Kayleb and Vanessa (5th in werewolf series)

Chapter Eight

Kayleb slammed himself down in his desk and his jaw was tense as he ruffled through the papers on it roughly.

"You okay?" Kaylee asked raising her brow and watching him from behind a file she was reading at her desk across from his.

"Just peachy." Kayleb replied before slamming his forehead down on the desk and leaving it there.

"Wanna talk about it?" Kaylee asked. Kayleb shook his head without lifting it from his desk.

"Right now I hate anything with estrogen." he replied, his voice muffled against the papers his face was pressed against. Kaylee nodded and then she laughed.

"Get ready for an estrogen overload." she whispered. Kayleb smelled officer Tortilonni's perfume and groaned.

"You look stressed. Want me to rub your shoulders?" he heard her heavily accented voice asked. He swore she was that woman that played 'The Nanny' reincarnated. He felt her hands on his shoulders and he jumped to his feet, nearly falling over his desk to get away from her as Kaylee hid her laughter behind the folder in her hands.

"Hi, Fran." Kayleb mumbled.

"My name's Susie." The annoying woman who had been a thorn in his side since he'd started working here said with a loud laugh that Kayleb was sure could peal paint off of walls.

"When you gonna go out with me handsome?" she asked cocking her wide hip to the side and laying her red nailed hand on it.

"When hell freezes over." Kayleb muttered and Susie laughed.

"Well batten down the hatches, sweet cheeks, because I think there's a cold front coming in." she exclaimed and snickers filled the station.

"Kayleb and Kaylee." Chief Michael's called from his office door and Kayleb turned quickly. He had never been so happy to see that millipede mustache in the two years he'd been working for the chief.

"There's been a murder over in Haggarty. Looks like it was were creatures of some sort. You two need to get over there and take a look."

"Yes sir." Kayleb said quickly as he headed for the door. Kaylee practically had to run to catch up to him and she was laughing lightly as she got in the passenger side of the squad car.

"Chief Michaels looked kind of disappointed when you didn't complain about working." she said.

"Damn that Susie Tortollinni." Kayleb grumbled as he fired the car to life and started down the road.

"What's got you go grumpy?" Kaylee asked as she slipped on her sunglasses. "Does this have anything to do with the apple lady?"

"Her name is Vanessa." Kayleb replied and then he sighed as he gripped the steering wheel tightly with both hands. "She's my mate." Kaylee couldn't stop herself from bouncing in the seat.

"Yay! I was right!" she exclaimed. Kayleb raised his brow and looked over at her.

"What do you mean you were right?"

"I thought she was your mate... I realized it when you mentioned her smelling like apples."

"Yeah well quit sounding so happy about it. She hates me." Kaylee waved her hand dismissively.

"No she doesn't. She doesn't even know you."

"She kicked me out of my own house!" Kayleb snapped.

"She might be a little jumpy." Kaylee admitted.

"A little?"

"Her life has turned upside down, Kayleb. She told me yesterday that she is a single mother who works six days a week, twelve hours a day, takes care of her daughter and takes college classes online at night... She is run ragged." Kayleb felt his newfound protective nature kick in at hearing how hard his mates life had been. He wanted to take her into his arms and take care of her. Make sure she never had to worry about anything more complicated than breathing for the rest of eternity.