Red Claw Alpha (Red Claw Rising Book 1)

by Zoey Harper

Any doubt she'd ever had, had just been cleared up. Tegan needed to get into therapy of some kind. This wasn't the way to live. Folding into herself at aggressive gestures and leaning away from male wolves weren't pillars of the good life she wanted to build.

  Besides, she needed to find help, not only for herself but her mother and sister. If she were reacting to normal life like this, then they would, too.

  "I'll try to be less of a tool. You look like somebody slapped you or something."

  I've been hit more times than you can count.

  "I'm fine."

  Colton watched Tegan for another few seconds before he nodded. "Okay. Well, since you've been open and everything, it's only fair that I tell you what's going on."

  Colton took a deep breath and a minute to gather his thoughts. Tegan picked up her fork and tore into her omelet. She'd done far too much talking, and now her stomach was protesting.

  "Three months ago, I left my father's clan, for reasons I'd rather not get into. Anyway, I established a clan, but it's small, and we don't have much money. We moved into Ebon Wolf territory.

  "Patrick, the alpha, is a grade A tool. He's taken advantage of the fact that we have nowhere else to go. This job, to find the eagle shifter, is just another one of the errands he sends me and my clan on. But, it'll be the last. I'm going to make sure of it."

  Tegan wanted to reach over and take Colton's hand in hers. The self-hate in his voice made it clear that he blamed himself. But Tegan knew her touch wouldn't be welcomed.

  Colton hadn't pitied her, so she wouldn't pity him.

  "That sucks."

  "It sucks balls," Colton echoed. "So, are you in?"

  Tegan smiled. "Not yet. I need to go over a few more things."

  "Fuck. Is this what working with a woman is like?"

  Tegan shrugged. "I wouldn't know, but if it isn't, then it should be. There's no telling what kind of mess a person could get into."

  "I'm getting antsy here. Why don't we do a rapid-fire question round, huh?"

  Tegan chuckled. "Sure. First, is this eagle shifter genuinely a bad person?"

  "He's a smuggler who stole drugs that Patrick was going to sell to addicts and teenagers. You decide for yourself."

  Tegan pursed her lips. "Does he have a family?"

  Colton smiled crookedly, and the sight made Tegan's heart flutter. "You couldn't work with Elvis, could you? He doesn't care about the target."

  "Nope. I did a single mission, very well, I might add, then I quit. The last thing I need is innocent blood on my hands. I've got far too much on my plate."

  "I get it." Colton leaned back against the booth. "I can't say I've been unaffected by the things I've done over the years. This shifter doesn't have a family, as far as I know. In fact, I think he's gay. Just an interesting tidbit.

  "Anyway, you shouldn't feel too guilty about killing him. Besides, the goal is to take him in alive. Killing him is a last option."

  Tegan nodded. "Okay. That sounds fine. I assume you know Elvis’ usual rate?"

  "I do, but I can't pay you upfront." Colton rubbed the back of his neck. "I just spent a fortune on a tracker. But I have the next installment of my custom bike coming in next week. I'll be able to pay you then."

  Tegan cocked her head. "How do I know I can trust you?"

  "You don't." Colton sneered. "But you're friends with Elvis. He wouldn't let me get away without paying you."

  Tegan laughed. "That's true. I still need something small upfront. My car's out of gas, and I've only got enough money for a week's worth of groceries left. I'm hard up. That's the only reason I'd agree to something like this."

  Colton winced. "I'm afraid I don't have much cash to offer you. I need gas and some cash to keep going until I find Flynn. Why don't you ask Elvis for money? You seem awful close?"

  Tegan shook her head. "That's exactly why I won't do it. I'm trying to make it on my own."

  "I can respect that." Colton folded his arms. His jaw clenched, then he nodded to himself.

  "Look, I understand what it's like to be up against it. I won't mess you up. Here's the deal. You can stay in my hotel room. It's paid for to the end of the week. By then, we should have Flynn, and I'll have enough cash to pay you. Sound good?"

  Tegan's mouth parted, but no sound came out. Colton was offering her his hotel room. Did he expect her to share a bed with him? Tegan's nipples hardened at the thought, and she clenched her fists.

  Cool it, saucy pants.

  "Where will you sleep?"

  "In the car." Colton winked. "Don't worry. When I want to share my bed, you won't have any doubts about that fact."

  Tegan felt heat crawl up her face, and it only worsened when Colton burst out laughing.

  "That's not what I was thinking," she managed to choke out before taking a sip of her juice.

  "Hey, I don't blame you. You're hot. It makes sense that I'd want to sleep with you. But the last thing I need is another hookup or even worse, a relationship. Trust me, Tegan. It's all platonic on my end, even though I like to look."

  Colton's words were like a bucket of cold water over Tegan's body. He clearly stated he wasn't interested in anything more with her. Not even a casual hook up.

  Colton had done the honorable thing by clearing the air. So why did Tegan feel as if he'd just taken away the most precious thing to have come her way in a long time?

  Oh god. I like him. Not just that. I want him. I want a tattooed, MC member, bad boy, who builds bikes and bounty hunts in his spare time. Since when did I become such a rebel?

  8

  The sound of a banging door woke Tegan up with a start. She peeled one eye open, only to shut it when the blinding sunlight streamed through her blinds.

  The banging continued, and she realized it was at her door.

  Tegan's heart thumped in her chest as she forced herself out of bed. She picked up her phone, shocked that it was already afternoon, then crept toward her door.

  Her mind was already playing tricks on her, making her believe that her brother was on the other side of that door.

  No way it's him. He's probably passed out drunk on a street somewhere.

  "Just a minute," Tegan yelled, needing to buy herself more time. She'd already told her landlord she'd be leaving and had paid for the week. He had no reason to come looking for her.

  Tegan froze, and a warmth spread through her body in relief. "Colton. I'm supposed to meet Colton."

  Tegan shook her head and rushed to the door. Her mind had been playing tricks on her again. It was no wonder, after the nightmares she'd had the night before.

  She'd woken up to face an empty apartment and had done everything to distract herself. She'd finally fallen asleep at four in the morning.

  Tegan tiptoed to glance through the peephole. Seeing Colton's brown hair and thick beard made her heart stutter.

  "Sexy Beast," she mumbled, opening the door.

  "Hey," Colton said, his eyes drinking her in with a single glance. Tegan looked down and realized she was still in her pajamas. The ones with the Disney characters on them.

  A light blush settled onto her face. Her pajamas were anything but sexy. Not that she wanted to sleep with Colton.

  That was a lie. She did, but she also knew that Colton wasn't the right guy for her. He came with far too many complications.

  Tegan sighed and let him in. "Sorry to keep you waiting. I overslept."

  Colton waved a hand dismissively and walked into her apartment. It was a good-sized studio, but Colton's hulking frame made it seem small. If Tegan had to bet, he could probably touch her ceiling without having to tiptoe.

  He could also carry me to bed in three steps.

  Tegan drew a sharp breath and mentally slapped her forehead. Colton was a lot of things, but their continued conversation over breakfast had only confirmed how wrong he was for her.

  After Tegan had opened up about growing up Bluewolf and agreed to work with Colton, he seemed less reluctant to open up.

  Tegan
listened keenly, and her heart sunk with every story that ended up in a fight where someone got "seriously fucked up" as Colton put it.

  The grizzly bear shifter liked to brawl. That much was clear. In that way, he was similar to the Bluewolf men she grew up with.

  When Tegan left home, she promised herself and her mother that she would make the most of her freedom.

  Tegan knew the sacrifice that her mother had made. She'd slowly saved money for Tegan's bus ticket, and taken the enormous risk to reach out to people that might put her in contact with Elvis. Her stomach roiled at the thought of the wrath her mother would have faced for her leaving.

  Tegan squeezed her eyes shut. Her mother had probably taken quite the beating. Falling for a guy like Colton was not the way to repay her sacrifice. It was a pity that her body and her heart refused to listen to logic.

  "You okay?" Colton asked, cocking his head.

  Tegan inhaled and put on her best fake smile. "Yeah. I'm sorry you'll have to wait. I've not finished packing."

  "It's okay." Colton folded his arms and looked around her tiny apartment. "At least you got a head start. Where's the rest of your stuff? Downstairs somewhere?"

  Tegan chuckled. "No. This is everything I own."

  "Get out of here." Colton walked around the living area and even peeked in the fridge and cupboards in the kitchen. He whistled. "You're pretty neat. I'm messy."

  Tegan smiled. It seemed some of the openness from the day before lingered.

  Colton wasn't as cold and aloof as she'd thought. Except when it came to his opinions on violence and clan life. That's where his icy blue eyes matched his opinion.

  "I've tried being messy, but I always end up tidying up. It's the Bluewolf way."

  Colton's brow furrowed. "What does that mean?"

  Oh, wow. A follow-up question! He must be in quite the mood.

  "It's a Bluewolf woman's job. Right from when we're girls, we're raised to clean, cook, mother, and cater to men. All while holding down full-time jobs, that we get paid pennies for, while the men that own the stores get all the profit."

  Colton sneered. "You know, the more I hear about the Bluewolf, the less cool and mysterious they seem."

  "Yeah, well, what I've shared with you hasn't even touched the surface. Sometimes, I feel like I should call the police on them. But that would expose the shifter world and probably result in all those cops getting killed."

  Tegan walked to the kitchen and poured herself a glass of water, gulping it down. She felt hot, and adrenaline was pumping through her veins. It reminded her of her last days with her clan.

  There was no doubt about it. Tegan's memories had her on edge She'd been so good about pushing them down, but something about her conversation with Colton had triggered them.

  Now it didn't matter what she saw or heard. Her mind would pull her back to that time.

  "Do you want me to come back another time?" Colton asked, his voice low.

  Tegan placed her glass in the sink, then turned sharply. "Why would you ask that?"

  Colton rubbed his neck. "I don't know. It just seems like you need some time alone. Like maybe you're emotional or something."

  "And you can't handle that?" Tegan scoffed.

  "I can handle anything. I'm just not the best at this kind of stuff." Colton stuffed his hands in his pockets. "I noticed it yesterday, but I'm sure of it today. Talking about your past changes your mood."

  "Because it was so horrible!"

  Colton raised his hands up defensively. "I agree. But you keep bringing it up. You probably don't mean to, but you do."

  Tegan stared at her bare feet. That was pretty accurate. She was stuck in a rut. Talking about her past made her feel anxious and horrible. But her mind couldn't help but bring it up.

  "Maybe you should talk about it."

  Tegan's head snapped up. "What?"

  Colton shrugged. "My mom always said the only way to get something off your mind is to spit it out."

  Colton smiled. "She told me that after my first weekend with my father's clan. I'd seen so much horrible stuff, but I didn't want to make her sad by telling her exactly what happened."

  Colton stared off for a minute. Whenever he spoke of his mother, his face would soften, and his voice would get this airy quality to it. Tegan found herself thinking that it would be nice to have his face glow when he mentioned her.

  Ugh. What is wrong with me? It's either I'm thinking of Colton or my past. I guess that's what happens when you have no life.

  "Did telling her what happened help?"

  Colton inhaled. "I didn't tell her everything, but it helped some."

  Colton moved to take a seat on her couch. It was a two-seater, but he took up most of the space. He was nothing but a mass of sexy muscles, and Tegan wanted to straddle him and rock herself against him until the madness that he was wreaking on her hormones passed.

  "Come here," Colton said.

  Tegan's heart stepped on the gas, and heat rushed through her veins. Did Colton feel it too? Surely the crazy chemistry she felt couldn't have been one-sided.

  "What?" she squeaked.

  "Tell me about your past."

  Tegan's shoulders sagged. "Oh."

  Of course, he wasn't going crazy at the thought of being near her. While he'd made it clear he found her attractive, he wasn't spoiled for choice when it came to women. Hell, if she'd had to bet, Colton had probably already had several hookups in his time in Stonewick.

  That thought sent a flicker of irritation through Tegan. Colton wasn't hers. At first, he was a stranger that had rescued her; now he was her boss.

  Her stupid heart needed to relinquish its false ownership of him. Otherwise, she'd be up late nursing a broken heart once Colton finished his job and moved away.

  Tegan stood with her feet glued in place and folded her arms. "Why?"

  Colton gave her an exasperated look. "Weren't you listening? Talking is supposed to help. Your head is filled with all kinds of crap."

  "Why do you care?" Tegan raised her chin defiantly.

  "Because you're my sniper, and I need your mind clear. I can't have you shooting me in the back by mistake."

  "Oh." Tegan steepled her fingers. Colton was right. She was not in the right frame of mind.

  So much about being a sniper was about lying in wait for the right moment. With the way her mind was going, she wouldn't be able to line up the perfect shot, let alone execute it.

  Tegan walked to her bed and dropped down on it. Colton turned to stare at her from his position on the couch before he got up and stood in front of her, leaning against the top of the sofa.

  He crossed his arms and his legs, then nodded. "Go on. I'm listening. I can't promise to say the right stuff. But it’s best you get it out of your head."

  Tegan smiled as her gaze locked with Colton's. "This is silly."

  "No, it's not. Get in touch with your feelings and all that shit. It's supposed to be good for you."

  "Does it work for you? You said it worked as a kid. Does it work now?"

  Colton sighed and dropped his arms. "You're deflecting."

  "Oh!" Tegan chuckled. "Look who's a master of psychology."

  "It was a part of my fight training. Eighty percent of being a good fighter is all about strategy and reading people." Colton grinned. "But you can usually bypass all of that with pure rage and a distinct lack of care for whether you live or not."

  Tegan frowned. She didn't like the idea of Colton risking his life like that.

  He's not yours. Remember?

  Tegan sighed. "Okay. I'll talk."

  It had been so long since she'd had a proper conversation with anyone. Her mother called once every few weeks. It was hard for the older woman to find the time and privacy she needed to make that call.

  Elvis wasn't big on talking and feelings. And her friends from the salon never cared to ask more about her. Now, she didn't speak to anyone.

  Tegan had spent the last few months with barely any conversa
tion. Colton may not know it, but he was offering her a lifesaver.

  Tegan smiled. Here he was again, acting like a hero. He would hate her mentioning that.

  "What's so funny?" Colton asked his face hardening.

  Tegan shook her head. "Nothing, just thinking of a memory."

  "Well, don't just think about it. You're supposed to talk."

  Colton folded his arms, and a passive expression graced his handsome face. He was doing this to get his sniper back into top shape, but Tegan couldn't help but feel that maybe he wouldn't make such a horrible mate.

  Sure, he loved a life of violence, and the very way his clan was set up meant that trouble would always find him. Then there was the fact that he shut down and acted out whenever she got too close to something personal.

  Colton had a lot of negatives. So did Tegan. Her jumpiness and fear of male wolves wasn't a great calling card. But Colton's positives were starting to shine through.

  "Ahem," Colton said, clearing his throat. "It's not like we've got all day."

  And there was the gruff Colton again. Tegan shook her head and took a deep breath.

  She thought back to last night and the memories that had been haunting her most. She pushed those aside. She might have a full-on panic attack if she went there.

  "When my brother Ryan and I were younger, we were inseparable." Tegan smiled as an image of Ryan's seven-year-old toothless smile floated to the front of her mind. "He's two years older than me, but he always let me hang out with him and his friends.

  "As we got older, we started being exposed to more of the Bluewolf culture. For some reason, Bluewolf males lack any need to hide their most gruesome behaviors from anyone over the age of ten.

  "One day, my dad came home mad. Everything seemed to piss him off. Mom told us to stay in our rooms and not to come out. Then we heard the sound of her screaming. When we ran out, she was on the floor. He glared at us, then left our house."

  Tegan's lungs burned with the memory. "Mom got up and hugged us both. She was the one that just got knocked down, but she was comforting us. I later learned that several clients had asked for her at the little grocery our family owned, and she wasn't there to meet them. The reason she was late was that my dad had insisted on having pancakes for breakfast that day."