by Celia Kyle
“Oh! Show time.” Maya handed off her chicken wing to Gina, plucked a napkin from the picnic table and wiped up. “’K. Gotta get this party started.”
Maya squeezed through their circle and made it all of five feet before she spun and jogged back to their group, gesturing for Elise to come closer. “So, the thing about it is…”
Elise raised her eyebrows.
“Remember the whole thing we did before I popped out the babies? With the heart and blood and woo hoo you’re in the pride?” Maya nibbled her lower lip.
“Yeah.” She’d thought it’d been sudden, but hadn’t been sure how prides operated.
“Well, I kinda didn’t tell Alex about it. He gets all puffed up about being the Prime and welcoming new members and yada, yada… So, just play along and I’ll give you a carton of Half Baked ice cream. Deal?”
“Make it three.” Elise smiled.
“Two and it’s my final offer. Alex thinks I need to rock the healthy thing and has my stash locked down. Three would clean me out.”
Elise sighed heavily, pretending to be put out. “Fine. Two.”
The Prima stuck out her hand. “Shake on it and you three are witnesses. You renege and I’m totally giving you puppy chew toys for every gift-giving occasion for the rest of your life. For both you and any kidlets.”
A quick handshake and then Maya was gone, jogging to the center of the clearing and throwing herself into Alex’s arms. The Prime caught his mate with ease, spinning her around, their lips locked, and then lowering her back to the ground. Even from where she stood, Elise could recognize their shared passion and love in the embrace.
Looking around the space, she found Brute on the opposite side and their gazes clashed. Lord, she loved that man.
And based on his expression, he felt the same. Through one look, they shared their love, their caring, and most definitely, their physical need. Without hesitation, she broke away from the girls and headed toward her mate, anxious to be at his side, in his arms. She walked ten feet, then twenty, then…
“Elise Mara!” She froze with a squeak, Alex’s voice vibrating through her.
Slowly, she turned toward Alex, her Prime (almost-ish), and a smiling Maya. “Prime?”
“Come forward.” Damn the man was arrogant when he was all Prime-y. She’d gotten used to the laid back version of the lion.
Looking over to Brute, she hoped her mate would save her. Or hell, come with her. The hope was dashed quickly with a shake of his head and a quick brushing gesture, urging her to get her ass in gear.
Lovely.
Straightening her spine, she walked toward the center of the clearing on shaking legs. She did not do the whole “being the center of attention” thing. Couldn’t they just let her hide amongst the kitties? Yeah, she was a fox, but she was itty-bitty. No one would have noticed her and…
“Kneel.”
Maya elbowed her mate and frowned at him and Elise almost giggled. Almost. Apparently the Prima didn’t care for his tone either. But Elise couldn’t disobey him and did as he asked.
“Tonight we welcome fox, Elise Mara. Several of you have voiced your doubts over accepting her into the pride and I have listened.” Alex’s voice met silence. Mostly.
A low growl followed by a snarl echoed across the wide area. Apparently Elise wasn’t the only one who’d been surprised by the Prime’s statement. Brute did not sound like a happy kitty.
Fear curled in her belly. She’d made a home in Ridgeville, conquered many of her demons and looked forward to building a family with Brute in the small town. And now they’d have to start over… Tears built in her eyes and she blinked them back. She could cry later.
Maya elbowed Alex. “Stop it, you big bully.” The Prima leaned down, winked and then whispered. “It’s fine honey. He just likes to put on a show.” Alex frowned at Maya. The Prima just giggled before stretching up and pressing a quick kiss to his lips. “Well, you do.”
The Prime rolled his eyes and then continued. “I have listened and I think you’ve lost sight of what it means to be Pride.” Alex paused, his gaze traveling over the circle. “To be Pride is to think of the many and not the one. With two Sensitives within our ranks, our cubs will find ease during their first transition instead of pain. With Elise in our arms, we shall settle disputes with words instead of fang and claw. And above all, she will calm those around her when our first thought is to destroy. This fox is a gift, and we should each be thankful that god has guided her to us.”
Maya had totally been right. Alex seemed to be all about the politician-esque grandstanding.
“Elise Mara, give me your hand.”
She did as asked, extending her arm and baring her wrist. A quick flash of a blade was the only warning she received before the sharp edge slid along her skin. Blood welled from the wound, and she watched as Alex repeated the motion on his own arm.
Alex pressed their wounds together. “Blood to blood, heart to heart, fur to fur, I welcome you to my pride.”
The roars and growls of the gathered lions rose and filled the clearing, and Elise was sure she heard the squeaky chitter of a specific bunny amongst the welcoming vocalizations.
But then a singular word rose above the din, louder than all others.
“No!”
Oh, god. She knew that voice… She’d never forget it.
Wrenching her arm from Alex’s hold, she rose to her feet and spun to face the speaker. It was…it was one of them and she wouldn’t let it happen. No. Never again. He wouldn’t. She had Brute and…
She backed away, tripping over Alex and Maya in her bid to flee. She stumbled and fell to the ground and then crab walked away from the man. Her heart hammered and pummeled her chest, pumping adrenalin through her body with every flex.
And for once, the fox fought. She snipped, snarled and barked at the male, ready to show that his assault wouldn’t be tolerated. But fear still rode her hard. It pulsed like a living thing beneath her skin.
She wouldn’t, wouldn’t, wouldn’t…
Elise’s back collided with something large and solid, unmovable, and she looked up to find her mate towering over her. His large hands wrapped around her biceps and pulled her to her feet. Without hesitation, she clung to him, doing her best to burrow beneath his skin and hide. “Brute. He’s one of them. Don’t let him… Please.”
Brute nudged her behind him and she fisted the back of his shirt, unwilling to release him. As he strode forward, she followed, trusting her mate to take care of the male.
God. The man had to be part of the pride.
She wouldn’t stay. Not ever. Not with the sick fuck free in town.
Standing alongside the Prime and Prima, Brute stilled and Elise risked a look around his massive body.
The male was just as she remembered. He was tall and lean with a glint of evil that had never left his eyes. Yes, he was one of the many.
The fox wanted to feast on him, gnaw on his bones and then let the scavengers pick at what flesh she’d leave behind.
“What’s the meaning of this, Jenner?”
Yes. Jenner. Brute had mentioned his sister’s crush on the lion, as well as Maya’s friendship with him, but she hadn’t connected the male to her time with Freedom. She couldn’t imagine that someone in the Ridgeville pride would have been involved in the movement, involved in her pain.
And then her thoughts returned to the pictures, the images she’d been forced to look over and the tension that had filled the room when she’d gotten to that particular photo.
“You weren’t supposed to let her in. You were supposed to banish her.” Jenner’s eyes collided with hers and his fear threatened to overwhelm her. Oh, hate was present, but panic was coursing through his veins. “She’s not a Sensitive, Prime. She’s just a broken whore.”
*
Brute would kill him. The way his mate trembled and shivered against his back had been enough for him to justify roughing the cub up a little, but his words… The male would die.
<
br /> He’s another lion. His name starts with a “J”. Jennings? Jensen? Jenner? He knew he’d recognized that birthmark, that tattoo. He just hadn’t been willing to accept the truth. They all hadn’t been willing to even entertain the idea that a pride mate would hurt another.
The cat rushed forward, prowling beneath his skin, scraping his claws along his muscles and snarling for blood.
Brute would be glad to deliver.
Beside him, Alex stilled, body just as tense and alert, and Brute had no doubt that the Prime had connected the dots they’d all been unwilling to examine. “Explain yourself, Jenner.”
He knew that tone, the one that said blood would be spilled without hesitation if he didn’t like the answer he received.
Jenner took a step forward and his mate pushed against him even harder, body seeming to fold in on itself. “Don’t let him…”
“She couldn’t help Alis—” The lion cut off the word and spit on the ground. “She’s simply worthless. A useless dog that can’t even summon her powers. How’s a broken whore going to benefit the pride? Didn’t I show you that?”
Brute growled and took a step forward only to have his movement halted by Alex’s large hand coming to rest on his forearm. “And when would we have seen that?”
Again, low and calm with no evidence of his rage. And Brute had no doubt that the Prime was seething. The male was pushing the proverbial “line in the sand” with their leader. Much more and Alex would see Jenner’s accusations and ranting as an outright challenge. To the death.
Even if Brute knew what Alex was doing, trying to get Jenner to admit his involvement with Freedom and Elise’s torture, he didn’t have to like it.
“You saw her when she was rescued. You know what she was like. And you know she’s brought trouble to town.” The male growled. “You saw the pictures.”
Brute felt the jerk of Elise’s body, a rough shudder that was followed by a low whimper.
“Alex…” He hated the warning in his tone. He’d never wanted to challenge his Prime, but if the man didn’t do something about the fucker before them…
“I see.”
Keep talking mother fucker. Keep hanging yourself so I can gut your ass for touching my mate.
Out of the corner of his eye, he saw a grim-faced Grayson enter the clearing with the Sheriff mirroring the Second on the opposite side. Behind Jenner, the rest of Maya’s guards emerged: Harding, Wyatt, Deuce and Neal tense and ready. Even better, Ricker stepped out as well. All of them showing support for their Prime in a wide, loose circle.
Which was as it should be.
Silence reigned in the clearing. Not even the wind dare break the quiet until Alex spoke up once again. “And what do you know of Elise’s rescue? How could you know anything about her state after being stolen back from Freedom? She hadn’t stepped foot in Ridgeville until a month and a half ago.” Alex took a step closer to Jenner. Brute mimicked the move. “Better yet, what do you know of pictures, Jenner?”
Rage poured through Brute’s veins and his beast rode the wave. Fingers turned to claws, hair sprouted from his pores and the crunch and crack of bone signaled the shifting of his face from man to lion.
Because there was one reason, and one reason only, that Jenner would know anything about Elise’s rescue and the recent appearance of pictures.
He’d been in the compound, probably raped his gentle mate. He’d been behind the destruction of her apartment and the arrival of the pictures that had nearly destroyed his sweet fox.
He’s another lion. His name starts with a “J”. Jennings? Jensen? Jenner?
Jenner…
“Alex…” The two syllables barely made it pass his lips, muzzle fighting to push the word from his body.
Again the hand stilled him.
“Jenner, it seems you know more than you should. It seems that you have a first-hand accounting of Elise’s time in captivity as well as the destruction of her home. In addition, it seems you know an awful lot about pictures that were recently delivered to her.” Alex’s voice remained level as he spoke while Brute’s desperation for blood rose.
“Of course I do! I was there. I—” The lion snarled.
“I see.” Alex turned his attention to the rest of the lions, sweeping his gaze across the gathering. “Will the pride bear witness?”
“We will.” The voices echoed, resonating in Brute’s bones with the power behind their conviction. They must have come to the same conclusion as he and Alex. Even if they didn’t know the details, they had acknowledged a portion of Jenner’s guilt.
“Wh-What?” Jenner was sputtering, the first hint of fear entering his features as he backed away from the Prime.
“Then hear me. These will be the last words from the pride to your ears, Jenner Mattson. You are no longer of the pride. May the pride’s blood freeze in your veins, may the pride’s heart still in your chest and may the pride’s fur leave you cold.”
“So witnessed.” Again, the chorus.
“No! Don’t you see? It’s her. Not me, her.” Jenner folded to his knees. “Don’t you see? Alistair just wants us to be free and she was supposed to help. But she can’t because she’s broken. You don’t understand—”
“Sheriff Corman, please take the nameless and secure him for the council.”
“Yes, Prime.” The Sheriff stepped forward, but before he could grab the man, Jenner went on the offensive.
With a roar Jenner rose from the ground, face contorting with each beat of his heart, and Brute recognized the impending shift. “It’s her. You’ll see. It’s her!”
The man was heading right for him, but the eyes were trained on Elise.
“Not gonna happen.” Brute pulled free of Elise and tore his shirt and pants from his body, cloth rending easily, and then the cat came out to play.
Jenner mirrored his shift and went on the attack. Brute tackled him in one leap, fangs bared and mouth gaping wide. He’d tear out the man’s throat, feast on his blood.
The other lion met him with claws and teeth and he snarled and snapped, stretching and reaching for fur.
Then Jenner pushed back and danced away. Brute followed, crouched and ready to spring. His claws dug into the dirt, ground sure to give him the extra leverage he’d need for the next attack.
They circled, wary and watching. He hunted for the perfect strike only to be thwarted by an impatient opponent.
Jenner raced forward, rising to his hind legs when Brute countered the assault. The lion’s claws found home in Brute’s shoulder, but he ignored the inconsequential pain. The scent of his own blood filled the air and his cat was aching for retribution. The other beast would die.
Now Brute went on the offensive, leaping at Jenner, roaring in pleasure when his nails sunk into flesh and tore at the vulnerable tissue. Lines of red followed in his wake and triumph filled him at the sight of the wound he’d caused.
Limping, Jenner hopped away on three legs, his tawny fur now burgundy as the injury bled.
Brute didn’t wait, didn’t give the male a moment to recover before he was on the lion again. He kept the pressure up, following, striking, cutting and hurting Jenner with every swipe and flex of muscle and claw.
Jenner would die.
The assault continued. Slice. Bite. Tear.
Brute’s mouth was filled with blood.
The lion he fought was fighting a losing battle, and part of him was proud that the other beast wasn’t giving up even if it was a lost cause.
No one would threaten what belonged to him and live. No one.
Then, Jenner stumbled, his muscles unable to keep him upright, and Brute pounced. He dug his nails into the male and wrapped his mouth around Jenner’s neck, teeth sliding into the flesh with ease as he applied more and more pressure.
Beneath him, the other cat went lax, but it wasn’t enough for Brute’s lion. Not when it meant that letting him live would leave a threat hanging over Elise.
Die. Die. Die.
“Brute!�
� Alex’s voice rose over his growls and Brute froze. “Release him.”
No.
“We need him alive, Brute. You’ve begun avenging your mate. Let the council get information from him and then you can finish it.” Brute felt the power behind the Prime’s words, but still he resisted.
Has to die.
“Brute?” Elise’s voice, gentle and sweet, floated to him. “Listen to Alex. Let Sheriff Corman deliver him to the council.”
Brute whined, but kept his mouth in place. He didn’t wanna, damn it.
The soft pad of feet over the grass approached and a delicate hand stroked his flank. “Please, Brute. I don’t want you to kill him. At least not today. What if he knows something that can help others? What if there are more Sensitives and he can help us find them?”
Brute huffed and released the lion, quick to push his mate away from the injured male, not trusting that the fight had fully left Jenner. He prodded and poked until they were back beside the Prime, and they watched as Sheriff Corman went to the prone beast.
Quiet surrounded them. Well, mostly.
“Do you see that? Brute left something dead-ish for Elise. Why can’t you bring me dead things? What’s up with that?” Brute could always trust Maya to lighten a situation.
Alex sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. “Maya…”
A snarl grabbed their attention and they watched as the Sheriff subdued a struggling Jenner, hitting him with a Taser. The jolt of electricity forced the male to shift back to human. Blood still marred his body, but most of the wounds were no longer visible. “Wait! I’ll tell you everything! Don’t take me—”
The man would be tired, but he’d live.
Unfortunately.
With the threat no longer present, Brute shifted and pulled his mate into his arms, burying his face in her locks and inhaling her sweet scent. Peace surrounded him, soothing his beast and placing a blanket of calm over his body.
“Damn, looks like Brute will have to start over with the killing thing.” Maya poked Alex. “But at least Elise got closer to getting dead things than me. What’s up with that?”