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Legal Tension

Trials

"... and I hereby sentence the accused to three years imprisonment and a fine that will be determined later this week once both sides have presented the paperwork." The judge's gavel tapped lightly on desk in front of him. "This court is adjourned." As the venerable badger rose from his seat the rest of the assembly rose in tradition and respect.

From behind the prosecutor's desk a German Shepherd got to her feet. Picking up her briefcase, she glanced towards the defence attorney and nodded curtly before leaving the courtroom. Outside the room a small gathering of local press rushed the shepherd, closing ranks around her the moment they saw her. "Miss Eckholdt, any comments on the sentence? Was it too low? Will the defence try and get the verdict appealed?!"

Maria smoothed down her knee length skirt before using a paw to push the journalists aside as she tried to pass them. "What happens next is up to the defence, the prosecution will abide by the judge's ruling. Now excuse me." Giving one journalist a cold stare as she passed, the shepherd made her way to the exit. Behind her the defence attorney left the courtroom and immediately the goat in his overpriced suit received all the attention he wanted to avoid.

At the bottom of the stairs a large, dark blue sedan was parked with the engine running. With a sigh, Maria opened the backseat door and slid in. Even before she closed the door she called out to the young canine of questionable heritage that sat in the front seat. "Drive, Rick. Back to the office." There was no reply as the car set in motion as she leaned back in the comfortable seat. She set her briefcase on the floor freeing both of her paws, which she promptly ran through her shoulder length black hair. With eyes closed and her head against the headrest, the tired lawyer's paws began to slip down her neck. She muffled a moan as her fingers parted her suit jacket and caressed her chest through the thin Egyptian cotton blouse.

A sudden swerve of the car made her expression of tired bliss turn back to cold and stern. "Rick! It's not polite to stare."

"Sorry, Miss Eckholdt." The voice from the front sounded dejected. There was a minute of silence before he spoke again, hesitant and slightly trembling. "Did... Did everything go as you expected? You... You were in there for quite a while. I... I had to drive around the block a few times to avoid getting a ticket." He said with a half-hearted chuckle.

Maria raised an eyebrow at the weak attempt to be humorous. "Judge Trent has never been the quickest, but he is diligent. Three years imprisonment and a fine that will be determined later this week, I'm happy enough with the result, but I think I'll let one of the juniors attend that meeting seeing as it's only a formality and we already submitted all the paperwork weeks ago." She opened her eyes and fixed them on Rick for a moment, seeing him glance in the rear-view mirror more often than necessary to watch the traffic behind them.

The urge to tease her intern was too great to ignore. As the car came to a stop at the next set of traffic lights she began in earnest. The shepherd let out a long drawn out sigh and moan before slipping one shoulder out of her jacket, followed quickly by the other. Leaning forward a little, her blouse pulled tight around her double D breasts. Shaking her shoulders from side to side the bothersome garment gradually made its way down her arms. Once it was off she reclined back into her seat and placed the jacket on the seat next to her.

Rick's eyes peered back at her in the rear-view mirror, but never met her gaze. Nimble fingers met around the top button of her blouse and as it popped through the hole there was a loud honking that was quickly picked up by several cars, behind them. The young canine didn't need any prodding from his tormentor as he sat back straight in the seat and smashed the gas pedal into the floor. The car rushed through the orange light, as Rick realized he didn't look to see what colour it had been.

For the rest of the journey the blushing intern kept his eyes on the road until he finally parked the car in its familiar spot in the district attorney's office underground parking garage. He struggled to get out of the car as his fingers shook so much from nervousness that he couldn't find the release for his seatbelt. Finally free, he got out of the vehicle in a hurry, but his heart nearly jumped out of his chest when he found himself up close to the chest he had been staring at so wantonly earlier.

Having thrown her jacket over her shoulder and undone another button, Maria nearly pinned the young canine against the car and for a split second there was hope in his eyes but under the shepherd's cold stare it quickly vanished. "I don't mind staring, Rick." She snapped her fingers by her face to grab his attention away from her ample bosom. "Eyes up here." Her cold steel -grey eyes bore into his ocean-blue ones. "I make a lot of effort to look this good, but I'm going to give you a reality check right now. I never, NEVER! Sleep with people I work with." She took a step back and gave him a wink that sent off mixed signals in the young canine. "Look all you want but if you slack off while you work for me, I will grind you into the dirt and leave you there!" The genuine fear was clear to see in Rick's eyes and body language as his tail hung lifelessly behind him and his ears tried to hide in his closely cropped hair. "Here, carry my case." With a flourish, Maria spun the briefcase around in her paws before pushing it in her admirer's arms. Turning around, she set off in the direction of the office lobby and elevators. As she walked she could hear her intern follow her and slowly began to sway her hips with each step. Maria grinned as she heard the footsteps behind her slow down and then she brought him to a full stop as she curled her luxurious tail out of the way, accentuating another of her many desirable, physical assets; an ass that could make almost every male drool even when she was wearing clothes; her current tailored black skirt leaving very little to the imagination.

The elevator ride up was quiet with Maria leaning against the back wall of the car with Rick standing in front of her. As she eyed his limp tail the shepherd hid a complimentary smile; Maria knew she pushed the limit with her flirting and showing off, but Rick was a good sport and she had already written several recommendations to the universities he had applied to. He would make a great lawyer in a few years, of that she was sure.

The elevator doors opened and the pair found a group of people waiting for them and as they were spotted the group began to applaud. Maria exited the car first and curtsied. "Thank you all. I couldn't have done it without my staff." She smiled and glanced over her shoulder towards Rick and winked.

From behind the group a large mastiff grumbled and shooed everybody off. "Back to your desks everyone! Plenty of cases to work on." He came to a stop before Maria and Rick and switched his gaze from one to the other. "Good work. They just send over the transcripts. I take it you're not bothered by how high the fine is going to be?"

Without a hint of emotion Maria shook her head. "No, let a junior attend that meeting. Judge Trent doesn't mind, we've been cooperating for the entire case, so we've earned some leeway." Fighting the urge to yawn she brought a paw up to her muzzle. "Excuse me. I'm taking the rest of the day off; the next hearing I'm due to attend isn't until eleven AM tomorrow."

Crossing his arms the mastiff looked like a pin-striped obelisk. "You've got a few small cases on your desk. They just need some preparation and ordering before you go, and I want you to go over Rick's research case before the weekend."

Maria mimicked her boss' pose, peering up into his eyes and quickly weighing the pros and cons of defiance at the moment. "Rick and the juniors can do the sorting; I'll double check them tomorrow. I need a night off, Brutus. I promise I won't leave until after nine o'clock tomorrow."

Brutus took a deep breath puffing up his broad chest even more before dropping his arms to his side. "Have it your way, but if any cases get dismissed on a technicality..." His voice turned even more gruff and baritone than before.

"I know. I'll go over the cases." Maria interjected before he could add any promise to his statement. "...Tomorrow."

After a deep grumble of approval from the mastiff they parted and returned to their offices. Maria and Rick walked through the bull-pen, a room so tightly packed with desks, that the only way to add more was to stack them. The hustle and bustle was pretty normal as they handled and prepared DUI's and other misdemeanour's. At the back they found a frosted glass door that sported Maria's name. Inside her office everything was neatly ordered and clean with one exception; the case files scattered over her desk.

After hanging her suit jacket over the back of her chair, Maria sat down with a long sigh. "Let's see what we got." Slowly she began to leaf through the folders. "Perjury... Perjury... Perjury..." Putting an elbow on the desk, she cupped her cheek before letting her head rest on the open palm. "A lot of people lying under oath..." Putting the three folders to the side she flipped the cover of the last one. "Duelling... Wait, what?" As she read the folder she chuckled several times. "Strange, but nothing special, plenty of evidence. You've got to love idiots and smart phones." Collecting the folders she arranged them and held them out for Rick. "Get Laura, Mitchell and Bobby to help you. Split them up; do them one at the time. I don't care how you go about it as long as they are organized in the morning."

Holding the files, Rick lifted the corners to check which was which. "Alright, I'll get on it." He remained standing when Maria got out of her chair and stretched luxuriously. "Plans for the evening, Miss Eckholdt?"

Putting her jacket back on Maria fished her purse out of the bottom drawer of the desk. "I'm going to get laid." Winking at the dumbstruck youth as she passed him she called back. "Better get working on those cases." The noises of scrambling feet behind her filled her ears and made her grin as she strode towards the elevator.

* * *

The drive home had been uneventful. As Maria drove her Mercedes SLK Black to the security gate of her apartment complex, the automated system opened and the shepherdess rolled in to park. After such an exhausting day she was happy to be home. Riding up in the elevator, all the worries of the past few days dropped from her shoulders. There was a rush through her body as her muscles relaxed; a fiery urge that flowed from her spine and nestled between her legs. Rubbing her thighs together as the sensation grew; her breath began to shorten but it only made her snarl as she remembered the last time her lust was sated. That was when 'he' was still in town, but that had been four months ago; four months without a word and no idea where 'he' had gone.

Casting the memories aside, Maria opened the door to her apartment. As soon as she entered she jabbed the keypad to disable the alarm then locked the door. Walking through her apartment, she passed the dining room on her right; the large glass doors at the far end opening up to an exquisite balcony. On her left were her guest rooms and at the far end of the hall it opened out into a large kitchen on the right and a little further past that was her large well furnished living room that had the same glass doors as the dining room, that opened on to the large balcony. Continuing on and turning left down the hall she headed to the master bedroom to undress.

Her dark grey suit jacket and Egyptian cotton blouse went on separate coat hangers before getting hung on a door hook for the housekeeper to take care of. The skirt followed soon after, leaving Maria to walk around in her underwear. The plain grey ensemble's best feature was simply being practical, though she knew she looked good in them; 'he' had told her so. She nearly ground her teeth as her mind wandered in that direction again. "Jackass!" She muttered under her breath while reaching behind her back and unfastening the clasp of her bra then tossing the garment in a high arc that ended in the laundry hamper. With a sigh she rubbed her sides, fluffing up the fur that her bra had flattened and then let her paws begin to wander. Gently running her fingers along the underside of her breasts she cupped them and massaged the soft flesh firmly. Turning around she looked at herself in the full length mirror in the corner of the room before turning from side to side to admire her ample assets; she stopped to stare at her butt and frowned. The pair of unflattering panties obstructing a view she knew was so much greater. Hooking the waistband with her thumbs, she peeled them off, but found part of the cloth stuck to her. Glancing down she saw strings of her juices stretch out between her panties and the small silver barbell that peeked out from between her swollen lips. From her scent it was clear her body needed some attention; a smell that wafted about the room when the panties took a similar arcing flight towards the hamper.

Turning on her shower and stepping into the pre-heated jets of water, Maria felt the water saturate her fur in seconds. For several minutes she did nothing, Enjoying the warmth but unsure of what to do. Idle paws knew what she wanted; her fingers walking through the fur on her hip before slipping between her strong thighs. Placing two fingers on her perineum before drawing them forward, parting her labia and touching the warm pink flesh that they revealed. She brushed past the small barbell piercing that sent a tremor through her entire body and ended in a gasp that was drowned out by the rush of water on the tiles. With water dripping from her face, Maria pressed her forehead against the wall while steadying herself by grabbing the shower rail. As the shepherd pressed her feet against the sides of the shower and parted her legs, she leaned forward slipping both fingers deep inside her throbbing pussy.

Soon enough the sounds of the shower running were joined by loud enthusiastic moans and barks. Tickling her insides with rapid motions, Maria felt her orgasm just beyond the horizon when her mind began to wander again. The last time she had been this aroused it had been a long and agile tongue and not a pair of fingers penetrating her depths. Suddenly remembering two large paws on her ass, a cold wet nose brushing her tail-hole and as her tail wagged from side to side it had struck a pair of large pointed ears to the amusement of their owner. The memory made her whine in anger; her body tensing and shutting down every feeling of pleasure before she kicked out at the shower glass with a loud growl that drowned out the sound of cascading water. The door rattled on its hinges from the kick but was sturdy enough not to crack. Feeling her foot tingle, Maria turned off the shower and stepped out of the stall, fighting the urge to slam the door and curse 'his' name. Taking a large towel from the stack she began to dry herself, the pleasure had vanished but her burning need rose again more ferocious than ever.

After spending ten minutes drying herself, Maria padded back into her bedroom; her fur only slightly damp. Closing the bathroom door behind her she dropped the towel in the laundry hamper before entering her large walk-in closet. Standing before the rack that held her dresses, she skipped the formal section and went straight to provocative. Eyeing a dress that was almost completely made of a sheer fabric which only hid the important parts, Maria reached for it and remembered buying it for a long weekend she had planned with... "No!" Her paw changed directions as she growled; memories of 'him' had been bubbling up all day and she would not have it. Instead she chose one of the classic little black dresses that she had and lay it out on the bed before grabbing a matching purse and high heeled pumps.

The dress slipped over her body effortlessly; the dresses neckline was rather conservative for her, but it was simply a mask for her front, but in the rear, only four thin spaghetti straps ran down her back, leaving her exposed from her neck down to the small of her back. In the middle-rear of the dress there was a stretch band, negating the need for a zipper and it made her tail stick out of the top before it drooped down; it helped draw more attention to her shapely behind, something that she didn't mind at all. Maria adjusted the front of the dress making her breasts slip into the built-in cups and then slipped on her pumps. Standing in front of the mirror admiring herself, she turned left and right while smoothing down her dress until it looked perfect. The dresses skirt barely extended past her crotch, showing off a lot of leg.

Resting her paws on her hips, Maria looked at herself critically for a moment as an internal debate raged inside. With a sigh of resignation she walked back into the closet and rummaged around an underwear drawer before coming back out. She lifted her dress over her hips as she made sure the high cut lace thong that she was stepping into sat comfortably on her before smoothing the dress back down. She gave herself another look in the mirror and caught a quick glimmer coming from the piercing behind the see through material. The image she wanted to portray was complete.

All dressed up she sat on the bed and began to organize her purse, transferring a wad of cash to the small black leather accessory along with her phone and ID. After a moment of consideration she pulled the phone back out and speed dialled a number and held it to her ear. "Hello, this is Maria Eckholdt, account number fourteen, one, twenty, five. Yes I need a taxi. No, not right away. Pick up time is ten, Thank you." The phone disappeared back into the purse before the shepherd got off the bed to get a bite to eat and kill some time.

* * *

"You sure you want to go there?" The feminine voice commented from the driver's seat. "It's not one your usual haunts; looks a bit sleazy too."

Maria could already hear the beat from the club inside the taxi as she looked at the outside façade of the club with its bright lights and long waiting line. "I'm in the mood for a bit of sleaze."

The lynx behind the wheel stopped the taxi and turned around, peering through the Plexiglas divider. "I've got the graveyard shift, so call if you want to a ride back home."

Patting her purse, Maria slipped over to the other side of the car where the sidewalk was. "Is my credit still good, Mattie?"

Nodding with a knowing smile the Lynx reset the meter. "Always, Benny will send you a token bill at the end of the month." Reaching into her purse, the Shepherd pulled out several bills but Mattie stopped it with a wave. "Don't even think about it."

Maria just grinned. "Don't you mind not getting a tip?"

"What do you think the token bill is for?"

Putting the bills back, Maria reached for the door. "See you in a few hours, Mattie."

"I figured as much." The lynx commented as the door slammed shut. Grabbing the microphone, she reported to her dispatch operator and set the car back in motion.

Standing on the sidewalk, Maria looked towards the club and straightened her dress before setting off towards the queue, the soft clicking of her heels were an offset sound against the deep thumps of the bass coming from the club and reverberating through the tarmac. Approaching the building from the opposite side of the line, she encountered the bouncer; a large bear who held command of the entrance barrier. Putting on an innocent and slightly air headed expression; the shepherdess peered past the huge bouncer through the open doors. "This place looks fun!" She barked cheerfully.

The bear had seen her coming and casually eyed her up and down approvingly. "The party never stops here, missy."

Peering up at the male with big grey eyes, Maria pursed her lips. "But the line seems so... I'll never get in." She turned and gestured towards the line, swaying her hips from side to side before moving her tail out of the way to give him a perfect outline of her body.

There was a sharp intake of air from the big male, but he wasn't born yesterday; she could tell it was a trick he was used to but her more mature figure seemed to sway him. Looking from side to side he checked the sidewalk on either side. "You alone?" To his delight the curvy shepherd nodded. Grabbing the VIP rope, he opened it under protest from the crowd that were still waiting before stepping aside and letting Maria pass. Unable to resist he patted her highly desirable backside as she passed getting a cute squeak and a playful glance over her shoulder as a reward before he had to attend to the rowdy crowd behind the other rope.

She didn't mind the patting on the rear, preferring it to having to stand in line where there were more roaming paws. Once inside, Maria's expression changed; no longer the bubbly air-headed act, a more neutral hunters expression took over as she straightening her dress again and began casually scanning the club for a potential 'date'.

The bass was near deafening and the club was packed. Several groups of party-goers were spread around along with the usual mix of singles and couples. Pushing through the throng towards the bar, Maria didn't have to wait long for the barkeeper to look her way and take her order. A glass appeared quickly and she brought it up to her lips immediately, taking a long sip. Frowning, she eyed the golden liquid and sighed. "Cheap bourbon sold as whiskey." She complained before downing the rest of the glass in one go. Though it might have been cheap it did give her a nice warm buzz when it hit her stomach and began to seep into her veins.

The dance floor beckoned as a fast paced beat began to thrum from the speakers.

Slowly the shapely shepherd began to make her way towards the floor, shaking her hips in time with the beat. She felt as if the crowd parted before her and the rush of hungry eyes roaming up and down her back made her heart thunder in her chest. "Come get it boys." She growled under her breath as she began to dance.

It didn't take long before the first volunteers presented themselves. A cheetah got a dismissive shove from the shepherdess and his spot was swiftly taken by a ferret though he didn't last long either. Maria went through over a dozen of potential males until a grey wolf stepped up to her. He was the same height as her in heels and she could smell the alcohol on his breath. A red t-shirt above tight denim pants met her approval. She didn't resist when his paws slipped down her sides and began to fondle her ass roughly; she just wrapped her arms around his neck and began to move her body against his aggressively.

The music changed to something mellower with a hard techno-beat and the lights, switched to dark blue and black-lights with the occasional green lasers shooting overhead. Maria turned around and rubbed herself hard against his groin. He would do she determined seeing as she didn't have to twist his arm too much to get what she wanted. The male was eager as his large paws moved up the front of her dress and found to his pleasure that the tight black dress camouflaged another pair of assets that made this female a winner in his book.

They danced for a while longer before Maria leaned in and nibbled his ear seductively, the message was clear and she had no problem guiding the male off the dance-floor. Once they were somewhere where they didn't have to shout she whispered in his ear. "I know a nice motel nearby."

The male nodded vigorously and said yes before being dragged towards the exit. As he passed a group of males he cheered at them and pointed at the shepherdess leading him out earning him several hoots and howls of encouragement and praise.

It didn't take them long to walk to the motel and at Maria's suggestion, the wolf paid for the room. This was her need, and she didn't want to know his name or give hers. Entering the room and closing the door quickly, the pair joined together in a lustful embrace. Maria felt her dress being pulled up over her backside as an eager paw kneaded one of her butt cheeks. His fingers were nimble for their size, slipping between her legs and touching where her pussy had eaten her thong. With a smirk she pushed hard against his chest, making him stumble back before falling down onto the bed. Within seconds the wolf had the wild female shepherd nearly ripping his pants off; the slim fit jeans only resisting her tugging for a few seconds.

Taking a moment, she admired the tent he pitched in his briefs before they too joined the growing pile of clothes on the floor. He was already hard as a rock when she wrapped her paw around his member and inhaled his scent deeply. It smelled clean, like the fur around his sheath and scrotum, though potent musk emanated from the tapered tip as a drop of pre-cum appeared. Opening her mouth Maria started by slowly dragging her tongue along the underside, much to the great pleasure of the male as he shouted his approval towards the heavens. Grinning at the wolf's reaction, she lapped away all the drops that appeared from his tip without fuss before kissing the eagerly twitching tip and slowly taking him into her mouth. Taking her time, she sunk all the way down to his sheath before rubbing her nose against the small pouch of fur and snaking her tongue inside it where she felt his knot throbbing as it began to expand.

For several minutes Maria kept up her ministrations. When she finally drew her head back, several strands of saliva kept her lips and the male's cock connected. Standing up, she saw the questioning look he shot her, but just cast a sultry smile at him as she pulled her dress up and over her head. Folding the garment and carefully placing it over the back of a chair, she grabbed her purse and pulled something out of a small pocket on the side before returning to the bed and striking a pose dressed only in the see through thong. "I've shown you how good I am with my tongue. Now you show me." Turning around, the shepherdess gave the wolf a show as she bent down and peeled off her underwear before crawling onto the bed past him and then turned and lay on her back. He hesitated for a few seconds before shuffling around and ending up with his head between her legs. Maria saw the awkward expression on the wolf's face when he spied the piercing in her clitoral hood. "It doesn't bite." She taunted before nudging the back of his head with her ankle, then with a grin she watched the male lower his nose towards her folds and with a gasp of delight she felt the first tentative lick across her folds, followed by another. He was eager; she couldn't fault him on that, but he didn't put his heart into it as he slobbered over her nether regions with little skill.

Not really knowing what to do the wolf began to kiss his way up the cream patch that ran from her legs up her front. He buried his nose into the soft fur on her belly and kept going until he bumped up against the bottom of her breasts. Slightly bothered by the fact the wolf abandoned his oral efforts; Maria put her paws on his head, gripping his wavy black hair as he licked her nipples. This time the male did put in more effort; nibbling and suckling eagerly on the rigid teats while his paws stroked and squeezed the large mounds. She shook head and suppressed a laugh with a moan instead, realizing that he was definitely a boob-man. Swirling his tongue over her areolas, he made her tremble and utter some more delightful and encouraging moans that made his large ears twitch.

With his own need rising he got on his knees and shuffled forward, pushing his knees under her legs on either side of her wide hips. When his shaft poked her in the thigh, Maria quickly let go of his hair and pushed him back hard. As the wolf sat up she could see the bright red spire, eager to go. Flexing her fingers she produced the small glossy wrapper she had been palming for a while. "Put this on." Her voice leaving no doubt that it was a non-negotiable topic with her. He took it without complaints, opening the wrapper and quickly rolling the latex tube down his cock.

Maria gripped his hair once more and drew his face to hers. The kiss was deep and sloppy as their tongues coiled around each other. Feeling his body draw closer, she reached down between their bodies and took hold of his warm shaft and guided it into her warm, waiting pussy, but not before checking the condom was in place. Letting out a happy grunt the wolf felt himself slide into the blazing hot depths of the shepherd. His paws found her large breasts again, groping them fiercely to a chorus of muffled moans and groans into their kiss. Rolling her hips, Maria felt the male shift inside her; he was a nice size and rubbed all the spots that required attention. Feeling him starting to thrust, the shepherd gasped and broke their kiss. Soon enough the room was filled with wet noises as the wolf thrust vigorously into the female underneath him. With his eyes closed he kept up a steady rhythm while his lips brushed against her neck.

This was what Maria had been hoping for; but something was missing. Lifting her legs, the shepherd wrapped them around his waist and clenched her thighs in an attempt to make him speed up. After squeezing him with her thighs hard for a short time, she only extracted another groan from him. It was clear that he wasn't getting the message. Straightening her legs she used the tricks she learned during numerous martial arts lessons and self-defense seminars. With a yelp the wolf found himself being flipped onto his back, the shepherdess sitting on top of him with a wide, triumphant grin on her muzzle and sharp, cool eyes pinning him in place. Unsure why he opened his muzzle to complain, his confusion was washed away when she began to move her hips and grind hard against his crotch.

Maria watched the male roll his head back and begin to pant while she rode him. As she felt his knot brush against her pussy one paw reached down and tugged on the condom. The latex protection had two sealing rings, specially designed for canines. With a twist of her wrist Maria made sure the second ring snapped around the base underneath the knot. "Time for a proper ride, wolf." She growled lustfully and sped up her motions, which made the bedsprings screech in protest. Her paws pushed down on his chest while her ass bounced in his lap, his knot kissing her lips again and again. To his credit the male did his best to keep up, with his paws on her chest he thrust upwards every time the shepherdess came down. She was proving to be too much for him. When he rubbed her breasts together her paws grabbed his and forced them to get what she wanted out of his actions. In a moment of clarity the wolf suddenly realized she was using him, but as his climax approached he didn't complain.

Putting more and more force on her way down, Maria was determined to get the wolf's knot inside her. With every wet slap that filled the motel room, the fleshy mass spread her labia a little bit more until she slammed down hard and it disappeared with a wet squelch into her depths. To his credit the wolf didn't cum right away; it took a few more short hard thrusts before he howled out while his body went stiff as a board. Maria didn't even notice as she rode herself to orgasm, the twitching of the shaft inside her and the added warmth within the latex helped but in the end she had to finish herself. One paw reached down between her legs and began to rub her piercing back and forth until she saw stars. The shaft inside her was already softening when her tunnel clamped down on his length and milked it. Leaning forward, sweat dripped from her brow onto the wolf's chest as she gasped for air. Even after she passed her peek, Maria kept rolling her hips until the male underneath her whimpered in submission.

A minute after the euphoria passed through her, Maria felt the wolf's knot deflate rapidly. Her inner fire quenched, she rolled off the male and lay on her back taking deep ragged breaths. Her heartbeat was ringing in her ears so loud that she barely noticed the wolf get up until the light in the bathroom was turned on. There was a splashing of liquid on porcelain that lasted a good long while followed by a loud flushing before the male reappeared in the door. When he hit the mattress with an exhausted grunt it jostled Maria enough to become aware of her own call of nature. Getting up on shaky legs she groped her way towards the bathroom where the bright light still burned and she shaded her eyes to avoid being blinded. After lowering the toilet seat she sat down with a sigh before putting her elbows on her knees and resting her head in her paws. She felt release as the sound of splashing against porcelain got muffled by her thighs.

Looking around the shepherd noticed that the bathroom was cleaner than most motels, then again it was popular with the people that didn't go there to sleep and the owner made sure to keep the rooms clean to keep them coming and paying a premium rate. With a groan Maria got back on her feet before flushing and washing her paws. As she looked in the mirror she cast her reflection a satisfied grin before reaching up and trying to rearrange her dishevelled hair. After smoothing down her hair and several tufts of fur on her face she stretched and yawned, the needy itch between her legs was gone and replaced by a dull throb from being knotted. Her paws cupped her breasts, brushing her fingers through the matted fur around her nipples. Sighing, she weighed up her choice. The male hadn't been that bad a lover, but also wasn't anything special and judging from the snoring that came from the other room, a second round was out of the question.

Turning the light off as she left the bathroom, Maria walked around the bed where the male lay spread eagle and snoring loudly. The smell coming from her thong made her question if she should put it on but remembering the judgement she made earlier that evening she stepped back into the lightly soiled garment. Opening her purse she grabbed her phone and began tapping on the screen. It only took a few seconds to write the name of the motel and she didn't need to wait long for the reply which read: '15 min.' followed by an emoji of a taxi and a thumbs up. She took her time putting on her dress, making sure she was presentable. Standing next to the bed she took out a couple of banknotes and a slip of paper from her purse before rummaging around in the depths for something to write with. As she checked one of the many compartments her finger brushed against a large square piece of glossy paper, she pulled it out a little, then catching a glimpse of the image on it realized what it was and pushed it back. After checking a few more compartments she found a pen and scribbled a short note on the paper before placing it and the money on the bedside table; then picking up her high heels she quietly slipped through the door. Alone inside the motel room the wolf snored loudly as of yet unaware he would wake up to an empty bed and some of money with a slip of paper on top that read: "My share for the room."

The night was chilly, but Maria didn't mind as she waited outside the motel in the shadow of the sign that advertised they had rooms available. Her mind didn't linger on what she had just done; instead it was whirling around what she found in her purse. The taxi rolled up as the shepherd's mind was still wandering, but Mattie brought her back with a short blast of the horn. With her high heels back on her feet, Maria walked swiftly to the taxi and got into the back. "Sorry about that; lost in thought."

"No worries," the lynx said from the front seat. "Was the sex that good?"

Maria shook her head as her encounter with the nameless wolf had already sunk into the depths of her mind. "What? No."

"That bad?"

The shepherdess shook her head again. "No. It was fine." She reached up and turned on the light before putting her purse in her lap. Opening it, she drew out the square of glossy paper she had found earlier and turned it so she could read the writing on it. There were two names on the back, the first was Maria with a small heart that dotted the 'I' but the other was obscured by the shepherd's thumb, which she deliberately kept over it.

Taking a deep breath Maria remembered 'him' showing it to her. 'He' had written their names on the back, including the little heart above her name; it had made her laugh when 'he' had done it and looked so proud of 'his' handy work. Slowly she turned the photograph around and looked at the image. The glossy front showed Maria kissing a male, her face clearly visible but his was obstructed by her arm as she grabbed him by his hair. The grey tangle matched the male's fur. From the ears and large muzzle one could determine he was canine perhaps even a wolf that the shepherd held in a lover's embrace, and from the angle it was clear that the male made the picture by holding the camera at arm's length. Maria took in a shaking breath as she stared at it, bending it in her fingers and nearly folding the photograph and causing a permanent crease in the picture.

"Everything alright Maria?" The voice from the front of the taxi sounded genuinely concerned.

Taking a moment to compose herself, Maria put the photo back where she found it and took another deep breath. "I'm fine, Mattie. Just some old memories."

"Alright," the lynx commented not sure what her passenger meant. "We should be there in about ten minutes, no traffic."

"That would be unusual; a traffic jam in the middle of the night." Maria said with a lopsided grin on her muzzle before reaching up again and turning the light off. They rode the remainder of the way in silence, but Maria thanked the Lynx sincerely when she stepped out and slipped her a high denomination bill before Mattie could protest.

Entering the building and catching an elevator as its doors were closing; she felt good as she rode up to her apartment level. Her body's urges were sated, but her mind wasn't as serene as she had hoped.

Once inside her apartment she kicked her shoes back into the closet, slipped the dress on a hanger next to her court suit and flung her thong in the hamper. Glancing towards her mirror she spotted her purse on her bed and moved to picked it up like it was a dangerous animal, then opening it cautiously, almost expecting something to happen. Her fingers found the photograph and pulled it out; the purse dropped back onto the sheets and spilled some of its contents. Maria didn't care about the lipstick that rolled off the bed and hit the floor with a sharp crack; her mind was on the picture in her paw.

The shepherd stared at the male in the picture for several minutes before making up her mind what to do with it. Extending her arm she pushed it between the mirror and its frame. A soft smile graced her features before she walked into the bathroom to freshen up. After a quick shower and drying, Maria felt like a new woman, even though the day's activities were taking their toll. Slipping under the covers, she lay her head on the pillow as she had done for many past nights and extended her paw to the empty spot on the king size bed before glancing towards the picture on her mirror. Without a sound she turned her back on the empty place and switched off the light, knowing she had to be at work in a few short hours.

* * *

The thick curtains in the room held the early rays of sunshine at bay and let the occupant enjoy the embrace of Morpheus a bit longer. The alarm clock didn't share the same convictions though and began buzzing loudly when the display added another minute to the tally. With a groan Maria slammed a paw down on top of the device and silenced it, but the damage was done. Peering out from underneath the sheets she looked at the time before throwing back the covers and sitting up on the edge of her bed. With her hair pointing in every direction she stood up and yawned loudly before scratching her backside in a manner utterly unbefitting a lady.

Without a stitch on her body she walked into the kitchen and threw a bagel in the toaster, then pressed the button on the coffee machine. As the kitchen filled with the sound of beans being ground into pulp, Maria had a moment of clarity and scrambled to get a mug. The first drops of coffee fell and stained the metal grate underneath the machine before she got the large mug in place. She took that day's first sip of coffee as the bagel popped out of the toaster and filled the kitchen with smell of warm bread. During breakfast she sat at the kitchen table, idly tapping on her tablet propped up in front of her; checking the news and her email while she nibbled on the bagel. With no imminent disaster heading her way she got dressed, a matching set of practical underwear, a dark knee length skirt, a long sleeved white blouse and a sleeveless vest to finish the ensemble. Just as she turned from side to side in front of the mirror she glanced at the clock and muttered to herself. "Best get going before the traffic gets worse." But as she turned to leave the photograph caught her eye and she felt compelled to brush a finger over it. "I wonder where he is?" She asked herself softly, then scrunched up her face and snarled loudly. "Who cares!" Grabbing her usual purse she fished out her car keys before storming out the door.

Blessed with a heavy foot that morning, Maria arrived at the district attorney's office early, where she found the folders she left with Rick yesterday neatly stacked on her desk and substantially thicker than before. After grabbing a cup of what could only laughably be called coffee, she sat down at the desk and began studying the files more thoroughly. It didn't take long before she began spotting mistakes, but then again she gave it to an intern and some juniors; still, they had done most of the legwork for her.

When Maria was about halfway through the first case file the office began to come to life as everybody began filing in. From the sounds coming from the bullpen it would be a calm, productive morning but all that changed when Brutus entered shouting and cursing. "Someone get me those damn files and start making calls to the witnesses! I need confirmations on testimonies and evidence!" It sent a chill down Maria's spine, she quickly got up and opened her door to peer into the chaos that now raged on the other side. "Maria!" The large mastiff spotted her and shouted so loudly his unlit cigar nearly launched across the room. "Remember that rape case I closed last week? The damn ambulance chaser launched his appeal yesterday evening! I'm stealing your juniors and intern! You focus on your cases for now!" Maria just nodded clearly enough for him to see before slowly closing the door. It was going to be one of those days she thought as she sat back down behind her desk. Picking up the mug she peered into it for a moment and then downed it in one go before grimacing at the taste. "Ugh... It's going to be a long day.

* * *

Maria had kept her promise to Brutus and stayed long past nine o'clock, though not by choice. It had been a long day; far longer than she anticipated. All around her chaos reigned as Brutus became the office tyrant for a day but as long as her door had remained closed, she was able to avoid getting drawn into the commotion. She had spent almost the whole day alone, checking her staff's research, collated reports and court transcripts as well as attending a short hearing in the middle of the day. By the time she left the office she was mentally and physically drained, her relaxing efforts from the previous night notwithstanding.

The huge engine under the bonnet of the Mercedes had roared as she sped her way back home and the automatic gates barely opened in time to avoid getting rammed. Tired, hungry and with her arms full of files, Maria leaned against the side of the elevator as she traveled up. "Don't forget your briefcase tomorrow." She growled to herself as she balanced the stack while she walked towards her front door.

The shepherd noticed several things at once as she stepped into her apartment. First: the alarm wasn't beeping and appeared to be turned off judging by the blinking green LED. Second, was that it was too dark. Maria was certain she hadn't closed the curtains and though it was unlikely that the housekeeper had, though it wouldn't have been the first time.

With adrenaline coursing through her, Maria felt alert and revived. She carefully put down the case files on the floor and removed her shoes before closing the door behind her with a soft click. Perking up her ears, she listened for any noises but after a minute couldn't hear a thing. Step by step she ventured into the dark apartment, not daring to turn on the lights.

Once her eyes had adjusted to the darkness she noticed light coming from the dining room. Carefully she peered around the corner and her eyebrows shot up in surprise. In the middle of the dining room table illuminated by moonlight piercing a break in the curtains, there stood a box wrapped in thick brown paper. Wondering if the housekeeper had brought it in, Maria's curiosity grew. She peered down the hallway, the rest of the house was quiet and box was like a siren's call drawing her in. Stepping up to the table she read what was written on the paper wrapping. It was addressed to her but she hadn't been expecting a delivery. It was still three months until her birthday, so it was unlikely to be a gift from her parents. By its post marks and stamps, she could tell the package had come from Italy and had passed through France and England before coming to the States. Turning the box over she saw the customs papers on the back but it held no further information for her other than it arrived here legally.

Starting to get a bad feeling, Maria began to open the box; using her front door key to cut the packaging tape that was applied vigorously by the person who send it. After cautiously removing the paper she opened the box and found out it was full to the brim with lime green packaging peanuts that spilled over the side when she probed around inside the box.

Maria stopped abruptly when she came across a hard object. Putting both paws into the box she took hold of it carefully before lifting it out. What she held in her paws confused her for a moment; it was a reusable airtight bag. Pulling the seal apart she peered into it and looked at the spine of a book but when she took it out a folded piece of paper fell onto the table. The book itself appeared to be old, the pages giving off a yellowish shine in the moonlight but the dark leather it was bound with felt smooth and supple.

Holding the book in one paw, Maria pushed the box to the side before unfolding and sliding the paper into the light with her other paw. It was a certificate, and the lettering on it was highly decorative and felt like the document had come from some official office. It read: "Certificate of Authenticity."Maria frowned and peered at the book, there was no title on the spine or covers so she turned her attention back to the paper. What she read nearly made her drop the book.

"_ Apology of Socrates. Translated into english by an unknown author - Printed 1883 on..." _

The shepherd didn't read on, all her attention was focused on the book she firmly took hold of with both paws. In her living room she kept a special bookcase with decorative glass doors that were almost always locked. Inside were books that had already seen a century on this earth; works of classic masters that she had been collecting for years. She already owned copy of the book she held, but it was a modern print and resided in her normal bookcase. With her tail wagging like it was possessed, Maria gingerly opened the book and began to read the first lines as best she could.

"A little light might help." A voice spoke out from the hall as the lights gradually came on in the dinning room; stopping at a brightness fit for a romantic dinner. "Do you like it?" The voice asked sincerely and sounding hopeful.

Maria went rigid; her tail stopped it's enthusiastic arcing and dropped between her legs, the tip occasionally flicking with annoyance. That voice caused a turmoil of emotions inside the shepherd. Closing the book and placing it carefully on the table, she turned her gaze to see her 'guest' but stopped when she caught sight of two empty plates that were set out opposite each other at the far end of the table; she was surprised she hadn't seen them when she had seen the package. An unlit candle and a single red rose in a vase stood between the plates, completing the image of a romantic dinner in waiting. Swallowing hard she tapped the book with her finger. "Where did you get this?" She said calmly, controling her temper.

"A little place in Florance. As soon as I saw it I thought of you and got it checked out."

The sincerity of his tone made her heart pound and blood boil. 'He' had done it before; it was a disarming tactic, but she had grown wise to his methods. Turning to the hall she saw 'him' standing there dressed in khaki pants and a simple black, button-up shirt, his paws in his pockets as he leaned against the diningroom archway. "Hi, Maria."

"Nathan..."

To be continued...