Her own Alpha, Andrew, sat on another log, while his Beta, Megan, stood on her tiptoes behind him, stretching. They weren’t mated, but rather best friends. And fierce protectors. Anya liked the fact that the bears had a female Beta, considering dominant females were just as tough, if not tougher than their male counterparts.
A spicy scent hit her and she turned on her heel. Cole meandered toward the circle, his hands in his pockets and a cocky grin on his face.
She barely held in the urge to snarl at him. The damn man hadn’t even bothered to put on a shirt. Rather, he’d put on an old pair of jeans that molded to his thighs far too well. He’d also forgone shoes.
He passed her with a wink, and Oliver stepped between them. Her brother raised a brow, and she let out a sigh. It wouldn’t do to punch the cat in the middle of a freaking Alpha meeting. Maybe she’d do it later. He was far too cocky for his own good.
Of course, she couldn’t stop thinking of the word cock when it came to him, and that angered her even more. Her bear stretched inside, waking up and wanting to shift. She pushed it back, knowing it wasn’t time. She’d shift later and beat up a tree or something. That would help alleviate this pressure in her chest…and other places.
“Cole, good, you’re here,” Jonah said and nodded toward one of the last two empty logs. They just had to be right next to one another. She sighed and took the one closest to her own Alpha, though Oliver sat directly next to Andrew since he might need to whisper visions if they came. That left Anya sitting next to Cole.
Of course.
“Where’s your shirt?” Cora asked then yelped. She rubbed her thigh and growled at her mate. “I’m allowed to notice he’s not wearing a shirt. Plus, he has a bandage on his back.”
Soren kissed behind her knee, and this time, it was Jonah who growled. The wolf might be mated to Cora, but daddy tiger probably didn’t like seeing his precious kitten nibbled on in public.
Oh to be nibbled on. It had been far too long.
Cole leaned toward her as he turned slightly, showing off his back to the circle. She refused to move away from the heat of his body. It was just hormones. Nothing more. She wouldn’t give him the satisfaction of showing him that she was uncomfortable with his presence.
“Gibson just finished up round two,” Cole explained, his voice a smooth growl. “It’s still sore so I didn’t want to put anything on it that would rub. I’ll take the bandage off soon so it can breathe.”
He’d probably gotten a big-chested female cat on his back or something equally crude. Of course, the man would get more ink. Because it was damn hot. And he had to annoy her. Because, apparently, everything revolved around her.
“I can’t wait to see all of it,” Megan said as she sat down on the other side of Andrew. “Gibson does good work.”
“That he does,” Holden added. “And now that we’re all done admiring Cole’s naked body, can we get on to business.”
Ariel elbowed her mate in the ribs. “Be nice.”
“I was being nice,” Holden said deadpan.
“Anyway…” Andrew said softly, a smile in his voice. “I appreciate that we’re having these meetings together, but I think they should be at least weekly from now on. We have too much to lose by not sharing what we know.”
Jonah rubbed his chin. “Everything?”
Holden frowned. “We are all Alphas of our Packs, our people, but as Cora and Soren showed us by mating, we are not separate entities. We will have to find a way to make this work because I will be damned if we allow the humans to kill us because we are too busy fighting with each other.”
Anya wrapped her arms around her middle as the three Alphas spoke about what they needed to do in order to protect their Packs. She took everything in and tried to ignore the cat next to her, who kept leaning into her. It was as if his cat were trying to soothe her bear. She didn’t need that.
She hadn’t before with the boys’ father, and she damn well didn’t need it now.
Their Packs were changing, the rules of how they lived were forming with these meetings, these terms that meant a future for their people. Without the cooperation of the Alphas and their circle, none of the Packs within the compound walls would make it. She didn’t know what the humans would do next to subjugate her people, but she’d be damned if she sat back and allowed her sons to pay the consequences of those actions.
They were her life, her everything. Her reason to keep fighting.
And if anything ever happened to them, the world would know true fear.
Because there was nothing scarier than a momma bear when her cubs were in trouble.
Nothing.
****
Frank Talbot wasn’t above begging for favors, but it killed him every time he had to ask an old acquaintance for help. He left the shady backdoor businessman’s building and snuck through the alleys on his way to his own abandoned warehouse.
He sounded like some arch villain in one of the comic books of his youth before the Verona Virus had wiped out a third of the human population. He despised that he’d been forced into taking back alleys while working and living in an abandoned warehouse. But that’s what happened when the SAU went batshit crazy and changed the rules right in front of him.
He was a scientist, a genius. He wasn’t humble by any means. Why should he be? After all, he’d been on the ground floor for the very virus that should have been the best weapon out there if not for its deadly consequences. No matter though, all great strides in humanity had costs and sacrifice. The Verona Virus had its failures, but it had also paved the way for Frank’s new endeavors.
Without the virus, the shifters wouldn’t have come out of hiding. And thanks to their sacrifice in helping to find a “cure,” he had been able to study the beasts. At one point, he’d even gone as far as using his own body to procreate with one of them. It had been disturbing but like he said, all strides took sacrifice.
The SAU had kicked him out when his goal for the ultimate perfections—his own brand of shifters—had crossed their lines. What a crock. The SAU was the fourth branch of the government and didn’t have the checks and balances the others had. They could do whatever they wanted to the shifters in the name of saving the human race. And Frank’s experiments weren’t outside their norm. But those above him had lost a few shifters and needed a scapegoat.
Weak.
Now he was on his own to find a way to create shifters. Just a few months ago, one of the beasts had let it slip that it took the bite of an Alpha or a mate to create a shifter. Before that, he’d thought—along with the rest of humanity—that shifters were born and not made.
The SAU was now trying to force matings, and coerce different Alphas to make shifters. Frank had no idea if it was truly working since he’d been cut off, but he had his own plans. He didn’t want to rely on adult matings or Alphas who could rip his throat out. He didn’t want to deal with mature shifters at all; they were fucking animals.
Instead, he’d go younger.
He needed shifter children. If he could code their DNA at a young age, he would be able to find the bridge between humans and shifters and make an army of his own. Or rather, one he could sell to the highest bidder. He’d have the glory, and the ability to retire on a sunny island.
Of course, he knew that going younger with his experiments would take a certain…finesse. It wasn’t just the idea of a younger shifter to dissect and study. No, he needed a shifter with the perfect genetic makeup to be the bridge. One that held part shifter and part human DNA.
It just so happened he knew of a child with that makeup…and that child had a twin. Frank would have a spare, in case the first didn’t survive.
He grinned as he shut himself away in his warehouse. All those times of forcing himself to copulate with that female bear would now be worth it.
He’d have his live samples. And then the glory.
Perfection.
Chapter 3
Anya’s temples hurt, but she didn’t dare rub them.
Not when that damn cat kept sneaking peeks at her. Oh, the man didn’t do it obviously, but she could tell when his gaze was on her. Every hair on the back of her neck stood on end, and she swore her skin broke out in goose bumps from the touch of his stare alone.
She ignored him. Or at least tried to. Her brother needed her in case he had a vision, and she couldn’t be distracted by Cole. Plus, she wanted to know what these leaders were saying. They held the future of the Packs in their hands.
“We’ve had patrols going on for twenty-five years,” Holden said. “We have our paths and what we’ve done in the past to protect our own. When the cats came, we included them in the routine, and even added more routes so the humans can’t figure out when we will be in certain places.” He met Andrew’s gaze, and Anya stood up straighter. “You’ve only been here for two weeks. I know you’re trying to settle in, and fuck, we’re all trying to settle into our new homes since they uprooted us from the homes you’re now living in, but are you ready to join in on the patrols?”
Andrew ran a hand over his beard and frowned. He was a big man, a huge grizzly—even bigger than Oliver. There was a reason he was her Alpha. “Why do we need to join your patrols? Why can’t we have patrols of our own?”
Holden lifted his lip in a snarl, but Ariel patted his knee. He calmed at his mate’s influence, and Anya felt a stab of jealousy. She’d never had that kind of connection with someone, and as time moved on, she was afraid she’d never be able to.
The wolf Alpha let out a heated breath. “Because we might be three different Packs, three different Alphas, but this is our fucking compound now. And bitching about the circumstances we’re in, instead of trying to find a way out of captivity, isn’t going to help anyone.”
Andrew studied Holden for a moment then turned to Jonah. “What say you, cat? You enjoy working with the wolves?”
Jonah glanced at his daughter and her wolf mate sprawled over her lap then looked back at Andrew. “I say we adapt or perish. We all lost too much when the Verona Virus hit and we came into the public eye. It’s not one against another in here. We can’t afford that. So I think it’s time we put aside our differences and actually work together. Things are rumbling out there, the humans are afraid. If they weren’t, they wouldn’t be punishing us at every turn. We need to find a way to work as one and find our freedom.”
Anya let out a breath, and Andrew smiled. Her damn Alpha was too cunning for a bear. He’d probably been thinking along similar lines the entire time, but this way, he got their true opinions rather than blindly agreeing to something he wasn’t quite sure of. Damn bear.
“I say we have a deal,” her Alpha said smoothly. Megan snorted beside Andrew, and Anya held back a laugh of her own. “I’m not in the mood to lose another Pack member because the humans think they own us.” He ran his hands along the metal collar he wore around his neck. They all wore one, a symbol to the humans that the shifters were animals, collared pets.
Only, the shifters had allowed the humans to put the collars on their necks. They’d done so to protect their children and legacy in a time where the future was uncertain. The humans also forced each Pack member to wear a brand that signified their species—a tribal head of their animal burned into their forearms. Each Pack took that brand one step further and tattooed their individual Pack marks on one side of the brand, while mates did the same with their marks on the other side. Fully mated couples held a full symbol, while those like Anya, those in need of a mate, wore theirs partially completed.
With each slash against them by the humans, the shifters did their best to rise above it.
“We’re in tight quarters now, and as we’re all still breeding and creating life, I don’t see us finding more room anytime soon. We’ll just have to make it work,” Holden finally said after he’d studied Andrew for a bit more.
“We’ve won battles against them, but not the war,” Jonah said softly. “Not yet.”
“We’re stronger as one, rather than three,” Andrew added in.
Anya knew she was at the site of change, witnessing a treaty that would hopefully, one day, show her sons freedom. These three Alphas knew each other more than they let on to the humans. They’d been secretly sending runners to each of the other compounds over time, but now it was different. Now they all shared a home, and could plan face to face. The human patrols within the compound would be watching, but it was at least a step in the right direction.
They discussed the rest of the patrols for a bit longer, and Anya stretched her legs, aware Cole was staring at her. She wanted to snap at him, but this wasn’t the place. Her Alpha needed her to be Oliver’s support, not a mad bear with an aching paw.
Her brother let out a groan then leaned into her. She wrapped her arms around his shoulders and brought him closer. When his body shook, she pressed her lips to his hair, murmuring reassurances. Each vision took a toll on him, not just emotionally and mentally, but physically. They were killing him one premonition at a time, and there was nothing she could do about it. She just prayed that he would find a way to mate with another one day and share the burden. It was the only way Foreseers could live. Yet Oliver had put himself so far apart from others, Anya didn’t see how he could last for much longer.
At that macabre thought, she let out a shudder and waited for her brother to tell them what he’d seen—that was if he could. He couldn’t always relay his visions. She didn’t know if he held back because he didn’t want to burden others, or if he was physically unable. She didn’t understand the breadth of her brother’s powers and responsibilities as much as she should. That too killed her.
Heat radiated at her back, and she stiffened before forcing herself to relax. Cole put his hand on her shoulder, keeping her steady. She hadn’t realized she’d started to lean off the log until he touched her. Energy flowed through his touch, sending shocks through her system. Her heart raced and she cursed shifter hearing. Hopefully, the others would think the increased beat of her heart was due to her brother’s visions rather than the touch of the cat behind her. Cole’s grip tightened for a moment, as if he too felt what she had, then he relaxed. Why did he relax? Did he force himself to do so? And why was she overthinking this? She didn’t push him away, though she desperately wanted to. If his touch kept her steady so she could help her brother, she’d deal with it.
Oliver shook once then pulled away. She let him move back, her hands shaking. She hated to see the grey pallor of his skin; the dark bags that formed under his eyes as the visions took further toll on his body, his soul.
Cole’s hand left her shoulder, and she ignored the sense of loss she felt. Her bear must be going crazy; because that was the only reason she’d be thinking about the lack of his touch as a loss.
The others had gathered around them, silent in their worry and anticipation of what Oliver would say. However, they didn’t crowd him, and for that she was grateful. Oliver hated being the center of attention even on his good days.
“Here, drink this.”
Anya looked up as Cole knelt in front of Oliver with a bottle of water in his hand.
“I’d have brought the booze, but I figured you’d need water first before you drink off the effects of whatever the hell just happened.”
Oliver let out a rough chuckle, and Anya relaxed. If her brother could laugh, even just a little, then he’d be okay. Her brother chugged the water after nodding at Cole. When Oliver looked a little less grey, a little more composed, he let out a sigh.
“Can you tell us what you saw?” Holden asked. He frowned and looked down at his hand clasped with Ariel’s. “Or was that question insensitive?” He shrugged as everyone shot their gazes to him. He was the Alpha, and that was one odd statement. “What? I know what it means to hold a responsibility you aren’t ready for. I was a teenager when I was forced to be the Alpha. I don’t remember meeting Foreseers when we were out in the wild. Hell, I barely remember the stories of them. Us wolves and cats have been so separate from the bears, we’ve mis
sed out on a lot of the shifter culture we should have grown up with.” He growled again before looking directly at Oliver. “For all I know, asking what you saw was taboo, and you’re going to want to claw my face off.” He nodded at Ariel and grinned, even if his eyes were dark. “She likes my face the way it is.”
“That’s true,” Ariel said softly. She tilted her head at Oliver. “I’m new to the whole shifter thing since I grew up human. I don’t quite understand what just happened.” Ariel was the first made shifter Anya had seen since the walls were built. It had been done to save her life, and though it was the catalyst for the change that placed them on rocky ground, Anya couldn’t blame Holden for risking it all to save his mate.
Oliver let out a breath and ran a hand over his face. “I’m the Foreseer. I can see glimpses of the future if the gods allow it, but not always, and not when I want to. Hell, it’s not always completely accurate because one change in how someone reacts and the future changes.”
“So nothing is set in stone?” Cole asked, his voice deep.
“Nothing,” Oliver said solemnly. “Though sometimes, no matter how hard you try to change the way things work out, fate has a way of fucking it up and making the worst happen anyway.” Oliver closed his eyes and growled before composing himself. “You can ask what I saw, but sometimes, I can’t tell you.”
The others nodded as Oliver opened his eyes.
“What did you see?” Anya asked, her voice a whisper.
Oliver looked past them, his eyes seeing nothing. “I saw blood. Blood, loss, and death.” His voice was hollow, a memory of what it had once been. “Change is coming, but at great cost. The world isn’t ready for what is to come, but we must be. For if we’re not…then there is no use for the hope we dug up from the trenches of agony.”
Anya held back a shudder, though she felt that same shudder roll through Cole at her side. No one asked Oliver to explain what his words meant. Some things didn’t need to be explained. And others were so vague, the truth behind those words so shadowed, that if they were to ask, they might get far more than they bargained for.