Red Claw Alpha (Red Claw Rising Book 1)

by Zoey Harper

  "No remorse here," Colton mumbled.

  As he made his way into the clearing, Colton put on the gloves he'd just bought. He dragged the human body of the bear shifter he'd killed down the hill, then took his gloves off.

  Colton shucked his clothes and threw them into a pile away from the burial site. Then he shifted.

  Over the next ten minutes, Colton dug a deep enough hole for all three men. His bear was able to move much bigger piles of soil faster than he could in human form. While he worked, he kept an image of Patrick Hargrove in his mind.

  Colton was at fault for a lot of things, but it didn't change the fact that Patrick had taken advantage of the Red Claw Rising. The wolf shifter didn't know it yet, but Colton had just run his final mission for him.

  Once the hole was made, Colton shifted back into human form. He rubbed his hands together to get rid of the dirt, then reached into his pockets for a second pair of gloves.

  Colton donned them, then dragged the three men into the hole. He quickly shoved the dirt back in place before he threw the gloves away, got dressed, and walked back to his truck.

  Someone would find the bodies and the gloves. But they wouldn’t see them until long after Colton was gone.

  Based on Kylo's intel, Flynn had rented the place for up to two weeks. By that time, Colton and Tegan would be back in Bolsend.

  Dr. Gupta had reassured Colton that while she would have to spend a few days in the hospital, there was nothing he could see that would prevent her from leaving in a few days.

  Provided she wakes up.

  Colton shook his head as he pulled out of the mansion’s driveway. Tegan would wake up. His bear wouldn't have let him leave if he thought otherwise.

  Colton was acting paranoid, and that was okay. That meant he loved Tegan.

  He quickly drove to their motel, and his throat closed up when he walked into their room. The last time Colton had been in there, he and Tegan had made love, then shared a beautiful moment the morning after. Now, she lay unconscious in a hospital.

  Colton drew a shaky breath. "Focus."

  He got into the shower and washed off the grime of the last couple of days. The hot water soothed his muscles and, indeed, his heart. He was doing everything in his power to make sure he and Tegan would have a stable future. That's all he could ask of himself.

  Colton stepped out of the shower and got dressed. He immediately left the room and got into his truck. He'd done what needed to be done. Now, he'd sit by his mate's bedside.

  Colton's phone rang, and he quickly answered.

  "Kylo. What do you have for me?"

  "I found Patrick's secret," the dragon shifter said excitedly. "You won't believe this shit, Colton."

  "Believe what?" Colton asked, jumping out of his truck and pacing the parking lot.

  He'd been waiting for almost a week for this intel. Kylo hadn't wasted time with teasing and pleasantries, which meant it was a killer bit of information.

  "Patrick Hargrove is an alias. The man that adopted it is Cian Herron. My contact is the one that helped him acquire the new name. Get this, Cian is the long-lost brother of Gavin Herron, alpha of the Black Banner Pack."

  Kylo laughed. "The little fuck ran away after stealing from the most powerful clan in North America, and they're Irish. The Irish never fuck around with family!"

  Colton pumped his fist in the air. "Yes, yes, yes!" He jumped up and down and laughed like a madman. His skin tingled all over.

  This is what he'd been waiting for. All he had to do was turn Patrick, aka Cian, over to his brother, and the Red Claw Rising would be free. Colton and Tegan would be free.

  Colton's breath caught, and his eyes watered.

  Oh, for fuck’s sake. No crying.

  Colton tilted his head back and took a deep breath. His heartbeat raced, and a flush of adrenaline rushed through him. He needed to move. If he was fast enough and lucky, he might not ever have to speak to Patrick again.

  "Colton?" Kylo asked. "You there?"

  "Yeah, man. Just out of my mind with happiness. Thanks for doing this."

  Kylo chuckled. "It's my job, but I'll accept your thanks. How's your mate doing?"

  Colton sagged against his car in relief. Everything would be alright. For once, he wasn't lying to himself when he said that.

  At best, Gavin Herron would come to get Patrick right away. At worst, he'd plan something for later. Either way, Patrick would not be a problem.

  "Tegan's good. She's on the mend, and she'll be happy to know Patrick's not going to be a problem anymore."

  "Congratulations," Kylo said, his voice sincere. "In light of everything that's going on, I'm going to give you a discount. I'll charge you half price."

  Colton burst out laughing.

  "What's so funny?" Kylo asked, his voice irritated.

  "You really must like me. You never give discounts."

  "Do you want it or not? You're starting to piss me off, and I'm a lot less generous when mad."

  I guess he really likes me. Romantically or not, I don't know, but he's doing me a favor. I'll have to pay him back somehow.

  Colton took a deep breath and sighed, his heart lightening. "I'll take it, Kylo. If there are no strings attached."

  "No strings. I hope your mate recovers. I'm sending you the Black Banner Pack’s headquarters address right now."

  Kylo hung up, and Colton stood in the empty parking lot with a goofy grin on his face. If bad things happened in threes, then maybe good things did too. Not only had Kylo found a killer secret, one that would allow Colton to keep his hands relatively clean, but he'd offered him a discount.

  "Maybe Gavin Herron will come for Patrick tonight, and that will be the third miracle."

  Colton's phone buzzed and his hopes got dashed. The Black Banner Pack’s headquarters were a six-hour drive away, in North Carolina.

  "Fuck. I definitely won't get to see Tegan tonight."

  Colton sighed, then got into his truck. There was no point in bitching about it. He'd had two good breaks. It was time to take advantage of them.

  Later that evening, Colton pulled up to a set of large golden gates that hid what was likely a mansion. He switched his engine off and waited for someone to come and get him.

  Knowing that this was the home of the leader of the most powerful clan in the country, he was pretty sure there was a guard at the gate.

  Colton was proven right as, a few seconds later, a man walked out of a small gate off to the side of the main entrance and strolled toward him. He wore a black leather jacket and had tattoos up his neck and to the top of his bald head.

  Colton winced as he watched him approach. Some people just took the tattoo thing too far. They were supposed to be meaningful, like the image of his mother on his arm. Why scare everyone off with stuff that was supposed to show your machoness?

  The bald man stood silently in front of Colton.

  Guess I've got to do the talking then.

  "Ramsey Paxton, here to deliver a message from my father."

  Colton had given a lot of thought to how he'd get Gavin's attention. His father's clan was the dominant clan in Bolsend, a shifter hotspot. That meant the Gray Shade was arguably the most powerful clan in Kentucky.

  Coming to such a conclusion was hard. Very few clans stood out on top in the way the Black Banner Pack did. If Kylo said they were the most powerful, then they were. The large gold gates of their alpha's home testified to that.

  Colton had noticed the cameras trained on his truck as he drove down the empty road toward the mansion. It seemed that Gavin Herron had bought everything in sight. Now that was power.

  The bald man spat on the ground. "What does a clan of bear shifters want with wolfkind's finest?"

  Colton had fully expected an Irish accent, but the man had a proper southern accent. Based on what little he could find on shifter forums, the Black Banner Pack had migrated to America after the 1941 air raids. Rumor had it they were wealthy enough to buy passage on a British navy s
hip that brought them all the way to America.

  During the Second World War, all resources were directed to Europe. The fact that the Black Banner Pack had the clout and money to convince someone powerful to give them an entire navy ship spoke volumes. For the first time in a long time, Colton understood just how low he was on the totem pole.

  It doesn't matter, though. I need to look after what's mine, and that's Tegan and the Red Claw Rising.

  "I think it's best if your boss decides if what I have to say is important. The Gray Shade aren't no-name weaklings, and you'd do well to remember that."

  The bald man sneered. "We're on different playing fields."

  "True, but alliances make everyone stronger." Colton shrugged. "Refusing to grant the second and heir of the Gray Shade an audience with your alpha is not a good way to start an alliance."

  Colton locked his icy blue eyes on the wolf shifter. If he showed any doubt or fear, he'd get spotted, and he'd never return. There were definitely at least half a dozen guards behind that gate. Colton didn't want to become a chew toy for these dogs.

  "Fine, but if you die, it's on you. The boss hates surprise visitors."

  Colton inhaled, then followed the wolf through the smaller gate he'd come through. They walked down the longest, most obnoxious driveway Colton had ever seen, passing a dozen men armed to the teeth.

  Yep. This Gavin guy is the real deal.

  When they finally got to the white mansion, which appeared to be several stories high, the wolf turned around and patted Colton down, before leading him through a complicated set of hallways that Colton was sure were supposed to confuse him.

  Finally, they came upon a large, dark brown door.

  "You're on your own, teddy bear," the wolf said before turning around and leaving.

  Colton stared at the two bodyguards that stood by the door. Of course, the alpha wouldn't be left unprotected. Not when guests could drop by so easily. Well, relatively easily. They needed the right credentials.

  Colton knocked on the door.

  "Come in," a baritone voice answered.

  Colton's hand shook as he turned the doorknob, and he turned to glare at one of the bodyguards when he heard a chuckle escape.

  Colton pushed down his irritation and walked in. This was not the time to get upset over petty things. He was about to meet the most powerful man in America.

  No. That wasn't the president. That was a man that had command of thousands of creatures that could tear humans from limb to limb. All the lesser clans that had sworn loyalty to him gave him that power.

  Colton walked into a medium-sized room. A large black desk sat at the far end and behind it, a dark-haired man, whose green eyes sent a chill down Colton's spine.

  Gavin Herron was a predator if he'd ever seen one.

  "Who are you, and why should I let you live?" Gavin’s Irish accent was thick, but what shocked Colton was the ice in his voice.

  The bear shifter's hands shook even worse, so he folded his arms and widened his stance. Gavin may be a predator, but predators preyed on the weak first. He needed to put on a good front.

  "I'm Colton Lennox."

  Gavin cocked his head. "That's not the name you gave when you walked in here."

  Colton's eyebrows shot up, and his heart thudded against his chest. Of course, the place was bugged. Anyone that obsessed with security would want to know absolutely everything that happened in their home.

  "It's not. Ramsey Paxton is my half-brother."

  Gavin got up and grinned, but the grin seemed out of place on his feral face. The man was scarred. Blood, sweat, and tears had earned all his money and power.

  "You're the bastard." Gavin nodded as he approached Colton. "I'm one, too. For the first time, your birthright just earned you a favor."

  Colton smiled uneasily. "Uh, thanks, I guess."

  Gavin gestured for Colton to take a seat on one of the black couches that sat on either side of where he stood.

  Colton shook his head. "I'd rather stand if that's okay. I don't plan on being here long."

  Gavin's smile fell, and his eyes narrowed. "It's rude to refuse a man's hospitality. But you're lucky I like you. As much as I would like a stranger, that is."

  Colton's eyes darted to the couch, and he debated taking a seat. He mentally shook his head. He'd already made his choice; it was time to own it.

  "Forgive me. Us bastards never really learn manners. We're always on the outs."

  Gavin chuckled, then moved back to his desk. He took a seat and rolled up his sleeves.

  More scars graced his skin, and Colton decided that if he ever lived to the sixty or so years old, as he guessed Gavin had, then he needed to quit all the brawling.

  Colton had been lucky in that he hadn't done too much damage to his body. But he never wanted to get to a point where he'd scare his grandchildren when they came to visit him.

  "You're a gas man, Colton. If you were a wolf, I'd hire you." Gavin leaned back in his seat. "Now, why don't you tell me exactly what news you wanted to deliver. I assume there's something you had to tell me."

  Colton took a deep breath and felt his muscles loosen. Gavin liked him. Although he didn't know what a gas man was, he could scent all aggression had left the wolf shifter.

  "I came to deliver good news. Cian Herron, your brother, is alive."

  Gavin froze, and waves of tension emanated from him. "You’d better not be lying if you know what's good for you."

  I guess the positive vibes are gone then.

  Colton shook his head. "No. He lives in Bolsend, Kentucky, under the name Patrick Hargrove. He's got an American accent now, but I'm sure it's him."

  Gavin slammed a hand on the desktop and rose. "I've spent hundreds of thousands of dollars trying to find him, and now you tell me you have?"

  Colton smiled. This was his chance to pay Kylo back and prove he was legit at the same time.

  "I didn't find him. Kylo West did."

  Gavin's brows furrowed. "The dragon-shifter? He took over from his father, right? I hadn't heard much good or bad about him. I've never really liked messing with dragons."

  "Trust me, Kylo's as good as his father, if not better. He found Cian, didn't he?"

  "How?"

  Colton smiled. "He said he spoke to one of his father's old contacts. The man was the one that helped Cian acquire his new identity. That's all he told me. But there's a lot more I do know.

  "Patrick Hargrove is the leader of the Ebon Wolf Pack. They're the second most powerful clan in Bolsend. Up until he took over the pack, no one had ever heard of him. Also, Patrick Hargrove is the name of a deceased man."

  Colton looked down. "I'd say his green eyes are a good match to yours, too."

  Gavin inhaled sharply, then turned to face the wall. Colton's news had shocked him. It appeared he'd thought Cian was dead. All the anger and feelings of betrayal from what Cian did must have been bubbling up.

  Gavin turned slowly. "Why did you bring this to me?"

  Colton pursed his lips. There was no need to lie. Patrick wouldn't be a problem for much longer.

  "Because Patrick Hargrove has been riding my clan hard, and I need him off my back."

  Gavin nodded. "That sounds like Cian. He never understood how to build loyalty. Fear is only a great tactic when used sparingly.

  "Well, your gamble paid off, boyo. I'll have my men pick Cian up within the next forty-eight hours. Consider your problem solved."

  Colton nodded, then walked out of Gavin Herron's office, alive, and with his underwear still dry. One of the bodyguards led him back out to the gate, and he got into his truck.

  "Jesus!"

  Colton lay his head against the steering wheel and took several deep breaths. Now that the adrenaline had all but left him, a weariness settled over him. He'd been driving nonstop for hours and would have to turn around and do the same again.

  Elvis had texted Colton hours ago to tell him that Tegan was stirring more often. She’d wake up soon and catch on
to the fact that Colton wasn’t asleep in his hotel soon enough.

  Colton started the truck and backed out onto the road. He'd just gone toe-to-toe with the most powerful man in America, and he'd come out unscathed. Patrick would soon be out of his life, and he had Kylo to thank for that.

  Colton quickly fired off a text, letting Kylo know that he'd put in a good word for him with Gavin Herron. If Colton had to bet, Gavin would be Kylo's favorite new client.

  Minutes later, Colton's phone vibrated, and he chuckled when he read Kylo's text.

  Consider your entire bill waivered. Gavin Herron is my dream client!

  Colton grinned. Things had worked out pretty well. Now he had to check on his mate.

  He'd worry later about finding a way to make sure whoever took over as alpha didn't try to enforce Patrick's deal with the Red Claw Rising.

  Colton sighed. "There's always more to do, but Tegan's worth it."

  16

  Tegan woke up with a dry mouth. She felt heavy and tired, like she'd been hit by a truck.

  Then she remembered, a bear had tossed her, then she'd been shot by an eagle shifter.

  Tegan moaned as the distinctive scent of hospital sanitizer hit her. She'd messed up big time if Colton had to bring her here. What had he told the doctors? How had he explained her injuries?

  Come on. Get up.

  Tegan twisted once more, and then a hand landed on her shoulder. Her instinctive anxiety forced her eyes to open, and she came face to face with Elvis. His green eyes looked down at her with worry.

  "Easy. You're going to hurt yourself." Elvis looked down at her arm, and Tegan saw an IV.

  "Get it out," she croaked.

  Elvis shook his head. "I can't. You'll have to wait for the doctor to do that. The last thing we need is you getting kicked out of here."

  Tegan sighed. Elvis was right. She needed to stay in the hospital, and the IV was probably helping her feel better. Well, a little bit.

  Tegan had a dull headache, and a sense of nausea washed over her.