Hunt (The Grizzly Brothers Chronicles Book 1)

by Alyssa Rose Ivy

  “Sure you do, but that’s not why we’re here.”

  “Exactly. We are here because you promised me answers.”

  She sighed again. “What are you going to pay me?”

  “How much do you want?”

  “If you’d give it in sex I’d cut you a deal.” She grinned revealing two rows of white teeth that were a heck of a lot sharper than they looked.

  “Claire,” I warned.

  “Fine then, 10k will do.”

  “10k?” My eyes widened. “This better be good info.”

  “It’s more important than you think.”

  “Tell me,” I ordered. I was done wasting time.

  “Someone is suing for the land your dad left you.”

  “Yes. I am well aware. Tell me something that I don’t know.” I knew all about that law suit, and I still needed to figure out how Connor got pulled into it. I no longer believed it was a coincidence.

  She took a step toward me. “They aren’t human.”

  “What are you saying?”

  “I’m saying, you aren’t the only bears laying claim to that land.”

  My body tensed. This information changed things. If we were dealing with rival bears, this dispute would extend far beyond the court case. “Where did you get the info?”

  “From a friend of a friend.”

  “Meaning?”

  “Meaning I’m not giving names.” She smiled. She was enjoying herself entirely too much.

  “Then your information isn’t worth 10K.”

  “Sure it is.” She ran her teeth over her bottom lip. “Because they killed Jonovan. They were sending you a warning.”

  My heart rate accelerated. I knew my brother was dead, but to discover his death was over land infuriated me. “Sending me a warning? Why not threaten him? Why kill him? That screams of something personal.”

  “Maybe it was personal.” She shrugged. “We all know Jonovan had a lot of enemies.”

  “But not like these.” He fought with nearly everyone, but he was feared more than he was hated. Claire’s information made sense. I hadn’t been able to wrap my head around how anyone had gotten to Jonovan, but a rival pack of bears would have been able to.

  “He had a lot of enemies you knew nothing about.”

  “Are you suggesting Jonovan knew about this pack before?” And if so, what else had he been keeping from me?

  She shrugged. “I don’t know, what do you think I’m suggesting?”

  “Play it straight, Claire. If we go down, so do you.”

  “Not necessarily.” She shook out her long brown hair. “I’m very good at making friends. So are my sisters.”

  “You’re already in bed with them?” I shouldn’t have been surprised, but I was. Despite our differences, her pack and mine had always been aligned.

  “Would you care? I thought you were done playing with me.” She laughed.

  “I don’t care who you’re sleeping with as long as you’re not double crossing me.”

  “Relax, Ian. My family and yours go way back. So do the two of us, but you like to forget that.”

  “How could I?” As much as I wanted to forget it all, I couldn’t. I’d been an idiot to get involved with her.

  “I shouldn’t have played around with Noah. I get it.”

  “This has nothing to do with Noah.”

  “It doesn’t?” She rested her chin in her hand. “That’s news to me.”

  “Am I mad you messed with my brother? Yes. But he’s a big boy. He can make his own decisions.” Even when they were idiotic ones.

  “Ok, then why are you angry at me?”

  “I’m not angry. I’m done.”

  “Because of the girl? We’re back to her, aren’t we?”

  “I don’t want you near her.”

  “When are you going to claim her?”

  “None of your—”

  Claire interrupted. “Maybe it’s none of my business, but it’s the business of your brothers and family. And you know they don’t keep their hands off your things.”

  “She’s not my thing.”

  “But she’s going to be your mate?”

  “She is.” I was positive about that.

  “I hope she’s worthy of you.”

  “She’s more than worthy.” Mara was perfect.

  23

  Mara

  I thought back on my time with Ian over and over as we continued our drive toward Green Acres. I should have been annoyed at myself, and Ian, yet I wasn’t. At least not completely. More than anything I wanted to see him again, and I knew that wasn’t a good thing.

  Ian was everything I didn’t need in my life. To be fair, I didn’t need a guy in my life at all. I especially didn’t need one that excited me the way Ian did. He’d awakened a side of me I wanted to keep dormant. I had more important things to focus on such as getting through law school and securing a good job. I was all alone in the world now, and I was going to have to be able to support myself.

  Lauren slowed down and pulled into a gravel parking lot.

  “Where are we?” I looked at the windowless cinderblock building with a bright blue door. My first thought when I looked at the place was adult video store, but those places usually had signs describing what they were. The only signage on this building was a metal sign that said ‘Lonny’s’.

  “A bar. It’s only been open a few months, but it’s a nice change of pace from the other options around here.”

  “This is a bar?” I pointed toward the blue door. I kept my adult video store thought to myself. “It has a different look than I’d expect.”

  “Yes. It doesn’t look like much on the outside, but it’s rather nice on the inside.”

  “I guess looks can be deceiving.” I shrugged. I’d learned the hard way it was the same way with people.

  “They can be.” She opened her door but paused before getting out. “You are twenty-one, aren’t you?”

  “Twenty-three.” I smiled. Being legal to drink was still new enough that it was exciting.

  “Good.” Lauren opened her door. “Although I can guarantee they aren’t carding in there.”

  “I take it you’ve been here a lot?”

  “More than I’d like to admit.” She jumped down from the truck, and I walked around to meet her.

  Lauren led the way toward the building. She glanced over her shoulder at least half a dozen times before we reached the door. She took one last glance back before she pushed open the door.

  We were immediately hit by a wave of smoke as we made our way inside. Evidently there was no smoking ban in this town, or if there was one, it wasn’t being followed. The latter thought seemed more likely since the large room appeared to have absolutely no windows. I really hoped there was a good ventilation system; however, I couldn’t imagine anything about this place was up to code. By the dense crowd filling the place, they also weren’t concerned about a capacity limit.

  Lauren pressed through the crowd, and I reluctantly followed her. My eyes were already burning from the smoke, and if it had been up to me I would have hightailed it back to her truck. And back to Ian. That second thought was enough to get me to follow her further inside.

  The crowd was older than the ones I usually encountered in bars in Philadelphia, but aside from that and the abundance of cowboy hats, it didn’t seem all that different.

  Lauren stopped. “I’m going to get a beer, you want anything?”

  “Sure. Get me whatever you’re having.” I didn’t know much about beers aside from Yuengling and Victory.

  She eyed the crowd. “If I lose you, meet me on the far side of the bar.” She pointed in the direction we were already heading.

  “Ok.” I tried to follow her, but as soon as she moved forward the crowd seemed to swallow her up. I looked for a spot to slip through without being rude. I’d never been in such a crowded room before, and I wasn’t a fan of crowds. Or bars. I’d never been the type to feel particularly comfortable in bars. I didn’t have
the social ease most of my peers had, and unless I was out celebrating a friend’s birthday or something, I usually found an excuse to leave as soon as possible. I probably should have thought through all that before blindly agreeing to go with Lauren. I guess I hadn’t expected to end up in a bar.

  I finally made my way through the most densely packed part of the crowd and reached the far side of the bar. The crowd around the bar was so heavy I couldn’t see Lauren. I hoped she’d find me.

  I waited along the back wall, wishing there was an exit. Coming with Lauren had been a mistake.

  “Where’s Connor?” a low scratchy voice asked from right next to my ear.

  I jumped, taking in the guy standing next to me. He appeared to be in his mid to late twenties and wore a cowboy hat that partially obscured his face.

  “Uh, do I know you?” I wrapped my arms around myself.

  His expression was hard. “Just answer the question.”

  “Easy there, Henderson.” A second and slightly younger looking man walked over. “Talk to her nicely. She may be innocent in all this.”

  “Innocent in all what?” If they hadn’t asked about Connor I’d have thought it was mistaken identity, and maybe it still was. Connor was a fairly common name. “And I’m not sure if I’m who you think I am.”

  “You are exactly who we think you are.” The man named Henderson narrowed his eyes. “Tell us where Connor is.”

  “He’s somewhere.” I wasn’t sure if telling them he was out of town was a good idea. I scanned the room for Lauren. “And if you’ll excuse me.” I started to walk away but the second man grabbed my wrist.

  “He wouldn’t have left you by yourself, Mara.”

  I froze. He knew my name. Then I came to my senses and tried to pull away, but the guy had an iron clad grip on my wrist. “Let go of me.”

  “Where is he?” The man’s scratchy, low voice sent chills through me.

  “I don’t know where he is, and I don’t have any clue who you are.” I gazed around looking for my best means of escape.

  “You don’t need to know anything about me, but you will need to know Willem. You’ll meet him very soon.” He grinned.

  “Yeah, no thanks.” I had no interest in meeting anyone connected to these guys. I pulled my wrist away from the guy who became distracted as Lauren headed toward us.

  “Hey…” Lauren walked over warily holding a beer in each hand. “Sorry about that, I ran into someone I know.”

  I nodded. “Ok, but we need to go.”

  “What’s going on?” She asked eyeing the two men.

  “We need to go.” I repeated myself hoping she picked up on the urgency this time.

  Lauren nodded. “Gotcha.”

  Henderson turned to Lauren. “We’re going to need to take your friend with us.”

  “Like hell you are.” Lauren scowled.

  Henderson smiled. “You don’t want trouble, do you?”

  “We don’t want trouble.” She held out the beers. “So take these as a peace offering, and forget you saw us.”

  The guy accepted the beers and threw them down on the wooden floors. The glass shattered and the brown liquid splattered all over. A few people glanced in our direction, but just as quickly they turned away. “We don’t need a peace offering. We need your friend. You saved us a trip by delivering her to us.”

  A few people around us glanced over to see what the commotion was about, but no one seemed particularly concerned. What was wrong with these people?

  “I didn’t deliver her to you.” Lauren scowled. “And I’ll be taking her with me right now.”

  The second guy grabbed me from behind, and I yelled out. Lauren lunged for Henderson, and I kicked the guy holding me in the balls.

  While he was distracted Lauren throat punched the second guy. He gasped for air, and she grabbed my hand, pulling me into the crowd. She held onto my hand as we rushed toward the doorway, and she pulled me toward the truck.

  I buckled my seatbelt as she peeled out of the parking lot. “What just happened in there?”

  “You found trouble.”

  “I think trouble found me.”

  “No matter how you put it, there is only one thing you can do.”

  “What’s that?”

  “Call Ian.”

  “Call Ian? Why?”

  “Just do it.” Lauren stepped on the gas, easily going twenty over the speed limit. She glanced in the rearview mirror every few moments.

  I looked over my shoulder, but I didn’t see any cars behind us. Maybe we’d lost them, or they hadn’t bothered to follow. I still didn’t understand what they wanted with me. “I don’t have his number.” I’d gotten naked in front of the guy, yet I didn’t have his number. I was acting so out of character it wasn’t funny.

  She sighed. “How is that even possible? Take my phone.” She handed me the phone while she drove in the direction of Crestview.

  24

  Ian

  I was done wasting my time with Claire. She wasn’t giving up any other information, which meant it was time to get as far away from her as possible. Now that she knew I was interested in someone, I was going to have to be even more careful. I couldn’t let her screw things up with Mara, and I knew that was exactly what she was going to try to do.

  My phone buzzed in my pocket, and I pulled it out. I was hoping to see Mara’s name before I realized I didn’t even have her number. I was going to have to remedy that soon.

  Instead I saw Lauren’s name on the screen. She wasn’t one to call me unless it was important, so after a quick glance at Claire’s pout I picked up. “Hi, what’s going on?”

  “Ian?” Mara’s voice came through the phone. It was shaky, and I knew instantly something was wrong.

  “Mara, where are you?” My heartbeat accelerated. I was an idiot. I should have had one of my brother’s watch her. She’d have never known, and she would have been better off. “And why do you have Lauren’s phone?” That second question came to me only at the last moment.

  “I’m on Lauren’s phone because I didn’t have your number in mine. We’re on our way back to Crestview.”

  “Back to Crestview? Where were you?” She’d left town? I hadn’t even considered that possibility.

  “It’s a long story. But Lauren says we need to talk to you.” Her voice sounded stronger, and I hoped some of that had to do with the fact that she was talking to me.

  “I’ll meet you at your place then. I’ll be there before you are.” I’d make sure of it, but first I had to get rid of Claire.

  “Ok. Thanks.” Mara hung up.

  I looked at Claire. “We’re going to have to cut this short.”

  “Mara?” Claire’s eyes twinkled. “That’s the girl’s name?”

  “I already told you she is none of your business.”

  “This again? I’m merely asking out of curiosity. I assume I’ll be seeing a lot of her if she’s going to be your mate.” Claire sighed. “And we both know that’s what she’s going to be.”

  “There is no reason for you to see her.”

  “You can stop fucking me, Ian, but you can’t completely cut me out of your life.” There was a threat in Claire’s voice I didn’t like.

  I stepped toward her. “I can do whatever I want to.”

  “No you can’t. Our packs have a truce. We have to stay on good terms.”

  “Yet you’re sleeping with the enemy.”

  “I never said I was.” She crossed her arms.

  “You said you and your sisters were friendly with them. That might as well be the same thing.”

  “Is that jealousy I hear?” She dropped her arms to the side.

  “No. It’s called protecting my family.”

  “So let’s go see this Mara and make sure she’s okay.”

  I shook my head. “You aren’t coming with me.”

  “Is that the way you treat me after I gave you all that information? You can at least pretend to appreciate it.”

 
“Your appreciation is going to come in the form of the ten grand I’ll wire you tonight.”

  “Money can’t buy everything.” She batted her eyes.

  “No, but it can buy you.” My words were mean, but it was the only way things worked with this cheetah. She was cold, and the only types of overtures she responded to were ones that matched her own.

  “I’m going to write this attitude off to you needing some. The girl is driving you wild, and until you claim her you’re going to be off your rocker.”

  “You make it sound like you want me to claim her.” I stepped back.

  “Ian, honey. I like you. We both know I like you, but there are plenty of other men out there for the needs you used to fill for me. More importantly, your pack needs to survive in order for mine to stay here, and that means you need to do your job. You’re not going to do that acting like a horney school boy.”

  “I am not acting like that.”

  “Stop while you’re ahead. Go see the girl, but know that I’m going to be meeting with her. Who knows, maybe we’ll be good friends.”

  “She’s not going to be your friend.”

  Claire sighed dramatically. “We’ll have to wait and see.” She pulled off the borrowed t-shirt and dropped in into the dirt. “I’ll see you around, Ian.” The air shimmered and she shifted back into her cheetah form.

  I waited until she’d disappeared into the brush before stripping down and shifting back into my bear. I’d get to Mara much faster that way.

  I felt stronger and sharper as I ran toward Mrs. Peterson’s. I could sense Mara now. She was close, and that only pushed me to run faster. I had to reach her. I had to make sure she was okay.

  I couldn’t help but think about Claire’s words. About me needing to claim Mara in order to do my job. I knew Claire was right. I was distracted, and if a rival pack was trying to take our land, I couldn’t afford to be.

  But I also couldn’t afford to rush things. Mara would agree to be my mate. She knew the connection was real. She could feel it, maybe not as much as I could, but enough. I didn’t want anything to be forced. I wanted her to want to be mine. I wanted no regrets. They would only cause problems later on. Being my mate wouldn’t be an easy road, but I’d make it a good one for her. I’d protect her at all costs and make sure she wanted for nothing. Unfortunately, no matter how much I gave her, she still had to accept she was going to be mated to a bear.