“Who are you?” he asked as the room settled.
The man stood in front of the stage and lifted his face, his angled jaws clenching. “My name is Brody Bannister,” he said in a rich baritone that commanded attention. “I’m a council member and advisor to Benson Riker, alpha of Bear Valley. I’ve come as his representative in search of his mate, who was taken from our land yesterday.”
“She can’t be that important if Benson Riker himself didn’t come for her.”
Brody’s eyes tightened at the corners and his nostrils flared. His temper was barely controlled and the smell of fury wafted from his skin. “We have reason to believe a woman, Merit, has taken Hannah from us. She threatened to leave our clan for the Long Claws, but there are many different clans under the umbrella of your name. My alpha is searching for her in other Long Claw communities as we speak. It seems you’ve conquered much of the other clans’ territories.”
It didn’t sound like a compliment the way he said it, but Nathan puffed his chest round and smiled. “Long Claws can’t help but extinguish lesser clans. It’s in our nature.”
The memory of Mom screaming as Dad was cut down, of the Blood Den houses burning, and the bodies of her clan lining the streets slashed across the backs of her eyelids. A strangled sound ripped from her.
Brody’s eyes jerked to her and for an instant, his face softened. She couldn’t breathe. His gaze froze her like winter’s first frost, and she had this sudden feeling that if he touched her, he could release her from the spell he’d cast.
A snarl burst from Nathan and he leapt over the table. The two men were the same height, but while Nathan leaned into Brody, barely in control of his fury, the stranger brought a slow and calculated gaze back to the alpha. He seemed completely unfazed by the rage that faced him.
Joanna’s mouth dropped open. Brody’s bear was as dominant as Nathan’s and he wasn’t even the alpha of his clan. Benson Riker must have been a monster.
Nathan slid an infuriated look to her, then back to Brody. “Your accusations have no grounds here. We don’t know where your alpha female is, nor is she our concern. If you cherish her as much as you pretend to, perhaps you should have protected her better.”
“I didn’t come to accuse. Only to ask if you’ve seen the woman, Merit. It is clear you haven’t, so my most sincere apology for having upset you.” He didn’t sound sorry at all.
“Hmm,” Nathan said, sneering. “We have a treaty with Bear Valley, have we not?”
“Yes, and Bear Valley wants to keep that treaty.” Brody seemed to want to say more but stood there stoically instead.
She tried again and failed to determine the color of his eyes. They probably changed with whatever he wore. His throat moved as he swallowed and she wondered what the skin there tasted like.
“Joanna,” Anya whispered.
When she dragged her gaze from Brody, the petit woman shook her head slightly. Right. She was probably staring. Peeking up once more, her gaze crashed into his as Nathan murmured something against his ear.
Brody looked grim, daring to hold her gaze. “I’m not interested in mating with anyone, but I thank you for the offer. You have many beautiful women here but I must be on my way. I’m only interested in finding my alpha’s mate.”
Nathan’s smile as he looked back at Joanna was nothing shy of wicked. “I insist. You see, my new mate, Joanna—”
“I’m not your mate.” The words tumbled from her lips before she could stop them. Those false words uttered in front of the clan were one thing, but it cut her too deeply that Brody would think her a willing participant in what Nathan was doing.
“Quiet!” Nathan roared, slamming his fists against a nearby table. He jabbed his finger at her, his enraged eyes daring her to deny him. “Take it back, mate.”
She couldn’t. Not with Brody staring at her, a frown tugging his dark eyebrows down as if he were confused. The entire room of shifters would hear the false note in her voice anyway if she tried to lie. Instead, she gritted her teeth and looked away.
Nathan heaved breath and the only other sound was the drumming of her heartbeat. No one spoke. No one moved.
“As I was saying,” Nathan gritted out. “My new mate, Joanna, likes to watch.” He swung his cold gaze to Brody. “I’ll forgive your accusations if you choose a female and give Joanna a show.”
“Stop it.” Joanna stood so fast, her chair flew back against the wall. “I’m not going to be a part of whatever game you’re playing here, Nathan. He’s come seeking information about his alpha’s mate and you’ve twisted this into something perverse. I’ll not watch him bed one of your clan members at your whim.”
“As your alpha, I command it, so you will.”
“Or what? You’ll kill me? That’s always the threat, isn’t it? I do what you want or you kill me.” Anger rushed through her like a tidal wave. “Then fucking kill me!”
Mindlessly, she fled. Her anger shattered her until she couldn’t think, couldn’t control herself. She bolted past Nathan and Brody, past the staring clan members and through the door to the darkness that awaited her outside.
How dare Nathan not give her a choice in her life anymore. She wasn’t just one of his groupies that would bow at his feet, happy to bed him because of his rank in the clan. As her alpha? She’d never pledged fealty to that war mongering monster. She had been mistaken when she thought he was her friend by saving her. He’d had an agenda before he became alpha, of that she was sure. She had just been naive about how cold he really was. That wasn’t a gift, telling Brody to sleep with another woman in front of her. It was more punishment because she’d shown another male favor. He was going to make her watch a man she was intrigued by screw another woman to taint her ideas of love and affection even more.
Nathan was ruining her every chance he got. Training her for something she didn’t understand. Making her cold and distant, just like himself. Perhaps he wanted her heart to turn black to match his own.
Tears threatened to blur her vision, but she fought them as she ran blindly.
She should’ve been in a clan with bears like Brody. Shifters who were normal and civilized and politely declined sex, and cared about the alpha’s mate enough to walk into Nathan’s dinner and ask him outright.
Nathan had lied.
Anya had said something about a strange woman coming here today. It couldn’t be coincidence that she showed up the exact same day Brody was searching for a missing woman. But if Nathan had sent the woman on her way, why was he covering for her?
Because he hadn’t. She was still here somewhere.
She sank against the trunk of a great tree, the bark scratching her back as she slid down. She drew her knees up and rested her chin on them and cursed every tear that dared to moisten her eyes. Brody wouldn’t ever know the truth. Maybe the woman, Hannah, was dead already. The thought dragged her into an ocean of churning sadness. She didn’t know the woman, but the loss of more innocent life was more waste in the disappointing wake of Nathan’s destruction.
“Is she here?” a deep voice asked from above her. Brody stood beside her, hands clasped behind his back and his face a stoic mask of indifference.
“What are you doing here?” she whispered, scanning the woods to make sure they were alone. If Nathan found out about them sharing a conversation, he’d kill Brody. The thought brought on a wave of panic.
“I have to know. Tell me she’s not here and I’ll trust you and move on to another Long Claw Clan.”
“I can’t—”
He knelt in front her, hands on her knees and eyes wide, beseeching. “Please.” Desperation tinged his voice.
“Do you love her?” She’d answer him either way, but it felt important to learn what Hannah meant to him.
“I love no one. But I care for her, and for her mate, Riker. He’s the…is she here?”
Her gaze dropped to his hands, resting warmly on her knees. He didn’t touch her skin, but a blanket of safety seemed to spread from wher
e his fingertips touched the fabric of her jeans. “Anya, one of Nathan’s mates, told me about a woman who arrived today. Black hair, red lips, nice outfit. Is this Hannah or Merit?”
“Shit.” He angled his neck and studied the woods behind them. “It’s Merit. She’s seeking vengeance for Riker not taking her as his mate. If Hannah is here, she’s in danger. She’s human.”
Joanna’s eyes went wide. “Human?” Benson Riker had chosen one mate over another. Not only that, but he’d chosen a human. “Does he love her? Your alpha, is he in love with Hannah?”
“Yes. Very much.” Brody’s eyes were so sad, she reached out and touched his cheek. The skin was smooth over his jaw and his lips were full, inviting.
“Take me with you.”
He gripped her hand so fast she gasped, and pulled it away from his face. “No. You’ll bring war between the Long Claws and Bear Valley. I don’t know what you are to Nathan, but you’re important here.”
“He’s forcing a pairing.” Her voice shook as she lowered it. “I’m not a Long Claw.” She hit her chest with an open palm, the greeting of her people. “I’m Blood Den. The Long Claws took our land and killed or scattered my clan. I was the spoils of war.”
“How long ago?”
“Two years. If I stay here, I’ll be claimed as one of his mates.”
His eyes looked tortured and he made a clucking sound, just one, behind his teeth.
“Please,” she begged. “Are you unclaimed?”
“I don’t want a mate.”
“I don’t either. Are you unclaimed?” she rushed out.
“Yes.”
“I’ll search for Merit and Hannah, and if I can find Hannah and escape with her, will you claim me and take me with you?”
“Why do I have to claim you?” He sounded angry.
“Because Nathan won’t want me if I’ve been touched by another male. My only way out of this is if I’m ruined for him.”
“He won’t let you go like that. He’ll bring death to Bear Valley and I can’t risk it.”
“Don’t you see?” she said, grasping his hands in desperation. “Why wouldn’t he tell you about Merit? If he has Hannah, the mate of Bear Valley’s alpha, it means he’s bringing war to you anyway. Now, he has something to bargain with.”
His hard expression faltered and she pounced. “Claim me, then leave me. Take me somewhere far away from here. With the Raiders, maybe. Just ruin me for Nathan so I can escape his reach. Please.”
“I can’t—”
A twig snapped from a distance off and she jerked her gaze over her shoulder, into the dark woods. “They’re coming,” she breathed.
“He’ll kill you if he catches you trying to escape with Hannah,” Brody murmured, his eyes burning with intensity.
It touched her so deeply that a stranger would care. “I’m already dead. Or didn’t you hear?” Another twig snapped much closer and she pulled him close, whispered in his ear, “There is a pond west of here, about two miles off the main road. No one ever visits because it’s clouded with algae. I’ll be there with Hannah tomorrow night at six. I’d bring her earlier, but I need time to find and prepare her. Swear you’ll abide by my terms and I’ll do everything in my power to help you.”
His chest rose under his deep breaths and his gaze smoldered like fire, sparking with embers of anger and determination. “I’ll claim you.”
“Swear it.”
“I swear, I’ll claim you, but if I do, I’m not leaving you.” His eyes were dark and serious as he held her gaze like a caress. “You don’t want a pairing with me, Joanna. I’m no good for anyone but if I claim you, it’s for good. Make sure it’s what you want.”
He stood abruptly and disappeared into the brush like he’d never been there at all.
Chapter Three
Brody watched Joanna from the shadows. What had he done? He’d just promised a stranger he’d claim her so she could risk her life to help him. He’d just killed her. Selfish asshole.
He crouched in the shadows and canted his head, studied the woman. No wonder Nathan coveted her. She was beautiful. Long, brunette hair fell in soft waves down her shoulders. He couldn’t tell here in the dark, but when he’d seen her inside the mess hall, her eyes had been stunning. They were green, but not the dark forest color. They were lighter, and more captivating framed by such dark lashes. The tank top she wore clung to her slim frame and the top of her head would fit just under his chin.
And he’d killed her.
He breathed an oath and scrubbed his hands through his hair as members of her clan approached. She sniffled and looked up at a tall man with blond hair pulled back in a ponytail.
“We thought you tried to escape again,” he said in a tired voice.
“Not this time. I just needed some time alone.”
The man crouched and sighed. “Joanna, it’s obvious you don’t want to be the mate of our alpha. You aren’t like the other women here, but you have to do a better job of pretending or you’ll be hurt. Do you understand?”
Joanna looked utterly miserable and her tear rimmed eyes looked back to the trail Brody had left on. Dammit, he wanted to take her away from here. Not to claim her. It would only hurt her worse to be tethered to a hard man like him. But she was a woman being held in a life she didn’t want, by the clan that had killed her people.
Nathan was going to break her. That much was obvious from the way he had treated her in front of his clan tonight. He didn’t revere her. He only wanted her to bend to him. It was clear they’d been pushing her or she wouldn’t have lost it in there. Or maybe she was angry all the time, he didn’t know. Perhaps she was already broken.
“He wants to see you,” the man said. “He’ll still expect you to share his bed tonight.”
Disgust and roiling anger slammed into Brody and he wanted to change. He wanted to let his bear out and cut the man down for even suggesting Joanna sleep with Nathan. It wasn’t a willing pairing. She had said as much herself, and now she would be forced into his bed? He stood and gripped a low hanging branch to ground himself. If he went after her now, he’d have no way of getting Hannah out of the Long Claw Clan.
Nathan wasn’t some alpha with a council behind him to help him maintain balance when his bear tasted too much power. The man was absolute ruler here, and the madness Brody had seen in his eyes tonight proved he was on a dark path. He was the alpha of the most blood thirsty clan of bear shifters in the world, and he was losing control of his animal side.
Joanna followed the man out of sight and Brody slammed his fist against the tree. He was supposed to be here to find Hannah, and now he had two women he needed to bring to safety. And one of them made him feel…unfocused.
With one last lingering look for where Joanna had disappeared into the woods, he eased back onto the trail and began his decent down the hill toward the main road. If what Joanna said was true, the Long Claws hadn’t been abiding by their peace treaties. Blood Den had been one of their allies, and if they’d been demolished, the entire shifter world should know about it. So why didn’t they?
Because they’re dead. All but Joanna.
If he called in the troops and tried to save Joanna too, Nathan would kill both women before he could reach the center of the clan to search for them. She had said he threatened to kill her, and Brody had never known a Long Claw alpha to bluff. If they said they would destroy something, they did, simple as that. Brody swallowed hard. Now Joanna was next on Nathan’s list of things to destroy.
He tried to ignore the visions of her in Nathan’s bed tonight. It just wasn’t possible for him to think about it and not go after her. He needed back-up. Going after them now would be a suicide mission. Could he take Nathan one-on-one? Probably. But battling the entire Long Claw Clan, all trained for war? He’d die and wouldn’t do any good for either woman.
Or should he just trust that she could get Hannah out?
No. Riker needed to know about the lead in Hannah’s disappearance and if he had h
elp extracting both of them, he wouldn’t have to follow through with claiming Joanna. She’d be better off that way.
He opened the door to his truck as softly as he could, started the engine and hit the pavement. As soon as he felt safe, he dialed Riker.
“What?” came the gruff, tired sounding voice on the other end.
“I think I’ve found her.”
****
The thought to escape with Brody had crossed Joanna’s mind. To beg him to take her with him right then, but she’d never forgive herself if this Hannah woman died because she’d been too scared and weak to try and save her. Plus, Hannah meant something to Brody and he’d never want a partner who didn’t have his back. She didn’t know where the assumption came from, but he just seemed like the kind of man who needed a strong woman beside him.
What the hell was she thinking? She didn’t even know Brody. He was a complete stranger. A sexy, kind stranger who made her stomach do flip-flops, but still—a stranger. And she’d all but thrown herself at him to become his mate? He’d only agreed so she would save his alpha’s mate. Like an idiot, she had jumped from one doomed and loveless relationship to another. At least she wouldn’t be here though.
Freedom lay in a pairing with that man. Brody claiming her would make her unattractive to Nathan. He didn’t share his possessions. Was it a desperate deal made in the heat of the moment? Absolutely, but she’d try anything to escape and find a new life. Plus Brody was handsome, and strong, and most importantly, he seemed to care on a level she hadn’t found in another shifter here.
He reminded her of home.
Blake was right. Nathan would expect her to share his bed tonight, especially after she’d fought with him in front of his clan. He’d want to prove he could control a willful mate. But she wasn’t his, and she had to think of a way out of this.