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Karla smiled warmly. “You're doing well, Evelyn. Everyone here is proud of you.”

After resting for a few more minutes, I decided it was time to leave. With a contented sigh, I rose from the chair, thefatigue slowly giving way to a sense of accomplishment. After my regular sessions at the coven, I would return to my office at the Sheriff’s Department, where the rhythm of everyday life awaited.

Since there hadn’t been any trouble in Harmony Grove recently, I didn’t have much to do.

I walked into the Sheriff’s Department and greeted Marie, the new receptionist.

“Hey, Marie. How's it going?”

“Good afternoon, Sheriff. You look radiant today.”

I gave her a bright smile. “Thank you.”

I took a glance at my finger, and Marie followed my gaze.

A small gasp escaped her lips when she noticed the ring. “Oh my God! Is that what I think it is?”

I chuckled, feeling a surge of happiness. “Yes, Marie. Alexei proposed, and we’re getting married.”

Her eyes widened with excitement. “That’s amazing, Sheriff Evelyn! Congratulations!”

“Thank you, Marie. It’s still sinking in for me, too,” I admitted, my hand subconsciously reaching to touch the ring that now adorned my finger.

Marie leaned in, her voice hushed with anticipation. “Have you set a date yet?”

I shook my head. “Not yet. We’re still figuring things out.”

“Wow. Are you going to make an official announcement?” she asked.

I couldn’t tell Marie I was a witch, and my fiancé was a vampire. Or that we had to officially announce our engagement at a peace treaty that would be held at the new museum. So, I settled for a vague answer.

“Nah. We just want to keep things low-key.”

Her curiosity piqued, Marie leaned back, her eyes gleaming. “I completely understand. Besides, Alexei doesn’t seem like the type of man to publicly announce that sort of thing.”

I chuckled, appreciating her perceptiveness. “Yes, you’re right. Alexei is exactly like that.”

Marie was very chatty, and I knew that if I didn’t find a way to interrupt her, the question would keep coming. “But enough about me. How’s everything on your end?”

Marie’s enthusiasm spilled into her response. “Oh, it’s been great here! Everyone’s been welcoming, and I’m still getting used to how things work.”

I nodded, happy to see her settling in. “You’ll get the hang of it. If you have any questions, just let me know.”

“Will do, Sheriff. And again, congratulations on the engagement!” Marie said, smiling.

“Thank you, Marie. Now, let’s see what recruits we have today.”

Marie handed me the file containing the information about the recruits as I made my way to the briefing room.

I entered the briefing room and saw we only had two recruits.

Greeting recruits was somewhat routine, and among them was Ryan, a human seeking redemption after a challenging past he said. His determination to forge a more decent path resonated with me, a testament to the transformative power of second chances.But something was haunting my mind regarding his name, Ryan. What is it? I cannot seem to recall.

As I mingled with the recruits, Alexei’s sister, Ana, approached with a furrowed brow. “Evelyn, we need to talk. It’s about Alexei and the werewolf pack.”

Concern flickered in my eyes. “What happened? Is everything okay?”

Ana sighed, her frustration evident. “He’s meeting with the werewolf pack and asked me to go with him. I thought you should know.”