The best hunter for the wolf shifters has met his match when he is introduced to the small-town human who captures his attention and heart.
Clint Price is enjoying his temporary assignment with the Alpha Council. The best part of every day is his morning visits to the local coffee shop and he soon finds himself enchanted by the human business owner.
Sara Webb didn’t know that shifters existed. And finding out that the large compound just outside town is full of them is a shock. One look at Clint and she is more than intrigued.
When the town is invaded and Clint is threatened, the residents come together in support. With the help of their friends and family, Clint and Sara fight for their newfound love and shifter freedom. But the escalation of events might end their relationship too early. If Clint does make it out alive, he still has to figure out how to stay with Sara in the end.
Reader Advisory: This book contains scenes of mild violence.
Publisher's Note: This book has previously been released by Totally Bound Publishing. It has been re-edited and substantially expanded for re-release. This book is part of a series and best read in sequence.
General Release Date: 6th March 2018
Clint Price jogged down the large gravel drive on his way to the guardhouse. The morning sun had already started to bathe the beautiful property in its colorful rays. The property he was staying on was magnificent. Clint enjoyed the lush green lawns and wide-open space. The dense forest called out to him, but it wasn’t time for that kind of run yet.
Two guards, Alan and Jody, saw him heading in their direction and opened the side fence so he didn’t have to slow down. He waved in appreciation as he passed, and they laughed, waving back. They were used to his morning routine by now.
It had been over a month since he’d first arrived at the Alpha Council compound in northern California. The group of guys he worked with daily had become great friends. Clint didn’t know how much longer he and his best friend, Kurt Moore, would be staying. They often took jobs in different Packs to help with security. Their years of serving in the military and getting the best training available ensured they had plenty to offer shifters. He enjoyed what he did, for the most part.
Clint had been traveling for so long that when he had to stay in one place, he grew agitated. Kurt was his family, and that was all he needed. Or it had been. This stop in California had actually opened his eyes to another need he thought he’d buried deep. Clint had never wished to settle down. Not in a town or with one woman. But maybe things were changing. He blew out a long, deep breath and picked up his pace.
From the entrance of the compound, he started south toward the town of Lovington, the huge property now at his back.
He never missed his run. Not only did it help keep him in shape, but the freedom of running also kept him from going stir crazy. Every morning, he ran in his human form, and every evening he shifted and ran as his wolf.
The Alpha compound was one of the nicest he had ever been on. Hidden in the northern mountains of California, the compound housed eight wolf Alphas, who served as the Council for the Packs of the United States. While the actual location of the Council compound was only known by a handful of people, the property stayed on constant high alert to keep the Council members safe at all times.
The shifters of the world had revealed their existence not too long ago. While the majority of humans had been shocked, most had taken to the shifters without problems.
But, as with anything, there were some who couldn’t accept the differences in the shifters and had named them evil and threatened them.
Four weeks ago, a Pack close to the Alpha compound had been almost devastated by fires around their community. Five fires in total, but luckily no one had been injured or killed. The Pack had fought back. Kurt, a member of the Pack, and Clint, along with two of their buddies, had gone there to help. With the assistance of the Pack members, they had been able to capture and arrest eight humans and two shifters. Clint and Kurt had escorted the two shifters to the compound for interviewing. Clint hadn’t been involved further, but he knew Kurt remained immersed in the investigation.
Meanwhile, Clint had been asked to remain there as a guard while the Council members tried to find out what threats still remained. He had also been asked to think about accepting a permanent role as head guard. Clint was considering the job offer, but his decision would also depend on Kurt. They’d been friends since they’d first met on the Marine Corps boot camp bus heading to Parris Island.
Theirs was a friendship made through tough circumstances and loyalty. They’d been stationed together several times before both had been recruited into the Special Forces.
At the time, the government hadn’t known about shifters. Having one of his kind by his side had made it easier for Clint to get through the last ten years.
They’d been through so much together. He considered Kurt his brother.
Kurt knew of Clint’s interest in a local, but since Clint hadn’t made a move, he couldn’t base his decision to stay on one woman. Even if he wanted to. What kind of idiot decided his future on the basis of what might happen with another person? Clint was close to being that idiot.
It was so unlike him that Clint was at a standstill on what to do about anything related to his future.
His footsteps echoed along the empty road as he hit his stride and relaxed into the routine of his run. He let his mind clear and just concentrated on breathing.
Before he knew it, he’d reached the edge of town. Lovington was a small community, and while they now knew about shifters, they had no idea what a powerful group lived miles up the road. To the outside world, the Council pretended to be just another Pack. They were in no way a normal wolf Pack, though. Those in position ruled the wolf shifter world as a Council. Other Alphas didn’t even know where the Council was located.
Packs contacted the Council by phone and email and only the highest-ranking Alphas had the opportunity to travel to the compound. Clint worked directly for the Council, but even he’d had to work for them for several years before he knew the Council location.
Once he reached town, he slowed, coming to the post office. He started his stretches and waved at Mrs. Carson as she passed on her way to the flower shop she owned. The older woman beamed at him, returning his wave. Relaxed and loose, he made his way into the post office and checked his box. There were only three items. A bill, a magazine and a letter. He looked at the return address and snorted. His buddy Samson wrote him every month. The letter could contain information about Samson’s job or his family, but most of the time he sent jokes or raunchy articles. Samson refused to get with the times and use social media or email. Samson claimed he was old-school. Clint believed his friend was merely stubborn. Clint loved that about Samson.
Samson was a character—however, he was also a dependable friend who Clint was glad he’d met in the military.
Samson was human, but Clint didn’t hold that against him. He was still a badass.
Clint tucked his mail under his arm before giving the man behind the counter a smile. Then he headed back out to the street.
His next stop was his favorite. If Clint were being honest with himself, the reason why he ran toward town instead of taking the route around the compound was because of his next stop.
The Blend and Brew Coffee House was located right in the middle of town in one of the storefronts on Main Street. He and Kurt had found the coffee shop their first week there. The atmosphere was homey and comfortable, the coffee perfectly blended, but it was the service that had him going back every morning.
He pulled open the door, breathing in the intoxicating aroma of freshly ground coffee, absorbing the hum of the espresso machine and laughter from the patrons.
He grinned at the sight of the woman behind the counter.
Today, she had her light-brown hair pulled back in a ponytail away from her face. Her hazel eyes sparkled as she joked with the college-aged kid working alongside her while she dumped espresso shots into paper cups.
She was several inches shorter than Clint’s six-foot-one frame. Just the right size, in his opinion. She wore her usual uniform of jeans and T-shirt under her brown apron with a picture of three coffee beans dancing on the front. It was cute, yes, cute. Clint snorted. He’d never found anything cute until he’d met Sara. She was messing with everything that he’d ever known about himself.
A natural hunter, Clint knew he could come across as dangerous. Hell, he was dangerous. But Sara made him feel like he could be a better person. That he had more to offer. It was a strange sensation that crawled down his spine each time he set eyes on her.
As Clint stepped toward the counter, Sara he threw her head back and laughed loudly. Clint’s cock woke up behind his running pants. Fuck, he wasn’t going to be able to hide an erection. He clenched his fists, pulling up all his control. He didn’t want to scare her. Sara was one of the few people who didn’t make Clint feel like a monster, and he liked it that way. She was a brave woman to be able to look him in the eye, morning after morning, and smile.
He knew very little about her except that every time he woke up, she was who he wanted to see. He enjoyed the sight of her ass in her tight jeans but had to imagine what she’d look like bared and sprawled out for him.
She looked up and spied him by the door. She smiled wide and called out to him.
“Hey, Clint!”
“Sara.” He sent her his best smile.
Crissy Smith lives in Texas with her husband, daughter, and three Labrador retrievers. The three dogs love to curl up under her computer desk and nap while she writes. It doesn't leave a lot of room for her but what's a woman to do?
When not writing or reading, she enjoys hunting, camping and shooting. But she has a girly side too and is addicted to pedicures and coffee.
She has been writing since she was a teenager and still loves everything to do with the paranormal. Her stories and characters all have a place in her heart. She loves the alpha male, the dominant werewolf, or the Master vampire which find their way in most of her books.
Learn more about the characters she has created at her website where they have their very own page. It will be updated from time to time to let you know what's going on with them. You can also find out who will be in the next book.
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