Hunt (The Grizzly Brothers Chronicles Book 1)

by Alyssa Rose Ivy

  “Negotiate a new deal?” I ignored all of the insults in his statement even though they stung. “I’m well aware I’m not a great prize, but why are you making all this up?”

  “I’m not making anything up.”

  “Yes you are. My dad did not promise me to some thug. Ok? What’s really going on?” I hoped the real story wasn’t as bad as this one.

  “Willem isn’t a thug… exactly.”

  “Not exactly?” That wasn’t reassuring.

  Connor looked at something over my shoulder. I turned and found Ian glaring in Connor’s direction. When he caught me looking his expression softened. I turned back toward Connor.

  “I can get you out of this. Then I will have upheld my promise to your grandfather. You can go on with your life, and I can go on with mine.”

  “When did you start to hate me?” I hadn’t realized it until that moment, but it made sense. When he’d left the farm he’d left me, and he wasn’t happy when I showed up at his law school. But it had been the closest school that also offered me a partial scholarship.

  “I don’t hate you.”

  “You do.” My hand fisted at my side. I was filled with a more intense anger than I’d ever felt before. “And I care even though I shouldn’t.”

  “Why would you think I’d hate you?”

  “Because you can’t even meet my eyes. You’re all excited to get rid of me.” I forced myself to keep eye contact even though all I wanted to do was look, or better yet, run away. “But don’t worry, I won’t be in any of your classes next year, so you’ll never have to deal with me again.”

  “I don’t hate you. I’m sorry if I’ve made you feel like I do. Although if you truly believed that, why would you even be here?”

  “You’re the closest thing to family I have.” A tear slipped down my face. I didn’t have the energy to stop it.

  Connor sighed. “Why do you have to say stuff like that?”

  “Like what?”

  “Like that. Are you trying to make me feel bad?”

  “No. It doesn’t matter. Don’t worry about me. I’ll head back home and find a job for the summer.”

  “You can do anything you want once we get you out of the Willem mess. I can also give you money if you need it.”

  “I don’t want your money.”

  “Go get your stuff.”

  “I’m not going anywhere with you.” The tears stopped as the anger replaced the hurt.

  “Why not?”

  Was he seriously asking me that question? “This is insane. Even if what you were saying is true, why in the world would I go meet Willem? Isn’t it in my best interest to stay far away? I still can’t believe you’d bring me this close to him.”

  “He’d find you anywhere. And he has the right to. Even the highest councils and chiefs would agree, even if they don’t condone our methods anymore.”

  “The highest councils and chiefs?” What was he even talking about?

  “There is so much for you to learn.”

  “And I am sure I’ll learn it all on my own.” I didn’t dial back the sarcasm.

  “I didn’t mean I’d never see you again.” There was a sadness in his voice that didn’t fit anything else he’d said or done.

  “Whatever. Bye, Connor.” I prepared myself to walk away.

  “You have to come with me.”

  “I don’t have to go anywhere with you.”

  He reached out and grabbed my wrist.

  I tried to move from his grip, but he held harder. “This is for your own good, you don’t want him to come for you on his own. It’s bad enough his men found you at that bar.”

  Ian was next to me in a blur. My wrist was out of Connor’s grasp, and Ian pushed me behind him. “Do not touch her.”

  “Mara will be leaving with me now.” Connor remained calm.

  “She’s not going anywhere.” Ian glowered.

  “It’s for her own good, and it’s in both of your interests that your little fling doesn’t become public knowledge.”

  “There’s no little fling. Mara is with me. You will leave my property.”

  “I’m not going anywhere without Mara.”

  “Sure you are.” Tyler walked over. “You are going to drive off just the way you came. Otherwise we can make you leave, and you’re not going to like that.”

  “Just leave, Connor. Please.” I was exhausted and freaked out enough already. I didn’t need them to get into an all-out fight. I may have only recently met Ian, but at least he wasn’t talking about turning me over to someone who supposedly owned me. Connor had lost his mind, and I wasn’t going anywhere with him.

  “I’m not leaving you here.” Connor stepped closer. “Come with me.”

  “You’ve got to be crazy.”

  “I’m not crazy. I’m looking out for your best interests. You are only going to make things worse if you don’t come.”

  “I’m not going anywhere with you.” Somehow having Ian next to me made me feel more confident. Not that I would have gone with Connor anyway.

  “You have to. What part of the situation don’t you understand?”

  “Is there a problem here?” Noah walked over.

  “No problem. Just waiting for this pinhead to step away from Mara so we can leave.” Connor clenched his jaw.

  “Tyler, please walk Mara back up to the house.” Ian’s eyes darkened.

  Tyler nodded and walked to my side.

  “Just leave, Connor. Don’t make this a bigger deal than it has to be,” I pleaded with him. “I’m not sure why you’re doing this, and I don’t even care. Just go.”

  “It’s going to be disastrous if you don’t come,” He pleaded right back.

  “Get off my property now.” Ian boomed. “This is your last warning.”

  “I’m not leaving without her.” Connor reached out for me again.

  “Tyler, get her out of here.” Ian gritted his teeth. His whole body started to shake.

  Tyler picked me up and started running toward the house.

  “Put me down!” I yelled. I may have wanted to avoid leaving with Connor, but that didn’t mean I wanted to be carried off like a sack of potatoes either.

  “Not yet.” Tyler held onto me tightly, holding down my hands and legs so I couldn’t hit or kick him.

  I looked back toward the spot we’d just left, and I blinked over and over. Ian and Connor were nowhere to be seen, and in their place stood two enormous bears.

  30

  Ian

  I hoped Tyler ran fast. I didn’t want Mara to see my bear form until I had a chance to explain, but I couldn’t hold off the change any longer. Connor had crossed the line, and my bear wasn’t going to hold back.

  My vision tunneled before normalizing, and I watched without surprise as Connor shifted into a bear beside me. I’d known what he was from the moment I met him.

  He lunged for me, but I saw it coming. I dodged him and slashed my claws across his face as I sprang for him, pinning him to the ground. Before he could retaliate, I had my jaws around his neck, poised to rip his flesh.

  He turned his head to the side, giving me the sign of his submission. He wasn’t stupid after all.

  We shifted back to our human forms, and Noah and Jasper grabbed him off the ground.

  There were so many questions to ask him, but I needed to see Mara first. I had to find out how much she’d seen.

  My brothers could be pains, but they could also be helpful. While Noah and Jasper handled Connor, Tyler walked out with yet another pair of my jeans. “I figured you might prefer to have this conversation dressed.”

  “You mean she’d prefer it.”

  “I wish Grady was here. He’d love to listen to this conversation.” Tyler looked wistful, and I knew he wasn’t only thinking about our brother who was out of town. He was also thinking of Jonovan.

  I didn’t call him on it. There was no point. “I need to get this over with.” I nodded at Tyler and walked into my house.

  �
�What?" Mara met me by the front door with wild eyes. I took it as a good sign that she wasn’t hiding from me. "Why are there bears on your property? Those were bears, weren't they?”

  I considered the possible responses I could give. I might as well get it over with. "Yes. They were bears."

  "Why? Why were there bears?" Mara sat down on the couch and pulled her knees up to her chin.

  I kneeled down in front of her. "This might be a little hard for you to accept."

  "Hard for me to accept?"

  "Yes." I took a deep breath. “And you may think I’m lying to you, but I’m not.”

  “Uh…” She stared at me. “I don’t even know what I’m supposed to say in response to that.”

  “Just spit it out, man.” Tyler walked in. So much for giving me space. “Dragging it out isn’t going to help things.”

  “I’m, or rather we’re,” I gestured to my brother. “We’re not human.”

  “Umm… what?” She sat forward on the couch.

  “Those bears. Well, one of them. The big one was me.” I had to add in the big part. I didn’t get the sense she was interested in Connor, but that didn’t mean I wouldn’t emphasize who made the better bear.

  Mara’s jaw dropped.

  “Yeah, I told you it would sound crazy.”

  “And I thought I’d finally met a good one.” She put her hands over her face.

  “I am a good one. Not a human, but a good guy.” And the right guy for her. She’d eventually understand. She had to.

  “Wait, and who was the other bear?” Mara pulled her knees even tighter against her. “I bet that was Connor, huh?” She laughed.

  “It was.”

  She stopped laughing. “Ok. Joke’s over.”

  “This isn’t a joke.”

  “You expect me to believe you can turn into a bear?” She lowered her knees.

  “Yes.”

  “You’re crazy.” She leaned back on the couch.

  “You saw two bears right where Connor and I were standing, didn’t you?” I couldn’t be completely sure what she saw, but she’d seen bears.

  “Yes.” She nodded. “But those were real bears.”

  “I am a real bear. I just happen to have a human form as well.” Explaining my shifter existence was hard to do. My two forms were separate, yet they were also combined.

  “And you just switch between them?” She flailed with her arm. “Like someone changes clothes?”

  “It’s a bit more complicated than that, but yes, that’s the general concept.” It was far more complicated than that, but I wanted to keep the conversation moving.

  “Why are you doing this?”

  “Doing what?”

  “Making this up? Is this all a joke? Convince me to sleep with you and then make me feel like an idiot?”

  “What?” I took both her hands in mine. “First of all, you wanted to sleep with me. It had nothing to do with me convincing you. And second, you’re not an idiot. This isn’t a joke. It’s real. And you’re somehow part of this world too, you just don’t know it.”

  “Now that’s impossible.” She pulled her hands away.

  “Why?”

  “Don’t you think I’d know if I could change into another animal?”

  “I never said you were a shifter, but someone in your family is. Didn’t you hear Connor? He said part of ‘our world.’ That implies you have some tie to it.”

  “Where is Connor?” She glanced around. “I want to see him.”

  “Are you sure?” I asked. “You seemed pretty angry at him.”

  “I’m angry at you too.”

  “Angry at me?” I rose from my knees and sat beside her. “Why would you be angry at me?”

  “Because.. argh. Forget it. Get Connor.”

  “I can have him brought in,” Tyler offered. He was so quick to offer to help her, and I understood why.

  “Fine. But keep him away from her. I don’t trust him.”

  “Connor wouldn’t hurt me.” She lifted her chin. “I know he wouldn’t.”

  “Are you sure?” I tried to keep my voice nonchalant. “Are you sure you really know him?”

  “Yes.” She let out a slow breath. “At least I think I do.”

  “If he says anything to upset you, he’s leaving.” I wasn’t letting him bother her, especially not in my home.

  Tyler headed outside and reappeared a few minutes later with Jasper and Noah. They dragged Connor in. His hands and legs were bound, and he was thankfully wearing pants.

  Mara stood and walked right over to him. I forced myself to hang back. “Are you human?”

  “Did he tell you?” Connor glared at me.

  “You tell me. What are you?” She straightened her shoulders.

  “She wants to make sure I wasn’t lying to her.” It was going to take me awhile to regain her trust. I hadn’t had enough time to prepare her.

  “Well in that case, I’m completely human.” Connor smirked.

  Noah kicked him.

  “Be real with me, Connor. I’m tired of being lied to. What the hell is going on? Beyond all that crazy Willem talk you were telling me earlier.”

  “You saw what I am. At least I think you did.” His eyes searched hers.

  “I saw something.”

  “This is hard for me, Mara. I’ve kept it from you for so long. But it wasn’t by choice.”

  “Kept what from me?” She put a hand on her hip.

  “That I’m a bear shifter.”

  Mara wobbled ever so slightly, and I tried to steady her.

  “I’m fine.” She shrugged me off. “Let’s say I believe you, why didn’t you tell me?”

  Connor shrugged. “Because I couldn’t.”

  “Why not?”

  “Your grandfather would have killed me.”

  “And you were afraid of him? You can turn into a bear, and you were afraid of my grandfather?” Her voice oozed with skepticism.

  “You would have been too if you knew what he was. It’s what you’re supposed to be.”

  “What he was? And what do you mean what I’m supposed to be?” She shook, and I reached out for her again. This time she didn’t push me off.

  “Ok, I’ll start with the easy part.” Connor nodded.

  “Is there any part of this that’s easy?” Mara leaned back into me.

  Noah laughed. Mara glared at him, and he stopped.

  I waited impatiently, as eager as Mara to hear what Connor had to say.

  Connor closed his eyes and then opened them after a moment. “Your father is a bear shifter.”

  “What?” I hadn’t been expecting those words to come out of his mouth. “But she’s not an Ursus. I can tell.”

  “Ursus? Again with that?” Mara turned in my arms to look at me.

  “It’s the name of our people, but that isn’t the point,” Connor explained before I could.

  Mara turned back toward him. “Then what’s the point?”

  “Your dominant side should be what your mom was. That’s your grandfather’s line.”

  “I know which parent he’s related to.” Mara shook her head.

  “I know, but your friends here might not know that.”

  “And you care if they do?” Mara straightened up but didn’t move away.

  “Yes, because they need to understand what they’ve walked into.”

  “Spit it out. What aren’t you saying?” My patience was wearing thin.

  Connor looked right at me. “A Séancer.”

  “A what?” Mara asked.

  “A Séancer.” Connor repeated the word.

  I let the word soak in. My brothers exchanged looks; they were thinking the same thing I was. It was impossible. “You can’t be serious. There are only a few lines of Séancers left.”

  “What the hell is a Séancer?” Mara pulled herself from my arms. She moved so she could see both Connor and me.

  Connor stretched his wrists inside the rope. “Have you ever heard of a necromancer?”


  “Someone who communicates with dead people?” Mara raised an eyebrow.

  “Yup. Think of that and add in some other weird abilities.”

  Mara laughed so hard her body shook. “Good one, Connor. Good one.”

  “I’m not joking. It’s important you get that. Willem expects you to be one, and we have to hope that when he finds out your abilities never showed up he will let you go. That’s what I’m banking on.” His eyes were wild. “That’s what we should all be banking on.”

  “So what was with all that how I look talk?’ She wrapped her arms around herself.

  “You couldn’t look unappealing if you tried.” Connor’s expression softened.

  I felt a growl. I didn’t want him talking about her appearance. He was interested in her even if she didn’t see it.

  “I was only saying that because I wasn’t ready to tell you the rest. Willem won’t want you if he realizes you have no abilities, but we have to make sure he believes us.”

  “Talking to the dead is a desirable ability for a girl?” She stepped away.

  “A Séancer can communicate with the dead. They can sometimes bring them back. That’s power anyone would want.” Jasper voiced exactly what I was thinking.

  I watched Mara. Nothing about her suggested she was anything but human, but maybe that side of her was lying dormant.

  “And you actually want me to believe my grandfather had that ability?” Mara pursed her lips.

  “Your grandfather, your mom. And theoretically you should have it,” Connor explained.

  “But her abilities would have manifested by now.” At least I assumed they would have. It’s not as though I’d personally known a lot of Séancers.

  “One would think.” Connor kept his eyes fixed on Mara.

  “Ok. Let’s back up a second.” Mara looked at Connor. “Why were you living on our farm? I don’t get it.”

  “Bears and Séancers have traditionally always aligned. Ian is right, there aren’t too many Séancer lines left, which is why you are so valuable. As to why I was there. Haven’t you guessed that yet?” He looked toward the window.

  “No.” She shook her head.

  “The plan was for us to end up together.” His words didn’t come as a surprise to me.