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Dannika rolled her eyes. “You talk as if I care. I told you I was leaving, and I meant it. All this posturing is complete bullshit.”
Raine turned to her. “You will accompany me to my quarters. Now.”
Dannika’s eyes flickered with green fire. “I’m not listening to you.”
Raine wrapped shadowy fingers around her neck. Fire raced through his blood as the warrior and the wolf focused on the female before him. Growls of anticipation vibrated in his mind. She didn’t know the danger she was in. Her body. Her soul. Everything would be his. This new hunger was something he had no intention of fighting.
CHAPTER8
Dannika’s pulse jumped beneath the shadowy fingers wrapped around her neck. Fear. Excitement. Anticipation. All mixed into a fiery cocktail that made her heart race. Raine’s new shadow form was bigger, scarier, and sexier. Her mind shied away from the connotations of the latter as she wrapped her hands around his wrist, attempting to dislodge his grasp.
“Let me go.”
Raine leaned in until his lips were a millimeter from hers. “Never.”
The clan members surrounding them moved to allow two men to approach them. Both were tall and muscular with tanned skin. Raine released Dannika’s neck and resumed his human form.
“Ryder, it’s good to see you,” Raine said.
Ryder nodded. “It’s been a long time, Raine.”
Maddock rolled his shoulders. “Thank you for coming. This problem should be resolved by all the clan leaders, including the bears.”
Ryder rubbed his thick beard as he looked Dannika over. “You’ve caused quite a stir, miss.”
Dannika’s eyes narrowed on the bear clan leader. “Trust me, I don’t want to be here. If you would be so kind and convince the wolf ass hat that my leaving will solve this problem, I’m happy to do so.”
Maddock growled. “I’m afraid that option is not available. You are a danger to the human population. The question remains whether you are a danger to us.”
Dannika placed her hands on her hips. “Look, I don’t care who and what you are. I’m not staying here, but I have no animosity toward you or anybody else. It’s not your fault that reaper prick attacked me, but it isn’t mine either.”
Ryder nodded. “Reapers kill indiscriminately. The attack is not your fault, but we cannot ignore the repercussions. You are a shadow shifter and have the ability to infect other humans with your venom. Your future, if you have one, is with the shadow clans.”
Dannika stepped forward, pointing a finger at Ryder’s face. “Listen, fur face, neither you nor anyone else is telling me what to do. You can chain me, but eventually, I will get out, and trust me, I know how to disappear.”
Ryder laughed. “I love your spirit. You will need it when you fight for your right to live.”
Dannika didn’t think. Her shadow exploded to the surface, lashing out at the bear leader. As fast as she was, Ryder was faster. He dissolved, disappearing in a haze of black smoke as her claws ripped through the mist.
He re-materialized a foot away; his shadow warrior was calm and bigger than the other alphas. His glowing gold eyes appraised her. “You are a fledgling, yet you dare to attack an alpha.”
Raine stepped in front of her as her shadow warrior receded. “She doesn’t understand the rules. I need time to train her. I respectfully request you forgive this outburst. It won’t happen again.”
Ryder’s shadow receded as he resumed his human form. “I’m not concerned about her lack of ethics. It’s interesting that she can attack me. She is adversarial and rude, but a fledgling should sense the power of an alpha. A mouse doesn’t attack the snake.”
Raine glanced at her. It was the first time she registered fear in his eyes. He wasn’t afraid for himself. He was afraid for her.
She swallowed dry air, willing her anger under control. She turned to Ryder. “It has nothing to do with disrespect. I was attacked, but instead of taking me to a hospital, I was brought here and put in chains. As if that’s not bad enough, you all think you can control me. That being a man gives you the right to look down on me. I’m not your bitch, and I never will be.”
Raine’s face twitched as if she had slapped him.
Ryder’s expression turned to anger. “You were chained?”
Steele cleared his throat. “Maddock is concerned Dannika’s transition wasn’t pure. He believes she may turn reaper.”
Ryder stepped closer to Dannika. He leaned in, sniffing her hair. “Preposterous. She is a shadow, but I cannot determine the scent of her animal. It is unique. I’m guessing it’s because she’s female.”
Maddock threw his hands in the air. “You can’t be sure she has an animal.”
