The Deputy and His Enforcer (Kincaid Pack #3) - Kiki Clark Page 0,7

scented the way the Kincaid Pack did. Generally, and in Marcus’s experience before coming to Meyerville, scenting only happened between an alpha and his pack or within an immediate family or between mates. But the Kincaid Enforcers were almost like a pack within the pack or a surrogate family, with close bonds, protective instincts, and scenting to strengthen connections.

Without saying anything else to the deputy, he led the way back into the rec center. There was an office on the first floor where the center’s manager worked to make sure things ran smoothly. As soon as Marcus knocked on the ajar door, Brianna looked up from their desk and smiled at him.

“Enforcer Rivera, what can I do for—” They stopped when Medina stepped up behind Marcus, and their eyes went wide.

“I need the room, please.” He forced himself to give them a slight smile, letting them know everything was okay.

“S-Sure. Of course. I need to go straighten up the room you all were in upstairs anyway. Take your time.” They straightened the top of their desk, nodded once to Marcus, then hurried out of the office.

“Well, that was fucking weird,” Medina muttered, slipping past Marcus and stepping into the small room. He stopped at the desk and turned to lean his backside against the edge, arms crossed once more. “You sure scared her out of here.”

“Them,” Marcus corrected, stepping inside as well and closing the door. “Brianna uses they/them pronouns.”

Medina’s eyebrows furrowed for a second, and then he shrugged. “Okay. Well, you scared them out of here in a hurry.”

“They weren’t scared of me,” he said, clasping his hands behind his back and taking a relaxed stance.

Medina rolled his eyes. “I heard he—them call you Enforcer. So you all are mobbed up, huh? That wasn’t the top of my list, but I guess it fits.” He looked around the office. “You wash money through the rec center or something?”

Marcus was confused, but he didn’t let it show. He wasn’t overly familiar with humans and their eccentricities, but it seemed strange that they would wash all of their money before using it. Maybe they were overly worried about germs? They didn’t have the healing shifters did after all.

“In the pool?” he finally asked, when he realized that was the only water source at the center other than the bathroom sinks.

“What? No.” Medina scrubbed at his face. “As in moving dirty money through the place and giving it back as clean bills.”

Marcus narrowed his eyes in thought, then shook his head. “There isn’t anything large enough except the pool to clean currency, but that doesn’t seem sanitary. People swim in there.”

Hand still over his face, Medina peered at him through his fingers. “You can’t be serious, but you seem fucking serious.”

“I’m generally a serious person, yes.” He wasn’t sure why they were suddenly talking about his demeanor. He realized he needed to take control of the conversation before it got even more out of hand. “I’d like to ask you to stop following us, Deputy.”

His hand slowly lowering, Medina’s face went slack with surprise. “You know?”

“We’ve known since the start. I understand you’re suspicious of us, but there’s no need. We protect this town and the people in it.”

He’d assumed that would be the most reassuring thing he could say to a man like Medina, someone who had a history in the military and now worked in law enforcement, but if anything Marcus’s words riled him up more.

“Protect it from what? The only reason it would need protecting is because you’re here,” Medina snarled, pushing off the desk and getting closer to Marcus. He was several inches shorter, but his broad body gave him a looming presence. Marcus had always been tall but lean, so he probably seemed weak to someone as physically strong as Medina.

But even the strongest human was no comparison to a pack Enforcer.

Marcus didn’t respond to his accusation, partly because it was true but also because he was distracted by the scent of basil growing in Medina’s scent. Inhaling deeply, he felt his brows furrow as he tried to decipher what it meant. It was extremely pleasant whatever it was. Marcus had a large basil plant at his house, and he loved to touch the leaves to release their smell.

“Are you seriously not going to say anything? Not even try and deny it?” Medina stepped back slightly. When Marcus continued to study his face but still didn’t speak, Medina shook his head. “Whatever. Just… I’ll stay away from