Federal Paranormal Unit Bundle: Shape Shifter Paranormal Romance by Milly Taiden

special.”
    Brock used his first name—something he never did. He then dumped enough sugar in his coffee to make any kid bounce off the walls. He added cream and started to stir, frowning.
    “I know that. She’s mine.” Trent said.
    “She’s yours?” He stopped and stared at him for a moment. Trent knew his words conveyed the message of how serious he was for Erica. “It’s gone there, huh?”
    Trent added two sugars and some cream to his coffee and locked on to Brock’s face.
    Brock took a sip of his coffee and sighed. “I hate driving this far without caffeine. I don’t think you realize just how special Erica truly is—”
    “Look…” Trent tried to hold his temper since Brock was still his boss. “I know she sees things about victims and the toll it takes on her—” He stopped when Brock shook his head.
    “I knew you’d either figure that one out or she’d tell you about it. That’s not what I’m referring to as special. She’s very important to me.”
    Trent ground his teeth and bit back an oath. His wolf pushed at the skin. “How important?”
    Brock shook his head. “She’s like my sister, jackass.”
    “Oh.” His jealousy disappeared. “So what do you mean?”
    “Erica is a very important part of our group, yes, but she’s also very independent and self-controlled.”
    Trent ignored his cup, his interest now fully on what Brock said. “I know that. She’s made it clear in all the time we’ve worked together that she doesn’t depend on anyone.”
    “Do you know why?”
    The waitress came back with their food just then.
    She put the plates and drinks in front of each of them and curled a hand on her hip. “If either of you need anything else, I’ll be right over by the counter. Just wave and I’ll come right over.”
    She sauntered off, wiggling her butt. Trent couldn’t help it. This time he did chuckle. He glanced back at Brock to find him grinning and getting ready to eat.
    “No. I don’t know why, but I’m assuming it’s got something to do with her past.” Trent put fries, ketchup, and mayo on his burger and then added the top bun. He put the massive burger straight into his mouth and took a large bite. Damn, that was a good burger. Probably made better by the fact he’d worked himself into hunger devouring Erica’s sexy body.
    “OK, I’m going to give you a summary so you’re not caught unawares, which I have a feeling might happen. Erica was abandoned by her mother into the court system.”
    Trent was about to take another bite but stopped, shocked by what Brock had said. “What do you mean she was abandoned?”
    Brock sipped on his drink before answering. “Exactly what I said. Her mother was freaked out that her little girl kept telling her about crimes people had committed and told the court system she couldn’t handle a crazy kid. So Erica went into the foster care system.”
    Trent sat immobile. He couldn’t believe a mother would do that to her child. “How old was she?”
    “Four,” Brock answered, popping a fry into his mouth.
    Good lord. Could a woman really do that? A mother? It didn’t seem possible to him. His mom had been both mother and father to five unruly children, but she’d never lost her patience with them. And he knew they’d done enough stuff to make a saint drop his halo and kick their asses. His father had been Alpha of their pack, but when he was killed his mother took him and his sisters and moved away. She had been unwilling to let anyone in the pack tell her what to do. She raised them among the humans. So Trent didn’t see how Erica’s mother could have actually given up her daughter. Trent lost interest in his food.
    “What happened then?”
    Brock swallowed what he’d been chewing before answering. “She went through a slew of foster homes until she was about fifteen. That’s when her last foster parents had her committed.”
    “Wait, what? What do you mean they had her committed?” His voice rose in anger. Erica