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Diana came up behind Margo and hugged me, repeating what her daughter had said. Eventually, they had to let me go so I could speak to the sheriff.
Showtime.
I sat across from the sheriff in his office. The window blinds were open, and I could see the town square. The crowd had easily doubled in size. I twisted my fingers together as goosebumps spread over my body. My leg wouldn’t stop shaking, and I worried it made me look guilty. Everything I did made me wonder if it made me look like I’d killed Deputy Hill.
“Now, Tori, I need your honest account of what happened. You can speak freely about shifting and all that. Most people on the police force and the detective teams in Blackwood Creek are either shifters themselves or know about our kind.”
That snapped my attention back to Clawson. He was smiling kindly at me.
Shifters were really that open about themselves in this community? Humans actually kept their secrets? I’d never be able to wrap my head around it. It was so strange and the complete opposite of what I’d experienced.
“We’ve been working tirelessly to make this a safe community for all creatures. Honestly, Tori, you’re safe as a wolf can be here.”
Fidgeting in my seat, I nodded. “I shifted for the Full Moon Howl last night and ran with Ridge. I was nervous about being around so many others. So, Ridge and I went off on our own, and then we got carried away. We were play-fighting and had a bit too much fun. We fell asleep in the woods.”
Sheriff Clawson’s expression didn’t change. He still looked at me kindly, and I began to warm to him.
“After we shifted back this morning, I got lost. It was my first run here, and I don’t know my way around yet. I went looking for Ridge. So, I headed toward the bar. I didn’t know where else to look for him, so I thought that was the best place. That was when I stumbled across...” I grew quiet as the deputy’s mangled body flashed through my mind. I shuddered involuntarily and struggled to swallow down the nausea. “I saw the deputy just as Audrey Greenthorne came into the bar from Mateo’s quarters.”
Clawson nodded and studied me closely. After making a couple of notes, he dropped the pen and leaned toward me. Clasping his large hands on the desk, he softened his tone. “Tori, I don’t like prying into other people’s business. People have a right to privacy. But given the circumstances and the fact that no one here knows you, I need to ask. Why did you come to Blackwood Creek? What brought you here?”
A puff of air escaped my lungs, and I let my nerves and the flush of my cheeks sell the act. I gathered my courage, lifting my gaze straight to his. “I understand, Sheriff. I didn’t mean to make people think badly of me. It’s just that, well, we were trying to keep it a secret for a bit. So I could get more comfortable in town and let people get to know me before we...I guess it doesn’t work to keep it a secret.” I paused. “I’m Ridge’s fiancée.”
His eyes bugged out of his head, jaw dropping in shock. He gaped at me, then composed himself. Rolling my bottom lip between my teeth, I waited for him to digest the information.
“Okay. Um.” He was flustered and kept cocking his head as he looked at me. He opened his mouth several times to say something, but never did. Then, out of the blue, he spat out, “Excuse me for a moment.”
He jumped out of the chair as if his ass was on fire and made a beeline for the door.
I peeked out the window from the office and watched as Ridge stood on the outskirts of the crowd, ignoring them, his attention focused solely on the small building where I currently sat. Suddenly, Clawson erupted from the main doors and rushed up to him.
Clawson’s face was red with anger. I was fairly certain I could see steam pouring from his ears. He stood in front of Ridge, attempting to use his height to dominate the mayor. Ridge looked laid-back as he listened to the enraged man, then he barked out a laugh and clapped the sheriff on his right shoulder, nodding. The sheriff’s brow furrowed deeper. He shrugged Ridge’s hand off his shoulder, turned on his heel, and told Ridge to follow him. He walked back toward the station, never checking if Ridge was following.
The two men walked back toward the front of the station and then appeared in the office. The sheriff shut the door and Ridge sat beside me, putting his arm around me. He tugged me toward him and casually kissed my cheek. The feather-soft touch sent jolts of pleasure across my skin. From behind her iron curtain, I sensed my wolf opening one eye in interest.
Butterflies fluttered a nervous rhythm in my stomach, and I found my foot tapping along to their internal beat. I slowed my breathing and reminded myself to calm down and relax against Ridge’s body.
It wouldn’t be hard to pretend to be flustered.
Clawson was eyeing us closely. He needed to see for himself that what we were saying was real. So, I put on a show.
“How are you doing?” Ridge asked.
I curled into his hold and buried my face into his neck. This had to work. I couldn’t let people know I was a lone wolf on the run and that I was lying about this. They’d kick me out. Now that Ridge had hinted something could be wrong with me, that I could be going feral, I needed to know what that meant and how to stop it. I needed answers.
I inhaled slowly, and my wolf and I calmed at Ridge’s spicy scent. It was easy to see why surrounding oneself with other shifters helped. His scent alone made me feel safe.
What could Ridge possibly gain from having a fake relationship with me? I hadn’t thought to ask when he’d proposed this insane idea. I had to remind myself to get clarity on the situation later because right now, it all felt pretty one-sided, and I hated being indebted to people.
“Better now that you’re here,” I said.
Ridge kissed the top of my head again while I kept my eyes closed and buried my head in his neck. This was an important moment. If we didn’t pass Clawson’s bullshit meter, we’d have no hope with the rest of the town. But I didn’t want to leave the comfort I’d found in the action.
Luckily, the action worked in my favor. Clawson bought it. He eyed Ridge and leaned back in his chair, steepling his fingers. “How long has this been going on? Why keep it a secret? Fuck, Ridge. From me?”
Ridge blew out a breath and stroked my arm.
“Tori and I have known each other for a couple of years. A couple of months ago, when I left town for that business trip up north, I was really with Tori and proposed to her. It felt right.”
