Chapter 13 #2
“But are you?” she asked. There was no challenge in her tone, more of a soft concern.
He felt emotion stir inside him. Whereas his mind didn’t fully understand her question, his feelings responded to the warmth in her tone, the softness in her eyes, and most of all, the touch of her hand on his arm.
He stared at her fingertips. Creamy brown, a shade darker than his fur.
Shapely nails for a human and uncolored.
Not sharp as might be serviceable as a weapon, but curved and pretty.
He did not understand pretty, and yet his body pulsed with desire. It liked pretty, and it liked her.
“Are you questioning me?” his tone was sharp and angry.
Her eyes narrowed. “I would never challenge you, Simon, but I will question you. Are you going to hit me, too?”
“Maybe.” It was an honest answer. He really didn’t know.
“I’m not going to react well to that.”
He acknowledged that with a nod. As an alpha he could not expect his people to appreciate all his actions. Simply obey them. Except, now that he thought about it, she had not sworn loyalty. Her voice had not been among those acknowledging him as alpha.
He touched her chin. He had meant to jerk her face up to his so that he could stare directly into her eyes.
But instead of a harsh push, his fingers caressed.
He urged her face toward his and she complied without hesitation.
Not because she obeyed but because she wanted to challenge him silently.
Because her eyes were her message. And from her hard, cold look, he saw what he had always known would be there.
She was an alpha, too.
Smaller, yes. And definitely weaker. But she was an alpha female with all the glorious challenge that entailed.
“You will submit to me,” he said. Behind him, he heard a rustle. Movement that should be stopped, but his attention was on her and he would not waver.
“Not if you hit me.”
His nostrils flared at the illogic of that response. Dominance was established physically. Except as he inhaled, her scent filled his mind. The lure and temptation of a female who was nearly as powerful as him.
“You will submit,” he repeated. “I will not need to hit you.”
“I will submit if and when you deserve me.” Then she lifted a brow.
It was a strange expression and one that he—again—needed to analyze using his higher brain function.
It was neither challenge nor defeat. It wasn’t a logical look, but it was an affectionate one.
And from that place, he reasoned it was a good thing.
Even more, he devised an appropriate response.
He smiled. And she did in turn.
“There you are,” she murmured.
“Yes,” he said, feeling that her words had made it so. He was still one creature—both man and bear—but she brought a second purpose to his life: to please her. It was as if his mind had climbed a step. First, establish dominance. Second, please the female. What would be third?
Before he could answer, a rustle interrupted his thoughts. He didn’t know whether he smelled the scent of aggression first or heard the cock of a pistol. Either way, he reacted immediately.
He spun and fired the gun.
Two shots, direct to the chest.
A wiry white man slammed against the back wall, then slid down, dead. His pistol flopped to the floor.
Behind him Alyssa cried out. Simon had his hand out to keep her from moving. Everyone else simply stood, though the scent of fear spiked in the room. As did the smell of blood and gunpowder.
“Who was he?” Simon asked, his voice sharp and loud.
It was the cop who answered, his voice dry with satisfaction. “Nanook’s beta. He ran the drug operation. Probably thought he’d take you out and step into alpha.”
“A real leader would not be so stupid. He could not have survived as alpha.” He glanced over to the big black man. “You would have killed him first.”
The man’s eyes widened in surprise, but he didn’t deny it. “He killed my little brother. Was just waiting for the right opportunity.”
Political maneuvering within the clan. Simon acknowledged it at the same moment his higher cortex began tabulating problems. He was now leader of an organization that had a history and a structure.
The Griz had a role in the community: selling drugs and countless other things.
He might be in charge, but that was simply a matter of appearance.
And fear. He would need a lot more to effectively lead these people.
He turned to the cop. “Do you know about the drug organization? Who buys, who sells?”
The man straightened. “I’m on the gang side, not narcotics. But yeah. I know.”
“Then seize it. Take it. Do whatever you have to, but end it.” He watched carefully to see who objected, who appeared angry. There were a few, and he noted them. The others showed worry, but not anger. And a few were clearly pleased, including the big black man.
One however, flushed hot then cold. He was a handsome Caucasian with soft hands and a fondness for smoothing down his hair. Simon focused on him.
“What did you do for Nanook?”
The man froze for at least a heartbeat. But then he lifted his gaze to meet Simon’s eyes. “I was his accountant.”
Money man. Nervous money man. “Nanook owes money?”
“The Griz owe money. To the supplier.”
“As the new alpha by challenge, Nanook’s assets are mine. You will use those to pay off the debts. Will that cover it?”
The man’s eyes widened. “Um, yes. I think so. If I can get access.”
Simon’s eyes narrowed. “You worked for Nanook. You would not have survived if you did not scare him in some way.”
The accountant answered with a smirk appeared. “Yeah.”
He turned back to the cop. “I will not prosecute my people. Will you work with him? End the drugs, give up the names of the suppliers, but no Griz goes to jail.”
The cop nodded once, a quick, excited slash of his chin. “We’ll want them to testify.”
Simon shrugged. “They committed the crimes. They will admit to it in court or face my penalty.”
The black man cleared his throat. It was a small sound, but Simon was listening very closely. He focused on the man.
“What is your fear?”
“A lot of change. And dangerous men do not like change.”
“What did you do in the drug trade?”
“Nothing!” he snapped. And when Simon continued to stare, he shrugged. “I went along as protection. And ’cause I’m a medic. But I didn’t touch any of the stuff.”
Point of pride there. And he was a “medic,” not a nurse or a doctor. “Military?” Simon asked.
“Army. Been out for a year.”
“And you’re here because you’re a grizzly. You’re part of this because of the fur.” It wasn’t a statement, but the answer was clear on his face. On most of their faces.
Shifters needed clans. It provided protection, community, and safety in the jungle—urban or otherwise.
And though bears weren’t as tight as dogs, they liked maintaining ties.
Which meant that whether or not they supported the gang’s activities, they would need to be part of this clan.
And Nanook hadn’t been one to let a lone shifter wander free.
He would have demanded that they join up or die.
“I am the new alpha,” he said, and the statement reverberated in the room as much as it did in his heart and soul.
“I will protect you. I will lead you. And where I go, you will follow.” Then he took a deep breath allowing the rightness of this to sink into his body and soul.
Here was the third step in his mind: to lead.
It was what he was born to do. “If you choose not to follow, you may leave with my blessing.” One last look around before he spoke in booming tones. “Who follows me?”
They answered as one. Not in words, but in a low growl that grew in volume until it became a roar. Even Vic joined in until the space pounded with the sound. And when it was done, Simon looked at them all and grinned.
He was their alpha, and they were his.
He took a moment to absorb their strength into his body, their support into his soul. And then he turned to Alyssa because she alone had stayed silent.
“Now it is your turn.”