Jay and Diego ate a late dinner with Diego’s parents, who were grudging with their acceptance of their relationship. After all, Jay had risked his life to save pack, and they couldn’t overlook his actions.

  When someone knocked on the door, Ignis and Lila tensed but Acalan sniffed the air and sighed in relief.

  “It’s Eztli.”

  “Perfect.” Ignis opened the door and greeted their guests.

  Jay got his first look at the coyote master shifter and… she was like someone out of another age. Beyond the immense presence that filled the house and humbled him, was her dress and bearing, and the centuries of life in her dark eyes. He’d never experienced anything like it. Diego had told him that Eztli was born an Aztec and had seen the pinnacle and the downfall of that civilization. But he hadn’t believed it until now.

  Once he got over his shock, he realized Eztli was eyeing Ignis with such intensity the battle-hardened agent was blushing and apparently lost for words.

  “Father was right after all,” Eztli said, her words heavily accented.

  “Alpha?” Acalan said.

  Diego’s parents, as well as Diego and him, had joined the rest in the living room. Lila was glancing with a puzzled frown between her partner and the master shifter.

  Eztli lifted her hand. Ignis wasn’t much taller than her, and she touched Ignis’s cheek lightly. Ignis swallowed hard and stared, no longer blushing, but pale.

  “Merlin said that every master shifter has a soulmate. A true mate. A mate that is perfect for them. I never believed him until now.”

  “I c-cannot be….” Ignis jerked away.

  Eztli lowered her hand and little showed in her expression but Jay thought he sensed hurt. Maybe he was projecting, but he would certainly be hurt if his soulmate rejected him. He glanced at Diego and took his hand.

  “Well, regardless, I am not here for that.” Eztli turned away and faced Acalan, putting her back to Ignis.

  Ignis cringed before covering her expression. Lila moved to her side and spoke softly.

  “I want to see the knight who targeted my pack, and I want a debrief, from start to finish, of what has happened.” She glanced at Jay, and he was struck with the impression that he faced a being who could snap him in half and then kick his body down a ravine without messing up her hair.

  Jay bowed his head. “Ma’am.”

  “And I want to know what is being done to locate the knight that escaped.”

  “The knight in our possession is sedated,” Ignis said as she rejoined the conversation, her expression as blank as Eztli’s. “And the knight that escaped has yet to be found. Acalan has alerted the pack members in the vicinity to keep an eye out, and I have been in contact with the Mexico Agency. All we can do at this time is monitor the situation.”

  Eztli faced her again, and Jay could feel the tension like smoke itching his skin.

  “I want to see the knight, regardless. What will be done with him?”

  “My captain is coming to collect him. He will extract answers from him that will hopefully give us the advantage in this war. Come, I will lead you to Stephen.”

  Eztli waved her entourage away, and Ignis gestured for Lila to hang back. They walked side by side down the hallway and disappeared into the room at the end of the hall, formerly Maggie’s room. Jay and Diego had moved into Diego’s room while Maggie and taken Jay’s.

  “That was awkward,” Maggie said, coming up beside him.

  Jay nodded. “Every second I find out more and more that I don’t know about shifters.”

  Maggie slapped his shoulder. “You’ll get your bearings soon enough. Faster if you stick around.”

  Jay snorted, knowing what she was hinting at and slapped her back in return.

  As Tozi took over being host and guided Eztli’s entourage to the kitchen, Acalan glared at Jay and Diego.

  “I need to speak with both of you.”

  “I think the patrols are about to change shift,” Maggie said, acting as a buffer once again. “They might need—”

  “No,” Jay said softly and touched her shoulder. “We need to talk to him. It’s all right.”

  Maggie glanced at Diego who nodded, looking resigned.

  Acalan turned his glare on Maggie before stomping down the hallway and into Diego’s room. Acalan shut the door and turned to them, noting their joined hands.

  He signed as well as spoke. “I have made no secret that I do not approve of this union. I had hoped that Diego would find a strong coyote to mate with, who could care for him properly.”

  Jay felt Diego vibrate beside him, and while he wanted to continue holding his hand, he needed to speak. Before Diego could respond to his father, Jay took over, both signing and speaking.

  “With respect, sir, your son is an accomplished and talented adult. He owns his own business and runs it better than many others might. I respect him and admire him. I am proud and honored that he has claimed me for his mate. It is I that will need to work to be worthy of him. You do not give your son enough credit. And whether you approve of our union or not, he is capable of making these decisions. I have no wish to create tension between him and his pack, and I hope we can find understanding. I might only be a human, but I understand the importance of family and loyalty and trust. I ask that you give me a chance, sir. Let me prove myself to you and your wife.”

  Acalan’s eyebrows had risen steadily during Jay’s speech until they touched his hairline. Diego stared at him with glistening eyes. When Jay lowered his hands, Diego hugged him fiercely.

  Jay hugged him back.

  After a moment, Acalan spoke, and since Diego faced away, he didn’t know.

  But Jay did.

  “Can you look me in the eye and tell me that you can and will take care of my son?”

  Jay pressed his cheek against Diego’s hair. “I think the better question, sir, is can we take care of each other? And the answer is yes. Yes, we can.”

  After their talk with Acalan, Diego perceived a marked difference in how his parents treated him. And how they treated Jay. Tozi warmed to him slowly and Acalan stopped glaring. And they no longer protested what he did, and even glanced at Jay as if to confirm that Jay was all right with it. Diego hardly needed Jay’s permission to live his freaking life, and Jay knew it. So he always gave permission, when he knew what Diego wanted. It wasn’t perfect but they only needed to keep up the charade until he left his parents’ sight.

  Before Captain Odin’s arrival, Diego ran around as his coyote in front of the house, needing to be free of the crowd and the tension between his master shifter and Ignis. They seemed to avoid each other despite their gazes being drawn back together time and again. He also wanted Jay to be comfortable around his other half. He and Maggie romped around in their shifter forms while Jay laughed and petted them. He’d spoken to his parents and sisters, forced to lie about most of it. He’d have to return to them for a time before he could move down to Mexico permanently. Despite Diego’s self-proclaimed selfishness, he didn’t want Jay to regret his decision to give up his life in the States.

  “I’m not exactly giving anything up,” Jay had signed when Diego had voiced his concern. “And besides, there’s these marvelous machines called airplanes that can taxi me where I want to go. And when the danger has passed, maybe my family will come down to visit. My sisters will adore you.”

  Lila had gone to pick up Odin from the airport, and when they arrived back, he got his first look at the captain. He was huge and muscled. Nearly seven feet tall, pale, bald, and with black eyes. He carried himself like a general, clad all in black, and he scanned the surroundings before approaching the house. But when he noticed them, he veered off and his long strides ate up the distance. He and Maggie flanked Jay as they were still in their shifter forms. It took a moment for Diego to realize there was another man with Odin. He was around six-foot, slender, with perfect hair, kind eyes, and holding a tablet that he seemed glued to. He also carried a messenger bag.

  Even as Lila opened the trunk, Odin glanced over his shoulder. “Don’t worry about the luggage, Lila. I’ll get it in a moment. Could you let Eztli and Ignis know that I’m here? And that I’ll join them in a minute?”

  “Sure thing, Cap.”

  His voice matched his stature—deep, a bit rough, quite a healthy baritone. Even with Diego’s faint hearing, he caught that much.

  Then he smiled, and much of the fierceness of his presence vanished.

  “You must be Jay.”

  Jay nodded and took the offered hand. Odin’s swallowed Jay’s whole.

  “I’m Captain Odin. This is my assistant, Mac. I’m pleased to meet you. And I’m also going to thank you for your assistance in capturing one of the elite knights.”

  Jay cringed. “I didn’t do much. I let one of them get my blood. Whatever they want with it can’t be good.”

  “We all do what we can, and we take the wins as they come.” Odin glanced at Diego and Maggie. “It’s a pleasure to meet you both as well.”

  “Oh, sorry,” Jay said and touched their heads. “This is Maggie and Diego.”

  “Hi.” Mac waved to them before going back to his tablet.

  “I heard you were in the army, Jay,” Odin said.

  “Yes, I was, a corporal. But shrapnel took the peripheral vision in my left eye, so it seemed time to exit.”

  Diego leaned against Jay’s leg, and Jay stroked his head and played absently with his ears.

  Odin nodded. “That’s fair. Though I wonder if you would be open to a possible position within the Agency.”

  Diego’s ears sprung up as Jay’s eyes widened. “Pardon?”

  Even Mac looked over at Odin and raised an eyebrow.

  Odin shrugged. “Things are getting more dangerous, and we need all hands on deck, so to speak. You know about shifters and don’t fear them. That makes you a valuable asset. And you have training in warfare. That’s also valuable. Are you open to it?”

  “Well, um.” Jay blew out a breath and glanced at Diego. Their eyes met and Diego yipped, hoping Jay knew he was leaving the decision to him.

  “I, um, had plans to attend university and get a degree in something. Not sure yet. And I also want to stay with Diego, so… .”

  “We can pay for your university, and I don’t see a need for you to leave Mexico. The Agency here could use you as well.”

  Jay gaped.

  Maggie yipped in happiness and ran around in a circle.

  Mac hide a chuckle behind his hand.

  Odin patted Jay’s shoulder. “Think about it.” Then he turned and strode into the house, Mac at his heels.

  Jay sat on the ground, clearly in shock. Diego crawled into his lap and licked his face. Maggie followed the agents, giving them privacy. Jay hugged Diego, and a moment later, Diego felt wetness on his fur. He shifted back into his human form and held Jay close, letting him cry, wanting him to cleanse himself as he’d yet to do since the battle.

  After Jay gathered himself, Diego signed. “What do you want to do?”

  Jay thought a moment before answering. “I want to hear him out. It’s a lot to process.”

  Diego nodded and kissed him gently. “Just don’t let him pull you into active combat, okay? I can’t handle that.”

  Jay snorted. “Agreed.”

  Diego shifted back before they reentered the house. Odin was returning from the room where they’d put Stephen. He nodded to Mac, who then stepped outside with his tablet.

  “What will you do with him?” Eztli asked.

  “Question him.”

  “And if he does not answer?”

  Odin’s expression didn’t change but Diego caught a sharp gleam in his dark eyes. “I promise you, he’ll talk.”

  Eztli appeared satisfied and didn’t question him further.

  “I’ve read Ignis’s reports, so I know the particulars of what happened. But I’m asking if there was anything left out? Is there anything that has happened since that I should know about?”

  Eztli eyed Ignis who stood on the other side of the room.

  Lila also glanced at her partner.

  Ignis ignored them both. “No, sir.”

  Once again, Odin’s expression didn’t change. But he strode to Ignis and murmured to her before they both stepped outside. Eztli watched them closely before moving toward a window and observing them.

  “What are you going to do?” Maggie, now in human form and clothed, asked Jay. “Are you joining the Agency or what?”

  “What?” Lila said, eyes widening. “The captain asked you to join?”

  Jay ran his hand over his hair. “Uh, yeah. He did.”

  “Wow, that’s, uh. Not normal procedure.”

  Jay frowned. “Why not?”

  Lila bit her lower lip. But now everyone was looking at her, Jay, Diego, Maggie, Eztli’s entourage, and Diego’s parents. And a few of the coyote patrol that were grabbing a bite to eat.

  “You see, we usually only have those with, uh, fae abilities join the Agency. Like Ignis’s fire and my healing. You don’t seem to have a manifested ability.”

  “Oh.”

  Diego pressed against Jay, hoping he didn’t feel lesser because he couldn’t control fire or some other element.

  Lila hurried to Jay and grabbed his arm. “Hey, that doesn’t mean you aren’t awesome. You’re one of the bravest men I know. You ran into that sniper fire and saved so many. And that’s without any fae ability, so that makes you braver. You know?”

  Jay smiled. “Thanks.” Then he frowned and narrowed his eyes in thought. “That knight, Devon, called me ‘fae-dead’. And you just said fae ability. Was she referring to my lack of manifested ability or… maybe I don’t have fae blood? Is that possible? I mean, Maggie and Diego explained that there are a lot of humans without manifested abilities.”

  Lila’s eyes widened again. “Oh my god. Is that possible?”

  “It might explain why the knights targeted Jay,” Maggie said. “And not the billions of other humans in the world.”

  While surprising, Diego didn’t care one crap about Jay’s blood. Jay was special, no matter what anyone might say.

  It was a while before Odin and Ignis returned inside. Eztli never left the window, although everyone else dispersed to occupy themselves. Diego, now in human form, and Jay took over the couch. Jay rested his head on Diego’s shoulder and fell into a light sleep. Diego held his hand and felt at peace for the first time in a long time. Jay might not be completely in love with him yet, but Diego and his coyote were all in with Jay.

  When Odin returned, Ignis followed and hurried to Eztli. Eztli backed away from the window and whatever Ignis said—he couldn’t see her lips—Eztli’s expression softened. They moved out of sight for privacy. Odin scanned the room and nodded to him.

  Diego slowly retrieved his hand from under Jay’s back and signed, “Will they work things out?”

  Odin stared at him a moment before looking sheepish. He gave a confused shrug, and Diego realized he didn’t know ASL. Drat.

  Jay stirred and Diego glanced at him as he said, “Diego asked if they will work things out. Eztli said that Ignis was her soulmate.”

  Diego nodded.

  Odin’s expression cleared. “Ah, I see. Yes, they should. Ignis takes her duties very seriously and saw this as a conflict. I told her we need an ambassador to the coyote shifters, and that she would need to transfer to the Mexico Agency. Mac is alerting them now. I’ll lose a great agent but this is better for the Agency as a whole.”

  Diego read Odin’s lips as Jay translated, still a bit sleepy.

  “What about Lila?” Diego asked and Jay translated.

  “We’re keeping Lila,” Odin said with a smile. “Not letting our healer go. She’ll be reassigned. Or she might take the opportunity and take the test to become a Level-four field agent. She’s had enough hands-on training.”

  “How will you get Stephen back to the States?” Jay asked, and signed for Diego’s benefit. “I don’t think the airport will let you drag on a sedated man.”

  Odin laughed. “We have a private plane. Don’t you worry about us. And have you made a decision about my offer? Or do you need more time?”

  Jay sat up straighter and blinked sleep from his eyes. “I have some questions about that.”

  Odin sat across from him and leaned forward, resting his arms on his thighs. “I might have some answers.”

  By midnight, the house felt almost empty. The agents had left, even Ignis. Eztli had left with her entourage. The only ones remaining were Diego’s parents, Maggie, Jay, and Diego, along with a few of the wounded who still needed time to shake off the silver poison, such as his brother.

  The danger had passed, and Diego and Maggie could return home and to their business. And Jay had a new career open to him, unexpected but welcome. He enjoyed helping people, and now he could help his mate’s pack. As well as other shifters.

  “You’ll be a good trainer,” Diego signed as they packed to return to the city. “The agents will benefit from your experience.”

  “And shifters,” Jay signed with a smirk.

  Diego grinned. “And shifters.”

  The Agency was going to help him set up a training school, for agents and for shifters. Even though shifters had natural instincts and could attack as their animals, there were some situations they needed to be more reserved and careful of being caught. It was also a way for agents and shifters to get to know each other. To build relationships and community, and to strengthen their side against the knights that wanted to tear them apart.

  His wouldn’t be the only training facility, but it was an opportunity that didn’t depend on him having any special ability. And his damaged eye wouldn’t be a hindrance.

  More importantly, he’d work and go to school in Mexico City, so he could stay with his mate. First he would return home and tell his family as much has he dared, and reassure them that he was all right. Jay was eager to start on his new life path, one filled with purpose and love.

  He kissed Diego before they got into the backseat. Maggie would drive them.

 

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