Monday, August 12th Pt. 3
(Melissa’s POV)
I leave my seat as his struggle to contain his panic increases.
“Cole, push your chair back.”
He shakes his head as he tries to cover his ears.
“Come to me, Cole. Stand with me.”
He’s still shaking his head as he manages to stand.
“Lay your head, seek my scent. I promise you’re not cheating on your mate doing this.”
I whisper. To my relief, despite his slightly taller size, he does as I request. I wrap my arms around him, rubbing between his shoulders. I can hear a decent wheeze slowly settling into his chest.
“You’re asthmatic.”
I state, surprised at how honest his first comment to me really was.
“Yes.” He manages to wheeze.
“Will it ease up as you calm?”
He nods against my neck. I continue my slow rub until he’s calm enough to step away. He fights mildly when I place my hands on either side of his face.
“Please come with me.” I whisper as I hold him so his forehead is against mine.
“Where’s your car?” He responds after a long pause.
“About four blocks east. I’m hoping those Gremlins got distracted and ran off.”
“We have a police officer that can accompany you.” The server returns with our meals. “We are very aware of the Gremlin issue in this area so they are on standby. Is that how the two of you met? Running from the Gremlin gang?”
“Yes ma’am.” I admit. “It would be nice to have an escort considering he’s not feeling well.”
I guide him back into his seat before grabbing my purse. I dig through it briefly before pulling my bank card from my wallet.
“If you were pursued by the Gremlin gang then I’ll get one in civilian clothes to walk with you and several that will follow from a distance. They’ve been trying for months to capture this gang and I’m certain they’d do just about anything to get them.”
I nod my head as I hand her my card. Colton appears nearly asleep in the chair as he doesn’t stir from the conversation. I pet his head gently in the hopes of soothing the anxiety I’ve brought him silently praying that our trip to the car is a safe one.
It takes several minutes before everything is ready for our trip to our car. The server packs everything up nicely and we end up with three bags of food to go. Cole responds quietly to everything I ask of him. I find it unusual that he’s only responding to my directions but at least he’s responding.
“Are you okay to walk?” I ask him quietly.
He nods before he stands.
“This is Officer Vincent Cain. He’s going to walk with the two of you to your car.”
I reach my hand out to the officer. He takes it with a gentle shake.
“The other three are stationed a block east of here. I understand your car is about four blocks in the same direction?”
“Yes sir.”
“How did you end up so far from your car?”
“I was chased.” I sigh.
“Well that explains why you’re interested in an escort to your car.”
“Yes sir.” I nod. “Are you ready?” I look at Cole as he nods.
“Yes sir.”
Cole grabs two of the bags before I can stop him leaving me with just the one in addition to my purse. We make our way through the slowly crowding restaurant with me at the front, pausing at the door as a few more people trickle in.
Stepping outside, I move out of the doorway before closing my eyes and taking a deep breath through my nose as the breeze floats by. There’s a tangle of scents, both werewolf and human, making it difficult to distinguish if the Gremlins are still around.
“Are you ready? We don’t want to stay in one spot too long.” Vincent encourages.
I nod my head as we all start walking towards the cross-walk. It’s as we walk that Vincent starts striking up conversation.
“Are you from a pack around here?” I can hear Colton literally stop breathing.
“It’s okay.” Vincent chuckles softly. “I am a werewolf and so are the three officers joining us at the end of the next block. This is a fully integrated city. The werewolves that live here are either omegas without a wolf that moved out of their pack, injured wolves who can’t shift or rogues who have relinquished loyalty to all werewolves and assimilated into human society.”
“How did you get involved with the police?” I ask as the scent of three werewolves hit me before I see them. I slow my walk, uncertain of who we’re approaching.
“Don’t worry. Those are my colleagues. Arthur, Clint, and Trent. We are all rogues that left a tyrannical pack leader. We stumbled upon this city ten years ago. A kind officer stumbled upon us. We had been caught out in a storm that left us cold, wet and hungry. He brought us to the station and provided us shelter, showers, food and beds.
He waited until we were rested to introduce himself. He was the chief of police and a council member assigned to monitor the integration of werewolves into this area. It was an experiment that they had started ten years earlier to create a borderless sanctuary that all wolves wanting a different life could become a part of. He asked us if we would be interested in becoming part of the police force. It took a year of training and learning the laws but anytime we’re called and the caller knows that werewolves are involved we take care of it.”
“Has there been a lot more calls for you now that the Gremlins are around?”
“Yes. Every store and restaurant knows that they’ve moved into the area and it’s critical to get them off the streets so anytime anyone believes that they’ve been targeted they call us in the hopes of catching them.”
“What’s the plan?” It’s the first time Cole has spoken since he broke down in the restaurant.
“What do you mean?” Vincent responds.
“What should Missy and I do if they come after us? I have a dormant wolf. I cannot shift to protect her.”
“It’s an unspoken rule that you don’t shift in the city. While most of the humans here are familiar and accepting of werewolves tourist passing through are not. There are special parks that have been arranged for shifters to utilize at night as the council is very aware of the negative consequences that occur when a shifter doesn’t shift regularly.”
“If I can’t shift then I’m useless as a fighter.” My voice has taken on a whining tone as I express my concern.
“That’s why there are four of us taking you to your car.” He reassures us softly.
The walk to my car is thankfully uneventful. I pop the trunk and help Colton load his pack into the back along with the multiple bags we’re carrying.
“Hopefully you’re okay with riding. I know many that can’t stand being the passenger.”
He looks up at me. For the second time in an hour he seems grounded in reality.
“I don’t have a license and I don’t know where we’re headed.”
He states quietly. I click my key fob, attempting to open all the doors but he stays frozen in place.
“Cole?” I call nervously as the plain clothed officer has started walking away.
“Get in the car, Missy.”
I can barely hear him so I start walking closer to him. His eyes are darting quickly all around us, confusing me even more.
“Cole.” I try again.
“You can’t have her!”
He suddenly yells out into the open. My heart jumps into my throat as I realize what he has said to me. I attempt to open the door closest to me but I find my keyless entry only opened the driver’s door. I fumble around in my pocket for the keys resulting in me dropping them to the ground. It’s as I crouch down to grab them that I’m met with a ferocious growl. Seconds later I feel a large hand wrap around the back of my neck. Oddly, all I can bring myself to do is freeze. I’ve never been much of a warrior as I struggle to think on my feet. It’s with the sound of a second growl that the hand disappears and chaos has erupted.
Log in with Google Account
Chapters
Favorite
Settings
