Resisting the Cougar (Cascade Shifters #2) (20 page)

Claire was still alive.

Thank fuck.
He couldn’t lose her, not when he’d just found her.

Dani appeared next to him and examined Claire. His friend was often the clan’s field medic, so he forced himself to lay Claire’s head down and move out of the way.

As Dani worked her magic, ripping material and tying it tightly over the wound, both man and cat felt an ache in their heart. If Claire died right in front of them, Aidan wasn’t sure he could survive the loss of someone else he loved.

Yes, he loved his human, yet he’d never told her. She needed to live so he could tell her a million times over how much she’d come to mean to him. Claire was not only his second chance, but Chloe’s as well.

Chloe.
Thank fuck his daughter was back on DarkStalker’s land. Watching Claire being shot would’ve devastated her. As much as he didn’t like hiding things from his daughter, he would keep the severity of Claire’s injuries a secret. There was no use in scaring Chloe unnecessarily.

Thinking of his daughter helped to settle Aidan’s shock. He was useless as a medic, so he chanced a look at the crowd to see if the shifter soldiers needed his help. However, both human security and volunteers from DarkStalker and GreyFire had a few humans restrained and face down on the ground. The one who’d shot Claire had three shifters restraining him.

If he were to hazard a guess, the man was with Human Purity.

Without thinking, he whispered, “I never should have let her talk me into this.”

Dani’s no-nonsense voice answered him. “Don’t fucking play the blame game, Aidan Scott. I need you focused. Apply pressure here while I check her vitals.”

Aidan snapped into soldier mode and tried to imagine Claire as one of his men or women. He failed utterly, but he still managed to press against the compress on her wound. “Tell me straight, Dani. Will she live?”

Dani met his eyes, her expression neutral. “I don’t know. There’s a GreyFire doctor on site and on standby just in case, and she should be here soon. She can tell you more.”

The GreyFire wolves were known for their medical research. Some of their researchers had also received top-notch training at some of the best medical schools.

He was about to ask who was on site when Lisa, the GreyFire doctor in question, wedged in next to Claire. Behind Lisa, two other wolf-shifters carried a stretcher between them. Lisa did a check and then motioned for her team to get Claire on the stretcher.

Aidan couldn’t take the suspense any longer. “Will she live?”

Lisa’s voice was steady. “I won’t know for certain until I get her to GreyFire’s nearby lab. But I will do everything within my power to save her, Aidan. That I will promise you.” Lisa looked to Dani. “If the human authorities show up, stall them as long as you can. They might try to take Claire if they find out who she is.”

Dani nodded as the two wolf-shifters moved down the stage, carrying Claire. Aidan took a step to follow. Lisa put up a hand. “You can only come with us if you can keep your cat under control. I can’t try to save Claire’s life and deal with your alpha possessive bullshit. Can you do that?”

Aidan’s cat snarled and clawed to take control. They should be with their female and make sure there weren’t any other threats. The wolves weren’t to be trusted.

Shut up. They are our best chance.
Nodding, Aidan answered, “I can.”

“Then come with me.”

Aidan glanced to Dani, who motioned for him to go. “We’ve got this. The bastard who shot Claire is in custody and there’s no fucking way I’m allowing him to escape. I’ll handle the human authorities. Take care of your mate.”

Rather than argue about Claire not yet being his mate, he nodded and went to catch up to Lisa and the two other wolves.

As he fought the memories of the past and the last time his female had been shot, Aidan followed the woman he hoped would be his future for many years to come.

~~~

Five hours later, Aidan paced up and down the length of a small room. Lisa had been operating the whole time, and it’d been hours since the last update. Every second that ticked by was another stab to his heart. He had no fucking idea if a long surgery was a good or bad thing. All he knew was Claire hadn’t died yet.

But what if she did? Aidan’s cougar snarled, wanting to do something to help. She couldn’t die. She was their fire.

Aidan ran a hand through his hair. He hated being so useless. After this, he didn’t care if he had to chain Claire to the bed; he wasn’t allowing her off DarkStalker’s land until he could guarantee her safety.

As he continued to pace, the silence only made him relive Claire getting shot over and over again inside his head. He would never forget the sight of her falling to the ground or her blood soaked shirt.

Aidan had been so damn focused on getting his speech right that he hadn’t paid enough attention to his surroundings, leaving Claire to protect him. With training, he could see her taking on the world, but she wasn’t ready and Claire had paid the price for his short-sightedness.

He would spend the rest of his life proving to Claire and Chloe that he could be depended upon.

The door opened, thankfully interrupting his thoughts. At the sight of Dani’s familiar face, he sighed. “Did they send you here to handle me?”

She raised an eyebrow. “No, although I’m well aware of you being a dick for the last few hours. I would tell you none of this is their fault, but you wouldn’t listen. So I’ll just ask if you’re willing to listen to the news I have.”

“What news?”

“I’m going to take that as a yes, you’ll listen. So, sit.”

Dani was one of the few who could order him around. Exhausted from worry and pacing, he sat without a fight, grateful for a mini-distraction. “I’m sitting, so tell me. But make it quick, in case the doctor comes in with news.”

She gave him a sympathetic look and nodded. “One of the ShadowClaw bears is here and wants to discuss your options regarding Claire.”

‘If she survives’ was left unsaid.

Pushing aside the negative thought, Aidan focused on the possibility he could live with Claire without fear of the authorities taking her away from him. “Tell me the options.”

Dani frowned. “The bastard won’t tell me anything. He says he needs to tell you and Kian at the same time.”

“But Kian is back on DarkStalker’s land.”

She put up a hand. “One of the wolves is fetching a tablet and patching through a connection.”

“And the bear?”

She pointed a thumb toward the door. “Waiting just outside.”

Talking business with Dani brought back some of his logical mind. “What does your cat’s instinct say? Do you think we can trust him?”

“Even without my gut, you’ve heard the name Nathan Carter before. He’s apparently the second-in-command of ShadowClaw these days.”

Nate Carter had not only served in the Shifter Division of the US Army and won a medal of honor in Iraq, he’d been a champion boxer. A decade ago, Aidan had wanted nothing more than the chance to box with the bear.

Then he’d met Emily, and she had tamed his cat. “You know I have, but what’s he doing here? He was banned from leaving the Cascades for fighting one too many times in the human bars.”

Dani shrugged. “I don’t really care why he ventured off ShadowClaw’s land as long as he can help us. Can I just let him in so we can find a way for you to keep Claire? I want to send him home as soon as possible.”

Dani’s voice almost sounded irritated, which piqued Aidan’s curiosity since Dani was as steady as they came. “Why, did he push some of your buttons?”

“Let him in and you’ll see firsthand how his other reputation is true as well.”

Despite everything that was going on, Aidan nearly smiled. “He hit on you.”

She rolled her eyes. “More like he wanted a quickie. Something about his inner bear waking up after a sleepy winter.”

Part of him wanted to hear more, but Aidan finally just motioned toward the door. His future with Claire was more important; he refused to believe she’d die. “Let him in. If there’s a way to keep Claire with me always, I want to put it into place straight away.”

“Fine, but I’ve warned him to keep his hands and eyes to himself. If he doesn’t, I’ll kick him in the balls.”

“Can you wait to do that until after he tells me a way to keep Claire with me?”

Dani harrumphed. “I’ll try, but I can’t make any promises.”

As Dani went to the door, Aidan resisted the urge to tease her. Not just because of Claire’s condition, but also because few males dared to flirt with Danika Fisher because of her rank. Aidan was curious to see the infamous bear fighter and how he treated one of his oldest friends.

Opening the door, Dani motioned for Nate to enter.

The bear was older than Aidan remembered, with a few lines around his eyes and mouth and some gray hair mixed into the brown. But the strong jaw and the nose broken a few too many times were the same. Nate’s green eyes met his briefly before latching onto Dani. Nate’s deep voice filled the small room. “You know locking me out only made my bear more anxious to see you again, Dani. My offer still stands.”

Dani rolled her eyes. “One of my clan members was shot and is in surgery. Have a little tact. I’m sure your cock will last until this evening, when you can find some female to fuck.”

The corner of Nate’s mouth ticked up. “I love a female who isn’t afraid to swear. Cats really are feisty. I think you need a strong, protective bear to help calm your cougar.”

Judging by the look in Dani’s eyes, she was about to clock the bear. Aidan stood up and interjected, “I’d leave her alone for now. Besides, you have information we could use.”

Nate met his gaze and his eyes assessed him before saying, “I’m sorry about your female. I truly am, but I won’t disobey my orders. I’ll tell you once your clan leader joins us.”

Aidan didn’t back down. “But there is a way, then?”

Nate shook his head. “Not even offering me your delicious redheaded friend would make me talk, although I would be sorely tempted.” He grinned at Dani. “Are you sure I can’t have just one taste of your sweet lips?”

From the corner of his eye, he saw Dani narrow her eyes. “Ask to taste me again, I dare you.”

Thankfully, there was a knock on the door and Aidan answered it. It was one of the wolves he couldn’t name. The male wolf handed him a tablet. “The connection is live.”

With a nod, Aidan took it and shut the door. Looking down, he saw his clan leader and said, “Sorry, Kian, but ShadowClaw won’t talk without you taking part.”

Kian answered, “No worries. I’m more concerned about you. You seem calmer and more levelheaded than I’ve heard in my reports.”

“The possibility of keeping Claire has calmed both man and cat temporarily,” Aidan answered. “Can we just start the meeting?”

Kian nodded. “Turn me toward the bear.”

Aidan complied and Nate bobbed his head before saying, “It’s been a while, Kian.”

“I don’t think I’ve seen you since my teenage days when I bested you in a fight.”

Nate raised his brows. “I’ve filled out since then. You wouldn’t stand a chance.”

Impatient, Aidan jumped in. “I’m sorry to break up the memories, but can we find out how to keep Claire with me, without fear of the police arresting her?”

Nate shrugged. “Fine. It’s pretty simple, really. I’m sure you’ve heard of the Witness Protection Program used by the FBI?”

“Yes,” Aidan answer. “But what does that have to do with Claire?”

“Sometimes, they place humans with shifters for protection.”

Dani frowned. “Since when? That would violate a number of human laws, and they certainly haven’t asked DarkStalker to help.”

Nate moved his gaze to Dani. “ShadowClaw helped once about thirty years ago. Since the human has long left our care, I’m not breaking any rules by telling you that much.”

Dani demanded, “Why wait this long to tell us? You know we have another human on our land. This information would’ve been helpful.”

Before Nate could answer, Kian interjected, “That’s all in the past and I only care about the present. Even if what you say is true, the FBI reached out to the bears. How can that help Claire and Aidan? I highly doubt they’ll just magically appear at our doorstep and offer such a deal.”

Nate turned back toward the tablet. “It took a few weeks of digging and bribing some other bears across the country, but we found a buried sub-article to a law written several decades ago that can help and most likely keep the human on your land. However, that information comes with a price.”

Kian raised his brows. “What does Odessa want in exchange for that information?”

“My clan leader wants a face-to-face meeting with you and Kaya Alexie. She’ll make her request there.”

Kian paused before finally saying, “I don’t like agreeing to blind favors.”

Nate replied, “She assured me nothing would hurt your clan or any of your clan members. The meeting wouldn’t be until summer, because of scheduling reasons. But Odessa trusts you to honor your word.”

Kian paused a second before giving a curt nod. “I can only speak for my clan and not Kaya’s, but I will meet with your leader. However, if her favor involves harming my clan, I won’t agree to it.”