9
Cullen wantedto put his fist through the wall when he saw the destruction in Sarah’s house.
“Damn, bro. Your chick doesn’t have a thing for cleanliness, does she?”
“Fuck off, Sean.”
Sean huffed. “Come on, Cullen. She’s fine. Mom followed her into town, and yes, she’s keeping her distance. Sarah doesn’t know she has a shadow. But she has a suitcase, man. Open your eyes, Cullen. She’s leaving.”
Cullen couldn’t handle much more. Whatever his mother had said to Sarah had thoroughly spooked her. His family had done what he feared and driven her away. Then to find Sarah’s place trashed, her furniture scarred by talons and covered with feathers, the words “slut” and “whore” painted throughout her home… He was livid.
“Jenny Larsen’s going to pay for this.” He’d murder her and her husband. No one fucked with his mate. Not anymore.
“Now, Cullen,” Sean started, looking worried for the first time since they’d landed. “You don’t know who’s behind this.”
“Bullshit! You can smell her, can’t you?”
Sean sighed. “Yeah, I can. But you have to think straight. You can’t just barge into a clan leader’s home and— Damn it, Cullen! Wait up.”
Sean shifted and followed Cullen, already in the air and heading for raptor clan central. No matter how many feathers he had to ruffle, he’d make sure Sarah could hold her head high in this fucking town once and for all.
Sarah huggedMac and left before his dry-eyed sorrow caused another round of tears. God, she didn’t have many fond memories of Cougar Falls. So why was it so hard for her to leave the damned place?
Cullen Whitefeather.
She sniffed and ran into a broad chest.
“Whoa there. Sarah?” Sherriff Ty Roderick stared down at her in concern. The fox gently took her by the shoulders and edged her away from prying eyes. He pulled her into an alleyway and dried her eyes with a handkerchief he pulled from the back pocket of his jeans. “Honey, are you okay?”
The sincerity of his concern made her cry harder.
“Those damned raptors. Want me to shoot anyone in particular?”
She choked on a laugh, understanding what her friend Julia saw in this man. He was handsome, as most of the Ac-taw were. Broad shoulders, slim hips, and piercing gray eyes that could look right through you made a body think twice about crossing him. When shifted, his fox was slight, but fast as a whip and as mean as a grizzly. Foxes were known for their quickness of thought, and Ty was one of their best.
“I’m fine. Just saying goodbye. It’s harder than I thought it would be.”
Ty nodded and tipped his hat back with one finger. He looked like a modern-day cowboy—sexy, rough, and ready. She mentally agreed with Julia. He truly was afox. And nice as well.
“Well, you take care, Miss Sarah. Any time you need anything, anything at all, you let me know. And if you need a place to stay out there in the big bad world, I can help you with that, too.”
She saw the understanding in his eyes. As the sheriff, Ty knew what went on in town. He’d never condoned bullying, and he’d gone out of his way to put a stop to it, even in her case. Odd, she hadn’t thought about him much when she’d considered leaving. Nor had she thought about Millie at the ice-cream parlor, or Harry at the bakery. Then there was Sophie at the grocery, a newly arrived gray wolf not much more welcomed in town than Sarah. They might have become good friends.
A few more people than she’d thought who might actually miss her when she was gone. How about that?
“Thanks, Ty. I really appreciate that.” She sniffed then figured, what the hell? “You know, Julia’s in quite a mess out west.”
He stiffened. “What’s that?”
“She didn’t want me to tell anyone, but all those trips of hers to and from town... I think she might have more trouble than she can handle. She’s trying to help her sisters out, but I think a pack of hunters might have found her.”
“What the hell is that idiot thinking? Hunters?” he snarled. “Shit.Damn it.” Apparently realizing he was swearing like a sailor in front of a female, Ty rubbed two hands over his face in disgust. “Sorry, Sarah. But thanks for the tip. You make sure to check in when you get where you’re going. I don’t want to have to worry about two pretty females alone and on their own.”
Ty left her in the alley, swearing under his breath as he strode into the street, in the opposite direction of where he’d been headed before she’d run into him.
Before she could take another step, a familiar voice ordered her to turn around.
“Where the hell do you think you’re going?” Sheila Whitefeather demanded, her arms crossed over her chest. “You going to break my son’s heart and leave town, just like that?”
