Claimed by the Claws

by Laura Wylde

  Daxton looked over at me and told me that everything was going to be just fine. I wanted to believe him, so badly, but it was hard to. It was hard to believe anything when it came to Greg because now I knew what level and what extreme he would go to get what he wanted. At the moment, he thought that he wanted me, but I just wanted that to change. I just wanted him to leave me alone and set his sights on someone else.

  Daxton motioned for me to come over to him, I listened to him bark orders to everybody else. No one was left sitting after a few moments and everyone was ready to go. There was a mention of where we were going, but I didn't quite understand it. All I knew was that once again, I was going to have to run away from Greg. It was getting rather old and I didn’t want to keep doing this. I wished that he was the sort of man that I could reason with. If I could just talk to him and him actually hear me, he would see that he was just wasting his time.

  I knew that whatever was going on, I would rather be with Daxton in this moment, than anyone else. He was going to keep me safe, even though being around Daxton seemed to be dangerous business. He was the leader of the new gang that was emerging and I was in the middle of a turf war with him. Nothing and no one seemed to be safe at the moment in the small town of Lost Hills.

  As I took his hand, I didn’t know if I wished for my old life or not. It was quieter, but there were a lot of other factors to think about. There was nothing that I could do at the moment, my life was not mine, no matter how much I wanted it to be. I was just going to have to see what happened next and put my faith in the only man that I’d ever loved.

  My breath caught in my throat when Daxton started to shift in front of me. I don’t know if I was ever going to get used to seeing that. It was quite a sight and he was the biggest bear by far compared to all the rest. It seemed clear that he would be a natural leader and when I got on top of him, I felt like I was on top of the world. I was supposed to be worried about Greg, but I was far more worried about what was going on with the man-beast underneath me.

  I thought we were going to go further in the woods, but we didn’t. We went back to the first place that Daxton had taken me, Sandra’s father’s house and they all got clothes and their bikes. I was left to ride on the back with Daxton for the first time and I was about as nervous as I was with him in bear form. At least then, he was so much larger and I felt like I was going to be okay with everything that was going on. I knew that the bike would hold me, but I was nervous that Daxton wouldn’t be able to.

  The worry was for nothing and I rather liked the ride. It was not much different than the other way. The wind was in my hair, I was gripped onto him and I could smell his scent. There was nothing more relaxing and he had a way of making me forget everything else. It was hard to think straight with the way he felt against me and I didn’t even try. Wherever he was taking me, I was sure that I’d be safe. It did help that there were so many people behind him.

  The place we stopped was the bar that I’d first met Daxton and I wasn’t sure what we were doing there. Last time we were there, he’d left when confronted with Greg. What had changed?

  I answered my own question when I saw the line of bikes that had come to park next to us. It wasn’t so outnumbered now and there was a fear in me that they were going to duke it out right here. I was going to be here for it and I can’t say that it was something that I really wanted to do.

  “What are we doing here?”

  “We are missing one person in our crew, and we are here to get him. Besides, if anyone knows how to best take care of Greg, it's going to be Doc.”

  I didn't know who Doc was but I had to wonder if he was the bartender that I had talked to before. The old man was funny and had a great sense of humor but I could tell from all of the tattoos and the way he held himself that he was a motorcycle gang member as well. The fact that Greg always came here, made me think that he was with Greg, but Daxton told me that he was one of the original crew members with Buck. I was learning far more than I could have ever imagined.

  “Aren't you afraid of Greg coming here?”

  Daxton shook his head and told me that he wasn't afraid of anything. I of course wanted to believe him, but there was a part of me that wondered if he should be afraid. I knew Greg well and I feared him. I didn't fear many men, but there was something a little off about Greg, something that was not right in his head.

  “You don't have to worry about Greg anymore. I will never let him hurt you again.”

  “I believed that he believed that, but I worried about him. Daxton was big and he was well capable since being in the military, but Greg was crazy. I wanted to talk to Daxton about it and try to explain to him why I was upset, why I was worried, but he just kept brushing me off. He didn't want me to be afraid and it almost offended him that I was. So, I tried to hold it in and not let him see how worried I really was.

  When we got inside and Daxton talked to Doc, it became clear rather quickly that he was still on his side and that made me feel a little bit better. The old man was funny, but wise and Daxton needed all the help he could get.

  “Where the hell have you been boy?”

  “I got in last night old man. I stopped by here, but then I ran into Greg and had to leave.”

  Doc made a face.

  “Yeah he's been strutting around here like a peacock for a while. Makes me sick. I don't know how in the hell he got the best of Buck.”

  I” was wondering if you knew when it happened. I keep hearing different things and I'm not sure what the real story is. I would like to know as well, how he was able to get over on Buck.”

  “Well, I think that Buck was set-up. It didn't make sense how many people took off after he was killed. If you would've been around, I know that you would have made sure someone would have paid for it. No one has paid for Buck’s death and it's a shame. He was a damn good guy.”

  “Yeah he was. I don't know where I would be without him. He was the one that made me leave and now I wish that I had stayed home. I know that I could have done something. But he wanted me to go and better myself. Study hard and work hard, come back and take over. That’s what he wanted, I just wish that it wouldn’t have turned out this way. It does me no good if he's gone now.

  The two reminiscing about some of the old times had me learning more than I probably wanted to know. There was a part of me knew that I was never going to understand, but at the same time I was trying to. I wanted to. I knew that I was going to have to up my game if I was ever going to fully understand Daxton.

  “Damn I have missed you boy. You always kept everybody on their toes around here.”

  “I'm hoping to do the same thing now. I got a crew together, and we're going to have to take out Greg.”

  Doc nodded his head like he understood, but it wasn't going to be as easy as Daxton thought.

  “Greg has made a name for himself and he has many people behind him now. I know that you don't like him, but a lot of people do because he has brought a lot of money to the shifters.”

  “Has he made you money?”

  Doc didn't like the question and I could tell by the way he was avoiding answering Daxton. It would seem that Doc was compensated for sticking around.

  “You know that things are complicated. Greg is trying to take over the trading and he's doing a damn good job of it. It is just how it has been. If I tried to fight him, he just comes in here ruining things. He won't put his hands on, me but he cost me thousands of dollars with every one of his little temper tantrums. Some things never change and that boy it's never going to be a man.”

  “You are the one that has been here the whole time Doc and you know him better than most. What do you think I should do about Greg? My first instinct is to kill them all and it may be the way that I go, but I wanted your advice first.”

  Doc chuckled and I wasn't sure why. They weren't talking about anything funny as far as I was concerned. They were talking about killing a man like it was just another day for the pair. There was a lot th
at I didn't know about Daxton’s in his life. It was hard to assume I could have a normal life with Daxton. How could it ever be normal when they were like this?

  “Well killing him would be the easiest way. Though another one will just take his place and then we will have to fight them. We need to get rid of all of them. None of them have any sense and none of them are just going to go away. If you want Lost Hills back, you’re going to have to figure out a way to get rid of all of them if you ever want true peace.”

  I just sat there sipping my drink and trying not to listen. At some point, I realized that I didn't want to hear it. I didn't want to know these things about the man I loved. I didn't want to know what Daxton was capable of.

  There was a lot of laughter, but I really didn't understand half of it. While I thought I was getting to know Daxton, I knew now that I had a whole lot more to learn. What I knew about him was just barely scratching the surface though really.

  Chapter 22

  Daxton

  “Are you sure your friend here is going to be okay?”

  Doc had leaned into say it and I knew that he was trying to be discreet, but Bree heard him.

  “Yeah, she is fine.”

  “This is a lot for someone to take on that isn’t of our persuasion.”

  “She is my mate. There is nothing that she shouldn’t hear now. We are one.”

  “Aye, I felt the connection. What has your Alpha said about the mating?”

  “I am the new Alpha. I was once Buck died.”

  That was something that I knew for sure. I was always to take his place, so it was a given that now that I was back, I was going to take on the role that I was supposed to.

  “Not exactly.”

  Everyone in the place stopped talking and I was stunned into silence. “What do you mean Doc? That is the way it was to be. Everyone knows that.”

  The older man smiled at me, but then he disagreed again. “While everyone back then knew what his intentions were, he never got to give it to you. It would have happened when you came back, but he didn’t make it. Right now, there is no Alpha.”

  “What!?”

  Now I wasn’t finding any humor in the man’s grin. He had just told me something that went against everything that I knew to be true, but he couldn’t be right. There was just no way. I had planned my life on the fact that I would be the Alpha. I wasn’t going to be able to think any different. If I wasn’t, then who?

  “Calm down Daxton. It has just not been done yet. That doesn’t mean that the same thing won’t happen. It just means that we are going to have to put you through your trials before you can claim it. Another MC cannot be made until it is figured out. If anyone wants to step up for the title, they have the same option. You know the ways.”

  I did, but I thought I was going to bypass all of that because of Buck’s blessing. No one was opposed to me becoming an Alpha, and now I was surrounded with gang members that I couldn’t even take on. Whatever it was that I had to do, I knew that I had to do it quickly, so that I would be able to get rid of Greg. I needed the gang intact, so that I we could crush Greg and his gang, once and for all. The Scorpions were supposed to run Lost Hills, no one else. I wasn’t going to stand for anything else.

  “Good enough Doc. Let’s get started because I don’t want to keep it going any longer than I have to. I am done dealing with Greg and the Scorpions need to come back. I will not live in a town where I can't even show my face and I don't feel like moving.”

  There was a bit of a rally cry behind me and I knew that others were feeling the same way. Greg was not well liked and that wasn't going to help him in the campaign coming.

  Doc smiled and then looked over at Bree.

  “She is the one that is going to give you the strength that you need to get rid of Greg for good. She will be the one that makes you Alpha. I knew as soon as I saw her the other night that she was going to be special, but I just didn't know how. I'm glad to see how this is playing out.”

  Bree looked confused, but I wasn't questioning anything. There has been a feeling when I was around Bree, the feeling that I was told I would feel and had never came.

  “We have already been together and I don’t feel any stronger. You misunderstand, Doc. We have already mated.”

  “You have copulated Daxton, that is not mating. My boy, just because the two of you have slept together, it doesn't mean that you were mated. If that was the case, you would have had dozens of mates by now.”

  Buck told me about girls and getting in their pants, but he’d left the mating out. I thought that it was because he didn’t think that I would ever find ‘the one’ for me. Or he thought that he would be around for when the time came. We were both wrong on that account.

  Bree’s face was getting very red. Considering that she had never even given it up until last night, I can understand why she was having the reaction she was. I took her hand underneath the bar and squeezed a little bit to tell her that it was going to be okay. While I didn't like to speak her business out loud when it made her so uncomfortable, it was just something that had to be talked about. I wanted this to all be official.

  “So what do I need to do Doc?”

  “You have to do it the right way boy, of course.”

  Doc grinned and took another shot out of his glass.

  I wanted to know more details but the bar was getting busy and there were a lot of ears around. I hadn't been back long enough to know who I wanted listening to me who I didn't.

  There was a problem if I wasn’t the Alpha. It meant I had no claim over the Scorpions, and it meant the Scorpions still did not exist. I didn't want to take down Greg as a person, that would be too easy. I wanted to take him down with his gang. It had to be done the right way. Whatever needed to be done, I was more than willing to do it.

  Not sure how to feel about everything, I pushed it all out of my mind and danced with Bree. I know that she was full of questions, but she must've sensed in a way that I wasn't ready to answer them because she didn't even ask. She just laid her head on my chest and we moved to the music.

  When I finally get did get an answer from Doc, it was not at all what I had expected. The ritual sounded quite easy, and I had been convinced that it was going to be a lot more involved. The older ways seemed to take longer and I knew that all of it was too good to be true. It wasn’t going to be as easy as Doc made it out to be. There were rules and of course, a quest.

  “Where do I find this muddleton root? I have never heard of that before Doc. I’m not an herbalist. That is more for women.”

  “It must be collected by you and your mate. You know that the old geezers like me have always liked a bit of a challenge. They want to make sure you are worthy of a mate.”

  I didn’t like his answer, but I knew that the Sioux Indians were some of the first shifters and everything that involved rituals was with ingredients of the forest around them at the time. A ritual was meant to bring the magic back to the old way and to a simpler time. I just wanted to make sure that everything was done right and Bree was mine. The strength that was supposed to come didn’t bother me one way or another. Unlike Doc, I knew I was strong enough now.

  “I will prove I am. Bree is mine and Alpha or not, power or not, I’m going to take Greg down. I will try it your way Doc, but that doesn’t mean that I won’t go the other way if it doesn’t work. I will have my way, one way or another.”

  “I know you will, Daxton. It’s damn good to see you back at home. I knew that everything was going to be okay as soon as I heard you were coming back. You will make sense of all of this. No one else can seem to, but you will. You were meant to be the Alpha.”

  I thanked him for his support, but I still had to talk to Bree. She was not going to like some of the ritual, but it wasn’t just my mettle that was being tested. She was going to be my mate, which carried a lot of responsibility and they wanted to make sure that she was up for it too. I wanted to be sure that she was, but I really didn’t know. It was a
lot to ask of her and I hoped more than anything that she would do what was needed.

  “Let’s get out of here Bree. It’s going to be a long night.”

  She hadn’t heard all of the plans, some, but not the more intimate things that had been mentioned when she went to freshen up in the bathroom. Some of those rules were going to be hard for her. One in particular was something she was going to struggle with. While she felt comfortable with me in my true form, I knew that there was a line and I was going to have to ask her to jump over it. I asked Doc if there was another way, but he couldn’t think of one. Everything now rested on Bree’s shoulders and her willingness to take it all to the next level. I don’t know if she was ready for it or not.

  “You haven’t said much since we got out here. Are you okay?”

  I was trying to figure out a way to explain this all to her, but at the moment, I was coming up short.

  “So, what is it that you want to talk about?”

  “How do you know I want to talk about anything?”

  “Because you get this look on your face and I don't know how to explain it, but you have it right now so I know that something is on your mind. Seems like you don’t want to talk about it, but I need to know what it is, if I'm going to help you.

  The idea that there was no question that she was going to be a part of it put me at ease. What I was going to ask of her was a lot and it was better knowing that she was going to be able to agree with that.

  “We have to do a mating ritual. It is something that has been handed down from generation to generation, but I didn't find out about it from Buck before I left. We also thought we would have more time, so now have to take the long way to get it done.”