3
The police car parked in front of the little police station and the officer opened Shauna’s door. He stood well back when she climbed out and she gave him a sneer that told him he needed to stay clear. She knew it was Dakota he feared, but if she could take a little of that on herself, she would.
Shauna was shown to a typical room with a table and chairs. It was stark, but she knew the routine. They were given bottles of water and a pack of crackers and left for hours. She didn’t care. It gave Ricky more time to get to her, to Dakota. She waited. She refused to show signs of nerves as she knew they could see her through the two-way mirror that covered most of the wall in front of her. She just sat.
“Mama, I’m hungry.” Dakota whispered. “Are they going to leave us here forever? Will they let us starve to death?”
It was past his lunch time and the crackers hadn’t been enough to ward off his hunger. Shifters ate alot. “No baby. They are trying to make us afraid. They want to feel powerful so they have to make us weak. We will be fine. They are just so afraid that they have to keep us in here so they feel safe, it’s funny in a way.”
“You won’t let them take me away from you?” His little chin quivered. His face was so pale that his little freckles stood out plainly.
She shook her head and ran her finger over his face, tracing the familiar shape. “Never. You are my son and no one takes you from me. You hear my words and you know I mean them.”
“I do, but I hear fear too.” He whispered.
He was so smart. He was right, she was afraid, but that was ok too. “I am afraid, but there is no shame in that. We are locked in a room with men outside that are so afraid they can’t see straight. That can be dangerous, but we have a secret weapon.” She winked and he nodded.
He snuggled against her and was quiet for a while. The minutes ticked away and Shauna thought she would go crazy. Sweat trickled between her breasts and her body ached, but she wouldn’t break. She sat in that horrible chair and held her son as if it was what she wanted to do with her day. This was too important to show weakness. She had to be strong for Dakota. She had to show the world that she would not break under the bully tactics the police were using against her. She would never break.
“Are we under arrest?” She asked when a man walked into the room and offered her a cup of coffee and a pack of powdered donuts. His face showed some age, she’d guess he was in his forties and he didn’t look happy to be questioned, good.
He ignored her.
“I know my rights. If I am not under arrest then I am leaving. You can’t just keep us here forever.” she forced her voice to stay calm, even sound pissed, but she knew she was pale and looked scared.
Another man walked into the room then, one that made her skin crawl. He was dressed in an expensive suit and he was so well groomed that she was sure he must have started fixing his hair the moment he’d learned she’d been brought in. She knew him and she didn’t like having her fate in his hands. “Then leave, but the boy stays. We can’t exactly have him running around town. He is a danger to the good people here. Our job is to keep the town safe. It’s my duty to see to it that is done.”
“With all due respect Mayor Craig, he has been running around town for five months and hasn’t caused any trouble. You do not have the authority to hold him. He is a shifter and as such, he has the right to be judged by shifter laws. I have already contacted a representative.” As a human, Shauna could not act as Dakota’s representative, she needed a shifter. It made no sense, but it was the way the laws were written and without his father she could do nothing for him once she had declared his shifter rights.
“That won’t be necessary. We have a representative on site, that is what took so long for us to get to you. We will take care of the boy from here. Our representative will take good care of the boy” The mayor’s grin was predatory. The door opened and another man walked in, this one flashed glowing yellow eyes her way.
Shifter.
“Mama, no. He’s not like me. He smells all wrong.” Dakota wrinkled up his little nose as his little body shivered in her arms.
“We have the right to choose our own representative. We will wait. I will not entrust my son to this man. I contacted the Howlers. A representative is on the way.” How long did it take? Shouldn’t he be here by now? What if something had happened?
The man laughed. “What do you know about shifter laws, little human? I am a shifter, you are not. You have no say in any of this. This kid is mine now. You can leave or we can drag you out of here, but you have no rights here.”
She ignored his scare tactics and offered him a smile that had many opposing lawyers shaking in their shoes. “Everything.” Her voice was like iron when she spoke. “I wrote the laws myself along with my husband. You, Sir, are full of shit.” Shauna answered and watched the hatred bleed into their faces. He knew her now.
“Blackstone.”
The voice that ripped from his throat was more animal than man. They stalked her like a rabbit and she knew she was living her last moments. This man would shred her and most likely Dakota too. She shouldn’t have played that card. She had failed.
“I’m so sorry Dakota.” She whispered. She wrapped her arms around her son and waited for the attack, but it didn’t come. Someone banged on the wall and the two men stepped back from her.
“This isn’t over bitch. I will hunt you down for what you have done. I will make you suffer.” He snarled before he turned to greet the newcomer.
“Welcome to Kentucky.” Mayor Craig welcomed congenially.
The man ignored the greeting and instead walked directly to Dakota and stuck out his hand.
“Hey there kid. Name’s Ricky and I’m here to take care of you. I’m family and I will keep you safe until this is all handled.”
“What about my mama?” Dakota lifted his little chin.
Shauna watched as Ricky fought a grin. His eyes looked tired and there were lines of exhaustion on his face, but he held Dakota’s eyes as if he were a man.
“That’s up to you. You are in charge on this one.” Ricky’s voice was steady.
“My mama comes too and she’d protected just like me.”
Shauna had to fight her tears. She was so proud of him. He was such a little thing to have to make these decisions, but he was making them like a man. Maverick would have been so proud.
“You have my oath on that.” Ricky agreed.
Dakota let out a long breath and placed his little hand in Ricky’s. “Ok.” He agreed and leaned back against his mother.
Shauna relaxed as the tension seeped out of her son. He trusted this man. “Thank you.” She whispered. She ignored the way his shoulders filled out his black t-shirt and the way his eyes flashed when he looked her way. He was saving them, that was all that mattered. She could admire him later, right now she needed to keep her wits about her.
Ricky seemed to notice her for the first time and when their eyes met something sizzled in the air making the hair on her arms stand up and her breath catch.
“Don’t thank me yet.” He winked, but when he straightened he took her with him. “We will be on our way. Ms. Fredricks will be in touch as will my alpha and our legal representatives. You boys have a nice day now.”
“Mrs. Blackstone isn’t free to go yet.” She heard Mayor Craig say, but Ricky ignored him.
He just walked them out of the station like nothing was wrong at all, but the set of his jaw told her he wasn’t as relaxed as he was trying to seem.
Something was wrong. She hesitated, but the hand on her back kept her moving.
“Just walk. We can talk on the road. We need to get the hell out of here first.” He whispered so close to her ear that she could feel the warmth of his breath and the slight stubble that covered his jaw. She shivered and heard a low growl rattle in his chest. There was something primal that crackled in the air between them, but the danger behind them had to take priority, for now.
For now.