A Bear Temptation

| Chapter Eighteen |

Zeke could smell it, they all could but nobody had dared to tell her. He snuck out of bed kissing Katze on the cheek and on her belly. His baby was growing inside his mate and she had no idea, he didn’t know how she was going to take the news but for now he just smiled at the fact he was going to be a father. Checking on Calla she was sound asleep, so he left, they had a meeting with Ash.

“Well, hello there papa bear.” Wolff smiled.

“Shut up, I don’t want her to hear you.” He urged.

“She will realise soon enough.” Wolff nodded his eyes alive with humour. “On another note, how do you feel having the bear?”

His Alpha looked almost proud that he had got the animal back. Zeke smiled as the bear growled in his throat.

“Whole.”

“I wonder what animal the child will be? There hasn’t been a lot of cross animals before.”

“As long as it is healthy I don’t care.”

They both turned as Ash came walking through the trees his strides quickly bringing him to them. He nodded at them both before anyone spoke.

“So, any news?” Wolff asked getting straight to the point.

“They killed the two people inside who were loyal too me. I don’t have eyes on them anymore.” Ash stated solemnly.

“Fuck.” Zeke spat.

Just when they thought they had the upper hand the rug was pulled out from under their feet. It was a never-ending battle. They were wary of Ash at first, he had been with the council for a long time, but he had helped them greatly in the past weeks with intel.

“I’m fed up with waiting. Why haven’t they attacked?” Wolff spat his frustration clear as his bear rattled inside him.

“I don’t know.” Was Ash’ honest response.

“I have every clan with us on standby, I have scouts on their land, I have everything in place, but they just haven’t made a move. I expected a fight by now and not like we have had, one that was big enough to end us.” He rambled.

“Maybe they are waiting to see how many Clan’s go against them. Serena is big on loyalty.” Zeke shrugged.

“I just don’t have a good feeling about this. Serena will be feeling the unrest of the Clan’s, she will know people are turning against her so why wait?” His Alpha looked in despair.

“This isn’t like anything she has faced before.” Ash stated. “There have been uprisings but nothing like this.”

“Good, maybe now she can see just how her ruling isn’t working, people are done with it.”

“Maybe we need to think out the box.” Zeke stated looking at them both.

There was a moment of silence, them both looking at each other like they were unsure about what he was going to say. Maybe they should be but waiting clearly wasn’t working, it was riling up all their animals making them restless and agitated.

“What do you mean?” Wolff asked slowly rubbing his hands through his hair.

“Why are we waiting? Take the fight to them.” He shrugged; waiting wasn’t working. It was time for action.

“But we run the risk of them finding out. If we are watching them, they are definitely watching us.” Wolff stated.

“Then only tell the Alphas, nobody else needs to know until we are going do they?”

“No, I suppose they don’t.” Wolff agreed.

“It’s risky.” Ash added. “It could be what she wants.”

“All I know is that we need an edge, we need something that is going to give us an advantage because she has more people on her side, more power with the witches and more power over us because we are letting her run this war instead of us taking charge.” Zeke shot.

He had a family on the way, he had a mate, he had a loving Clan, finally he had his animal back. He had everything he had ever dreamed of and more and this war was the only thing standing between him having it all or losing everything.

“She is still running things Wolff. Even although we have gone against her, we are giving her all the power. It’s time for us to take it back.”

“What if we lose everything Zeke?”

He had never seen that look of pure fear on his Alpha’s face, not even when his mate had been taken. There was a simmering tension in the air, one that everyone could feel because this was it, it was either the end or the beginning and either way there was no going back.

“Then we lose it together. It’s time Wolff, it’s time to stand up and be heard, it’s time to write our own future.”

“It’s time to make history.” Ash added.

They were all bound to have a wobble, especially with what was on the line, but their futures were in their own hands. They just had to fight first for that freedom to be theirs.

“I’ll speak with the Alphas.” Wolff nodded as if his mind was set. “Gather the others, this started with our Clan so we will all know the plan.”

Zeke walked back from the trees into Our Wood. He gathered the others minus Maxton who was sleeping. He was getting better, much better in fact, but he had slept a lot to heal. They needed him for this fight so they could catch up with him later. It wasn’t long before everyone was sitting on the logs, the same confused look on their face. Wolff walked over, his face stern.

“I have made a decision, one that could change everything but it’s the best option we have.” He stated.

As he went to go on, Zeke saw his head tilt to the side. He did the same, listening intently. Someone was driving up to Our Wood.

“It’s human.” Katze stated taking Zeke’s hand.

“Stay alert.” Wolff demanded walking over to the tree line.

The human man entered Our Wood gazing around and looking as out of place as he clearly felt. He mumbled something about a parcel handing it to Wolff and ran back to his car.

“So, Serena is sending mail now.” Wolff sighed. “She usually prefers a personal message.”

Katze frowned when Wolff handed her the parcel. It was wrapped in congratulations paper with her name on a tag. She looked down at it then looked at the others who were all as nervous as she was. Any message from Serena was never a good one.

“Open it.” Neve urged.

Pealing the paper off there was a brown box inside. Katze set it down on the floor, taking the lid off slowly, almost hesitantly. She lifted the piece of paper out shaking her head at the words. Zeke peered over her shoulder.

“Congratulations on your new addition, enjoy it while you can. It was a pleasure speaking with you the other night Katze. I’m going to miss our chats.” Zeke read the words out loud, the others all slowly looking at Katze with a look of betrayal.

“You have been giving her information.” Fleur spat. “How could you?”

“I haven’t.” Katze protested standing up, the piece of paper falling to the floor.

“What does she mean Katze.” Zeke asked slowly, coming in front of her to block her from the others.

“It’s not what it sounds like.” She begged her different coloured eyes looking frantic.

“Then what is it?” He coaxed.

“She wanted me to kill Wolff, she said I could have you if I did but I couldn’t do it, I didn’t do it and she came to me in a dream the other night but that was it. I haven’t told her anything, I wouldn’t.” She promised. “You know I wouldn’t.”

He knew she was telling the truth, but the others didn’t believe her, he could sense it from their rising animals and suddenly he knew that Serena wanted them to turn on each other.

“She’s a liar.” The cabin door flew open, nearly coming off its hinges as Maxton bolted towards them.

“I’m not lying. I wouldn’t lie about this.” She put her hands up trying to let him see she wasn’t a threat.

“But you lied about why you came here to begin with, you brought the panthers here and we all knew that eventually the witches wanted them dead, seems very convenient to me. You are the traitor; you have been feeding them information.”

Zeke put his hand on Maxton’s chest stopping him from coming for his mate. She was carrying his child and Maxton would do well to remember that.

“Watch yourself.” He stated with malice, the bear ready for a fight.

“She has made you weak, you can’t see the truth.”

“No, you can’t, you’re so blinded by paranoia that you’d believe anything you want.” Zeke pushed Maxton back, his temper on the edge. “This is what Serena wants.”

“Then I guess this time Serena wins because if you don’t step out my way I’ll have to make you.”