Page 12 of Cats and Dogs

"Great. See you tomorrow."

The next day, Christine opted to sit out the trip to the vet. The prospect of spending twenty minutes in a small space with the smelly mutt wasn’t her idea of a good time. Rain, Luke, and Vi took the dog that the kids had named Cutie — why, she’d never know.

Such a big escort may not have been necessary, but the practice was out of town. Given the recent events, it made sense to only venture out in larger groups.

Christine put Lola down for her nap and let the others watch a movie, before starting a book. Niamh played with Ian's computer, headphones on her head, and Will sat at her feet, as he so often did.

One of Ace's wild cats popped his head in and headed to the kitchen.

This was her little cocoon. Her home, peaceful once again. She knew it wouldn't last. It never did for shifters of smaller packs. Which was why, after their rest, she'd take the kids to the gardens again – to spar this time. Young they may be, but they could take care of themselves. Each of them could take on a well-trained regular man already. The older ones were a match for a dozen soldiers.

Niamh and Hsu...

Those girls were more powerful than Christine would ever be. If she had anything to do with it, they all would surpass her someday.

She smiled, watching over her boys and girls. Then Christine frowned and turned to the window. Her attention was pulled away by a strange feeling, something not quite physical. She couldn't explain it; it wasn't her sense of smell or her hearing that caught anything. No, it came from something else.

She stared past the gardens, past the electrified fence, to the woods. There was nothing there. Her eyes flashed cat, focusing. Nothing. Yet the feeling wouldn't go away.

She pulled her phone out and rang Ian. "Hey, do you mind heading over to the house and checking out the woods close to us? I thought I saw something." A lie, but it was easier to explain it that way.

"You got it. Be there in ten."

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