off the ambush...but what the hell do I know about tigers?”
“It's not true! The only one here lying is this jealous bear who won't leave my husband alone.” I faced the Elders again, fuming like mad.
My tiger's fury prickled at my skin, sharpness brimming on my teeth. One more push and I wouldn't be able to stop myself from shifting.
“That's it!” Elder Baron slammed his gavel. “Lady Gray and Mister Meade, have you heard enough of this shill's testimony?”
I growled as the two Elders looked at their leader and nodded.
“Congratulations, young tigress,” he turned back to me. “You've just landed yourself in the middle of a war between Denali and Tiger Bay. Consider yourself a prisoner.”
“Gods! I told you the truth! Why aren't you like him? Why are you so dense?”
My angry words wouldn't help my cause, but I didn't care. Greg and Cuddy came up behind me, a physical intimidation. Behind me, Hannah laughed.
My tiger wanted blood. Hers, specifically, a thirst much greater than any I'd ever known.
“Enough!” Baron roared, his eyes darkening with a bear's rage.
“You may have gotten through James' defenses and warped his brain, but I can assure you we're not so simple minded.” He cleared his throat, and then spoke more loudly. “The council must take emergency action to deal with vipers in our den. All in favor of dragging this treacherous cat to a holding sell until we decide what to do with her, raise one hand and say 'aye!'”
Their old hands went up simultaneously, and the chamber echoed with their gleeful affirmations.
The gavel slammed. “Second order of business. With this tiger a prisoner of war, she can't be wed to any bear. All in favor of annulling the marriage between James Roark and Laura Hisch?”
“Aye!”
“You can't do this!” I sputtered. “You can't...”
I collapsed to my knees, too devastated to fight back, even as the two men grabbed me. Jacob looked at me with panicked eyes and turned to the council.
“Elders, please, can't we wait until our Alpha returns? I'm sure there's a way to explain all this.”
“We've waited long enough,” Baron snapped. “When James Roark lumbers back here, we'll also have to decide if we still have an Alpha at all. He's gone behind our humps and withheld vital security information. You, Jacob Browner, will report to us now. Not him. National security, you understand.”
I shouldn't have looked up. Jacob's sad, apologetic eyes followed me all the way out the door as the men dragged me into the darkness outside.
They told me I had nothing left to lose. I shifted, snarling and clawing at the brutes holding onto my limbs.
“Tranquilizer! Get this beast into holding, now!” Baron shouted.
My sharp teeth nearly got a hold on Greg's neck when I felt something sharp digging in near my left hind leg.
My tiger gave me the strength to roar as I went down onto the ground. Pure venom pumped through my brain, and the whole world turned into a numb, dreamless blur.
“Is she good for this? The drug won't mess with her blood?”
I winced. My head felt light as a feather, thoughts jagged and slow. I tried to sit up, but the slightest tilt of my head instantly sent me crashing back to the ground.
“No, Hannah, it won't matter at all with the way you want it refined.”
“Purrr-fect,” she growled, noticing I was awake. “Oh, you're awake, sleepy cat. Had to call in a lot of favors to get here so soon.”
I forced my eyes open. She stood over me, and a man's hands were on my shoulders. They felt smaller and weaker than the men who'd dragged me to this dank room. It looked like an abandoned cabin, the walls worn gray with age and neglect.
“Huh? What the hell is this?” I groaned. Just speaking those few words made my head throb.
“Hold still,” the man whispered. “If you cooperate with us, it'll all be over soon.”
I sensed him pulling my arm out, and then a sting at pit of my elbow. My head moved quick to see what was
“It's not true! The only one here lying is this jealous bear who won't leave my husband alone.” I faced the Elders again, fuming like mad.
My tiger's fury prickled at my skin, sharpness brimming on my teeth. One more push and I wouldn't be able to stop myself from shifting.
“That's it!” Elder Baron slammed his gavel. “Lady Gray and Mister Meade, have you heard enough of this shill's testimony?”
I growled as the two Elders looked at their leader and nodded.
“Congratulations, young tigress,” he turned back to me. “You've just landed yourself in the middle of a war between Denali and Tiger Bay. Consider yourself a prisoner.”
“Gods! I told you the truth! Why aren't you like him? Why are you so dense?”
My angry words wouldn't help my cause, but I didn't care. Greg and Cuddy came up behind me, a physical intimidation. Behind me, Hannah laughed.
My tiger wanted blood. Hers, specifically, a thirst much greater than any I'd ever known.
“Enough!” Baron roared, his eyes darkening with a bear's rage.
“You may have gotten through James' defenses and warped his brain, but I can assure you we're not so simple minded.” He cleared his throat, and then spoke more loudly. “The council must take emergency action to deal with vipers in our den. All in favor of dragging this treacherous cat to a holding sell until we decide what to do with her, raise one hand and say 'aye!'”
Their old hands went up simultaneously, and the chamber echoed with their gleeful affirmations.
The gavel slammed. “Second order of business. With this tiger a prisoner of war, she can't be wed to any bear. All in favor of annulling the marriage between James Roark and Laura Hisch?”
“Aye!”
“You can't do this!” I sputtered. “You can't...”
I collapsed to my knees, too devastated to fight back, even as the two men grabbed me. Jacob looked at me with panicked eyes and turned to the council.
“Elders, please, can't we wait until our Alpha returns? I'm sure there's a way to explain all this.”
“We've waited long enough,” Baron snapped. “When James Roark lumbers back here, we'll also have to decide if we still have an Alpha at all. He's gone behind our humps and withheld vital security information. You, Jacob Browner, will report to us now. Not him. National security, you understand.”
I shouldn't have looked up. Jacob's sad, apologetic eyes followed me all the way out the door as the men dragged me into the darkness outside.
They told me I had nothing left to lose. I shifted, snarling and clawing at the brutes holding onto my limbs.
“Tranquilizer! Get this beast into holding, now!” Baron shouted.
My sharp teeth nearly got a hold on Greg's neck when I felt something sharp digging in near my left hind leg.
My tiger gave me the strength to roar as I went down onto the ground. Pure venom pumped through my brain, and the whole world turned into a numb, dreamless blur.
“Is she good for this? The drug won't mess with her blood?”
I winced. My head felt light as a feather, thoughts jagged and slow. I tried to sit up, but the slightest tilt of my head instantly sent me crashing back to the ground.
“No, Hannah, it won't matter at all with the way you want it refined.”
“Purrr-fect,” she growled, noticing I was awake. “Oh, you're awake, sleepy cat. Had to call in a lot of favors to get here so soon.”
I forced my eyes open. She stood over me, and a man's hands were on my shoulders. They felt smaller and weaker than the men who'd dragged me to this dank room. It looked like an abandoned cabin, the walls worn gray with age and neglect.
“Huh? What the hell is this?” I groaned. Just speaking those few words made my head throb.
“Hold still,” the man whispered. “If you cooperate with us, it'll all be over soon.”
I sensed him pulling my arm out, and then a sting at pit of my elbow. My head moved quick to see what was
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