Tonic did not seem to appreciate the question. She knew he was angry, or rather, she felt his Polar Bear’s indignation when the Alpha had greeted her formally. Not wanting to be the cause of any discord between them she smiled and tried to press upon the males there that she felt safe, happy, and secure in their presence.
Of course, the truth was quite the opposite. Being the only woman at the table where three massive Black Bear Shifters, Marcus, Daniel, and Taylor Devlin, and one angry as fuck Polar Bear, Tonic Nanouk, made her feel apprehensive as hell.
Dominant Male Shifters were nothing if not chivalrous when it came to a female’s security. They would all feel obligated to provide her with some measure of protection. Even though for the mated Devlin’s, their protection would be offered in a strictly platonic way, since, again, she was not entirely human. Weak though her ties to the Clan may be, she was, as of yet, a single female in their presence.
“No, not lately,” she cleared her throat and waited while the men whispered to one another in voices way too low for her to hear.
Tonic growled and she shot him a look. Why he was so upset, she had no idea, but she didn’t want him to get involved. She knew Tonic was in Barvale, New Jersey, with his brothers and cousin, on probationary terms. Bowie and Locke had earned permanent status recently, but not Tonic or Bolder. Not yet anyway.
He could not afford to lose control and endanger the delicate accord that allowed him to relocate and call the South Jersey town home. Maya certainly refused to be the cause of any infraction on his part.
She knew he was a volatile creature, and maybe it was just the fact she was a single female there alone that rankled. Tonic was good like that, she thought. So masculine and dominant, and old-fashioned where women were concerned it seemed.
She liked that though. Once upon a time she thought he might be attracted to her, that his animal had recognized her as his mate, but that must’ve been a mistake.
After all, Maya had spent the night in his place and he never stepped a single toe out of line. The way she understood it, if they were mates, he would not have had so much control.
Sadness threatened to overwhelm her, but she bit it back. Concentrating on the men in the room and their animals instead. Peace, when so many Shifters were in one spot, was hard won and it wouldn’t do to be anything other than diligent.
The fact she could not be certain where she stood within the Clan, made things worse. She was unsure of her rights or how far they would go to help her. She reached out with her abilities, instinctively going to him first, but Tonic was so closed off from her.
He was impossible to read, unlike the other three men in the room. All of whom had been thinking about their mates or cubs, or mates and cubs, and lunch. Maya could’ve laughed. Her entire future hung in the balance and these guys wanted to know when they could next eat.
Oh, well. It was almost noon, after all and Shifter’s had a supernaturally enhanced metabolism that meant they were often hungry.
Not that she could blame them. Clary, their longtime housekeeper and a well-respected she-Bear in the Clan, had a crockpot full of homemade chili cooking on the stove and a pan of cornbread in the oven.
It smelled heavenly and Maya wished she’d had time to finish the breakfast she’d painstakingly made that morning. Cooking for Tonic had secretly thrilled her and she wondered if she’d ever have the chance again. Probably not, she thought with a sad sigh.
“I haven’t had any more trouble than usual, thank you for asking, Alpha, but I was wondering if we could move on to the Crawford case?” she returned politely, addressing Marcus formerly even though, like most people her age, she had worked for the brothers in their flagship Bear Claw Bakery during her youth.
“I see. Well, first I want to thank you for gathering these papers and doing your own research. These will definitely help put another nail in Peter Crawford’s coffin when we find him,” he growled and she knew he was upset that the Bear had gotten away under his watch.
“This makes the seventh Clan related business that he, and it looks like his father too, had ruined before he left town,” Daniel Devlin, the Head Enforcer, added.
“Oh no,” she frowned, “I am so sorry to hear that.”
“I hope you understand that while we are trying to help Clan members with their problems, you don’t exactly fall under that category,” Marcus hesitated, but she could tell where this was going.
The Alpha’s inner Bear was upset at the news he had to deliver and Maya did her best to reassure the man, but Tonic’s growl grew suddenly louder. She turned her head and met his angry eyes that had darkened with the power of his animal.
Uh oh, she reached under the table and took his hand in hers hoping to soothe his beast. Tonic could not afford to say or do anything to the Alpha! It was unthinkable. His own situation was much too precarious without her personal mess interfering.
“So, I will not get any monetary benefits? Okay, I understand. I still think you should have this information,” she returned.
“What do you mean she isn’t protected?” Tonic demanded, but she stopped him with a hard glare.
“Tonic, there are rules that we have been working to change, but as it stands, Maya is not a Clan member,” Taylor tried to explain, but she could feel Tonic’s grip on his Bear slipping.
“How the fuck isn’t she a Clan member? Her father was a Barvale Bear!”
“You will not use that kind of language while my cub is playing in the other room,” growled Marcus then he turned to Daniel, “Control your team.”
“Tonic, you know your brother Locke and your cousin Bowie have both made strives to earn their permanent place in our Clan. You and Bolder are still here at our Alpha’s pleasure. You would do well to remember that,” Daniel spoke directly to Tonic, ignoring Maya’s shocked glare.
She did not like the implied threat, but the Enforcer was correct. Tonic was not in a position to argue for her.
“I said, her father was a full Clan member. Was he or wasn’t he?” Tonic growled but lowered his voice.
“Yes, Paul Osborn was a member in good standing of the Barvale Clan, but, and I am so sorry about this Maya, he died before her status as a non-Shifter was clear. He never made the proper claims for her security. Most parents don’t unless their offspring fail to-” Taylor ran a hand through his hair, clearly uncomfortable with what was actually the truth. Maya understood.
“Until their offspring turn out to be more human than Shifter,” she smiled weakly, and nodded despite the angry growl coming from Tonic.
This was so not good. She looked at the Clan Keeper and nodded her head. She did understand. It sucked, but it was what it was. And there was simply no way she was going to let Tonic risk being expelled from Barvale to argue over rules neither of them had any power over.
She squeezed his hand hard and tugged on his arm, thanking the Alpha and his brothers. Then she stood to leave.
“I appreciate you all taking the time, goodbye,” she mumbled knowing full well the three suddenly quiet men had heard her.
“This is bullshit! I don’t know why-” growled Tonic, but she shushed him and dragged him along with his hand still clamped tightly in hers.
Thank goodness, he didn’t pull away from her. That would have left her feeling mortified. Instead, he allowed her to lead the way until they were outside and next to his car. Only then did she reluctantly release her hold on him.