~

 

“Bowie,” Mitzi said, as she walked toward them with Joshua in her arms. Her eyes were locked on Colt, and the man returned her curious gaze.

Colt bit down on his anger. Bowie had a mate and a cub. He hadn’t considered that when he’d issued the challenge. He hadn’t considered that when he said the fight was to the death.

It shouldn’t have changed things, but it did.

This wasn’t a fight that he needed to have, and yet the challenge had already been issued. He couldn’t take it back now, but the fight didn’t need to be the death.

Colt had grown up without a father figure in his life. It was one of the reasons why he hadn’t been adept at controlling his damn beast in the first place.

How could he do that to another child? Every cub needed a father figure around to help him curb his wild side.

He envied Bowie’s life — and for that reason he couldn’t end it.

Colt didn’t think he would, could ever be a mate, but if he ever was then he’d sworn to himself that he would be the best damn mate and father that he could be.

He guessed that he could make a start on that by being a better man.

“Go back to the cabin, Mitzi,” Bowie growled.

He didn’t want her there. She didn’t need to witness any of it. He didn’t want her to see him if he lost control of his beast and became the monster that he knew he could be. And if he lost the challenge, then he didn’t want her to see him die.

“Is it to the death?” Mitzi demanded.

“Yes,” Bowie growled.

“No, damn it,” Colt growled back in annoyance.

Bowie eyed the man, his nemesis, and all he saw was a look of pure annoyance on Colt’s face.

“I thought…?” Bowie growled.

“That’s never worked out well for you in the past,” Colt growled back. “The newbie bear’s right, nobody has to die here today.”

“Mitzi, get the hell out of here with Joshua — I’m about to teach the man some lessons in manners,” Bowie growled.

His bear was just under his skin, clawing and growling to be set free. Accidents happened — especially with two half crazed bears going at it, and he couldn’t be spending his time worrying about his mate and cub at the same time as fighting someone as dishonourable as Colt.

Mitzi turned on her heels and walked away. “If you die, I will kill you.” She tossed back over her shoulder.

“That’s…” Colt took a moment to think on it, “touching.” He chuckled, but that sound only infuriated Bowie’s beast more.

A heartbeat later and that monster tore out of Bowie with a deafening roar that took everyone by surprise.

 

~

~

~

 

Rayner had to hold on damn tightly to her bear as Colt shifted into his beast and faced Bowie head on. Dane wrapped his arm around her waist and yanked her back against his hard chest. She could feel his breath at her ear, and that felt like a caress that took her mind off her bear.

“Hold it together, Rayner,” Dane urged her.

Being in the midst of a testosterone fuelled bear fight probably wasn’t the best idea that she’d ever had, but this was her fault and she wasn’t going anywhere until she knew the outcome.

Bowie might have been the crazy asshole that had bitten her, and caused that bear to be a part of her, but he’d changed. He’d been teaching her more than anyone how to control the beast within her, and he’d learnt to get a handle on his own bear as well.

That had to count for something, didn’t it?

In Rayner’s mind fate could not be so cruel as to put Bowie and Mitzi together and then tear them apart. Colt might have said that the fight was not to the death, but could she trust his word?

Rayner had been dealing with men like Colt for a long time, long enough to know that what they said and what they did were two different things. She was more than ready to let her beast tear loose and go bear-shit crazy on Colt if he so much as looked as if he was going to kill Bowie.

Every muscle in Rayner’s body clenched tightly as the two beasts reared up onto their back legs and swiped their claws at each other. Neither man was holding back the strength, ferocity, or the power of their beasts, and she hadn’t really expected them to.

But how was she going to know if Colt decided to take that death blow or not?

 

~

~

~

 

Bowie had never felt as if he had the amount of control over his beast before that he did right then. The truly shocking thing was the clarity of thought that he seemed to possess, instead of the red mist of rage that usually claimed him, he was plotting it out.

He could see every move that he was making, about to make, and think two steps ahead of Colt’s bear. That was impressive. Now he knew how his brothers felt when they went up against him.

Without rage clouding his judgement, his movements were precision, his blows were accurate, and he had Colt down on the ground with the weight of his beast pinning him down, and his claws ready to strike across the bear’s throat with a death blow that would end his nemesis once and for all.

“Bowie!” Rayner bit out.

She needn’t have worried that she wouldn’t recognise the intent to kill when she saw it. She saw it now.

Bowie had the advantage, and for one long moment it looked as if he was going to take it. He hesitated at the sound of his name.

It would be so much easier to allow Bowie to end Colt with one blow. Any danger to their clan would be over, any danger to her would be over, and yet, she couldn’t do it.

Honour.

Wasn’t that the code?

Bowie’s bear pulled its lips back and growled long and hard at his enemy. His beast pushed away from the bear on the ground, but he kept his gaze on Colt just in case the beast struck back.

Colt’s bear grunted with anger, and Bowie half expected the beast to rise up and continue the fight. It didn’t.

A moment later and Colt had shifted back into his human form. Bowie did the same.

“You won,” Colt bit out, his words were like acid on his tongue.

“You owe Rayner some money,” Bowie growled. The sound of his beast still rumbled through his voice.

“Good luck finding that check,” Colt said as he motioned to the remains of his clothes on the ground.

“You…” Rayner took a step forward and Dane tightened his hold around her.

“Stay frosty, newbie,” Colt said. “I pay my debts to bear shifters. I’ll get you your money.”

“Says the man with no honour,” Bowie growled.

“You don’t think people can change, Bowie?” Colt demanded.

“No.” Bowie growled.

“Then what the hell happened to you?” Colt demanded.

“I hate to say it, because it’s Colt,” Roland said. “But he got you there, brother.”

“Shut up,” Bowie growled back.