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At two in the morning, Noah showed up at the house to pick up Ethan again so they could do their surveillance of Oakley s house. Ethan kissed Charlene and she stirred and sighed, then pulled him into her arms and said, Be safe, love of my life.

He smiled and kissed her again, hugging her. Absolutely. Love you right back.

When Ethan and Noah arrived in Shelby Bay and parked near Oakley s home, it was dark.

There were no lights on anywhere. Ethan let out his breath.

It looks like no one s home. Or if they are, everyone has gone to bed and there s not going to be any action.

We can t get inside the house unless we see evidence that Oakley, or Kroner, is staying there.

Yeah, it looks that way. What if Oakley got word of Thor s arrest and he has moved to a new location? Noah asked.

There s a good chance of that. What about his great-aunt s house? Ethan asked.

Noah s lips parted. Yeah. Do you want to check it out? I mean, I hate leaving here if Oakley or others end up here because they re just out partying or taking care of business. On the other hand, what if you re right?

Though Oakley might not go to her place, afraid we might know about his great-aunt and his going to church with her some Sundays, but at the same time, there was an indication that he went there some nights, so it s worth taking a chance to check it out.

On it. Noah drove them back to Oyster Bay and they found a nice inconspicuous spot to park and observe her place.

Everything was quiet there too. Ethan preferred it when there was lots of activity and not all this quiet.

The house was dark, and they couldn t really do anything.

Then Ethan got a call from Charlene and immediately he worried something was the matter.

She should have been sleeping, unless she was just worried about him and couldn t sleep.

Hey, is anything wrong? he asked.

I heard someone outside the house. I could see the shadow of someone at one of the windows, tall, a man, I figured, looking for a way to peek in but all the lights are off in the house and the curtains and blinds are closed.

I m going to turn on the outdoor lights and shift, turn wolf, exit the house, and see what I can see. I ll take refuge in the woods.

Hell . We re just down the road from you at Oakley s great-aunt s house. We re headed back there now. Just keep out of sight.

I will. Thanks.

Then she ended the call and he figured she was shifting into her wolf and leaving the house. He hated that he couldn t keep in contact with her, but she needed to do whatever it took to keep herself safe.

Ethan explained to Noah about what was going on.

If Thor relayed to Kroner or Oakley that Renault had been to Charlene s house before you caught him near the grocery store, one of the men involved with Thor might be there, Noah said.

Yeah, that s what I m worried about. Are you speeding? Ethan asked.

Yeah. Have your badge out in case we get pulled… Noah started to say.

A police car flashed its lights behind them and followed them until they pulled over on the shoulder of the road.

Hell, Ethan said. Of all times to get pulled over…when he was in a rush to save the love of his life.

The patrol car parked behind them, and they waited in the car until the officer approached Noah s vehicle. Ethan was on the phone to the local police department right away to tell them a patrolman had just stopped them, and they were DEA special agents on an undercover mission.

The patrolman called out to them to turn off the engine and roll down the window.

Noah did and showed him his badge. Ethan showed him his.

I m on the phone with your supervisor. The homeowner called me that she has a prowler on the premises and could be in danger. We re en route there now. Ethan handed his phone to the patrolman and his supervisor talked to him for a minute.

I ll give you an escort. Jenkins is the name, the patrolman said, handing Ethan s phone back to him.

All right but hang back and no lights or sirens. If it s who we suspect it is, he or they won t hesitate to shoot it out with law enforcement. But it might be nothing. We have to be sure though.

The patrolman nodded and ran back to his car and Noah took off, speeding again.

The officer in charge that Ethan had been talking to, Detective Ty Richardson said, We re sending more reinforcements to that location. It s better to be prepared than to be caught shorthanded.

Right. We ll meet you there. Then Ethan ended the call.

I wish we could let Charlene know that a bunch of nonshifter law-enforcement personnel are converging on her place, Noah said.

Yeah. I know. At least we were already in Oyster Bay when we got the call from Charlene, instead of Shelby Bay. They were almost at the house because of it.

I agree. Noah slowed and parked down the road from the house next to the woods. The patrol car likewise parked some distance behind them on the shoulder.

Then, armed with their guns, they headed through the woods toward the house.

Ethan saw Charlene in her wolf coat behind a cluster of pines, and she looked surprised to see the patrolman with them, but she kept hidden from him. Noah noticed her too, but the patrolman couldn t see her because of the dark.

The home s front and back porch lights gave the patrolman enough light to head toward, though Ethan heard the officer trip a few times in the woods over fallen tree branches and roots sticking up out of the ground and swear just as many times.

They didn t find anyone, but Ethan smelled Kroner s scent on the deck and around some of the windows. Damn it to hell. Ethan wanted more than anything to return to Charlene and make sure she remained safe.

Patrol cars gathered at the house and Jenkins asked, Where s the homeowner who reported the intruder?

She hid in the woods. I m going to get her.

To Noah, Ethan said, It s Kroner s cologne on the deck and around the windows.

Ethan had to alert Noah so that he would be able to catalog Kroner s scent before the police all converged on the house and the scents would be all mixed up.

Let s check out the place and then I ll go get Charlene.

Ethan had to grab her clothes so she could shift and dress before she returned to the house.

He was sure Kroner hadn t gotten in, but they had to make absolutely certain.

Noah could fill the police in on who Kroner was and why he might be sniffing around Charlene s place.

Ethan went into the bedroom and checked it out, but he hadn t smelled any sign of Kroner in the house. He got some running clothes for Charlene and a pair of sneakers. He slipped them in a backpack and said to Noah, I ll be right back. He headed out of the house.

He walked into the woods while the officers were examining the grounds around the house and deck. A couple of the officers had even descended the stairs from the deck to the beach to see if anyone had gone down there.

Hey, it s just me, Ethan called out to Charlene.

She was soon coming out of hiding to greet him, nuzzling his legs, sniffing his crotch in a fun-loving mated way.

He crouched down and hugged her. God, I m glad you re okay.

It was Kroner but he had to have left. Ethan set the backpack down and unzipped it for her.

She glanced around and seeing no one, she shifted and began pulling on her clothes.

Then he held her close, hating that he d put her in this danger. Well, Renault had, but it would have only been a matter of time before Kroner learned that Ethan could have been staying there with Charlene.

Hey, it s not your fault, she said. I know you believe you re the one responsible for Kroner coming to the house. I m sure that Renault was. It looked like you called in reinforcements.

We had to. We were speeding to reach you and got pulled over.

Oh, great. Charlene took hold of his hand, and they headed back to the house.

Once they arrived there, Charlene smelled the scents but there were so many around her place because of all the policemen there that she wouldn t be able to isolate Kroner s scent if he should return and she had a chance to smell it.

At least he was glad Noah knew it now, having caught the scent before the policeman muddied the waters, so to speak.

Noah looked relieved to see she was fine too.

The police took her statement, and she described a man of Kroner s height and build and then they left.

What do you want to do about the sleeping arrangements? Noah asked.

Charlene and Ethan looked at him.

Okay, you know you can t stay at your house.

It s been compromised. Kroner or one of his buddies is bound to return at some time or another.

Do you want to stay with me at the DEA house?

Or maybe Charlene should stay with the pack at Leidolf and Cassie s ranch until we take this guy down, Noah said.

I m not going to leave Oyster Bay, Charlene said, sounding annoyed that Noah was acting like she didn t have any choice in the matter.

Noah s right, Ethan said.

I could stay at the house if you want me to keep an eye on things, Noah said.

Then if Kroner returned, you would be the one who collared him? Ethan asked.

Yeah, it would look good for me.

Ethan laughed.

Charlene didn t look happy about it. Okay, how about—if you are both worried about me—I stay at the DEA house and the two of you stay here and you can both take Kroner down if he makes a move on the house again.

Ethan didn t like that idea at all. He wanted to be with Charlene to ensure her safety.

Or, we can all stay at our house and you both can take him down while I sleep. Charlene smiled at them.

Ethan loved her and smiled. Okay, rather than us leave here and possibly compromise the DEA house, you and I can take a room at the hotel that you stayed at before, Charlene.

So can Noah. We ll stay away from the DEA house for a while, but we can put surveillance on your house or even be there later. Let s pack some bags.

Okay. I ve got spare toiletries you can have, Charlene said to Noah. You ll have to get some spare clothes until this is resolved if you don t return to the DEA house, but you can have one of my bags to use.

Thanks, Noah said.

I ll tell Grainger what s up, Ethan said.

All right. I m off to pack, Charlene said.

I ll make reservations for us at the hotel, Noah said. The agency will reimburse us for it.

Seabreeze Hotel, Charlene called out.

Ethan got ahold of Grainger and told him what had happened. Noah had been staying at the DEA house, but I was staying with Charlene, a former homicide detective.

Wait, the one whose home we raided by mistake in Portland?

Ethan smiled. His boss would want to know the details.

Yeah, we re dating now. Thor must have followed Renault to Charlene s house in Oyster Bay.

I ended up there and we all had lunch together.

When Renault left the house, we had plans for me to meet him at the grocery store and I would see if he was being followed. You know the rest.

Right. Hell. Okay.

Noah s making the reservations for two rooms at the Seabreeze Hotel in Oyster Bay.

Okay, we ve got you covered. Just don t let Kroner follow you there.

No. We ll be careful. If Kroner managed to follow them to the hotel, Ethan was taking Charlene to the pack leaders ranch where they had a bunch of ranch hands and others to keep her safe. We didn t have any luck on surveillance either at Oakley s house or his great-aunt s place.

Keep me informed.

We sure will, sir.

Then they ended the call, and Ethan went into the bedroom to pack.

Charlene put some extra toiletries together for Noah and then kissed Ethan. I ll be okay, Ethan.

I just worry about you, you know.

I m fine. I can handle myself.

He knew she kept saying that but if Kroner had a gun, which he would have, she might not be fine. He grabbed her bag and his own. She put the toiletries in a small bag for Noah.

What we need to do is make certain that if either Kroner or Oakley is watching the house, they have no idea where we re ending up, Ethan said.

Charlene gave Noah the bag of toiletries.

Thanks, Charlene. I m heading out first, like I m leaving your house for the night. I ll drive around to make sure I m not being followed until I finally head over to the hotel, Noah said.

We ll do the same thing, Ethan said. If you learn someone is following you, let me know and I ll come for you.

Okay, the same with you. If anyone seems to be trailing you, let me know. I ll come to your aid. We ll take whoever it is down together.

Ethan didn t like the idea that Charlene could be in the middle of it, but if they could take these guys down, they had to do it.