by Kim Fox
I’m staring at the screen in shock as the boys argue behind me. Vesuvius brought Kennedy here? It doesn’t make any sense. She came here by herself.
My mind starts flooding with questions. Was this all part of Vesuvius’ plan? Is he actually going to let us leave or are we playing into his hands? Is he planning on kidnapping our women?
We fell right into his scheme. I don’t know how much of this was orchestrated by Vesuvius, but I now know that we’re dealing with someone who is playing on another level. We were playing checkers and he was playing chess.
“We have to move fast.” My heart is pounding in my chest. He wants to kidnap our girls. He wants to turn us into mercenary slaves. We’re all in danger.
“Caleb,” I say, turning to him. “Go with Bryce and warn the Bounty Hunters. Bring them back here as quickly as you can.”
He nods with a frown on his face. “If I knew we were going to have action tonight I wouldn’t have eaten thirty-six hot dogs. Ugh.”
“Lachlan,” I say, turning to my best friend. “Go tell the Bedlam Bears. Tito, you go to the Bearskinn Inn and tell the Diamond Brothers. Try to convince them to come here and help. Ronin, I need you to go around town and grab any shifter you can. The police station, the firehouse. Go to the bars and restaurants. Grab anyone who’s willing to help out.”
“What about me, boss?” Kneecap asks, looking ready for anything.
“I need you to take the girls into the forest and hide them,” I say as my pulse races. “Kneecap if they come…”
“They won’t get through me,” he grunts with a fierceness in his eyes.
I nod. “I pity the shifter who tries.”
“What are you going to do, Maximus?” Lachlan asks.
It kills me to leave, but it’s the best chance we have at fighting off what’s coming. “I have to go to Colwood. The Vega Brothers, The Clawed Squad, and The Wilde Crew will want to know that the military program they destroyed is starting back up. We could use their muscle and some of their military expertise.”
I would send Tito or Ronin or anyone else, but Thorn and the other alphas will only listen to me. They’ll move quickly if the word comes from me.
Everyone is staring at me with a worried look in their eyes. I have to say something to inspire them. As alpha that tough job belongs to me.
“We’ll be okay,” I say with a hard swallow. “Be smart. Be vigilant. Do your tasks fast and then get back here as quickly as you can. Vesuvius said that we can have until tomorrow at sundown to leave. Let’s hope they don’t show up until then.”
The boys turn to their mates with hugs and kisses and words of comfort.
I turn to Kennedy who’s trying hard to hold in her tears. She’s always been so brave.
“It’s going to be okay,” I say as she melts into my embrace. I breathe in her delicious scent as I kiss the top of her head. “You’re my mate now and nothing is going to hurt you.”
“I’m your mate,” she says, smiling as she looks up at me with tears in her eyes. “I could die happy tonight knowing that.”
I kiss her softly on the lips and hold her a little tighter. “Nobody is dying tonight,” I say. “At least no one in this room.”
I hold her for another long moment, letting the boys enjoy their mates as well. “All right,” I say in my firm alpha voice. “Everyone move out. Let’s do this right.”
I take one step toward the door when the phone rings. The shrill sound cuts through the room, turning my body cold.
I swallow hard and hurry over, grabbing it as it rings for a second time.
“Hello?”
Breathing, then a whisper. “Bledsoe is headed your way.” Click.
Rigs. He made good on his promise.
“Who was it?” Lachlan asks with a worried look on his face.
I turn and face them. “We’re going to have some company.”
Chapter Eleven
Maximus
I rush outside with my boys on my heels and see Bledsoe walking onto our ranch like he owns the place. He’s flanked by Colton and Rigs.
My body tenses when we make eye contact. An hour ago, I would have given anything to face this guy and end his life, but things have changed. There are more important things to do right now.
Vesuvius is trying to take our mates and enslave the shifters of this town. We’re going to need help to defeat him. All the help we can get, even from our enemies.
“Come back for more?” Kneecap roars when he sees Bledsoe.
I can sense Kneecap’s furious grizzly bear and I know he’s about to release him. “Not yet,” I say, ordering him not to phase. “Let me talk to them first.”
We stop about ten yards from each other. I’m facing him with my crew by my side, and him with his.
I shoot a quick glance at Rigs, but he just stares back at me.
“There’s a larger matter at hand going on in Redemption Creek,” I say. “Larger than our issues and our feud. You have to listen to us.”
Bledsoe flicks his long black hair back, revealing the ugly tattoo of the Grim Reaper on his neck. He grins as he glares at me. “There’s nothing larger than my hate for you and your crew.”
“Bledsoe,” I say, narrowing my eyes on him. “You know how much I hate you, and how long I’ve been waiting to tear that arrogant head from your evil shoulders. I wouldn’t be saying this if it wasn’t absolutely necessary.”
“What is it?” Rigs asks.
Bledsoe shoots him a warning look and he slinks back.
“The dragons,” I explain. “They’re trying to turn the shifters of this town into mercenary slaves. They’re going to be kidnapping everyone’s mates and using them to force the shifters to execute their vile agenda.”
“Is that true?” Colton asks with a look of horror on his face.
“Shut up!” Bledsoe snaps. “I’m your alpha! I do the talking!”
Colton and Rigs both shut their mouths and drop their eyes to the ground as Bledsoe puffs out his wide chest.
“And you need our help?” Bledsoe asks, clearly loving this.
Asking my enemy for help is the hardest thing I’ve ever done, but I’ll do it for Kennedy. “Yes,” I say as a bad taste fills my mouth. “We need all the help we can get.”
Bledsoe chuckles. “If we had my way, the dragons would have been defeated a long time ago and we would be ruling this town.”
“Maybe,” I say, staring back at him. “Or maybe we’d all be dead.”
“I take it you’re the first crew in line for Vesuvius’ plan,” Bledsoe says with a smirk.
I take a deep breath and nod. “Yes. He’s going to try to kidnap our mates.”
Bledsoe lets out a horrified gasp, but then starts laughing. “Why do you think he let me go?”
Oh no. I’ve been wondering why Vesuvius let Bledsoe go on the street. Now that I’m about to find out, I’m feeling sick about it.
“Why do you think I showed up at Kennedy’s door after all these years?” he asks with a knowing grin.
“You’re working with him,” I whisper. How come I didn’t see it before?
Colton and Rigs glance at each other. They clearly haven’t been filled in on their alpha’s plans.
“Vesuvius hired me to chase after Kennedy, knowing the sight of my beautiful face would drive her back into your arms,” he explains with a proud look. “He knew that it was only a matter of time before you two bonded and then he could use her to control you.”
He turns to the other women and sneers. “Like he’s going to use all of these whores to control their pathetic men.”
“Watch your mouth,” Lachlan hisses.
Bledsoe is loving this. “For playing along with the dragon’s little game, I get to have my own crew on this lovely ranch.” He’s smiling as he opens his arms and looks around at our land, which he thinks will soon be his.
“We’re not going down without a fight,” I warn. “You’re three against six and we have the famous Kneecap on our side.�
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“And me,” Tito says, stepping forward.
“Right,” I say, motioning to him with my head. “And we have the cock kisser over here.”
“That was only one time!” Tito complains.
“You may have a bunch of grizzlies,” Bledsoe says with a dark smile on his face. “But I have an ace up my sleeve.”
He puts two fingers into his mouth and lets out a shrieking whistle.
Out of the darkness, a huge orange dragon appears in the sky.
We let out a collective gasp as Vesuvius’ dragon soars over the trees and lands beside Bledsoe and the boys.
The monstrous dragon towers over them. His head is the size of my pickup truck and his teeth look like they can pierce even Kneecap’s unbreakable body.
We all take a step back and gulp as we stare up at it. I was worried we’d be outmatched with the shifters from Colwood and the shifters of Redemption Creek by our side. Now, we’re totally fucked.
Bledsoe grins as he watches me. “Looks like the odds just evened up a bit.”
Chapter Twelve
Kennedy
I’m your mate. I could die happy tonight knowing that.
When I had said that earlier in Max’s cabin, I didn’t think it would be a possibility, but as I stare up at the horrifying orange dragon standing next to the grizzly bear shifters who are trying to kill me, I see that it’s not only a possibility, it’s pretty bloody likely.
The dragon starts to tremble and shake, and then starts shrinking before our terrified eyes. With a rip, he changes into his human form.
Vesuvius glares at me with his glowing orange eyes. I’m terrified as I stare back until Maximus steps in front of me, protecting me from the dragon shifter’s horrible gaze.
“No one has to get hurt,” Vesuvius says with a calm voice. “But the women are coming with me.”
“Someone is going to get hurt alright,” Kneecap says, grinding his fist into his palm. “Someone is going to get hurt real bad.”
I’m huddled by the women behind the wall of our protective men. It’s funny, but I don’t regret coming back here anymore. Even if I die tonight, it will all be worth it.
Still, I’d really like not to die.
“The women are staying with us,” Maximus says in a voice that’s thick with authority. “We know your plan with General Hunt and I’m telling you that it’s not going to happen. The Grisly Grizzlies and the shifters of Redemption Creek are free men. We will be as long as I’m alive.”
“Then I guess I’ll have to remedy that,” Vesuvius says with a grin. Kneecap doesn’t like that answer and steps forward with a growl.
“You’re trying to turn your own kind into slaves,” Max says. I can hear the disgust in his voice. “Why would you ever do that? You’re already rich and powerful.”
Vesuvius runs his hand through his hair as he watches Maximus. “Not powerful enough. Not yet.”
I shudder to think of this dragon shifter being any more powerful than he already is. He has an enormous dragon lurking inside him. What can be more powerful than that?
“The military has promised to carve me out a nice chunk of the state if I cooperate with their little program,” he says with a dark grin. “It will be mine to rule in any way that I want.”
“So, that’s what you want?” Maximus says, shaking his head. “This town isn’t big enough for you so you sell out your own kind?”
“I have to share this town with my brothers,” he says, looking pissed. “This new place will be all mine. A little slice of hell on earth.”
“I’m done listening to this bullshit,” Kneecap hisses. He turns to Max with a pleading look on his face, and Max nods.
I step back as Kneecap flexes his massive arms and runs forward. Vesuvius jumps back when he sees Redemption Creek’s toughest shifter charging at him and quickly phases back into his dragon.
The huge orange dragon explodes out of him and opens its big jaws as Kneecap approaches.
“No!” I gasp when I see the flames mushrooming in the back of the dragon’s throat.
With a whoosh the flames shoot out of his mouth, swallowing Kneecap entirely. My stomach hardens as Nora lets out the most horrifying scream.
Tears are pouring out of her eyes and it takes all of Caleb’s strength to hold her back from running to the father of her baby who is being burnt alive.
The whole dark ranch lights up under the intense flames that are shooting out of Vesuvius’ mouth like a flamethrower. They don’t stop. Why won’t they stop?
We’re all watching in horror as the heat burns our skin, even from all the way over here.
Finally, the flames subside as the dragon closes his smoking mouth. Kneecap is standing in front of him, growling. His skin is black and melting off his body in some places. Where it’s not hanging off, it’s bubbling and cracked.
I’m expecting him to collapse dead at any second, but instead, he grunts out a laugh. “That all you got, big boy?”
The shocked dragon opens his mouth to give him another fire bath, but Kneecap lunges on him and wraps his big arm around the dragon’s mouth, holding it closed as he starts pummeling his head with hard elbows.
The wall of muscled men in front of us rush forward to join in the fight. The twins and Caleb run to the dragon and jump on him as Kneecap makes him pay for showing up.
I watch in horror as Vesuvius swings his massive tail and slams it into Tito’s stomach. The poor guy goes flying all the way into the pickup truck, crashing into it with a loud thud. When he falls to the ground, the door is smashed in.
Caleb jumps on the dragon’s back but he shakes him off, sending Caleb flying backward. When he gets up he phases into his angry grizzly bear and charges back at him.
There’s so much chaos going on that I don’t know where to look. I turn back to Maximus who is approaching Bledsoe with Lachlan by his side.
“Get the girls!” Bledsoe screams to Colton and Rigs as he points right at us.
The two bear shifters shoot each other a reluctant look and then turn back to us. I squeeze my hands into fists and hold them up, daring them to come.
I don’t think I’ll be able to put up much of a fight, but at least I’ll go down swinging. It seems the four girls by my side are on the same page because all four of them are doing the same thing.
“Get them!” Bledsoe screams again when they don’t move. He’s glaring right at Maximus who starts running at him. “This one is mine!”
Chapter Thirteen
Maximus
My grizzly bear growls as I charge at Bledsoe. He’s fighting to get out, snarling and furious that I’m keeping him caged in.
Sorry, Grizz. This fucker is all mine.
I’ve been waiting so long for this moment. The anger and hate and fury of six years is boiling over into a violent rage that I’m going to unleash on my former number two.
I throw a vicious right hook as I arrive, aiming right for Bledsoe’s jaw. He ducks out of the way, but I quickly pivot and launch a flying knee that hits him square in the face.
“Oomf,” he grunts as he grabs my body and tackles me down.
Out of the corner of my eye, I see Lachlan collide into Colton, bringing him down. Rigs jumps on Lachlan’s back and that’s all I see before Bledsoe lands one of his own hard punches onto my face. My eyes squeeze shut as pain shoots through my brain like lightning.
We’re both fighting all out, kicking and punching, wrestling and trying to out-maneuver each other. We were always a close match, and I always the upper hand, but only slightly.
That was six years ago, and now as he throws me down, I can tell that I’ve gotten a little soft. The safe cushy town and weekly hot dog dinners haven’t done much for my killer’s edge. Bledsoe on the other hand has gotten faster, stronger. He’s still been living the rough outlaw lifestyle. His moves are fast, his instincts sharp.
But where I’m lacking in physicality, I more than make up in heart. I’m fighting for my mate and that makes
all the difference.
I failed to protect Kennedy once, and that’s not going to happen again.
Bledsoe lands a swift kick in my stomach, but I catch his foot and twist his leg until he falls to the ground. I leap on top of him, landing three quick punches before he covers up.
Lachlan has his hands full with Rigs and Colton. Whenever he has one of them on the ropes, the other jumps on his back, taking away his upper hand.
I steal a quick look at the boys in between punches and see Ronin flying through the air. He lands on Caleb’s cabin and disappears as he crashes through the roof, leaving a huge hole behind him.
The boys would be burnt toast if it weren’t for Kneecap who’s still holding the enormous dragon’s mouth shut as he pummels him over and over again with his meaty fist and hard elbow. His burned skin is starting to heal, but there are still huge patches hanging off him. I can see his red muscle fibers on his left arm. They move and tighten as he holds onto Vesuvius.
“I don’t know why you’re so pissed,” Bledsoe hisses as he grabs my arm and pivots away from me. We’re wrestling on the ground, both fighting to gain a better position. “Your girl looks better with the scars. They’re hiding her ugly ass face.”
A surge of adrenaline rips through me and I lunge onto him, taking him down. I straddle his chest and posture up as my bear rages inside, begging me for a turn.
Bledsoe grunts and grimaces, trying to move, but I hold him in place. “That’s my mate you’re talking about.”
He opens his mouth to make a comment so I slam my fist into his face. Over and over again.
“Max,” Lachlan grunts as Bledsoe finally goes limp.
I whip my head up just in time to see Rigs and Colton taking him down. He’s outmatched now, and he needs my help.
I slam my fist into Bledsoe’s face one more time before leaping off him and tackling Colton off my friend. He fights back, but I’m way stronger. He’s a piece of cake after just fighting Bledsoe.