Page 88 of Claimed By Prince Daddy

Damon stiffened. A soft growl filled the room.

I turned from the window and faced the alpha werebear. “So you mean to tell me they coerced your bears?”

“In a sense, yes.”

I cast him a severe look. “That shit’s not funny.”

“Who the fuck said I was joking?”

My gaze spanned the length of him, as if I could see the deceit wafting off him. The earnest expression in his eyes, the hard set of his jaw… this male was serious.

I stepped over to my desk and leaned a hip against the edge and raised a brow. “How would werebears be…coercedinto killing humans? You bears have a mind that’s like a steel door.”

Werebears’ minds were impenetrable. Out of all the Werekinds, their mental defenses were sound. It was one of the reasons they were such an invaluable asset during the great war with the Dark Fae centuries ago. They were immune to persuasion—the Dark Fae had the power to break into minds and shatter the will of their victims, manipulating them like marionettes.

Damon raked a hand through his unruly locks, making the tussled strands stand on end. It only made his rugged masculinity more apparent, more desirable.

To my inner wolf, at least.

She eyed him with her tongue, almost grazing the floor. The stupid bitch was in heat.

“I know my bears,” Damon said. “None would kill a human. Even if they had a bloodlust for the non-weres, the risk of defying me would’ve shut down any plans in motion.” His claws sliced out, their wicked tips glinting in the sunlight that streamed through the window. “I don’t know how the hell it’s happening, but the werebears are being forced against their will to kill humans.”

“But why? What plausible reason would anyone want to sic werebears on humans? It makes little sense.”

“Damn if I know,” he growled. “Some real shit is going down.” Squaring his shoulders, he slid me a leveled glance. “And I need your help to solve this problem.”

My brows shot up, disbelief punching through my sternum. “Me?” The squeak caused a blush to bloom across my cheeks. I coughed, clearing my throat, and tried again. “What could you need my help for?”

“Your connections with the Silverfang pack can stave off a war. You know your Alpha Ryan will?—”

“Former Alpha.”

“—listen to you. Being that you are—were—his top sentinel.” His gaze darted to the side. “That, and since I’ve already met with him. That meeting went straight to hell.”

I snorted. Damon shot me a withering scowl.

With a roll of my eyes, I said, “Oh, come on! How did you think that would go down? Holding hands and singing carols?”

His eyes narrowed to thin slits. I blinked at him, daring him to refute me.

He heaved a heavy sigh. “I also need your aid, because you know this side of the territory better. The area the humans inhabit is beyond my lands. Plus, you overseeing the care of humans gives you an edge over this situation.”

My chest warmed at his tightened features—the sheer struggle of having voiced those words, to me, a latent, was no doubt killing him. I swallowed the chuckle on the tip of my tongue.

I tapped my chin with an index finger and made a show of peering up at the ceiling. “Hmmm… let me think.”

Seconds ticked by. Damon’s scowl became more severe. My twisted glee became more heightened with each moment that passed. My inner wolf lifted a paw toward me, a soft whine cresting from her throat.

God dammit…

“No.”

Shock colored the alpha male’s features.

“No?”

“You heard me.”

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