The only time I remember the paw print tattoo being mentioned (before this book) was early in the series, when Mercy had to change back to human in front of Sam. He assumed it was a wolf print and she told him it was a coyote print.

I've read that FAQ, or maybe just an explanation in an interview. And I don't hold it against Briggs, of course. But at the same time, this is another example of publisher marketing that isn't really true to the books. Unlike misleading genre labeling, though, most readers don't expect cover art to be that accurate.