My Shifter Boss

*****

News reports were already coming in. Several of the humans had videoed the parade of weres as they’d galloped through downtown. One brave soul had even stood by and videoed the werecat killing the woman’s dog, capturing the event and putting it on Facebook immediately after. He sent it to the news station as well, who broadcast it nationally. Citizens sent video after video of the incident, giving the news station plenty to choose from, and within minutes, the entire nation could watch as a pack of weres terrorized the city.

Police and emergency personnel were called to respond to help the injured, although there were few more serious than bruises or small cuts. The worst injury, in fact, was the woman with the dog, whose shoulder had been yanked out of socket. Several wrecks had been caused by the appearance of the weres rushing through town, but nothing more serious than a fender bender from the drivers’ rubber necking to see them.

Reporters interviewed several who were there. Some commented on how terrifying the scene had been, while others reported that they thought it had been fantastic and beautiful. One woman, who had watched from the safety of her car, claimed that it was about time the weres came out of the closet, a comment that would enrage many weres, who had been locked in that closet by humans. A man who had been knocked unconscious when a werebear had slammed him into a building was furious and wanted all weres shot on sight.

News stations tried to get in touch with city officials for comments, but none were speaking to the press right now. They had been told of the Head’s death, and were anxiously waiting for the Guard’s official statement.

*****

Nathan listened to the news reports on the car radio as he sped through town. He cursed when he saw the damage along the street the weres had taken flight, his mind racing at the implications of such actions.

He parked on the sidewalk in front of the building and sprinted inside. His thoughts drifted to Lucy; she had been meeting with the Head and would have been in his office when Marissa’s little coup had taken place. If she had been inside the office with the Head, he would have protected her, Nathan told himself as he halted just inside the door to take in the scene before him.

Three weres lay on the floor surrounded by pools of blood. All were in their were state, as that was the form they’d been in when they’d died. Nathan didn’t recognize any of them and wondered how they would identify these victims of Marissa’s hatred. He sighed heavily as a were he recognized as head of security stepped forward to speak with him.

“Nathan,” the man, whose name was Matt, spoke quietly.

“Tell me what happened,” Nathan instructed brusquely. He put a hand on the man’s shoulder to reassure him.

Matt swallowed. “We’ve lost seven total. We’re working on identifying them now. We aren’t sure who was with Marissa and who wasn’t at this point. But Nathan,” he hesitated, “Marissa killed the Head.”

Nathan froze. He stared at the man, shook his head, and dashed upstairs, hoping the man was mistaken. Matt followed him, but didn’t speak as they rode the blood-splattered elevator down to the Head’s office. The doors weren’t completely open when Nathan flung himself out and ran through the door to the office. His head jerked from side to side until they landed on Lucy, in her werewolf form, laying on the Head’s sofa like a sweet lap dog. His mind wondered briefly why she hadn’t returned to her human form, but the blood on her body answered his question.

“Lucy!” He ran to her side and dropped to his knees, inspecting her with hands and eyes. “Baby, I’m so sorry.”

Lucy smiled her wolfy grin at him, sad though it was, and indicated that he should look behind him. Satisfied that after her body had healed a little more, she would be fine, he turned. The Head lay on the floor, blood drying over the mangled area that used to be his chest. His loyal secretary sat next to the body, holding his hand, softly weeping. He moved to the pair and knelt. The secretary looked up at him and smiled a watery smile.

“He tried to protect us,” she whispered. “Marissa killed him. I’ve never seen anything like it. Her hand, only her hand, Nathan, changed into a werecat paw, and she killed him. He never saw it coming because only her hand shifted.” She shook her head and looked back down at her boss.

Nathan patted her on the shoulder and looked at his boss, the man who had been like a father to him for the last decade of his life. Tears rolled down his cheeks as he recalled several sweet memories of this man. His hatred for Marissa was sealed; he would find her and destroy her, no matter the cost.

He shook his head; revenge wasn’t the answer. He was just angry. Reality began to set in as he held the hand of his friend and wept. Selfishly, he thought of himself for a moment. He understood that because Marissa was gone, he was next in line to take over until a permanent Head could be elected, and he was not happy about it. He wasn’t a leader; he liked being somewhat anonymous, enjoyed working in the field, his only concern the job he’d been told to complete that day. The hundreds of things he’d have to deal with entered his mind, and though he wanted to shrug them off and hand it over to someone else, he steeled his mind and began making a list of all the things that needed immediate attention.

First, he’d need to make an assessment of the damages done, including the disaster that Marissa had caused on the streets. He’d need to contact the human mayor and create a strategy to begin handling this. He had no idea how to begin. He turned to the secretary, whose name he had never learned.

Nathan touched her hand. “I’m sorry, but I’ve never learned your name.”

She smiled at him again and wiped her nose with a handkerchief from her pocket. “I’m Sarah.”

Nathan smiled back at her. “I need your help.”

Sarah nodded her head emphatically. “Of course you do. You’re the temporary Head, aren’t you?”

“Yes, and I have no idea where to start,” Nathan explained.

“That’s where I come in,” she said, grateful for something to do. “First, you have to get in touch with the mayor. I’m sure they’re waiting for your call.” After placing a hand once more to the Head’s forehead, her little good bye, she rose and looked at Matt. “Matt, Nathan needs a report on all who are dead and injured.” She turned back to Nathan. “You’ll also need a report on exactly what happened downtown.”

Nathan nodded. “Turn on any news station or look on the internet. It’s already national news.” He’d moved back to sit with Lucy for a few minutes before his job took him away from her. “Call someone up here to help Lucy. Matt, get a list of the dead and injured up here as quickly as possible, and see if you can figure out who was with Marissa.”

“That second one will take a little more time, Nathan,” Matt replied.

“I understand. Worry about the dead and injured first. We’ll have to complete a full investigation. And send someone with a stretcher to retrieve the Head’s body. We’ll plan his funeral later tonight. I’ll call the mayor after that.”

Sarah and Matt left to follow his orders with nods. Nathan turned to Lucy, whose eyes were closed. She opened them and winked at him. Her body had almost healed the broken ribs; another half an hour and she’d be able to return to human form. Nathan probed her body more carefully for any other wounds, but she used her paw to push his hand away. She licked his hand, then her wounds, then looked at him meaningfully. He understood her meaning.

“Just lay here until you can shift, my love,” Nathan murmured to her as he ran his hands over her soft fur. “I’m so sorry this happened to you.”

Lucy sighed into his palm and licked it gently. She nudged him with her hand, silently telling him to get to work. She closed her eyes, and he rose to begin handling this catastrophe created by a jealous bi*ch.