Check out all the chapters by clicking HER(fix)E
CHAPTER FIVE: WOLF MOON - PART TWO
Dawn looked around the bustling precinct worriedly. They’d been in the county — not their local, but the county — precinct for over two hours. She still wasn’t sure whether it was good or bad that Tucker had regained consciousness before the cops had come. On the one hand, once Tucker had woken up, he’d been spitting mad, doing and saying absolutely anything to get a rise out of Russ. By the time the cops arrived, she and Freddy had been trying to hold the two apart to varying degrees of success.
But, on the other hand, she was glad that Tucker wasn’t seriously injured. Not because she was particularly worried about his well-being. She liked to think she wasn’t the type of person who necessarily wished anyone harm but, especially after Tucker’s actions in her apartment tonight, she certainly wasn’t terribly concerned over his condition either. No, it was more that she was worried about Russ, hoping like hell he didn’t get into trouble. Because of her.
She’d tried to explain what had happened to the cops at the apartment, but it was hard to convince them that the injured human was the threat and not the snarling werewolf. They’d looked at her like they thought she’d lost her mind. Even the elderly man from apartment management had looked like he’d been waiting for the day Russ finally snapped and attacked a resident. Even now, Dawn’s fists clenched as she remembered how he’d been more worried about lawsuits and insurance claims than either her or Russ. The way the obsequious man had bent and scraped to kiss Tucker’s smug ass infuriated her.
With an irritated snort, she paced in the tiny cubicle space the cops had left her in, after taking her statement, and glared at the officers and staff just milling about the precinct. The cop who’d interviewed her had told her that she’d be right back more than an hour ago.
“Scowling won’t make anyone move any faster;” Grace told her from the chair next to her, “it’ll just give you more wrinkles.”
Dawn frowned and fought the urge to pace the tiny, cramped cube. “I just want to know where they took him.” The last she saw of Russ, five officers had hauled him, surrounded and handcuffed, into the back room. Like he was some kind of criminal. Russ hadn’t even been resisting. Had it really been necessary to treat him so roughly? “I just don’t understand why I can’t see him.”
“They’re questioning him,” Grace said calmly, even as she studied the officers suspiciously. “They want to make sure that his story matches ours. I’m sure they’ll let him go, once they’re done.” She shook her head. “Or at least once Garrett gets here. He’ll straighten this out. Don’t you worry.”
Dawn’s brow furrowed. “What can Garrett do? He wasn’t even there?”
Grace tutted at her. “You don’t watch enough news.” She shook her head. “The werewolf packs are among the most organized groups in the magical community, due to their hierarchical structure. So, when it became clear that the best way to protect themselves in the less combative and more litigious modern world was to lawyer-up, the packs did. It’s why, of the magical community, werewolves enjoy both more freedoms from and protections within the laws than most.”
Dawn hadn’t known that. “So Garrett can help, once he gets here?” That was good. She frowned. Then where was he?
Grace simply sighed at Dawn’s impatience and patted her arm sympathetically. “He’s been called, but I imagine he’ll wait on actually arriving until his pack’s lawyers can be present.”
Dawn could understand that, but it seemed to be taking forever. When Garrett and three other imposing figures finally showed up, Grace had to tug on Dawn’s arm to keep her in the partitioned box, instead of marching off after the group. Grace gave her a slight shake of her head.
Dawn knew Grace was right. This was pack business. And, Lord knew, that suited-up group did not look like the type anyone should mess with.
But this was about Russ. And, pack or not — right or not — damnit, he felt like her business. About to say so, Dawn stopped instantly — instinctively — when Garrett lifted his head, sniffed, and turned to look over his shoulder. At her. She took a step back as his golden eyes, a shade or two darker than Russ’s, seemed to almost glow as he studied her, his expressionless face giving none of his thoughts away.
A supremely capable-looking woman next to him on her phone, looked up from her screen to look where her client was staring. Her cool blue eyes hardened as she looked Dawn up and down before leaning close to Garrett to whisper in his ear. Garrett simply nodded before turning again to walk through the precinct, where suddenly alert and conscientious cops waved and welcomed the group through.
Dawn backed behind the cubicle walls, dazed. What was that about?
READ PART THRE(fix)E
WANT MORE?
No comments:
Post a Comment