The Shifter's Detective

by T. S. Ryder

  "You've said that. Although, for a woman who has never done this before, you do have quite the stash of condoms. No judgment."

  Levi held up his hands and grinned at her as she opened her mouth to protest. He wrapped his arms around her again, and despite the fact that her heart was still somewhere down at her feet, Lucy felt herself relaxing. Sheesh. Apparently, it had been too long since she'd had great sex. Everything in her body tingled, a leftover from the rather aerobatic experience she had just had.

  "I don't do this," she said. "I just keep those for… emergencies."

  "If you're really worried about being pregnant, rest assured. The chances of that are very low."

  With my luck, I'll end up pregnant alright, she thought. And it serves me right, too. She didn't say that aloud, though. "How can you tell?"

  "I know what an ovulating woman smells like."

  He moved to kiss her neck and Lucy almost forgot why this should never have happened in the first place… and why it shouldn’t be happening again. She squirmed out of his grasp and shook her head, flustered.

  Levi sighed. "You're not going to get pregnant. Trust me on this one."

  "Because you didn't smell my ovulation?" She tried her best to sound disbelieving. "What are you, some sort of shifter?"

  Levi grinned casually. "Yep. I'm the Beta of the local pack. Beta means I'm second in charge. If anything happened to the Alpha, my brother, I'd be the new Alpha. Pretty neat, eh?"

  Lucy forced herself to smile at him, although her heart was pounding again. The panic about the broken condom was receding, pulling the guilt back to center stage. She tried to shove it aside. She was a detective. And hadn't her captain told her to do anything necessary to root out the drug dealers? They were getting rich off of other people's misfortunes. Ruining lives. She couldn't let guilt get in the way of that. Not when lives were on the line.

  As she studied Levi, she couldn't help but wonder if he was involved. The Beta of the pack… It was a high position of authority. He could very well be right in the middle of it.

  Well, that was what she was here for. To find out what was going on. In the meantime, she couldn't act suspiciously.

  "You're a Coyote? You didn't tell me that."

  The grin on Levi's face faltered. "Does it matter? I wouldn't tell you if I was Irish or Texan."

  "Um…"

  "Um?" he repeated.

  He actually looked crestfallen. Lucy stared at him, a new surge of guilt rising up her throat. Things had taken a… passionate turn that she hadn't been expecting, but that wasn't Levi's fault. She was the one who kept saying yes, even when he teasingly stopped and said it was time to read a book or watch TV. And from the moment they'd stepped into her apartment, she had done nothing but lie to him and use him.

  There had to be other ways to get information than to do something like this. She wrapped her arms around her middle, afraid all her emotions were written over her face.

  "You're right," she choked passed the guilt choking her. "It shouldn’t matter at all. I just don't…"

  "You don't do this often?" he supplied. His expression relaxed again. "Honestly, though. You won't get pregnant."

  She hoped he was right. She couldn’t imagine the blow up it would cause if the captain found out she'd slept with a suspect, let alone if that suspect had gotten her pregnant.

  The precinct didn't exactly have a great track record when it came to dealing with pregnant employees. More often than not, they weren't just transferred to other precincts, they were transferred to paperwork or traffic. That was the absolute worst thing that could happen. Lucy hadn't scraped her way up from the bottom just to be busted back down to the opening levels. She was a detective and proud of it. She was finally in a position where she could actually help people, and if her hormones had blown it for her…

  Hopefully, he's right about the whole ovulation thing, she thought, although she was uncomfortably aware that pregnancy could happen whether ovulation was occurring or not. She tried to think back to her last period, but it was so sparse that she couldn’t remember. That helped relax her a little more. Chances of pregnancy were slim to none.

  "Want to come back to bed?" Levi asked her.

  "Actually, I have a meeting with somebody." She was meant to be working with another undercover cop, to coordinate their investigation. She had to meet him in an hour. "Business. I should shower and dress."

  Levi sighed. "Business? I hate business."

  Was she letting a great opportunity slip through her fingers? She had the Beta of the Coyote pack with her. She had helped him get out of a pickle with some other cops, and they had slept together. And she was investigating him. What was it that Captain Smith always said to her?

  "In the law, there is no room for personal entanglements. If you were a man, you'd understand that."

  So, basically, he'd think her guilt in this situation was a proof of her sex's weakness. She took a deep breath and tried to shove it away. The investigation was the only thing that was important. If Levi was a criminal, he didn't deserve her sympathy. And if he was innocent? She could only hope that this was worth it.

  But it wasn't like they were developing a connection. Or were they? Should she make arrangements for another date? Or was that breaking the protocol of casual sex? This was why she had never done this before – not only was it confusing, but she didn't want to be the kind of girl who just walked away from a situation like this without looking back.

  "Maybe we can get together another time?" she suggested awkwardly. "We could catch a movie or get drinks."

  "Or something more aerobic…" Levi winked at her.

  Her cheeks heated again. Dammit, what was wrong with her body? Had it really been so long since she had had sex that she was going to jump into bed with the first sexy guy who winked at her? Well, the obvious answer was yes.

  But then, maybe part of the reason why she was reacting this way was because nobody quite as sexy as Levi had ever given her the time of day before. He was tall and muscular in the attractive-but-not-pure-muscle way she liked. He definitely looked after himself, but having his arms around her wasn't like cuddling a rock. And she was… well…

  When people looked at her, they didn't think there was any way she could actually be a detective. She had gotten more than one 'too many donuts' comments in her career. It didn't matter that she could still complete every physical task that was thrown at her. Her thighs rubbed, bags hung under her biceps, and her stomach had a curve to it that no amount of flattering clothes could hide. Guys that looked like Levi rarely went after girls like Lucy.

  "I'll call you," the Coyote said. "I just need your number."

  She gave it to him, and he made a big show of putting it into his phone. Despite the situation, her heart still sunk. He wasn't going to call. It was probably for the best, though. The way her heart worked, she wouldn't be able to keep up her undercover ruse for long.

  No, I am not going to fall for a suspect. That would just be ridiculous.

  "Well, goodbye, Lucy. I have some business to take care of myself."

  "Goodbye."

  Watching him leave really shouldn't have been as disappointing as it was…

  There was no time to think about that – or the broken condom –right now, though. She was going to be late. She quickly showered and redressed. Images of Levi's grin changing into a look of horror when he found out who she really was kept popping into her mind. To distract herself, she mentally recited her cover. She was looking to start a bakery in this area of town and was meeting with a realtor to go over a few possible properties she could rent.

  Bakery. Lucy snorted. It was the 'too many donuts' comment again, just under a different guise. She shook the thought away as she headed out.

  She didn't know the man's real name, but the name Aaron Knox was emblazoned across his door. Lucy entered, holding the portfolio of bakery plans she had been given as part of her cover. Aaron, a cop she vaguely recognized from another departme
nt, sat at a desk, typing at his computer. He looked up with a smile.

  "Greetings. Beautiful day, isn't it?"

  Lucy nodded. "Too bad it's going to rain later."

  "Yes, I hate rain. It drowns my petunias."

  Lucy had to roll her eyes at the code. What were the chances that somebody besides her contact was going to be here? And as for her walking in… well, maybe there was a point as far as that was concerned. She closed the door behind her and sat down opposite Aaron.

  "Give me what you got," she said.

  "Here's a list of all the Coyotes I've met, and the possible connections they have to drug runners. I haven't been able to get a good foot in the door, though. That's your job."

  Lucy thought of Levi. Guilt rose again. He was her way into the heart of the pack, to get the inside scoop on what was happening, and what sort of laws they were breaking. Great. So even if he didn't call back, she had to play the pathetic star-struck girl and seek him out. Could this situation get any worse?

  "Anything I need to know?" she asked him.

  Aaron shook his head. "I'm on the verge of something big. I just need a little time. And if you could get the pack's Beta, a Coyote named Levi Bennet, out of my hair, that would be appreciated. I think he's getting suspicious."

  Lucy struggled to keep her face neutral. Her stomach twisted. Apparently, yes, the day could get worse. "I'll do my best."

  "Good. Now, about this bakery you need: I've got the perfect place for you to set up shop. If you'll just give me a minute, we can go check it out."

  Lucy nodded. "I'll go put this stuff in my car and wait for you outside."

  She left the office, taking a quick glance at the list of names before she tucked it into the portfolio. When she got to her car, she tucked everything into her glove box and sat back to wait. Everything was quite bleak outside her window, reminding her of the neighborhood she had grown up in. Maybe she should have joined some sort of outreach program instead of becoming a cop…

  An explosion jerked her from her thoughts. She was thrown from side to side as black and red flames burst from the building where Aaron's office was. Chunks of debris rained down on her car. She instinctively ducked, shielding her face from anything that might hurtle through the windshield.

  When everything went still, flames licked at the windows of Aaron's office. Lucy stared in horror, scrambling for her cell phone. Black smoke filled the air.

  There was no way Aaron had survived that.

  Chapter Three – Levi

  There was a distinctive smell of smoke in the air, but Levi ignored it as he padded down the street, his tail held high in the air. His normally gray coat was green from all the damp culverts he had been sneaking through as he plotted his next escape from anybody who decided to chase him, but he didn't care.

  Nothing could ruin his mood right now. Not when he had just pulled off the most masterful of all plots. He smirked as he slipped into the back of a store, where he had left his clothes before going on his mission. He shifted, rinsed himself off at the sink before pulling on the clothes and jogging back to the pack's apartment building.

  Wait until Steven heard about this! He'd probably freak out. It was half of the reason Levi did it – to see how his brother would react. Immature, sure, but whatever. But if Steven wasn't going to start treating him like a full-blown Beta, then he wasn't going to act like one. And imagining the cops' expressions when they found out…

  Levi began chuckling, and by the time he reached his brother's apartment, he was full-on laughing at his own cleverness. Steven was with his mate, persuading his three-year-old daughter Naomi to eat some oatmeal when Levi burst in.

  The Alpha took one look at him and closed his eyes, pinching the bridge of his nose. "What did you do this time?"

  Levi shrugged, fishing his phone out of his pocket. "Hey, quick question. Say you just met a beautiful, sexy woman and went back to her apartment to…" he glanced at his little niece, "…talk, and she gave you her number – how long do you have to wait until you contact her?"

  "It's probably a fake number. And what did you do, Levi? Is it going to cause trouble again?"

  "Nah." He started chuckling again. "I ordered two hundred donuts to be sent to the police precinct that's in charge of 'policing' our area."

  "Donuts!" his niece cried, clapping her hands. "Yum!"

  Steven growled. He closed his eyes for a long time before grabbing Levi's arm and dragging him to another room. He whirled on his brother. "What were you thinking?"

  "I was thinking they're always harassing us, and they hate the police and donuts stereotype, so why not get back at them the only way you'll let me?" Levi grinned. A vein popped out on Steven's forehead, just the way the younger Coyote hoped it would. "Now, if you gave me more responsibilities around the pack, then I wouldn't have the time to pull such childish pranks, now would I?"

  "If you weren't always being such a child—" Steven cut himself off, pulling in a deep breath.

  Levi waited, surprised at his brother's sudden restraint.

  "You want to have more responsibilities? You want to be more involved in leading the pack?"

  "Yes. It's what I've been saying for years. And if you think about it, then giving me something to do will let you do your thing, so I'm not egging drug dealer's cars or spreading garbage over the mayor's lawn to get my results."

  Steven nodded, looking put out. "Fine. Then I want you to prove to me that I can trust you with certain tasks. I want you to arrange a neighborhood garbage pickup. Get everybody together and clean up our parks, our streets, our hallways. Everything."

  Levi scowled. That wasn't what he had in mind. "Why don't I organize a march against the city laws that allow businesses to turn us away for simply being shifters? You know, something that will actually make a difference?"

  "Because that is what I am taking care of, and you haven't proved yourself trustworthy enough to handle that kind of responsibility. Clean up the neighborhood, and then we'll go from there. And Levi?" Steven grasped his shoulders and stared seriously at him. "I need you to stay on it. No more pranks, no more running around stealing cops' guns."

  "How did you find out—?"

  Steven shook his head, cutting Levi off. "Never mind that. The cops think that the pack is running drugs like some sort of gang. I need you to just concentrate on being a good, law-abiding citizen. Scratch that, I need you to be a model citizen. Do this cleanup, volunteer at the clothing donation center, I don't care. Just stop being an idiot, got it?"

  "Yeah, got it." Levi repressed a scowl. "Fine, I'll be a model citizen. I won't break any laws, not even jaywalking. Although public nudity shouldn't be illegal in the first place."

  "Levi!"

  "What? I'm just saying."

  Steven's mate, Heather, peeked around the door. "Steven, there are some cops here to see you. I'm going to take Naomi to the park."

  Steven's face was grim, but he nodded. Levi attempted to look serious as he followed his brother out into the main room again. A couple of cops stood in the room, looking arrogant and self-righteous. Both of them were in suits, with their hair plastered to their scalps and with the distinctive superior sneers on their faces.

  "Gentlemen," Steven greeted, nodding towards them as Heather and Naomi left the apartment. "What can I do for you?"

  "Do you know a man by the name of Aaron Knox?"

  The realtor? Levi's brow arched and he glanced at his brother for a reaction. Steven's face was utterly blank, a twitch in his hands the only thing giving away that he wasn't as calm as he appeared. "Yes. Aaron and I have been working together to try to make some improvements in the neighborhood. Why?"

  One of the cops stared hard at Levi. The Coyote felt his hackles raising at the obvious challenge, but attempted to keep himself calm. Now was one of those times when he had a chance to prove to his brother that he could be serious and helpful, wasn't it? Besides, given his most recent actions with Moose and Forsythe, it was probably not a good ide
a to provoke the cops.

  "Mr. Knox was killed in an explosion at his office."

  Steven jolted. His eyes widened and his face paled. "What? Are you certain?"

  "Very. Can you tell us exactly what the nature of your business with Mr. Knox was?" The cop flipped open a notepad and posed a pen over it. The second one was still staring at Levi.

  A growl rose up his throat as he realized what these two were investigating. They thought the Coyotes were responsible for Knox's death. Of course. Why investigate the crime when they had a pool of suspects that everybody would assume were guilty?

  If it were up to Levi, they'd have a big-time lawyer bringing up multiple lawsuits against the city for the way they treated the Coyotes. Steven always said they couldn’t afford it, but maybe Levi would just go ahead and find a way to get one to take their case anyway. Things could not continue like this.

  Steven turned towards him. "Heather forgot her inhaler. Levi, can you run and give it to her?"

  Levi turned on him, furious, but the warning look in his Alpha's eyes stopped him from saying what he thought. Instead, he swallowed and nodded. "Yeah, I can do that. Assuming that these fine detectives here don't need me for anything?"

  He glanced at them. The first one shook his head, though the second remained sullen. Levi grabbed Heather's inhaler from the table and jogged out the door, grinding his teeth together as he did so. He understood Steven's desire to get him out of the apartment while he spoke with the two cops. After all, Levi wasn't exactly a model for self-control. It was worrisome that this Knox guy had been killed, though…

  Probably a gas leak, Levi thought. Who would want to kill a realtor?

  After dropping the inhaler off at the park, Levi wandered through the neighborhood. Anger still burned through him, but he forced himself to relax. As much as he disagreed with his brother's methods, Steven was still the Alpha. He needed to talk to him about this before he made a move. Maybe that was what the Alpha meant when he said Levi had to be more mature…

  Levi had other things to consider. With this new development, would Steven still want him to put together the cleanup project? Probably – and even if Steven forgot all about it, Levi could still do something. It wasn't like the Coyotes were terribly dirty, but the littering was getting out of hand. And maybe he could push the project further. Clean up everything, lay in new sod at the parks, and get the dead stumps pulled out and new trees or flowers put in. Put his own spin on it, rather than just following orders.