Page 5 of A Dash of Wolf

That thought changed as he got closer to the marsh.

He could hear voices now…chanting and yelling. He could also see signs poking up in the air. Mason straightened his badge and headed toward the noise.

This was not how he thought he’d spend his first day on the job.

3

“Unchain yourself from my bulldozer right now, Adeline Beaumont!” Ivan Johansson swatted at a mosquito and scowled up at her. “If you scratch it, you pay for it!”

Adeline ignored the hulking troll yelling at her and reached down to pet the squish-squid wrapped around her forearm. The adorable little creature made sounds that were a cross between a coo and a purr, and his huge bubble eyes stared up at her imploringly while she stroked his jelly-like tentacles. She wanted to cry for the strange little critter. He and his fellow squish-squids were vital to the marsh. How could Ivan not see that?

“I’m going to name you Herman,” Adeline whispered. “Do you like that?”

Herman cooed again and lightly stroked one of his gelatinous tentacles across the enchanted tattoo on Adeline’s inner forearm—a whisk wrapped in flowering vines that slowly bloomed and closed...bloomed and closed. All the while changing colors. She smiled down at Herman and rubbed his bulbous head. At least someone appreciated her artwork.

She met Emory’s eyes and smiled at her best friend. It had been decided that Adeline would chain her torso and stomach to the dozer, leaving her hands free. After all, Adeline did her best talking with her hands. Emory would use her bullhorn to rally the crowd, while the protesters waved their signs in the air and chanted. So far, not much had been accomplished other than a lot of cursing from Ivan and amused looks from his construction workers.

“The squish-squids are necessary!” Emory shouted into her bullhorn, her curls bouncing with every word. “They purify magical runoff. Without them, this marsh turns toxic in a matter of months. Is that what you all want?”

“No!” the protesters all shouted back as they waved their signs up and down in the air.

Eight protesters had turned up to help her and Emory plead for the habitat of the squish-squids. They were standing in a semicircle with signs reading “HANDS OFF OUR SQUISH-SQUIDS!” and “TENTACLES ARE NOT A CRIME!” Adeline couldn’t be prouder of them. Granted, most of them were nearing one hundred, but at least they’d turned out to have their voices heard.

“Smile for the camera, Adeline!” Miss Moody cried as she lifted her camera.

She did as asked, tilting Herman so he could get into the picture as well.

From the top of the bulldozer above Adeline’s head, Princess Muffin Top batted her paw and knocked off a rock…hitting Ivan on his hard hat. “Your mother must be so disappointed in you, Ivan Johansson.” Princess Muffin Top groomed the paw she’d just used to assault the giant. “I’ll be sure and ask her the next time she comes into the bakery.”

Ivan’s face turned a dangerous shade of red as he swung toward his crew, nearly pitching over as his feet got tangled in the muddy water. “Get that damn cat off my bulldozer! Now!”

Adeline was pleased to see no one moved to do as he demanded.

Movement caught her eye, and she looked out over the crowd toward the road. Her heart sped up a little when she saw a large werewolf in a law enforcement uniform stalking her way. Even from this distance, she could tell he was not someone to mess with. Tall and broad and striding with purpose toward her. She had to give it to him, it wasn’t easy walking in marshy land.

“Finally!” Ivan shouted as he threw up his hands. “Now maybe we can get somewhere.” He narrowed his eyes at Adeline. “I’m going to see to it that you spend some time in jail for this little stunt, Adeline.”

Adeline rolled her eyes and then smiled as another mosquito landed on Ivan, and he cursed and swatted at it. A yellow-crowned heron looked up from its search for crabs and bugs to watch the werewolf march past. Adeline didn’t want to admit she was a little apprehensive about the new police chief. She’d just gotten the last one broken in.

Chief Dawson had been a pushover. Like Officer Dixon, he only arrested her because Grandmother Lavinia demanded it. On overnight stays, the chief would order Adeline dinner and let her watch TV in the break room. He never used magical cuffs on her, so she never temporarily lost her magic. And he never actually locked her in the cell.

But something in the pit of Adeline’s stomach told her this new chief might not be as pliable as Chief Dawson had been. She looked down at the squish-squid still nestled on her forearm. “Looks like the new chief of police has come out to say hello, Herman. Should we smile and wave?”

Herman said nothing, just continued to stare up at her with his huge eyes and coo.

“Break it up!” the uniformed werewolf shouted as he reached the edge of the crowd. “My name is Chief Wolfe, and I’m the new police chief. Everyone, put your signs down now!”

Adeline watched as the construction crew stepped back to let him pass, but the protesters just kept right on raising their signs in the air as Emory yelled through her bullhorn.

“I said enough!” Chief Wolfe barked. “The next person who speaks will get a night in a jail cell.”

Every protester swiveled to look at Adeline for direction. She was about to tell them to keep on waving their signs…when Princess Muffin Top spoke up.

“Wowzah,” Princess Muffin Top said, loud enough to be heard over the crowd. “Look at that wolf.” She lifted a paw in the air and fanned herself with it. “If I didn’t have an aversion to dogs, I might make a play for him myself.” She paused for dramatic effect and swiped a paw through the air. “Me-ow!”

It was clear from the shocked look on the man’s face he’d heard her cat. Good. Let him be knocked off-kilter. It would only work to her advantage. Adeline narrowed her eyes and glared down at the werewolf. She had to admit Princess Muffin Top wasn’t wrong—the new chief was easy on the eyes. Blue eyes. Really deep blue eyes. He had dark hair that was cut short, and a jaw that could have been carved out of Moonlight Bay granite.

“Ma’am, I’m going to need you to come down from there.” He stopped a few feet in front of her and looked up. “What you are doing is against the law.”