My Shifter Boss

*****

After assuring Emmett had been taken care of, Nathan found Lucy and Maryann in the crowd. “I have to go to headquarters. The council approached me while we were helping Emmett. They want to meet now.”

“I’ll come. There were humans as well as weres here. We’ve got to make a statement for the press. Marissa is causing so many problems,” Lucy said. They turned and began to walk toward Nathan’s car. Lucy looked at her mother. “Mom, we can drop you at my apartment if you’d like.”

“Actually, I’d like to come, if that’s ok with Nathan. I talked to Sarah while at the funeral. She and I used to be friends before I left. I wouldn’t mind helping her out.”

Nathan looked at Maryann as they walked. “There won’t be much to do.”

“The council meetings are still open to the public, yes?”

“Yes. You’re more than welcome to join us,” Nathan replied. He was silent on the car ride to headquarters. Maryann’s behavior bothered him. Lucy had told him she had no love for the Guard since she’d been exiled, so why would she want to sit in on a council meeting? It would be an interesting one, yes, but why the sudden interest?

Lucy had been watching him out of the corner of her eye. She could tell something was bothering him. Her mother’s behavior had also struck her as odd. But there was no discussing anything with either of them at that moment, stuck in the car. She would have to wait.

*****

All but three of the council members were already present in the conference room when Nathan walked in. Emmett was missing, as were the other two werewolves. Every one milled about, chatting about nothing while they waited.

Maryann sat in a corner talking to Sarah, their heads close. If Nathan didn’t know better, he would assume they were plotting something. Nathan continued his observation of the room. Very few weres were present other than the council members, which he found strange. Normally, the candidates were told to be at the meeting.

Lucy brought him a bottle of water, squeezed his hand briefly, and walked over to sit near her mother. He smiled at her when she faced him. She gave him a thumbs up for support.

When the two werewolves arrived, everyone wanted to know if Emmett was all right before they started the meeting. Emmett walked in behind them, bulky bandages visible beneath his shirt. He assured everyone he was fine and gestured for the meeting to begin. Nathan signaled for Sarah to join him and opened the meeting.

“All right, everyone, let’s get down to business. After today’s excitement, I feel it’s important to have the vote as soon as possible. Would anyone object if we had the vote in three days rather than a week?” A few grumbled responses in the affirmative cleared that up. Nathan nodded. “Good. With Marissa’s very public threat, we’ve got to get a Head chosen so we can begin handling this issue.

“Has every species chosen a candidate?” Again, several nods in the affirmative. “All right, we’ll begin with the werebears.”

A portly gentleman rose and announced, “We nominate our fellow council member, Edward Hall.” A round of polite applause erupted from the council members.

Nathan looked at the man. “Edward, do you accept?”

Edward rose and said, “Yes, I accept. Thank you.”

Nathan turned to the group of werecats. “Who have you chosen?”

A young woman stood with a smile on her face. “We’ve chosen you, Nathan.” Nathan’s mouth fell open as thunderous applause shook the room. He looked at Lucy, who beamed at him with pride in her eyes. The young woman spoke over the applause. “Nathan, do you accept the nomination?”

Nathan was speechless. He didn’t want this, had never wanted it. He didn’t want to make this choice spur of the moment. He looked at Lucy again; she smiled at him, her head tilted. She knew he didn’t want it.

“Nathan?”

“Um, I guess I accept.” Another round of applause. Nathan felt cold, but shook his head and continued the nomination process in a much quieter voice. “Werewolves? Have you chosen a candidate?”

“We have. We nominate Sarah Wells as our candidate.”

Nathan smiled brilliantly. Surely Sarah would win the vote. She knew the office inside and out, could handle any situation thrown at her. She rose, her face stern, and Nathan’s happiness. She was going to refuse.

“Sarah,” he said, almost pleadingly, “do you accept the nomination?”

Sarah looked at him. “No.” The room erupted with voices, shocked by her answer. No one in the history of the Guard had refused the nomination. She held up her hand. “But if you’ll let me speak please.”

“People! Let her speak,” Nathan called to quiet the room.

Everyone stared at her, waiting. Sarah cleared her throat. “First of all, I am honored by your nomination. But I am not made to be the Head. I am his or her secretary, a position I think is equally important. I want to remain the secretary.” Several of the council members nodded at the logic in her words. The Head would never have been so successful without Sarah behind him, and everyone knew it. The Head had even known it.

“Um, werewolves, do you have an alternate candidate?”

Sarah cleared her throat and raised her hand. “If I may? I have an alternate in mind.” The werewolves nodded for her to continue. “I would like for Maryann to take my place as candidate.”

Lucy gasped, Nathan narrowed his eyes at Maryann, and the room was deadly silent. Eyes met across the room, but no one spoke their thoughts. One of the werewolves rose.

“I’m sorry to dispute you, Sarah, because I have a lot of respect for you. But Maryann was banished years ago for attacking a human.”

Emmett spoke. “As the oldest member in here, let me explain something.” He paused to make sure everyone was listening. “Maryann attacked a criminal who was later killed by his own men. She was railroaded for that particular crime.”

“So you support her nomination?” one of the werebears asked.

“Not only do I support the nomination, I make a motion to change our candidate to Maryann,” Emmett said forcefully. He looked at his companions and raised his bushy eyebrows. “Maryann is the perfect person to choose for Head. She, and I mean no disrespect, Maryann, but she thinks like Marissa. She’ll be able to catch that bi*ch. She’ll make a good political leader as well, when it’s time to start this integration thing the Head was so excited about.”

Murmurs of assent rose from the werebears, even from their candidate. Maryann hadn’t lived in the city for decades, but everyone in this room knew her. Most liked her. The werecats were reticent, however; they wanted Nathan as the Head, even if he didn’t want it.

Nathan looked at Maryann, who hadn’t spoken as they argued about her nomination. She met his eyes and smiled, and it clicked why she was here. For this reason. She’d waited for three decades to come back so she could take over. And in his heart, he knew she was the right choice.

He raised his hand for silence, his eyes not leaving her face. “Maryann, do you accept the nomination?”

Maryann rose and met the eyes of every person in the room. Her reputation was slowly being solidified; the story of her nomination would become legend.

“I accept.”