for your sheep, and Alpha Cleland stated he only needs grazing land and water for his cattle.”
Leaving his question open-ended, Beau held his breath as the room grew eerily quiet. All eyes were on Cleland, but his stayed glued to the lion king, willing the shaggy-haired leader of the big cats to see reason. To live to fight another day.
After one full minute of silence, the longest sixty seconds of Beau’s life, the king had given one sharp nod before growling, “I’ll need to take it to my advisors.” Up on his feet, with his son in tow, the mountain lion was gone before anyone could utter another word.
And that was the last time anyone ever saw him again. No body, no fur, no nothing, the king disappeared from his bed that very night. A week later, his son relocated the entire pride to another state without so much as a word to any of the other shifters.
And Cleland had absorbed all the land, every resource, and had a bonfire with what was left of the lion king’s house. It was nothing short of a travesty, and still, no one spoke up…no one but Beau’s dad.
Nick was outraged. He spent a month questioning anyone and everyone only to have doors slammed in his face, people crossed the road to avoid him, and he even got more than a few threatening letters. Council meetings turned into sixty minutes of silence with each leader glaring at the others, suspicion and accusation looming in their eyes.
Unable to stomach the charade any longer, Nick had gotten to his feet and walked to the head of the table. Stopping right beside the old alpha, the bear leader demanded, “Face me, Cleland. Look me in the eye and swear that you had nothing to do with the lion king’s disappearance, and I’ll stop asking questions.”
It was as if the air had been sucked from the room. Not a single shifter moved. Most didn’t blink, and no one took a breath…except for Cleland.
Taking a long draw off his nasty cigar as he slowly turned toward Nick, the maniacal alpha blew smoke into the bear’s face as he chuckled dismissively, “Oh, Nick, go sit down. We’ve all had just about enough of your stupid investigation and silly accusations.”
Waving his stogie around as if he was conducting an orchestra, he went on, condescension dripping off every syllable. “Your efforts to discredit me have failed. Your insatiable, albeit sadly inept need to be the council leader thwarted. Just tuck that little tail between your legs and go home before you embarrass yourself in front of your son.”
“At least, I have a son,” Nick countered, his tone deep and threatening with the growl of his bear.
Fire flashed in the alpha wolf’s eyes. They glowed with the power of his animal. Everyone knew Cleland hated the fact that he’d only been able to father one child, and that Lucy was a girl. The old asshole openly blamed his mate for his lack of a male heir, not caring who knew it was her fault and not his. No longer boasting about his pure mate, her usefulness to him wore out. The pompous sneer he’d been sporting turned sinister as the bear leader went on.
“Oh, and I have a daughter. Yes, a girl, who I love with all my heart and who loves me. Yes, I love my children and my mate, more than life itself. Can you say the same? Where is your daughter? Aren’t those next in line for leadership supposed to be present at all council meetings once they are of age? Or are you ashamed for Lucy to see how you treat your peers?”
Taking a threatening step forward, looking down from his nearly seven-foot height, Nick pushed out his chest. “Would she see you for the asshole that you are? See that you have no regard for your wolves? That you treat them like chattel?”
Pointing at each of the other leaders present without looking away, Nick snarled, “Everyone in this room values what they have. See leadership as an honor. I am proud to lead my clan. My bears are family just as much as my children and my wife. Can you say the same, Cleland? How long do you think you can treat your people…”
Throwing his arms open wide, he leaned closer, “…this council, all the shifters of this region like your personal playthings? The day is coming, Cleland Benton, when you will no longer have power over