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“Huh.” The brown-haired man crossed his arms over his chest as his eyes narrowed speculatively. “Looks like he really likes you.”
“That’s, uh... nice,” Nathan commented, feeling uncertain. He gave in to the wolf’s request and lightly rubbed his ears. “Uh, I was just asking because they require special permits to own,” he told the man. “Do you have them with you?”
The man arched a brow, his surprise evident. “Uh, not on me, no,” the man began. He turned and looked at another man. “Hey, Draven. Do you have the permits for our having Khan?”
A slender man with pale-blond hair stepped forward. His blue eyes peered intently at Nathan. “Of course,” he stated.
Just when Nathan was certain he caught a flash of red in the man’s eyes, Khan turned and growled. He planted his butt on Nathan’s foot, his back to him, and pinned his ears back. Draven took a step back and glanced at the scarred man.
“Uh, I just remembered. Kontra has them, Sam.” Draven peered at the scarred man—Sam. “He’s with the sheriff. Maybe we should call him?”
“Good plan,” Sam replied, pulling a phone from his pocket. “I’ll give him a quick call.”
Nathan felt the hairs on his nape stand on end. He wasn’t entirely certain what actually would have happened if Khan hadn’t growled, but he felt certain it would have been one of thoseodditiesthat he saw around town.
What the hell is going on?
Chapter Two
Khan had never wanted to shift so badly. His mate was standing right next to him, and he couldn’t talk to him. Instead, he was in wolf form and could do little but nuzzle his hip.
Until Draven had approached.
Knowing that Beta Sam hoped Draven would implant the memory of him showing Nathan bogus documents, Khan had done the only thing he could. He’d planted himself in front of his mate and growled. As odd as the thought was, Khan didn’t want any other being to rove around inside his mate’s head.
To Khan’s relief, Draven had caught on quickly and backed off. Instead, the others were scrambling with a way to fulfill the deputy’s request without messing with his mind.
“Sam?” Kontra’s deep voice came through the line questioningly. “Something wrong?”
“Notwrong,” Sam told their alpha. “Just unexpected.”
“You know I stopped to talk to Sheriff Anthony Holsteen, so I’m assuming it can’t wait,” Kontra stated, his tone filling with concern. “What’s up?”
“Are you with the sheriff now, Al, uh, Kontra?” Sam asked.
“I am,” Kontra confirmed.
“Well, we’ve run into one of his deputies.” Sam glanced at Draven before returning his attention to the deputy in question. “He’s asking about our permits to own our wolf, Khan, and Draven reminded me that you had them.” His eyes narrowed just a little, and the faintest tick showed at the corner of his jaw. “Since you’re with the sheriff, you mind if I put you on speaker?”
Kontra hesitated in responding. It was only due to his shifter hearing that Khan heard the man mutter, obviously to the sheriff, “How many humans on staff?”
“Just one,” a tenor voice replied. “Deputy Nathan Kaldwell, and as far as I know, he’s not aware.”
A second later, Kontra’s voice sounded louder. “You’re on speaker, Sam,” he told him. “You sure Draven didn’t have them?”
Khan knew what Kontra was really asking.
Why didn’t Draven neutralize the problem?
Unable to help himself, Khan growled low in his throat. Recalling who was on the other end of the line, he cut off the noise with a whine. Khan offered a few low woofs to add to his displeasure.
“Is that Khan?” Kontra’s surprise came through clearly in his tone.
“It is, Kontra,” Draven responded, telling Khan that, at some point, Sam had put Kontra on speaker, too. “He’s taken a shine to the deputy.” Humor entered the vampire-warlock’s tone. “Although, I think the deputy is a little uncertain what to think of that.”
“Deputy Nathan?” The tenor voice was louder. “Are you with Kontra’s men?”
“Yes, sheriff,” Nathan responded. “I was admiring their motorcycles, gorgeous collection, by the way, when I realized Khan wasn’t a dog, but a wolf.”
