Hands cradling her coffee mug, Madisyn tried not to sink any deeper into her chair. Honestly, she was so exhausted, her eyelids were like lead weights. Bracken had woken her countless times through the night. There was little he hadn’t done to her body. At this point, he probably knew it better than she did. He’d certainly staked his claim on her in his own way.
He’d continued staking said claim this morning, waking her by lashing her clit with his tongue. After eating her out, he’d joined her in the shower and fucked her against the tiled wall. Every muscle in her body felt loose, languid, and deliciously used. Well, at least the touch-hunger had been well and truly sated.
Cup in hand, Bracken boldly stared at her, eyes glittering with intensity and sheer male satisfaction. He’d twisted both their chairs so that they were facing each other, his thighs bracketing hers. Each time he cast a glance at the gouges on her kitchen table courtesy of her claws, his mouth curved. Smug bastard.
“I’ll be making an announcement to the pack about us this morning.” Idling rubbing her thigh, he sipped his coffee. “Want to be there?”
And have them all descend on her in a flurry of hugs and congratulations? Um, no. Madisyn didn’t like fuss. “Can’t. I have to be at the shelter in half an hour.”
Bracken stifled a smile, probably sensing her relief at having an excuse not to go. “Be warned: you’ll probably get dozens of messages welcoming you to the pack.”
“I’m not part of it.”
“Not in the official sense of the word, no. But you’re mine. That makes you a Mercury Pack member by default.”
“They may not welcome a pallas cat.”
He snorted. “Shaya and Ally are overexcited at the idea. Kathy may be leery of you, since she had a bad experience with one of your kind, but it’s mostly because she just doesn’t like change—something you can relate to. And she’s very protective of the pack, sees threats to it everywhere. But you can handle her.” As a huge yawn escaped her, he raised a brow. “Tired?”
“Someone kept me awake a lot last night.”
“I’d say you got more sleep than me. You could’ve warned me that you talk in your sleep.”
She tensed. “I do not talk in my sleep.” Oh, but she knew she did. Makenna had teased her about it endlessly when they lived at the shelter.
“You were mumbling something. I thought you were awake, so I asked what was wrong. You mumbled something else and then said, ‘Ask Old MacDonald; how would I fucking know?’”
Madisyn felt heat rush to her cheeks. She gave a delicate sniff. “I did not say that.”
He chuckled. “You did. Then later you said, ‘Ground Control, this is Major Drake. Yes, it is. You calling me a fucking liar?’”
She calmly took a sip of her coffee. “You were dreaming.”
He chuckled again. “Yeah, that must be it.” His gaze drifted down to the bite on her neck. “Don’t cover it up today. I want people to see it. I want them to know you’re off-limits.”
“Yeah, I got that when you bit it again to make it deeper. Like it wasn’t already far too noticeable.”
“Hey, the brand you left on me is just as noticeable.” His fingers reached back and breezed over the rake marks on his nape, and his mouth again canted up.
She rolled her eyes. “You’re smug about that, aren’t you?”
“Hell, yeah. You clawed me deep enough to scar. I like that.”
“Maybe I was just giving you a taste of your own medicine.”
“Give me as many tastes of it as you want,” he invited. She chuckled, warming all the empty spots inside him. Bracken tilted his head. “I don’t think I’ve ever made you laugh before.”
“You amused me. Mostly when you ground your teeth, or a muscle in your cheek ticked at something I said.”
“I kind of liked it when I made your eyelid twitch or an annoyed flush stain your cheeks.” He took another sip of his coffee. “If I’m honest, I once contemplated trying to irritate you bad enough that you’d have a permanent eye twitch. You just look so cute when you’re cranky. Kind of like your cat.” Placing his empty cup on the table, he leaned forward, smoothing both hands up her thighs. “I want some time with her.”
She snickered. “You mean you want a chance to snuggle up to her and win her over.”
“She’s mine too.” He nuzzled her neck, greedy for more of that scent that both soothed and drove him wild. “Always loved your scent. I smell you, and I’m hard. It’s been like that since minute one.” Pulling back, he tucked her hair behind her ear. “I should have paid more attention to that. Maybe I did. Maybe I just wasn’t ready for what it meant.”
“Are you ready now?”
“More than ready. So are you. You’re just a little wary.” He sank back into his chair. “But we’ll deal with that.”
Madisyn tapped her fingers on her cup. “What do you think it will take to clear the path for the mating bond?”
“Fears, secrets, and doubts about mating usually jam the frequency. I’m not keeping any secrets. You?”
She shook her head. “No secrets.”
“I don’t have any doubts about claiming you—I want it more than anything. But until you’re sure to your bones that I want you more than I want the bond itself, the frequency will remain jammed.” He let out a long breath. “We had no chance of initially sensing the bond, did we? You’re a private, self-contained person with sky-high walls. And I was always wary of mating.”
She cocked her head. “Why?”
“My dad was Beta male of his pack. He’d worked his way up from enforcer, and he was next in line to be Alpha. My mom wasn’t from his pack, and she had no interest in joining it—didn’t get along well with his family, didn’t like his friends. To be with her, he had to leave his pack, which meant giving up what he’d worked toward for so long: becoming Alpha. He saw less and less of his family and friends until, eventually, he rarely saw them at all. I don’t think she meant to isolate him from them. Not consciously. But she did. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t dream of being an Alpha—it holds no interest for me.”
“But you’re close to Zander and Jesse, and you’ve already switched packs once. You’ve found your place with the Mercury Pack, and you don’t want to give it up.”
He nodded. “I also didn’t want to force my mate to give up her pack, family, and friends. It wasn’t that I didn’t want to find you. I just worried that I’d find myself in that situation. And that worry jammed the frequency.”
“I’m not going to ask you to leave your pack just because I’m wary of joining it.”
“I would leave if you asked. You come first. It’s that simple.” He doodled patterns on her thigh, adding, “I know enough about you to understand why you’ll find living on pack territory difficult. But we don’t have to live there, Madisyn. We can make a home elsewhere and still be part of the pack. Look at Roni and Marcus. Sometimes they stay on Mercury land; sometimes they stay at Phoenix territory. You could still keep your house. We can spend some time here and some time at my place. I think you’ll like my lodge. It’s quiet. Isolated. My point is that we can compromise.”
“Compromise” wasn’t a word she’d have expected him to use. “I’ll find it hard to answer to people.”
“You don’t have to tell me that, baby. I already know it. But Nick and Shaya don’t want a flock of sheep. They won’t try to rule you. Won’t try to steal any of your independence.”
Madisyn drained her cup and set it on the table. “But I would have to obey them in some respects. I’ll find that hard. And if they wanted to punish me for a transgression of any kind, I wouldn’t just take it. I’d fight.”
“Roni’s as highly dominant as you. She likes to go her own way, which Nick knows and respects even though it annoys him at times. He’s never tried to change her. Never threatened to revoke her status just because she disobeyed him. That’s not how it works. You’ll learn that for yourself if you spend some time on my territory. I swear, baby, if you don’t feel you can live there full-time, we won’t. We’ll just divide our time between here and there.”
Mouth curling, Madisyn shot him an accusatory, narrow-eyed look. “You’re sneaky.”
His brows lifted. “I am?”
“Oh yeah. Don’t think I’m not onto you. Even while you’re being reasonable and talking about compromise, you’re still smoothly in control. Telling me what you’ll so nicely do to make the situation work is effectively controlling it.”
Bracken leaned forward and pressed a soft kiss to her lips. “Did you expect any different?”
“No. I like that you’re being the real you.”
“We can’t build anything if it’s founded on something fake. People often show their best sides when they’re dating, which is understandable. But as I said, we’re not dating. This is far more serious. I may take you places and buy you things, but it will be because I want to—not because I’m trying to steadily charm my way into your life. I’m already in it. Firmly in it.”
“Some girls might have appreciated a little wooing.”
He smiled. “Not you. You wouldn’t want me jumping through hoops to prove myself to you.”
He was right about that. She didn’t want him twisting himself into a pretzel trying to please her. She just wanted . . . him.
“Now give me more of that mouth,” said Bracken. “We both have to leave, and I want to take the taste and scent of you with me.” She moved closer, parting her lips, and he took what she offered. Kissed her until they were both panting, needy, and hungry for more. Cock so hard it hurt, he rested his forehead against hers. “I’ll follow you to the shelter and then head home. Don’t argue. It’s pointless. I need to see you get there safely. And don’t forget the promise you made me last night.”
“Like you’d let me forget.”
They walked out together, and he gave her yet another kiss before opening her car door. “I’ll see you later.”
“Later,” she agreed, sliding into her car.
As she drove to the shelter with him following close behind, Madisyn marveled over how . . . easy it had been to spend her morning with him. She didn’t feel like he’d treaded on her privacy and disturbed the quiet she treasured. Didn’t feel like he’d invaded her space—it felt more like he’d quite simply fit into it.
Maybe the overnight shift in their dynamics should have felt weird. It didn’t. It felt more like a natural—albeit fast—progression, because she could already feel threads of protectiveness, respect, possessiveness, and affection forming between them. Probably because the seeds of those emotions had already been there.
Yeah . . . maybe they would fit just fine.
Striding into the living area of the main lodge, Bracken found his pack mates scattered around the room. Some sat on the sofas and chairs, while others settled on the large rug in front of the stone fireplace. Only Nick, Eli, Derren, and the pups were absent, so he figured this was as good a time as any to make his little announcement. But then the people around him glanced up, offering him breezy and far-too-casual smiles.
Sighing, he raised a brow at Shaya, who was curled up in an armchair. “They know, don’t they?”
The redhead glanced at Ally, who flushed and said, “It wasn’t my fault.” Which meant it was her fault.
From the sofa, Gwen sheepishly raised her hand. “It was kind of mine.” The only human in the pack also happened to be Zander’s mate. “Ally whispered to me how cool it was that you and Madisyn were mates, figuring that Zander had already told me. But I’d only just got back from my shift at the motel, so he hadn’t had a chance yet.” Like the Velvet Lounge, the motel was owned by the pack. “Stunned, I burst out, ‘Bracken and Madisyn are mates?’ And I said it kind of loud, which—considering how acute shifter hearing is—means I might as well have screeched it into an amplifying microphone.”
Zander squeezed his mate’s nape and then picked up the story. “Caleb heard Gwen and echoed exactly what she said. Kent and Kathy both heard him. Realizing she’d been kept out of the loop, Kathy started complaining how unfair it was that she was one of the last to know you’d found your mate—that was when Roni and Marcus walked in. And so now, yeah, everyone knows. But it’s not Gwen’s fault.”
“Seriously, Bracken, congrats,” said Harley. “Madisyn’s cool. You lucked out.” Everybody echoed that, offering their own well-wishes. Well, almost everyone.
Kathy twisted her fingers. “I’m happy for you, Bracken. I am. And I like Madisyn. It’s just that . . . well, I worry about you. You’ve been through a lot. And Madisyn’s not the most compassionate of people. She’s—”
“What I need,” he finished.
“Bracken, she’s a rather unpredictable character. You don’t need unpredictability at this point in your life. You need consistency. Stability. Support.” Kathy raised her hands. “All I’m saying is that it would be best if you took it slow.”
Not liking the interference, his wolf bristled. “Are you sure you’re not just a little biased, considering how much you dislike pallas cats?”
Kathy stilled. “What?”
Ally winced. “Oh yeah, I didn’t mention that part to her.”
“Pallas cat?” Kathy’s hands fisted. “Madisyn’s a pallas cat? Really?”
“Really,” said Bracken.
Eyes wide, Kent sat up straighter on the rug. “Oh my God, how awesome is that? I didn’t think they truly existed.”
Gwen’s nose wrinkled. “What are pallas cats?”
Roni grinned at Gwen. “Oh, let me tell you, they are fascinating.”
Incredulous, Kathy whirled on her daughter. “Fascinating?”
Appearing to enjoy her mother’s annoyance, Roni shrugged innocently. “Well, they are.”
Bracken sighed. “Kathy, don’t start with the drama. It’s no big deal.”
Stiffly, the older female turned back to face him. “No big deal? Do you even know what a pallas cat is?”
“Of course I do,” said Bracken, impatient. “And I’m sorry that you had your ass handed to you by one—”
Kathy jerked back. “Excuse me?”
“—but you will not vent your anger at that feline on my mate. No fucking way. I won’t stand for it. What’s more, she won’t stand for it.”
“They’re vicious little shits, Bracken.”
“Endearingly vicious,” Roni cut in.
Kathy ignored that. “They fly into rages.”
“Deadly cute rages,” said Roni.
“It’s not even a berserk rage, which I could at least admire.” Kathy put her hands on her hips. “They’re just downright mean.”
Roni raised a finger. “Adorably mean.”
Once again, Kathy rounded on her daughter. “God, will you stop?”
“No, you stop,” snapped Shaya, firm. “This is Bracken’s mate we’re talking about here, Kathy. He can’t change what she is, and he wouldn’t want to. Whining about Madisyn being a pallas cat is just dumb. Accept it, and move on with your day.”
Kathy flushed. “And when her animal takes a bite out of your ass, literally, then what?”
Roni gaped at her mother. “The pallas cat you fought took an honest-to-God bite out of your ass? Seriously?”
Kathy’s nostrils flared. “We’re not talking about me.” Turning to Bracken, she lifted her chin and seemed about to speak.
“I don’t want to hear it,” said Bracken. “The situation is what it is. Like Shaya said, I can’t change what Madisyn is. Wouldn’t if I could. You don’t have to like her kind—quite frankly, I don’t think she’ll care either way. But out of respect for me, if nothing else, I’m hoping you won’t take out your dislike of her kind on Madisyn. If you do, you and I are going to have big problems. You’re my pack mate, and I respect you. But she’s my true mate, and that makes her a billion times more important to me than you.”
Face red, eyes glittering, Kathy stared at him a moment. He thought she’d argue. Instead, she flounced off in a huff just as Nick came strolling inside with the pups.
Willow curled herself around Bracken’s leg. “I want a monster truck.”
He felt his mouth curve. “I see. Well, maybe your dad will buy you one for your eighteenth birthday.”
Her little button nose wrinkled. “That’s ages away.”
Cassidy, a one-time resident of the shelter who was also a Seer, said, “Maybe your true mate will have one. Then he can give you a ride in it.”
Nick winced, and Bracken knew the Alpha didn’t want to think of his little girl all grown up, dating boys.
Willow cocked her head. “Bracken, did you know that Cassidy’s a virgin?”
Bracken stiffened. “Um . . .” He looked at the others for guidance, but they were all staring at Willow with a kind of horrified amusement.
Cassidy rolled her eyes. “It’s ‘Virgo,’ Willow. ‘Virgo.’”
“Oh.” Willow frowned. “Then what’s a ‘virgin’? Daddy, do you know what it is?”
Eyes wide, mouth bobbing open and closed, Nick thrust a hand through his hair. “It’s, um, a business. It has airlines and other stuff.”
“Oh,” both girls said in unison.
As the two pups joined Caleb and Kent on the rug, Nick blew out a breath like he’d dodged a bullet. He glared at his laughing mate. “That wasn’t funny.”
Shaya flicked away a tear. “No, it was freaking hilarious.”
Shaking his head, Nick turned to Bracken. “On to a different subject . . . I’m guessing my mother didn’t take it well that Madisyn is a pallas cat.”
Marcus shrugged. “I wouldn’t worry about it. Something tells me that Madisyn has dealt with way worse than Kathy Axton in her life.”
Roni frowned at her mate. “That doesn’t mean she should have to deal with my mother. I’m sorry she’s being such a pain in the ass, Bracken.”
“I’ll talk to her,” Nick assured him. “I can’t say I’m positive that it’ll achieve anything, but I’ll give it a shot.”
Shaya clasped her hands together. “So when is Madisyn moving here?”
“Not sure yet,” said Bracken. “It won’t be easy to get her to leave her home, especially when it would mean exchanging peace and privacy for pack-life. She’s also unsure how she’ll handle answering to people. I don’t think Madisyn has really recognized many people as actual authority figures, no matter how dominant they are.”
Shaya’s smile slipped away. “Oh, I don’t want her to be leery of joining. We should throw a welcome party.”
Harley’s face scrunched up. “I don’t think she’d appreciate a gathering that’s centered around her.”
“We could throw a barbecue,” suggested Ally. “We could invite Dawn and the Phoenix Pack so that the gathering isn’t so small that it’s too intimate, which would stop Madisyn from feeling awkward. It could be a subtle gesture of welcome.”
While the females started planning the barbecue, Nick strode over to Bracken. “Did Madisyn tell you about the sows?”
“Yes,” replied Bracken. “She couldn’t before because it was shelter business.”
Nick nodded. “Dawn called me last night and explained everything. I had Donovan look into the Maverick Clan. I’d heard a little about them, so I knew they were involved in drugs. It gets worse. There isn’t a lot these bears haven’t dabbled in. Extortion, theft, arson, money laundering, assault—the list goes on. But that doesn’t surprise me, considering they also snatch females from other clans. I mean, what the fuck is that?”
“Something a real Alpha would never do,” said Bracken.
Nick grunted. “Well, the guy who calls himself their Alpha is a bear who goes by Archer. He was next in line to be Alpha, so he walked into the position after their prior Alpha recently died. Before that, Archer was a very hands-on Beta who liked to do the dirty work. Especially beatings. I guess you could say he was the Alpha’s muscle for a long time, and people genuinely fear Archer. He didn’t need to go snatching females from other clans to make a point. Maybe he thought that to change the tradition would be to show weakness, or maybe he just likes the idea of causing suffering to others—who the fuck knows? What I do know is that this isn’t over. He’s not a person who would walk away just because a pallas cat is acting stubborn.”
“I agree. Which means we need to find them and deliver a little warning.”
“Warning? I want some fucking justice after those sows knocked you down.”
Honestly, Bracken found it hard to share Nick’s rage over the incident when he knew for a fact that he’d still be in the dark about Madisyn being his mate if it hadn’t happened. “He’ll likely insist they acted without his consent, apologize for their behavior, and assure us that they’ve been punished—something we can’t disprove, which means we also can’t insist he hand them over to us or hold him responsible. They probably didn’t have his consent to strike at Madisyn through me. It’s too much of a stupid move.”
Nick inclined his head. “But they will have had his consent to do what it took to get answers from Madisyn.”
“Which is why I need to have a chat with Archer. Do they have chapters? Because if they have any here in California, it’s logical that they’re staying with one of them.”
“That was my thought. Donovan said they have two in California. One in San Francisco, one in Napa County. Both are too far away from here to be a convenient base for the clan.”
Bracken grimaced. “Fuck.”
“We don’t need to go looking for them. They’ll surface sooner or later. When that happens, we’ll deal with them.”
Stacking the dishwasher later that day just as her shift was ending, Madisyn heard the kitchen doors swing open. Looking up, she expected to see one of the other volunteers enter, carrying trays of empty plates they’d collected from the shelter cafeteria. Instead, it was Makenna.
“I just had a call from Taryn,” said the she-wolf. “She wanted to know if I knew you were Bracken’s true mate. Apparently, he made an announcement to his pack earlier. Shaya called her, all excited about it.”
Madisyn straightened. “Yeah, he did. Most of them sent me text messages, congratulating me on finding my mate and expressing their hopes that I’ll join the pack soon.”
“Aw, that’s nice.” Makenna crossed to her, smiling. “I was just about to ask if you saw him last night, but it’s obvious that you did. Smells like he rubbed himself all over you to make a point to any shifter male who came too close. As if the bite on your neck isn’t enough of a warning. It’s kind of cute.”
He had rubbed himself all over her. He’d done it when Madisyn got out of the shower, not liking that the water had washed away some of his scent from her skin.
“So what happened? Did you guys have a good talk? Clear the air?”
“Yes, we did.” As she continued to load the dishwasher, Madisyn gave a short but sweet account of her conversation with him. Done with her shift, she then began a slow walk out of the kitchen and through the cafeteria as she told the she-wolf all about her mind-meltingly hot night with Bracken. With each little detail, Makenna’s smile widened.
“I always figured he’d know his way around the female body.” Makenna fanned her face. “You can just tell by the self-assured way he carries himself. How’s your cat feeling about all this?”
“Weird. Like she’s presiding over the situation, watching and waiting. Bracken said he wants some time with her.”
Makenna chuckled. “He’s thinking if he just gives her some cuddles, she’ll melt right into him. Have you told him what you are yet?”
“I didn’t need to. Somehow, he got hold of the Enigma CCTV footage and saw my brawl with the sows. All of the Mercury Pack must know what I am by now.”
A line formed between Makenna’s brows. “Taryn didn’t mention that part. She was too excited about the idea that Bracken would now have a real chance at healing. Everyone’s been super worried about him.”
Yeah, Madisyn had figured everyone would rely on her to heal him. That terrified her. She didn’t think of herself as a person who others would find comforting. She was more likely to test his sanity than anchor him. It was a hell of a weight to carry, but it came with the mating bond.
“You know, if he saw your cat maul a bear and he still wants some time with her, that’s really kind of sweet. It’s also ballsy. So what happens next?”
Madisyn blew out a breath. “We just keep getting to know each other, I guess.”
“I’m glad you’re not holding him at bay. I worried that you would out of habit.”
“I need to know if this could work. I won’t know unless I put the effort in and try.”
“Exactly. I think you—” Makenna cut off at the sound of someone calling her name down the hall. “I better go see what I’m wanted for now. I’ll call you later. Drive home safe.”
“Will do.” Madisyn headed down the many hallways, shouting out her goodbyes to people. Her cell began to ring just as she pushed open the front door. Strolling down the path, she dug the phone out of her pocket. Her stomach fluttered when she saw that it was Bracken.
“Hello?” she answered.
“Hey, baby. Chinese or pizza?”
“Huh?”
“I’m on my way to your place. I want to bring food. So Chinese or pizza?”
“I don’t really have a preference. You choose. I’m just leaving the shelter now, so—” Her attention was snagged by the three burly males lingering near her Fiat. One of them bore a shocking resemblance to Charity.
“Madisyn? What’s wrong?” asked Bracken.
“Nothing, except that I currently feel like Goldilocks.”
He swore, obviously understanding. “Go back inside.”
“Too late.” She wouldn’t show weakness by retreating. Couldn’t afford to. After ending the call, she came to a stop just a few feet away from her car, eyes on the male who was emitting alpha vibes. Tall and dark, he was good-looking. His smile was all charm, but his brutally cold eyes put her cat on edge. The feline uncurled, watching him carefully.
Ignoring the ringing of her cell—and she had no doubt that the caller was Bracken—she subtly took in the strangers’ scents. All three were bears, just as she’d figured they were.
The guy she strongly suspected was the Maverick Alpha cocked his head, eyes narrowing slightly. “You don’t look quite as threatening as I thought you would. But then, that’s rather typical of your breed, isn’t it?”
“In all the years I’ve known Charity, I’ve never seen anyone put so much as a scratch on her. I kind of wish I’d seen you in action. Forgive me—I haven’t introduced myself, have I? My name’s Archer. I’m Alpha of the Maverick Clan.”
“And I’m busy, so . . .”
His smile widened. “I had a feeling I was going to like you.” He glanced at the other bears. “These are my enforcers. Copper is on my left, and Ink is on my right.”
Neither enforcer greeted her. Like Archer, they were both tall and dark. But whereas Archer tried to come across as polite and approachable, the other two glowered at her and clenched their fists, making every attempt to be intimidating.
“We were sorry to hear about the unpleasant incident that occurred in Enigma,” said Archer, brows dipping. “Particularly Copper. He’s Charity’s older brother. It was hard for him to see her body and pride wounded. But the girls were not sent there to harm you. They were instructed to speak with you, nothing more.”
That was a lie if ever she’d heard one. Then again, he wasn’t aiming to sound sincere. His mocking tone said he didn’t really give a rat’s ass what she thought of him. He was just playing with her.
“I realize that you don’t hold our clan in great esteem after what happened. It’s understandable. The girls were simply . . . frustrated at being so close to finding our Daisy and yet still so far. We’ve been looking for her for a long while now.”
Madisyn pursed her lips. “You know what? That doesn’t sound like my problem.”
Copper growled low. “We’ll make it your problem.”
Archer held up a hand, quieting him. “Now, now, Copper, we don’t need to resort to threats. It’s only natural that Madisyn wouldn’t be so pleased to see us. We’re not the enemy,” the Alpha assured her. “We simply want Daisy. Where is she, Madisyn? Where do we find her?”
“You know I won’t tell you,” she said.
“You may think you won’t. People have held out on me before. They all folded. But see, I don’t want to hurt you. I respect the kind of strength you showed. It would be a shame to crush it, Madisyn. A real shame. Don’t make me do it.”
She snorted. “If you think you’re the first person to show up here, demanding to know where an old resident is, you’re very much mistaken. It’s happened countless times. You all say the same shit—you don’t want to hurt me, but you will if I don’t give you what you want. Hell, I even once had a gun put to my head. I’ll tell you exactly what I told them—nothing.”
Archer’s face hardened to stone. “Fucking with me would be a grave mistake.”
“I’ll pencil in some time to dwell on it tomorrow.” She took a step toward her car, and Copper took a step toward her. Her cat hissed and slashed her claws at the bastard.
“I think it would be a good idea for you to come with us so we can talk a little more,” said Archer, voice sharp.
Madisyn’s mouth curved into a smile that she’d often been told made a man’s balls want to crawl up into his stomach. “Touch me just once, and I’ll fuck your shit up so bad, you’ll be spitting out teeth for a week. That is no idle threat.”
Just then, a familiar SUV smoothly pulled into the lot and whipped into a free space. Casual as anything, Bracken slid out of the vehicle. His eyes swept over the Mavericks but showed no emotion, effectively dismissing them as no threat. Pace nice and easy, he stalked toward her, his gaze locked with hers. Someone else might have eyed the bears carefully—even if only as an “I’m watching you” gesture. By sparing them no attention, he shared not only that he did not fear them, but also that he found them unworthy of his notice.
Stance protective, Bracken ate up her personal space. She sensed he was angry with her, but he kept the emotion contained. “These guys bothering you, baby?”
“They’re giving it their best shot, bless their hearts. I’ve heard that God does love a trier.”
The Alpha shifted position, drawing their attention. “Bracken Slater,” he said, clearly recognizing him. “I’m Archer, Alpha of the Maverick—”
“I don’t care,” said Bracken, fully facing him. “But you sending your sows after Madisyn? That I care about. And I have a real fucking problem with it, which means I now have a real fucking problem with you.” The bears flanking the Alpha visibly bristled at that, but Bracken paid them no attention.
“And I have a problem with them ramming a damn car into Bracken,” said Madisyn.
Archer stiffened in what appeared to be surprise, eyes sharpening on Bracken. “They didn’t know it was you. They thought you were just another lone shifter.”
“Doesn’t matter,” said Bracken. “They need to pay for what they did. You know that.”
“They did pay. I asked them merely to talk with Madisyn, not make an enemy of her—that’s counterproductive to getting what I want, and I certainly can’t have them running people over whenever they’re in a snit. All three were punished for both acts, so that’s been taken care of. None of us want trouble with Madisyn.”
Bracken wasn’t buying that the sows had been punished, but he had no way of proving it to be a lie. “And yet, here you are, breathing her air. I have to say, I really don’t like that.”
Archer put a hand to his chest. “I’d like to just walk away. I really would. But Madisyn has information I need. One of my clan members is out there alone. All I want is to find her and take her home.”
“I don’t know why you think I’d give two fucks what you do or don’t want,” said Bracken.
Archer’s eyes flared. “I can see that something’s going on between you two. So let me ask you, if someone was keeping Madisyn from you, what would you do?”
“I wouldn’t need to do anything. She’d gut them herself.”
Ooh, Madisyn liked that answer. Her cat was equally pleased with the wolf’s acknowledgment of her strength. It had certainly won him some points with the feline. “You don’t believe him? Just ask Charity.”
Sneering, Copper took a lurching step toward Madisyn.
With a guttural growl that vibrated with power, Bracken slid in front of her. He bared his teeth at the bear and bit out, “Try it.”
“Stand down, Copper,” Archer ordered. “Look, Slater, I don’t have a beef with you, and I don’t want it. I respect you for all you’ve done in hitting back at the extremists. The situation we have here—”
“Is simple,” Bracken finished. “You fucked with the wrong female. And if you or anyone else dares to harm Madisyn, they’ll pay for it in ways they don’t even want to imagine.”
Archer sighed, exasperated. “She’s just a lone shifter—”
“She’s someone to me. You’re not. You want to live, you stay away from her.” Again, the other bears bristled. Both moved a subtle step closer to their Alpha, and Madisyn sidled up to Bracken. He had to resist snarling at her in warning. He wanted her behind him, away from the danger.
“I don’t respond well to threats,” Archer ground out.
“And I don’t give a fuck. Maybe you’re a big deal wherever you came from. But here?” Bracken shook his head. “You’re just another bear clan.”
“Not just a clan. Our motorcycle club has twenty-two chapters across the United States. I have more allies than you can ever dream of. If I have to call on them, I will. I’ll do whatever it takes to get Daisy back. But it doesn’t need to come to that. All Madisyn has to do—”
“Oh, for the love of God, will you give it up already?” Madisyn burst out. “I ain’t telling you shit. The end. Your threats are nothing but boring at this point. As for your allies? Pfft. We all have connections. You might want to think about that before you start courting more trouble.” Seconds ticked by as Archer stared at her, his expression unreadable. She returned the stare, unwilling to back down.
“We’re done here,” stated Bracken. “You will leave. You will not linger. You will not come back. You will not bother Madisyn ever fucking again. We clear?”
Archer’s nostrils flared. “She has information I need.”
“We’re not clear.” Bracken took a threatening, predatory step toward the asshole. “You know my family was killed. You know what I did to avenge them. Now imagine what I’d do to someone who laid even the tip of their fucking finger on the one person in the world who means anything to me. Imagine what lengths I’d go to just to be sure that my mate was safe and protected and completely secure in that protection.”
Tension in every line of his body, Archer echoed, “Your mate?”
“My mate.”
Archer’s gaze danced from Madisyn to Bracken, studying them hard. He swore under his breath. “I’m not interested in harming her. I just need to find—”
“Still not giving a fuck what you need. That won’t change.”
“I can’t walk away, Slater. Not from this.”
Bracken smiled. “I was hoping you’d say that.” He shrugged off his coat and tossed it on the hood of Madisyn’s car. “I guess we’ll have to battle it out, right here, right now.”
Shocked, Archer stared at him. “Are you forgetting that I’m an Alpha?”
“You’re a born alpha, but you’re nothing close to a true Alpha.”
Archer exhaled heavily, aiming to look bored, but he didn’t pull it off. No, his wariness was clear. “Don’t want to fight with you, Slater. Like I said, I respect you.”
“I can’t return the sentiment.”
A muscle in Archer’s cheek ticked. “All right. You and I will battle this out. Copper and Ink will watch over your mate,” he added with a smile. The message was clear: while Bracken was distracted, they’d attack her.
“She’ll kill them if they touch her.”
“She won’t have to,” said a female voice to their far left. Dawn. “We’ll do that.”
Seemingly out of nowhere, dozens of shifters stepped out of the trees that bordered the parking lot. Bracken figured that they were staff or residents of the shelter.
Dawn flicked him a brief look as she said, “I called Nick. He’s on his way.” She went back to glaring at Archer. “And he’s not at all happy to hear that two of his pack members are being threatened—especially on land that’s under his protection. So if you have any sense in that thick head of yours, bear, you’ll leave right now and stay the hell away.”
Bracken knew why the female would rather they flee. She didn’t want violence occurring near the shelter; many of the residents had run from violence, and it was important for them to feel safe there. Plus, sponsors might not want to be linked to a place that engaged in war with other shifters, and they might withdraw their funding—it had happened after a wolf pack had invaded the place. Nonetheless, Bracken didn’t want the Alpha to leave. He wanted to fucking obliterate him.
Clenching his fists and grinding his teeth, Archer stared at him, clearly struggling with the need to back down. Bracken prayed that he wouldn’t, but that prayer went unanswered. Finally, eyes hard as stone, Archer signaled his enforcers. “Let’s go.”
“I meant what I said,” Bracken called out. “If you ever so much as bother Madisyn again, I won’t just destroy you, I’ll wipe out your entire clan. It’ll be as if you never existed.” Just like the compound of extremists—the words went unsaid, but they were heard.
Without a word, the Mavericks headed to a cluster of motorcycles. Moments later, they were whizzing out of the lot.
Dawn let out a relieved breath. “Let’s hope the bastards let this alone.”
Bracken doubted that they would, which meant there was an ongoing threat to his mate . . . who didn’t seem in the least bit remorseful for having ignored his warning. Rage a living, breathing, hissing thing in his gut, Bracken turned to her. “I told you on the phone to go back inside.”
“You did,” she said, unfazed by the menace in his tone. “But you had to know I wouldn’t.”
“Madisyn—”
“If I’d retreated into the building, he would have interpreted it as fear. Showing weakness to a predator is just plain dumb. Besides, it was best just to get the conversation over and done with.”
Bracken advanced on her. “Over and done with? Like he’ll just walk away after a little talk?” Looming over her, he growled, “I saw how badly he wants the sow. He’s not gonna give up easy.”
“He’ll find coming at me a pointless exercise. And you need to back the fuck up.” She didn’t like his aggressive body language at all. Her cat’s upper lip quivered as a low gurgle rumbled in her chest.
“Back up?”
“Yeah. Unless you’re curious about testicular replacement surgery.”
Dismissing that, he asked, “Do you really think those bears came here just to chat with you? They probably meant to knock you around a little. Maybe even take you somewhere for a whole different kind of chat. If I hadn’t turned up and made it clear that you’re mine—”
“Bracken, I’ve been taking care of myself for a long time, and I’m good at it. I like doing it. You can feel as overprotective as you want, but don’t think I won’t burst any Bubble Wrap that you try to wind around me. I don’t need it.”
“I warned you how I’d be.”
“Yes, you warned me that I’d find it hard to handle what you threw at me. But what you’re missing is that you will find it hard to handle what I throw right back at you. I know you’re hyperprotective, and I get why. But that doesn’t mean I’ll accommodate it.” Her cat sniffed, in full agreement with that.
He ground his teeth. “You’re not listening to me.”
“I’m hearing you, Bracken, but you’re not hearing me. If you want someone biddable who’ll roll over and submit to your every command, you need to walk away. Just walk. Because—knowing what you’ve been through—I’ll be as understanding as I can, but I will not change who I am for you. I will not pander to your paranoia. I will not be wrapped in cotton wool and play down my level of dominance for you. No way. I’m not asking you to be anyone other than who you are—push all you want. But know that I’ll just push back. And I’ll push harder.”
Madisyn expected him to curse at her. Growl. Yell. He just stared at her, jaw clenched, and the tense silence began to grate on her nerves. She was about to turn and head to her car, but then he gripped her nape and pulled her flush against him.
Burying his face in her neck, Bracken breathed her in. Reassured himself that she was safe. “So fucking stubborn.”
“Pot. Kettle. Black.”
“Don’t ever again tell me to walk away. I’m here. I’m staying.” He rested his forehead on hers and swept his thumb over her cheekbone. “It’s a real good thing that you belong to me.”
“Why is that?”
“Because no one else could go toe to toe with me the way you do.” She somehow managed to be understanding while also being firm and asserting herself. “And because I’d have to kill any other male who tried to touch you.” Bracken looked off in the direction that the bears had headed. “I should have killed him while I had the chance. Knowing there’s someone out there who means you harm . . .” He ground his teeth again. “I could track him, find him, ki—”
“No.” She did not want him disappearing for six months only to come home missing yet more pieces of himself. But she didn’t say that. “It’ll be hard for us to get to know each other if you’re not around. You going hunting doesn’t tell me you’re serious about us.”
His eyes pinned hers. “I’ve never been more serious about anything in my life.”
“Then stay. Don’t turn this into a personal crusade. Just . . .” She licked her lips. “Just stay.”
He squeezed her nape. “I’ll stay.”
Tires screeched as several of his pack’s SUVs rushed into the lot.
“After we’ve relayed everything to Nick, I’m coming home with you.” Bracken needed to be with her. Around her. Not just because he’d then know she was safe, but because she fed something in him. Something that had been withering away for a while. His soul, maybe.
The sound of footsteps rushing toward them was quickly followed by Nick’s voice. “What the fuck happened?”
Taking a deep breath, Bracken turned to face him. “Well . . .”