Page 39 of Paws and Claws

"Are you defending that troublemaker?" Bruce sputtered, his face reddening.

"I'm defending justice. Something you seem to have forgotten about." Dominic's lips curved into a predatory smile. "And if I ever hear you spreading unfounded accusations again, we're going to have a much less pleasant conversation."

The breakroom had gone silent, every eye fixed on the two sheriffs. Bruce's mouth opened and closed like a fish out of water before he finally stormed off.

Dominic's lion purred with satisfaction. For once, he hadn't held back or played nice. For once, he'd said exactly what he thought - rules and proper behavior be damned.

It felt good. Really good.

He turned to find Officer Chen staring at him with wide eyes. "Sir, I've never seen you..."

"Sometimes rules of proper etiquette need to be broken," Dominic said, surprising himself with a small smile. "Even by me."

Dominic's boots echoed through the quiet hallway as he made his way to his office. Once at his desk, he pulled up the incident report from The Hex, scanning through the witness statements. His fingers froze over the keyboard as one particular testimony caught his eye.

"The purple-haired witch got real mad when Riley started trash-talking Sheriff Blackmane," the statement read. "Said he was more honorable than any of us deserved and to shut her mouth before she shut it for her."

The lion rumbled with satisfaction and something warmer. She'd defended him. Fought for him. His grip tightened on the mouse as he remembered how he'd lectured her afterward, too caught up between right and wrong to see what was right in front of him.

"I'm an idiot," he muttered.

Officer Martinez poked her head in. "Sir? Did you say something?"

"Just realizing I owe someone an apology." He stood up quickly. "Cancel my morning meetings."

"But sir, the budget review-"

"Can wait." His eyes flashed with determination. "Some things are more important than paperwork."

The lion inside him was restless, eager to find their witch and make things right. Their witch. When had he started thinking of her that way?

He grabbed his keys, a small smile playing on his lips as he thought about how fiercely she'd defended him. That was Tabitha - passionate, loyal, and completely unconcerned with proper conduct.

"Time to break a few rules of my own," he murmured, heading for the door with purposeful strides. His lion approved, purring at the thought of seeing her again.

17

TABITHA

Sunlight streamed through Tabitha's living room windows. Her latest canvas featured dark, swirling storms of purple and black - a perfect reflection of her current mood.

"Stupid, stupid, stupid," she muttered, dabbing angry strokes onto the canvas. Paint splattered onto her already stained overalls. "Getting into a bar fight over him of all people."

Her wild magic sparked around her fingertips, responding to her agitation. A nearby empty paint tube crumpled itself into a ball.

"And now he probably thinks I'm just some out-of-control witch who can't keep her temper in check." She threw her brush down, leaving a streak of purple across her worktable. "Which... okay, maybe I am. But he didn't have to be such an ass about it."

Tabitha flopped onto her paint-splattered couch. The morning heat was already building, making her tank top stick to her skin. Her ceiling fan spun lazily overhead, doing little to help.

"What am I supposed to do now?" she asked her half-finished painting. "Let Mr. By-The-Book handle everything while I sit here like a good little witch? Yeah, right."

But the thought of trying to track down the Hunters alone made her stomach twist. They had those devices now - who knew what else they were capable of? And as much as she hated to admit it, Dominic was good at his job. Really good.

Tabitha dragged herself to the kitchen, her bare feet padding across the cool tile floor. The coffee maker gurgled and sputtered as she poured herself a fresh cup, the rich aroma filling her nostrils.

Back at her easel, she stared at the moody painting before her. The dark swirls of purple and black reflected her earlier anger, but now they just looked... sad. Her wild magic sizzled softly around her fingers as she picked up a brush.

"God, I'm such an idiot," she muttered, dabbing lighter shades into the darkness. "He was just doing his job. Being all... Dominic-y about it."

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