Page 7 of Cuffed By the Wolf

“Everett’s eccentric. He got slapped with a fine.” His jaw ticks. “He shouldn’t have put his hands on you in the first place.”

I catch it, something protective flaring under the words. Almost possessive, for a man who fined someone for grabbing my wrist and still won’t admit he noticed.

“Careful, Sheriff. Somebody might think you cared.”

“Somebody would be wrong.” He doesn’t blink saying it, which somehow makes it less convincing, not more.

“You know, for a man who doesn’t care, you sure fined one of your residents pretty fast for grabbing my wrist.”

“It’s called doing my job.”

“Sheriff, if you say so.”

“Ms. Walker, you can’t get into fights to get answers.”

I stare at him for a beat. “Everett’s little sidekick tried to shove me first. That’s the only reason there was a fight to get into.”

“File a report. Open an investigation. That’s how this works,” he grits out.

He stands, rounds the table, and grips my wrist to unlock the cuffs. I breathe him in without meaning to — forest floor, pine needles, storm-soaked wood, dark and close.

Goddess, I’m in trouble.

He drops my hand like it burned him and holds the door open. “You’re free to go. File the report. Then you can head back to Charleston, South Carolina,” he bites out.

The bustling office outside goes dead silent.

I stop in the doorway and crane my neck up at him, holding his gaze. “You don’t want me to stay?” I ask, sweet as pie.

“Goodbye, Ms. Walker.”

Thank goodness he didn’t use the alpha bark on me. Not that he has any idea I’m an omega.

He breaks eye contact first. “Everyone, back to work. I want the overnight report on my desk in ten minutes.” His voice cracks like a whip through the bullpen, and one of the deputies nearly falls out of her chair as she tries recovering the papers falling off her desk, sailing to the floor.

After collecting my personal items, I step up to the front desk. Fitch is manning it, looking entirely too amused for a man who’s watched me get arrested and released inside of twelve hours.

“I’d like a job application, please. For the secretary position.”

Fitch grins, slow and delighted. “You want to work here? After that?”

“I’ll manage.”

“I really hope you’re qualified. We’re desperate.” He slides a card across the counter — a website, a QR code, and what I’m fairly sure is a badly hidden smirk. “Fair warning. The boss is a lot.”

“Oh, I’ve noticed.”

“He’ll fight it. Just so you know going in.”

“So will I.” I tuck the card into my bag. “Tell me a little about the job.”

Fitch glances toward Sheriff Drake’s closed office door, then back at me, grin widening like he already knows something I don’t.

He goes into detail about the position.

Sheriff Drake suggested I leave town. Not before I find out who ruined my career, my reputation, and my life.

Chapter Four