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

Derek was introduced to everyone,also June who was the second oldest and Jude,the oldest of Sean’s kids.Then everyone but the adults started the evening routine and Sean,Rider,and Derek were left in the living room.


“So….”Derek prompted.He didn’t feel threatened or uneasy,other than a little confused on why he’d been summoned here.


“I wanted to talk to you,because I’ve been in Italy too,and Nicolas grew up adjacent to the Council,”Rider said evenly.


This was certainly news to Derek.“Oh…?”


“Yes,see,you probably know Anna Estelle?”


Derek got it in one.“She’s his mother?”He chuckled.“It’s been a while since I saw Nicolas so I didn’t recognize him.He must’ve been ten when I last saw him.”


Rider grinned.“Yeah,well,she’s been our ear on the inside since I came to live here.”


“And that’s something that got us thinking,”Sean said thoughtfully.“She had no idea about you and Cal,of course.I guess you kept that part under wraps?”


Chapter 9