Page 17 of Cats and Dogs

The enforcer’s eyes snapped to hers, analyzing them. He couldn’t hear her thoughts unless they were in their animal form, but they understood each other well enough after spending decades together.

“As a matter of fact, yes. There’s talk of two wolves who can ghost. Just the two, mind. We had one of them under our roof a couple of days ago.”

Of course: the wolf, Knox, could probably do everything that was in the realm of possibility for shifters. Christine had a hard time not rolling her eyes, thinking of the charismatic and flamboyant ancient shifter. The man had certainly left an impression.

“And the other one?”

Ian’s expression changed, becoming cold and tense.

“The other one I’ve only heard rumors about, when I looked up whatever I could about a certain pack down south.”

The Vergas. The children knew to fear that name, so they didn’t pronounce it when they could help it.

Ian’s voice dipped low.

“They say the head enforcer is the best tracker this side of the globe. He might be the very reason they always find us. A friend of mine swears he can ghost. They were at the same party, in the same damn room, and he didn’t smell or feel him, until he introduced himself. Word is, he hung out with regulars for a few years, blending in. That might be how he learned it.”

Fuck.

A Vergas wolf who could go where he wanted unseen. Who could also go past Rain’s shields. That sounded like all their nightmares come true.

“Wait,” said Christine, frowning, “If they have a guy who can genuinely do all that, how come they haven’t sent him before? And how come Hsu isn’t seeing anything?”

Their ten-year-old seer’s visions weren’t foolproof, but when there was danger near, she normally could tell.

“Dunno. No word of this to Hsu or any of the kids. I’ll wake up Jas and Theo, get them to pick up an extra shift. Watch your six, but no need to panic, alright? I have a theory about this mess. Maybe it’s not as bad as it looks.”

She wanted to ask about that theory of his, but they’d already said too much within hearing range of a little girl who heard and understood more than she ought to.

For now, she was keeping Lola close and leaving Ian to do what he did best. In Coveney’s absence, he was their interim head enforcer. His job was taking care of them, and he took it fucking seriously.

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