by Sydney Addae
Table of Contents
La Patron's Den: Jackie's Journey, Book One
Jackie's Journey
Jackie's Journey
CHAPTER ONE
CHAPTER TWO
CHAPTER THREE
CHAPTER FOUR
CHAPTER FIVE
CHAPTER SIX
CHAPTER SEVEN
CHAPTER EIGHT
CHAPTER NINE
CHAPTER TEN
CHAPTER ELEVEN
CHAPTER TWELVE
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
CHAPTER NINETEEN
CHAPTER TWENTY
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
La Patron's Den: Jackie's Journey, Book One
Sydney Addae
Copyright 2017 by Addae, Sydney
ISBN: 978-1-937334-77-2
First Edition Electronic March 2017
Published by Sydney Addae
This is a work of fiction. Names, places, characters and incidents are either the product of the author‘s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to any actual persons, living or dead, businesses, organizations, events or locales is entirely coincidental. All trademarks, service marks, registered trademarks, and registered service marks are the property of their respective owners and are used herein for identification purposes only. The publisher does not have any control over or assume any responsibility for author or third-party websites or their contents.
All rights reserved under the International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from Sydney Addae.
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Book 1 of
La Patron's Den
Jackie's Journey
When you grow up in a quasi-military compound with the knowledge that the walls and security are in place to keep you safe from your father's enemies, you dream of a day when you escape those walls.
When you grow up learning the importance and infallibility of pack, your life can take a dramatic turn when you see a different reality.
When you grow up in a stable, loving home, with family who love and will fight to the death for you, it emboldens you to live your life on your terms.
La Patron's Den is a series about Silas and Jasmine Knight's four pups: Jackie, Adam, Renee and David. Each book tells their stories as young adults embarking on new chapters of their lives.
<<<<>>>>
Jackie's Journey
Jackie accepts a job in corporate America and quickly learns the difference between working with humans and pack. Disillusioned she searches for something that interests and challenges her before accepting her sister's advice to return to the Wolf Nation to work.
Join Jackie on her journey of inner discovery and the realization that the world is not the way she imagined it to be.
This is the first book in the La Patron's Den Series.
Thanks to my Facebook group, La Patron's Den. This book celebrates all we've been through together for the past four years. Thanks for your support. Thanks to Michelle and Vicky, two great Admins. Also thanks to Vicky Z., Karen M., Sally R., Trisin C. for your continued support in the Nation.
Thanks
Sydney
CHAPTER ONE
"Last quarter we surpassed corporate projections," Smith the marketing director said in the department heads board meeting.
"Not really," Mr. Bradley, president of the company said looking across the table at Jackie. "Ms. Knight's changes in the way we positioned ourselves clearly pointed to the gains we made. Her accurate models led us to this point."
"It was a team effort," Jackie said, as heat rose to her face from the sudden attention drawn to her. In the past few months she learned corporation mentality wasn't like pack. Success wasn't celebrated throughout the halls of industry, nor did it directly benefit everyone.
Mr. Bradley waved his hand. "Yes, of course. It was your team who recognized the niche that changed the direction of the marketing campaign." He nodded, congratulating himself for taking the risk and implementing her ideas over a much more experienced marketing team. That hadn't made her any friends.
"Go on, Smith," Mr. Bradley said with a smug grin. The older man reminded her of Jacques, her grandfather and her father's closest friend with his salt and pepper hair, and mild disposition.
"That's about it. Everyone has the numbers in front of them. Overall, we're on track for another successful quarter, sales are up 20%." He sat back in his seat and looked around the table.
As the only junior executive in the meeting, Jackie didn't say anything but watched the interaction around the table. Mr. Bradley took over and presented his points. Then Mr. Johnson, a senior vice-president spoke. Kristin Scott, the only other female in the room, remained quiet while taking notes on her tablet.
Overall, Jackie would have preferred skipping this meeting. But Mr. Bradley seemed determined to keep her front and center since he personally recruited her from a Department of Defense internship where she'd been on the winning team of a strategic competition to solve an economic task. With a background in finance, business, economics, and sociology, her father deemed her overqualified for this position. But she jumped at the chance to work in corporate America.
When the meeting dismissed, Mr. Bradley singled her out to walk with him.
"I'm very proud of the job you've done so far. Do you need anything?" he asked.
Considering she worked in an office barely large enough to move around she wondered if she should ask for more space. But since most junior executives used cubicles, she remained silent on that score. "No, Sir, everything's good," she said noticing eyes on them as they moved down the corridor.
"Good. Good." Lowering his voice, he leaned close. "I have a project I want you to look at, give me some feedback. Nothing formal, just want your take on it," he said stopping in the middle of the hall, causing people to walk around them.
"Yes, Sir." She hoped it wasn't another acquisition. Last week he'd asked her opinion on a company that would require more to turn around than the packet proposed. When she'd pointed out what seemed logical to her, he claimed she had stopped the company from making a huge mistake.
Turning she left for her office.
"At least Bradley's new wonder child has a nice ass," someone whispered behind her back.
Jackie's jaw tightened but she didn't turn to see who'd made the remark. When she arrived nine months ago, and heard the first sordid whisper, it cut her to the core. She didn't understand why people made ridiculous assumptions. Once she learned jealousy ran rampant amongst co-workers and nothing she did wou
ld change their nature, she stopped caring. Closing the door to her office, she released a long breath. Working with humans was nothing like pack. Instead of being happy and supportive when her idea made the company money, the very ones she worked alongside every day stopped speaking or inviting her to join them after work.
"What're you doing?" Renee her sister asked through their mental link. One of a quad, Jackie, her sister Renee, and her two brothers, Adam and David, had a strong mental connection and spoke to each other through mental links since they were toddlers.
"Just got out of a meeting."
"Boring," Renee said.
"Yeah, it was." She paused. "Humans are weird."
"Mom's human." Renee said. "So is Aunt Renee and Grandma."
Twirling a long strand of her inky black hair, Jackie sat in her chair and spun around to face the wall. "Obviously, not all of them, maybe just the ones in Houston."
"I doubt Houston has a monopoly on selfishness."
Jackie agreed. "What's going on?" She and Renee talked every day while they both were at work. She looked forward to their conversations; it kept her from being homesick. Plus, she hadn't made any new friends here in the local pack. Being the daughter of the top Alpha in the country, La Patron, worked like a pesticide, and kept people away.
"Adam and Tomas are heading to Rome this weekend. Dad agreed he could go and play soccer with the European league. He's stoked. Matt and Davian are throwing Tomas a party to send him off."
"Awesome. He didn't tell me he made the team." Jackie wondered how Renee felt about her ex-boyfriend leaving the country. Tomas had professed his love to Renee but she, all of them, wanted the same kind of relationship their parents La Patron and Jasmine, had. They all decided to wait for their mates. No one knew the exact age or time when mates recognized each other, which put a hold on Tomas and Renee relationship from going further.
Her older brothers, and Thorne, her sister-in-law's brother met their mates in their twenties. Thorne told his sister, he and his mate hadn't immediately recognized each other. It took a couple weeks before they knew, which wasn't the case with her father or older brothers. Research on half-breeds was ongoing. There were so many variables that created anomalies.
"Adam's going over their contracts and making sure everything's above board. Daddy's helping him find a place to stay with good security," Renee said
"How much security is going with him?" Jackie asked thinking of Tango, her personal security guard chosen by Theron, the Alpha of Texas, from his personal security staff. Jackie was sure there were others watching nearby but Tango was her point of contact.
"One, I think. Adam's thoughts are scrambled right now, be glad you aren't listening in. David shut him out, telling him to get it together."
Jackie smiled. David was the fourth in their quad and the easiest going of the four of them. She missed her brothers and sister but her determination to find her place in the world and make a difference took her outside the Wolf Nation. "I'm happy for him... and Tomas. You okay?"
"Yeah. I made peace with the idea we may not be mates and so did he. This is a good move for him, for both of us. I'll miss him, but who knows? The next time we see each other things may be different." Renee paused. "Are you ready to give up your quest of helping humans?"
Jackie smiled. "I'm human, Mama's just as much a part of me as Daddy."
"True but we don't have much experience dealing with our human nature. Is it hard?"
"Yes, because we were raised with the one for all mentality. Pack protects, provides and nurtures pack. Nobody's hungry, cold or naked. Out here, maybe it's because there are so many, they don't look out for each other." She thought of the halfway house and other charities she supported financially. "Some do, but not enough. They aren't taught benevolence as children and it shows when they become adults."
"Every time I ask that question, I keep hoping for a different answer."
"Me too, that's why I don't mind you asking. It helps keep me grounded. I want to make a difference," Jackie said.
"In somebody's bank account?" Renee asked in a dry tone.
Jackie winced. "Before you go off on my choice of working in a corporation again, remember I interned for three years with Cain and Abel at the Pentagon as a military strategist. By the time I graduated I wanted something different."
"Different you got," Renee muttered. "Still can't believe Mama talked Daddy into letting you take the job. I think it had a domino effect. Nionis moved to Knoxville to work and Pierre moved to Charleston, started his own business."
"Really? I hadn't heard." Nionis and Pierre's father, Cameron, was Alpha of West Virginia and her dad's godson. Cameron and his mate, Lilly, adopted seven pups and gave birth to another four. Academically brilliant, Pierre had been in a wheelchair as long as she knew him. For him to move out was major. "What's Nionis doing?"
"Something to do with teaching, I'm not sure. We aren't as close as the two of you. She left last week, I just found out today when Mama told Cameron about Adam."
"I'll call Mama tonight," Jackie said suddenly wanting to hear her mom's voice again.
"It would be awesome if we could mind-link with her," Renee said.
Since they had discussed their inability to link with their mother several times since leaving home for college, and it never changed, Jackie didn't have much to say about it. As a human breeder, their mom mind linked with two people, their father and Asia, her best friend.
"Yeah." Jackie spun around at the tap on her door. "Someone's here, hold tight," she told Renee.
"Come in," she said inhaling and then wrinkled her nose as the door opened.
"Got a minute?" Kristin Cross, a senior marketing manager asked as she stepped inside, closing the door behind her.
"Sure," Jackie said waving to one of the chairs in front of her desk. "Cross is back. Wonder what game she's playing today," she told Renee.
"What color is she wearing?" Renee asked.
"Red jacket, black skirt," Jackie told Renee while waiting for Kristin to speak.
"First let me say how happy I am to have someone with your education and abilities on our team. You made us all look really good this morning in the meeting. As the only other female on the executive board, I appreciate it. Especially with you being so young." She shook her head.
"Power colors," Renee said. "I'm sure you have on some sort of blue."
"Blue dress. She played the woman card and then hit me with being too young," Jackie told her sister. "Deceit's rolling off her in waves."
"What does she want?" Renee asked.
"Thank you," Jackie said politely.
"Mr. Bradley has several projects he's been looking at." Kristin looked at Jackie. "Last week you gave your opinion on one of them. May I ask what barometers you based your decision?"
"Excuse me?" Kristin had to know she was out of line asking about Mr. Bradley's project.
The older woman's nostril's flared and Jackie realized just how much the woman disliked her. Leaning back, she watched as Kristin pulled it together.
"We, my staff and I, worked countless hours on that project. It seemed solid, yet Bradley rejected it. I just learned he did it because of your report." She rubbed her hand against her skirt and crossed her leg. "You can imagine I'm confused what you saw that we missed."
Jackie told Renee what Kristin said while clicking keys on her keyboard.
"Haters hate. If you can tell her without getting in trouble, go ahead. You're there to make the world a better place. Start with her," Renee said.
"Should I ask Mr. Bradley first?" Jackie asked Kristin ignoring Renee's advice. "From time to time he has me look over sensitive material and I'm not sure what I'm allowed to share."
Kristin's gaze locked with Jackie's for a brief moment and she realized she had just made an enemy. Damn. Drama wasn't why she decided to leave the Pentagon and do this kind of work.
"I came to you as a co-worker trying to learn, but I see you're not the team player I thoug
ht you were," Kristin said, her eyes hard. "I'm sure Mr. Bradley will apprise me of the problem with that project eventually, but..." She stood and pointed at Jackie. "We lost a good man because that project's been canceled. He had a family, a daughter around your age in college. Think about that while sitting in this office."
"Why would I think about someone I don't know?" Resentment flowed through Jackie. "If my findings in the project were wrong, Mr. Bradley would've taken it to the next step. Don't blame me for doing my job --"
"Killing my projects is not your job," Kristin said stiffly. "You're here to work on marketing strategies. Not review complicated business plans that have been signed off with people with higher degrees and more experience than you could ever accomplish."
Anger flared in her chest. Clenching and unclenching her hand, she held Kristin's gaze until the woman looked away. A few moments later, Jackie wrote the problem she found in the canceled project on a piece of paper and slid it across the desk. "That's what I found."
Kristin snatched up the paper and read it. Several expressions flew across her face, the last being shock. "How'd you come up with this?"
"Give it to those higher minds to figure out," Jackie snapped as she pointed at the woman. "Don't ever tell me who I am or what I can or cannot do. You don't know me at all. That's a one-time gift, take your fake smiles and false words and get out of here. If you ask me anything like this again I will refuse to review the next project for Mr. Bradley and tell him you're the reason why."
Kristin's jaw tightened but a flash of admiration chased by fear rolled through her gaze. "You're golden right now, but you'll mess up soon. Pretty things like you always do."
Tired of being nice, Jackie stood and sat on the corner of her desk bringing their gazes even. "Haters hate. Do your job, I'll do mine. The day that changes is the day I walk out the door, head high to the next assignment. I've given you what you came for, now get the hell out of here."
