Enforcer Ewan “Cal” Calder hasn’t shifted into his Scottish wildcat form in two years. He should’ve gone crazy by now, because that’s how these things are supposed to work. The governing body of all shifters, the Council, has sent him and his adopted teenage son Kit to a sanctuary in Finland. It’s a last-ditch effort to wean Cal off the morphine he’s been using to keep his cat at bay. If he doesn’t shift soon, there’s no way he’s going to retain his sanity.<br><br>Two years ago, Council security officer Derek Lamont was tentatively dating and getting to know Cal, but then he lost an eye in a tragic accident. While he was recuperating in the hospital, Cal and Kit vanished from the house they’d all shared. Derek has been searching for them ever since, traveling the world and grasping at straws because of the undeniable truth: Derek knows Cal is his mate, even though humans aren’t supposed to be able to feel the mate bond.<br><br>When Derek finds Cal and Kit at a small farm in the middle of nowhere, Finland, he feels relief. But their problems are far from over. From Cal’s guilt over the accident, to stray hunting dogs, to figuring out how to deal with the Council, things keep piling up.

Off and On Again

“I’ve never heard of a human feeling a mate bond,”Noah said but there was thoughtfulness,not accusation in his tone.


Dallas’voice was similar when he said,“Me neither.”


“Doesn’t mean it’s impossible.Could just be incredibly rare,”Mikael pointed out.


“Well,most of humankind don’t know that everyone around this table except you and me can shift into an animal,”Derek said dryly,making Mikael grin.


“Okay,so,let’s say we take this at face value—”Noah started and was stopped by Kit.


“I believe him.It makes sense to me.Dad wouldn’t have changed as much as he has if there wasn’t more of a reason than whatever happened on his last job.”


“Kit is right,”Maxim grunted.“He hurt Mate.The cat would not forgive itself.”


Dallas nodded.“So he’s been in human form since…when?”


“Since the day we were moved from the house we shared with Derek,”Kit said quietly.“Two years.”


Everyone there knew what that meant.Cal shouldn’t have been sane anymore,yet somehow he managed.


Chapter 8