“It’s okay, aippak, I have you.”
“Why did this have to happen? I was so happy this morning,” she whimpered and hated her own weakness.
“I am so sorry, my love. This is a matter of honor now. I will fight for you always. I have to be able to protect you from any threat, even this one, My Bear demands it. I love you, Maya, always,” he whispered and brushed her hair away from her face, kissing away her tears before carrying her to the truck.
“What did you say to them?” she asked as he secured her seatbelt and started the engine.
Tonic turned to face her with his mismatched eyes turning to black as his Bear pushed forward.
“I asked them if there were any rules.”
“And?”
“No. It is a battle to the death.”
“When?” she asked.
“At noon,” he said and turned into their driveway.
Maya’s heart nearly stopped. It was already ten. She had two hours until her mate might possibly die.
Eleven
Tonic watched his mate storm out of the Den, her anger vibrating in her wake and his heart leapt to his throat.
She was so fierce and loyal, so very scared right then, and he was powerless to stop her from feeling that way. He turned to face the Devlin brothers and held on to his own control by a thread.
“This challenge is legal? Then I will accept. What are the terms?”
“You meet at noon in the training circle,” Daniel grunted, “I will be the official judge.”
“And?”
“No rules, Tonic. No holds barred. It is a match to the death.”
“And if I die, who will protect Maya?” he growled angrily.
“We will,” Leya Devlin walked into the room, curly blonde hair in a bun high up on her head, with three other females, Lacey, Krissy, and Luisa, in tow.
These four women were mated to the most powerful men in the Barvale Clan, but looking at them now, Tonic wondered if they weren’t the real power behind the Clan. The Alpha’s mate narrowed her eyes at her husband, almost daring him to argue and Tonic had to hand it to her, the woman had grit.
He nodded at each one of them out of respect. He was in their debt and would someday show them how grateful he was that they stepped up to support and help his mate. The fearless females gave him tight smiles and nods in return and his heart was filled with pride to having even been considered a probationary member to this Clan.
Barvale was a very special place. The Alpha and his brothers were not bad men. Tonic knew and understood this, but he was too angry at the prospect of being separated from his mate to think about it.
Becoming a full-fledged member of the Clan had been his focus for almost a year, but none of it mattered without Maya. Now that he had her, he realized the opposite was also true. She was the most important thing.
His loyalty was to her first. Maybe that made him a bad bet for the Barvale Clan in the long run, but he didn’t think so. In fact, if he and Maya were both ever to be full members, he would give the Clan his all just to make certain she was safe.
As it was, he now had to face down an unfair and unheard of three to one formal challenge. He would survive though. Tonic had to. There was no other acceptable option.
“Leya, what are you doing?” Marcus jumped up to go to his mate’s side, but one scathing look from the female had him grinding his teeth.
“I’ve heard enough of this nonsense, Marcus, and I have to tell you I think it’s idiotic,” she put her hands on her hips and stared him down.
It was a move no other man in the room could get away with, but Marcus was nothing if not patient and caring when it came to his wife and fated mate. Right then, she looked like she was going to kick his ass into next week if he so much as spoke.
“Hank Adams, Treyvon James, and Grayson Kettle are three of the most despicable Bear Shifters in this Clan,” she spat their names out between tight lips, “now they might be full members, but Tonic Nanouk has been on the Enforcer Security Unit for almost a whole year. His probationary status should have been converted months ago!”
“Leya, I told you it’s complicated.”
“No, you made it complicated, Marcus, by neglecting to update the rules and laws of this Clan,” the tiny woman narrowed her eyes at her mate, “I’ve been talking to Iggy and he agrees with me. Things need to change. You need to meet with him and the elders as soon as this BS is over, but first things first. Tonic, I swear as the Alpha female of this Clan that no harm will ever come to Maya.”
“Leya,” Marcus tried again.
“Quiet,” she said, “I’ll talk to you later. Tonic, I also want you to know that I am nominating both you and Maya for full membership to the Clan if either of you even want to remain once this idiocy is over with. And if,” she paused before continuing in a clear voice, “if you fall today, and by the way everyone here should know that I will be one seriously pissed off Alpha female if you do, I will personally see to Maya’s protection.”
“As will I,” Krissy Devlin, Taylor’s mate spoke next, followed by the same sentiment from the other two women.
Tonic’s Polar Bear growled approvingly. Leya was the fiercest Alpha female he’d ever seen, addressing the room with all the authority of her husband and mate. All of the women that had convened to protect Maya were quite special, he recognized the truth in that sentiment and thanked them all once more silently.
They were a fine example to all. Mates, mothers, sisters, friends, their bond was rock solid. They reminded him in ways of his sister-in-law Nita, and of course, Maya too.
He had the utmost respect for Marcus and his brothers, but where the ruling males of the Clan had not been prepared for this event, and were even now more angry than helpful, the females had all offered at least one solution.
An answer to his first and most important question, who would protect Maya if he should fall? His Bear resented the prospect that he could in fact be taken down by the three sorry excuse for males.
The fact was, though smaller than him, three Shifters were a lot to take on in a fight. Yes, he was big, yes, he was strong, but winning was not guaranteed. Anything could happen.
After he listened to the rules and was given the time and place, Tonic said his thanks to the females and the males present. He then headed outside to find his aippak.
His heart constricted inside his chest as he came upon her crying on her knees in a pile of semi-slushy snow.
Fuck, his beast roared inside of him.
Tonic moved without sound. Lifting her, kissing away the salty tears that marred her pink cheeks, he cradled her close.
He carried her to the truck, explaining what he’d learned and answering her questions. He wished with everything inside of him that he could stop her from hurting. The pain he heard in her raw voice was almost too much for him to take.
He just wanted to take care of her for as long as he could, and so, he carried her into their house and to their bed.
“But shouldn’t you get ready?” she sniffed.
“Let me love you, aippak, let me fill you and mark my skin with your scent. Let me claim you once more, so everyone knows who you belong to,” he begged and tumbled with her onto the bed.
They came together like the wild, desperate things they were. Two halves of a whole, burning with the need to become one once again. His heated skin warmed hers as he peeled off her damp jeans and tore at her underthings.