Pack Hunter (8 page)

Cecil looked reassured and slipped the card into his back pocket. “Thanks.”

“Same with you.” Clint kissed the tip of Sara’s nose. “They obviously know about us. I don’t want you to take any chances.”

She shrugged. “I doubt they’ll try anything against the sheriff’s daughter.”

He grasped her chin and made her meet his gaze. “I mean it, Sara.”

“I promise I’ll be careful,” she offered.

It wasn’t the assurance he wanted, but he decided not to push it for now. “Okay.”

Kurt stood and motioned Cecil away from the table.

Once they were alone, Clint dipped his head and placed a kiss against her lips. “Last night and this morning?” he started. “Those were some of the best moments I’ve ever shared with anyone. I want more of them. Which means you need to let me handle this and not get hurt.”

“I understand,” she replied softly. “I want more too.”

“I’ll let you know what’s going on. I’ll try to stop by tonight.”

“Yeah?” She wiggled on his lap.

His cock hardened. “Oh yeah,” he responded before kissing her deeply.

She hummed and opened for him. He ran his hands down her face, around to caress her neck, before he dug his fingers into her shoulders.

She moaned into his mouth.

“Damn, honey,” he said when they broke apart. “We’ll have to pick this up later.”

She looked up at him, her face flushed. “Later.”

He stood but couldn’t resist one more kiss. “Call if you need anything,” he ordered then he squeezed her hand and followed Kurt back through the swinging door to the back.

Kurt stayed silent as they made their way back out to the alley. Once out into the bright cool day, Clint pulled on his sunglasses.

“Ready to hunt?” Kurt inquired.

“Oh yeah,” Clint chuckled. “Let’s get this party started.

* * * *

Sara stepped out of the front door of her shop with Cecil and locked up.

The protesters were still out on the street. Several of them were giving interviews to the reporters who stood with cameras and microphones.

“Look around,” she said softly to Cecil. “You see our friends?”

Cecil was quiet a minute before she heard his breath catch.

“Yeah,” he murmured. “They are in front of Walker’s Second Hand Clothing.”

Walker’s was the clothing store that most of the older residents shopped at. It was across the street and two doors down. She put her arm though Cecil’s and pulled him with her. They had to dodge through the protesters that were still gathered.

“Don’t look at them. Don’t respond,” she told Cecil as some of the crowd started to yell.

They reached the front of her cousin’s store and pushed Cecil towards the door. She glanced over her shoulder and saw that they were being followed.

The men weren’t exactly hiding so she figured they didn’t care if they were spotted.

The candle store that her cousin Linda owned was one of Sara’s favourite places. She loved the smell, but it was the homey feel of the place that made the store one of the most popular in town.

Not only did Linda sell homemade candles, she also sold local art. The art was a combination of every imaginable way people expressed themselves. Sara had several pieces at her home.

“Hey, cuz. Hey, Cecil,” Linda greeted as they stepped inside.

Sara waved and pulled out her cell phone. Cecil headed to the register to start talking to Linda. Sara went to where she had programmed Clint’s number into her phone and pressed the call button.

He picked up on the second ring.

“We’re being followed,” she told him after he answered.

“I know. I’m watching,” he replied.

Of course he was—she should have figured that. But it did make her feel better that he was there.

“Good job ducking into the store there. Are you safe inside?”

“Yeah, it’s my cousin’s shop,” she explained.

“Okay, good. Kurt and I both have eyes on our visitors. Once you leave there I want you to head to the sheriff’s office. We will stay right behind you. Don’t act like you know anything is going on.”

She sighed and rubbed her forehead where she was starting to get a headache. “Okay.”

“Kurt’s calling your dad,” he continued. “We’ll have him take you and Cecil home. Once you get there, lock your door and keep your phone close. I’ll call up to the compound and make sure one of our guys is watching the house. I don’t think they will follow you home, but we’ll be careful.”

“All right.” She tried to take deep breaths and calm her pounding heart.

“Nothing will happen to you. I promise.”

“I’m taking Cecil home with me. He lives in an apartment right off Main Street, but I don’t want him alone,” she said.

“Good idea,” Clint told her. “You two stay together. Go to the sheriff’s office and meet your dad. I’ll be watching, honey.”

“Thanks,” she said. “Thanks, Clint.”

“No problem. I’ll talk to you soon.” As he hung up, she felt ten times better.

She joined her cousin and Cecil and they talked for a couple of minutes. She bought some candles so it looked like they had entered for a reason before she and Cecil headed towards the door.

She explained to Cecil what the plan was and he grinned.

“You sure my being there won’t ruin your”—he cleared his throat—“plans for the night?”

She hip-checked him as they went outside. Cecil’s laughter made her feel lighter.

They kept their heads close together and spoke quietly as they made their way to her dad’s office.

“God, I wanna look so bad,” Cecil confessed.

Sara giggled. “Me too.”

It was hard to resist. She was so damn curious to see if the men were still there, if she could pick Clint out of the crowd.

They made it into the sheriff’s office and when she stepped inside, she could see that it was packed.

The deputies seemed harassed and had their hands full with several people yelling about their rights. Her dad stepped through the crowd and motioned them forward.

She ducked between people and they rushed into his office.

“Pieces of shit,” he muttered, slamming the door closed.

Sara swallowed back her laugh. It took a lot to get her father to go off, but when he did it was always astounding.

“We’ve wasted an entire day arresting these idiots for one petty crime or another. Did you know they knocked down old lady Carmen when she tried to chase them off her property with a broom?”

“Damn it,” Sara cursed. Anna Carmen was the oldest resident in town at ninety-three years old. She was a spirited woman and Sara loved her. “Is she okay?”

He grinned. “Takes more than that to keep her down. Boy, was she pissed, though.”

Sara could only imagine. “I’ll call and check on her tonight.”

He nodded. “Kurt called and updated me. Do you think you’ll be okay at home?”

“Yeah, Clint was going to have someone watching the house.”

He looked surprised then nodded. “He’s a good guy. Really good guy,” he said.

Sara smiled. “Yeah,” she agreed.

“Well…” He cleared his throat. “Let’s get you two home, then.”

They followed him out of his office, through the side door and into his truck. They stayed quiet during the drive. Her dad darted looks to the rearview mirror every few seconds.

He pulled up in front of the house. “Stay in here while I check everything out,” he ordered.

“But, Dad…” she started to argue but one look and she closed her mouth. She knew that look.

He climbed out of the truck, slammed the door, then walked up the porch to the front door then used the spare key he carried to enter.

He was only gone about five minutes or so, but it seemed much longer. Her hand was on the door handle just in case.

She relaxed when he came back out onto the porch and waved at them.

Both Sara and Cecil climbed out of the truck so they could hurry inside.

“Lock the door,” her dad ordered.

“Yes, Dad.”

He leaned over and kissed her cheek. “Love you. Keep your phone with you at all times.”

“Love you too,” she told him.

Once he had started down the steps, she closed and bolted the door.

She turned around to Cecil, who was standing in the hall. “Movies and popcorn?”

Cecil grinned. “I pick the first one!”

Chapter Eight

The six men split up after Sara had left the sheriff’s office with her dad. Clint expected at least one group to follow her, but while he followed three men around town, Kurt called him and informed him that the other group was hanging around the woods by the compound.

Clint’s group contained their contact Colt and two other young men. They walked behind the protesters, hung around the park and basically didn’t do a whole hell of a lot.

He had called Sara and checked in with her. All was fine there. The Alphas had had no problem sending one of the guards to watch her place, so that made him feel better.

But he was bored.

Not that he was looking forward to any trouble, but he wished they would get on with whatever the plan was. He would much rather spend his time getting to know Sara than stalking a bunch of humans.

He was leaning back against one of the alley walls, keeping his eye on the men, when he saw Tony and Austin walking around in the park.

Colt stiffened when he spotted the two men.

Tony and Austin were in jeans and T-shirts, heads down, blending into the crowd. Clint wasn’t entirely sure what was going on, but he didn’t like it.

Tony was one of the most public faces the shifters had. If even one person recognised him, there could be a riot.

Clint straightened and moved closer to the edge of the crowd. If there was trouble he wanted to be ready.

Austin and Tony had almost reached Colt and the other men. Clint watched Tony meet Colt’s gaze. Tony was even so bold to wink.

Colt looked furious.

Austin and Tony passed by without a word to any of the men. Clint just shook his head. Man. Tony and Austin had balls of steel.

He followed their movements until they were back to their SUV and had climbed inside. He wasn’t sure what that appearance had been about, but he planned to ask later when they all met up again.

He turned his attention back to the three men he was supposed to be watching. They had settled onto a bench in the park. Clint relaxed back against the building.

Clint remained there for another hour before one of the men’s cell phone rang and he motioned the others to get up.

They started to stroll away from the crowd and Clint followed discreetly behind.

In the parking lot, they climbed into a truck. Clint ducked behind another building as they drove past him going towards the edge of town.

He called Kurt.

“They are on the move,” he told his friend.

“My three just left also. They didn’t touch the fence, just took pictures of the compound from outside. Not much they could have seen with the trees blocking the house,” Kurt informed him.

“Huh.” Clint didn’t get what that would accomplish.

“I sent one of the younger guards in wolf form to see if he can follow them. Hopefully they will stay away from town and he can see where they are meeting up,” Kurt added.

“I’ll head back to the compound then,” Clint told him. “Hey, what were Austin and Tony doing in town?”

“Tony?” Kurt questioned. “I can see Austin chancing going in town—his Pack didn’t go public so no one would recognise him—but everyone knows Tony’s face.”

“That’s what I was thinking,” Clint agreed.

“Well, we’ll find out. But right now the Council is in meetings. So why don’t you head over to your Sara’s and check on her?” Kurt suggested.

Clint really wanted to see Sara and that sounded like a damn good idea. It was still early evening and he knew she had been up later than normal with him the night before.

“You know what?” he said to Kurt. “I’m gonna do that. Call me if you need anything, though.”

“Will do, man,” Kurt responded. “But get some rest. Tomorrow, if they don’t make a move on us, we’ll force their hand. We need to end this shit and get these people out of here.”

Clint couldn’t agree more. They exchanged goodbyes and Clint pocketed his phone and walked towards his truck where it was parked close to Sara’s shop’s alley.

He knew the way to her house now with no problem. Just like the night before when he’d shown up in wolf form, he parked a block away.

This time he stayed in human form and sneaked around the back of Sara’s property. He was almost to the edge of her yard when he heard the low command to stop.

The cocking of a gun was loud next to his ear.

He raised his hands and turned to the guard. “Hey, Ryan.”

Ryan Bishop was one of the full-time guards at the compound. Clint and Ryan had become fast friends and he enjoyed working with him.

Ryan dropped his gun and grinned. Clint had a feeling the other man had known that it had been him he’d pulled his gun on. In fact, Ryan had probably just been waiting for the opportunity. They shook hands.

“Everything cool here?” Clint asked.

Ryan nodded. “Sara and Cecil have been inside all day. I think they have been watching movies or something. They haven’t even tried to go outside and no one’s come close to the house, although a deputy car passes by every hour.”

It didn’t surprise him that Sara’s dad would also send out a patrol to watch over his daughter.

He slapped Ryan on the back. “Well, thanks, man. I really appreciate you giving your time to watch over them.”

“I didn’t mind,” Ryan assured him quickly. “I’ve lived here a long time. I like those two.”

Clint picked up a little unease from Ryan. “You okay, man?”

Ryan nodded quickly. “Yeah. Yeah, man, I just…” Ryan actually blushed and looked away. “The kid? Cecil? He’s…”

Clint waited.

Ryan shuffled his feet. “I’ve tried to talk to him a couple times. He’s real shy. Young, you know, only twenty. I was worried about him, that’s all.”

Clint understood. “It’s okay if you’re interested in him. He’s a good guy.”

Ryan shrugged. “Yeah, I know. He’s still a good six years younger than me and I don’t want to make him uncomfortable or anything.”