Page 1 of Riding With the Grizzly

CHAPTER ONE

JUDE

Ipark my bike behind the clubhouse and climb off. It’s been a long day and it’s only seven pm. I want nothing more than to go home and relax for a bit, but I need to check on things here at the MC. My bear stretches lazily inside of me, wanting to go for a run after a long ride, but I ignore him as I make my way toward the door.

As the president, I have to deal with any problems that arise, and lately, there’s been quite a few problems. All of them having to do with the Midnight Rebel MC.

I sigh as I head inside and nod at a few members. It's pretty quiet in here. Most of the guys are out, probably downtown or maybe in the next town over that's more of a tourist trap, looking for their mates.

That’s the thing about this MC. Everyone that is part of the Devil’s Pack is a shifter. I’m one of the few grizzly bear shifters in the group. Most of the others are wolves or mountain lions.

I moved to Broken Arrow four years ago. I had just gotten out of the military, the Marines, after I was shot on my last deployment. I knew that I didn’t want to go back to my old pack in New Mexico. I was sick of the heat and seeing nothing but dirt so I decided to move further north, somewhere with seasons.

I joined the Devil’s Pack MC because it was the only shifter pack around and I wanted to feel connected to that side of me after burying it while I was in the Marines.

The last president was getting old and I think he was getting sick of dealing with all the little problems that were popping up in town. When he suggested I take over, I was honored. After being unanimously voted in, I was confident in my new position. Now I kind of regret it.

“Hey, Prez,” some guys call out as I walk in. I wave and nod as I make my way over behind the bar.

“Anything I need to know about?” I ask Caden, the Vice President of the club, as he slides a beer to someone.

“Yeah, I was just about to call you. Some guys called in. Midnight Rebels are starting to try to start some shit with our guys at The Broken Bottle Bar.”

“Damn it,” I growl while he nods. Just once I’d love for there to be a cult to run out of town or a meth den to shut down. Literally anything except dealing with the Midnight Rebels.

“Yeah, it sounds like they’re trying to start a fight again.”

I want to know what their endgame is. So far, it's been random things at different spots around town. None of it really makes any sense. Normally, they stay on their side of town, so the only thing that I can think of is that they're looking to expand. Too bad for them, they don't have the numbers to pull that off. They do, however, have big enough egos to try it anyway.

“I’ll take care of it,” I tell Caden and he nods.

"You want help?"

"Yeah, get some guys, whoever is sober, and let's go."

He nods, hurrying out from behind the bar to get some members. I turn and head out to my bike, climbing on andstarting it up as the other guys come out of the clubhouse. I take off toward the bar and I can hear the familiar roar and rumble of the other motorcycles behind me.

Broken Arrow, Montana is a small town and there wasn’t much here when I moved to town four years ago. Hell, even now years later, there’s still not much. The town is just a grouping of businesses and ever since I’ve taken over the Devi’s Pack MC has stayed in the northern part of town and the Midnight Rebels the south.

I park outside of the bar and climb off as the rest of the guys park next to me. I can hear the raised voices and sounds of fighting from outside and I growl as some guy in a Midnight Rebel cut bumps into me.

I shove him away and he stumbles off the sidewalk, falling onto the hood of a car.

“Get things in there under control,” I tell Caden. He tips his head in my direction, then nods in confirmation.

"Yo, Kade, and Tracker let's go in. Prepare for the worst."

I stay out on the sidewalk and break up fights as inebriated Midnight Rebel members come pouring out of the bar. I don't know why the Midnight Rebels even try. Most of the members are middle-aged assholes with beer guts. They'd never stand a chance against the Devil's Pack. We're all shifters, with heightened reflexes. We're stronger, in better shape, and just… more capable than them.

I step between two guys who are going at it and they stumble off when they see the murderous expression on my face. I snarl as more Midnight Rebels circle the parking lot.

God, I hate dealing with these pricks.

I’m getting so sick of having to scare these guys off. When they stuck to their side of town, I could at least pretend to ignore them. Now, they’re everywhere. I need to figure out a way to deal with them once and for all.

Caden, Tracker, and Kade come out of the bar with bruised and battered-looking Midnight Rebel members dragged behind them. They toss them toward their bikes and the guys scramble to take off.

I watch them go, about to get on my own bike and head home when two women step out of the Mexican restaurant on the corner. The wind from the bikes racing by sends their scent my way and I stiffen. I've never seen either girl in town and I wonder what they're doing here. Broken Arrow isn't much of a tourist destination.

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