Maddie couldn't believe what he was implying. Why would she blab to the Sheriff?  She would have been better off if he'd slapped her. She wouldn't do such a thing. Not after he helped her. Despite his rough, dry demeanor, she knew he had some good intentions. She folded her arms mockingly. "Don't worry, you're secret's safe with me. You can mosey about under the nose of the law freely beating people up without fear I'll turn you in, alright?"

He felt the sting in her voice. "Are you starting the chain of insults again?"

"It's purely reactionary when I'm feeling dumped on." She walked over toward Comrade.

Aidan sighed. "I wasn't concerned with your silence if that's what you're thinking."

She didn't respond, instead continued to tend to the German Shepherd in the kennel.

Aidan frowned. He didn't know what was worse, the cold shoulder or her string of sarcastic insults. He found himself awkward at the turn of attitudes. He didn't like the idea of her thinking he was only using her, trying to cover his own ass. We wouldn't do that to her.

Aidan sighed. "Look, I'm not the nicest guy, Maddie. But I am thankful for your help to me."

Maddie turned around and leaned her ear out. "I'm sorry, is that your way of apologizing?"

Aidan grounded his teeth. He couldn't even remember the last time he openly apologized to someone. It was a piece of submission that even his mother, Ninon barely got out of him. Now here he was, ready to apologize to the little brunette on the floor.

"I just want you to understand that I rather keep you out of trouble. My job is dangerous and I always work alone. I'd like to handle this without any incidents. I'm sorry if I came out sounding..."

"Ungrateful?" She turned to look at him. Her face wasn't angry, just merely inquisitive.

He scoffed. "Are you going to rub this in my face?"

Maddie gave him a confident smirk. "Maybe. Since now I saw that look on your face that said you'd rather be gutted than say you're sorry. The win of this is more tempting to wallow in."

He started to walk towards the crate where Maddie stroked the fur of the German Shepherd as he whimpered in pain. The dog looked like it was in a fight with a cougar. Patches of his fur was thin and Aidan could still see the line of stitches.

"What happened to him?"

Maddie stopped petting Comrade and leaned back. "His owner was in some type of trouble, and like a great protector, Comrade here came to her aid."

Aidan looked into her mournful eyes that told so many stories, he felt the need to look away. "Is his owner...?"

"She's okay," Maddie interjected. "But look at what Comrade had to go through for her. All this, for him to be signed away."

Aidan's face crinkled into an appalled frown. "What?"

"He's abandoned. I know that she didn't really have a choice, but I was really hoping she would risk it anyway. This dog is worth it." She took a deep breath to calm herself. "Any living being is worth it."

Aidan stilled at her words. Looking into her soft brown eyes, a pang of admiration hit his heart. Her kind heart seemed to know no boundaries. The skeptic in him almost wants to reject her hopeful philosophy and how it bothered her to see others in pain. However, looking into those eyes he knew she was genuine. It was a rarity, to meet someone who valued life and was passionate to help. 

"So what are you going to do?"

Maddie at first didn't know either. She stayed up some nights thinking it over. But last night she had made her decision. "I'm going to give Linda one last chance to give Comrade the home he deserves, despite her jerk of a boyfriend."

Aidan found himself intrigued by Maddie's determination, who didn't seem to give up on neither the owner nor the dog. "Do you think she's even worthy of a second chance? Hasn't she made her foolish choice?"

Maddie smiled at him. "Everyone is worthy of redeeming themselves, Aidan. Everyone and anyone. That's what I believe, anyway." She looked into his eyes and began to see sadness in her rescuer's pools of green. Concerned, she lightly touched his hand that rested against the crate. "What's the matter?"

Aidan shook the emotions away. "Nothing." He stood up, pulling away from the comforting warmth of her hand. Maddie's touches were dangerous to him, her words finding its way into that stubborn heart of his, and it made him feel uneasy. What also scared him was that Maddie seemed to be a magnet for trouble, and her determination to help this woman gave him a bad feeling. "When are you going to take him to her?"

She stood up after giving Comrade one last stroke. "Later on this evening. I'm thinking Greg will be out doing who knows what then, long enough to get through to Linda and convince her that keeping Comrade is the right thing to do."

"Do you need me to accompany you? Make sure everything's okay?" Aidan's voice was devoid of all amusement.

Maddie felt her cheeks flood with heat. The man was quite fickle. He confused her with his guarded yet chivalrous personality trait. What a strange combination. As much as she'd enjoy having him with her, she didn't need a bodyguard. And she definitely didn't want him to feel obligated to do so. Shrugging, she brushed her tendrils back. "Nah, I'm good. She's not far from here and Comrade and I will be fine. But thanks."

Aidan blew out a breath. If he had any sense he'd bully her into taking him with her, not even giving her an option. However, he respected her need to handle things on her own. If only he could shake the dreaded feelings from his head. "You sure?"

"Yes, Superman, I'm sure." She gave him a playful wink.

Aidan winced at the name she teased him with. "Must you call me that?

"Why not, you don't like it?"

He groaned in dismay. "It could very well be the last thing called to me before I jump off a bridge, plummeting to my death."

Maddie rolled her eyes. "Sheesh. You're a cuddly one, aren't you?"

Aidan smiled. "That coming from a woman who called me a mindless Neanderthal, warning me she housed a shotgun?"

Maddie lifted her head defiantly and grinned. "Well, I never said that I was cuddly either." She laughed until her memory struck her. "Oh! I almost forgot. I have something for you! Something you're gonna love having back."

Aidan raised a curious brow. Sounds tempting. He had quite a few things in mind about what he'd love having as far as she was concerned. And as she bounced to her desk, her hips swaying and her pinned up hair falling loose, he found it hard for his mind to focus on anything else. He was beginning to understand why those Thesians were ready to kill each other over her. And perhaps her modesty to the reasons why made her even more charming. A she-wolf would have basked in the attention, whereas Maddie wanted nothing to do with the incident.

Maddie grabbed the small medallion from her desk and hurried back to him. "I don't want you to leave without this." She pulled the pendant from her hand onto a new chain. "I had the attachment repaired and put it on a chain in case you lost the chain too."

Aidan was surprised it so well taken care of. He gave a small smile, thankful it was indeed in her care. "Thank you."

Maddie closed the space between them and unhooked the chain. Tiptoeing, she tried to place the chain around his neck, her arms reaching, cradling his face. "Gees, you're a skyscraper compared to me." He leaned down to accommodate her, his face so close to hers he could feel his own breath against her skin. There, he smelled the strawberry scent on her skin, the cream soap on her face. His mouth watered for a taste of her. His wolf half demanded it. And by the escalating heartbeat from her chest, he became curious if she wanted it too.

"Why do you keep saying you're not a good guy?" Maddie whispered as she had her arms around him trying to fasten the necklace.

His face brushed against hers as he turned. "Because I'm not. I'm surly and very unpleasant."

"I think you're just a glutton for punishment."

His breath fanned her tendrils as he lingered dangerously over her skin. His voice thick and deliciously haunting in her ear. "Is that your analysis, doc?"

She coyly bit her lip and smiled. "Just merely observing the facts. I'll believe bad when I see it. So far, I have no complaints. Surly? Yeah, a little. Unpleasant? Not at all."

Before Maddie could turn her face to be brave enough to face him, Aidan caught her arms.

"Perhaps." Aidan's lips unintentionally brushed her face, but made him painfully aware of how badly he wanted to kiss her. "You should hold this for me." 

The feel of him so near threatened to turn her mind to mush. All she had to do was turn her head to his and she would've been kissing him now.

Pushing her arms back, he grabbed the necklace and placed it in her hand.

She looked at him puzzled. "But this is yours."

"I know. But I may get into some skirmishes and don't want to lose it again." He closed her hand around the necklace. "It means a lot to me."

Maddie nodded. His standoffish behavior reminded her of herself when she started to trust. Though she understood it, and knew Aidan had no obligation to trust her, she still wanted him to try. " Sure, I'll hold it for you while you beat the hell outta people."

Before he could open his mouth, she put her hand to his lips. "I know. You're not a good guy. Duly noted." She smiled at his silence, almost tickled at his shocked expression that she dared quell him. Winning victories with this man was akin to slowly taming a very wild, very stubborn animal.

"Hey, Maddie." Greta then popped her head through the double doors. "Hate to interrupt, but I don't think I can hold off the mob of crazies out here for you any longer."

Maddie turned to Greta, timidly taking her hand away from Aidan's mouth, who also turned to face Greta. "The pets aren't that bad are they?"

Greta scoffed. "I was referring to the owners." She popped back out into the main area.  Maddie could hear Greta's muffled voice behind the double doors yelling at pets and their owners. Maddie sighed as she saw Aidan straightening up, realizing it's time he left.

"I better get going. I have some places to check out." Aidan moved past her.

"Doors to kick down? Criminals to chase?" Maddie shrugged her lab coat back on giving him a playful smirk.

"Something like that." He said stopping short of going through the doors. "You're gonna be okay?" He immediately wanted to kick himself at his concerned tone. Though he'd hope she didn't notice it, when he saw her grin, Aidan knew she did.

"I may have been a little outside my element at Riko's, but I can totally handle myself. However, I really appreciate the concern, considering it's supposed to be somewhat a rarity."

"Your sarcasm knows no bounds it seems." He folded his arms. "If it was a soap, you'd reek of it."

"Just like you with your testosterone. I think we're even." Maddie playfully brushed past him and out through the double doors. Aidan followed behind and nodded to Greta as he left. Her eager wave, though friendly, amused him.

Aidan watched her work the office meeting her patients and greeting the owners. Make no mistake, there was something quite magnetic about the woman. Perhaps it was her charm and goodwill, or the fact the woman managed to get a rise outta him, more ways than one. In either case, he had a feeling she may be in little in over her head. There was something lingering in that kennel that didn't smell right.

After the biggest chunk of patients were visited, Greta sat back in her chair as Maddie took off her lab coat. "So, how was Mr. D?"

Maddie sighed. "More and more strange. Perhaps more mysterious than strange."

"Mysterious is good." Greta smiled, raising her eyebrows in a racy fashion. "No one likes an open book, even if it is a sexy one."

"You're strange too." Maddie went to the back and approached Comrade's kennel. Eagerly, he patted his paws against the wire as she unhinged the door. "Come Comrade, let's go." Upon releasing him from the kennel, Comrade shook himself off and with a stop and go pace, trotted behind Maddie as she walked out. "I'm going to try and make a miracle, Greta. Keep your fingers crossed." She stopped at Greta's desk as Comrade made a tiny detour and came to Greta, who patted his face and rubbed his ears.
"Linda will see the light, but if she doesn't, Comrade is totally welcome at home with me."

"Thanks." Maddie grabbed her keys headed out with Comrade close behind her. Time to see if Linda is ready for that second chance.

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