Redeem the Bear (Bear Valley Shifters #5)(9)

He hadn’t been able to tell her eye color from this distance, but they were light. Wide and pretty, and he perceived shock in them when she’d seen at him. There was a spark of something there before he’d ducked behind the tree. Her chestnut colored hair was long and shone with bronze highlights in the sun, and her skin was fair and fragile, like porcelain.

Despair struck him in the gut. She would die tomorrow. How could anyone so frail survive what was coming for her clan?

Closing his eyes, he muttered an oath and rocked his head back against the tree. He didn’t have time or energy to waste on worrying over the enemy. She was a part of the clan who had killed Nathan. She was the problem, and Brooks would wield his vengeance like a sword at dawn.

The woman would have to die, and the weak sympathies inside of him would have to be suppressed.

He limped away, but here, he was able to. Back at camp, he’d have to appear as strong as the Long Claw alpha was supposed to. Alpha challenges had been brutal and bloody, and Omar had ripped into the tendons of his leg just before Brooks’ victory. Bad timing, but he wouldn’t let it slow him down.

He’d had worse.

With one last glance back to the sliver of clearing that still showed through the thicket of trees, he made his way back to the trail that would lead to his clan’s camp.

If he saw the woman tomorrow, he couldn’t hesitate. If at dawn, she stood between him and victory, he would kill her.

****

“Come on,” Anya whispered. “It’s dangerous for us to be out here alone.”

“You aren’t alone,” a deep baritone voice sounded behind them.

Startled, Corin was rattled free of her daydream. Chase stood against a tree with his arms crossed. Disapproval was written all over his face and Corin cowered, exposing her neck.

“Cut that shit out, Corin. You can’t be doing that tomorrow morning. I’m depending on you to have Anya’s back, not expose it. Find your fight, girl.” He turned and called over his shoulder, “If you decide to come prancing around the battlefield, do bring an escort. A brown bear at the very least.”

She couldn’t tell exactly what he said after that, but she was pretty sure he called her a runty black bear. Not kind.

She flipped him off behind his back and he growled like he could see her. When she looked at Anya, her friend had sucked her lips into her mouth and looked like she was stifling a smile. Chase did this kind of crap in training all the time, and it was downright unsettling. The man could always tell when she was slacking, even if he wasn’t looking at her.

Raise your knees higher, Corin.

Stop talking, Corin.

I said twenty-five push-ups, Corin. You only did seven.

Roll your eyes at me again and you’ll do three more laps. Okay, three more laps, Corin.

The man’s instincts were obnoxious.

She kicked a pinecone into the forest and Chase shook his head in front of them and sighed. Whatever. Even if he did have eyes in the back of his head, she would only have to deal with his bossiness for one more day. Then she’d be a ghost bear and wouldn’t ever have to do high knees again. Maybe she would haunt him for fun.

Turning, she squinted at the clearing behind her one last time. She hadn’t believed in ghosts before, but then there had been the shade at the edge of the woods. Now she didn’t know what to think.

Riker stood in the back of his truck, addressing the gathered shifters. Corin skirted the edges and settled next to Joanna.

“The treaty still holds until midnight tonight, which means none of you are to engage in a fight with any members of the Long Claw Clan.”

“Are you sure they’ll follow through with that clan law?” Brad Barker asked from the crowd.

“I’m having a meeting with their new alpha shortly, and I’ll make sure to reiterate no attacks on either camp tonight. To be safe though, we’ll have sentries on shift from now until dawn, and I want you sleeping dressed and ready for battle. Chase and Juan, you take first shift. Daria is setting up a medical area near the edge of the clearing, and she and Hannah will be preforming first aid there. This will also be off limits from the Long Claws, and likewise, steer clear of their injured. Other than that, anything goes. We’ll set up camp and get a good meal in us. I don’t want you staying up late. Tomorrow could be the most important day in Bear Valley’s history. Some of us won’t come home from this. Some of us will come back scarred.” He clasped his hands behind his back and looked out over his people. “I wanted to stop this war, but it isn’t in our control anymore. The Long Claws will come after us whether we fight now or next week, and I’d rather be prepared. Tomorrow we’ll fight for our land, for our people. You’ll fight for your friends and family. Help each other. Have each other’s backs like the proud Bear Valley shifters who have dotted our lineage before you. Who have battled for peace and honor, and won.” Riker nodded to Juan, who stood leaned against the truck.

Juan turned and pulled the first tent from the back, then he handed it to Brody to dole out to the first group.

“Most are sleeping five to a tent,” Joanna said. “You can stay with me and Anya if you want to.”

“Sure, thanks.” Except spending her last night on earth in the same tent as two newly mated couples sounded like the least fun slumber party ever. Beggars and choosers, though, so she helped Joanna wrestle their tent to a flat area thirty yards away.