She waved a hand dismissively, an air of lazy, mischievous charm returning to her features. "My shift is over. I'm going to grab breakfast with my Patron, of course."
Patron.
The moment that word hung in the air, Jerrick's brow furrowed aggressively, and the temperature in the corridor seemed to instantly plummet.
Before he knew she was Serena, every time she mentioned 'The Sterling Sovereign', it had ignited a completely irrational spark of annoyance in him.
Especially whenever he saw the two of them glued to each other.
Holding hands, leaning in close.
It was a massive eyesore.
But back then, The Panacea had just been a business partner his sister had planted on the ship.
He couldn't even figure out why it pissed him off so much.
He had just assumed he detested the woman's methods.
She was brilliant and lethal, yet she never shut up about some man.
Now, he finally understood exactly where that irritation came from.
Because this was his little sister!
This was pure, unadulterated brotherly instinct kicking in!
The more Jerrick thought about it, the darker his expression became.
Especially when he remembered that this 'Sterling Sovereign' guy had been practically glued to her side the entire trip.
The jealousy and protectiveness flared up, sharp and vicious.
Who the hell was this Sterling Sovereign anyway?
Was he another operative she had hired to play a role?
No... impossible.
Someone with The Sterling Sovereign's status and capital wouldn't be playing pretend for his sister.
And if it was just an act... what was with that suffocating, incredibly natural intimacy between them?
That impenetrable bubble they shared—he knew that vibe all too well.
It was the exact same way she acted with Nicholas Blackwood back in Vaelion City. Just thinking about Nicholas made Jerrick's expression turn even more murderous.
Perfect.
Back in Vaelion City, Nicholas was constantly hovering around her.
Now on Project Zero-Transit, this Sterling Sovereign suddenly pops out of nowhere.
Why was it that no matter where she went, there was always some guy swarming around his sister?!
A dark, barely contained hostility radiated from Jerrick.
Standing across from him, Serena caught every micro-expression that flickered through his eyes.
Weird. This was getting seriously weird.
Why was this wolf acting so entirely out of character today?
"Captain Fenris?" she asked, her bright eyes narrowing in confusion.
Jerrick snapped back to reality. Meeting her amused gaze, the words on the tip of his tongue forcefully swallowed down .net>
He wasn't Jerrick Lancaster right now; he was Fenris.
He couldn't blow his cover.
And he certainly had zero authority to tell her to stay the hell away from The Sterling Sovereign.
Ultimately, he had no choice but to
forcefully suppress his rage.
Keeping his face rigid, he spoke in a
frigid tone. "The situation in Whitecliffe Harbor is volatile. If
Obsidian Sun chose it as the
ultimate drop point for Specimen
Fourteen, it won't be a simple
handover."
FindNovel.net
"I strongly suggest you don't put your safety entirely in someone else's hands."
Serena, who had been about to walk away, paused once more.
Her eyes glinted with intrigue as she turned back, studying the man with deep amusement. "Oh?"
She smiled. "Don't put it in someone else's hands?"
Tilting her head slightly, her dark, clear eyes locked onto his. "And
whose hands do you think show met
place it in, Captain Fenris?
Then, she dragged out the syllables playfully, "Yours?"
Jerrick was speechless.
The word *absolutely* nearly slipped past his lips, catching agonizingly hard in his throat.