Page 15 of Stalk of the Town

Leonidis stood and held out the parcel. “Here, you take them.”

“Erm…” I shook my head. “I need scissors!” Yep, they were most definitely what I was going to have in my hands. This baby lark wasn’t all it was cracked up to be!

Chapter Thirteen

Goliath

How did I get myself into this position?

A smile crept over my face when Drew’s face popped into my head. How could I complain when I got the cutest drama llama?

I pulled up outside the sheriff’s office when I spotted his car. I rolled my shoulders as I got out of the truck and headed into the one-storey building I’d never had the misfortune to visit before.

Stale coffee and doughnuts scented the air as I strolled up to the counter. “Goliath, why as I live and breathe.”

I nodded at the stalk behind the counter. Dave was the last person I’d ever considered would go into law enforcement, when as a young stalk he’d often got into trouble with the law. “Dave,” I nodded. “Could I speak to the sheriff?”

“And why would you be wanting to do that?”

I got this was his job, but I felt more than curiosity coming from him. “Just need a word is all.”

The door behind the counter opened, and Butch appeared. “Let him through.”

“Yes boss,” Dave muttered, looking disappointed as he came around the counter and led me to a door with a swipe access. “You know what’s got his stalk in a twist?”

I shrugged, keeping my mind closed off from the parcel when I felt him push inside my head to find out. Door open, I quickly walked past Dave and toward Butch, who didn’t look much better than he had when he’d left.

He guided me into his office. It was what I’d expect for someone like Butch, who seemed like a stalk who liked things orderly. Books lined up perfectly in size on shelves next to a desk that everything had a place on it. Even the pens were lined up, imagine that.

He pointed to the solitary seat in front of his desk as he took the one behind it. “Take a seat.” He stared at me as I did, and I resisted shifting under the weight of it. I wasn’t good at interfering in stalks lives. It wasn’t my thing. I didn’t believe I’d be any good at it.

“Are you gonna tell me why you’re here or just let me guess?”

“You need to come back to the pride house.”

He arched his brows and ran a hand through his short, cropped hair. “And why do I need to do that? Leonidis made his thoughts about me quite clear.”

The hurt was there this time. “He’s your mate.” It really was that simple.

“How long did you know Drew was your mate before you got up the courage to stop stalking him and claim him?”

The question came out of left field and left me dumbstruck for a moment. How had he known that?

“I know a great many things about the stalks in this town, because it’s my business to know to keep you all safe,” he replied.

Although I was shielding, it seemed that didn’t stop him from being able to read me.

“I’ve always had the ability to read stalks with or without them blocking me,” he confessed like it was nothing. “It’s why I went into law enforcement. It’s a gift and not one meant to be wasted.”

I suppose he’d see it like that. To me, it was an intrusion I wasn’t sure I liked. “I never hurt no one. Just watch is all.” I blushed at the arched look.

“Do you think you’d still be roaming free if I thought otherwise?”

I met his serious gaze and shook my head a moment later. “I knew Drew was mine the minute I laid eyes on him, same time as Tim met Maximus.”

“Then why did you wait so long to claim him?” he asked, sounding intrigued.

“’Cause look at me. I’m a simple stalk. I like my own company, don’t like bothering folks. What did I have to offer the beautiful llama?”

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