Pember huffed, wrapping his fingers around Blake’s wrist and squeezing. “No, sorry. He can’t,” he said, stepping out from behind him. Mark’s eyebrows shot into his hairline, and Pember used his surprise to start leading Blake towards the door.
Mark grabbed his other arm and pulled him back. “So can you cover, or not? Double pay, like last time.”
Blake seemed to hang in limbo for the briefest of moments, before simultaneously wrenching his arm free from Mark and wrapping his hand around Pember’s. “I’m busy tonight,” he growled, pulling Pember out of the kitchen and down the corridor.
They said nothing and spoke to no one as they headed down the stairs, fingers still locked together. Pember’s face was burning as they reached the car park, and Blake took a sharp left, leading them down a narrow path towards some kind of long building. Metal bars ran along its entire length and there was a distinct smell of wet dog.
“Where’re we going?” Pember said, puffing slightly as he half jogged to keep up with Blake’s long strides.
Blake needn’t have answered, because a moment later there came a ruckus of barks and high-pitched whines.
“George!” Pember called, letting go of Blake’s hand and running towards the corgi. He stood up on his hind legs and tried to push his face between the bars.
“Careful,” Blake said, pulling Pember back by the shoulder. He pointed towards a German shepherd loitering menacingly in the corner. “They aren’t called land sharks for nothing.”
“O-oh, right, yeah. I’d like to keep my fingers, thanks.”
Canines and shifters had long worked together. They had different skills and different temperaments, and both were no more similar than giraffes and elephants. Canines lacked the advanced sentience of shifters, and shifters lacked the reflexes of canines. However, it did make for a terrifying sight when a shifter was flanked by five or six German Shepherds in the middle of a riot.
Blake unwound a leather lead from around one of the bars before sliding open the cage and ushering George out. The corgi immediately jumped up at Pember, and Blake handed him the lead.
“I think it’s high time you got some exercise,” Blake said, patting George’s bum.
George led Pember, and Pember led Blake as they walked around the periphery of the police station. It wasn’t particularly scenic, nor was it quiet, so Pember was grateful when Blake pointed towards a gap in the hedge.
“There’s a field through there; it’s got a shifter run and the dog handlers use it to exercise the K9s.”
Pember nodded, following George as he rounded the corner of his own accord. When his paws touched the grass, he began panting and whining, so Blake let him off the lead. Within half a second he became a brown streak in the distance, and Pember squinted as he watched him disappear into a small patch of woodland.
“Wow. He sure can shift it,” Pember chuckled.
Blake nodded. “This is nothing. You should see him when they bring the puppies over from headquarters. Flies up this field like shit off a shovel.”
Pember’s eyes widened. “There’s puppies?”
Blake’s stoic expression cracked for a fraction of a second, giving way to something softer. “Yeah. The breeders bring them over every summer. You can… I can… take you… if you want.”
Pember squealed and clapped. “Oh, yes please! Maybe I should bring Bailey; she loves puppies.”
“Sure. The breeders like to socialise them with all different types of dogs. Hanging out with the land sharks tends to make them too boisterous.”
Pember’s gaze drifted up to Blake’s face. The alpha looked more relaxed now they were out of the station.
“I… um… I’d love that, actually. And I…”
Blake looked down, his eyes flitting over Pember’s chin and ears.
“I wanted—wantto say thank you for holding up your end of the deal. For refusing the overtime, and agreeing to spend time with Val and… me.”
Blake ran a hand through his hair. “About that, I… About what Samantha said?—”
“Oh God, don’t feel like you need to explain. It’s really none of my business.”
Blake held up a hand. “It’s fine, I… I do worka lot.As you already know. It’s partially what landed me with divorce papers.” He let out a breath. “Up until last year, I was married to a beta called Rebecca. She… Well to be totally frank, she had an affair with another officer and fell pregnant with his baby. She let me believe I was the father, right up until the due date.”
Pember’s mouth opened and closed several times, the back of his throat going dry. “I… Oh God, Blake. I’m so sorry. I can’t even imagine what?—”
“It’s fine.” He cut him off. “What’s done is done. It’s why I have to wear the bloody heart rate monitor for another six months. Turns out, breaking a ten-year bond does not lend itself well with a pre-existing heart condition.”
