I spent the rest of the next hour hovering close to Evan and occasionally asking questions. Most of the questions he answered very plainly, but there were a few like, who changed you, that he seemed to skirt. The more I tried to ask about it the closed up he became and it made me wonder. It seemed like the kind of thing he had be drilled to hide, because a few times he seemed on the verge of saying something, but then wouldn't. After the third time of trying to delve into his past I got a phone call.

Adam.

"Hey-,"

"Are you alright?"

I got up and walked outside. Ben would watch Evan while I talked to Adam. "I'm fine." I tried not to sound exasperated, but didn't really work.

"I felt Ben's anger."

"Yeah, I think this wolf reminds him a little of himself."

"Tell me about the wolf."

I bit back the growl I would have made at his command. It was only Adam's soft chuckled that made decide to tell him. "His name is Evan. He's apparently been a wolf a while, so is his mother."

"Is the mother there now?"

"No."

There was silence for a long time. "Not sure if that is good or not."

"Why?"

"We aren't like normal wolves, Mercy. Especially if we are crazy. I've heard stories of females who managed to carry to term. They aren't pleasant."

"I thought females couldn't."

"Unless they become wolf for the majority of the pregnancy."

"Oh." Oh shit is more like it. The longer a werewolf spends in wolf shape the more likely they are to lose it and go berserk. Most can spend a couple days no problem, but weeks or month in that shape and the wolf gets stronger and eventually goes all fang and no brain. I remembered vividly what had happened when Samuel had had to stay in his wolf form for long. It started slowly at first but there had been moments when he had come close to eating me. I took a deep breath and remembered some of what Evan said. "I get the feeling his mom was functioning just fine though. She was apparently driving them home from some kind of practice. Which she wouldn't have been able to do if the wolf was in charge. Evan told me she scented blood and told him to wait while she went in to check it out. He was to run if something happened. Something did happen. I think she was shot and he ran. He's pretty upset about that."

Adam listened and seemed to think. After a moment he asked, "What do your instincts tell you?"

"The boy and his mom definitely need help." I chewed on my lip, I didn't say but, however Adam seemed to hear it.

"But?" He prompted.

"I don't think he's being entirely honest either. There are little things that don't quite add up. He's very well spoken and there's something that makes me think he maybe not knows more than he's telling, but he has a guess. It almost feels like he was expecting something to happen or that this has happened before. He was definitely afraid, but he handled it too well. No normal ten year old handles what he's been through and isn't sobbing on the floor. They had a plan if something went wrong. Him and his mom. Maybe like most werewolves they are paranoid." At my not so subtle dig Adam laughed as I had intended him to.

"But you don't think so?"

"No." I hesitated. "I don't think they've lived here for very long a few months, but no more than a year. It's just not possible that two werewolves would hide from pack as large as ours. Someone would have scented them."

"You think they had help hiding?"

"Possibly, either that or his mom part Fae, but I don't think so."

"What about the boy's father?"

"I get the feeling he isn't in the picture. Evan made no mention of him in the story, and it sounded like there is no reason to. He's been gone or dead long enough that his lack of presences is normal."

Adam growled at that. For Adam the idea of abandoning a child was abhorrent. Part of that was how he was raised, but the other part is that he an Alpha. That means everyone is under his protection and thus his responsibility; even if they don't ask or tell him very pointedly not to.

"How about his control?"

It was a deliberate distraction from what was making him angry and I let him. "Better than some wolves who have been wolves for years."

Adam grunted. "You said he's ten?"

"Yeah."

Adam sighed and I could almost see him run his hands through his hair in agitation. "I'll be there shortly. Try not to push him, even if his control seems alright."

"I'm not worried about him. He's submissive."

"What?"

"Evan, he's a sub. I'm more worried Ben's going to go looking for Evan's mom. Evan has brought out the wolf's instinct to protect." Heck even I felt the need to protect this boy even if I thought he wasn't telling the full truth.

"Mercy be very careful. If his mom is even remotely dominate and she finds you guys after she has been injured she's not likely going to be in her right mind. She will act to protect her pack and her son."

"I will." I could almost feel my husband's fear as we hung up. I knew he would speed all the home just to make sure we were safe. I stuck my phone in pocket and took one wary look around. Part of me worried that a crazy wolf was going to appear out of nowhere and attack. That would be my luck. With a sigh I went back inside. Evan had finished his food and curled up on the couch around Medea. Ben sat on the couch beside him a pondering look on his face.

"Careful, you might end up becoming a good man if you keep thinking like that."

He snorted and glanced at the kid and the cat snuggled together. "You think his mom is crazy?" Ben wanted her to be, but I wasn't sure he realized how angry he was for Evan.

"No," I watched Ben's face carefully. "I think both of them are victims."

Ben looked like he was going to say something in his usual colorful language, but he thought better of it. "Why?"

"I suppose that depends on what you are asking why about."

He growled. "Why would someone change a child?"

"To control his mother." It would be a good thing for Ben to view Evan's mom as a victim. We really couldn't afford for him to attack her when she came looking for her son. When not if, I realized that chances were good that Evan's mom was alive, and she would track her son. Straight to Ben's work. "Ben, call the security at your work."

He swore pulled out his phone and called someone. The spoke very briefly.

"Don't let them try to detain a woman who walks in and walks out. She will follow her son's scent and know he's not there."

He relayed what she told him to the other person on the line. Then he paled.

"Someone like that has already come through? She just left?"

I heard the affirmative from the other end.

Ben swore, "Can you get me her picture off the building camera's?"

Again there was a affirmative answer, the man on the other end offered send the picture over to him. After a few moments Ben's phone chimed announcing that he had gotten a message. The man asked if they should be worried and Ben almost politely refused.

"Has to do with the kid that came and hid in lobby. We think she's his mom."

"Do you want me to go after her and give her information?"

"No." I practically jumped out of my chair and Evan got startled awake.

"You heard that," Ben asked the guy on the other end.

"Yep. Werewolf stuff?"

"Probably."

"Don't die." Then the man hung up without waiting for a response. I raised my eyebrows at Ben from the man's reaction. Ben shrugged, apparently I'm very entertaining to the security team.

"I just bet you are."

Ben grinned with too much teeth before turning to Evan. "Do you recognize this woman?" He showed the boy the picture that had been retrieved from the security camera's. Evan's shoulders slumped and relief flashed in his eyes. He nodded.

"That's my mom."