Page 33 of Bear Facts

Freya waited breathlessly while Graham regarded her in shock. “What do you mean he’s gone?” Graham demanded. “Gone where?”

“That’s what we need to find out.” Freya left Graham working through what she’d just told him and turned to Leo.

Shane remained at her side, a warm and solid bulwark against the onslaught. Freya drew courage from his strength, and also from the sudden wave of fuck this shit that had washed through her when Leo had commanded her to obey him.

Leo hadn’t changed at all—he was still a scruffy wolf with hard muscles and a mean look in his eyes. When Leo and his pack had joined the group, he’d tried to rally those in Graham’s pack to his side, had thought he should be leader of the new Shiftertown. Only someone like Graham could keep Leo in line.

Freya had expected to still be terrified of Leo, even after all these years. She was wary, yes—Leo was not a kind person, and he expected anyone less dominant than him to submit totally to his will.

When Freya had come out of her Transition, she’d been scared and unsure of her place in the pecking order. Leo had tried to take advantage of her uncertainty.

However, the moment Leo had mouthed his imperious Come on, Freya had realized with a jolt that the order had changed. Leo was no longer dominant to her. That comprehension made the wolf inside her howl with glee.

Not only subordinate to Freya, but very subordinate. Freya’s wolf knew without a doubt that she could crush Leo underfoot with little effort.

She couldn’t relax, though, not entirely. Leo was only a stickler for hierarchy rules when he agreed with them.

“Please get out of my sight,” Freya said clearly to Leo and then switched her focus to Graham. “This is my statement to my pack leader. I reject Leo Dunham’s mate-claim, under the light of the sun, the Father God, and before witnesses.”

“You don’t know what you’re talking about,” Leo snarled at her. “We need mates, you’re fair game, and I staked my claim on you long ago.”

“She’s not a piece of property.” Shane’s rumble had deepened, a bear who was at the end of his patience. “She rejected the claim. Too bad, so sad for you. Seek a mate somewhere else.”

“So you can shag her?” Leo demanded. “Is that what this is all about?”

“No.” Freya kept her chin up. Any interest she’d had in Shane and his very attractive body wasn’t the point here. “I don’t want to be your mate, all right?”

Leo’s eyes narrowed. “Fucking bear has twisted your head around.” He pinned Shane with a hard gray gaze. “Fine, then. Shane the Stupid Bear, under the light of the Father God and before witnesses, I Challenge.”

Chapter Eleven

The Shifters went still, even Graham falling silent. Freya stared at Leo in surprise—he had to be out of his mind. Leo had once been a good fighter, and Freya didn’t see any sign of him weakening, but she’d had a taste of what Shane could do when provoked.

There was no reason for Leo to Challenge. Freya had already said no, and she didn’t belong to Shane either. This was Leo’s egotistical way of proving he was still in control—of his life, of his place, of Freya.

Shane’s laughter boomed into the sudden quiet.

“Are you serious?” Shane’s dark eyes danced. “I already beat your ass once this morning. You’ll never survive a Challenge against me.”

Leo didn’t lose his belligerent confidence. Freya saw cunning in Leo’s eyes, which worried her. In a fair fight, Shane could best him, but the Leo she remembered had fought dirty. Freya doubted that twenty-five years had changed him.

“You didn’t beat me,” Leo said to Shane. “Eric tranqued me and took me out of the fight.” He glowered at Eric, who ignored him.

Freya recognized that Eric, the relaxed man in distressed jeans and a black T-shirt, tousled dark hair and green eyes, held all the power in this room. Even Graham, as blustery as he was, did not have as much dominance as Eric. Close, but not quite.

Eric could stop Leo’s threat with a word or even a flick of an eyebrow. He didn’t. He was watching the conflict play out, as though he’d decided that Graham’s pack and Nell’s family needed to make their own decisions.

Only a Shifter confident of his power would do that. Eric knew that no matter what happened, he’d have it all under control in the long run.

“You need to answer, Shane,” Graham stated.

“No,” Freya said quickly to Shane. “Don’t.”

Shane shrugged. “I can take him, sweetheart. Don’t worry.”

“It isn’t that.” Freya drew herself up. “I refused his mate-claim. That should be enough. Leo winning a fight won’t change my mind.”

“She’s right,” Nell put in.

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