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MARIA TOOK IN A SHALLOW breath as the police chief walked in. I can do this, this is my job. He was dressed in his police uniform instead of a business suit like Maria expected. She sat behind her desk and tried not to think about Derrick. The chief studied her before he closed the door. His ridged stance while he hovered in front of it made Maria uncomfortable.
“What can I do for you, Chief?” Maria motioned for him to take a seat.
“How was the meeting with the half breed?” The chief’s eyes studied Maria.
“Excuse me?” She wasn’t sure she heard him correctly.
“You know, the half breed. The alpha mutt. How was your meeting with him?” Hugo raised one of his bushy eyebrows.
“Fine.” Images of Derrick’s angry face filled her mind and she wished they had more time to talk about this whole imprint thing.
“Your predecessor never liked him much. I wouldn’t be surprised if you follow in those footsteps.” The chief sneered.
“Did you come to talk to me about the alpha or did you have something else you needed to discuss with me?” Maria didn’t like him very much but she had to be professional. You weren’t very professional with Derrick. Her mind conjured images of him above her again.
“Yes, I’m here to give you the weekly briefing.”
“Well then get on with it. I have other work to do.” Maria motioned for him to speak but he just stared at her for a solid minute. Maria raised an eyebrow, challenging Chief Hugo was probably not the most genius move but he had pissed her off already.
“Of course, Miss mayor.” He explained that his weekly meetings with her were to talk about criminals on the run and such stuff. Maria grabbed a sheet of paper and started writing a note to herself to not strangle the man sitting across from her. After a long half hour, he finally stood.
“Thank you for your time.” He nodded, then exited her office. Maria sighed with relief and put her note through the shredder. She didn’t need evidence floating around. The headlines wrote themselves, ‘Mayor threatens the Chief of Police’. Maria shuddered.
She shoved her hands through her hair. The stack of things to do stood horribly larger than the done pile.
Pushing down her dread she pulled out the classified folder from her desk drawer and opened it. Derrick’s sexy face stared back at her. Confusion settled in as she continued. Next, she found a picture of a red head male and a woman who was very pregnant. The surveillance photos made Maria feel creepy as her stomach tightened and her mouth dried up. Maria checked the room to make sure she was still alone. She flipped to the next page.
‘More magical beings living in town? Are the town’s people safe?’ the note was scrawled down with another photo of the pregnant woman. She continued to scan the folder, more people she didn’t recognize. One pale male with dark brown hair and the rest looked similar to him. Another note scrawled below read, ‘Vampires?’ Maria snapped the file closed and shoved it away.
“I need coffee.” Maria stood. Her new office didn’t keep the heat as the crisp January air chilled the building but Frank’s musty scent no longer filled the room. Maria pulled on her coat and walked out of the office and out to her favorite coffee shop which had opened a few months ago. Before, she had to go to the International Café and Bar but since Ultra opened she gladly grabbed her coffee there. While she waited in the long line, she had the sensation of someone watching her. She turned to see a woman with red hair and blue eyes focused on her. She smiled and walked up with a little boy resting in one of her arms, fast asleep with the same deep red hair as the woman.
“Hi, I’m Paden. Maria, right?” Paden extended her hand with a warm smile.
“Yes, nice to meet you.” Maria adjusted her hair wondering who she was.
“Is there anything I can help you with?” Paden rocked from side to side when the little boy stretched out his tiny arms.
“Why would you want to help me?” The gesture was nice but completely random in Maria’s shoes.
“Don’t be mad but Derrick asked me to keep an eye on you.” Paden kept her voice low.
“Oh,” Maria said. She had no idea what to say. The line moved and Maria placed her order for her chocolate coffee. Her favorite way to drink her coffee was with loads of chocolate. She kept glancing at Paden with her lean body even with her little baby in her arms.
“Would you like something?” Maria asked Paden.
“No, thank you. Any coffee will keep this little one up all night.” Paden sighed. They took a seat in a booth in the back of the coffee shop. Paden had a grace most women didn’t have. She’s a werewolf; damn Maria can you really be so stupid. Maria rolled her shoulders out trying to loosen the knot forming in her upper back.
“You can talk to me. I can keep secrets.” Paden appeared sincere as she sat across from Maria. Something about Paden made all of her insecurities ring out, like being too short to be a leader or too chubby.
“Thank you. Just some work stuff on my mind.” Maria pushed back a loose strand of hair. I can’t be with the alpha and be the damn mayor. Maria had reminded herself of this fact over the last hour while working. The new need to be with Derrick drove her mad while she had been trying to work.
“Yes, the mayor, right?” Paden asked.
Maria wondered if Paden had other reasons for being in the coffee shop or if she had told her the whole truth. Paden seemed nice enough but something about her made Maria question her motives. Maria wondered if there was a deeper connection between Paden and Derrick other than being wolves.
“Correct,” Maria said. The barista called out for Maria and she rushed to collect her warm caffeine heaven. The hot liquid burned her tongue for a second. She returned to her seat next to Paden. The little guy stretched and then pulled on Paden’s shirt.
“Do you want me to leave so you can feed him?” Maria pointed to the little guy.
“Oh, I’m good if you are.” Paden lifted her shirt up and the baby latched in seconds.
“What’s his name?” Maria wanted to do the small stuff, she didn’t need to add to her stressful plate. Derrick checking up on her was already enough to deal with.
“Mason.” Paden slid her hand over his hair and looked down with love and affection in her eyes.
“Cute name.” Maria smiled. For a second she wondered if Mason was Derrick’s little one since they both had blue eyes. Maria swallowed hard trying to push the thought down.
“I do have one question for you. If you don’t want to answer I understand.” Maria glanced around the shop.
“What would you like to ask me?” Paden looked up with a warm smile firmly in place. She pushed back the question about Derrick being her lover and went more for the question she had been dying to know ever since she read over the classified file. She would confront Derrick with the second question later. Maria looked around again, to see if anyone was trying to listen in on their conversation. Once she was satisfied no one would hear her she turned to Paden.
“Do vampires exist?” Maria whispered. She remembered werewolves had amazing hearing. Paden lost the smile and her face turned blank.
“Yes, but most humans don’t know. They want to keep it that way.” Paden readjusted in her seat. “They want to see how werewolves do with being out in the open before they come out of the closet so to speak.” Maria didn’t know if she felt happy about getting confirmation or sick to her stomach about it being true. Never in her life had she imagined the supernatural world being so flipping big.
“Thank you.” Maria nodded once and grabbed her coffee. Her feet carried her back toward her office before she made the conscious thought to do so. Vampires exist, witches probably exist too.