“Did you bring a leash with you? I don’t think Deputy Taggert left one.” Koira grabbed her coat off the hook by the door and waited expectantly.

“Thumper doesn’t need one, he will be fine walking beside us.” Constance held the door open and watched as Koira stepped outside with her cane.

Caeden ran up and stood close to her leg so he could help steer her if needed. Anxiously he kept looking back and forth between the two women. “I think Thumper wants me to hold your hand. It’s okay, I’m right next to her and you are, too.” Constance patted his head and moved to the other side of Koira as they turned onto the sidewalk.

“He’s so smart, it’s like he understands us.”

“Of course, he understands, you don’t think we just let any dog work for the sheriff’s department, do you?”

“Point taken.” Koira tapped her cane as she walked, a look of satisfaction crossed her face as she reached out and noted she had reached the market as expected. “Is there a park we can take Thumper to?”

“Let’s turn this way, I think there is one a couple of streets over.” Cadence gently tugged Koira’s arm to turn her toward the intersection. Caeden stood against her leg watching the street closely, he knew he had to stop treating her like a child but everything she did scared him.

“You know, a lot of towns have crosswalks that speak out loud. They tell you when to cross and count so you know how much time you have. If I’m going to move here, it would be great if you got them. Do you think we could talk to someone about them?”

“That sounds like a very smart idea, I’m sure between Barbara, the sheriff and myself, we can get in touch with the right people.” The crosswalk light changed and they stepped off the curb together. “Don’t get me wrong, I would be thrilled to have you move here but it seems like a sudden decision. Does this have anything to do with a certain young deputy?”

Caeden glanced up at Koira’s face and enjoyed the huge smile she couldn’t contain. “Auntie, he is so amazing, and he kissed me.”

Constance pulled to a stop in the middle of the street and glanced around Koira to look at Caeden. “Excuse me, he did what?”

A tiny whine from the dog let her know he knew he was in trouble.

“I’ve never felt anything like it, when he’s not with me I feel like I need him to breathe. I’m always in darkness but when he’s around, I feel like I’m bathed in light. I don’t understand any of it but I don’t care to either. I have always lived life cautiously and I don’t want to anymore. Why should I waste time thinking about what it all means?” A horn sounded behind them, Koira started walking again, “If this last month has taught me anything it’s that we don’t know what will happen tomorrow and we need to live for today.”

Constance glared down at Caeden then sighed, “I don’t know him well but he seems like a good boy.” They stepped up on the curb, “Hang on, sweetie, Thumper is limping a little, I want to check his paw real quick.”

Caeden took a small step back as she leaned close to his head, “Is she saying what I think she is saying? Is she your mate?” Constance had lived in this town for forty years, she was very familiar with shifters and how unpredictable the mating process could be.

Caeden nodded his head then tried to give her the cutest puppy dog look.

“Don’t try that crap on me, I guess I should be grateful you didn’t act like Deader did when he met Skarlet. The sheriff had me ready assault papers after the way he pounced on her in the elevator when they first met.”

Caeden made a chortling sound, as close to a dog laughing as it could be.

“Is he okay? Do we need to go home?” Koira chewed her bottom lip nervously.

Constance stood back up, “Everything is fine, false alarm. Let’s keep going.”

“Lead the way to the park. I’m sure he’s going to start walking cross-legged soon, poor thing must have to go.”

After a short walk, Koira could hear kids playing.

“There’s an open bench over here, why don’t we sit and let Thumper roam a bit.”

As soon as the ladies were comfortable, Caeden took off towards the restrooms. There was no way he was going to pee in a bush near a playground, he was a man first. Besides, it’s a shifter town, few people would think twice about a dog going in and out of a bathroom if they caught him.

After a quick look around, he ducked into the restroom and ran to the stall. He shifted quickly and felt blissful relief from holding it in for hours. If he couldn’t get over his lack of desire for peeing in bushes, he’d better hide some clothes by her patio for when she let him out.