Pack Council
Chapter Five

Kurt's phone rang and he picked it up without taking his eyes away from his monitor. His back and neck were sore from hours of looking at maps. There was only so far the Church could take Colt and only so many places to hide him. "Yes?" "Sir, this is Wes at the guard station. I have Sheriff Webb and Deputy Conley asking for entrance."

That grabbed his attention. To his knowledge, the sheriff hadn't planned on being at the compound or had a meeting scheduled. But they'd been headed to the Church earlier, so maybe they had some news. "Let them through," he ordered the guard. He stood quickly and headed out of his office to meet them.

The guard he'd sent along had reported back that he hadn't seen anything of concern. He also hadn't been able to replace any recent scent of Colt, which was upsetting. He picked up the pace toward the door and Savannah.

Ryan was just opening the front door as Kurt reached the entrance. Sheriff Webb stepped inside and Kurt waited.

There...

Savannah followed the sheriff inside and looked up. Their gazes locked and she smiled. Kurt's heart sped up and he licked his suddenly dry lips. Inside he felt his wolf scratch and claw to be let out. His skin felt tight and his teeth ached, about to lengthen. It wasn't a reaction he was used to. He'd always had absolute control of his animal. This was different. He had to shake his head when he realized Ryan was calling his name.

Ryan grinned at him when Kurt was able to focus. Shit, he needed to get his act together. He walked over to join the group. Kurt made sure to brush against Savannah as soon as he was close enough. That seemed to calm his wolf some. Kurt was going to have to think about the strong reaction his wolf side was having to her. But that could wait until later.

"We just came from the Church," Sheriff Webb told him. "You have someplace we can talk?"

"Yes, sure," he said and turned to Ryan. "Can you replace Tony? He was going to make some calls, probably in his office. We'll be in mine."

"Sure thing," Ryan replied and hurried away.

Kurt placed his hand on the small of Savannah's back and steered both her and the sheriff to his office. Warmth filled his palm. Just a small touch and peace settled over him. He ushered them to his empty guest chairs before starting a fresh pot of coffee.

Tony and Ryan came back in just as the coffee was done brewing. Ryan helped him hand out hot cups before they gathered around his desk to hear what the two had learned.

As the sheriff filled them in, Kurt stood beside Savannah's chair, running his fingers over her shoulder. He liked just being able to touch her. No one who was in the room with him would replace his need weird. For a shifter, touch was simply a way to connect. It didn't hurt that he was also getting his scent on her. Humans wouldn't be able to tell, but any shifter that she crossed paths with would have no trouble knowing who she belonged to.

He absorbed what they were told and it worried him. Colt had been headed to the compound, but he hadn't shifted, hadn't called. Why hasn't he called?

"I had Colt's car towed in. There were no personal items in Colt's vehicle," Sheriff Webb informed them.

"And his room was completely empty," Savannah added.

Tony shuddered and Ryan clasped his shoulder in support.

"Rudy knows something," Savannah said. "He wants to talk. We need to get him away from there. I was close to getting something, I just know it." Sheriff Webb grunted. "Not going to be easy. It was obvious that Bruce Carter is keeping a close eye on him. Probably knows Rudy is the weak link." "I'll order a guard watch," Kurt told them. Clint was in charge of the guards and could schedule a routine. "If Rudy does leave alone, we can pick him up." "That's what I was thinking. We can split duty between your people and my deputies," Sheriff Webb agreed.

"I'll get it set up and send you over our schedule so you can fill in some spaces," Kurt assured him. The phone rang and Kurt excused himself to answer. "Hello?" "Kurt, sorry to interrupt." Alpha Babcock's strong voice came through the line. "I was hoping to catch the sheriff while he was here."

"Yes, sir," Kurt answered. "He's still here."

"Could you ask Tony to bring him into the conference room?" Alpha Babcock requested.

"Yes, sir."

He hung up the phone and relayed the message to the men. The sheriff stood and Tony took him out of the room. Kurt glanced up at Ryan.

"I'll just go check on the guards," Ryan said, rocking back on his heels. "Give you two some privacy."

Kurt scowled after the other man, but Ryan ignored him. Ryan had been hanging out too much with Clint, obviously picking up Clint's bad habit of teasing Kurt. The office door clicked shut.

"Alone at last," she said, rising to her feet and wrapping her arms around his neck.

He couldn't have agreed more. Kurt took her lips in a deep, passionate kiss while running his hands down her sides. "Yes, we are," he whispered against her mouth. "Wonder how long we'll have?" "No idea. We better hurry though," Savannah said, and dropped her hand to rub at his erection.

He groaned. God, he was so hard for her.

She fumbled with his button and he placed his hand over hers. He darted his gaze around his office. There wasn't really a comfortable place to move them. Could he even do this? They were surrounded by shifters. If they did anything, in his office, someone would know.

Savannah laughed. "Kurt! Come on!" She dragged him over to his desk and pushed him into his chair. He blinked in surprise when she dropped to her knees in front of him.

Who was he kidding? Of course they were going to do this. He would never turn down Savannah. Hell, he wanted her just as much as she wanted him. Maybe more, because even the wolf part of him craved the connection with her. Her eyes sparkled as she reached to unsnap his jeans. He lifted his hips and helped push his pants and boxers down his thighs.

Savannah grasped his cock and stroked him. He dropped his head back. Her hand was warm against his already heated flesh. When she bent and licked at the tip of his cock, he gripped the arms of his chair to keep from grabbing Savannah's head. She teased him, licking the bottom of his cock head before blowing across the slit.

"Jesus," he gasped out.

She hummed as she engulfed him. Kurt bit back a curse. Holy hell! It felt so good to be inside her mouth. Warm, wet heat surrounded him. He pumped forward gently before withdrawing slowly. So very slow. It was torture. It was wonderful. He pushed in deep again and she swallowed around him. Oh, this is going to be embarrassingly fast.

Savannah kept sucking and taking him as Kurt thrust over and over. Her hand wrapped around the base of his shaft and moved over him each time she lifted her mouth. She ran her tongue under the sensitive skin of his head and that was all he could take.

He moaned out his release as she continued to pump his cock. He was still half hard when she rose and unbuttoned her khaki uniform top.

Kurt dropped his hand and stroked himself back to full hardness as she removed the rest of her clothes. She placed her hands on the back of his chair and climbed onto his lap. He helped position her and she slid down, impaling herself on his hardness. She shuddered and arched in his arms.

They found a quick tempo. Their hands slipped against sweaty skin, their breaths came in huffs, their flesh slapped together. Savannah rode him thoroughly-took from him, used him and he loved every second of it. When she clamped down. and cried out her climax, he let himself go.

He stood, gripped her hips and turned. He was still buried deep inside when he laid her back on the top of his desk. He spread her thighs wider and pulled out before slamming inside. Her breasts swayed with each snap of his hips. "God! Kurt! Yes!"

He snarled, unable to keep the animal reined in completely. His canines grew and scraped against his lower lip. He wanted to bite, to claim her. Instead he plowed on and took his woman-marked her with his scent, and when he came, marked her with his seed.

Savannah gasped, trying to draw full breaths into her lungs. Kurt was still collapsed on top of her.

Damn... Hell, that had been absolutely thrilling. Never had she experienced such...raw hunger. And she wanted more.

Kurt lifted his head, his eyes filled with worry. He cupped her chin ever so gently. "I didn't hurt you, did I?"

She smiled. "No," she assured him. She hoped for a day when he didn't ask that and could trust she could handle him. "That was wonderful."

Satisfaction replaced the worry in his gaze. "Good... Good."

She giggled. She couldn't hold it back. Savannah had seen his face when she had first stepped into the compound. The pleasure and need in his gaze had caused her body to tingle with awareness. She'd practically vibrated while the sheriff had filled the men in on what they had found out at the Church.

When they had been left alone, she had thought they could have a quick roll in the hay. But what had taken place that had been so much more.

"We need to get up," she told him when she got control of herself and stopped laughing.

Kurt grunted as he lifted off her. "Jeez."

"Yeah."

They dressed slowly, stealing kisses every few minutes, sharing little touches. It was nice, this relaxed time while their bodies still hummed from their lovemaking.

Just as they had finished dressing, a knock came at the office door. Kurt grinned when Savannah jumped.

"The sheriff's ready to leave," Ryan told them through the door.

"On our way!" Kurt hollered back. He reached forward and straightened Savannah's collar. "I still want to see you tonight," he said.

Savannah lifted an eyebrow. "Try to keep me away." And she meant that. She wasn't nearly finished with Kurt, might never let him go after what had just happened. She gave Kurt a quick kiss and headed toward the door. She glanced over her shoulder with her hand on the knob. "You might want to take a nap before tonight. You'll need your energy."

Kurt's chuckle followed her through the halls as she made her way to meet the sheriff at the front door, where he stood talking with Tony and Ryan. Ryan winked at her when she joined them. She refused to blush. No way was she going to be embarrassed. She stuffed her hands in her pants pockets. Damn it, she knew her face was red.

Sheriff Webb patted Tony's back and waved her on. They exited the large, beautiful compound and hurried through the cold air to their vehicle.

"Alpha Babcock asked that we handle any contact with the Church. He doesn't want the shifters involved. Openly, anyway."

"Okay."

"Colt's Alpha is headed up here. As soon as he gets here he will come down and file a missing person report. He's listed as Colt's next of kin on all paperwork."

"So, there's no way that his dad called him home?" she asked him.

"No, Colt is estranged from his family. Colt's dad lives overseas, so we know Bruce Carter's statement won't hold up when we push," Sheriff Webb confirmed. "They messed up.'

"

"Yeah, but unless we replace Colt or any evidence, we have nothing to charge them with. We work this unofficially for now."

"No problem."

"I want you to patrol around town. Continue your regular duties checking on residents after the storm. If you happen to ask any questions about a car found off the road"-Sheriff Webb shrugged "you're just trying to help." "Got it," she told him.

They drove the rest of the way to town in silence, both lost in their own thoughts. By the time they pulled up in front of the old brick structure that served as the sheriff's office, Savannah had come up with her plan. She climbed out of the sheriff's vehicle and waved. He honked and backed out of the parking space.

Savannah pulled out the keys to her department-issued SUV and climbed inside. When she started the engine, a cold blast hit her with the heater fan on high. She quickly switched it off, cursing. Damn, that had sent a chill through her entire body.

But she knew just the place she could warm up and question the residents. Carefully she pulled out and headed down the street. Stores were open and there were even several of the townsfolk out walking, carrying shopping bags. Black Friday. That was what they called the day after Thanksgiving the busiest shopping day in the United States. Savannah snorted. She hated to shop-did all she could online. There was absolutely nothing that could get her up and out in the cold to run around with crowds looking for sales.

She pulled into a parking space two stores from the coffee shop since there was no space available any closer. She hurried inside and sighed in relief when the warmth of the shop surrounded her.

People stood around talking. All the tables and stools were full. She wasn't the only one to see the advantage of getting out of the cold by stopping by to pick up a cup.

Savannah got in line and was surprised to see Clint helping behind the counter. She'd never seen him working with Sara before.

Cecil was at the register and calling out the orders to Sara. Sara was behind the espresso machine, furiously making the drinks before handing the finished product to Clint, who put the lids on and called for pick-up. Amused, Savannah watched the three of them. They functioned well together.

Before long it was Savannah's turn. Cecil beamed at her. "Hey, Deputy!"

Sara looked over at her when she heard Cecil's words. Her friend winked but went back to the machine she was handling.

"Hi, Cecil. Busy day," she commented.

"Yeah, it's great. We'll make more money today than two months during the summer. So, what can I get you?"

"A large of whatever blend is the special," she ordered, pulling out her wallet.

Cecil waved her money aside. "On the house. Just give me a minute."

Savannah thanked him and stood off to the side so that the next person in line could order.

While she waited, she watched Sara rub against Clint while passing him a drink. Clint grinned and when he reached for a lid, he brushed back against Sara.

Savannah wanted that. The easy acceptance of a partner. Someone to come home to at the end of a long shift. For the first time in her life, she thought she just might have found that person. Was it possible she was moving too fast? Kurt appeared to want to spend just as much time with her and when the two of them were together the atmosphere was almost explosive.

"Savannah," Clint called.

She stepped over, but when she reached for the cup Clint pulled it back.

"Seen Kurt?" he asked.

"Yes," she responded. "I just left him at the compound."

"The compound, huh?" The look that he gave her was full of knowledge.

She refused to blush. "We were updating him on Colt."

Clint laughed. He leaned forward and his voice was barely a whisper. "You do know that shifters have a good sense of smell. Very good."

Crap, she could feel the heat in her face. "We might have had a few minutes alone," she conceded.

"A few minutes?" Clint shook his head. "If that's all it took, I'm going to have to give my best buddy a few tips."

Sara came up and slapped Clint on the ass. Hard. "And if you don't stop teasing my friend, you won't be putting any kind of scent on me for a week."

Clint thrust her cup at her. "I hope you enjoy your drink and the rest of your day." His professional tone was hilarious.

Sara huffed at him. "Can you take out the trash?"

"Of course, my love." He kissed her cheek before scurrying away.

"Sorry about that," Sara said. "He and Kurt are so used to teasing each other they don't know when to stop sometimes."

Savannah smiled. "I don't really mind. I like how close they are. You know, my family only talk a couple times a year. Being around all of you makes me feel closer to people."

"I know." Sara was nodding. "I've been close to my dad since he raised me as a single parent, but I also wanted siblings or extended family. Clint was able to give that to me. The shifters are just so close and connected."

Relief filled her as Sara spoke. It was nice to have someone she could talk to who understood how she felt.

"I take it everything is good between you and Kurt? We haven't had much time to talk."

"It is," Savannah said. "He's so warm and kind and...hot."

"I'll take your word for it," Sara said. "I'm partial to my shifter."

"I know." Hell, the entire town knew. When Sara fell in love, she didn't hide it from anyone.

"I need help!" Cecil called.

"That's my cue." Savannah stepped back. "I'll let you get to work. Maybe we can get together this week for some girl time."

"Yes!" Sara grinned. "I'll bring the wine."

Savannah turned toward the door and the cold weather. The coffee was helping to warm her up, but it was going to be a cold shift. Of course, she had to move back in winter. The mild summers were the best, but during late fall and winter they could get hit with some heavy storms.

It was a good thing she had a sexy shifter to keep her warm at night.

****

Kurt stopped in front of Clint and Sara's house and waited while Clint climbed into his truck.

"Hey, man," Clint greeted, rubbing his hands together. "Shit, it's cold out there."

Kurt laughed. He'd been in and out of the weather all day. He knew Clint had been helping Sara at the shop all morning. But he had to tease him. "Getting soft on me?"

Clint flipped him off before reaching behind him and pulling on his safety belt. "Soft, my ass."

Kurt shook his head and pulled back onto the street. He'd already filled Clint in on everything that had taken place earlier. Clint had organized the watch on Rudy even while helping Sara at her shop.

"So how was your morning?" Kurt asked.

Clint grunted. "I don't know how they do it. Sara and Cecil-they are amazing and so nice. Taking orders, making coffee and listening to people. If you ask Sara what every person said to her, Sara remembers every word. I couldn't do it every

day."

"Yeah, I agree. I could never make it in customer service," Kurt agreed. "So I know you can't. How many people did you growl at?"

"None," Clint said quickly. Too quickly.

Kurt waited.

"Three," Clint admitted. "But they deserved it. They were idiots, asking for some complicated drink that no one has ever heard of before."

"No one? Or just you?" Kurt was certain Sara and Cecil had handled the situation.

If you're loving the book, nel5s.org is where the adventure continues. Join us for the complete experience all for free. The next chapter is eagerly waiting for you!

"I'm never taking a day off again. That way Sara can't put me to work."

Clint wasn't actually getting a day off, since they were headed to check on Rudy and the men guarding him. But Kurt didn't say anything. He knew Clint didn't really mind helping Sara out. In fact, Clint would do anything for Sara. That thought turned Kurt's mind to Savannah. He had gone overboard with Savannah in his office earlier, shocking himself with the depth of his need. He was just thankful he hadn't scared her away, or hoped she wasn't regretting it now. He'd had plenty of time to think about it as the day continued. His wolf had been right at the surface. He wasn't as free with his other form as Clint was-he only shifted once a week or so or when it was needed for work. Earlier was the closest he'd come to actually letting his wolf take over unbidden while still in human form.

Luckily, he'd managed to hold back enough and not actually give Savannah the mating bite that would bind them together.

But he'd wanted to. Oh, he really had.

"Kurt!"

Kurt snapped out of his own thoughts and jerked. "What?" he grumbled.

"Nothing," Clint responded, laughing. "You were mumbling."

Kurt shot Clint a glare.

"Anything you want to tell me?" Clint asked, batting his eyes innocently.

Kurt's lips twitched in amusement. The look did not belong on Clint's face. The man was far from innocent. "No."

"You sure?" Clint pressed. "Nothing about a certain beautiful blonde-haired, blue-eyed deputy you smell like? Or that reeked of you when she came into the shop."

Kurt growled. Of course, Clint could smell Savannah on him. He should have thought about that. Well, he really didn't care. He liked catching whiffs of Savannah's scent. "You better not have teased her."

"Who, me?" Clint asked, all innocence, which meant he had.

"Damn it," Kurt responded. "I should kick your ass."

"I wasn't bad." Clint held his hands up. "Besides, Sara already threatened me about giving Savannah a hard time. But you're not off-limits."

Kurt opened his mouth to reply, but Clint's phone rang and cut him off.

Clint answered on speaker. "What do you have, Josh?"

"The target just left the premises driving a blue Toyota Corolla. He's heading north away from town," Josh reported in.

Kurt pressed on the brake to turn around.

"Thanks, man. Keep a visual. Don't lose him," Clint ordered.

"On it, boss!"

Clint disconnected the call and looked over at Kurt. "Where's the little bastard headed?"

Kurt glanced over at him, curious. "Bastard? Kind of harsh, man."

Clint grunted. "You know who we're talking about, right? Rudy was the little weasel that had eyes for Cecil like he was a piece of meat. A man like that messes with Cecil? I have a problem with that. He's nothing more than a bully."

Kurt remembered the scene Clint was talking about. He'd forgotten, but now that Clint had mentioned it, he did recall it. "I'd forgotten. It's weird, though-the way Sheriff Webb and Savannah described him and the way he acted this morning, like he was afraid or something."

Clint snorted. "Afraid of getting busted, maybe."

"Hmm," Kurt murmured. But Colt had apparently been close to Rudy, as well. Colt had good instincts. Kurt would have to think more on it. He pulled onto one of the back roads that would have him intercepting Rudy's route. "Should we call the sheriff?" Clint inquired.

"Nah." Kurt shook his head. "Let's see where our friend is headed first. Savannah is patrolling out this way. I'll call her if we need any help."

Five minutes later, they parked off the road and waited. They weren't disappointed. Rudy drove by in the blue vehicle Josh had described.

They pulled onto the road and followed him. Kurt saw the black SUV in his rear-view mirror and knew one of the guards was still back there while another would be in shifted form trailing the car that way.

He stayed far enough away that Rudy wouldn't suspect he was being followed. He racked his brain to figure out where he was headed. This stretch of road wouldn't really take Rudy anywhere close to town or... Then it hit him. "He's running!" Kurt said in shock. "Shit!" Clint shook his head. "No, no way."

But Kurt knew deep down that was what Rudy was doing. He wasn't heading into town, wasn't running errands or planning on going back. He was taking the most direct route out of there. Savannah had described him as scared. And Rudy was running scared.

"You're right. He's running," Clint grumbled.

"Damn it!" Kurt fumbled for his phone and hit the number for Savannah.

"Hey, stranger," she greeted him warmly.

"Rudy is making a run for it. He's ten miles from town limits," Kurt told her. "If he makes it out of here—"

"Oh, hell no!" Savannah grumbled and he heard the sound of brakes. "He's not going anywhere. Where are you?"

"Behind him."

"What's he driving?"

"Late-model blue Toyota Corolla."

"Stay there," Savannah said and hung up.

Kurt took his eyes off the road and frowned down at the phone in his hand. She'd issued orders then hung up before he had a chance to reply. That was how he normally handled a situation. He was in charge, wasn't he? "Get used to it," Clint said beside him. "These women don't know how to follow. They like to lead."

Amused, Kurt shook his head. Clint had a point. And Savannah was a strong woman. He might just have to learn to follow her lead in some things. That could be fun after all. It might be nice to let go and let someone else have some control over him. He needed to stop thinking about it, though, because he was getting hard and Clint would be able to smell his arousal.

Clint's deep chuckle told Kurt that he might be too late in trying to hide his feelings.

Savannah couldn't believe her luck. She was only three miles from the turn-off Rudy would have to make to leave town. She sped into place and waited.

Just as she'd hoped, Rudy flew past her-speeding.

She hit her lights and sirens while pulling out behind him. She could see the moment he recognized the sheriff's vehicle. He slammed his hand on the steering wheel and Savannah was pretty sure he was cursing her good.

Rudy flicked on his blinker and pulled off to the side.

Savannah parked behind him and waited. As soon as she saw Kurt's truck in her rear-view mirror, she opened the driver's side door and stepped out. She walked slowly to Rudy's side of the vehicle.

"Turn the vehicle off," she ordered. She waited until he complied before stepping up beside his window. He had already rolled it down.

"Dep-deputy." Rudy tried to smile but fell short-way short.

"You were speeding, sir," she said formally. "Where were you headed in such a hurry?"

His gaze darted around. "Well... I was..."

Savannah bent closer to him. Maybe he needed a softer touch. For some reason she felt a connection with the young man. "Where are you going, Rudy?"

Her soft voice must have gotten through to him. He blinked up at her with wide eyes.

"Rudy, let me help you," she implored.

"You can't," he whispered. "No one can help me." Off to the side, she heard two doors close. She glanced over and saw that Kurt and Clint had exited and were heading their way. Rudy must have noticed them too, because he slumped down in his seat and began to tremble. Rudy grasped the hand she had placed on his car. "Don't let them take me! Please! I warned Colt. I swear. I told him that Bruce suspected him! Don't let them kill me!" "Hey!" She tried to calm him down. "Hey, no one will hurt you."

If you're loving the book, nel5s.org is where the adventure continues. Join us for the complete experience all for free. The next chapter is eagerly waiting for you!

"Savannah!" Kurt called.

"Back off, Kurt," she told him.

Clint growled. "The hell we will! He knows where Colt is."

Savannah had a responsibility to her residents. Rudy was one of those she had sworn to protect. But she knew they needed to replace Colt sooner, not later. She looked into the face of the terrified young man before looking back at the two shifters. She hoped that Kurt trusted her. She begged him with her eyes.

Kurt nodded, although he did not look happy. He grabbed Clint's arm and pulled him back.

"Kurt!" Clint protested.

"No," Kurt told him in a low tone. "Let her handle this."

Clint cursed, yanked his arm from Kurt's grasp and started to pace.

Savannah sent him a grateful smile before returning her attention to the young man inside the vehicle. "Rudy," she said softly. "Come with me. Let me help you. You have to tell us where Colt is."

Rudy was still looking over his shoulder. "You won't give me to them?"

"No," she promised. "I'll take you to the sheriff. He'll watch over you."

"But," Rudy argued, "his daughter has taken up with one of them!" So, she probably shouldn't tell him that she was sleeping with Kurt. "The sheriff will protect you. I will protect you," she assured him. "You can trust us. As long as you don't lie or hide anything, nothing will happen to you. But no matter what,

you won't be going anywhere with the shifters."

He glanced back again. Then he sighed.

All she could do was pray that he heard the sincerity in her tone. "This is for Colt. Colt wouldn't want you hurt, either. You said you were friends. That you warned him. That's something only a friend would have done."

"Bruce will come looking for me," Rudy warned.

"He can. Don't worry." She nodded toward the other two men. "I think they can handle him."

Rudy sighed. "I really did warn Colt. I told him to run. I thought he got away before you came to the Church this morning. I was so relieved he'd left."

"He didn't leave on his own. If he was your friend you need to help us replace him."

"Yes. Okay," Rudy said slowly. "I wasn't going to get away anyhow."

Finally! Savannah felt the relief in her entire body. She nodded toward Kurt.

"Thank you," he mouthed.

She opened Rudy's door and held out her hand to help him exit the vehicle. Rudy stepped out and pressed close to her, eyeing Kurt and Clint.

"It's okay," she assured him. She grasped his shoulder and supported him to the passenger side of her SUV. She didn't miss the way he held his body or the limp that hadn't been there earlier. Someone had hurt Rudy, probably Bruce. She wanted to snarl. If I was a shifter, I'd hunt Bruce down and give him a taste of how it feels to be weaker.

Kurt and Clint had backed up to Kurt's truck's front bumper, waiting. Savannah helped Rudy into his seat. "Just stay here. Let me talk to them and we'll go straight to the station."

She waited for his nod before she closed the door firmly.

As she walked behind her vehicle, Kurt stepped up to meet her.

"I'm going to take him to the office. I'll get out of him what he knows. If he has any idea where Colt is, I will replace out," she told him.

“We're going to follow,” he replied.

She looked over at Rudy's car. "Can you get his car out of here? I don't want Bruce Carter to know we have Rudy. I think Bruce hurt him after we left."

"I can pick up the faint trace of blood. You might want to have someone look at him as well."

"I'll talk to the sheriff about it. Rudy's scared to death."

Clint snorted but she ignored him. She didn't know what Clint's problem was but she didn't have time to replace out. Any minute now someone from the Church could drive past.

Kurt nodded. "We'll take care of the car. I have some guards just down the street. I'll meet you at the station."

She reached over and gripped his hand. "Thanks for trusting me with this," she said softly.

Kurt just shrugged. "Doesn't seem like there is much I wouldn't trust you with."

She heard the emotion behind the words and her heart swelled with pride. "Kurt..." she managed.

He shook his head and leaned in to kiss her gently. "We'll follow you." He stepped back and Savannah fisted her hands to keep herself from reaching out for him again.

Just one touch from Kurt both soothed and aroused her. She craved him, wanted to feel him pressing against her. Would she ever get enough? What was going on between the two of them? Shaking herself back to the present, she pushed her thoughts away and back to the problem at hand. She climbed into the warm interior of her SUV. Rudy was shifting nervously in his seat. "You're with one of them, too," he accused when she pulled on her seatbelt.

So, Rudy had seen Kurt kiss her. That probably hadn't been the best way for him to replace out. She needed his trust.

"Rudy?" she asked instead of answering his question. "Did you know Colt was a shifter?"

She took a chance. She suspected Rudy had known, but if not, she was gambling here.

Rudy blew out a breath. "He never said, but"-Rudy shrugged "I suspected."

"Why?" she questioned.

"Colt joined the group and I never could figure what he was doing there. He wasn't like the others. He was smart."

"And?" she pressed.

"We became friends," Rudy said quietly. "He became my friend."

"Then you know that not all shifters are bad. Just like not all humans are."

Rudy didn't respond.

"Rudy? Did someone hurt you today?"

He trembled. "It was my fault."

"No," she argued. "I don't think so. Was it Bruce?"

"I shouldn't have talked to you."

Damn, so she's right. "We'll have someone take a look at you when we get to the station."

Rudy looked out of the side window after that. Savannah figured it was best to leave him to his thoughts for now. She doubted Rudy had many friends, so maybe she could be that for him. No one she'd interviewed earlier had seemed like

they were connected to the young man. He was a good-looking kid and appeared to have a kind heart. Maybe he'd hit it off with Cecil.

She drove back into town with only the sound of the tires rubbing against the road breaking the silence. She pulled into the parking space reserved for her and stopped.

"What were you doing there? With the Church anyway?" she asked.

She didn't think he would answer until he turned sad eyes at her.

"My dad sent me. He's a deacon for Dan Carter," he explained.

Savannah pressed her lips together, not sure what that meant.

"He wanted Dan Carter to make a man out of me," Rudy finished in a voice barely audible.

There was more. She knew it in her gut. More to the story. More to Rudy himself. Colt had befriended him. There had to be a reason the shifter had trusted Rudy. Clint might have a problem with Rudy but Kurt had trusted her. Savannah was

going to have to figure things out fast for all of them.

"Let's go inside and warm up," she told him. "We're going to replace Colt."

"I hope so," Rudy whispered. "I really do."