Page 26 of Pack Scratch Fever
Alphas,my inner voice purrs.Alphas that like us.
I open my mouth, ready to say something flirty, when Blair comes back into the room and flops down on the cushion next to me. “Stubborn as hell,” she says. “But the best friend in the whole world. Smartest person I’ve ever met.”
I grimace, knowing what she’s trying to do. “Okay, enough,” I murmur, while Maddox grins at me knowingly, flashing brilliant white teeth.
“She seems pretty awesome,” he agrees, and I swear my face is going to burn off.
I turn to Blair. “Are you ready to go?” I ask her pointedly, and she nods, then looks to the Alphas.
“And you understand what to do once you trap them?” she asks. “This will be a process, so one of us will be coming back a few times to pick up the cats, get them to our vet, then return them if we can’t get them adopted out.”
“Wait,” Maddox says, frowning. “What do you mean returning them?”
“It’s only if we can’t socialize them,” I explain, and his frown immediately disappears when he focuses on me. “We do pretty well, though. If they’re friendly enough, they get adopted. Worst case, they come back to your neighborhood as community cats.”
“Community cats?” Avery echoes.
I nod, excited to explain everything to them. “So, the cats are hanging around because they have a food source, likely one of your neighbors. And now they won’t be able to keep having kittens, and they’ll be vaccinated.” I smile. “So, they’re happy and healthy, and the only thing you may have to worry about is your garden. But when I’m not half asleep, I can explain more to you about it.”
Avery makes a face and looks at Maddox. “Poe won’t like that,” he murmurs, and Maddox snickers.
I freeze at the name, and so does Blair.
“Who?” I ask quietly, sharing a worried glance with Blair at the same time their front door unlocks. When the person steps in, I’m overwhelmed by the familiar herby scent that I experienced only hours ago.
Poe steps into the house and his gaze immediately zeroes in on me, his mouth opened in shock.
“What are you doing here?”
“Surprise,” I say meekly. “You have a cat colony.”
He looks around the room, his face incredulous.
“We have awhat?”
6
MADDOX
This is my favorite day.
I’m serious; this is the most fun I’ve had in ages.
All the cats hanging out with Piper (and Blair), and then Poe showing up with that ridiculous look on his face?
Pure comedy.
“Hiya, sunshine,” I say as Poe scowls. “So nice of you to join us.”
“What the hell is a cat colony?” he demands to Piper, and I narrow my eyes at his demeanor.
Just because he’s miserable doesn’t mean he needs to be rude to our guests.
“It’s a colony of cats,” Avery explains slowly. “It’s in the name, Poe.”
“Don’t worry, your precious herb garden made it out alive,” Piper shoots back. “And congratulations, the cat distribution system chose you, just like I said it would.”
My mouth falls open in delight.
