Violet's Sheriff

*3*

Violet stood and turned to her ma. "I'm going to head on outside and see if I can find Daisy or Poppy."

"That is fine. Just make sure you girls stay together and stay close to the building," Ma demanded. "I don't want you to be snatched by some pervert."

Violet rolled her eyes at her ma's dramatics. "Ma, with the crowd around here, nobody is going to get snatched tonight by a human pervert."

"Until you find your mate, your father and I are responsible for your safety," Ma argued. "So, just do as I told you."

"Fine," Violet muttered as she spotted Daisy. Quickly heading toward her friend, she grabbed her arm and whispered, "I've been released. Let's head outside before my warden changes her mind."

"Yes, it's hot in here!"

"Have you seen Poppy? We'll grab her on the way," Violet suggested.

"She's at home with cramps," Daisy whispered.

"Oh, bummer."

"So..." Daisy raised her eyebrows as they made their way out the door, "did you get a good look at our new sheriff? He's a hottie."

Violet grinned. Thankfully Daisy and her other friend Poppy were just as into older men as she was. "Yeah, he is."

"I wonder exactly how old he is," Daisy mused. "I bet he's at least ten years older than us."

"Hm, yeah, I think I heard Ma say he was in his thirties," Violet said. "I want a closer look at him, though. Do you think we could sneak around and find him?"

"I don't know," Daisy muttered with a glance around. "If I know your mom, she told you to stay near the building. You know if you go roaming around, you'll be in trouble."

Violet growled. "I know, but I'm not a cub anymore, and her trying to leash me is getting old. I want, no I need to find him."

"Um..."

Violet frowned at the expression of awe on her friend's face and asked, "Daisy, what is it?"

Daisy pointed behind Violet. "I think he's found us."

Whirling around, Violet watched as the sheriff strode toward them like a man on a mission. Many of the Clan members tried to speak to him, but he ignored them and continued walking.

"Oh, wow, he is so handsome," Daisy whispered.

Violet growled as she caught the scent of musk and male. It was a smell that woke up her cheetah and caused her to whine low. "Mine."

"Yes, I am, and you are mine," the sheriff growled as he came to a stop in front of Violet.

Daisy sighed. "Violet, you are one lucky girl."

Violet grinned, her gaze never leaving the sheriff's as she said, "That I am."

The sheriff held out his hand, and as she took it, he said, "I'm Owen."

"Hi, I'm Violet."

"Will you come with... no, wait," he paused, his eyes narrowed. "First, I must ask because you look so young. How old are you?"

Violet laughed softly. "I'm twenty-two. Now, the turnabout is fair play. So, how old are you?"

"I'm thirty-five," Owen answered.

Violet nodded. "I'll be happy to go anywhere with you, mate."

"I'll just go tell your mom you found your mate," Daisy said. "Do I tell her you won't be coming home tonight too?"

Violet raised a questioning eyebrow at Owen.

"No, she will not be home tonight," he answered. "I have waited too long for my soulmate, and neither my panther nor I will want to let her go that soon."

"All right, just don't be surprised if Mama Massey comes banging on your door later demanding you hand her daughter over," Daisy said as she turned to leave. "Man, I wouldn't want to be in his shoes."

Violet flinched at her friend's words and whispered, "She might be right. Ma is very controlling since I still live at home."

"I will deal with her if it happens," Owen stated as he steered her toward the sidewalk. "I have to deal with a lot of things in my line of work, so I'm sure I can handle your mother."

Violet nodded and leaned her head against his arm as they walked. "Where do you live?"

"Just outside of the city limits on Cherry Avenue," Owen answered as he pointed to her left. "But my truck is right over here."

Violet's eyes widened at the jacked-up truck in front of her. At five feet barely one inch, there was no way she was getting into it on her own steam.

Owen chuckled as he opened the door. "Don't worry. I'll help you in."

"Um, yeah, that would be nice," she agreed.

A pair of warm hands wrapped around her waist, and her feet left the ground. He deposited her in the seat and even strapped her in before closing the door and walking around the hood to his side.

Once he was inside, the truck started, and rolling down the street, he said, "I had all but given up on finding my mate. If I had known all I had to do was look two towns over, I would have done it a long time ago. How did we never bump into each other since we are so close."

Violet released a self-deprecating laugh. "Remember me saying my ma was controlling? Well, my brother and I haven't ever been allowed to go any further than the city limits sign. Not only that, but if we had met, well, the fact that you're thirteen years older than me would have had Ma running you off with a shotgun."

#

Owen's panther growled at the thought of being kept from its mate. It would not have gone well for anyone because his panther could be vicious if denied something he wanted. "Then I guess it is best we didn't meet sooner."

"Mm, yes."

Turning into his driveway, Owen shut the engine off and opened his door. Walking around the truck, he opened the door and gently pulled his mate from the truck. Gazing down into her eyes, he sighed at the look of enchantment in them. He wasn't anything out of the ordinary, yet looking into her eyes, he felt like he was.

"You are so gorgeous," he murmured as he lowered his head to hers.

"So are you," she whispered right before their lips met.

Owen kept the kiss short, and as he pulled away, he said, "Let's take this inside."