by Celeste Raye
“It’s just the way it’s always been, Alexis. I don’t think it’s a conspiracy.”
“Maybe the world has been living far too long with that same mentality. Why change anything and make it better when no one else has? Doesn't seem to make much sense to me, to leave it as is, when there is so much more women could do. We could do anything…”
Jake had to agree, even if he wasn’t sure where that would leave everything. He could feel her anxiety about it, though. Alexis had clearly been made to do things that she didn’t want to do, live a life that wasn’t her own.
“Things aren’t going to be that way for you, Alexis. You’re going to have choices.”
Alexis smiled back at him ruefully. “I wish that were true, Jake.”
He was adamant. “I’ll make it true.”
Alexis and Jake talked until she asked where the bed was. Jake showed her, and though the urge to kiss her—and more—was right at the edge of his brain, he didn’t try anything. He didn’t want to be like everyone else in her life, trying to get Alexis to do something she didn’t want. When Alexis did finally agree to a kiss, it would have to be her idea, and that would make it even sweeter. The wait might just kill him, though.
Chapter Eleven
“You don't know what is going on here, son. You're just going to have to trust me on this.”
Jake didn’t want to hear what Dean had to say. His father was adamant that Alexis needed to be put to use. They were all convinced that she did not have any information that would help them. She was just a woman, after all.
For a minute, Jake could actually see why Alexis was so upset about it. Even his own clan treated their women that way. It was just the way it had always been, and his father's words were confirmation that she had been right. He went back to what he had told her about how it was working that way, so why change it. Hearing it come out of his father's mouth made it seem so much more ridiculous, and Jake regretted his own words. He could do better than that.
“I am not going to let anything happen to her. I made Alexis that promise, and I'm going to keep it.”
“I am not saying that you can't keep that promise, Jake. I know how you are about these kinds of things, but what I can say is, this may not be a promise that you can make. Even if you went with her and backed her up, there is still a chance that something could go wrong.”
“I don't understand why it needs to be done then.”
“You were the one that brought her here. What were your intentions, if not to use her to our advantage?”
Jake shook his head; he wasn't going to tell his father that he didn't have a plan.
He just went along with the idea that he would somehow use her. It was the only believable thing that he could say without showing a weakness that would make them both a target.
“Of course, it was my intention to do that. I guess we just don't see eye to eye on how that's going to be done.”
“And what do you propose?”
That was something Jake did not have an answer for. And because of that, his father's ideas were pushed to the front. Dean was sure that the best way to use Alexis to their advantage was to make her a bargaining chip with whatever was left of her family.
It made Jake sick to his stomach. He detested any plan where Alexis was put in danger. He tried to talk his father out of it, but without a good enough reason to lure him away from the idea, Jake gave in. He was just going to have to be there personally to make sure that everything worked out the way that it should. He was going to keep her safe, one way or another. Jake didn’t care if it was from his family or hers.
“So, on to other things, Jake.”
Of course, one bombshell being dropped on him was not enough. He needed another one obviously.
“What is it, Father? I don’t know if I can take any more of this delight.”
“We need to talk about a mating ceremony. The full moon is coming in four or five days, and I think it would be the perfect time to have one.”
Jake was confused; he didn't know anybody was getting married. He asked who the ceremony was going to be for. “For you, son; it’s time.”
Jake was speechless for several moments, and the conversation that he had the night before with Alexis was back in his mind. He had told her quite easily that since it was his duty to get married, that was what he was going to do. While he wasn't too thrilled with the idea of it, he hadn’t expected the gut-punched feeling that he had now.
“Four or five days away? Don't know if I will be able to find a bride that soon.”
The smile on his father's face got bigger, and the knot in Jake’s stomach a little bit tighter.
“Don't worry about that, Jake. I have a couple of people in mind for you. I'm thinking that you can meet with them tonight. All three of them at the same time and figure out which one you want. They're all more than willing to marry you.”
“They want to become queen then?”
“Something like that.”
Jake just shook his head and sighed. When he told Alexis that they weren't that far off from each other, he could not have been closer to the truth.
“I'm really not interested in meeting anybody right now. I have my hands full, Father.”
“What, with the enemy? She is not worth much more than to be used as bait. I don't know why you have responded in such a way to her, but you need to get yourself together, Jake. This is not the way a leader acts. You need to do what is in the best interest of the gang and letting this linger is not something that needs to be done. They're actually coming tonight, and you can see them all then. You can bring Alexis if you want, you know, to keep her close, but you will be down here for dinner. It’s not a suggestion Jake.”
Jake wanted to argue the point, but he knew better. His father had put his foot down and save for completely going against his wishes, he was just going to have to deal with it. He didn't want to take Alexis with him, though. Hell, Jake didn’t want to go himself.
“Is there anything else that you need, Father?”
“No, I think that's it. You need to get in contact with whatever is left of her gang and see what they will give for her. I doubt they will give much; she is a woman after all. Maybe we will get a little bit out of them because she is blood, but beyond that, it doesn't matter. That's what she's worth. Whatever you’ve got to do, I want her gone, Jake.”
He gritted his teeth.
“And as far as the other three women tonight, you need to pick one that you like the most, and in four days’ time, you're going to marry her.”
Jake had a lot to say, but he just kept to himself. It wasn't the time to have a discussion with him. His father wanted to pretend like he had a say in everything, so Jake just went along with it. The last thing he wanted to do was argue with him and make it worse. It was Alexis who would suffer in the long run, not him.
Donovan came in when they were finishing up, and he gave Jake a dirty look. “Did you tell him, Father?”
Jake told Donovan to stay out of it. He did not like the idea of the two of them talking about him behind his back. If Jake would have been a nervous sort, he would have thought that his chance to become Alpha was slipping away. He should have been upset about it, but secretly, Jake wondered if that could happen. And if it did happen, did he have to be upset about it?
“I did. Now come in here, Donovan; we have much to discuss.”
Jake left him to it and didn't care what they were talking about. He was more worried about going to see Alexis' family and what he had to do there. His father wanted him to get some money for her or information. Something of value, but in reality, all he really wanted was for Alexis to get out of his hair.
When he got back up to his room, he unlocked the door and Alexis was waiting for him. Her red hair was flaming in the light, and the smile was one that made him smile wider.
“What do you say we get out here for a little while?”
She immediately agreed. The smile that came over her was
breathtaking, and he would have done anything to have seen that look on her face every day. How could he fall for a smile and a laugh? How could he fall for the enemy? Jake sighed. None of it made sense.
Chapter Twelve
Alexis had the wind in her hair and the sun was high in the sky. It felt good against her skin. It was the little things that she had missed, and running through the forest in her animal form, was certainly one of them.
When they stopped after a while, it took her a minute to realize that they were near her family’s village. It was not nearly as impressive as the Rebel Bear’s. Instead of one large compound that was connected, it was a few smaller houses that stretched down a street. They were the only ones there and it was rather quiet.
She looked alarmed and looked over at Jake. For a minute, she thought that he was going to let her go, and she got excited. He shook his head before she asked any questions.
“I am not here to let you go, Alexis. I really wish I were. But if you haven't noticed, my father is not very happy with you being there, and he wants to get rid of you. He knows that I won't let anything happen to you, so he wants me to see if your family will give up anything for your safe return.”
Alexis just scoffed and shook her head. She thought that Jake was different. Apparently, all he was worried about was pleasing his father, and to Alexis, it seemed like Jake's father was the worst one of all. He was leader of the Rebel Bears after all. He was the one that was kidnapping women and sometimes even children. He was the one that sold anything and everything in the city and basically snuffed out anybody else who tried to. The man was a monster, and Jake didn’t even realize it.
“So, you told him that you would do it?”
“Trust me, Alexis, if you heard the alternatives, you would be doing exactly what I am.”
She breathed out and swallowed hard. It wasn't like it was Jake doing it. It was his father, and maybe he would be able to change things when he took over, but for now, he was not in charge, and she had to remember that.
“Well, do I get to go with you, or do I need to stay out here?”
“Are you going to give me flack when it's time to leave? Will your family?”
She did not think that was the case, and Alexis told him so. Alexis knew that Jake wasn't afraid of her family. He was most likely just trying to not hurt them.
“No. I guess you're going to get to meet the folks today. It’s a bit early in the relationship…”
Alexis was joking, but inside, she was shaking. It wasn't just the idea that she was going to find out who had died the other night, but then she had to explain how she come into the hands of the enemy. Alexis felt a little guilty that she was still alive and everybody else had died.
He must have known that something was going on because Jake held her hand and squeezed it a little bit.
“It's going to be okay.”
“I hope so. I don't think my family is going to be very happy with this.”
“It's not like you could have stopped us.”
“I know, but I never should've gone. And now, they have to pay the price.”
“Do you not want them to pay the ransom?”
Alexis didn't want them to lose anything because of her, especially considering everything they had lost. Maybe they would be happy to see her. Or maybe they would be upset with her for leaving in the first place. She was sure that it would be the second. Her father was always mad at her, telling her that she needed to learn her place.
“I don't know. I just want this to be over. I honestly don't even know how I'm going to face them. Everything that's happened, it's just going to be a mess.”
“Alexis, I'm right here with you. I'm not going to let anything happen. That much, I promise.”
Alexis could tell that he meant it, but she didn't know if they would be walking into an ambush. She stopped right before they got to a place where they’d be visible.
“What if they try to attack you, Jake?”
He smiled wide and asked her if she cared.
Alexis looked away. She wasn't supposed to care.
“I'm not saying that I care or don't care. I just want you to be aware it’s a possibility.”
“So, you do care.”
Alexis ignored him because, at that point, he was just acting like he was full of himself.
“Whatever, Jake; just be careful, okay?”
He agreed that he would, and they walked towards the house that Alexis had lived in her whole life. She felt different. Like being away from home for a couple of days, everything she had seen and been through, had somehow changed her in a significant way.
She insisted that she would be the first one to open the door. It would put everybody in quite an alarmed state if they saw Jake first. He was clearly a Rebel Bear. He had the leather jacket and all of the tattoos that went with it.
She knew that Jake would not attack her family, he had told her as much, but that didn’t mean that he wouldn’t defend himself if attacked. And Alexis didn't think he would lose. He was rather terrifying when he wanted to be.
“Just be careful. I don't want anything to happen to you, Jake. I do care, if for no other reason than because I want to finish that book that I started back at your place.”
“Well, as long as your priorities are in the right place, Alexis.”
He just kind of chuckled at her, and she shook her head. Of course, he would say something like that.
Chapter Thirteen
Jake was quite apprehensive as they were going into Alexis’s house. He knew that he was walking into the enemy territory and it could go many ways.
He let Alexis walk a few steps ahead of him and he heard somebody yell her name moments after they got in the door.
“Alexis! Praise the gods, I didn't think I was ever going to see you again. I thought you were killed like everyone else.”
There was a sound from Alexis, but it wasn't very discernible. When he finally cleared the corner and could see what was going on, the two of them were hugging. Alexis clammed up when she saw him coming up and he almost wished that he weren't there. He hated to be the person trying to take advantage of an already bad situation.
Her father was in mid-sentence when he noticed Jake standing there. He got this strange look on his face and then immediately pulled Alexis back like Jake was a rabid dog. It was possible that her father saw him that way, and Jake knew that at times, he wouldn't be wrong. The things that he had done in the name of his family were quite atrocious.
“What are you doing here?”
“I brought you your daughter. So that you could see that she is safe. You know, ease your mind.”
“How are you here? Why are you here? We do not have any dealings with the Rebel Bears. You should not be here.”
The older man was getting more and more upset, and Jake could see that he was fighting back the urge to shift. He looked to Alexis, and she was getting nervous as well.
“Actually, we do have dealings together. Your motorcycle gang attacked a truck full of our product a few nights ago.”
“And you killed everyone there.”
Jake gestured towards his daughter.
“We didn't kill her. And let me tell you, it has been hard to keep her alive when half the people in my clan want to kill her.”
“And why haven't you done her in?”
Alexis looked at her dad, and Jake could tell that she wasn't happy with where it was going either.
“I don't know about you, but I don't kill females. She wasn't even in the fight. She took up the rear and it was all over before she even got there.”
“And what about the rest of them?”
“We kill our enemies, and we leave no one behind. I've had to fight my family to keep them from coming here and wiping out the rest of you. You have caused us a lot of drama, especially in the last few months.”
“You guys didn’t have to kill so many of our people.”
“We had to show strength and squash you or
everyone around, every small motorcycle gang that fancies themselves criminal, is going to rebel, and we can't have that.”
“So why are you here? Are you going to single-handedly take out the rest of us? In front of my daughter?”
Jake just shook his head. He had let his anger get the best of him. He wasn't used to people talking to him that way, except Dean, and that was only tolerated because it had to be.
“No, I'm here to offer your daughter back—at a price.”
Jake hated himself. Here he was, falling for Alexis and finally getting her to warm up to him, and then he had to go and do this. Now it felt like it was never going to happen. How was she ever going to look past this? This is what he had to do, of course, but there was no good way to tell somebody that they had to pay money to get their daughter back.
“Excuse me? I have my daughter back.”
“Actually, you don't. Alexis knows that it is in the best interest of everyone that this still happens. If it doesn't, she is going to have to come back with me, if we can’t figure out a deal.”
“Deal? We don't have anything left. You killed most of my people, and you won't let anybody work in the city. What do you expect from us? What do I have to give you? There is nothing left.”
He had not thought that they would get anything for her, but Jake knew if he went back with such an answer, then they would take matters into their own hands. They would find very little use for a female that came from an enemy. They would use her and throw her out, kill her first, if she were lucky.
“That's just not going to do.”
Her father's eyes got a little wider because he thought that Jake was going to attack him. Jake wasn't, though. He didn't know what he was going to do, but he had to come back with something better than that. His worst nightmare was coming true, and he was desperately trying to stop it from happening.
He just wanted this part of the day to be over, though he had nothing to look forward to but an awkward meal with three women he didn’t want to marry. Jake didn’t have to meet them to know that.
