Authors: A. T. Mitchell
I stared at the hot-head in front of me. The wild madness in his eyes told me this was a sticking point I couldn't overcome today, no matter how well I wrestled him or how many concessions Denali made.
This is one dense, bigoted, high strung fucking tiger. Not like I expected anything else.
Learning to think like a tiger wasn't as hard as it seemed. I reached out, grabbed his arm, squeezing it hard when he growled his annoyance.
“If that's what it takes to stop this crazy bloodshed. I don't want to give her back, but I will.” His eyebrows went up in surprise as soon as I said it. “Only thing is, you're gonna have to come to Denali with me.”
He ripped his arm away from me. “I'll never be caught dead on bear land – not unless I own it! Are you crazy?”
“Totally serious. Let's cut the crap and be completely fucking honest here.” I paused. “You don't think I'll follow through with returning her to you, and I doubt you'll table your invasion plans. Fuck, the second I walk out of this room, you're likely to have me shot in the head and get on with the show, right?”
He growled, low and long, like a tiger unable to reach a choice cut of meat. He didn't deny it.
“You think bears are barbaric...stupid...gullible. I actually don't give a shit what you think, Shane, but you've met your match. If you want an
honest
agreement, you're gonna do things my way. The good news is my way is what's best for us both. Besides, I'm not the only one who has to approve this deal...”
“I know!” he spat. “You're not man enough to lead. You're a puppet for your Elder council.”
It was my turn to growl. He had me there, but I could deal with them when we got back. I'd always been able to twist their votes and make them see reason before. The hard part was getting his orange ass to follow me home.
“You know the drill, and I know how to work bear politics. Come with me. I'll break off a little before dawn tomorrow and let my people know to expect you and your men.”
“What makes you think I won't come alone?” he said with a sneer.
Slowly, I looked him up and down. If this guy was coming, he was coming on four wheels. I doubted he'd been out in the Alaskan wild since Laura was a cub.
No, hunting and fishing on his private acreage sure as hell didn't count.
“Bring two men. Any more than that won't be permitted in our borders. Let's make it swift and easy, Shane. This time tomorrow, we can have this all wrapped up, and Laura will be home.”
I extended one hand. He took it, squeezing my arm in his much clammier, softer grip. He was trying way too hard to match a bear's strength, and he didn't come close.
“I'll make sure nobody gets in the way when you leave...”
Reluctance lingered in his voice. Wasn't hard to tell he would've liked nothing better than to sic a dozen tigers and have me torn limb from limb. I stepped away from his desk and walked, taking the same route I came.
When I was on the ground, I shifted, letting my bear take me swiftly and safely out into the evening darkness. The bear had a sick feeling in his gut, troubled by the way I'd had to tap human lies to gain Shane's cooperation.
It's okay,
I thought with a growl.
You know there's no way we're giving Laura up.
This time tomorrow, Shane's gonna realize it isn't an option and fucking accept the new way, or else
we'll be locked in war after all.
Shane needed to get his eyes pried wide open. There was no way he'd take Laura away, and the only thing that mattered now was how quick and easy he'd accept that as truth.
I thought about it all the way to Denali. Brush crumpled underneath my feet. I paused near a stream to scratch at a fallen tree in frustration.
The negotiations proved what I already knew about tigers. I couldn't tell him how much I loved her, how we were fated mates linked. The conniving old SOB would never accept something so simple.
Words wouldn't do when it came to Laura and me. I had to
show
him my strength, my love, my devotion to his daughter.
And the best way to do that was to get her to tell him herself.
Somewhere, far beneath his ruthless orange fur, I suspected there was a tiger who cared deeply about his flesh and blood. Laura was the only chance I had to get through to him, tiger-to-tiger and father-to-daughter.
But if things went sour, better that it happened on my turf. If he didn't accept what the gods had decreed by bringing us together, then he wouldn't be hauling her back to his prissy town while I was alive. I'd die to keep her.
My bear roared his agreement. My baby, my little tiger, belonged to
me
now. No one else.
A big spring moon was rising over the mountains when I reached Denali's outskirts. There was a shadow on the horizon, coming right toward me.
Probably one of the night crew out on patrol. They all should've been expecting my return. Before I left, I gave Jacob my orders to tell the boys I'd be home soon while he kept Denali safe.
I approached the figure. Didn't stop, even when he raised his rifle. Steam hissed out my black leathery nostrils.
Really? This fucking idiot thinks I'm a real grizzly? I swear, if this is Cuddy fucking around again, I'll
tear him a new hide...
It was Cuddy. But he didn't recognize me, even when I stood on both my legs and screamed as loud as I could. His cold eyes kept the rifle trained on me.
Then he spoke, erasing my confusion “I know it's you, Alpha. I'm going to need you to put your bear to sleep and come with me.”
This stupid flunkey had my attention. I wondered why I ever admitted him to the security crew at all, other than the fact that he was young, male, and able-bodied.
Shame the clan didn't have a lot of options there these days.
“Put the gun down!” I growled, rising from the ground, a man again. “What's gotten into you? I need to see Jacob now.”
I grabbed the rifle by the barrel. My eyes widened when he pushed back, aiming it right at my face.
“There's live ammo in here, Alpha. Please – don't make me shoot. I need you to come with me. Elder council's orders.”
Suddenly, the night had grown a lot colder, and twice as dark.
My bear was pissed before. It was a raging furry cauldron now, seething to rip into this disobedient beta.
I wasn't a fucking idiot, though.
What choice did I have? I followed the man with the rifle into the village. My bear went wild, ramming his head against my mental barrier to get out, begging to rip Cuddy's incompetent head off.
No. I have to find out what the hell's happened here.
We walked on, past the town hall where I expected him to stop, way beyond my own cabin. I saw my house from a distance. All the lights were off. Place looked frigid and deserted, and I didn't like it one bit.
Gods! If any of these idiots had overreacted and done something to Laura while I was gone, I swore I'd –
“In here, Alpha. I need you to settle in until morning. The Elders will see you then...they're asleep right now, as you know.”
Cuddy opened the wooden door leading into the long cabin. I recognized how worn it was, even though it had been reinforced with metal slabs, just like the iron bars across the windows.
“You're putting me under arrest?” I laughed, anger ripping at my chest.
“No, not officially. Nothing's been decided yet. The Elders will talk to you tomorrow and decide whether or not you're really a threat to–“
I couldn't take it anymore. My bear tore his way out of me so fast my bones rearranged themselves with a sickening snap. I threw myself at him, savoring the scream as he fell to the ground.
His rifle discharged, blasting out into the night. Cuddy fumbled with the gun. My chance to swipe with one paw, knocking it several feet away.
“Oh, Gods! Have mercy, sir! I was only following orders.”
I was about to tear into him when there was a noise. A ferocious beating on one of the windows, someone hitting it so hard from inside it rattled the thick glass as well as the prison bars.
With my bear's sharp eyes, I could just make out Jacob's lean face, complete with its five o'clock shadow through the dusty glass. It was his fear that really hit me.
Something fucking awful had happened in there.
I shifted, hopping over Cuddy to grab the rifle. I gave him a swift kick in the ribs to make sure he'd stay down, and ripped his camo cloak off before heading inside. The keys to prison were in the pocket, and it hugged my big frame something fierce.
Jacob was crouched on the floor when I stepped inside. There was one – no, two – bodies laying there.
One of them was female. I smelled Laura's scent, mingled with strong fear, even before I ran over and saw her pale, unconscious body.
“Gods! Oh, baby, no, no, no.” I slammed the rifle on the floor and scooped her up.
She was cold, but her body temperature wasn't low enough to be dead. A small consolation.
I looked up, eyes so hot and inflamed with mad rage it felt like they'd burst out of my skull. Even Jacob's face pissed me off, though he'd been trying to help.
“You didn't protect her! What's wrong with my mate? Answer me!”
“Found her like this when I came for my shift a little while ago, sir. It's...it's a long story. Hannah's been sticking her snout where it doesn't belong, and she got Laura sent here by the Elders. Typical kangaroo court. They'd already made their decision before they sent Cuddy and Greg around to collect us at your place...”
He kept talking, but I wasn't fucking listening. I had my ear pressed tight to Laura's plush chest. She was breathing slowly, breath almost as glacial as her heartbeat.
“Fuck!” I roared, pounding my fists on the ground.
I noticed the other body laying there for the first time. The doctor's. Things just went from bad to nightmarish.
“What's Reed doing here? We can't even bring her to a doctor!”
“I'm not sure, sir. There's a spot on her arm, like someone was drawing blood.”
I snatched at her beautiful skin, drawing her sleeve up so I could see. My lieutenant was right. A small trickle of dried blood ran to her wrists, stopping at a puncture neatly in her elbow's underside.
“We have to wake him first,” I growled. “Need his help, assuming the fuck isn't the reason she's out cold in the first place.”
I felt into the cloak's deep pockets. Hoped the idiot outside had left me a canteen, a pen, something to stir Reed's senses – if he wasn't further gone than Laura here.
Shit. No luck.
“Get out there and drag our friend in here. Need to see if he's got anything clipped on his belt.”
I tossed Jacob the keys. He came back a second later, dragging Cuddy's groaning body. My kick hadn't knocked him out, but it had left him paralyzed in pain for awhile. He was wearing a belt and not much else.
Cuddy whined again as Jacob tore it off him. “Here!”
I caught the little metal cylinder he threw me. Popping the cap, I took a good whiff. Whatever was in the half-f canteen didn't smell like water.
“Hooch. Some really
strong
hooch. It'll have to do...”
I poured the cold water all over Reed's forehead, slapping him across the face. Each blow was a little harder than the last.
“Come on, you bastard. Wake up.” Tried to hide the desperation in my voice from my second in command. It wasn't easy.
Reed smacked his lips. He groaned and sat up. His bear gave him the strength to grab my hand and push it away, annoyed and confused.
“Alpha?” He jerked awake, cradling his head. “Where...where's Hannah?”
Hannah.
That bitch's name caused fire and brimstone to seethe up inside me. I grabbed Reed by his white lapels and shook him so hard the crooked spectacles perched on his nose bounced.
“Hannah's the last bear in the world I give a shit about right now. I need you to wake the fuck up and help Laura! She's dying!”
He snorted. Then he took one look at my curvy tigress and winced when he saw how pale she was.
Reed went into doctor mode, checking her vitals as best he could with one hand. “This isn't good...she's lost a lot of blood. Pulse is erratic.”
“Do something!” I growled, lowering my face to his.
He looked at me and shook his head. “I'm going to need to get her to my clinic.”
Jacob shook his head. “Not sure that's a good idea, Alpha. Haven't even briefed you yet...we're gonna have a hell of a time creeping through town if anybody sees us.”
“We'll deal with that later. She needs his help! That's all that matters. I don't give a fuck about Hannah, the Elders, or the rat we've got laid out on the ground.”
I pointed to Cuddy and he groaned.
“We need to move.” I pushed the doctor aside, scooping Laura into my arms. “Let's go. I'll fight to protect your clinic with my life, if I have to.”
Slowly, Jacob nodded. He knew I meant business when I picked up the rifle and gave it a good jerk.
“Well? How is she?” I slapped Reed on the shoulders hard.
He jerked, clearly annoyed, but the doctor knew his place. I wasn't feeling much need to keep a lid on my strength just then either.
“Pulse has stabilized. I'm concerned she won't wake up on her own. She's at a very dangerous place right now. Losing blood is just about the worst thing a shifter can suffer.”
“That's it? You're telling me you can't fix this?” I asked, gritting my teeth. Had an ugly feeling I wouldn't like the answer.
My bear was fuming, and so was I. All I wanted was for Laura to sit up and open her pretty eyes. I was so fucking worried I hadn't thought about how much I'd rip Hannah limb from limb, plus whoever else had hurt her.
“That's all I can tell you.” Reed stood straight and turned to face me. “I'll tell you what she needs: a blood transfusion from one of her own kind. Has to be tiger blood, I'm afraid. No bear or human has anything that'll match her blood type.”
“Gods!” I pounded the empty table next to him. “Won't she make more on her own?”
“Less than a fifty-fifty chance. Way less, actually. You know how shifters heal several times faster than humans?”
I grudgingly nodded. Wasn't real interested in his science. I wanted him to fix my girl, and I wanted it done
now.