IMarriedaBear

by A. T. Mitchell

“Stop being so fucking nervous, Reed! Or I'll tell wifey everything. You'll wish the Elders sent us into exile when she finds out you've been screwing Penny in the woods.”

  A low growl slipped from Reed's lips. There was a shuffling sound in his bag when he reached into it, almost like a pump or something whirring to a higher speed.

  My vision blurred for the dozenth time tonight. I coughed. What felt like nano-seconds must've been five minutes.

  When I opened my eyes again, Reed and Hannah were struggling, practically tearing the tube out of my arm. Fearsome bear growls echoed in the chamber.

  “You incompetent shit! Faster, faster, or we're not gonna get what you said we'd need.”

  “Give me a chance!” Reed bellowed. “I'm confident I can fashion the perfume with what we've got.

  You crank that thing up and you'll endanger her life. We've got what we need, Hannah.”

  “No!” she squealed. “I need a tiger's essence. You're trying to take the easy way out, trying to deny me what I need to have my mate!”

  “You're crazy. This...this is not a magic love potion. It's something that might give you a leg up attracting him. I won't let you believe there's anything special or certain about–“

  Crack! Reed's words were silenced by a sound like wood rending apart.

  Hannah's fists flew and fell on his forehead. Way louder than any bare fist should. He fell, crashing down on the floor next to me. His glasses jerked up over his ears, crooked on his face as I watched the light go out in his eyes.

  There was something hard and thick in her hand. Whatever it was, it put him out cold.

  Next thing I knew, she was crouching next to me, and the droning sound inside the bag grew louder.

  Hannah hummed with pleasure, tapping her long fingernails on the concrete near my head.

  “If you're a lucky girl, you won't wake up. Don't worry, hon. With any luck, James will smell you on me forever. I'll stink like a tiger if that's what it takes to set this right.” She flashed me a nasty smile.

  “Old Spark was right – destiny is never a certain thing. I'm taking matters into my own hands to make sure James and I have the right one, and there's no room in it for you.”

  I opened my mouth to scream, howl, or spit, but the droning filled my ears like a tsunami sloshing ashore. All my senses died and I went slack on the ground.

  The last thing I heard before I passed out were Hannah's feet clicking loudly on the ground.

  VI: Deal With the Devil (James)

  Everything about Tiger Bay made my bear's hair stand up on end.

  On the surface, it was a Potemkin village so perfect even the gods would've been fooled. Beneath it all, Shane ruled everything with an iron fist.

  Ironically, the only place his guard was down was at his own estate. Nobody in the town had tried to break into the Alpha's house since it was built. I was sure all its fine gardens and gourmet kitchens on every floor made some tigers jealous, but not so jealous they were willing to risk their necks against a man who had no mercy.

  Quickly slipping past an isolated section of the iron fence and a run up a tree brought me to the balcony. The door popped beneath my hands easily enough.

  I sniffed the sterile air, and soft potpourri went up my nostrils. Eerie waves flared along my spine, and my bear growled his disapproval.

  Laura really grew up in all this? No wonder it took a disaster to give me her heart.

  The place was so clean and perfumed I could barely smell tiger underneath it. Still, it was there, a scent with faint traces of Laura, but stronger, more masculine, and way more malevolent.

  Shane was in his office, sitting at a fancy cherry wood desk with papers sprawled out beneath him. I spied him through the crack in his door. For all I knew, they were maps to plan the invasion of Denali, blueprints for destroying everything I loved and vowed to protect.

  I took a deep breath. I had to hope that just this once, my bear would match a tiger's speed, and I could get to him before he flipped a switch or tapped his phone to summon his guards.

  Ready or not, here I come...

  I hit the center of the door as hard as I could. It swung open, crashing against the wall a second later.

  Shane looked up, impetuous and surprised. I doubted anyone ever disturbed him unannounced, and certainly without knocking.

  I was only two steps from his desk when his face went white with surprise. He recognized me from the wedding. The horror in his face turned to rage.

  “Bear!”

  He shifted. The tiger ripped through his suit and crashed over his desk, hitting me in the chest so hard I went down on the floor. By the time I began to wrestle him, my bear was out, gnashing its teeth at the scruff of his neck.

  We rolled, clawing at each other's fur. The crash against the wall sent a pile of heavy old books falling on Shane's striped back. He roared with annoyance.

  I let my bear's instincts take over. I went right for his face, holding his lean body against my furry chest with all my might. My jaws opened wider than his, and I bit down on his forehead hard.

  The tiger's head thrashed in my mouth. After several panicked seconds, he realized it wasn't a death bite. He didn't dare try to tear himself away from me again – not when my teeth would rip his skin in the process.

  His paws tapped my chest several times. I loosened my grip, just enough for him to move back, and felt his body go into convulsions.

  We flew apart and sprawled on the floor, becoming men again. Now that I'd overpowered him, I had to see whether or not he was ready to listen to reason.

  He was older and weaker than me. I had a five second head start to run to his desk, snatching the cell phone laying there, and blocking him from reaching anything else in his private space.

  I smiled as he got on all fours and looked up at me, small scratches caking his face. Good thing shifters healed far faster than humans did.

  “Outrageous grizzly brute! What's the meaning of this? Where's my daughter?”

  He sounded delirious. The fight must've really rattled his head. Didn't mean I was going to fucking stop and lighten up, though.

  “I'm here to talk peace,” I said. “And I know what it takes to make a tiger listen. You gonna give me the floor, or will I have to throw your striped ass against these pretty books again?”

  Shane growled, climbing to his feet and folding his fists at his sides. He looked flushed, unsure of himself.

  How long had it been since he'd shifted and really had to fight when he least expected it?

  The tigers were far more insulated from nature than bears. At least the SOB in front of me was. He sent other men to do his dirty work so he didn't have to.

  My bear snorted in disgust. It was hard to respect a man who gave so much control to his human side.

  “Well? You gonna let me talk?”

  “I'm not letting you do anything until she's safe!” Shane stepped forward, planting his hands on the desk.

  We were face to face. I looked into his small, cold, murderous eyes.

  “Laura's okay. Better than safe because she's away from you and your plan to invade Denali. That's what I've come here to stop. Need to see if I can get through your thick tiger skull before it destroys us both.”

  “Sorry, I don't negotiate with perverts. You dare to talk about my brains? You! A sick, mangy, stupid bear...” He wrinkled his nose with a full body shudder. “You brainwashed her. I sent my men to rescue her from your degeneracy. Couldn't believe it when they told me she fought to stay with you.”

  “There's no brainwashing a girl like Laura. She's just as stubborn as her father, but only when she's in the right. That's the difference between you and your daughter.”

  Growling, a small dusting of orange hair lined his arms, and his nails lengthened. I bowed up in case he shifted again, but the features receded at the last second.

  “What the hell do you want? Speak, if you must, but I won't promise you anything. You can kill me where I stand. You won't stop me
from rescuing my only blood and ending your barbaric threat forever.”

  “Then how about we start by ending the stupid arranged marriages causing this problem in the first place?”

  Shane threw his head back and laughed. “Is this a joke? You'd give up the only thing keeping you safe from tiger fury? Well, now you've got my interest.”

  His hands shifted halfway again, fresh claws tearing at the wooden desk.

  “Why don't we learn to share instead? I'll permit tigers on Denali lands if you'll let us into your waters for fishing. The gods know the caribou herds have grown so large we can't thin them all down ourselves every season.”

  His eyes narrowed, highlighting his dark pupils, now turned to slits like a tiger's. “These waters are precious to us, and a hell of a lot richer than your forests. If you want our salmon, you'll have to offer something much better. You know that.”

  “I do. That's why we're also prepared to export wood from our forests.” I watched his face tighten in surprise. “I know enough about Tiger Bay to understand you can't keep this place growing at the same rate forever. You've exhausted most of your own resources, and the fees the humans charge you to bring lumber up here will only get higher. It'll give my boys some work chopping and packing up the lumber too.”

  “Trading partners? With stinking bears?”

  He shook his head, and then slammed his fists on the table. The whole room rattled.

  “No! This is insane. I won't consider it. Not unless you bring her back. You want to end the marriages and alter an age old treaty? Then start by annulling this abomination between you and my daughter!”

  I stared at the hot-head in front of me. The wild madness in his eyes told me this was a sticking point I couldn't overcome today, no matter how well I wrestled him or how many concessions Denali made.

  This is one dense, bigoted, high strung fucking tiger. Not like I expected anything else.

  Learning to think like a tiger wasn't as hard as it seemed. I reached out, grabbed his arm, squeezing it hard when he growled his annoyance.

  “If that's what it takes to stop this crazy bloodshed. I don't want to give her back, but I will.” His eyebrows went up in surprise as soon as I said it. “Only thing is, you're gonna have to come to Denali with me.”

  He ripped his arm away from me. “I'll never be caught dead on bear land – not unless I own it! Are you crazy?”

  “Totally serious. Let's cut the crap and be completely fucking honest here.” I paused. “You don't think I'll follow through with returning her to you, and I doubt you'll table your invasion plans. Fuck, the second I walk out of this room, you're likely to have me shot in the head and get on with the show, right?”

  He growled, low and long, like a tiger unable to reach a choice cut of meat. He didn't deny it.

  “You think bears are barbaric...stupid...gullible. I actually don't give a shit what you think, Shane, but you've met your match. If you want an honest agreement, you're gonna do things my way. The good news is my way is what's best for us both. Besides, I'm not the only one who has to approve this deal...”

  “I know!” he spat. “You're not man enough to lead. You're a puppet for your Elder council.”

  It was my turn to growl. He had me there, but I could deal with them when we got back. I'd always been able to twist their votes and make them see reason before. The hard part was getting his orange ass to follow me home.

  “You know the drill, and I know how to work bear politics. Come with me. I'll break off a little before dawn tomorrow and let my people know to expect you and your men.”

  “What makes you think I won't come alone?” he said with a sneer.

  Slowly, I looked him up and down. If this guy was coming, he was coming on four wheels. I doubted he'd been out in the Alaskan wild since Laura was a cub.

  No, hunting and fishing on his private acreage sure as hell didn't count.

  “Bring two men. Any more than that won't be permitted in our borders. Let's make it swift and easy, Shane. This time tomorrow, we can have this all wrapped up, and Laura will be home.”

  I extended one hand. He took it, squeezing my arm in his much clammier, softer grip. He was trying way too hard to match a bear's strength, and he didn't come close.

  “I'll make sure nobody gets in the way when you leave...”

  Reluctance lingered in his voice. Wasn't hard to tell he would've liked nothing better than to sic a dozen tigers and have me torn limb from limb. I stepped away from his desk and walked, taking the same route I came.

  When I was on the ground, I shifted, letting my bear take me swiftly and safely out into the evening darkness. The bear had a sick feeling in his gut, troubled by the way I'd had to tap human lies to gain Shane's cooperation.

  It's okay, I thought with a growl. You know there's no way we're giving Laura up.

  This time tomorrow, Shane's gonna realize it isn't an option and fucking accept the new way, or else we'll be locked in war after all.

  Shane needed to get his eyes pried wide open. There was no way he'd take Laura away, and the only thing that mattered now was how quick and easy he'd accept that as truth.

  I thought about it all the way to Denali. Brush crumpled underneath my feet. I paused near a stream to scratch at a fallen tree in frustration.

  The negotiations proved what I already knew about tigers. I couldn't tell him how much I loved her, how we were fated mates linked. The conniving old SOB would never accept something so simple.

  Words wouldn't do when it came to Laura and me. I had to show him my strength, my love, my devotion to his daughter.

  And the best way to do that was to get her to tell him herself.

  Somewhere, far beneath his ruthless orange fur, I suspected there was a tiger who cared deeply about his flesh and blood. Laura was the only chance I had to get through to him, tiger-to-tiger and father-to-daughter.

  But if things went sour, better that it happened on my turf. If he didn't accept what the gods had decreed by bringing us together, then he wouldn't be hauling her back to his prissy town while I was alive. I'd die to keep her.

  My bear roared his agreement. My baby, my little tiger, belonged to me now. No one else.

  A big spring moon was rising over the mountains when I reached Denali's outskirts. There was a shadow on the horizon, coming right toward me.

  Probably one of the night crew out on patrol. They all should've been expecting my return. Before I left, I gave Jacob my orders to tell the boys I'd be home soon while he kept Denali safe.

  I approached the figure. Didn't stop, even when he raised his rifle. Steam hissed out my black leathery nostrils.

  Really? This fucking idiot thinks I'm a real grizzly? I swear, if this is Cuddy fucking around again, I'll tear him a new hide...

  It was Cuddy. But he didn't recognize me, even when I stood on both my legs and screamed as loud as I could. His cold eyes kept the rifle trained on me.

  Then he spoke, erasing my confusion “I know it's you, Alpha. I'm going to need you to put your bear to sleep and come with me.”

  This stupid flunkey had my attention. I wondered why I ever admitted him to the security crew at all, other than the fact that he was young, male, and able-bodied.

  Shame the clan didn't have a lot of options there these days.

  “Put the gun down!” I growled, rising from the ground, a man again. “What's gotten into you? I need to see Jacob now.”

  I grabbed the rifle by the barrel. My eyes widened when he pushed back, aiming it right at my face.

  “There's live ammo in here, Alpha. Please – don't make me shoot. I need you to come with me. Elder council's orders.”

  Suddenly, the night had grown a lot colder, and twice as dark.

  My bear was pissed before. It was a raging furry cauldron now, seething to rip into this disobedient beta.

  I wasn't a fucking idiot, though.

  What choice did I have? I followed the man with the rifle into the village. My bear went wild,
ramming his head against my mental barrier to get out, begging to rip Cuddy's incompetent head off.

  No. I have to find out what the hell's happened here.

  We walked on, past the town hall where I expected him to stop, way beyond my own cabin. I saw my house from a distance. All the lights were off. Place looked frigid and deserted, and I didn't like it one bit.

  Gods! If any of these idiots had overreacted and done something to Laura while I was gone, I swore I'd –

  “In here, Alpha. I need you to settle in until morning. The Elders will see you then...they're asleep right now, as you know.”

  Cuddy opened the wooden door leading into the long cabin. I recognized how worn it was, even though it had been reinforced with metal slabs, just like the iron bars across the windows.

  “You're putting me under arrest?” I laughed, anger ripping at my chest.

  “No, not officially. Nothing's been decided yet. The Elders will talk to you tomorrow and decide whether or not you're really a threat to–“

  I couldn't take it anymore. My bear tore his way out of me so fast my bones rearranged themselves with a sickening snap. I threw myself at him, savoring the scream as he fell to the ground.

  His rifle discharged, blasting out into the night. Cuddy fumbled with the gun. My chance to swipe with one paw, knocking it several feet away.

  “Oh, Gods! Have mercy, sir! I was only following orders.”

  I was about to tear into him when there was a noise. A ferocious beating on one of the windows, someone hitting it so hard from inside it rattled the thick glass as well as the prison bars.

  With my bear's sharp eyes, I could just make out Jacob's lean face, complete with its five o'clock shadow through the dusty glass. It was his fear that really hit me.

  Something fucking awful had happened in there.

  I shifted, hopping over Cuddy to grab the rifle. I gave him a swift kick in the ribs to make sure he'd stay down, and ripped his camo cloak off before heading inside. The keys to prison were in the pocket, and it hugged my big frame something fierce.

  Jacob was crouched on the floor when I stepped inside. There was one – no, two – bodies laying there.

  One of them was female. I smelled Laura's scent, mingled with strong fear, even before I ran over and saw her pale, unconscious body.