Chapter 3 #2
She turned her head to look at him. His face was inches from hers.
Those blue eyes were even more devastating up close.
“Chief, the only thing I’m trying to incite is a little protection for creatures who can’t protect themselves.
” She held his gaze. “Surely a man as big and powerful as you can understand the need to handle something...delicate.”
His eyes widened, and the tips of his ears went red.
Adeline’s brain caught up with her mouth about two seconds too late. That had come out a lot differently than she’d intended. She opened her mouth to clarify, then snapped it shut. Anything she said right now would only make it worse.
“Chief Wolfe!” Miss Moody called out. “I’m Miss Moody with the Moonlight Beacon.” She shoved her notepad forward. “Are you goin’ to arrest Adeline, for true?”
Chief Wolfe broke eye contact with Adeline, ignored Miss Moody, and cut the chain with the bolt cutters. As it fell away amid boos from the geriatric protesters, he reached down and tried to lift the squish-squid from her forearm.
It didn’t budge.
He tried again. Herman tightened his grip and made a sound that was somewhere between a hiss and a gurgle.
“Lesson number one, Wolf Boy,” Princess Muffin Top said. “This isn’t going to be easy for you.”
“It’s Chief Wolfe,” the werewolf growled. “Not Wolf Boy. Not Howls-at-the-Moon.”
“How about Dog Breath?” Princess Muffin Top mused.
Chief Wolfe closed his eyes, and Adeline heard him counting under his breath. “Ms. Beaumont, I’m going to need you to remove this—”
“He’s not going to let go,” Adeline said. “Squish-squids imprint. He thinks I’m his mother now.” She shrugged. “Sorry, not sorry.”
Chief Wolfe sighed. “You’re telling me I’m arresting you and a squid?”
“Hey!” Princess Muffin Top called down from her perch.
“That’s her emotional support cephalopod.
And try to be sensitive, Chief Wolf-Wolf.
The poor guy has been through a lot today.
First, he and his family were kicked out of their rightful home, and now you’re going to throw him in a jail cell. All before dinner.”
“It really is a shame you’re such a beast, Chief Wolfe,” Adeline said as the new chief took her arm and guided her off the bulldozer. She lifted the squish-squid and nuzzled him against her cheek. “It’s okay, Herman. I won’t let the big bad wolf eat you.”
Chief Wolfe closed his eyes again, and she heard him counting under his breath...again. Never had she had so much fun poking the bear—or the werewolf, in this case.
“Are you really arresting her?” Emory shouted from the crowd.
“Let Adeline go! Let Adeline go!” the centenarians started to chant, their signs bobbing up and down in the air, glitter falling from a few of the signs.
“Yes, I’m arresting her,” Chief Wolfe said.
Adeline didn’t miss the exasperation in his voice.
“I’ll send over a hot chai with a nail file, Adeline!” Emory called out.
Adeline smiled as Miss Moody lifted the camera and snapped three more pictures. At least this would make the front page, she thought. Maybe all the coverage would make the council stop Ivan’s building project.
“I want to press charges!” Ivan yelled.
Adeline narrowed her eyes at the dastardly troll. “Do you really, Ivan? Do you really want to incur my wrath and the wrath of—”
“Fine!” Ivan shouted. “Just get her away from my project so my men can get back to work.”
Adeline clucked her tongue at Chief Wolfe as he reached up and gently helped her the rest of the way down.
His hands were warm. Werewolf warm. She filed that under things she was not going to think about right now.
“I had such high hopes for you, Chief. I thought for sure this time someone would finally see my side of things.” She held up her arm to show him the squish-squid. “And the side of these poor creatures.”
“I’m just doing my job, lady.”
“You aren’t leaving me behind,” Princess Muffin Top announced as she jumped down from the top of the bulldozer and landed with a soft thud next to Adeline. “I’m going to see this through like I always do. You arrest her...you arrest me, Wolf Boy.”
“The cat isn’t riding in the patrol car,” Chief Wolfe snapped.
“The cat!” Princess Muffin Top shrieked at the top of her lungs. “Oh, my dear wolf, I am so much more than just a cat.”
Chief Wolfe sighed again as he took her arm and steered her through the crowd toward the road. “Watch your step, Ms. Beaumont. It’s easy to get sucked down into these muddy waters.”
“Well, aren’t you a gentleman,” Princess Muffin Top said in her best southern accent.
Chief Wolfe grunted. “Has your cat always talked?”
“Nope,” Adeline said brightly, doing her best to keep up with his long strides. “Only the last couple years. She knocked over an assertion potion I was working on and drank it. Now the entire town gets to hear her honest thoughts on everything.”
“This poor town,” Chief Wolfe grumbled.
“Thank goodness you shaved your legs, Adeline!” Emory called out behind them. “Do you think he’ll strip search you?”
Adeline laughed. “If I’m lucky!”
Chief Wolfe groaned. “You realize this is serious, right?”
Adeline winked at the handsome werewolf. “Nothing is ever too serious for me, Chief.”
“Color me surprised.”
Adeline looked over her shoulder and tried to jump up to see over the giant of a man. “Keys are in the Beetle, Emory!”
Chief Wolfe opened the back door of his Tahoe and gently pushed her inside. “Make sure your friend takes the cat with her.”
“I said I’m sticking with the girl,” Princess Muffin Top said from the front passenger seat.
“What the—” Chief Wolfe’s head whipped around. “How did she get in here?”
Adeline laughed as she slid across the back seat, Herman still attached to her forearm and cooing softly. “Welcome to Moonlight Bay, Chief Wolfe.”