Wounded Wings_Dragon Shifter Romance
Page 14
The driver of the bus took some sharp twists and turns, a precaution to shake off any humans who might be trying to tail them, and then he began the long journey back home to their hidden location, deep in the mountains.
Xander settled back in his seat and allowed his eyes to close. The last few hours hadn’t been easy. Maximus was even more hostile toward him than he’d anticipated. He knew Xander hadn’t come back for a social visit. Of course he knew. But it was equally obvious that he didn’t know why their father had called him back either. The thought of seeing his father and hearing the news he had to give him made Xander’s stomach clench. It wasn’t good news; he knew that all the way to his core. If it had been, his father would’ve told him in a message, instead of requesting that he seek discharge from the military. He couldn’t stand the thought that something might be wrong with his father. He loved him dearly; he was the strongest, wisest father a bear could have. It had been so hard being away from him and the rest of the family for the past few years. But he never would’ve done it without his father’s blessing. The clan couldn’t understand why he’d chosen to spend five years in the military, living as a human, with very little opportunity to release his bear. “Your bear will never be the same again,” some of the elders told him. “You’ll kill it.” Only his father had supported him, had understood his son’s passion to fight for his country. He’d worked as an engineer in a special ops deployment, and he’d been highly valued for his amazing technical aptitude. But there had been lots of action and lots of danger, and he’d seen things that would stay with him for the rest of his life.
When the bus reached its destination, Xander jumped out of the cab immediately and headed to his room to drop his bags off, then he made his way to his father’s quarters, doing his best to keep his mind empty. It was a technique he’d learned in the military: be prepared for everything, but don’t waste precious time second-guessing what the future might hold. And it had worked for him so far.
Chapter 2
When the door opened and Xander’s massive, powerfully-built father stood there with his arms outstretched, it made the arduous journey home and the sadness of quitting the military all worth it. His father pulled him into a hug, his arms still huge and strong, but when he drew back and Xander looked into his eyes, he saw that he’d aged since they’d seen each other last. The lines in his face were etched a little deeper and his eyes more sunken.
“My son. My favorite second-oldest son,” he said in the deep, booming voice that had sent terror into the hearts of his enemies so many times. “You’ve come back.”
“I’m here, father. Back to stay this time,” Xander replied, as a wave of emotion clogged his throat. They walked into the living room together and settled into two comfy chairs. There was a decanter of scotch sitting on the coffee table. His father filled two glasses and took a long sip of his.
“Tell my why you needed me to come back,” Xander said, unable to wait another second. The stress and apprehension was killing him. As was his bear, which was clawing at his insides, worked up into a frenzy of worry. His father cleared his throat.
“Xander, the time has come for me to relinquish the leadership of the Broken Hill Clan. I’m old –”
“Dad, you’re not –” Xander cut in, but his father held his hand up for silence.
“I’m too old to be the Alpha of a clan that’s constantly at war with another clan. It makes us seem weak. And I know what you’re going to say – that my years of experience count for a lot, and that’s true. But the reality is that the clan needs a leader who can combine a sharp and resourceful mind with an unrivalled fighting ability. That’s the only way that the Black Paw Ridge bears will see that we’re a force to be reckoned with and leave us the hell alone.” Xander stared down at the ground, his hands knotted together and his mind reeling. He couldn’t stand the thought of his father abdicating. His father had been Alpha all his life; he was the Bear King. All the clan adored and respected him. Alphas rarely abdicated. They lived out their natural lifespans, or they were killed by other bears, or occasionally by hunters. “Xander, I appreciate this might be hard to hear,” his father said, breaking into his thoughts, “But there’s some good news too.” Xander looked up and met his father’s steady gaze.
“I want you to be Alpha.” Xander bit back a gasp.
“But I’m not the oldest,” he said when he was capable of speech once again. “That honor rightfully belongs to Maximus.” His father blew out a long breath through his nostrils.
“Xander, Maximus is a very strong fighter. He’s very loyal to the clan and fiercely protective. But he doesn’t share your analytical and intellectual abilities. It has become very obvious to me that we can no longer rule by brute force. We need strategy and cool heads. Fighting is all well and good for our human audiences, but when it comes to the important things, we need to conduct ourselves calmly. We need to maintain our relations with the human world as well. That’s why I was happy for you to go into the military – so you could live among humans and understand how they operate.” Xander swallowed hard.
“Do you realize how Maximus is going to react to this news?” he said in a tight voice. His father nodded.
“He’s going to feel betrayed. Of course he is. We have to prepare for that, and to help him understand that it was a tactical decision, and not one of favoritism. The strong relationships he has with the clan members are very valuable, and he needs to know that we appreciate him for that. Being an Alpha isn’t easy, not by a long shot. The sense of power wears off very quickly, believe me, and all that remains is the constant responsibility, which never ends. If I’d had a choice in the matter, I’m not sure that I would’ve said yes.” Xander stared at his father, his lips parted. He’d never considered that his father wasn’t born to be an Alpha. That sometimes he might have preferred to be an anonymous member of the clan. “I’m sure that you’re surprised to hear this,” his father continued. “And it’s not something I’ve allowed myself to dwell on over the years.” He gave a short laugh. “I’ve never had the time. It’s only now that I look back over my life that I find myself wondering whether I made the right decisions along the way. Heavy is the head that wears the crown. Don’t forget that, Xander. But also don’t forget that leading a clan, and being a good and strong and fair leader can be a wonderful thing,” he finished and fell silent.
Xander waited for him to say something more. When he didn’t, he realized that he was waiting for an answer. He was being given an opportunity to say no. No, I don’t want to be the leader of one of the two most feuding clans in the country. I’ll pass the baton on to my brother instead. But hadn’t his father had been preparing him for this moment his entire life? Getting him the best education money could buy, encouraging him to specialize and go to a top school, enroll in the military? He met his father’s eyes briefly before tearing his gaze away again. Those bright black eyes were so full of expectation that he couldn’t stand it. He imagined his disappointment when he said no. It’d break him. And what about the future of the clan? He agreed with his father’s opinion. With Maximus as Alpha, there would just be more fighting, more bloodshed. Fighting was fine when it earned them money, allowing the clan to live in the crazy, elaborate homes they loved to create for themselves, and purchase all the latest gadgets. But fighting in their private lives was barbaric and had no place in the 21st century. He allowed himself a small smile. It was ironic that five years in the military seemed to have turned him into a pacifist.
“Xander, I feel like I’m watching a movie of your thoughts, projected onto your face,” his father boomed.
“I’m sorry, father…”
Continue reading Bear In The Rough (Broken Hill Bears Book 1), a full length novel.
Read Xander and Freya’s story here!
ALSO BY ARIANA HAWKES
In Dragn Protection
Ethereal King (In Dragn Protection Book 1)
Boreas Reborn (In Dragn Protection Book 2)
Wounded Wings (In Dragn Protection Book 3)
Shiftr: Hope Valley Dating App Romances
Shiftr: Swipe Left for Love – Book 1 (Dina)
Shiftr: Swipe Left for Love – Book 2 (Kristin)
Shiftr: Swipe Left for Love – Book 3 (Melissa)
Shiftr: Swipe Left for Love – Book 4 (Andrea)
Shiftr: Swipe Left for Love – Book 5 (Lori)
Shiftr: Swipe Left for Love – Book 6 (Adaira)
Shiftr: Swipe Left for Love – Book 7 (Timo)
Shiftr: Swipe Left for Love – Book 8 (Jessica)
Shiftr: Swipe Left for Love – Book 9 (Ryzard)
Shiftr: Swipe Left For Love - Book 10 (Nash)
Shiftr: Swipe Left For Love - Book 11 (Olsen)
Shiftr: Swipe Left For Love - Book 12 (Connor & Lauren)
Shiftr: Swipe Left For Love - Book 13 (Frankie)
Broken Hill Bears
Bear In The Rough (Broken Hill Bears Book 1)
Bare Knuckle Bear (Broken Hill Bears Book 2)
Bear Cuffs (Broken Hill Bears Book 3)
Christmas Bear Shifter Romances
Ultimate Bear Christmas Magic Box Set
Bear All I Want For Christmas Boxed Set
Bear Home For Christmas
Bear Christmas Magic
Bear My Perfect Gift
Polar Bears’ Christmas
Lost To The Bear
Ravished by the Ice Palace Pack
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About the Author
Ariana Hawkes is a USA Today Bestselling Author. She graduated in English and Latin Literature from Oxford University, and since then she’s been writing full time, for both work and pleasure.
She loves to write spicy romantic stories with complex, quirky characters, plenty of suspense, and, of course, a whole lot of laughs.
When she’s not writing, she loves reading literary fiction, fantasy, romance and erotica, and snuggling with her man and their two huskies.
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