Page 10 of Jacob

WHEN TAYLOR HAD SUGGESTEDthey visit the pride this morning, Tony had been excited.He still was, but he was also nervous.

“You’re sure your alpha won’t have a problem with my presence here?”he asked his deputy as they climbed the porch steps that led to the front door.

They’d come in Taylor’s car.Tony hadn’t been sure what to expect, but he hadn’t been surprised when Taylor had stopped the car in front of a gate to punch in a code.

The house was big, but Taylor had explained that many people lived there.Tony couldn’t imagine sharing a home with so many people.He was sure they all had private rooms, but still.He liked feeling comfortable in his home, and he wouldn’t feel that way if he had to share it with a few dozen people.

But he was human.He’d only ever shared a home with his parents.The military had taught him how to live with others, but it hadn’t been the same.They hadn’t been in his home.Things were different for shifters, though.Tony didn’t have to understand it.He just had to accept it.

“Why would he have a problem with your presence here?”Taylor asked as he reached for the front door.“He wants to meet you.He doesn’t expect it to happen today, but he’ll be fine with it, especially after we tell him about the weird bear.”

The weird bear, as Taylor called it, was one of the reasons Tony had agreed to come today.This morning, they’d gotten a report about someone seeing something that looked like a bear in the forest, but the man had insisted that it wasn’t a normal bear.He’d said he thought it was a polar bear, which didn’t make sense unless it was a shifter.He wasn’t the first to mention something like that, and Tony was curious.

It could be a shifter.With so many of them around town, it was a strong possibility, and since Gal was in charge of the pride, Tony hoped he would have answers.Even if the shifter didn’t belong to the pride, Gal might know who they were.People were starting to freak out, and Tony wasn’t quite sure how to reassure them that no one was going to get hurt because he didn’t know if that was the case.

Taylor pushed open the door and froze.Tony was behind him and was instantly on alert.Had something happened?

“What are you doing here?”Taylor asked as he walked in.

Tony cautiously followed.He blinked at the sight of so many people gathered there.Something definitely had to have happened.Why else would all these people be here, clearly waiting for Taylor?

“We’re excited to meet the sheriff,” a young woman said.She turned to Tony and offered him her hand.“I’m Lisa.”

Tony shook her hand because it was the polite thing to do.“Tony.”

“That would be Sheriff Clark to you,” Taylor told Lisa.“Now, don’t you have better things to do?You don’t need to bother Sheriff Clark.”

Tony didn’t understand why these people seemed so eager to see him.There were eight of them stuffed into the entrance, all staring at him in a way that made him want to turn and leave.He’d never felt like prey more than he did now, even though no one here would hurt him.These people might be shifters, but they wouldn’t attack him.He was sure of that.

“Why is he here?”Lisa asked.

“None of your business,” Taylor said with a growl.

Their behavior reminded Tony of siblings.He didn’t think Lisa was Taylor’s sister, but it was clear they were close.They appeared to be the same age, which might explain that.Of course, they were shifters, so Tony might be wildly off in his estimate.

Taylor grabbed Tony’s elbow and guided him toward a door by the stairs.Tony looked around, curious.The house might be big, but it was also homey.It was clear that people lived here, and the furniture was well-loved.It felt like a nice place to live.

“I’m sorry for this mess,” Taylor said.

“Don’t worry about it.As far as I’m concerned, there was no mess.”

“They’re curious about you, which is ridiculous.”

“I don’t know.I’m pretty sure that at least half the people who’ve come into the station since I arrived did so because they were curious about me.”

Taylor grinned.“That’s true.Nothing ever happens in Green Hill, so when we have a new sheriff, we’re all excited, especially considering how bad the old sheriff was.We can always come to Gal if we have a problem, but it shouldn’t be that way, you know?The sheriff should be there for us just like he is for the humans who live in town.”

“Well, he is now.”

“Which is why I’m sure that Gal will be happy to meet you.I’ve told him about you.”

Tony was suddenly afraid.“What did you tell him exactly?”

Taylor patted Tony’s arm.“Nothing bad.There’s nothing bad to say, anyway.You take your job seriously even when most people wouldn’t, and you’re a good person.”

Tony was touched.He really was just trying to do his job, even when he found it tedious or stupid.It was what he’d signed up for.He wasn’t in this just to have an easy job and retire as soon as he could.

A door opened in the distance, and a man stepped out.He had his phone in his hand and frowned when he saw Taylor.“Do you want to tell me why my mate sent me a text that has more exclamation points than I’ve ever seen?”he asked.

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