She thought about the assailant. He’d recover from his frozen state soon enough, hopefully, restrained to a hospital bed once the wrench was discovered lying near him. Ivy closed her eyes and whispered, “Solve. Verum dico,” while picturing the hooded man. He’d loosen his tongue and confess once he regained the ability to speak.
The train ride was blessedly uneventful until she reached her stop. Only the doors in front of her opened. The rest of the train doors remained closed to confused passengers until she was already on the stairs, leaving the morning rush crowd behind her. She was about to skip the coffee shop located a few doors down from her new job when she saw a crowd milling about outside. Only after she found herself first in line did a line form behind her.
Ivy sighed in relief as she arrived ten minutes early at the office of Jensen and Associates, one of the largest, most prestigious shifter defense law firms in the whole of New York. At the helm were mother, son, and daughter—Kim, Theodore, and Roslyn Jensen. Roslyn was currently on maternity leave.
“Good morning, Kim,” Ivy mouthed from the doorway of Kim’s office.
Kim was on the phone, but she smiled at Ivy and motioned for her to come in. Last week’s interview had been just a formality. Kim needed an attorney to fill in for her daughter, and Ivy’s credentials had spoken for themselves. Not to mention, Kim and Ivy’s mother, Poppy, had known each other since college. Kim was also privy to the real reason Ivy was there and graciously offered her assistance.
“Listen, you little fucker,” Kim said to the poor soul on the other end of the line, “You’re a fucking professional. You should know better than to make a personal call to a fucking professional office.” Kim shook her head. “If he’s not picking up, that means he doesn’t want to talk to you.
“Zip it!” she went on, cutting off the speaker. “A grownup is talking. I don’t give a monkey’s ass if he blocked you. I know what you did. You know what you did. And more importantly, he knows what you did. You’re a little skank whore who will never, and I mean never, be with my son.”
Whoa. Ivy stood to leave to give Kim some privacy, but Kim just waved it off as if the conversation was nothing.
“Now, Delphine, if you call my office again, this is what will happen,” she continued calmly. “I will come down to your office, and you know me… I don’t do subtle. I will come in loud.” Kim held her pointer finger up even though Delphine could not possibly see it. “I will come in as the Alpha of my pack.” Kim held up another finger. “And as the head of the tiger council and berate you at your law firm for your unprofessionalism. I’m sure your bosses will love that. Then,” Kim said, putting her hand back down on the table, “I will drag you outside and have an even more unpleasant conversation as a mom, which you will pray to the heavens above doesn’t end with your throat ripped out.” Kim ended the call.
“I’ll be sure never to get on your bad side,” Ivy said.
Kim just laughed good-heartedly. “You’re not a poisonous little lynx, so don’t worry.”
Ivy remembered her mom telling her that Kim cursed like a sailor but was the most loyal and trustworthy person to have your back. Her son’s ex sounded like a nightmare, so Ivy couldn’t blame her for going all mama bear on her ass.
“She sounds delightful,” Ivy said, and both women laughed.
Ivy had once been someone’s champion, only she failed to protect him. She vowed she wouldn’t fail again. Thankfully, someone else came into the room, sparing Ivy from going down the road of bad memories.
“Ah, Daphne,” Kim began, “Come meet the newest member of our team.”
Ivy stood and shook the gorgeous redhead’s hand. “Ivy Spencer. Nice to meet you.”
“Daphne Quinn-Pascal. Welcome.”
Perhaps Ivy worried for nothing about being the only witch in a shifter firm. Daphne seemed genuinely welcoming. Being a witch didn’t come without prejudice. Witches weren’t on the Council and kept mostly to themselves. Contrary to what some shifters assumed, witches didn’t consider themselves better than shifters. Most witches practiced their familial magic and didn’t see how one or even several witches could represent them on a council. If there was an issue to be resolved, the matriarchs of a community would usually meet to find the best way to resolve it, including collectively binding someone’s powers if called for and if there was proof.
“Why don’t you get settled in?” Kim suggested. “Set up your email and get familiar with our system, then we’ll pile on the caseloads.” She added that last bit with a wink.
Ivy couldn’t help laughing at Kim’s chipper attitude about the amount of work she was going to give her, though Ivy was definitely up for the challenge. She’d be meeting the other Jensen later. Kim’s son had only just gotten back from vacation last night, and Ivy hadn’t had the chance to meet him at her interview last week.
“Come on,” Daphne began, “I’ll show you around.”
The large firm took up the ninth floor of the uptown Manhattan skyrise, quite different from the first-floor storefront office where Ivy worked back home. Never mind a warm reception. The smiles thrown her way by the other employees seemed forced. Still, she’d get to know them before passing her own judgment.
“Don’t pay anyone any mind,” Daphne said as she led Ivy into her new office. “I stopped being stared at a month ago.”
“How long have you been here?”
“About a month,” Daphne said, laughing.
Ivy definitely liked her. “I don’t get why they’d stare at you. You’re a shifter.”
Ivy went around her new desk and fired up her computer. Daphne plopped herself down in the empty chair across from Ivy.
“Well, I come in fresh off the bar exam, female, the wife of a lone alpha, who also happens to be the head honcho of wolves on the Council, and let’s just say, some of these men wanted me to know my place.”
Looking up from her computer, Ivy’s eyes widened. “No! What did you do?”
Daphne laughed again. “I growled at them.” She explained she was the daughter of an Alpha, and her subtle growl had the other men bowing their heads to her in deference. “So, now they know my place. Of course, I defer to the experienced attorneys on matters of law.” Daphne stood. “Let me know if you need anything.” She smiled warmly at her before leaving.
