The Bear Essentials (Siren Publishing: The Stormy Glenn ManLove Collection) by Stormy Glenn

still in human form and could speak before Rob could shift. “He did it again, father,” Raymond said as he held up his bloody arm. “Rob Colton attacked me and my friends just like he did last time.”
    The alpha’s eyes moved to Rob. “Shift.”
    Rob made sure he kept himself between Casey and everyone else as he shifted. He heard a soft gasp from behind him and desperately wanted to turn and look at Casey, but taking his eyes off of the alpha wasn’t the smartest move he could make.
    He swayed just a bit after standing up straight, adrenaline rushing through his system. If it wasn’t for the soft hand he felt in the middle of his back, he might have dropped back down to the ground. For Casey, he could be strong.
    “Attacking the future alpha is a crime punishable by death,” the alpha explained. “You know this.”
    Rob kept his eyes straight ahead and just off to one side of the alpha as he nodded. Looking the man straight in the eyes wasn’t allowed when being reprimanded. He was supposed to be showing his submission to the stronger bear, but in that moment, showing submission could mean his life.
    “I let the last time go because Garret explained to me the fight was a fair one.” The alpha’s eyes narrowed as he turned to look at Raymond. “Despite my son’s actions, you were both at fault.”
    Rob barely kept his lip from curling back in disgust. It hadn’t been a fair fight, at least not the second half where Raymond had attacked him with a pipe. He doubted the alpha wanted to hear that. He never wanted to hear what a dirt bag he had raised.
    Raymond Barker was the golden child. He could do no wrong in the eyes of his parents. He was being groomed to take over for his father when the alpha stepped down. A smart man would have taken the lessons his father tried to teach him and worked hard to become the man the clan needed to take over when the alpha retired.
    Raymond was not a smart man. He used his position as son of the alpha to terrorize those that didn’t do what he wanted, and to get out of trouble with his father. Rob could see the calculating glint in Raymond’s eyes from where he stood and knew the other man was working out a plan to get out of trouble this time as well.
    When the alpha’s eyes landed on him again, Rob swallowed hard. There was no emotion on the man’s face to give him a hint as to what he was thinking. “Rob,” the alpha asked, “can you give me one reason why I shouldn’t order your execution?”

Chapter Eleven
     
    Casey gasped at the alpha’s words. Rob could be put to death for protecting him? That wasn’t fair. Grabbing onto a bit of courage he didn’t know he had, Casey stepped around Rob and stood at his side.
    “Rob was protecting me.”
    He instantly felt the eyes of just about everyone on him. It was hard not to run back behind Rob and hide, but he would do anything for his mate, even face the alpha of his clan.
    “Casey Newton, isn’t it?” the alpha asked.
    Eyes wide in surprise, Casey nodded. He didn’t know the alpha even knew who he was. Of course, considering the man was the leader of his people, it kind of made sense that he would know who lived in his city and who didn’t.
    “What do you have to add to this situation, Casey?”
    Casey gulped when Raymond growled and took a step toward him. His level of fear was growing by the second. He was terrified of Raymond but he was more terrified that if he said the wrong thing, Rob would be taken from him.
    “I was at work,” Casey began. “I work down at the Partly Sunny Bakery on Fifth Street.”
    The alpha nodded. “I know the place.”
    “Well.” Casey clenched his hands to keep from chewing on his fingernails. It was a nervous habit he had yet to break. “I heard a noise at the back of the bakery and went to investigate. Someone had stacked a bunch of evaporated milk cans in the middle of the hallway by the back door. I got scared but when I tried to leave, Raymond and his buddies