He couldn’t believe he was participating in this asinine plan, but what could he say it was Caeden. The newest deputy, pack mate and resident of Blue Creek and he couldn’t turn down a friend in need. Even if it involved taking the mutt to play as a seeing eye dog to his blind mate. Constance was insane for asking this of a shifter, but it was just Caeden’s luck her niece Koira was also his mate. Brogan didn’t know if he’d have done it, but then again, he didn’t have a murderer chasing his blind mate to town either. Who knows what he’d have done if the shoe had been reversed.

“I can’t believe you agreed to this, I would never be someone’s pet.” Brogan was trying desperately to hold in his laughter but it was a struggle he really didn’t care if he won. “Are the rumors true, is she your mate?”

“Yeah, I never expected to meet her so soon, I have to believe there is a higher power controlling our lives, otherwise what are the odds we would meet when we live across the country?”

“I have to agree with you. I think I’ve found my mate and he wasn’t even on this plane of existence, and now he’s trapped in Hell.  So yeah, I would say fate or something is helping us out.” Brogan grumbled as he stared out the window of his squad car as they drove to Koira’s.

A full minute passed before Brogan realized Caeden hadn’t responded. He turned and found his passenger staring at him like he had two heads. “Forget I said anything, it’s my problem.”

“I’m sorry, you just took me by surprise. I thought maybe you were kidding but I can tell you aren’t. When did you meet him?”

Brogan could see the surprise on Caeden’s face. “Yeah, I know he’s the first man I’ve ever been into. A couple of months ago we had a rash of bodies showing up in the woods on pack land. Cadence, the priestess who lives outside of town, brought him in to help with the case. I barely had time to meet him before he was taken.”

“And when you say he’s trapped in Hell?”

“I can’t tell you more than that, I’m working with Cadence to get him back but I don’t know what that means yet.” Brogan pulled into a parking spot outside Koira’s building and put the car in park as he released a tired sigh.

“I can honestly say I have no idea what you have been going through or what you are going to endure in the future, but know I am here to help if you need me.” Caeden squeezed Brogan’s shoulder before stripping his clothes and shifting to his animal.

Brogan couldn’t contain his laughter this time. “I’m sorry man, it is just so hard to think of you as a fierce shifter when you are so damn cute.” Brogan scratched him between his ears, Caeden growled to let him know he didn’t appreciate his humor. “Okay Thumper, let’s go check out your mate.”

Brogan knocked loudly on Koira’s door and waited patiently with Thumper shifting from standing to sitting repeatedly, it was obvious he was antsy to see his mate. “Calm down, pup, if you start humping her leg she might make me take you back.”

As they heard clicks of locks being turned, Brogan leaned down and strapped something around Caeden’s neck, “I almost forgot, I bought you a gift.”

The door swung open, Koira’s smile was electric. “Caeden, you’re back?”

“I’m sorry ma’am, I’m Deputy Brogan Taggert, I was asked to bring Thumper over.”

“Oh Deputy Taggert, please come in. It’s so strange, I have a great sense of smell and I swore Caeden was back.” Brogan glanced down to Caeden and shrugged in surprise. “I’ve been so anxious to meet him, thank you for loaning him to me when Caeden and my Aunt can’t be around. Maybe I should sit on the couch and you can introduce me?”

Brogan started to nod, but quickly realized that would be stupid since she couldn’t see him. He nudged Thumper to move and walked in through the open door.  He sat in the recliner with Thumper at his side intently watching Koira walk in and sit.

She held her hand out and waited. Caeden knew what to do, he walked over and nudged her hand with his snout. Brogan smiled evilly, how he wished he had a camera to show West and Rook how whipped the pup was already.

“He’s so soft, what does he look like?”

Brogan couldn’t help himself. This was an opportunity to good to pass up. “Thumper’s a good dog, albeit a bit past his prime. He’s a chocolate lab with brown eyes. He’s pretty affectionate guy but I warn you he does have some bad gas once in a while. When he does that, you just let him out on the patio, he’ll do his business and scratch when he’s ready to come back in.” The blissfully happy dog whose head had tilted back to give Koira easier access to scratch his chest suddenly flipped his head forward and narrowed his eyes at Brogan.

“Milk or Dark?”

“Um, excuse me?” Brogan had no idea what she was talking about.

“It would seem the men in this town have trouble with details. I was asking what shade of chocolate he was.”

“I guess I would say he’s dark, almost burnt chocolate.” Brogan winked at Caeden.

“I can feel something on his collar, what is it?”

“Oh, you would love it, the collar is black and spelling out in pink rhinestones it says, “Mama’s Boy” with little hearts on each side of the name. See we weren’t really sure he was going to pass training, he was really attached to the woman he was fostered with. I admit there were times I seriously thought he wasn’t going to be able to leave her.”

Koira leaned close to Thumper’s face and scratched under his chin, “I think you sound wonderful, you are such a good dog.” Thumper looked over at Brogan with a superior look on his face.

“Well it does appear he is in good hands. I’ll let your aunt know everything is well here.”

“Thank you, I will follow you so I can lock up.” Brogan walked down the hall and silently placed a bag on top of a tall cabinet Koira would never be able to reach. Caeden yipped at him to let him know he saw. They had agreed earlier he would leave a change of clothes and his cell phone on silent in case Caeden needed it.

Brogan could feel Caeden’s eagerness to have him gone so he slowed his pace until he felt Caeden push against Brogan’s legs rushing him out of the apartment.  He bit back a laugh and winked at the furry bastard.

“Have fun you two, and Thumper be on your best behavior, I don’t want any bad reports when I come back to get you later.”