Just what Sarah didn’t need—a loud-mouthed woman about to ruin her chances to set things right.
“That’s right, lady. Your son was fun, but now it’s time to go.” Her heart broke at the thought of never seeing Cullen again. Or worse, of him hating her. But at least he’d still have a place in town. “I have better things to do than hang arounda pussywho can’t tell a woman what he’s feeling.”
That had to do it. She’d called Sheila’s son the worst kind of insult. A feline or female body part. Nothing worse than demoralizing a male to his mother.
“Well said.”
Sarah shook her head.“What?”
“Well said. Now what are you going to do about it? Let him get away with that?”
“But, I—you can’t… I’m leaving.” Sarah turned to go, but not before Sheila grabbed hold of her and swung her around.
The eagle shoved a note in Sarah’s face. The same threatening letter Sarah had hours ago crumpled and tossed into her waste bin.
Sheila gentled her voice. “You’ve got to do better than that if you want to scare away a Whitefeather.”
Sarah couldn’t help the tears that filled her eyes. “He’s a good-for-nothing raptor. A man with sex on the brain. Doesn’t know a thing about romance. Can’t say much without screwing it up.”
She cried, wishing things had been different. She’d give anything to try her new life with Cullen. Hell, she’d even consider staying here if she could spend the rest of her life with that man. Her bird cried similar tears, missing him so damned much.
Sheila held out her arms and engulfed Sarah in a motherly hug. The soft body and feminine scent made Sarah long for her mother, wishing for days long past.
“I’m sorry,” she said through sniffles. “I can’t let them hurt him. I won’t. Not for me.”
“Well, now. I don’t think that’s up to you anymore.” Sheila patted her back, holding her close and rocking her, the way her mother used to. “Oh, Sarah. You’ve been on your own so long you don’t know how to ask for help. Lucky for you, we golden eagles stick together.”
Sarah looked up from Sheila’s shoulder into clear acceptance. “No.” She struggled to get free, but Sheila had surprising strength on her side. “I can’t let you do this.”
“You can’tlet medo anything. I do it, it’s done.” Sheila grinned, and fierce eagle eyes met her own. “Honey, the Larsens don’t scare me. And neither do town politics. We Whitefeathers have lived in Cougar Falls since before the town had a name. The Salish Indians met our people, the Ac-taw, and promised to share the land, a land that was neither theirs nor ours. The town can put all the rules in place that they want, but no one and nothing is going to force me or my boys from our rightful home.”
Sheila wiped her tears. “Now gear up for the fight of your life. We’re going to bust into tonight’s clan meeting with an agenda of our own. That is, if you think you have something to fight for?”
Taking a deep breath, Sarah sought for calm, and that hidden well of strength that had given her the courage to ignore the Shaws and the Larsens for so long. “I won’t let you or Cullen fall prey to Larsen and that filth. It’s time I fixed something that’s been bothering me for a long time.”
“Amen, girl. Let’s get to it. I have a few ideas of my own. Let’s take a run over by the attorney’s office. Gerald owes me a favor or two.”
Cullen poundedMike Shaw into the dirt. The man would be lucky to stand tomorrow, if he could walk within the next week. Rob Jenkins hadn’t fared too well in their small skirmish either. Both of his eyes had swelled up like balloons, and he’d spit out several teeth onto the bloody ground next to Mike.
“Two down, a few Larsens to go.”
Sean chuckled and walked with him toward clan central. On their way, Cullen passed Burke Chastell.
“You’re an asshole,” he said, glaring at the male. He still couldn’t believe Sarah had ever had a thing for the dumb cat, especially since the Shifter didn’t have the first clue about who Sarah really was.
Chastell straightened. “Excuse me?”
His wife walked out in front of him, pushing against his chest with one hand, forcing him to stop his advance on Cullen. “Cullen Whitefeather, right?”
“Yeah?” How did she know his name?
“You Whitefeathers decide you need a better place to roost, you look us up. I like what you did to Shaw’s face. We could use another decorator in the pride.”
Cullen grunted, liking Rachel a helluva lot more than her asshole husband. The pussy. “I’ll think about it. Have to talk to Sarah first.”
Burke groaned and looked up at the sky. “Mike’s a loud-mouthed idiot. There, I’ve said itagain. I’m sorry I ever listened to the rumors he spread.” He glanced at his wife. “I’m never going to hear the end of this, am I?”
“No, you’re not,” Rachel snapped. She turned back to Cullen. “Sarah’s at the clan meeting. Tell her I said hey. And if she needs any help dealing with Jenny Larsen, to give me a call.”
