Chapter 3
Ace
I was standing facing Hunter at Church. This meeting had been called to discuss our latest discovery that a local gang was running a fighting ring, using kids. I had my fists clenched on either side as I stood glaring at him. They all knew how I felt about this issue, and a small buzz of voices had rung out in the bar around me.
“Quiet. We’ll give Ace his say. Continue…” Hunter called out, and the buzz died. My brothers did as they were told.
I didn’t need to clear my voice. I was already prepared for what I was going to say.
“I was one of them, Hunter. Till you helped me get out of there. Thankfully, I was still alive,” I said, through gritted teeth. My lion prowled beneath the surface, pissed as hell. I didn’t even have a mane back then, just a scrawny little cat. Now I was the king of the jungle, and I wouldn’t let anyone forget it.
Not a day went by that I didn’t think of my life in those fighting rings. When we were pitted against each other. One shifter cub against another. Poised to break jaws, jam claws into eyes with the crowd around us roaring wild. Blood spilling everywhere, making the crowd, even more, blood thirsty. Hunter’s eye twitched as he stared back at me. He knew exactly what I was talking about. He had saved me from it.
“There are too many to save now,” he replied, in a small thoughtful grumble. I sucked in a lungful of air before I spoke again.
“And each of them deserves to keep living. I was a street kid before the Snake Skulls picked me up. I didn’t know any better. I thought that the pittance they were going to pay me to fight their fights in the ring, would pay for my mother’s medication. That finally, I would be able to provide for my family,” I said, and I could feel my blood boiling.
Hunter shifted in his seat and looked at the men standing behind me. Daredevil, Beasty, Jordan…all brothers, all shifters who were on my side. They knew every detail of my past because I had shared it with them and they knew how passionately I felt about the fighting rings.
“I know your story, Ace. I don’t need any reminders,” Hunter said, and I took a step towards him, and he arched his eyebrows.
“Hunter…you saved me,” my voice dropped by several decibels. I was willing to beg him if I had to. To get those cubs out. I had an excellent idea what kind of life they were being forced to live. The lure of petty cash for a teenager would have seemed tempting enough, but once they joined the gang, they would have no way to escape. They would be forced to fight in the rings every day. Fight till their deaths, and then new boys would be recruited for the same pitiable lives. There was no escaping that circle. Unless we did something about it.
“And I am glad I did,” Hunter said and I shook my head.
“This was me ten years ago,” I countered passionately.
“And I know you feel bad for those boys. But I'm not sure if this is a risk worth taking. If we go in there and try to close a ring that the Claws are running; it could mean that we lose our men,” Hunter growled, trying to put me back in my place but I wasn’t about to take no for an answer.
“Yes, that is a risk. But what the Claws are running is against every code of our MC. No cubs or women. Remember? Isn’t that what you taught us?” I growled and could feel my shoulders heaving as I spoke.
Hunter was studying me, from head to toe. His gaze fell on the cross on the silver chain that always hung from my neck. It had escaped out of my shirt and was hanging loose on my chest now. He stared at it for a couple of moments and then blinked.
“Yes, that is what I taught you, and I stand by it,” he said, and I tipped my head once.
“Then we should make sure that we stand up for what we believe in, and rescue those cubs,” I said, and a low buzz rang out in the bar again. Hunter looked around lazily, at his men…the men whose lives he was responsible for and then turned to me again.
“You have come a long way, Ace,” he said, and I clenched my jaws.
“Yes, I have, and I owe it all to you and this pride. I wouldn’t even have been alive if it wasn’t for you,” I reiterated, and Hunter nodded his head. I could feel my heart beating wildly in my chest. What did that nod mean? He took in a deep breath, and I could see him looking into the eyes of Daredevil and Beasty, for a sign of approval. I didn’t have to look at them to know what they were thinking.
“All right, we’ll go in,” he said, and the bar erupted in a cheer.
I found myself grinning too, a wave of relief had washed over my face. Ever since Daredevil and I had walked into that warehouse and seen the fighting ring, I hadn’t been able to stop thinking about it. The only thing that mattered to me now was rescuing those cubs, giving them a chance the way Hunter had given me.
This time it wasn’t going to be easy. Hunter had saved me from a low scale gang. Whereas now, we were going to be up against a full-fledged MC. And the Claws and us weren’t exactly on friendly terms. God damn wolves, the whole pack mentality worked against us. Most of us were big cats, except Beasty. The bear among us, but while we had each other’s backs, we didn’t think as one like wolves did. They had that advantage on us.
I felt Daredevil’s hand slap down on my shoulder and then squeeze.
“You did it, brother,” he said, and I turned to my brothers and found them smiling.
“You convinced Hunter,” Jordan said, and I nodded my head. This was just the beginning.