Authors: Marissa Dobson
While
the newcomers tried to calm the clan members, Summer stood off to the side of
the platform with Ben. Her emotions were twisting her up inside. The tigress
within her wanted to be with Jinx, standing beside him while he liberated her
clan, but the other half of her could only think of losing Autumn.
“Don’t
listen to them, they killed the guards in the tunnels,” someone in the audience
hollered.
Unable
to stand by as the two sides argued, Summer squared her shoulders and stepped
onto the platform. For the Texas Tigers only have thirty members, the room was
extremely noisy.
“Hold
on!” she called out, determined to quiet them down. “Everyone just hold on for
a moment and listen.” When people turned and looked toward her, her nerves
caused the hairs on the back of her neck to stand on end.
“Say
your peace.” Jinx nodded, encouraging her.
“Many
of you knew Autumn and her visions.” Anger and sadness tugged at her heart,
making her chest ache. “She believed Tex would bring help when he escaped. He
did. For those who said they killed the guards downstairs—I was there. They were
given the chance to surrender, but they’d been brainwashed by Avery. This is our
chance. Don’t throw this away because you’re frightened. We’re free of Avery,
why can’t we elect a new Alpha and start over?”
“I
elect Tex.” Ben stepped onto the platform and stood next to her. “He brought us
help and fought to save us. There’s no one else I’d rather serve under. Will
anyone second me?”
“Second.”
Mario stood. “Tex saved us. If anyone can lead us, it’s him.”
“Will
you accept, Tex?”
Tex
stepped forward. “I accept.”
“Then
it’s carried. I’m at your service, Alpha.”
“If
anyone would like to leave the clan for solitary living, or to seek a new clan,
now is the time to do it.” Tex waited, giving anyone a chance to depart. “As my
first order of business, I’d like to appoint Ben Evans as my Lieutenant. Do you
accept?”
When
Ben froze, Summer squeezed his shoulder. “Do it,” she whispered.
With
a glance in her direction, he said, “I accept.” Then he left her side and went
to stand next to Tex.
Summer
stepped back into the audience and listened as Tex reassured the clan.
“We
have a lot of work to do to make this clan what it once was, but if we all work
together I know we can do it. You have my sworn oath that
no one
will be
tortured or punished for sport while under my command. For anyone caught in the
act of harming someone in this way, it will be an immediate death sentence. I
will not stand for it.”
Sometime
during Tex’s speech, Jinx moved next to Summer. When he nudged her gently, she
glanced up at him. “That took some courage to stand up in front of your clan
when they were ready to riot,” he said. “It could have forced their attention
on you.”
“Ben
wouldn’t have allowed anything to happen. They respect him. He’s always tried
to keep everyone safe, even at the cost of himself.” She frowned, adding, “He
has scars on his body because he’s looked out for me. I’m lucky to have a
brother like him, and I’m so proud of him. He’ll make the perfect Lieutenant
for the clan.”
“He
certainly will. I can tell he’s a good man. But look—” Jinx brushed up against
her as he nodded toward the stage. “Tex has come such a long way.”
“He
has, and he’ll make an excellent Alpha.” Summer watched Tex with admiration. “I
can see the changes in him like night and day. He cares deeply for the clan.”
“We
tried to get Avery to surrender so it wouldn’t come to this. That’s what took
so much longer. I checked into the resort this morning hoping to discover the
passages so we could sneak in.” He glanced around as if making sure they
weren’t being overheard. “We didn’t find out about today’s torture until Ty
called Avery to tell him we would return Tex to the clan.”
“Why
are you telling me this?” Summer eyed him with suspicion.
“Because
I can feel your questions. You’re wondering why we didn’t come sooner. Why
Autumn had to die.” He placed his hand on the small of her back, pulling her closer.
“Tell me…how is Autumn your sister but not Ben’s?”
“It’s
confusing. Ben’s father is also mine. Our father was mated to Ben’s mother, but
she had a rough pregnancy and died in childbirth. It’s when he found my mother.
She was the midwife that delivered Ben.”
“That
explains part of it. How does Autumn play into it?”
“She
was from my mother’s first mating. She and Ben fought all the time. She
couldn’t stand him, said mother always wanted a boy and favored him. I never
saw it but they kept their distance. She wanted to leave the clan, to find
somewhere away from Ben, but Avery wouldn’t let her.” She watched her brother
as he stood before the clan; this was what he’d been born for. “He’s always
been my protector—everyone’s protector.”
“I
have a feeling that won’t change.”
There
was an edge to his voice that pulled her gaze away from Ben. Jinx appeared
proud, despite the blood and dirt smeared on him from the battle. Everything
about him screamed Alpha, which should have sent her running in the opposite
direction. The coldness in his gaze when he wasn’t looking at her said two
things about him: he wouldn’t tolerate nonsense from anyone, and he had seen
too much death and suffering in his time. When he looked out among the clan,
she didn’t see pity in his eyes, but sorrow.
“Why
do you say that?” she asked.
“When
Ben looks at me, I can see he wants to fight for you. To have you mated with
someone above him that he’ll have no control over worries him. If it were
someone in the clan, he could put fear into them so they wouldn’t hurt you.
With me, he can’t do that. That makes him agitated.”
“He
should be delighted that I’m to be mated to someone in your position. Unless…”
“Yes,
lass. Your brother is concerned I’ll be like Avery. He’s knows nothing else in
an Alpha, so it’s understandable that he’s fearful of what might happen to you,
especially once I take you away from here.”
“I’m
not leaving.” This was her home. It might be in shambles at the moment, but it
was still her home. She was annoyed he didn’t see that. She needed to be there,
to help the clan rebuild, to help Ben.
“For
us to be together, you must. I’m Alpha of the West Virginia Tigers. Currently
I’m dividing my time between there and Alaska. I have no time to divide it
between here as well. Mates need to be together.”
“You
expect me to leave here when they need me the most?” She almost couldn’t
believe what she was hearing. But why should he be any different? He’d just
walked in and started demanding things of her.
“They
don’t need you, they need Tex and Ben. What would you have me do? Do you want
to stay here and have the mating desire claw at you until it drives us both
insane with need? Is that what you want? If so, how am I supposed to do my
duties to my clan, to assist Ty, free others who are in positions like you were
just hours ago?”
The
questions flew at her before she could answer them, and each one brought her
snarling tiger closer to the surface. She was being irrational, but she didn’t
like change. Jinx was an unknown to her. When he got her away from Ben and the
others, she might find herself under someone’s thumb again without Ben to
protect her.
“You’re
scared and it’s understandable,” Jinx continued. “Even someone who hasn’t been
through everything you’ve been through would be, but don’t let that stop you
from what you’re destined to have.”
“You
make it sound like there’s no choice. I’m stuck with you, unless I’m willing to
kill myself or you.” She couldn’t stop herself from smiling. He didn’t seem
that bad. The body of a god and the heart of a saint. Could she really ask for
more?
“I
never put anything past a woman.” He smirked at her. “There are too many ways
for you to try to kill me, not even including Ben.”
“Ben?”
She whispered low enough not to draw his attention.
“He’d
do anything to protect you, including take on an Alpha from another clan even
if it meant he’d die. If Ben came after me, even if he killed me, my clan would
have the right to demand his life. So before you think about using him, know
that either way it will cost him.”
“I’m
not so heartless that I would risk him. After all, it would destroy me if he
died. If I wanted you dead, I’d do it myself.”
“Feisty.
I like that.”
“Not
feisty,” she snapped, glaring at him. “I simply wouldn’t risk him, not when I
could do it myself.”
“You
say you’re not feisty, but I can see it in you. You’re willing to take me on.”
She
turned to him, giving him the best hard look she could manage. “I couldn’t take
you down physically. You’d pulverize me before I had the chance to do any
damage.”
He
cut her off with a shake of the head. “I’d never lay a hand on a woman in
violence. Subdue without hurting her if she was a true threat, yes, but never
would I raise my hand to her.”
Could
he be that honorable? “Shifters are always battling over something, and now women
are taking part in the battles. One day you might find yourself up against a
woman, then what?”
“I
told you, I’d subdue. It’s how I was raised, and I can’t change that even if it
means my own death. I couldn’t live with myself if I harmed a woman.” He
reached out and took her hand. “To some it might sound sexist. Someone once accused
me of thinking women are lesser beings. That’s not the case. I believe women
should be cherished, protected. I also believe a woman can do anything she
wants. Nothing makes them unequal to men.”
For
once in her life she was speechless. His words lifted the load on her shoulders
and in that moment she realized just how much she had feared him. He seemed
nothing like Avery, but in the back of her mind she had doubts. With that
simple statement, her worries were washed away.
This
man—her mate—was honorable, and she should be proud to be mated to him. She
barely knew him, but fate knew what it was doing when the match was made
between them. Maybe he was right by suggesting he’d been brought to her now
because she needed him.
“Thank
you,” she said softly. He raised an eyebrow in question, forcing her to
explain. “For being you, I guess. For not forcing the mating issue, and letting
me wrap my mind around it. You could have said nothing, letting me think you
might hurt me. Instead you put my mind at rest. The bond between us is still
light because we haven’t finalized the mating, but I can taste the truth of
your words. It makes this easier.”
“I
know I can’t rush you,” he said, gently caressing her fingers. “Not if I want
you to accept me.”
She
squeezed his hand and leaned her head against his shoulder. Maybe things did
happen for a reason. The clan was getting a fresh start, and so was she.
Jinx
sank onto one of the plush leather chairs in the conference room. He was beyond
exhausted, unsure how he’d managed to keep himself upright for this long. The
last thirty-two hours since they’d eliminated Avery had been a whirlwind of
excitement, problems, soothing fears, and more that he didn’t even want to
think about it. Only this meeting with the Elders stood in the way of sleep.
That was unless something else came up.
He
thought about closing his eyes for a moment while they waited for the newest
Alpha, Tex, and his Lieutenant, but he knew it would mean missing the meeting.
Instead he leaned forward and poured himself another cup of coffee. Caffeine.
That would keep him going for a bit longer.
The
door opened and in filed Tex, Ben, Adam, and Robin. Each of them looked as exhausted
as Jinx felt. Robin had been meeting with the Texas Tigers, trying to get them
to see she was there to help. Tex had ensured the clan that as long as they
meant no harm to themselves or others that anything said to Robin would remain
confidential just as it would with a psychologist. So far, she’d had little
luck in getting them to open up. Most of them were still in shock, but at least
she was there to let everyone know she was available when they needed her.
Robin’s
mate, Adam, had been her shadow since arriving, since no one was really certain
who might still be loyal to Avery. “I could sleep for a week.” Robin plopped
down on the chair across from Jinx with a moan. “At least I’ve gotten through
everyone. Most have nothing to say, everyone seems in shock, but I’ll be here
when they’re ready.”
“Thank
you, Robin.” Tex poured a mug of coffee and stood just to the side of the
table. “The guards need a lot of training. Very few of them know how to shoot
accurately.”
“I’ll
take whoever you want to the shooting range and teach them how to shoot, as
well as gun safety, after I get some sleep,” Styx offered.
“I
can work with them on hand to hand combat. I’m sure Styx or Taber wouldn’t mind
giving me help with that as well.” Milo took a sip of his coffee.
“I
appreciate the assistance.” Tex nodded. “I’d never be able to do this all on my
own.”
“Yes,
thank you,” Ben agreed.
“We’re
not just doing it for you, but for them.” Jinx leaned forward, setting his
coffee aside. “They’ve been suppressed by Avery for so long that you’re going
to have a long road ahead of you. But you’ll have our support along the way.”
“It
seems you have an invested interest.” Ben cocked his head to the side.
“Summer…yes.
You have nothing to worry about, she’ll be in safe hands.” He didn’t feel like
reminding Ben this wasn’t the time to deal with family issues.
“Across
the country,” Ben mumbled.
“There
or in Alaska, but she can visit as she likes and I’ll do my best to accompany
her as my schedule allows.”
“Your
schedule allows?” Ben growled, irritation in his voice.
“Before
you get angry with Jinx, I think there’s more you should know.” Ty stepped
forward, coming around to the head of the table. “Being that you were raised in
a clan, I’m going to assume you know the legend of the Queen of the Tiger that
will one day unite all tigers.”
Ben
nodded. “Eventually she’ll unite all shifters as well, and we can live in
harmony with humans. Yes, I know all about that, but what does it have to do
with my sister and him?”
“Take
a seat and let me finish.” Ty waited for Ben to do as he asked. “It’s not just a
legend. My mate, Tabitha, will be announcing soon that she’s claiming her
destiny as the Queen of the Tigers. She has the book and the mark to prove she
is who she claims.” Ty turned his hand over revealing the moon design that had
been burned into his skin when he claimed Tabitha.
“It’s
true.” The awe sparkled in Ben’s eyes.
Ty
nodded. “We have been dealing with things that needed to be done before the
announcement. The West Virginia clan has been a great aid when it comes to what
we had to do. Jinx has partnered with my clan and will be standing at our side
when the announcement is made. As have the Kodiak Bears. So even though Jinx is
tied up with this, it doesn’t mean Summer will lack for his time or anything,
it only means their traveling might be limited over the next few months. Once
the announcement is made, anyone resistant to this will see him as a threat as
well.”
“She’ll
be in more danger than she was here.”
“I
will protect her,” Jinx said firmly, trying to suppress a yawn. “She’ll be
doing this to better her kind. Now let’s get back to why we’re here. We need to
know where you and Tex stand. If you’re going to be a help or hindrance in
Tabitha’s mission.”
“We’re
behind you.” Tex smiled at Ty. “After all you’ve done for me, I couldn’t turn
my back on you.”
“With
that settled, I’m going to get some sleep. You guys work out the details and
let me know what you need help with the most. I’m flexible.” Jinx stood, ready
to finally get some rest. After all, he and Ty were the only ones who hadn’t
had a break since this whole thing started.
“Tex,
you’re going to make an excellent Alpha,” Jinx continued. “You have the heart,
soul, and most importantly the will to keep this clan together and on the right
track. With good people like Ben backing you, you’ll be successful and have
Manetka Resort better than it was before. Just remember you’re in power now. Your
authority is something that’s needed. Without it, they’ll walk all over you.”
* * *
Oranges,
reds, and pinks danced across the sky as the sun sank low on the horizon, about
to disappear from view altogether. Summer stood there under her first sunset in
longer then she could remember, feeling the warm breeze on her face, still
unable to believe only a day had passed since Avery had controlled her. No
longer was she forced to live underground, hidden away from anyone who might
have seen her.
Tex
had allowed anyone who’d lived in the tunnels to occupy the top floor of the
resort. There were only a handful of them, but it was more freedom than they’d
had in months, or even years. Avery had kept many of them on a tighter chain,
using them to control the clan. She had been one of them, used to keep Ben
submissive and under Avery’s control. Avery knew Ben would never risk her, no
matter the cost to himself, and because of that she had been forced into one of
the rooms in the tunnels, locked away from almost everything and everyone. Now things
had changed and she was still trying to adjust to this new freedom.
She
missed the smell of the outside the most, the crisp air, the roses—everything
was so new and fresh. All those months she had missed out on so much, and now
she had to make up for lost time. Between helping Ben and the clan, she had
spent the day outside, and every moment she wanted to see Jinx. Her gaze scanned
the rooms as she walked around the resort, never finding him. He was occupied
with smoothing things over. Still, she had hoped he would have sought her out.
“There
you are.” Ben stalked toward her.
“Everything
okay?”
“Things
are fine. I wanted to let you know there will be a ceremony for Autumn tomorrow
at sunrise. It’s early, but I know that was always her favorite time.” He placed
his hand on her shoulder. “I can’t even begin to count how many times I found
you two up on the roof as the sun came up.”
“How?”
“Jinx
and I worked together to get it done. I’m not sure how many clan members will
be there, but I know you wanted it. I’m having her cremated. You can decide
what you want to do with her ashes. Since you won’t be staying here, I didn’t
make plans for them to be buried in the clan’s spot. I thought you might want
to take them to West Virginia.”
“Oh,
Ben.” She wrapped her arms around him, pressing her face into his chest, letting
her tears fall. It didn’t bother her to leave Texas, after all a new start
might do her good, but she didn’t want to leave him.
“Hey.”
He tipped her chin up to look at him. “This isn’t goodbye. We’ll see each other
often, I promise.”
It
felt like goodbye, like her heart was being ripped from her chest. She wasn’t
sure how long she stood there sobbing, and he held her while she cried. When
the sobs finally stopped, she pulled away.
“He’s
not like Avery,” Ben said. “He’ll protect you and cherish you.”
She
looked at him, wondering what brought on the change. “That’s a different song
than you sang before.”
“I
had time to talk to him today, and let’s just say I approve.” He ran his hands
down her arms. “He’s a good man, but before you finalize the mating make him
tell you everything. You need to know what you’re getting into.”
“Why
can’t you tell me?”
“I
can’t, it needs to come from him.” He kissed her forehead and walked away.
Ben
had left her full of questions. As she sat down on the outdoor sofa, she
wondered what Jinx was hiding. She didn’t have time to question it when she
heard footsteps behind her. For a moment she thought it might be Ben returning.
“I’ve
been looking for you,” Jinx’s deep voice whispered behind her. “May I join
you?”
“Sure,
but you missed the best part.”
“I
believe you’re wrong.” He sat down next to her.
She
turned to find him looking at her, not the sunset. “I was talking about the
view.”
“So
was I.” He smiled, and it made her heart flutter. “I’ve missed you today. I
tried to find you earlier but Ben said you were busy.”
“I
was helping soothe out some fears for him.”
“Sounds
like my day. I feel like I’ve been running around putting out small fires.” He
crossed his legs at the ankles and leaned back.
“You
should be resting. You’re tired.”
“I
tried to sleep earlier, but all I could do was think of you. How about you come
upstairs with me? Let me hold you in my arms. I promise I don’t bite.” His lips
curled up in a smile. “At least not too much, and only if you enjoy it.”
Every
nerve in her body sprang to life, firing with need. She wanted to take him
upstairs, and run her hands over his body. To see every part of his toned physique
that was evident under his tight jeans and white tank top. Her fingers itched
to trace the lines of his biceps, and more that was hidden.
“You
need sleep, not sex,” she said, flushing. “They both start with the same letter
but they are completely different.”
“I’d
like both, but right now I was only talking about sleep. I’m not sure what’s on
your mind, though.” He winked, taking off his cowboy hat, and running his hand
over his face. “Things are calming down, at least for the moment. With Ty
returning to Alaska in the morning, I need to get some rest. What do you say?”
She
bit her lip when she realized she’d misunderstood him. Without giving herself a
moment to back out, she nodded.
“Okay.”