Fated for Forever(44)

until he was staring at the ceiling. Ashby wacked Gabriel on the chest to everyone’s surprise.

“For starters you can stop trying to take care of everything. Do you hear yourself? You’re trying to

manage an entire race, a coven and multiple businesses. I don’t care how old you are, that’s just impossible.

Start letting your coven support you more. Turn over all regional coven meetings to Roman. He can handle

more than being your personal assistant. Have Daniel and David create an online feedback forum so that

coven members across the globe can reach out to you. Have them create a program that filters for keywords

that would indicate an urgent matter. They can also create a program that can correlate all the missing shifter

information that you have and spit out next victim possibilities or how they are all related. Reach out to

Arkadia for assistance. Rebecca Arkadion is a literal genius. She can probably give you fresh perspectives

since she isn’t biased one way or another despite being mated to Aleks, and I can help with the coven.”

Ashby finished up his minirant, breathlessly making eye contact with the men in the room. Roman scowled,

Rhys looked nervous, Mikhail’s lips were twitching, and Gabriel stared down at him a look of pure shock

on his face.

“It’s what I would do.” Ashby stared down at the desk wondering if he had gone too far. He looked up

and was about to apologize when Gabriel laid a finger on his lips.

“Roman, you’re in charge of all intercoven relations including the organization and running of the

covens on a regional, national and global scale.” Roman started to sputter, unable to form complete

sentences.

“I know you prefer to stay in the background, but Ashby is right, I’ve held you back long enough.”

Roman dropped his head to his desk and repeatedly began to pound his head against the shiny wood.

Gabriel reached down and pressed the intercom button for the twins.

“David, Daniel, I need you to create an online program that will allow me to manage and communicate

with coven members around the world. I also want you to work with Mikhail while he’s here to compile the

information that we have gathered concerning the drug ring and murders and see if there are any patterns.”

Gabriel smiled down at Ashby, who was staring back at him with wide eyes.

“Will Mikhail try to kill us…again?” Daniel asked timorously. Gabriel looked up and raised an eyebrow

at his old friend. Mikhail sighed.

“I’ll try not to,” he said flatly.

“You’ll be fine,” Gabriel said as he released the button. He removed his finger from Ashby’s lips.

“Ashby, would you please assist me in the running of this coven?” he asked. Ashby could only nod.

“Even if that means moving here?” Gabriel asked, and he could see the uncertainty creep into Ashby’s

eyes.

“We’ll figure something out,” Ashby said hesitantly.

“Gabriel, since it’s the first day for you to be on your feet, might I suggest you and Ashby go lie down

and take a nap? Both of you have been through a lot in the past couple days. I think Roman might want to

have his breakdown in private,” Baptista said from the doorway, jerking his head toward Roman who was

still pounding his head on his desk and muttering.

“Excellent idea,” Gabriel said, taking Ashby’s hand.

“Ready for a nap, mon ange?” Gabriel asked.

“With you? Always.” Gabriel wrapped his arm around Ashby’s waist as they walked toward the door.

“Rhys, can I ask that you also take on a new responsibility? Could you help me to identify problems

that our coven members may be reluctant to share with me? Possibly act as a liaison?”

“If you think I could help, then I will do whatever you need.”

“Do you need me to do anything?” Mikhail asked dryly.

“Yeah, don’t kill the twins.”





* * * *



“Are you not happy here?” Gabriel asked after he closed the door to their apartment.

“I love it here! Everyone has been wonderful…it’s just…it’s not home to me. I miss my apartment, my

shop and my friends,” Ashby said, sitting down on the black leather couch. Gabriel walked over and sat

next to him, pulling him close.

“We can have your things shipped here, maybe it would feel more like home if you were surrounded by

your own things,” Gabriel suggested. Ashby looked around at the immaculate, museum-like apartment and

shook his head.

“My things wouldn’t look right here. Some of my things are silly.”

“We can completely redecorate the apartment, gut it and design it anyway you would like,” Gabriel