Mated to the Wilde Bear

Chapter 28: Laurel

She turned back to Gerald. “These complaints, are they because the crew is made up of shifters?” she asked him.

Gerald didn’t meet her eyes for a long time. When he did, regret was etched in the lines that had deepened around his mouth and eyes. “Yes,” he said finally. “Whoever this is, they aren’t happy to have shifters in positions of authority in this town.”

“You don’t know who made the complaints?” she asked.

Gerald shook his head. “They’re all anonymous. It’s one of the reasons I’m being so diligent. Could be anyone, including someone in our department. Hell, for all I know, it’s Kemp.” Gerald grunted, and Laurel felt his temperature rise.

“Alan Kemp?” she asked. “Doesn’t he run the public transportation system?”

“Yep. Asshole wants my job and hasn’t made it a secret for a while now. If he can prove the Blue Bear Search and Rescue are unsafe, he’ll have my title pulled along with theirs. I’m the one who approved them, after all.”

The radio at Laurel’s hip squawked, cutting off the rest of her questions. A crackly voice came through. Published by Nôv'elD/rama.Org.

“Patrol one to base, copy?” Laurel’s limbs almost became liquid as Xavier made contact.

“Base, go ahead,” she said.

“Two of the four hunters located and in custody,” Xavier said. “I’ve got Lucas with me to help bring them in. One has a gunshot wound, upper right thigh. Nash and Jake split up to track the other two. They’ll radio in when they’ve got something.”

“Alerting medics now,” Laurel responded, unable to hide her relief at the sound of him in one piece. She felt Gerald’s gaze on her and gave him a nervous smile.

“You and Xavier, eh?” Gerald’s brow quirked.

“Um, sort of,” Laurel admitted. “It’s very recent.”

“Huh. Well, good for you.” Gerald grinned and gave her shoulder a pat. Laurel’s eyes bulged.

“You’re not upset that we work together?” she asked. “Or that he’s a shifter?”

“What you do on your time is your business, Laurel. Besides, he’s not DOT or anything, so it’s not an issue in my book. As for being a shifter,” Gerald took her hand in his, a gesture so familiar it felt like he’d done it many times before, “Laurel, I can’t imagine you being happy any other way. You need to spend time with your own kind.”

Laurel almost fell over. “What?” she squeaked.

“I know what you are,” Gerald said, “And as long as you want it kept a secret, it’s safe with me. But I don’t hold it against you. And coming out with it won’t affect your position at DOT if that’s what you’re worried about.”

She couldn’t believe it. She’d been so sure Scott would out her, and she’d be canned for hanging out with the Wilde crew. Maybe if Gerald had been anyone else in town, she would have been. Her heart warmed at the way he’d so easily accepted her—all of her. He reminded her of a father. Or what her father should have been.

“Thanks, Gerald. I appreciate it very much.” She was about three seconds away from blubbering when a cheer rose up from the crowd behind her.

She whipped her head around in time to see four figures emerging from the trees. “Xavier,” she said.