Kodiak's Claim (13 page)

Brody shook his head and held his hands up in surrender. “No thanks. We both know I might be fast, but when it comes to brute strength, I am not a bear.”

Manliness reasserted, Reid asked, “I take it Boris was the one to hook the power back up.” The moose was the only guy Brody would have grabbed for a perimeter check who would have had the know-how to splice a broken line. Reid sometimes wondered if there was anything the big moose didn’t know how to do. Other than smile. Boris had an acerbic wit, but since his return from his tour overseas, he rarely cracked a grin.

“Yeah. Boris is the one watching the wolf. More like glaring at him while he sharpens his knife.” Brody chuckled. “I swear, the sound that blade makes running along that stone… Fucking spooky. If that wolf’s not begging to talk by the time we arrive, I’ll be surprised.”

Boris might not speak much, but he had the art of intimidation down to a science.

“I noticed Travis was in the house, I assume to keep an eye on the women. Who else we got out here?”

“A few of the younger hotheads are chasing down stray wolves and keeping an eye open for anything that doesn’t belong. They already found the guy’s sled, but it’s clean. No plates, filed serial numbers. Nothing to give us a clue. ”

“Do you think there are more like him out there?” Reid asked.

Again, Brody shrugged. “Hard to tell. I mean everything about this attack is odd. I mean one guy and a pack of wild wolves? He had to know it wouldn’t succeed.”

Yet it almost had.
If he’d not arrived when he had, would Tammy right now be in the hands of the enemy? Or staring sightlessly at the sky?

Remembering the threat to her stirred the simmering rage within him, just in time too because what he had to do next couldn’t be done while in a soft frame of mind.

When Reid entered the garage, Brody at his heels, he was just in time to see Boris run his thumb along the edge of his blade. The coppery scent of blood filled the air. The acrid stench of fear didn’t.

Despite his position—tied to a chair, bleeding and surrounded by three very unhappy predators—the wolf they’d caught exuded cockiness. Hell, even with one eye gummed shut, he managed a smirk.

Reid racked his brain for a name. He’d only met the guy once after they hired him. He didn’t recall much other than he’d feigned submission well, keeping his eyes downcast the entire time.

Snagging a stool by his workbench, Reid banged it off the floor as he set it down before the canine. Still no reaction. Either the wolf had balls of steel, was stupider than he looked, or something was afoot.
Should I be calling in reinforcements?

Was this just the precursor to an all-out war? Were enemy shifters even now preparing to descend upon them?

Reid bitch slapped the doubts. No way. While he and those guarding his clan might have missed a few wild wolves and one of their kind sneaking into their territory, anything on a larger scale would have sent out alarms.

He didn’t waste time with niceties. “Who are you working for?”

No answer.

Reid gave Boris a nod. The moose didn’t ask questions or hesitate. The mutt didn’t need a pinkie finger to survive, but he did need to answer Reid if he wanted any hope of dying clean.

“That was just a warning,” Reid said in a cold tone after Robert, the driver who should have stayed dead, stopped screaming. You would have thought he would be grateful they immediately cauterized the amputated spot with the flame from a blowtorch. Some people would have let him bleed to death. But Boris had learned his craft while serving overseas. Not from the US army, but as a prisoner. He didn’t talk about it much. None of the men who’d returned from that camp did. But some things a man never forgot.

Spit flew as the stranger yelled, “Crazy bastard. I’ll have your balls for this.”

Reid arched a brow. “You will? How? In case you hadn’t noticed, I hold all the cards here, mutt. You’d do best to answer me.”

The wolf clamped his lips tight.

Reid inclined his head, and Boris stopped wiping his knife. Before he could apply the freshly cleaned blade to a new finger, Robert, his eyes rolling with fear and pain, yelled, “Leave my fucking fingers alone, you psycho.”

“My good friend Boris here will stop removing body parts when you answer my questions. Who is your leader? Who are you working for?”

“What makes you think I’m not here for myself? Maybe I’m the one making a run at your position. Everyone in these parts knows you’re weak.”

Incredulity made him snort. “Weak? Excuse me, what rock have you hidden under that you would think that?”

“Everyone knows you had the clan handed to you on a platter when your daddy died. Never had to work for it, or fight for it. It’s not the shifter way. Only the strong should govern.”

“Says someone with little to no brains. It takes more than the strength of a fist to rule.” It was one of the few things he remembered his father saying. That and never show mercy to those who would hurt the pack to benefit themselves.

And as for no challengers to the spot, Reid had offered to fight when the alpha position became available through tragedy. It wasn’t his fault no one took him up on it. Of course, back then, he’d just gotten home from serving his time in the war. If people thought him intimidating now, they should have met him then.

“Those are the words of a coward.” Robert spat on the floor. “Look at you. Sitting there all high and mighty. Easy to be a brave man when you’ve got a posse at your back to help you beat on a man tied up. Let me loose if you’re so damned confident.”

Did the wolf think they kept him tethered so he wouldn’t run? Foolish mutt. The restraints were to keep him from thrashing as they removed body parts in exchange for answers. Reid leaned forward. “Ironic words seeing as how when I came across you, you were terrorizing a human woman. And look who’s disparaging my alpha status. You’re so alpha, you can’t even muster a true pack, only wild dogs who don’t know any better.”

“They know enough to obey, and they’re expendable. As for the human girl… Can you blame me for going after her? She looked yummy.” The male lewdly licked his lips.

A well-placed fist knocked the wolf in the face and sent him and the chair he was tied to crashing to the floor.

Seething with rage, Reid could barely restrain the bear within.
Don’t you threaten what’s mine!
Where the possessive thought came from he couldn’t have said, but no matter the origin, he reacted to the mutt’s words.

The canine laughed. “Ooh, someone has a soft spot for a
human
.” A sneer twisted his bloody lips. “Good to know. Wait until
he
finds out.”

“He?” Reid leaned down and grabbed the man, chair and all, lifting him from the floor in one powerful fist, dangling him at eye level to growl, “Who is this
he
you’re referring to?”

“Just the man who’s going to bring you down.”

“So you admit to not being the one in charge?”

“Nope. I’m just a soldier. One who gets to have fun.”

“Fun? You call taking potshots and terrorizing women fun?”

“Among other things. I hear someone’s been having a problem with deliveries lately.” Robert smirked.

“What did you do with my truck?”

“Don’t you mean trucks? The one I was driving was easy. Steven’s too. You never even suspected.”

“You mean none of you were actually attacked? It was all a sham?”

“Not all. That idiot Jonathon, the one with the prego girlfriend, should have taken the money offered him. But, no, he turned us down out of some misplaced loyalty to the clan. Weakling. That’s what happens when you put down roots. You get soft. He put up a good fight when we came for him. But we had numbers.”

“So you’re not working alone?”

“
He
has many of us working for him.”

“To what purpose?”

The sharp crack of shattering glass delayed an answer, an answer that would never be forthcoming as the wolf Reid held went slack-jawed and sightless, the exit hole of the bullet oozing blood from the center of his forehead. Heck, it barely missed killing Reid, grazing as it did past his head, nicking his ear in the process.

“Damn.” Reid flung the dead man to the side, then he, Boris, and Brody hit the floor, in expectation of a hail of bullets.

Silence and minutes trickled past. Reid glanced over at Boris and pointed to the door. To Brody, he signaled the unbroken window while he made the shattered one his objective. Crawling like a snake, which his bear snuffed about it, not liking the comparison, he made his way to the opening, which sat about waist high on him. Cold air flowed through, along with the noise he would expect. Wind whistling, branches rattling. Nothing else but…

“Hey, you guys all right out here?”

Nothing but Travis wandering out from the kitchen, in full view, like an idiot.

Reid sighed.
Will that boy never learn caution?
The good news was his cousin didn’t end up with some holes in his torso—his aunt would have skinned him alive if her baby boy came to harm. Bad news was they’d lost their one lead to whoever was behind the random attacks.

Although, at least now Reid had confirmation. These
were
attacks. Someone was after his position as alpha of his clan. Someone was determined to undermine his authority. To try and take what was his.
Like fuck.

He’d find out who the bastard was. Hunt him down like the vermin he was and exterminate him. Weak indeed. Reid would show him what happened when you poked a Kodiak with a stick.

“Boris, get rid of the body. Brody, take my idiot cousin and see if you can’t find the sharpshooter who took out our friend here.”

“You really think we’ll find them?”

“No. Whoever took that shot was using a long-range rifle. You can tell by the wound and the lack of sound when they fired. I’ll wager they’re long gone.”

“Then why bother?”

“Because I said so.” And for retaliation over the wide-ass remark.

“What about you? What are you doing?”

“City girl and I have unfinished business.”

Brody let out a low whistle. “Do you think that’s wise?”

No. Probably not. But Reid was past caring. Being an alpha meant putting the needs and welfare of the clan above his own. But, for one night, just one, Reid was going to indulge in a selfish whim. A whim that involved him, a certain city girl, and lots of skin-to-skin touching.

After Reid left her with his ominous last words, Tammy paced her room.

What does he mean we’re not done?
Not done talking? Not done discussing his special affliction? Not done making out and having a wondrously sexy time?

The not knowing practically drove her crazy. She should march downstairs and confront him. Demand some answers!

She didn’t leave her room. Already she was dealing with too much whacky shit. She really didn’t need anything new to handle, not now.

But how could she extricate herself from the situation? She was here to do a job, a job as yet unfinished. Her boss was expecting a full report. What could she say?
No signs of foul play, but by the way, our client is a giant bear.

He’d have her placed on stress leave in a heartbeat.

I could lie.
It wouldn’t be hard for her to claim she found no sign of foul play. Let the claims go through. However, if the problems persisted, then what?

Was there no solution to her dilemma? And what exactly was going on downstairs? A little while ago, she could have sworn she’d heard a man scream. Did she want to know for sure?

Not really. Just like she wished she could forget the disturbing sight of the bear who wasn’t a bear. The man who wasn’t a man. The kiss that was more than a kiss.

“Why so anxious?”

Reid’s softly murmured query brought a shriek to her lips. She whirled, one hand clutching her chest where her heart pulsed double time. “Would you stop sneaking up on me!”

He arched a brow as his lips curved into a much-too-sexy grin. “And miss the opportunity for you to inflict damage? I have to say, I’m surprised. Not a single blow. I expected you to brain me with a lamp or a hairbrush at the very least.”

“Don’t tempt me.”

“Someone’s testy.”

“Someone’s really confused.”

“Welcome to the club.”

She frowned at him. “What do you have to be confused about? You’re not the one who’s suddenly discovered werebears exist and who had someone threaten to cook them if she didn’t keep her mouth shut.” Tammy still hadn’t figured out if his grandmother meant it or not.

“I was shot. Or have you conveniently forgotten?”

“You’re just never going to let me live that one down, are you?”

“Nope. But you can try and make amends.” He took a step forward.

She refused to let him intimate her. With her chin tilted at a stubborn angle, she held her ground. “How?” Would he demand she falsify her report to her boss?

“I can think of a pleasurable way.”

His innuendo made her eyes widen. Her pulse went from rapid to erratic, and she moistened her lips. He reached for her, but she evaded his grasp. She knew what would happen if he touched her, and yet, despite her head telling her to stay out of reach, her body reacted. Her breath came more raggedly, her nipples tightened, and warmth pooled between her thighs.

But as much as she might find his brand of ruggedness attractive, she wasn’t about to just swoon in his arms—even if those big brawny arms could more than handle her plush curves. “Your grandmother’s right. We shouldn’t be doing this. It isn’t right. I’m here to do a job, and that job doesn’t involve doing you.”

“What’s happening between us has nothing to do with the insurance claim, and you know it.”

“Then what does it have to do with?”

“You really have to ask?”

“Yes. Because I don’t get it.” Reid could have his pick of women. Sexy, poised, slim women like Jan. Why would he go after the chubby one who’d attacked him with a frying pan and shot him in the ass?

“You want me to say it out loud? Fine. You’re mouthy, violent, and human, all things I should avoid, and yet, I can’t help but want you.”