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She slipped her hand over his hip and buttocks, and he groaned a little.

She smiled. She loved it when she could make him feel so good while she was touching him.

He made her feel on top of the world as he continued to stroke her into a state of ecstasy.

She sank into the mattress, overwhelmed by the orgasm, and he entered her, then began to thrust.

He was so masculine, so alpha, just the perfect mate for her as he turned her world inside out in the best way possible. She wanted him closer, inside and outside, connected in every way. Her heart thundered through her veins, and she could hear his heart beating just as hard.

You re just perfect, he whispered against her ear, kissing her cheek and then her mouth, pumping his throbbing manhood deeper between her thighs.

He was just perfect for her, and she felt she was coming again under his beautiful ministrations. Ohmigod, she said, feeling as though she was breaking apart into millions of happy pieces as he came.

Oh God, Charlene, you are the best.

You are too.

They cuddled together and kissed further. I love you, she said, being so happy she had met and mated him.

I love you too, Ethan said, and he was glad they were at the ranch, surrounded by protective wolves and just enjoying each other.

***

Before they left for home the next morning, Charlene and Ethan had breakfast with Leidolf and Cassie.

Since the agents are still looking for Kroner, that means you ll be left all alone, Cassie said. We would like it if you stayed here with us for protection, Charlene.

Kroner might have left the country. Even if he hasn t, it could take years to catch up to him. Charlene took another sip of her coffee. You know how it goes with criminals and locating them. I do have a gun. Living alone on the coast, I figured one might come in handy if anyone thought to break in.

We could send someone to stay with you, Cassie said.

Thanks, but I ll be fine. I appreciate the offer.

We ll take turns watching for Kroner—Renault, Noah, and me, Ethan said. So someone will always be with Charlene.

All right, Leidolf said, as if that would work for him.

Charlene was so not used to having pack leaders. But she loved them for taking their pack members welfare to heart.

After breakfast, they thanked Leidolf and Cassie and finally left for home. Noah had chosen to have breakfast with the three single she-wolves that morning and was still at the ranch as far as they knew.

So what do you think about Noah and the three she-wolves? I don t know any of them, but you do, Charlene said.

He s interested in Tori. Ethan smiled at Charlene as they drove home.

Why would he eat with the other women then? And run with them as wolves?

He s probably playing the field a bit to show Tori that he could and to make sure he isn t making a mistake of falling for the first single she-wolf he d met while here.

But their work will mean they ll cross paths in Portland, and I ll bet you anything that they ll work up a friendship, Ethan said.

Maybe he can work on his relationship skills then.

Ethan laughed. The other she-wolves will make sure of it.

Charlene smiled. I m glad he s moving on with his life. So what are you and the guys going to do next? As far as going after Kroner? Charlene asked.

I want to question Oakley s great-aunt. I want to know if she has any clues to where Kroner has gone.

She might be afraid Kroner would come for her if she talks.

Right. Which means we need to make sure she s safe too.

Yeah, I agree.

We ll have lunch and then decide who goes first to question Oakley s great-aunt, Ethan said.

Should we have lunch with the guys and then you can decide on who goes?

Yeah, let s see what everyone wants to eat, he said. I can grill burgers.

That sounds great to me.

Ethan called Noah and said, How do grilled burgers sound for lunch to you and Renault? He smiled at Charlene. Okay, see you at eleven. He ended the call and half an hour later, they arrived home.

A few minutes later, Renault and Noah showed up at the house. Ethan finished grilling the burgers while Charlene brought out the french fries. They ate their burgers on the deck to enjoy the beautiful summer day while the ocean breeze whipped around them.

So who is staying here and who is going? Charlene asked.

I ll go with Ethan, Renault said before anyone else could say anything.

That works for me, Noah said, if Ethan and Charlene are good with it. Then Noah got a text, and he checked it out.

Was the text from one of the three she-wolves Noah had been talking to?

Sure. Charlene suspected Renault wanted to be in on the action.

We need to have a celebration when we catch Kroner, Renault said.

That s for sure, Charlene said, thinking it would be a great idea for the four of them so that this time Renault could enjoy the camaraderie.

Noah was quiet, contemplative, and Charlene wondered what was going on with him. She wondered if he was a little put out that he would be left behind watching her and not there to help take Kroner down if he was at Oakley s great-aunt s house.

After they finished eating, Ethan kissed and hugged Charlene before he left with Renault.

She sighed as she shut the door on their departure. She figured they would be gone a couple of hours, but what surprised her was when Noah said, Grab your gun. We re going to be Ethan s tail.

She was all for it, though she was surprised that Noah had wanted to do it without talking to Ethan about it first. Then again, maybe he suspected they would find Kroner at the great-aunt s house, and he wanted to be there to help arrest him. Knowing Noah, that was the reason.

She grabbed her purse and her gun. So why are we following them? Do you really feel like Kroner will be at the great-aunt s house? She climbed into Noah s car.

I want to be there just in case Kroner is. Ethan and Renault will need more of a backup, but I want you to stay in the car in case this goes down when we get there.

Sure. That sounds good. Still, she was surprised Noah hadn t just asked Ethan about doing it this way. She figured he didn t want Ethan to say no, worried about Charlene being in the area if they had a fight to capture Kroner. I take it you didn t want to ask Ethan about doing this.

Noah let out his breath. I don t know. I–I just want to make sure Renault is on the up and up.

Wait a minute. You still think he might be involved with Kroner? Now that changed the situation entirely.

I just want to make sure that everything is all right.

She knew Noah better than that. You have to have some reason to suspect Renault.

It s just everything. The roses he ordered for you and sent anonymously.

Renault taking Ethan to the warehouse without notifying the police or Grainger of what he thought they might find there.

So then I tried to get ahold of Ferret to see if he told Renault that Kroner was at the warehouse.

I learned Ferret was already in Witness Protection which means no one could have asked him where Kroner was—as far as the warehouse location went.

So how did Renault know? He had to have lied to Ethan about how he knew of it.

Ohmigod, when did you learn this?

Just after we ate lunch. That was the text I got. I didn t want to bring it up in front of Renault.

So you think he s turning Ethan over to Kroner, she said, getting her phone out at once.

Possibly. There might be another explanation, but I want to be there if Ethan s in trouble.

She texted Ethan: Noah wanted to question Ferret about the warehouse tip, but he was in Witness Protection and Renault couldn t have talked to him. Noah and I are following you to the great-aunt s house in case he s leading you into a trap.

Ethan texted back: Hell, if he is, he s going to regret it. I ll update you if anything suspicious happens.

She texted: All right. Don t go inside the house to speak with the great-aunt until we re there.

Ethan texted: That works for me. And you stay in the car.

She smiled and texted: I ve heard that one before. I have my gun with me. And yes, I ll stay in the car.