Chapter Nineteen
Luke’s palms weresweating. Actually sweating. All the missions he’d ever been sent on with his ranger team had no made him this nervous. He had faith in Quinn. Even without any proof she could win a match against Steele, he instinctively knew in a fair fight she could. However, she was someone who played by the rules. Trey Steele wasn’t. Luke knew that cowards were like cockroaches, they tended to survive.
He and Quinn had made love for hours before falling asleep in each other’s arms. He’d made good on his promise to bite her again, and she’d made good on her promise not to beg him to stop. On the contrary, his mate was insatiable. He hoped they had a long life together. Enough time to discover all their limits and beyond.
Now, at six o’clock in the morning, on his second cup of coffee, he watched with trepidation as Quinn and Trey stood on top of what they called Artio’s rock. It was a giant boulder shaped like breasts. Quinn had said it was shaped like bears head, but Luke still saw breasts.
John Wilkers, who Luke vowed to someday kill, stepped out into the circle of over eighty bear shifters. “You are gathered today, my fellow clansmen and women, to witness Quinn Orson relinquish all rights to the Orsino property and accounts.”
Wilkers nodded to Quinn, and Luke fantasized about ripping his eyeballs out of his head.
Quinn cleared her throat. “That’s not exactly true,” Quinn said. “I forfeited my rights as Ursula when I mated with a werewolf.”
Gasps and murmurs rippled through the crowd.
Quinn raised her hand to silence them. “However, as is my right by clan rule, I challenge Trey Steele for the position of Chief of the Orsino Clan.”
Trey Steele looked incredulous. He smirked as if Quinn’s challenge was a joke.”
Shouts of protest resounded throughout. Wilkers yelled, “A woman can’t be chief!”
“There is nothing in our laws that say she can’t,” Melody Orson said. She stepped into the circle with Wilkers. “If Quinn wants to challenge Trey it is in her right.” She stared up at her daughter. Luke could see the same fear he felt. None of them wanted to lose Quinn, but she had the right to choose her destiny.
More shouts occurred, but these were of support. Followers loyal to Quinn’s father and family. Luke watched Trey’s expression turn grave. The man could see he had no other option.
“I accept,” he bellowed, his voice like thunder silencing the crowd. “If Quinn is ready to die, I am ready to give her a good death.”
“Let’s go,” Quinn said. “I’m going to mess up your world, big man.”
She untied her wrap around dress and let it drop to the rock. Trey took off his shirt and pants. They faced each other, both scowling.
You got this, baby, Luke told her. They’d concluded that the double mate marks had somehow bonded them psychically. At least it was the best explanation they could come up with on their own.
Quinn gave him a quick smile, then in seconds, she began her transformation. Where his short, curvaceously beautiful mate had been standing, seven foot tall, 1000 pound Kodiak bear now stood in her place.
Holy shit, babes.
He heard her voice say,Told you. Grower, not show-er.
Trey’s eyes goggled a little at Quinn’s bear form. Why would he be surprised? They were all the same clan.
Most of the clan are black bears.Quinn told him as she waited for Trey so shift. My father was a black bear. But my mom, she’s a Kodiak. Surprise.
That’s my girl.
Your queen, Quinn teased.
He loved her bravery, but he wished she was a little less bravado and more alert to her surroundings. He could see Trey’s men, the ones from the night before, begin to move closer to the rock. He’d given her pointers for the fight, but it would take longer than a conversation to get Quinn ready for more than a one-on-one fight.
“Get on with it!” someone in the clan shouted when Trey still hadn’t shifted. Several others picked up the chant. Luke watched as Trey’s eyes darted back on forth and wondered if the man was searching for an escape route.
Seeing his thugs so close to the fighting area must have bolstered something in Trey because he finally shifted. He was only about six feet tall, and Luke would have put his weight at about five hundred pounds. Quinn’s bear opened her mouth and roared so hard it was as if he could see the sound waves in her breath.
Trey took a half-hearted swipe and then jumped down from the rock. His band of jerks all began to shift around him until Luke could barely tell who was who.
I know which one is Trey, Quinn said.You take care of the rest.
You mean I get to fight?
