpha who couldn't protect his mate? No man, where the fuck was he when she was kidnapped?! What the fuck is he doing to save her huh?" Jack threw a chair across the room.

Jack walked up to Pieter, "Besides man, what the fuck do you know about it? You've been here for almost five years. Why didn't your Alpha come here with you instead of being a pedophile with a 12-year old?"

Jack turned to the other team members. "How are you guys okay with this? That Alpha has got to be at least 25 by now. That's disgusting."

"Jack, I issued an order. Leave." Jerome ordered firmly as he sat at a desk with a laptop.

"No, I'm sick of his shit 'Ro. He's fucking clueless. He'll get us killed." Pieter grabbed Jack and sat him in a chair. "Don't fucking move."

Jack snorted and tried standing up. When his body failed to follow what his mind wanted it to do he glared at Pieter. "What the fuck? This makes even less sense. How can you be so powerful as a Beta and your Alpha a wimp?

Pieter snarled, his eyes flickering between his normal eye color and True Nature. "Don't you dare disrespect my Alpha!" His voice boomed. "He may tolerate your bullshit but you can miss me with that."

Jack laughed derisively. "That piece of shit should be here. Not making you do his work. It's his fucking mate. Do you guys realize how lucky you are? You have no doubts when you meet her while we hope that we're getting it right."

Pieter glared at the clueless human. "It's a blessing we are privileged to have. I don't know how my Alpha has been strong for 5 years. I met my mate last night and she's MINE. If she wasn't on shift later I'd still be with her."

"I told you he was getting his dick wet," Jack smirked at Jerome.

A growl reverberated in the room. It was an Alpha pair harmonic. It was a warning.

Jack looked at Pieter confused. "How the fuck did you do that? That was harmonic. You can't do that unless your Alpha is here."

Pieter sighed. "You are an idiot. When I joined I told you that I was here with my Alpha, right?" Jack nodded. "He's still here."

"But you said he went home to go be with his mate."

"Yes, two years ago and he's back," Pieter told him.

A collective groan came from the Bluemoon pack members.

"Oh shit...Jack, say you're sorry." One of the girls on the team shot him a look.

"What-"

Jerome stood up. The entire room tensed. Jerome glared at his Beta.

"Jack, you don't want to work under a weak Alpha, right?" Jerome asked with a bitter smile.

"You're not getting rid of me."