A Bear Temptation

| Chapter Nine |

The sharp slap of her Dads hand landed on Katze's cheek. Pain blossomed quickly as she fell to the ground gasping for breath, the agony was better than the hollowness she felt without Zeke so bitterly she welcomed it. The hurt was also a vile reminder that yes, she may be a shifter however she wasn't immune to the hurt her Dad always caused her.

"You went to Wolff's Clan for your sister's sanctuary. You went to a Bear Clan and brought them here. Your Mother would have been disappointed Katze. I am disappointed."

He pulled her up to shaking legs so she was looking into those blazing brown eyes. He had at least a week of grey stubble on his sunken, pale cheeks. He never seemed to care what he looked like, all that mattered was that it was his child who would save them all. He liked the status Katze gave him among their people.

Here she was a chess piece in a game that they had been preparing for long before she was even born.

"My Mother would be proud that I saved her daughter when her so called mate couldn't."

Another slap landed on her cheek sending her once again to the carpet they stood on, the burn as her cheek met the rough material with instant. Blood filled her mouth quickly, she had bit her cheek on the landing, like things couldn't get any worse.

"She killed herself to get away from you Dad. Your mate couldn't stand to breathe the same air as you." She hissed.

His boot collided with her ribs taking the wind from her chest. This time he didn't stop, kick after vicious kick landed on her stomach until she couldn't move. The pain was blindingly agonising as she struggling to pull the air into her lungs.

Katze felt her Dad lean down until his eyes met hers. A cold smile lit his face as he looked at her body curled into a ball on the ground.

"Your Mother died because she couldn't stand to be around you. Your Mother killed herself because she was weak."

Without thinking Katze spat in his face, the blood splattering on his pale cheeks. A satisfied rumble left her Panther. It was taking every ounce of strength to stay on the ground while he hit her but she had learned a long time ago that you had to choose your battles.

"Dad, that's enough." Her brother pulled her father back from her with a pitied look.

"You may have given her to the Bears Katze, you may have saved Calla but you belong to us. Do you hear me? You are ours and you will breed until your destiny is fulfilled." Katze's brother pulled his fighting body further out the room, which only angered him more. "Do you hear me girl? You belong to us and you will breed with us until your body can't anymore. You will build an army. We will be unstoppable." He wailed.

She couldn't hear any more of what he said. Her brother had taken him down the long corridor probably into another room which was of course soundproof. At least she wouldn't need to listen to his insanity any longer.

A chuckle stunted in her throat with the pain in her ribs. If only her Father knew he had given her exactly what she wanted - time. For her to fulfil her supposed duty it had to be when she was at full health. Now she had at least time to prepare.

Not that there would ever be enough time, soon she would betray her mate by giving other males children. She would sever their bond so wholeheartedly that for Zeke it would leave an everlasting mark, that thought made her want to vomit. For her it was too late so her wish going forward would always be the same - Katze wanted him happy.

He deserved that more than anything.

Laying on the ground the tiredness overwhelmed her. Katze felt her body betray her as the animal shrunk further inside her skin. Any thought of their mate destroyed the Panther because it didn't fully understand why they had left. Each second ticked by slowly, her mind shutting down until a welcomed darkness took her in its grasp.

**

It was the smell that confirmed it. The stale, potent stench of Hagen overwhelmed her senses. She didn't know if it truly was an awful smell or just what her mind portrayed as disgusting purely because it was emitting from him.

"I know you are awake." He said calmly even although he was never calm. A man who possessed the rage he did couldn't possess such a thing inside of him as calmness.

Flickering her eyes open Katze met his cold grey orbs. He stared down at her for several seconds making the unease crawl through her veins. Blinking Katze looked around gripping her ribs as the pain shot through her side. She was in her bed, Hagen at her side.

"You didn't look exactly comfortable on the floor. I have to protect my assets." He clipped.

"Don't act like you care Hagen."

He chuckled, a humorous tone entering the air as he leaned over tucking the hair behind her ear. Katze pulled herself up away from him trying to ignore the boiling pain in her ribs.

"I'm going to enjoy watching you break." He promised.

"Broken things can be fixed." She retorted with a rushed breath, her father certainly hadn't held back.

"You won't be fixable when I am done with you. I've taken your mate, your freedom and I'll take that strength you grip too until there is nothing left."

"You think you have won Hagen, it's pitiful." She shook her head at his idiocy.

"I have won. I have you."

Sitting up he tightened the low ponytail that held his hair. Katze shrunk back as he trailed his index finger down her cheek. A Smirk took those thin lips as he watched her squirm from him.

"I'm going to help the Council kill him. It's only a matter of time before Zeke is dead."

An anger so potent consumed her. She knew her eyes had deepened, the Panther purring so violently her throat hurt. Hagen laughed at her weak attempts to stand.

"If you so much as hurt him you will never get what you want from me." Katze promised her voice like the sting of a belt.

"I'll just take what I want Katze, you will give me children regardless if you consent."

Eventually getting to her feet Katze walked around the bed so she was towering over him as he sat. Maybe it was just to make her feel better but for once she felt good to be above him, even if in reality she never would be.

"That isn't all you need though, you need people to think you are strong and I can ensure they don't. After all if you can't control one female Panther, how are you supposed to lead your people into this new world I am supposed to start?"

He hissed, those grey eyes turning to almost black in seconds. The lamp smashed on the floor when he pushed her against the wall, his hand around Katze's throat. He didn't apply any pressure, what was it he said? He had to protect his assets.

"It's a dangerous game you want to play." He whispered leaning down so his warm breath rushed over her cheek with each ragged breath he took.

"If you kill him, I will kill myself."

He released her with another sharp hiss those eyes staring at her like she had just ruined every plan he had. Good - hopefully she had.

"Like Mother like Daughter. Nobody is worth dying for."

"Zeke is." She affirmed.

The air changed around them, it was cold, too cold. Hagen stepped back his eyes widening in what looked like fear as he turned. A woman stood, her pale skin flawless, the long black dress she wore clinging to her like a second skin. Katze frowned as she looked into her chilling slate grey eyes. The power radiating from her was high but she didn't smell like a shifter.

"Sorry to interrupt." The woman sang her curly blond hair falling over her shoulders as she tilted her head to the side.

"Serena." Hagen bowed like the pathetic Panther he was.

"Council." Katze gasped realising who this woman was. She had heard of her, just never met her in person - the stories were bad enough.

As she looked down the length of her Katze stopped at her bandaged hands, well she no longer had hands. Neve had told her she had ripped them clean off when they fought. As the woman stepped forward Katze held her breath, the heart thumping violently in her chest.

"Hagen, give us a minute." Serena smiled sweetly as Hagen left the room, the click of the door finalising his exit.

"Hello Katze."

Katze didn't speak, she only stepped back hissing as the smashed shards of lamp dug into her feet.

"What do you want?" Katze asked warily.

"I wanted to see the woman who had sacrificed so much. I like bravery, it appeals to me." She walked over to her dresser picking up the picture of her sister.

Katze didn't dare take it from her, that would only spike the woman's curiosity more. Turning she looked straight into her eyes.

"It was a mistake giving her to them Katze, I now have to kill her."

"You won't be able to kill any of them." Katze breathed trying to curb her rage. She had faith in them, Wolff's Clan hadn't come all this way to die.

"I have to kill everyone associated with them, we both know that."

"Everyone including me?" Katze asked.

"Yes. If you give me no other option."

"Is that why you are here?"

She didn't look away from the woman, if today was the day she died then so be it but she certainly wouldn't go down without a fight.

"No. I'm here to make a deal with you."

"And what deal would I possibly make with you?" Katze spat.

"I can get you a window out of here for a short period of time however you will need to return to the Panthers. After the War I will give you your safety as well as your freedom." Serena turned to her placing the photo of her sister back on the ivory dresser.

"And what will I have to do for that?" Katze aired her distain clear, this woman was a snake and she certainly wouldn't get something from her without her wanting something in return.

Serena was poison.

"Kill Wolff. If he falls they all fall." Came her blunt response.

The laugh came quickly her ribs thumping with the pressure. Katze stared for several seconds trying to assess if she was being serious. Unfortunately she was.

"I would never do that." She shook her head in shock rubbing the goosebumps from her arm, the temperature was plummeting the longer Serena was here.

"I think you would, especially with what I can give you. I have a sister, we both share the loyalty of blood. I know the lengths you would go to for her, it is the same lengths I would."

"What can you give me?" She whispered the fear slowly consuming her.

"I can give you Zeke and Calla. If you kill him I will gift them to you."

Again Katze stared into those calculating eyes. There was so much hatred inside them that Katze wasn't sure one person could contain that amount.

"I don't understand." Katze aired just to stop the deafening silence.

"I think you do. I have infinite power if I can get someone to kill him he trusts. Someone he would least expect it from. Zeke would never need to know. We could both get exactly what we want."

"You're asking the impossible."

Serena stepped forward until she was a breath away. The air was heavy now, like an iceberg pushing down onto her. It was unnerving, mostly though it was worrying because Serena already knew her weakness and right now she was toying with it.

"I'm asking you to kill one man to save those you love. You have made many sacrifices Katze, this would just be one more and then it would be all over."

Serena turned walking to the foot of the bed. She gazed at Katze a long time before she finally spoke again. It was terrifying.

"I'm giving you the option of another fate. Choose wisely, I'm not a person who will forgive. You will know when to leave when the flames can be seen."

With those parting words Serena was gone, she completely vanished into thin air leaving only the seeds she had planted within her mind. Katze stood there for what felt like hours. The pain in her body seemed to become a distant problem especially with the devious question that lurked in the shadows of her mind.

How far was she willing to go to finally have a future with those she loved?