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

Sighing,Cal wondered how much of his being this tired was about the shift itself.Normally,he would’ve brushed away fast.He was a seasoned fighter.Dog bites painful as they could get,were not enough to zap his energy like this.


As he watched Derek sleep,his heart ached.His handsome mate.Derek was tall and lean,he had corded muscle that suggested he was younger than his actual years.Cal remembered him working out a lot in Italy.The salt and pepper hair was even more gray now,and Cal wondered if he’d caused any of the almost-premature graying.Derek’s features were a bit sharp;he could look cold when he was in work mode,working as security.But Cal knew the real man,hisDerek laughed easily,smiled a lot,and looked…gorgeous.


Derek must’ve not meant to fall asleep,as his right eye was still covered by the black eye patch.Cal hadn’t meant what he’d done.Of course he hadn’t.Who would hurt their mate like that voluntarily?


Chapter 15