Free Perfect Reflection by Jana Leigh Page A

feel safe. Benny came in and saw Vander sitting on
the couch. Vander got up and shook Benny’s hand telling him to have
a seat.
    Vander knew that Jewel was having a hard time with
this. Her face must have given away something, because Vander asked
for her. “Benny, why are you here?”
    “Why? I thought it was obvious, once I actually
opened the file my men gave me I had to come, Jewel, he looks just
like Josh. I mean it was clear to me you would struggle with this,
or suspected him of homicide, fucking right I would come here to
help you,” Benny said with a shrug and then looked at the partners
and grimaced. “What aren’t you telling me?”
    “Retten Wexford and Lex Doyle are her mates.” Vander
raked his fingers through his hair. “Look, I know I don’t know too
much about mates, but I do know they are all going nuts. You were
right, she needs you, to knock her upside the head,” said
Vander.
    Benny looked at Jewel sharply and then back to her
partner, “What the fuck are you talking about?”
    “When I opened the packet on the airplane I just
knew. Then in the airport it was confirmed by their scents, they
are my mates. We have looked at Ret, and he had strong alibis for
two of the murders, we are having them checked out, but I think he
is being set up,” Jewel said forcefully and stood, she was
confused, so many things happening that didn’t make sense.
    “Listen, you know when you find your mate that is it.
You have two, so what. They are not going to be patient forever
though, you need to figure out what is going on and quickly. Who
would want to set up Ret?” Benny said and sat back.
    “A lot of people,” Lex said from the balcony doorway
and they all turned. “Including you, Benny.”
    Jewel looked at the two men in surprise, no way,
what the hell were they talking about ? She never heard Benny
say anything about the NYC Pack or it’s Alpha. She watched as the
men entered the room and took a seat on either side of her, like
they had already claimed her. She went to stand and both of them
gripped her thigh.
    “Benny?” Jewel growled.
    “I was a member of the NYC Pack before I moved to
Atlanta. My father was the Beta of the Pack and I was supposed to
take his place,” Benny said slowly and looked at the two men
without flinching. Jewel could feel the power in the room and
waited. “However, when Ret was named as Alpha, he chose Lex. I
moved on and became the Beta of the Atlanta Pack until I joined the
Elders.”
    “You stated in front of the entire pack that you were
going to make sure I paid for the snub,” Ret said smoothly.
    “I think maybe you are thinking too highly of
yourself. Once I left, I didn’t care,” Benny said smoothly and then
looked into Ret’s eyes. “I still don’t care. If she needs my help
though, I will give it to her.”
    Both men growled at the older man and waited. Jewel
put a hand on their thighs, looked at them both, and made a sound.
“He is like a father to me, let it go.”
    Ret turned to her, breaking the eye contact with the
other wolf and he sighed, “Fine, whatever, listen it is late, we
have a lot of shit to talk about. I can’t find my secretary, so I
have to run into the office to grab the file. Lex and I are staying
on this floor also, in the room down the hall.”
    Benny nodded and said, “Me, too, let’s take the night
and come at this fresh in the morning, shall we?”
    Jewel nodded and looked at the men around her, fuck, two friends and two mates, all thinking they knew what
was best for her. Well, they could piss off, when she got them out
of the room she would do what she did best. She was going to make
her murder board, and try to connect some dots that seem to be
flashing in her mind but would not connect.
    “Come on, Jewel, let’s get you back in bed.” Lex
hugged Jewel, rubbing up and down her back. Jewel let him help
her.
    Ret stood and held out his hand, Jewel looked at it,
sighed, and allowed them to lead her to the doorway to