1

Evacuation.

Sawyer felt his whole world falling apart as he read through the government's werewolf eviction memo again. The third time he was doing so. It couldn't be. This had to be a joke.

But it was real. The words on the paper in his hands were real and the stamp at the tail end of the page confirmed that the president was in support. Oh, God. His heart began to race in panic.

The sweet shop. Where would I run to? I'm almost on heat!

Deep breaths, Sawyer. Deep breaths.

At least the reasons for the eviction notice were reasonable. A bit.

In the best interests and safety of all Manhattan citizens, I, President Kickbutt order the immediate evacuation of all werewolf residents in the state. It is with a heavy heart I also announce the death of my colleague and best friend, the Vice President of Manhattan – Sir George Phillips, whose home security system was bypassed and his home broken into by a group of werewolf hooligans. We're so sure that the culprits are werewolves because the marks on his neck confirm it. Our heartfelt condolences go out to his family members and we assure everyone to ensure that not one werewolf resident will be allowed to live after Saturday, the 24th of May, 2021.

Signed.

President Max Kickbutt.

Sawyer's head was spinning. There was no way he could get out of Manhattan before Saturday. His heat period stood in the way of that, which would hit him full force like a tsunami by tomorrow. He had no savings, having used it all in setting up a smoothie booth in front of the shop. He was penniless and soon – homeless also.

Oh god.

Manhattan was the only home he'd ever known. He'd left his small communal home in a rural town in Mexico when he was eleven. His parents had been killed in a fierce Pack bloodbath and he'd followed a now distant aunt to Manhattan without her knowledge. The heat in the boot was stifling and it was a miracle that he hadn't passed out due to the three-hour-long journey without air.

He'd stumbled into a small neighborhood and the home of a childless matriarch. Mrs. Angelini felt sorry to hear his heartbreaking story and Sawyer was thankful that the old woman hadn't alerted the police and reported him as a missing person. Mrs. Angelini had been married twice yet she bore no child due to an infertility problem that couldn't be cured. She took Sawyer in as her son and sent him to college and university before she passed out on March 1st one year ago. Sawyer had been broken ever since, but he managed to assume ownership and full responsibility for S-Angelini Candies which Mrs. Angelini previously ran.

Business was good, the customers were starting to like him, and S-Angelini was set to be one of the leading small-scale sole-proprietorships in downtown Manhattan by fall. Only now, Manhattan would be a danger zone by Sunday and he had nowhere to go.

He scrunched up the memo and tossed it aside on the kitchen table. Out front, Maddie Summers, his only human friend was handling sales. They weren't selling a lot, probably because of the memo as the customers knew that he wasn't a human. It was a miracle they weren't flipping out on him as they'd been doing to other werewolves since the week began. The Vice President's death really struck a nerve in them.

Everything sucks.

"What's with the sad face, boy?" Maddie announced her entrance with a loud smack of her gum and the heady scent of her cologne. Sawyer turned around to face her Just as Maddie hopped on the counter, swinging her legs. For someone slim and 5'9, she had pretty long legs.

She pried the paper and straightened it, her black eyes roaming over the neatly-typed words on the page, the skin of her forehead pressed together in concentration. "Oh. My. God. This is bad news."

Sawyer stood up now, his legs feeling like jelly as he began taking the things he'd need to make his signature blueberry hard candy from the top shelf. He'd decided not to think too much on the memo until Friday. He tended to brainstorm effectively while under duress. "I don't want to dwell on it."

Maddie nodded, "I understand. But don't you think…you could stay around and fool the humans for a bit? You're almost like us, except that you shift during nights of the full moon."

"That," Sawyer doused the wood board with baking powder, "would've been a fantastic idea, Maddie. But my heat period hits full force tomorrow and won't be over till Sunday."

"Are you sure you calculated this heat thing right? Don't you have extended relatives or something that'll be willing to help you with a roof while you sort out what you'd like to happen to the sweet shop? It'll be hard getting rid of the building because Mrs. Angelini owns it legally…"

"Maddie, calm down, one question at a time. I'm not getting rid of this shop. There must be a way around this. I just haven't thought of it yet. I wished I could go back to my aunt but it's been more than eight years…nobody knows if I'm still alive or not."

"True. I'm sorry I suggested that you should give up your inheritance."

"It's okay. I'll be fine. This heat thing just makes it a whole lot harder."

"I get it. The uneasiness and constant urge for sex."?"

Sawyer's cheeks flamed up in embarrassment. "Yes. And I don't want to have sex or get pregnant yet. At least not until another year."

Maddie laughed. "You poor virgin. When are you ever not celibate?"

Sawyer rolled his eyes as he sprinkled sugar on the syrup that he'd now poured out into little cusps. If only Maddie knew how hard it was being on heat and still trying to be celibate. He felt drawn to every alpha guy he met on the street, and they often smelt his heat too. It drove them crazy and so far he'd dealt with two heat periods since he turned eighteen and had a few cases of sexual harassment from arsehole alphas during those times. The very reason why he isolated himself indoors during the five days duration. She wasn't ready to bring forth puppies or tie himself down with a man yet.

"Does this memo order apply to those alphas in high offices?"

Sawyer shrugged. "Probably not. They're highly essential to the government. Lucky bastards."

"How about this," Maddie said behind him as they took the trays of candy to the oven. "You could have a very important alpha take care of this heat of yours…"

"Seriously? You're asking me to get pregnant?"

"Umm, not really. He'll use protection."

"You've got to be kidding me, Maddie. This is the worst advice you could give."

"Hey, I'm trying to help out here. See it as an auction. There are plenty of alphas who are willing to mate with no strings attached if I'm correct. All I'm saying is you either find the right guy or any guy who's rich and willing to pay loads for it. At least if we're not lucky in the high-class alpha department, you'll have enough money to travel out until Manhattan becomes safe again. I can help you manage the sweet shop till you return. Think about it."

Sawyer's mouth fell open at how brilliant her plan sounded. Why didn't he think of that before?

"I guess you've done something similar since you seem to be so sure of this."

Maddie tu-ted and flipped her blonde hair. "Well, not really. Pilar, one of my girlfriends needed to get rid of her heat in time for a family vacation. She almost threw a towel in on the offer but I'm glad she told me on time. Together, we hunted down an Alpha who wanted an omega to knot with and worked out a clean deal."

"Damn, that's…" Sawyer trailed off in disbelief. "That's so smart. Even for you."

"And helpful. She had a blast on vacation and never crossed paths with that same alpha again. I'm not sure they even remember doing anything."

"Isn't that related to prostitution? I mean, giving out your body for money or service?"

"If you choose to see it that way, then sure. But it was a last-minute thing and there are no laws against it. Neither are you hurting anyone." She patted his arm and then moved to place the empty tray on the counter. "Think about it and let me know. I can help accompany you to Bad and Boogie. It's renowned werewolf breeding zone under the guise of a bar. I trust you'll find an important personality there tomorrow. We'll be lucky, I hope."

As Maddie sauntered back out front, Sawyer just stared after her, still unable to process that. He wasn't exactly a fairytale type of guy but, he'd always dreamed of his first time being with his mate. But now, under these circumstances, there was no more room for that reality anymore.

There was no law against it. He was at least sure of being safe from the memo.

He wasn't thinking any shit over. He was doing it.