Hell, this wasn’t the time for her to talk. But he already knew she attacked whenever she was scared. Big grizzly bear roars at her in the UP? She shoots it. Big alpha makes threatening noises here? She responds with a smart-ass comment and she probably had her hand on her gun.
She was going to die—or worse—if he didn’t take control fast.
“Quiet!” he snapped, investing his word with the bite of command, and was eternally grateful that she was smart enough to obey. Then he answered the question that Nanook had really meant.
“I’m Simon Gold, one of the Gladwin grizzlies. I’ve been here before and we spoke, so I’m welcome here.” That was the real question: How did he get past the psychic “no trespassing” vibes? Answer: He was bold enough to defy them because he knew that he was welcome.
“He isn’t,” Nanook said, jutting his chin at Vic. And then came the psychic blast that Nanook was best known for. It was like a physical blow to every nerve ending in a man’s body. The first and only time that Simon had felt it, he had gone down on his ass and trembled like a child for twenty minutes.
Vic was no better. He dropped like a stone, but he wasn’t trembling. No, he was full-on monster by the time he hit the floor. His mouth peeled back and fur came out. He’d been smart enough to wear sweats that expanded with him and his flip-flops fell away, so he wasn’t screaming in pain from his clothing, though the T-shirt was stretched thin. What was really impressive though, was that his friend didn’t flop on the floor like a beached fish. That had been what Simon had done two years before. No, Vic rolled jerkily to his feet where he faced Nanook on all fours and with his teeth flashing.
And the four other monsters abandoned the bloody grizzly to advance on Vic.
Shit.
“Stay there,” Simon ordered to everyone, Vic included. “We’re not here to cause problems. We just need some information.”
Nanook snorted. “I just bet you do. Wondering what that is?” He gestured toward Vic.
Simon echoed the gesture only at the other four who were literally salivating to get to Vic. “You obviously know more than we do. We came here respectfully to ask if you’d explain.”
“Want me to explain?” the man bellowed. “It’s the fucking dogs, that’s who! They’ve done this to us!” He advanced forward, his manner barely controlled aggression and Simon felt his insides grow tight. His grizzly was primed and ready, aching to burst free, but that would be disastrous. No way could his grizzly win in a fight. Not against everyone here. Not while still protecting Alyssa.
So he kept his voice calm, trying to pitch the tones to be soothing and deferential. “How did the dogs do this?”
“They do everything!” Nanook bellowed, obviously warming to a favorite theme. “See this?” He hauled over the nearest monster. “This was Jayden. He was a damned good mechanic. Now he’s this. All the time.” He shoved Jayden away who came up snarling. The only reason he didn’t attack was because Nanook growled him down. Then he pointed to the others in turn. “Billy. Tyler. And that last one, she was Tiana.”
Simon did a double take. That one was female? God it was hard to tell. Neither human nor beast, they were each a sick combination of twisted limbs and partial shifts. “They just changed?”
“It was the fever,” Nanook growled. “Most get better. Some died. Then there are a few…” His voice trailed away as he looked at Vic. “Come here, boy. I can keep you from killing your family.”
Simon felt Alyssa stiffen, but he didn’t have time to fight her. His attention was firmly fixed on Vic as the man visibly trembled. That huge psychic blast was a once-a-day kind of deal for Nanook, but there was still power in his words. A kind of subliminal compulsion akin to the “stay away” message. But this time, his order was all, Come here. Be part of my pack.
And Vic had to decide that on his own.
Vic straightened, still in his monster form, but he was soon standing on his two feet.
“Vic, no!” Alyssa cried, but before she could do more, Simon grabbed her arm and hauled her back.
“Don’t interfere,” he growled.
“He can’t?—”
“He’s alone right now,” Simon said, stretching for the logic behind the decision. “He’s not shifter and he’s not human.” God, it hurt to say it and it would kill him to think of his best friend as part of Nanook’s brutal gang, but there was logic to this choice. “Sometimes being with your own kind is worth it.”
Despite his restraint, Alyssa managed to grab one of Vic’s furred arms. “Vic, don’t. We’ll figure?—”
“Silence, bitch!” Nanook bellowed.
Alyssa rounded on the alpha, all flashing eyes and angry words. She would fight for her brother no matter what, and it would be the death of her. “My brother doesn’t neeee—” Her last word ended on a squeak of alarm. It wasn’t anything Simon or Nanook did. It was Vic rounding on her with a hiss.
Simon stepped in front of her. He would protect her.
Fortunately, Vic pulled himself back. And still in his monster form, he looked at Nanook. “I control myself.” His words were slightly slurred. He hadn’t mastered the technique of speaking while in this body. But the fact that he stood tall and faced off with a powerful alpha showed just how far the man had progressed.
Meanwhile, Nanook didn’t take kindly to being disobeyed. He pointed a finger at Vic and blasted the man. Over and over. Simon didn’t feel it. It wasn’t aimed at him. But he could see the strain on Nanook’s face, the throbbing in his temple, and everyone heard the alpha’s harsh breath. But while Vic visibly swayed under the assault, he stood firm. And he managed three words.
“Not. Joining. Gang.”
