77
Lucy
After I told the man that, the session got a little awkward, and he hurried through getting me out with a disgruntled look on his face. I was glad to be out and even happier that I had sad something. I smiled at the thought. I had changed a lot in just this little bit of time. A few weeks ago, I wouldn’t have said anything.
Just like she promised, Araya was there when I was done with my evaluation. There wasn’t an admission’s person available at the moment, so I had to wait a little while, but the more I thought about it, the more assured I felt.
“Who pissed you off?” Araya asked, tilting her head as I grew closer.
I sank into the seat beside her. “I… The evaluator wasn’t very nice.”
Araya snorted. “They almost never are. What’d he say?”
I sighed. “He… said that because I’m a werewolf I won’t want anything but to find my mate and have children.”
I clenched my hands in my lap. “I don’t want children.”
Araya let out a low whistle. “What a jackass. Probably been snubbed by a werewolf before, or he’s a werewolf and really subscribes to that nonsense. I’d go with the first one. Don’t take it to heart… To be fair, a lot of the supernatural society knows that werewolves tend to indoctrinate their people from a young age, and they’ve pissed off so many people on the whole that no one’s really interested in pulling their heads of their asses.”
“You mean, they just let them do what they want?” I asked.
She shrugged. “It’s not a perfect system, but the unspoken rule is that if they’re too busy destroying themselves, they can’t try to cause trouble with other people.”
“Is that really a big problem?”
She grinned. “Well, werewolves are the ones who nearly revealed the existence of the supernatural to humans… Partially the reason for the Salem Witch Hunts.” She paused. “You do know what I’m talking about right?’
I shook my head. “I… don’t know much about history.”
“Long story short: werewolves decided to start shit with witches: stealing potions, giving them to humans, biting humans to try and make more of them. They caused a huge fight and the humans freaked out. No actual witch was hurt, but it cause a lot of unnecessary death and the werewolves still didn’t get what they wanted.”
“What did they want?”
“Some people say it’s territory. Others say it was magic. It really doesn’t matter what they wanted so much that they were too bone-headed to try and ask and negotiate for it.” She shook her head. “You’ll find that the blanket understanding of werewolves is that they want something, they’re going to demand it and they shouldn’t be humored.”
I shuddered. “I didn’t grow up around werewolves. Will… people think I’m that kind of person too?”
“Some,” she said. “But a lot of people know better than to judge a person by their species…. Getting trained by the Hecate Coven will go a long way towards making sure no one heaps all that on you. And you’re luckier than most. Breaking away from that conditioning is so hard,” she shook her head. “Well, what’s next?”
“The admissions councilor.”
She nodded. “Any idea about what you might want to go in for?”
“Magical law enforcement.”
She let out a low whistle. “We could use more women on the force.”
She grinned. “And who knows what’s lurking behind that restraint. You might be a total badass.”
I looked up at her. “There aren’t a lot of women in magical law enforcement?”
She hummed. “Not as many on the front lines anyway. Most women in the field are in office positions, paperwork, etc. unless they’re witches. Shifters on the whole have a weird sense about who can do what kinds of jobs.”
I nodded. “Humans are kind of like that too.”
“I know. Makes you wonder how they get off calling humans beneath them when they act just as bad or worse.”
She chuckled as the door opened and I saw Dagon walking in. He stopped, frowned and turned to look right at me before smiling and coming towards me.
“Miss Graves,” he said warmly. “What an interesting way to see you again.”
“Hi,” I said. “It’s… good to see you again too.”
“Officer Willow,” Dagon nodded.
Araya’s eyes went wide. She shot up and saluted him. Dagon winced and waved his hand.
“Please, less formality. I’m not even your commanding officer.”
She lowered her hand, looking a little antsy. “I didn’t realize you knew who I was…”
“Nonsense. You’re a bit of a celebrity among your class,” he said. “Especially after your takedown of the Jensen brothers. Amazing work.”
“Thank you, sir.”
He shook his head and looked at me. “How are you?”
I nodded. “I’m doing better. They gave me an anchor to help and I’m here to register for classes…”
I frowned. “I thought you were a liaison?”
“I am, but part of my job is also in enforcement. I’m not as on the frontlines as I used to be because of my liaison position.” He shrugged.
I tilted my head. “You mean… If I became a law enforcer, I could end up being a liaison?”
His eyes widened. “You have an interest in law enforcement?”
I shuffled my feet. “I’m… exploring my options.”
“As you should. Being a liaison is a choice you can make, and of course you can refuse to be a liaison to anyone you want.” He chuckled. “It’s an interesting job, though you’ll have to learn to be a bit firmer with people.”
I nodded then frowned. “Why are you here? Are you a part of the Hecate Coven?”
He laughed. “Not in this lifetime. I have enough problems with my own coven. I’m actually here on behalf of the Council to put in a request.”
He grinned. “It may interest you to know that a bit of an uproar has started up around you in our world and the human world.”
My eyes widened. “What? I-I haven’t done anything.”
He shook his head. “You didn’t, but the Council has been cracking down on certain activities for a long time. Having the Blue Moon Pack violate those laws has stirred up a lot of controversy. It’s been made know what happened and we’re fielding offers of sanctuary for you.”
“I… I’m happy where I am.”
“Oh, Riley knows that. She’s have fun telling people for fuck off, but your dear benefactor, Stacy, along with someone else is having a lot more fun in the human world ruining their images.”
I swallowed. “What does that mean?”
“A lawsuit,” he grinned. “A big, public, very ugly lawsuit.”
“Why… do you seem so happy?” Araya asked.
“Because they’re assholes and they deserve it,” Dagon said. He turned. “I’ve got to get this in, but let’s catch up soon, hm? I have a feeling you’ll at least want to know what’s going on.”
I nodded. “Thank you, Dagon.”
He walked away and Araya turned to me with big bulging eyes. “You’re on a first-name basis with the Dagon Bluescale?”
My face heated. “Well, yes, but I didn’t know he was famous.”
Araya melted into the seat beside me. “He’s only one of the most well-known operatives in the entire world!”
She pouted. “He’s the whole reason I entered the force.”
She leaned back and we watched him speak to the clerk. He seem ed very comfortable speaking with them.
“Were you… always confident?” I asked her. “You just… seem really assured of yourself.”
“No.”
I looked at her. Her eyes went distant. “My parents died before I could even talk, and I was taken in by my human relatives. They were terrible. It took a long time for me to even speak my mind or acknowledge how angry I was, I was so busy surviving.”
She looked at me. “When I was old enough that they couldn’t hide what I was anymore, they dropped me in the supernatural ward system without a word of thanks or apology for everything they made me do.”
My stomach turned and I thought of my adoptive parents.
“I…” Her lips twitched. “I was having a shit day, and I overheard a speech that he was giving. I don’t remember what it was for exactly, but it resonated with me… He said that just because someone was born into weakness or thrown into darkness, does not mean that they are obliged to either.”
She sighed. “He said that with the right support, the right guidance, patience, and care even those that seemed hopeless could be more than what they started as.”
She shrugged. “I know I had it bad, but I know that there are people who suffered much worse than I did, so I went on to try and be that support and guidance for someone else.”
She grinned at me. “A little sentimental, but it’s been enough for me all these years.”
“How long have you been with the force?”
“Thirty years.”
My eyes bulged as I stared at her. She laughed. She didn’t look any older than me!
“Your face!” She cackled. “Surprised?”
“Do all supernaturals… age slowly?”
She grinned. “When they live well, yeah. Dragon shifters are damn near immortal and witches?” She scoffed and waved her hand. “Second verse same as the first.”
“Lucy Graves?”
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