A Bear Temptation

| Chapter Seven |

Katze stopped the car in the middle of the dirty trail she had led the others through. She could smell The Allegiance and the other Panthers close - her cat was ripping at her middle with them so near.

It didn't want her to do what she must.

"Katze..." Zeke whispered at her side gripping her hand.

"We walk the rest of the way. It isn't far. They are awaiting our arrival."

She exiting her truck the door slamming at her back. It was soon followed by several other doors closing as the others imitated her actions.

"Waiting," Zeke was in front of her those chocolate eyes filled with a confusion that tore at her heart. "I thought they didn't know we were coming?"

She couldn't answer, the lump in her throat wouldn't allow her to. How did you tell the man you loved that you were just about to break him - even more than he was. It wasn't supposed to be this way, she was never meant to find him let alone love him. Although deep in her heart she knew it was impossible not to fall for Zeke.

He was perfect in every way.

"It's this way."

Walking around him she felt a tight hand engulf her arm. It wasn't Zeke, she knew that right away, there wasn't the warmth she felt when he touched her. Turning her eyes flicked from the offending hand to a pair of narrowed blue eyes.

Neve stood before her, that grip like solid cement. Wolff was at her side his hand on his mates shoulder. Tilting her head Neve gazed at her deeply.

"This isn't what we think it is, is it?" The woman asked, her voice a light whisper.

"No." Katze flicked her eyes to Zeke just in time to see the confusion turn to shock.

"Then what is it?" Wolff demanded, his eyes darkening as the Bear surfaced.

"It's the only choice I had." She choked the words from her closing throat.

The tear fell from her eye as she watched the people she had come to envy stare at her like they didn't know her at all, maybe they didn't or maybe they did. Katze didn't really know herself anymore. Before Zeke this plan had all made sense. Now, it felt like she was ripping her heart from her chest.

"I told you we should have killed her," Maxton spat pushing Deon out the road so he was right before her. "Maybe we still should."

"That wouldn't be wise." Pax aired rubbing at the scar down his face as he looked around them.

Pax was an ally of Wolff's who had insisted in coming along. The man was a mystery yet his heart was kind. He had cared for Zeke when he needed it. Katze gave them a bitter smile.

"He's right. The Panthers know you are here. They will treat my death as an act of war. A fight isn't why I brought you here."

Turning Katze walked down the dirt path hearing the others follow. Wolff was at her back in seconds. He spun her around to face him so fast that it was sure to give her whiplash.

"Then why are we here?" Wolff demanded gripping both her wrists.

Looking past him to the others Katze could have screamed with the pain inside her chest. The only people not here were Zeke's Mum and Dad. For now they had gone to their own Clan. It was almost suffocating, the power from Wolff was immense but Katze didn't let it overcome her.

"You will see soon enough."

Wolff let her tug free of his grip with a deep, guttural moan from the animal. Her own Panther hissed straight back. It was losing everything anyway, standing up to an Alpha didn't make a difference. As Katze walked the others didn't follow, she turned grinding her molars together.

"We won't follow you Katze. Whatever you have gotten into, we won't be part of it. I trusted you, I thought your loyalty lay with your mate." Wolff turned to Zeke watching his eyes widen.

"Katze..." Zeke stumbled forward his eyes holding the realisation that they were more than what he thought.

Taking a deep breath Katze's eyes met Wolff's deep green orbs knowing hers had also darkened. The Panther was right at the surface.

"If you don't follow, if you turn and get into those trucks and leave you will all be hunted and killed before you leave this territory. We both know we can't let that happen Wolff." Katze warned.

"And as for my mate," Katze added flicking her eyes to Zeke. "I would never let him be harmed."

"You think the Panthers can stop us?" Wolff warned.

"It's not the Panthers you have to worry about although they will give you an even fight. They won't hesitate to call in the Council if they see you run. Killing the Clan who had went against the Council and survived would give them power."

"What's stopping them from calling the Council now?" Fleur barked, she had never seen the woman so angry.

"I am. I made a deal with them a year ago when I accepted my fate, when I realised there was no running from it."

Katze turned from them. She could no longer look into their eyes. The fury in the air had her Panther curling away inside her skin with the thought of what was to come. Simply, she walked hearing them follow her steps. They were bickering between themselves disputing the situation, an order soon stopped their words. Wolff knew they couldn't face the Council alone, not this time. It was too dangerous.

He wouldn't endanger his people.

"Katze..." Zeke shouted.

She picked up her pace as he neared. Soon she was at the clearing. Katze's feet halted of their own accord when she saw them. The Allegiance stood at the front, the four of them standing boot to boot with their long leather coats blowing lightly in the wind around their feet. They were all strong and powerful, the smell of their strength emitting from them like a cheap perfume. It was instant when each of their eyes focused straight on her. The others stood at their back, the six Panthers ready to defend themselves if required with their bare chests shown.

"Katze." Zeke gripped her shoulder, shrugging him off she continued forward.

Her fathers eyes met hers. The hate funnelled through her like a lightening bolt darting through the sky. His eyes only narrowed as he looked at her back, seeing the Clan she had brought. Looking away quickly she cast her eyes over her brother. His face was emotionless but in his eyes she could see the smile. Seeing his familiar messy hair and pale blue eyes had something inside her relaxing.

"I must admit Katze, I didn't think you would be able to pull something like this off." Hagan snarled, the cat hissing in his throat.

He hadn't changed much in the year since she had made the deal with him. His grey eyes were cold, his skin pale and his skinny frame buried in the leather coat that he wore. Looking at the other three of the Allegiance they were all built stronger with their muscled frames clear. It always amazed her when she saw Torro, Slater and Eroll at his side. They looked to be the strongest, not that they were. Hagan wasn't much in human form but he turned into a vicious cat.

They said his insanity drove the beast inside his skin. She knew better than that. Hagan wasn't insane, he was calculating. Everyone that stood around him followed his ruling blindly simply because he had manipulated each and every one of them. His words where his weapon.

"Where is she?" Katze demanded.

She could smell her sister, her eyes however couldn't find her in the crowd of testosterone.

Coming before them Katze stopped, the others joining silently behind her. They didn't understand the dynamics, she could practically taste their minds assessing the situation.

Hagan stepped from the others allowing her sister forward. A sigh of relief left her mouth when she saw those brown eyes and wavy blond hair. Her little face was pale, her frame practically skin and bone but she was here and she was alive and after today she would be safe from them all.

"Calla." Katze took in a shaky breath dropping to her knees.

She looked so small before them, the only girl in a sea full of men, the only blond in a world full of dark hair. Calla was her saviour, she was the reason that Katze had let herself live this long, she was also the reason that Hagan had so much power over her.

"Katze." She gasped.

Her legs moved towards her soon stopping when Hagan's grip landed on Callas' shoulder, instantly her sister cowered before him. A hiss left Katze's throat as her eyes met those void grey orbs of his. The fury was boiling inside of her, bubbling to the surface with each, rigid second that went between them.

"I could kill her." Hagan aired his grip tightening on Calla's shoulder.

It wasn't a threat, he would without a shadow of a doubt. He couldn't though, Katze knew he needed her. The prophecy had to be met or it would be the end of them all. Her sisters safety was the terms for her co-operation.

"You kill her and I kill myself Hagan." She pulled the small knife from her pocket raising her eyebrow in a daring challenge to him.

"There is the spirit I missed. A female Panther with the strength of a male. You always were unique Katze." Hagan smiled, a cold empty grin.

"And you always were a sexist coward."

Hagan stepped around Calla towards her, as he did Katze felt a hand circle tightly around her waist lifting her up. Zeke pulled her towards him bringing a delightful warmth to her bones. The ten panthers before her hissed. The unease rose in the air as they crouched, ready to change if the order was given.

"What is happening here Katze?" Zeke whispered taking the knife from her and putting it into his jeans as the bears at her back growled. They were ready to fight.

The thick tension rose in the air with the silence around them. She couldn't quite squeeze the words from her lips. All she could do was remove his hand and step from him. If she didn't her sister wasn't leaving - that wasn't an option.

A smirk found its way to Hagan's lips as once again he stepped forward so his frame towered above her. Katze dropped again too her knees pulling Calla who has sneaked past him into her arms. The tears of relief soaked the thin shirt she wore.

"I love you Kittycat." She sobbed using the nickname she always had.

This last year had been hell. Katze knew how the Council had treated her sister but leaving her was the girls only chance at freedom. She would live now, free from the darkness of their own people.

"I love you too." Callas' little voice quivered, that just made the tears fall faster.

Pulling back Katze pulled her sister to her side. She looked at Hagan, watching the enjoyment he was getting from her pain. He was a s******c person, always had been.

"What now Katze? I gave you my side of the deal." He goaded.

"Let me say goodbye." She plead.

"Make it quick" He agreed taking one step back from her with a glint of satisfaction in his eyes that she had practically begged for something from him.

Turning Katze's heart plummeted to the tips of her toes. Zeke was in front of her as the others stayed crouched, ready to attack. They wouldn't get their fight they were so readily preparing for. That wasn't why she brought them here.

"I'm sorry." Zeke's frown deepened at her words as he looked at the others behind her, his eyes soon flicked back to hers.

Lifting up Calla the shaky breath left her lips. She wiped the tears from her face, clearing her throat. Strength was her ally.

"Was it true? Are we mates?" Zeke asked those chocolate eyes staring at her with so much blinding hope it was killing her inside.

"For a while Zeke, it felt like I had you. It's fate that gave you to me and it's fate that means I can never have you." She lifted her hand rubbing her thumb over his stubble covered cheek.

"Katze..." His shock dizzied her, gripping onto Calla she smiled down at her worried eyes.

"This is Calla, my sister. Calla this is Zeke." She motioned to him with a smile trying to ease the fear from her sister.

Calla met his eyes was a look of wonder. She didn't speak, the years she had spent with their people had taken the strength from her. With Wolff's Clan she would find it again.

"Hi." Zeke smiled down at her softly his eyes coming straight back to hers

"Why are we here Katze?" He whispered in despair.

Leaning down Katze kissed her sisters blond hair lingering for a few seconds before she pulled back. The tears were blinding her as she gave the most precious thing to the man she loved. Zeke took her without hesitation sitting her light frame on his hip. He frowned as he looked between them.

"There was a prophecy written a long time ago about my life Zeke. My fate was given to me before I was born. My eyes sealed my destiny however they didn't seal hers. I need her safe, with your Clan she can be." He shook his head with a frown.

"We make our own fate."

"That isn't how it works here Zeke. It's my life for her freedom. It's a price I would pay over and over again if it meant she could be away from the darkness here."

Katze tiptoed towards him her lips touching his in a light feathered kiss. Kissing Calla's hair once again she smiled at her wide, confused eyes. Staring at them both, she knew the right decision had been made.

"Save her for me Zeke. Give her the life I never could." He looked so broken as the realisation of what was about to happen set in.

"I can't leave you here Katze, you can't ask me to do that." He begged gripping her arm.

Wolff came beside Zeke his green eyes still dark. He looked at her with a realisation that was sure to hit them all. They weren't here to fight, they were here for her sister's safety. Katze's fight had ended a long time ago.

"You have no choice."

Calla leaned over wiping the tears that had falling down Katze's face. The little girl knew what was happening. She was old enough to realise that Katze was never coming with her.

"Look after him for me. They will keep you safe Kittycat" She begged Calla, her head bobbed up and down in response with a shy determination that made Katze smile.

"I need to hear you say it Katze. What am I to you?" Zeke snapped.

Her panther hissed as she fought with it mercifully to stay inside her skin. The cat wanted to be with her mate, Katze knew it could never happen. Forever now she would be at war with her animal, it would remind her that a man like Zeke existed, that not all men were dark.

"Mate." Katze growled eventually sounding more like a beast than woman.

"Katze..." Zeke breathed deeply his breaths rasping past his lips.

"Look after her for me Zeke. She needs to be taught all that's good in this world. She needs you to show her how special the world can be." She begged

"I can't leave you." He shook his head rapidly gripping onto her with fierce determination. "You can't expect me to walk away knowing that you're mine. You should have told me."

Katze sighed bitterly. "Deep down you already knew Zeke, we both did but there was a storm cloud hanging over us because right now we both know it wouldn't have changed what has to happen."

"Time's up." Hagan aired his hand wrapping around her waist so she was pulled from Zeke.

"No." Zeke grated as his hand left her arm. The anger from him hit her quickly.

Hagan directed his words to Wolff who had come to stand beside Zeke. "You have ten minutes to get off my land or I will bring hell to your people."

Wolff nodded his eyes holding a sadness as he looked at Katze. He knew he had to leave, his Clan had ten minutes until a War they weren't ready for would strike them.

"I won't leave you." Zeke shouted stepping forward.

Pax took her sister from his arms. Calla went quietly when Katze nodded. Zeke wasn't as docile. He vaulted forward only to be captured by Wolff. Struggling against the hold of the man behind him Maxton gripped one arm while Wolff griped the other. He may not have the bear but a man with a potent anger had a strength that was equally as compelling.

"No, I won't leave her." Zeke wailed fighting their grip as they pulled him further from her. "Don't take her from me, I just got her."

"I'm sorry Zeke." Katze sobbed, her heart shattering in her chest. "I'm so sorry."

"Let me go." He screamed, she hissed as her sensitive ears took it in.

"I love you." She whispered.

He was too far away to hear the words but the realisation in his face told her he knew what she had just said. Harder he fought, desperately trying to escape the men who separated them. He was like a man possessed, all Katze could do was watch as one of the most important things in her life lost himself to a rage so overpowering that it was all around her. She could taste it, smell it and feel it like it was her own.

Each step away destroyed Katze that bit more and when Zeke was out of sight it felt like her heart was no longer in her chest. A pain like the one that blasted through her shouldn't exist. Falling to her knees when she heard them all pile into the trucks, the cars sped from the grounds taking with them everything that she lived for.

It was in that moment Katze knew she was ruined. She had lost everything. Fate had crippled her forever.

The tears fell as the blinding sadness came. Katze knew she had just done the most selfish act she could. She had given Zeke everything only to rip it straight from him.

All she could do was hope that he was strong enough to get through the darkness that would surely cocoon them both.