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non-therion?” I couldn’t help but ask. “Other than the obvious, I mean?”
    â€œSomeone who shifts but isn’t in control of it?” he asked.
    I nodded.
    â€œYes. Weres.”
    â€œWhats?”
    â€œNo, weres.”
    â€œIf you say who’s on first, I’m going to deck you,” my sister told me with a warning glint in her eye.
    I smiled at her. “I think he means weres as in were-wolves.”
    â€œWerewolves are a fallacy,” Avery said, gesturing toward the door. “Mortal lore says they can shift back to human form, but true weres can’t. May we leave? I have an old man to gullet.”
    â€œSure. But . . . is the sunlight thing a fallacy, too?”
    â€œSunlight? Oh—only somewhat. Moravians can go out in the sun if we have protection against prolonged exposure. Hence the jacket and hat.”
    â€œGotcha. Just let me check to make sure the coast is clear.” I opened the door a few inches and peered out. Five pairs of eyes turned en masse to look back at me. “Um. Hi. Er . . .” I opened the door more fully. “Sorry to keep you all waiting so long.”
    â€œIs everything all right?” Allison asked as Jo craned her head to look beyond me into the darkened hallway. “We were beginning to get worried. Is the cat injured badly?”
    â€œNo, not at all. He’s fine, in . . . er . . . remarkably good shape. It took me a while to examine him, and then of course, I wanted to speak to his owner when he came to pick up the cat.”
    â€œHis owner?” The five ladies wore identical expressions of surprise as I stepped out, followed by Cora and Avery.
    â€œThis is Avery Scott. He . . . er . . . owns the cat who was left by mistake at your shelter. Evidently the cat was ill and Avery asked someone to take it to a specialist vet while he was off on a business trip, and it was brought here instead,” I said quickly, trotting out the admittedly weak story we had hurriedly concocted.
    The five pairs of eyes turned to look at Avery, standing in the shadow of the building. He smiled. “I’m so sorry for any trouble that my extremely handsome panther—”
    â€œJaguar.”
    â€œMight have caused you ladies, but I assure you that you will not be forced to endure such inconvenience again.”
    â€œBut . . .” Allison faltered, and looked helplessly at Jo.
    â€œWhere’s he gone?” Jo asked in her usual blunt manner. “We didn’t see anyone.”
    â€œGone? The cat?” I glanced at Avery. We were so rushed that we had forgotten to come up with an explanation of to where exactly the cat had been spirited away.
    â€œMy friend picked him up at the front door,” Avery said without batting so much as an eyelash. “I have a special car for him. The cat, not the friend.”
    â€œWe didn’t hear anyone pull up front, either,” Jo said, her brows pulling together as she eyed Avery.
    I moved in front of him to block her view, lest she recognize the vet’s spare clothes. “It was one of those new hybrid cars, very quiet. All’s clear in your shelter now, though, so you can feel free to go inside and take care of all those hungry kitties. Avery, I’ll give you a lift since your friend took your car away.”
    â€œThat was the lamest, most unbelievable story I’ve ever heard,” Cora grumbled as we hurried toward the truck. “A friend came to pick up the cat in a hybrid car! Honestly, Jas, couldn’t you have thought of something a little more realistic?”
    â€œShush, they’ll hear you,” I warned, glancing back. The three workers had gone inside. Jo stood at the door, holding it for Allison, who was watching us, an odd expression on her face. As Avery and Cora slid into the truck, she smiled, and I could have sworn winked at me.
    â€œSo here we are, trapped