Rex and Duke stood just outside the Chief’s office. The air in the immediate vicinity felt heavy, the kind of weight that lingers after a storm. A few nearby officers, unfortunate enough to have desks within earshot of Greer’s wrath, kept their heads down, suddenly very invested in their paperwork or tapping at typewriter keys with just a little too much focus. A sergeant shuffled a stack of reports, cleared his throat, then quickly turned and walked away.

  Duke let out a low whistle and adjusted his collar. "Well, that could’ve gone worse."

  Rex turned his head just enough to glare at him.

  Duke shrugged. "I mean, considering how good you are at pissing off the Chief, I half-expected to walk out of there one partner short."

  Rex let out a long, slow exhale and shook his head. Duke stood silent for a moment, then gave him a solid pat on the shoulder—a quiet, steadying gesture.

  "Paperwork," Rex muttered, voice edged with irritation. "Might as well scrub floors."

  Duke smirked, rocking back on his heels. "Hey, I hear janitorial work builds character."

  Rex shot him a flat look.

  Duke chuckled before his expression softened. "Look, could be worse. Just… keep your head down. It’s only for a while."

  Rex scoffed, ears flicking back. "Yeah, sure. Meanwhile, Gnash is still out there. The victims on the highway? No justice. This is going to set back our investigation, and I can’t do a damn thing about it."

  Duke met his partner’s frustrated glare, understanding the fire behind it. Rex needed action—needed to be in the fight, not sidelined.

  "Look, we’ll bide our time, let the heat die down," Duke said evenly. "The Chief… he’s under a lot of pressure. You did what you could."

  Rex rolled his eyes and ran a hand down his muzzle, speaking more to himself than anyone else.

  "It is never enough."

  The tension lingered for another beat before Duke nudged him with his elbow. "I am very impressed that you kept your snark to your chest this time. That’s progress."

  Rex let out a dry grunt, but there was the barest flicker of amusement in his eyes. Duke took that as a win.

  "C’mon. Let’s get back to work."

  The two stepped forward, weaving into the station’s flow. The SCU bullpen was organized chaos, phones ringing, officers rushing past with case files, mounted televisions flashing breaking news. Every so often, a banner scrolled across the screen:

  “Mad Wolf Chase Brings Highway to Standstill.”

  Rex caught sight of frantic clips playing on the screens—eyewitnesses gesturing wildly as they described the carnage in breathless detail. He felt his jaw tighten.

  Further into the bullpen, lounging against a desk near the breakroom, Detective Neville Sallow looked far too amused by the whole thing. The hyena’s lean, sinewy frame exuded his usual predatory confidence, his tawny fur shifting with each lazy motion. His piercing brown eyes gleamed with mischief as he watched the broadcast, a sharp-toothed grin curling at the edges of his mouth.

  Beside him, Junior Officer Mei Liang stood stiffly, her large hazel eyes fixed on the screen. Unlike Neville, her concern was written all over her face, her soft gray fur bristling slightly as she watched the footage unfold. Her long ears twitched, uneasy.

  “They’re calling it ‘The Wolf’s Highway Massacre,’” Mei said, her voice a mix of awe and worry as her expressive gaze flicked nervously to Neville. “Is that… normal? For cases like this to get names like that?”

  Neville smirked, his sharp grin widening as he raised a finger. “Wait for it…”

  On cue, the broadcast shifted to an interview. A raccoon, clutching his helmet, stood in front of the wreckage of what was once a pristine motorcycle. His voice cracked as he pointed at the mangled remains, his wide eyes brimming with despair. “He just—he just took it! Said it was ‘official police business’!” The racoon then held up two broken paw extensions, “He just broke them as soon as he got on! He broke them!”

  The racoon broke down into sobs, “It’s gone… Look at it?! What am I gonna do?!” The camera zoomed in on the bike’s twisted frame, barely recognizable beneath the wreckage. Below the footage, the caption read: ‘I LOST EVERYTHING!’

  Neville burst into laughter, his cackles echoing in the room. “Paw extensions!” He slapped the desk with his palm, barely able to contain himself. “Oh, that’s too good!”

  Mei looked visibly disgusted by Nevel’s outburst.

  He calmed himself down to a chuckle, and pointed demonstratively toward the various monitors covering the event, “Normally, Mei; the villain? The villain would be the star of a story like this. But when Rex is involved?” He waved at the screen, shaking his head. “Sometimes, we get masterpieces like that.”

  Mei frowned, her whiskers twitching nervously as her ears drooped. “That’s not funny, Neville. Detective Calder could’ve been seriously hurt out there.” She turned back to the screen, her voice softening. “He’s lucky to be alive after what happened on that bypass…”

  Neville shrugged, still grinning. “Oh, sure, Mei. One of these interviews said that he rolled a few yards. He will be fine. This though? That raccoon’s pain is just so over the top, it is comedy gold. The news plays this stuff up.”

  Before she could respond, Rex and Duke walked into view. Neville leaned back, his toothy grin widening even further as he spotted them. “Speak of the devil. How’s the city’s most wanted wolf doing this morning?”

  Mei immediately stepped forward, her expression shifting from awe to genuine concern. “Detective Calder, are you alright? I saw the footage. They said you were thrown clear of the bike! You look terrible. Are you sure you’re okay?”

  Rex stopped, letting out a tired sigh as he ruffled the fur on the back of his neck. Despite the rough night, his eyes softened slightly as he looked at Mei’s anxious face. “I’m fine, Mei. Just a few scrapes, and bruising. Nothing worth worrying about. Probably won’t even notice by tomorrow.”

  “But the news said—” Mei began, her soft gray hands clasped together, only to be cut off by Neville’s sly chuckle.

  “Relax, Rabbit,” Neville said, crossing his arms. “Rex is like a bad penny. Always shows up in one piece, no matter how many wrecks he causes. He’s a manifold with all the perks of essentia. He will be fine.”

  Neville gestured at the screen, where the raccoon was now kneeling beside the remnants of his motorcycle, sobbing dramatically. “Although I’m pretty sure you’ve scarred that poor guy for life, Rex.”

  Duke snorted, shaking his head as he leaned against the desk.

  Neville let out another laugh, his tail flicking slightly as he glanced at Rex. “ What was it, a three-block chase before you dumped that bike under a semi?”

  Rex’s ears twitched in annoyance as he gave Neville a flat look. “You done?”

  “Not even close,” Neville replied with a toothy grin. “Not all of us have the privilege of being able to keep our jobs after stunts like this. But hey, at least you made it out alive, as usual. The same can’t be said for the bike. Must be nice to have been given the opportunity to have the city invest in that super soldier project. All those aetherics and you couldn’t even stop him from destroying the bypass? Least you got to give that bike a spin.”

  Neville shrugged with a smug expression, “I can’t wait to see how the PR team spins this. Should be an exciting week.”

  Mei’s nose wriggled slightly as her voice remained earnest. “Please Neville.”

  Neville rolled his eyes and looked back at the televisions.

  This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.

  Mei let out a small sigh before turning to Rex, “Well, I’m glad you’re okay, Detective Calder. Really.”

  Rex gave her a small nod, his voice quiet. “Thanks, Mei.” Without another word, he trudged off toward his desk.

  As Rex sat down with a heavy sigh, Duke followed, smirking as he opened a folder. “You’ve got fans now. Should start charging for autographs.”

  “Or to fund charity for bike repairs,” Neville called after him, laughter ringing out as he turned back to Mei. “Don’t worry, Rex. You’ll always be a legend in someone’s story.”

  Nevile collected his jacket, “Come on, Mei. Let’s hit the road. You have better officers in this precinct to look up to than Rex.”

  As Rex leaned back in his chair, he let out a long, controlled exhale, but he couldn’t keep his hand still. He drummed a rhythmic beat against the edge of the desk, an impatient, staccato rhythm that set Duke’s teeth on edge. His tail flicked, his ears twitched, and he hadn’t so much as glanced at the stack of files waiting in front of him. Instead, he gave the strap of his vest an unnecessary tug, like yanking on it would fix the fact that he’d been benched.

  Duke sighed, rolling his shoulders before speaking. “You know, if you keep brooding like that, your gonna-”

  The sharp scent of coffee hit his nose before he could finish.

  He looked up just in time to see Officer Tamsin Voss strolling over from the breakroom, a steaming cup balanced in each hand. Her sleek, athletic frame moved with effortless grace, silver fur catching the fluorescent light, accented by dark streaks along her ears and tail. The glow of her mismatched eyes, one sapphire blue and the other vivid emerald, scanned the room with quiet intensity. That ever-present smirk of hers softened her sharp features, a contrast Duke had long since learned was just enough to keep animals guessing.

  She stopped at Rex’s desk and extended one of the cups toward him, the rich aroma of freshly brewed coffee cutting through the muted din of the station. “Figured you could use this,” she said, her voice smooth with a touch of warmth. She tipped her head toward the television still replaying footage of the bypass incident. “Thought I’d better bring it over after you closed the door to Greer’s office. Private chat wasn’t much worse than the one the station could hear, was it?”

  Rex glanced up, his eyes meeting hers briefly before dropping back to the desk. He accepted the coffee with a slight nod, his tone gruff. “I think the door was open initially to make sure the station heard the fireworks. Everything else was standard, fair and boring. Thanks, Tamsin.”

  “Don’t mention it,” she replied, settling herself into the chair across from him. Her movements were relaxed but deliberate, her mismatched gaze flicking between Rex and the stack of papers scattered across his desk. “So… gonna be a long night?”

  Duke leaned back in his chair, shooting her a knowing look. “You could say that.”

  Tamsin raised an eyebrow at Duke, her smirk fading into a more thoughtful expression. She turned back to Rex, “What about… you know? I am amazed you got out of that accident intact. You sure it was just bruises and scrapes, right? Or is your pride keeping you from saying otherwise?”

  “I’m fine,” Rex said, his tone curt but not unkind. He sipped the coffee, his ears twitching slightly.

  “Good,” she said, her voice softening. “Just know that if I notice anything I am going to convince you to see the medic.” She leaned back, crossing one leg over the other, her demeanor shifting back to playful. “You two, “Steel and Stone” are supposed to be indestructible.”

  Duke snorted, chiming in. “He’s the indestructible one. Ask my wife, I am the one that always seems to come out with problems when we run into trouble.”

  The corner of Rex’s mouth tugged upward in a faint smirk, though his attention remained on the cup in his hands. “Nice of you to bring it up. Again.”

  Tamsin chuckled, her eyes glinting with amusement as she glanced between the two of them. “Well, at least you’re both in one piece. Though if you keep this up, Duke might have to put in for hazard pay just to ride along with you.”

  Duke grinned, shaking his head. “I’m already considering it.”

  Her gaze lingered on Rex for a moment, more perceptive than teasing. “Word from the coup says you stopped by Katarina’s yesterday.” Her tone was casual, but there was a faint edge of concern, as though she were feeling out the subject carefully.

  The room seemed to shift slightly, Duke’s shoulders stiffening just enough to notice. Rex’s expression remained neutral, though his hand tightened briefly around the coffee cup. “Just making a delivery. Maybel has trouble keeping things to herself.” he said, his voice steady.

  Tamsin nodded slowly, studying him, “Rex… You can’t keep doing this to yourself.”

  Rex pointed to her, “No…” He then pointed to Duke, “And No.”

  Tamsin leaned her elbow onto Rex’s desk. “Well, if you ever need… I don’t know, a sounding board or someone to talk to after a shift, let me know.” She gestured vaguely with her coffee, a light smile tugging at her lips. “I am here for more than just damage control, you know.”

  Her words hung in the air, offering more than just camaraderie. Rex gave her a flat stare. He knew what she was alluding to, and he didn’t need to say anything in response. Instead he raised his hand and tapped his wedding band.

  Tamsin got the message, and she didn’t press further, instead she tapped Rex’s desk lightly. “Rex, someone’s gotta keep you in one piece. Duke can’t do all the work.”

  “Thanks, Tamsin,” Rex said, his voice quieter this time. He didn’t look up, but there was a faint sincerity in his tone.

  Tamsin stood, her tail flicking lazily behind her as she turned toward Duke with a grin. “And you, big guy? You need anything? Fresh coffee? A break from babysitting?”

  Duke smirked. “Just keep the coffee coming, and we’ll call it even.”

  “Done.” She laughed, tossing them both a casual wave as she headed for the door. “Stay out of trouble, you two. And if you can’t, at least make it look good on TV. I’m tired of watching reruns on the news. Also, let me know if you need me to run anything for you. No clue how long you two are gonna be benched, and we can’t afford to have the wyldfire investigation hindered due to the city's panic.”

  As she disappeared down the hall, Duke leaned back in his chair, shaking his head with a faint smile. “She’s alright.”

  Rex glanced at the spot where she’d been sitting, his brow furrowing slightly before he returned his focus to his desk. “Yeah,” he murmured, almost to himself. “She is.”

  Duke chuckled, watching Rex rub his temple with a half-smile.

  Before they could settle back into their notes, Detective Erin Flynn approached. The tall Doberman’s sharp, pointed muzzle and intense eyes gave her a naturally intimidating presence, her dark fur sleek and immaculate as always. She carried a thick leather-bound notebook in one hand, flicking through its pages with careful precision. Her eyes held a look of exasperation as she sized up Duke and Rex.

  “Alright, Duke. Ready to put the screws to Roadie?” Her voice was low and clipped, each word measured. Erin had little patience for drawn-out processes and usually preferred swift, no-nonsense action. “He’s been squirming all night.”

  Duke nodded, gathering his case files. “More than ready. If we’re lucky, he’ll crack before I finish my coffee.”

  Flynn’s ears tilted in acknowledgment, her tail twitching as she glanced at Rex. “In the future, can you try to minimize your impact on your surroundings, Rex. I’m not sure what’s worse, the actual problem or the mess of cleaning it up.”

  Rex offered a rueful smile. “I’ll keep that in mind, Detective.”

  With an approving grunt, Flynn gestured for Duke to follow. “Let’s get this over with before the next crisis hits.”

  Duke gave Rex a nod, and fell in step with Erin as they headed toward the holding cells. They walked in companionable silence down the corridor, the fluorescent lights humming above them. Duke squared his shoulders as they approached the holding cell, bracing himself for what was likely to be a frustrating round of questioning.

  Inside, Roadie slouched on the bench, his face contorted into an annoyed pout. Next to him, a brown wolf slouched on the cell’s bench, his shoulders hunched. His sleeveless white T-shirt, emblazoned with the bright slogan “I Left My Tail in Athelun” beneath a colorful illustration of the city’s harbor skyline.

  Roadie’s bulging eyes flicked toward the bars as Duke unlocked the door. “’Bout time you showed up. You know, this ain’t fair—I got rights! Been here all night!”

  “Yeah! I got my rights too, you know!” the wolf chimed in suddenly, his voice tinged with exasperation rather than defiance. He straightened up, gesturing with both hands. “I mean... I don’t even know what I did!”

  Roadie Warbled, “You broke the law, man.”

  “Wha tha, what?! Broke the law? I was just feeding pigeons at the harbor park!” The wolf exclaimed, with a flourishing gesture back to Roadie.

  Erin and Duke exchanged sharp looks before turning back to the cell.

  Roadie rolled his eyes, “Yeah, yeah, I know. I know!” Roadie made mouth gestures with his hands as his voice adopted a mocking tone, “It was just potato chips. It was just pigeons.” Roadie looked at Duke, jabbing a thumb in the wolf’s direction. “You hear this guy? Whole night he’s been goin’ on about those stupid pigeons.’”

  The wolf whirled on him, eyes wide. “Because it doesn’t make sense!”

  Duke let out a long sigh, opening the door fully. “Roadie, get up. We need to talk.”

  Roadie rose with a grunt, muttering under his breath. “Bird Guy over here’s actin’ like the sky’s fallin’. You all put him in here just to mess with me.”

  “I didn’t even know there were rules for this!” the wolf protested, standing up suddenly.”

  “Wulden, Sit!” Erin’s voice was stern. “Stay at the back wall. Roadie, hurry up.”

  Duke shook his head, motioning for Roadie to move.

  “Did you all at least contact my wife?!” Wulden pleaded.

  As Roadie shuffled toward the door, Wulden plopped back down onto the bench, his shoulders slumping.”

  Flynn lingered by the cell, arms crossed. “I will get you sorted when I get back.”

  Wulden sighed, leaning back against the wall. “Fine.”

  The toad let out a snide huff, as he started down the hall with Duke, “Look, I want my stuff back when this is over. Ain’t fair I get dragged in here for nothing.”

  Duke’s jaw tightened, and he simply pointed toward the door. “Keep moving. You’re not here to make demands.