His fixation

Chapter 10

Pounding at the door to the apartment wakes you both come morning. Cole grumbling too low for you to hear the words said. He ignores the insistent knocking at his front door to dress fully, blush out his hair and even brush his teeth. You blink the sleep from your eyes and seek out your clothes. Not bothering with your hair you answer the front door, only to be face to face with several uniformed police officers with a smug detective in slick business attire.

"Can I help you?" You ask. Only now registering that the lights on top of the cops cars are flashing.

"We just got some questions for Cole." The detective says pointing out his badge to you.

"Oh work stuff? He's on vacation." You glance behind you down the hall to see an unconcerned Cole walking your way.

Cole joins you, putting himself between you and the officers. "If this isn't about work then I'm invoking my right to a lawyer."

"It's sort of related to work. We just have a few questions to ask you in regards to a murder that took place not to far from here." The detective points in the rough direction of the park. "It is suspicious after all that it looks like an animal attack, and it's the first time I don't find you sniffing around the scene as soon as we arrive." He presses, trying to get a reaction out of Cole.

"If you don't have a warrant for my arrest I'm shutting this door." Cole growls. The officers hands move to rest on their guns.

You come to his defense. "He was taking time off work to spend time with me." You insist, hand gripping his shirt.

"Uh huh, that is a convenient cover for him, isn't it suspicious that he solves nearly every case handed to him but this one?" He pulls out a cigarette, lighting it casually.

"Does any detective have a hundred percent success rate?" You ask confused.

Cole responds instead, urging you farther into the apartment. "He's implying that I'm successful beyond what is reasonable. This is unfair profiling based on my status as a Therianthrop."

The officer shakes his head, cigarette smoke scattered around his head. "Not here to arrest you, just wanted some information on your whereabouts at the time of the murder." Cole makes a motion like locking his lips and tossing the key away. The detective shrugs, turning away like he might leave but he speaks again. "Just one more thing, you're a panther Therian correct? One of only three in the city?"

Cole sighs and rolls his eyes. "You know I am. The government requires that I disclose that and I'm in my half state." He growls, hand gripping the door knob ready to slam it.

"It's just that a witness saw a large cat in the area, stalking around." The detective leaves the officers following with grumbles about wasted time.

Cole slams the door shut, but quickly retains his composure. "Seems I'm the newest suspect in this game." You follow him feeling lost as he goes to the kitchen. The coffee over brewed from sitting too long but he drinks it anyway. "This will only grow worse, if this witness speaks to the public then more stories of a large black cat will spring up. Some vague memories recalled by the sleep deprived and the chronically drunk. Others will be unrelated sightings of me that they can't remember exact dates of."

It's tragic really. He works to solve all these cases and he is made to feel like he can't ever leave his house when transformed. "It's just a mistake! I'm with you most of the time. I know you didn't do anything."

He looks at you with an unfamiliar expression, a sad pitying look that quickly grows warm and soft. A gentle smile just for you curling up on his lips. "Perhaps it would be best for you to abandon my side, and leave me to my distractions..." He trails off looking at his reflection in his coffee cup. "Things will only get harder for me and anyone on my side."