Page 2 of Lucius

“Oh, honey,” she said, hugging her tighter. “She loves birds. We didn’t order advanced tickets for the shows today and they’re sold out. She was so disappointed.”

Jupiter cleared his throat. “I think we can help with that. If you have time, I’m sure we can find space for you and your family in the one p.m. show.”

“Oh, could you? That would be wonderful. Let me call my husband. He’s waiting at the ticket office with our baby to watch for her.”

Jupiter radioed to the season ticket office and let them know they’d found Layla as the woman called her husband to share the news.

The woman looked at Lucius for a long moment with tears shining in her eyes. “Thank you so much. I don’t know what I would do if something happened to her.”

“Just doing my job, I’m glad I could help.”

“Well, thank you. Truly.”

When the father appeared pushing a stroller, Lucius smiled at the reunion, grateful that he’d been able to help bring them back together. Jupiter handed over tickets to the next bird show and told them to let Jess at the entrance know that he’d personally sent them as special guests.

“Thank you, Lucius,” Layla said from her mom’s arms.

“You’re welcome, kiddo. Enjoy the show, and you too, Feathers.”

The family walked off toward the bird sanctuary, and Lucius turned to Jupiter with a smile. “I might not have my own family yet, but I do love this job for that reason right there.”

“Yeah, it’s awesome to be part of that kind of happy ending. Aside from that little hiccup in the day, how’s it going?”

“Good. Quiet.”

“That’s how we like it.”

Lucius definitely preferred things quiet in the park too. They’d had some issues over the past months with other shifter groups trying to come in and either take over or harm someone, like his friend August’s mate, Ginny, whose murderous grandfather had tried to kill her to keep her from taking over their jackal pack.

He’d take a quiet day in the park over that sort of problem any day.

After saying goodbye, he turned his attention back to his patrol route, his heart a little lighter than before. He had no idea when he’d meet his soulmate. He hoped that she was out there waiting for him, just like he was waiting for her.

For now, all he could do was focus on his job and keep the park safe for the shifters who called it home and the patrons who came to enjoy the amenities offered. Maybe someday, his soulmate would walk through the gates and into his arms. Until then, he’d just hope that someday would be soon.

Thursday afternoon,Sidney Hartwell twisted lazily back and forth in the chair at the front desk of her mom’s salon and promptly winced as a ray of sunshine streamed through the front windows and tried to burn her retinas.

“Geez,” she said, putting her hand up to shield herself and rising to her feet. She moved to the windows and lowered the shades until the sunshine was covered and the desk was no longer in the hot July sun.

“Got to ya, honey?” her mom called loudly from the other side of the salon, her voice barely audible over the hum of the hair dryers and chatter of the two other stylists and their clients.

“Yeah,” she said.

The front door swung open and Sidney quickly moved back to the desk and plastered a smile on her face to greet them.

“Hi, welcome to The Style Loft, how can I help you?”

“Hello, I’m Mildred and I’ve got a three p.m. appointment with Linda.”

Sidney looked at the calendar and saw the appointment. “Have a seat, let me check with my mom and see where she’d like you to get settled.”

She hurried back to where her mom was washing a current client’s hair.

“Get Mildred set up on four and I’ll be over as soon as I finish washing Daisy’s hair.”

Sidney nodded, called Mildred over, and got her set up including a bottle of water, then returned to the reception desk. She moved the appointment book to the side to reveal her sketchbook, where she’d been drawing an elephant. On her phone she had pictures of an elephant, but what she really wanted to do was see one in real life and sketch it right there.

Not that there were any elephants in Riverbrook, though it had plenty of trees to sketch thanks to being near the Pine Barrens, which were a famous part of New Jersey. But the area was otherwise fairly devoid of any sort of exotic wildlife outside of the usual seen in the woods.

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