I step back, giving them some space. I can’t hear everything they’re saying, just fragments of their conversation carried through the door.
“...Maddox is on his way...” Millie says.
The last thing they need is an audience. I turn and walk back to my office, my mind already racing with the next problem to solve.
Back in the relative quiet of my office, I pick up the phone and dial my other deputy. “Lucas,” I say when he answers. “Any update on the road clearing?”
“Working on it, Sheriff,” he replies. “The main roads are clear, but some of the side streets are still blocked by debris. It’s going to be a while before everything is back to normal.”
“Keep me updated,” I say, hanging up.
The phone rings almost immediately. It’s Captain Ashford.
“Knox,” he says, his tone grim. “Mayor Marshall filled me in. We’re on our way. Should be there in twenty minutes.”
“Appreciate it, Captain,” I say, my mind already shifting to the next problem.
Suppressants. That’s my biggest priority right now. The panic could get pretty bad if Omegas start going into heat without access to their medication. The town is already on edge; we don’t need to add a biological crisis to the mix.
I’m poring over a map of the county, trying to figure out alternative supply routes, when there’s a knock on my door.
“Come in,” I call out, not looking up from the map.
It’s her. Millie.
She looks calmer now, the panic in her scent replaced by something softer, more serene. It’s a subtle shift, but I notice it immediately. She smells a little like Liam, too, their scents mingling in a way that sends a pang of jealousy through me.
“You’re done?” I ask, looking up from the map.
She nods. “Thank you for letting me see him. And for... you know.” She gestures to her forehead. “I’m heading to check on Liam’s mother.”
“You really should get your head checked,” I say, my concern overriding my professional demeanor.
She shakes her head. “I was already tested for a concussion today. I’ll skip it.”
I nod, respecting her decision. “I’ll do what I can to help Liam,” I promise.
She nods again, her gaze dropping to the floor. “Where’s Arnold?”
“I’m not sure,” I admit. “Probably at a motel or something.”
She looks up, her eyes meeting mine. “Are you okay?”
“I’m fine,” I say, though my jaw is still throbbing.
She points at the bruise on my cheek. “I’m sorry Liam did that.”
“I’m okay for real,” I insist. Then I ask, “Are you okay?”
She says she is. I say okay. It feels so weird between us. She goes to say something, I say something, and then we both stop and smile. It’s a moment of awkward, unexpected connection in the middle of this mess.
“Can I wait out front for Maddox to drive me home?” she asks. “If that’s okay.”
I nod. “Of course.”
“Thanks,” she says, turning to leave.
“Are you in heat?” I ask, the words tumbling out before I can stop them.
