Red Claw Alpha (Red Claw Rising Book 1)

by Zoey Harper

  He'd trusted that Damon would be able to handle everything. And he had. Except it had cost the Red Claw Rising money they didn't have and lost them business they needed.

  "I'm sorry," Colton said, sagging against the wall, winding up on the floor.

  He was tired, all the way to his bones. Putting on a front in the name of defending his alpha status wasn't necessary.

  Damon had volunteered for Colton to be alpha. He didn't want his role. So, there was no need for blood to be shed or bones to be broken.

  "Excuse me?" Damon said, his voice soft.

  Colton chuckled and smiled up at his second. "I said, I'm sorry. You're right; I'm wrong. Let's move on. I don't have the energy to fight."

  "You do look pretty shitty," Damon said, with his signature grin, before he dropped down to the floor adjacent to where Colton sat.

  "Right back at you. Didn't you get any sleep?"

  Damon shook his head. "Not over the last twenty-four hours. I was about to drop off when I heard your truck pull up. I was so mad. I still am, I think. Where have you been?"

  Colton sighed. He'd been doing the alpha thing all wrong. For starters, he'd allowed his personal feelings toward Damon to affect the way he ran his clan.

  Ideally, Damon should have known about his mission from Patrick. Colton should also have been in constant communication with Damon, both concerning the garage and his mission.

  The last twenty-four hours had taught Colton that a lonely alpha was a poor alpha.

  Just look at Dad.

  Colton sneered. He would not turn into his father. The Gray Shade Clan may be the most powerful, but the things they did to stay that way were unnecessary. Pre-emptive strikes against other clans were a perfect example.

  "One of Patrick's smugglers, an eagle shifter named Flynn, stole his packages. Patrick sent me to find him and retrieve the cocaine."

  Damon's eyebrows shot up. "A bounty hunt! Patrick's one cocky fuck asking you to risk your life like that. Why didn't you tell me? We could have gone together."

  "Then the garage really would have collapsed. Besides, I was mad at you. I wouldn't have wanted you to come."

  Damon looked down. "Are you still mad?"

  "Not anymore." Colton took a deep breath.

  "You know, you never allowed me to explain."

  "It's okay. It's not important anymore."

  "It is to me." Damon's blue eyes blazed with passion, so Colton shut his mouth. If his second needed to get something off his chest, then he'd let him. Colton knew too well how bad it felt to hold things in.

  So, he dipped his head in acknowledgment, and Damon stared at the opposite wall, gathering his thoughts.

  "When you and Emma got together, I was happy for you. I mean, you'd been pining for her ever since you were teenagers."

  Colton narrowed his eyes. "I wasn't pining."

  Damon laughed. "You should have seen yourself. Every time she walked into the bar, it was like everything else faded away. You'd stare at her the entire night, and when she'd leave with some asshole, you'd get upset and need to shift."

  Colton inhaled. "Fine. I was pining."

  "Thank you for admitting that." Damon smiled. "Anyway, a month after you two started dating, I saw her leaving Ramsey's house early one morning. From the way that she was dressed and the shocked look on her face, I knew they'd had sex."

  Damon shook his head. "Being a beast in the field is one thing, but I don't understand why Ramsey has to be such an animal in bed."

  Colton's mind immediately went to Tegan's story about her experiences with her exes. They'd been rough with her, too. His blood boiled at the idea of some asshole manhandling his mate.

  "Uh, hey man," Damon said, his brows furrowed. "You okay?"

  Colton exhaled. "Yeah. I feel a little sorry for Emma is all. I never knew if the rumors about Ramsey were true."

  "Trust me, they are. I once slept with this girl that confirmed them. He's a real piece of work, he is. I don't know what happened to him to make him so twisted."

  "It's probably a chemical imbalance."

  Damon burst out laughing. "Oh, my god! You sound like you feel sorry for the guy. After all the shit that he's done to you?"

  Colton shrugged. "I don't have the energy to feel angry about shit that happened in the past. I feel sorry for both Ramsey and Emma. Ramsey will ruin her, and she'll continue fucking powerful men to stay afloat."

  "Damn, Colton. That was deep." Damon cocked his head. "What happened on your trip? Your energy's completely different."

  Colton smiled. "I'll tell you later, but first, you've got to finish your story. It's important to you."

  Damon nodded. "Well, after that morning, I talked with Emma. She swore up and down it was a one-time thing. I told her it had better be. I never told you because I didn't want you to get hurt, and I was pretty sure it was over.

  "Emma's the kind of girl that's used to being used. I thought Ramsey was just helping scratch an itch. So, when you found them that final morning, I was genuinely shocked."

  Damon shook his head. "I never meant to hurt you, Colton. You're my best friend. Have been for ten years. I'd never have let her pull a fast one on you like that."

  "I know. I was just mad. Mad at everything. I blamed my father, Ramsey, and even Emma for all the shit I had to deal with. All I could think was that if you'd told me about Emma's cheating earlier, then I would have dumped her and moved on."

  Colton chuckled. "That was a lie. I would have been hurt either way. I was obsessed with her. Besides, I was never happy with the Gray Shade Clan. Being the alpha's bastard would always have been a problem."

  Colton stretched out a hand and squeezed Damon’s. "Thank you for not telling me. I would probably have stayed with the Gray Shade for far too long. It wasn't easy but leaving was the best thing for me."

  Damon's eyes narrowed. "You have changed. First, you apologize, then you tell me to pour my heart out like we're in some fucking soap opera, and now, you're even touching me. What the hell happened on that trip, Colton?"

  Colton pulled his hand back and grinned. "A lot of shit that I'll have to fill you in on. But the most important is that I met my mate. Her name's Tegan, and she's the best thing that ever happened to me."

  Damon's mouth hung open. "You have a mate!"

  Colton's eyes darted to the top of the stairs, and he shushed Damon. "You'll wake Kane up."

  Damon waved a dismissive hand. "He sleeps like the dead. I know, because I brought this loud girl home one time when you were out doing God knows what. And Kane didn't notice. The next morning, he was going on about how well he slept."

  Colton smirked. "Maybe because he got off to the little show you put on for him."

  Damon squeezed his eyes shut, and he groaned. "Please, don't ever bring that thought up again. Nothing is more disgusting than the thought that your buddy is getting off to what you're doing."

  Colton laughed. "That's why I banned any of us from bringing girls here." Colton tutted. "Poor guy. With you having to be here all the time, you must have missed getting your daily quota. No wonder you were so mad at me."

  Damon punched Colton in the arm. "Asshole."

  "Horny monkey."

  Damon grinned. "So, Tegan, huh? What tricks did this sexy bear shifter that's gotten my best friend who swore he'd never fallen in love pull?"

  "No tricks. Tegan's a pure soul, and a wolf shifter, by the way. I'm just lucky she's chosen me. She's far too good for me."

  Damon folded his arms. "Now, that's true."

  It was Colton's turn to punch Damon's arm. "Jerk," he said, grinning.

  "Seriously," Damon said, his face sobering. "What's she like?"

  Colton sighed, and warmth filled his chest. "Nothing I say will do her justice. You have to meet her to get it. Tegan's just about the best person you could ever meet. Sweet, kind, sassy, and full of love."

  Colton hung his head as his cheeks colored. "But I fucked up, and she got shot. She's in the hospital right
now."

  Damon hissed. "Fucking hell! You've been through it, haven't you? Both of you."

  "We have." Colton raised his head and met Damon's eyes. "But she stuck by me. That's why I've got to make it so that she can have a safe place to come home to."

  "And how are you going to make that happen?" Damon threw his hands up in the air. "I hate to burst your bubble, Colton, but we're tight on money, especially after all the little withdrawals you made on your little bounty hunt.

  "We lost a good customer and are running behind on a couple of repairs. Not to mention, we're under the Ebon Wolf thumb. How are you going to make this place safe for your mate, when Patrick can waltz in here at any time?"

  Colton grinned. "By getting rid of him."

  Damon scoffed. "And how do you propose we do that?"

  "We don't have to do anything. All that money I spent, I used to hire Kylo."

  "The dragon-shifter?" Damon yelled, his voice an octave higher. "That dude’s scary as fuck."

  Colton chuckled. "Only to you. You forget he had a bit of a crush on me, which, I found out, is fake. Anyway, Kylo helped me out. Long story short, I found out that Patrick isn't who he says he is.

  "His real name is Cian Herron. He's Gavin Herron's younger brother. Rumor has it he stole from Gavin and then ran away. Gavin Herron is the alpha of the Black Banner Pack, and I had a meeting with him yesterday. He's coming to pick Patrick up, any day now."

  Damon rose to his feet and pulled Colton up with him before enveloping him in a big bear hug. The way he slapped Colton's back made him want to barf.

  "Enough," Colton said, stepping away. He'd gotten too accustomed to Tegan's gentle ways.

  "I take back every bad word and name I called you over the last couple of weeks. You're a fucking hero. You deserve to be alpha, and I'm glad to be Red Claw Rising."

  Damon lowered his head, something most shifters only did in deference to their alpha when they'd made a deadly mistake. The fact that Damon, who was Colton's best friend of ten years, was bowing his head, meant that Colton had indeed become the Red Claw Alpha.

  He'd been playing a role and coasting for so long. But now, he'd finally taken on personal risk and done something for his clan. Something that would better their lives.

  "Thanks, man," Colton said. "I'm just ready to do better."

  "Getting us out from under Patrick's thumb is already the greatest thing you could have done for us." Damon shook his head. "I'd never be able to make such a ballsy move. Maybe I should get a mate."

  Colton chuckled and patted his friend's shoulder. "There's a lot more we need to discuss. I'm going to be dead to the world for at least twelve hours. Call a clan meeting for ten a.m. If Patrick goes down, someone will want to step in and take his place. We need to be able to protect ourselves."

  The following morning, a well-rested Colton stood in front of a group of about a hundred men and women crammed into the garage. They'd pushed the lift tables against the walls, and Damon watched everyone with a hawk's eye, not wanting any of his hard work to get destroyed by someone wanting to touch something shiny.

  Colton smiled at his second, then caught Kane's eyes. His third rolled his eyes and mouthed the words "old lady." Colton held in his laugh and cleared his throat.

  He took a step forward. "As some of you may know, I've been gone over the last couple of weeks. Patrick Hargrove sent me on a goose chase for one of his smugglers."

  A few rumbles floated over the crowd. "Yes. It was a bitch move for me to go, but I had no choice. During my time away, I secured information which will buy us our freedom."

  More voices raised as people started discussing Colton's news among themselves. He grinned. It was time he had something positive to say.

  Colton had never called a clan meeting before because he'd always felt embarrassed about their situation. Now he got to gather everyone together for some much-needed good news.

  Colton wasn't ignorant. He knew that they felt the pinch, too. They were all struggling to make ends meet, and he knew that some of them regretted leaving the Gray Shade.

  I'm about to make it so that that thought never crosses their minds. Thank God for Kylo and Gavin.

  "I just received a text from an ally who promised me that Patrick Hargrove will disappear within the hour, leaving his clan behind. I plan for us to march toward Ebon Wolf territory and declare that this part of Bolsend is now Red Claw Rising territory."

  Silence filled the room. Colton had promised a better life for those that left the Gray Shade Clan, and now it was time to deliver. Actually, Damon was the one that promised them that on his behalf.

  When Colton left his clan, he went on a three-day binge of alcohol and fighting. Once he returned, he announced that he was starting a clan and that anyone that wanted to join, could. At that time, he'd hoped a few of his buddies would join just for protection sake, hierarchy be damned.

  Then Damon took matters into his own hands and went around recruiting people, promising them a better future.

  By the time Colton found out, it was too late. More than a hundred people had declared their independence from the Gray Shade and their allegiance to the Red Claw Rising.

  Colton had been furious. Now he and Damon needed to find a way to take care of more people than he’d ever had. Then Damon had gone out and carried out a vote. Everyone chose Colton as alpha.

  Colton had never wanted the title, but now he was going to own it.

  "I know that we promised you peace and a better life, but sacrifices must be made for that to be a reality. If we lie down and roll over, then the next Ebon Wolf alpha will fuck us up the ass harder than Patrick ever did.

  "I have a mate now, and I want a better future for her. I'm sorry that it took me finding her to finally understand the stress and worry that so many of you have been living under."

  A few mumbles of acknowledgment floated around the crowd, and someone yelled. "It's okay, alpha."

  Colton chuckled along with everyone else. "If you go to war for me this one time, then we will secure a future that you can be proud of. We won't have to pay rent, and no one will force you to do their dirty work."

  Applause filled the air, and Colton's heart swelled. "Damon, Kane and I are going to make our stand. It'll take some time for a response to come, but I want you all to stay alert. We'll strategize once we gauge their reaction."

  Colton walked out of the garage to thunderous applause and pats on the shoulders from all his clan members. For the first time, he felt like he had a purpose, and it was all because of Tegan. She'd opened up his heart and taught him not to be such a selfish little shit.

  Colton wasn't about to turn into a good guy, who never said or did the wrong thing, but he now understood the value of love and community.

  "You know, you almost brought tears to my eyes," Kane teased.

  Colton punched his third in the arm before he hopped into his truck. "It was my first speech. Cut me some slack."

  "It was pretty good," Damon said, getting into the passenger seat. "Your timing could use some improvement—"

  "Quite razzing me, guys. Next time, you'll be the ones giving the speeches. Let's see how well you do."

  Through the rearview mirror, Colton watched horror fill Kane's eyes, and he chuckled. "I'm not serious."

  "Oh, thank God."

  Colton gripped the steering wheel hard as he approached Ebon Wolf territory. Keith had dropped off the cocaine earlier that morning, and it sat in the backseat beside Kane. Gavin's text telling him that his men were about to capture Patrick had come in shortly after that.

  Colton planned to march up to the remaining high-ranking Ebon Wolf members and declare the Red Claw Rising's independence. They probably wouldn't attack, but he had Damon and Kane with him just in case. From there, they'd go back home and plan a proper defense.

  As Colton drove closer to Ebon Wolf headquarters, three large army-type trucks drove past him going the other way. They were clearly owned by outsiders, and Colton's sto
mach hardened as his mind started to work.

  "Gavin," Colton whispered. Only he could afford such vehicles. What had he done? Laid waste to the entire territory?

  "Oh, my god!" Damon said as he leaned forward in his seat. "It's all gone!"

  Colton's jaw dropped. The Ebon Wolf club and everything around it looked like it had been bombed. The fire had somehow been put out, and a thick fog of smoke filled the air.

  Colton closed the windows and slowly drove through the territory. He braked sharply when he came upon a dead body in the middle of the road.

  "Jesus!" Kane yelled. "That Gavin guy really must hate Patrick."

  Colton inhaled. "Shit! I didn't mean for him to kill everyone!"

  Damon patted his shoulder. "It's okay. You had no idea he'd do this. Besides, I'm sure some people got away."

  "To where?" Colton asked, throwing his hands up in the air.

  Everywhere he looked, all the shops and homes where people worked and lived had bullet holes through their windows and doors. The streets seemed lifeless, and an eerie silence filled the road.

  The Ebon Wolf had been three hundred strong, but they'd been laid to waste by Gavin Herron's army.

  "I don't understand how we didn't hear a thing," Kane said.

  "Patrick always wanted to live as far away from the humans as possible," Damon said. "I suppose it's a blessing in disguise. What the hell would we tell the cops? We're the closest to this area. They'd probably investigate us."

  Those words snapped Colton out of his guilt-induced haze. This was Patrick, well, Cian, they were talking about. Patrick had sent Colton and his men to virtually wipe out a clan that wasn't paying their dues not too long ago.

  It's poetic justice for his clan to get wiped out the same way.

  "There won't be any investigation." Colton put the truck in gear and made a three-point turn. "We're going to call the cops and tell them we heard shooting from a distance. They already think the Ebon Wolf is an outlaw MC. Patrick never registered, and he chased any cops that came after him away."

  "Okaaay," Damon said. "Then what? Other clans are going to want explanations. Patrick had allies."