A Bear Temptation

| Chapter Two |

They said everything happened for a reason. Neve had come into the Clan to give Wolff stability, she had come right at the time their Alpha needed a mate. Her presence sparked a war that was long overdue. She was the start of something bigger, hopefully something better.

As Zeke stood with the cold water bouncing off his numb skin he tried desperately to find the reason he had lost the one thing he cherished most, his bear. He didn't focus on it for long, the erection jutting proudly between his legs gripped his attention.

That damn Panther had given him something that had vanished completely when his bear had. When he had lost the animal in the fight for his Clan's survival his s*x drive had plummeted. This was the first time he had been aroused since.

It was ten minutes before he was finally able to get out from under the blasting water. The cold left his skin slowly, his weak body heating itself as he pulled his clothes on. The numbness may have left his body, it didn't leave his heart. Nothing felt worthwhile anymore.

Zeke knew he should have been grateful to the Panther for giving him at least a small part of his masculinity back. He wasn't. Her presence only showed him what a pathetic mess he was. She was beautiful, that long black hair falling down her back, those different coloured eyes igniting a spark of l**t within him. Once he would have flirted shamelessly with her.

Who was he kidding? He could be as aroused as he wanted. She wouldn't go near him. What did he have to offer her? He was a human, weak and easily broken. She was a Panther, a strong wild cat who with one bite of those sharp teeth could kill. She represented everything he used to be.

He was no match for her. Zeke knew he wasn't worth the air she breathed.

Separating the blinds shielding his window Zeke peeked out at the Panther pacing rapidly back and forth at his door in her human skin. Worriedly she bit her plump bottom lip, her tiny hands gripping that long black hair. A pang of sympathy hit his chest before it was gone. That was how life was for him now, he lived in another world from everyone around him. His emotions weren't heightened so they felt false, like he was only feeling half of what he should.

Taking a deep breath Zeke walked to his cabin door opening it so the chill of air hit his skin. It was dark now, the sky a comforting blanket above them. The panther stopped turning to him, her face frozen. She honestly was the most stunning thing he had ever seen.

"Hi." She breathed slowly.

Zeke didn't respond. He had to get away from her. Those eyes stared at him, like they were reading his mind. Nobody should be in his thoughts, they were dangerous. Each day he plummeted deeper into his own cylinder of self-pity.

Walking into Our Wood she followed him. The anger was rising in his bones, why couldn't she understand that he had to be alone? When he was himself he didn't have to pretend that he was getting better.

"Zeke." She called, that light voice sounding almost enchanting over the rustling trees in the breeze around them.

Her dainty fingers gripped his forearm. He stopped, all movement in his body futile with the spark of l**t that bolted violently through his bones. Closing his eyes he yanked his arm back turning to face the bewitching beauty that a part of him wished he was good enough for. His father always used to preach that the things you wanted where the things you could never have, now he truly understood that saying.

"What do you want?" He barked sounding as furious as he felt inside.

When it wasn't self-pity it was anger that consumed him. He was furious that he had lost his bear, completely fuming. There wasn't a day that went by now that he didn't hate himself for being so pathetic.

"I need to help my family." She begged weakly.

It wasn't a good look on her. He knew how strong she was, one look at her animal proved that yet as he looked at those sad, pleading eyes he knew she was desperate. Once he would have cared.

"Staying here won't help them."

He turned again walking blindly through the darkness. At night it calmed him. He didn't have to think of anything other than where he was going, it was the only sliver of quietness his thoughts gave him.

"You need to help me." She ran after him until she was in front of his body. He stepped back before her hands gripped his arms. "Please."

"Do you think because I'm the weakest member here you can somehow convince me to fight for your family. We all have enough problems of our own without having to fight everybody else's. Go, nobody needs you here." He warned trying to step around her.

Those eyes deepened, one a Forrest green, the other a royal blue. An open rawness lit her features, a bitter despair he didn't understand.

"That hurt more than I though it would." She whispered stepping back from him.

He frowned. "What the hell are you talking about? You don't know what pain feels like, trust me. I've had pain, I've fought through it. Now, I'm living in a constant state of agony. I'll give you a little tip maybe you wouldn't hurt so much if you were out there fighting for your family. Begging strangers to help isn't going to get you anywhere."

"Do you know what Zeke f**k you. I've fought for my family, every decision I made was for them and still I lost everything I cherished. Now I need help and I was brave enough to ask for it from a Clan who have a reputation to spill blood everywhere they go. I knew that could be mine and still I came here because I had no choice." She went to turn before those blazing eyes once again met his. "Don't dare say I'm not a fighter, I've fought everyday of my life when I knew I didn't have a chance."

Zeke stared at her as his emotions flamed to life. "Is it because I don't have a bear you think that I'll suddenly become your best friend? Do you think I'll go and tell the others they need to help you and they will listen? I have no status in this Clan Panther, you are speaking with the wrong man." He spat violently.

A frown took over her feline features. She looked at him for several excruciating moments as he breathed rapidly the anger almost exploding from his bones. He didn't think humans could feel anger like this, it was like a fist gripping his heart, rushing the blood through his veins until they couldn't take anymore.

"What do you mean you have no bear?"

"I mean exactly what I say. I'm human Panther, a weak, pathetic human." He ground his teeth together, saying it to her made the brutal facts seem that much more pathetic.

He watched as the Panther inhaled deeply her eyes clouding for a moment before she coughed stepping back from him. When she spoke it was gruff, a husky tone to her voice once again lighting that fiery arousal that he had long given up on.

"I can smell your bear?" She frowned further.

Closing his eyes Zeke could have cried. The animal was still there, he didn't know if that made him happy. The others in his Clan could no longer sense the animal inside him. As the weeks past they said the smell of his animal weakened until there was nothing other than the potent smell of his humanity.

The fact that she could smell it made his heart race, not in anger, in hope. He could have fell to his knees and thanked her for giving him such a gift.

As the shutters came down on his blinded hope Zeke opened his eyes staring at her. He didn't see a woman who needed help for her family, he saw Serena the Council leader. She must have been sent by the Council to gloat about what he had lost.

She was a follower of Serena's Coven.

His hand shot forward gripping her throat. He knew he wasn't stronger than her, never again would he be. Her eyes widened as she gripped at his hand trying desperately to breath.

"Who send you?" He asked his voice laced with malice.

Her face reddened, her hands scratching at his skin until droplets of blood oozed leisurely from the cuts she made. He loosened his grip slightly allowing her to speak.

"Nobody sent me." She plead gasping desperately for air.

"Was it Serena. Was it?" He shouted gripping tighter.

She could have freed herself at any minute yet she didn't. All those eyes did was stare in shock at what he was doing. Maybe she didn't expect it from a human.

"I...I..."

He let her go so she fell to the ground, the wet earth dirtying the t-shirt he had given her. She looked good in his clothes. He shook his head stopping his thoughts from progressing.

"I will ask one more time." He warned.

The Panther stood before him stepping forward so she was staring up into his eyes with an open realisation. A chuckle left her plush lips before she shook her head.

"You don't know." She whispered gazing up at him with wide eyes.

"Know what?" He countered.

"It's better this way. It needs to stay this way." She rambled to herself.

Zeke felt a burst of annoyance vault through him. Again he gripped her by the throat. She didn't fight him, that only turned the annoyance to a boiling fury. He wanted her to fight, he wanted her to make him feel. She was the only one who had evoked these feelings even if they were still muted, he wanted more.

His back hit a tree the air rushing from his lungs. "What are you doing?" Wolff bellowed as the panther fell to the floor once again caked in mud.

"The Council sent her." Zeke stood his back throbbing as his Alpha's eyes narrowed dangerously.

"The Council will send an army Zeke. They will want to annihilate us as quickly and as effortlessly as possible. If the rumours I am hearing are correct they are recruiting. One Panther isn't their style." Zeke looked at Wolff knowing he was right, that didn't stop the roaring bitter rage that called for revenge.

He wanted everyone to pay for what he had lost, he needed the Council and anyone associated with them to die.

There was no point in speaking, he felt like his words weren't heard anymore. Walking past Wolff he heard his Alpha growl. They had all tried to help him, he was beyond help. The more he pushed their patience, the more space he got. None of them knew what to do with him anymore.

He didn't know what to do with himself.

Walking past the Panther she was still in a heap on the muddy ground. Zeke forced himself to keep moving past her. She was bad for him, she reminded him of everything he could never have.

"Stay away from me Panther." He warned.

He kept going, disappearing into the darkness hoping that the aching of his heart would go away. Leaving her on that ground took every ounce of his strength yet he walked abandoning her just like his bear had abandoned him.