In Plain Sight by Marie Harte

family here, a business, a place in Ac-taw society. Sarah had nothing. Nothing but Cullen, and that was iffy at best. Her leaving wouldn’t impact anyone but Mac, and he could get another waitress at the drop of a hat.
    Not only that, the note implied that Cullen’s family would be at risk as well. No matter that none of them deserved it. Jenny Larsen and her friends had just that kind of pull in the community. As tough as Sheila liked to think she was, she needed steady clients to run a business in a town as small as Cougar Falls.
    Cullen’s contributions to several art galleries notwithstanding, the family as a whole could only exist so long as the clan accepted them.
    Did Sarah have the right to deny them their life in Cougar Falls? This mess was hers in the first place.
    Jenny Larsen had been after her, not Cullen.
    Handsome, honorable, talented Cullen.
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    She contemplated her situation for hours, torn by the possibility of happiness just within reach. But at what cost?
    Heartbroken, Sarah knew what she needed to do. As much as she hated the thought of leaving Cullen, she’d do it for his own good. Besides, he never said he loved me , she told herself. That was supposition on his mother’s part. So how can I sever ties to something that never was? As if a man like Cullen could ever love someone like me.
    Wiping hated tears from her cheeks, she packed what little of her things remained intact and headed into town to say her good-byes.
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Chapter Nine
    Cullen wanted to 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 hugged Mac 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 silver 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. Silver foxes were known for their