Chapter Eleven

Clint oversaw the hand-to-hand training with a smile on his face. In just three days, the guards had been working almost nonstop. With Bobby Gibson behind bars and the town free of strangers, everyone was getting some much-needed rest. That also let them have the time to test and work with each guard.

He glanced up, spotting Kurt, Austin and Gage headed his way.

“Keep going,” Clint told Ryan. He patted Ryan’s shoulder, leaving the shifter in the very capable hands of RJ Cross.

“Hey, guys,” Clint said after he jogged over to meet them.

“Everyone is looking good,” Gage complimented.

“Thanks.” Clint peered around the practice yard. “We still have some work to do, but everyone seems into the extra classes.”

“I hope they stick to it,” Gage said. “I’m trusting you to look after my father.”

Clint turned to Kurt.

“Did I not mention that Gage’s dad is one of the Alpha Council members?”

“No.” Clint punched Kurt’s shoulder. “You didn’t.”

They laughed.

“My father’s the newest member of the Council, so you’ll probably seeing a lot more of me. Especially if things keep going the way they are. I hate being this far from him,” Gage said.

“We’ll take good care of him. I promise,” Kurt told him.

“He’s in good hands,” Clint added.

“Thanks,” Gage said with a nod.

“How’s Tony doing?” he asked.

“He’s gone to Washington DC to meet with some government officials about Carter’s group. We’re hoping that we can get some help getting the Churches shut down,” Austin answered.

“Colt?” Clint questioned. He knew Colt was a part of Austin’s Pack.

“Still under.” Austin sighed. “I didn’t realize when I gave Colt permission to do this mission it would end up taking so long. I can see the toll it’s taking on him.”

“Remember we’re here to help,” Clint said. “If you need any help, just let us know.”

“We will,” Austin agreed.

“Maybe you’ll make it down to Texas to see me and my mate. Bring your girl,” Gage said.

Clint grinned. He liked Sara being described as his.

“Speaking of Sara,” Kurt said. “The guard house just called. She was at the gate. I had them direct her here.”

“What?”

Kurt laughed. “I think she’s pulling up now.”

Clint whirled around. Sure enough, Sara was pulling up to a small paved parking area set to the side of where they were training. He was already jogging over by the time he heard his friend’s laughter. Clint just ignored them. Why was Sara there? Was something wrong? And Cecil was with her. Did this have something to do with Ryan?

“Hey,” she said after she’d climbed out of her car.

“Are you okay?” Clint asked. He ran his gaze over her, but Sara was smiling and didn’t appear injured. Cecil walked up beside them as he waved to Ryan.

“Fine,” she said. “You?”

“Good, good.” He was confused. Clint shifted on his feet, nerves biting at him. He needed Sara and his Pack to like each other. She’d just never been around this many shifters. He didn’t want her scared. Not that she appeared to be. She was glancing around with interest.

“I’m dropping Cecil off. Ryan is taking him away for the weekend,” Sara said. She had a smile on her face. “Ryan asked if I wouldn’t mind bringing him so they can leave from here. I hope that’s okay.”

“I was hoping to catch some of his training,” Cecil whispered. “He’s been working on his moves at my place and it’s so hot.”

“Oh.” Clint chuckled. “Well, I think we can arrange something.” He motioned for them both to follow.

“We have an audience,” RJ told Ryan. “I guess I should go easy on you in front of your boyfriend.” The taunt did its job. Ryan growled before crouching low.

“Hell no,” Ryan replied. “My man already knows what a badass I am. It’s a good thing your mates not here to see me take you done.”

“Oh!” RJ jumped around as he grinned.

Clint swung his arm around Sara’s shoulder. “This is going to be great.”

Her nose was wrinkled as she glanced at him. The confusion just made her so damn cute. “What?”

“We call RJ our little puppy dog,” Clint said. “He’s like the biggest kid ever. This is going to be fun.”

“He’s not going to hurt Ryan is he?” Sara frowned then looked over to where Cecil was standing to get a better view.

“Of course not,” Clint assured her. “This is actually a good look at the Pack.”

“What do you mean?”

“RJ will joke and tease Ryan which will get him comfortable. RJ is also one of the most highly trained fighters I’ve ever met. But the way he teaches has the younger shifters not realizing they’re learning until they complete the move. A lot of how we fight in instinct and RJ shows them that. Plus with Cecil here I’m certain that RJ will concentrate on what Ryan excells at.”

“So this is for fun?” she asked.

“Fun and good training,” Clint corrected. “If there ever comes a time that Ryan has to defend Cecil they’ll both know that Ryan can take care of him.”

Sara leaned into his side. “So it’s like an older brother teaching someone to defend themselves?”

“Exactly.”

She tugged at her shirt. “Thanks for letting me watch. I was worried that you wouldn’t want me here.”

Clint didn’t like that at all. He moved to stand in front of her. “Why would you think that? Is it something I’ve said? Done?”

“No,” she said quickly. When she looked away Clint knew something was bothering her.

He grasped her elbow gently to tug her away from the crowd. Cecil and the shifters were gathering around Ryan and RJ as they started. “Talk to me,” he pleaded. “Tell me what’s wrong.”

“Nothing’s wrong.” She flushed. “This is stupid. Let’s just watch Ryan.”

Clint caught her hand and brought her palm up his mouth. He loved touching her, didn’t think he’d ever tire of having his hands on her. But it was her scent that really drove him crazy. Sometime without him noticing their scent had combined on almost everything he owned. His clothes, his belongings, even him. “There’s something going on in that head of yours.”

“Do you-“ She blew out a breath. Then laughed. “Shit.”

“Do I what?” he pressed.

“Would you prefer if I was a shifter?” she asked. Her voice was so quiet that even with his enhanced hearing he almost missed her question.

“I can’t-“ He pulled her further away from everyone. To the end of the training field. No one should be able to hear them from this far back. “I have never wished you were shifter instead of human.”

“So you’ve always preferred human woman?” She nodded. Although there were lines netween her eyes showing her confusion.

“Where is this coming from?” he demanded. If someone was trying scare her away he’d kill them.

“There was a program last night that said-“

He barked out a laugh. “Stop. Stop right there.”

She looked at him.

“Whatever you were watching was probably some kind of screwed up human program,” he told her. “It doesn’t matter if you’re a shifter or human. It was you that I fell in love with. You. From how you take care of Cecil, your dad, and this entire town. It’s because of who you are that I want to be with you. Not what you are.”

Before he even finished speaking she was nodding. “So I’m being stupid?”

“No,” he assured her. “It’s a smart question. And we should make sure that there are no misunderstandings between us.”

“Okay, sorry. I don’t even know why I started to worry about it.”

Clint shook his head. “There’s nothing for you to be sorry about.”

“I think we missed the fight,” she pointed toward the field.

He glanced over his shoulder at the guards who had been training. Apparently, the session was over. Ryan and several of the others were laughing and joking while making their way up to the main building. “Well, I have a better idea anyway—how about a tour?”

“Really?” Sara bounced. “Is that allowed?”

“Sure.” He was living with Sara now, she was a part of his life. Hell, he’d committed to her being Pack. It was time to join his two worlds together. “Come on.”

She slipped her hand in his and he tugged her behind him. He had so much that he wanted to show her. This land spoke to him and he was very interested to see how she reacted.

“Where are we going?” she asked.

“I want to show you my favorite spot,” he said.

“Cool!” She followed along, but swung her gaze this way and that so she could take in the scenery. “It’s so pretty here.”

“This land has seen some tough times, but the stronger the Pack, the more it flourishes. It’s our job to make sure the territory is here for the next generations,” he said. Clint had lowered his voice, which just felt right as they stepped between two giant oaks.

“You’re taking me into the forest to savage me, right?”

He glanced over his shoulder and winked. “You scared?”

Sara pushed his shoulder. “Not even a little bit.”

“Good.” Clint pointed toward the trail off to the side. “If you ever come out here alone, you need to follow the path. If you get lost out here, it could take hours to find you.”

“But we’re not going that way, though.”

“Well, no,” he said. “I don’t have to follow the rules.”

“Oh!” she drawled. “A rebel.”

“No,” he corrected. “I know every inch of this land. I’ve spent hours and hours in my wolf form in the woods.”

“I’d like to see that again,” she said. “I love both your forms.”

Clint turned before he drew her closer. “Both, huh?”

“Well, there are times that I am more partial to your hard, sexy body.” She ran her hands over his chest. He’d only pulled on a muscle tank earlier since his schedule had put him training all morning. “But I don’t mind petting a very pretty fur coat, either.”

“Pretty?” Clint lifted a brow. He was not pretty.

Sara grinned. “Handsome?”

“That’s better.”

“Unbelievable.”

“A lot better.” He gripped her hips and yanked her forward. There was no way she wouldn’t feel his erection. Every time she touched him, he got hard. “Now, stop distracting me. I want you to see my spot. It’ll give us more privacy.”

He pulled a laughing Sara behind him.

Clint might be the hunter, but it was Sara who had caught him.

The welcoming smile she’d always had for him. Not judging him for being a shifter. Yeah, his life had been good up to this point, but with Sara, he was complete. No matter what happened from here on out, she’d be at his side. And that made him so fucking happy.