I’m getting too old for this shit.
Alistaire growled when the kid he was chasing jumped the fence as if it was nothing, then stood at the ledge, looking down and mocked him.
“Aw, poor little deputy. You won’t be able to catch me since you’re not a shifter. See us squirrels know how to get out of trouble in a pinch.” The guy cackled as he jumped down. Alistaire could hear him laughing harder, thinking he got away.
Sighing, Alistaire scaled the fence, putting more effort in his stride, and caught up to the kid, grabbing him by the scruff of his neck. The kid screamed in terror when he was picked up off his feet—kicking out as they dangled in the air.
“How the hell did you catch me?” the kid shouted, struggling to get out of Alistaire’s hold.
“Shut up and stop your damn wiggling,” Alistaire growled.
“But you’re a human.” The kid still tried jerking out of his arms. “You shouldn’t be able to catch me.”
“Why, ‘cause you’re a shifter?” Alistaire snapped.
The kid frowned and crossed his arms over his chest. “That’s right.”
“Who’s filling your head with this kind of nonsense?”
“It’s true. Humans can’t run as fast as shifters. We’re quicker, smarter, and stronger,” the kid ticked off his fingers as he spoke.
“So if you’re so damn quick and smart, how the hell did I catch you?”
“Um…” the kids said, looking a bit dumbfounded.
“Exactly,” Alistaire said. “You better hope Mrs. Samuels doesn’t press charges against you.”
Alistaire set the boy down and clamped the cuffs on his wrist. The boy struggled, and he could see the kid starting to shift. “Don’t you fucking dare, I’ll put you in a pet carrier.”
“Wait, you’re taking me to the station?”
“Where else did you expect you were going?”
“Please, deputy. I’m begging you. Don’t take me to the station. My dad’s going to kill me.”
“You should have thought about that before you stole Mrs. Samuels’ purse.”
“I’ll apologize and give the purse back to her. Please, just don’t take me to the station.”
Alistaire would have thought the kid was playing with him but looking at the fear written all over the boy’s face told him everything.
“What’s your name?” Alistaire asked.
“I can’t tell you,” the kid mumbled.
“Then I’m taking you down to the station.” Alistaire started walking, dragging the kid along with him.
“All right...all right, I’ll tell you.”
They stopped walking, and Alistaire turned, glowering at the kid. “So are you going to tell me?”
The kid cleared his throat and licked his lips nervously. “It’s...it’s Ava. Ava Finley.”
After hearing the girl’s name, Alistaire’s eyes widened in shock. By the way, she was dressed in an oversized sweater, baggy jeans, and military boots he’d assumed he was chasing a boy.
Fuck, I really put the ass in assumption.
Sighing, Alistaire released her arm but kept the cuffs on. He’d never heard of the last name Finley before. “What do your folks do for a living?”
