Puma Pride, page 2
“We like to know who kidnaps our children,” Mia hissed at her.
“I didn’t take your daughter,” Jolyn said. She met and held their gaze.
“How did you help the hounds,” Bryan asked.
“I didn’t,” Jolyn said. She watched as the tall dark haired man worked his way around the room until he stood behind her. She knew from her mother’s work it was unwise to allow the shifters to surround her.
Brady scented her, liked the smell of her. Her scent confused him. She didn’t smell like either shifter or human. He felt a pull, a tug to his groin.
“Yet your mother worked with a pack,” Mia said. “Was friendly with and helpful to a pack.”
“That pack was killed,” Jolyn said grief ripped at her gut as she remembered the way the humans ravaged them. Even the pups died.
“Doesn’t mean you don’t have contacts with another pack,” Bryan said.
“I work in a bookstore,” Jolyn said. “I’m not my mother. I saw a girl being beaten by boys. I stopped, helped, and took her to my apartment so she could call you. That is the extent of my involvement in this. Believe me or don’t.”
“Do you have any idea what the penalty is for harming the alpha’s kit,” Brady asked from behind her.
“Death,” Jolyn said meeting his eyes as she glanced over her shoulder. “I’m aware. The two who broke in. Did I kill them?”
“They survived your frying pan,” Bryan said.
“Why do the hounds want your daughter,” Jolyn asked.
“You tell us,” Mia said.
“I haven’t any idea,” Jolyn said. “When my mother worked with the local pack, they weren’t interested in the other shifters as long as they didn’t come into the pack’s territory.”
“Do you have your mother’s research,” Mia asked.
“Why,” Jolyn asked.
“It might help us,” Bryan said.
“No,” Jolyn said.
Brady put his hands on her shoulders. “Are you sure you want to lie,” he said smelling it on her.
“My mother’s research died with her,” Jolyn said. “The humans in the area killed the pack two days after my parents died.”
“We want her research,” Mia said.
“No,” Jolyn said.
Brady’s hands tightened painfully on her shoulders. “You will not deny the alphas,” he said his voice low and dangerous.
“I don’t care if you’re the alphas. Just like I didn’t care when the military or the government or the other shifters asked for it,” Jolyn said. “I won’t have my mother’s research twisted and used in a way she never intended.”
Mia curled her lip, hissed at her. “You live only because we allow it,” she snarled. “I’ll give you the night. In the morning, I want the truth. All of it.”
Bryan and Mia left the room. Brady turned her around, tilted her chin to stare into her eyes. “You should tell them the truth,” he said. His yellow eyes mesmerized her.
“I have,” Jolyn said. “If you choose not to believe me, it’s your problem.”
“It could mean your death,” Brady said.
“So be it,” Jolyn said.
“Do you think you will escape,” Brady asked.
“No,” Jolyn said. “I think I’ll die. I knew from the moment I stopped to help Minnie, I was forfeiting my life.”
“Then why do it,” Brady asked, his thumb explored her neck, the softness of her skin.
“Because it was the right thing to do,” Jolyn said.
He felt her heartbeat quicken.
She trembled with the feel of his hands on her. She asked, “You’re their enforcer?”
“Yes,” he said.
“You’ll be the one to kill me,” she asked.
“Yes,” he said again knowing it would be the hardest thing his alphas would ask him to do.
“Make it quick,” she asked.
His eyes narrowed. He drew her to him. “Better you answer them honestly,” he murmured. He strode out of the room. Jolyn closed her eyes and tried to convince herself she would live past tomorrow.
Brady checked with her work. She worked all day. Video evidence gave her an alibi. He would never take a human’s word for it. He checked in with a friend who got him footage from street cams of her walk home. A woman of habit, she walked the same route, same time every day.
He returned to her apartment to search. “What makes you think you can find what she’s kept hidden,” Bryan asked.
“Why would the military or the government want her mother’s research,” Brady asked.
“You know what they were like before we took over.” Bryan said. He curled his lip. “How can anyone live in such a small place? It’s three rooms.”
“But telling,” Brady said. He searched the rooms. Simple, neat, clean except there were books everywhere. “Why no family pictures?”
Bryan glanced around. He wanted to return to Mia and Minnie. “What does it matter,” Bryan said.
“I walk in your office and I’m bombarded by pictures. Your parents, Mia’s parents, Minnie at all ages,” Brady said.
“Humans are odd,” Bryan said.
“She’s fiercely proud of her mother,” Brady said. “She didn’t lie to you until you asked for her mother’s research.”
“She could still have a connection to the hounds,” Bryan said. “There were pictures of her with juveniles.”
“As far as anyone knows,” Brady said. “None of that pack survived.”
“The problem is we can’t know for sure,” Bryan said. “It’s a danger.”
Her scent surrounded and enticed him. He went to the bedroom, rifled through her drawers, her closet. He searched the room. He took off his clothes and switch to his panther to better use his cat senses. He found no hidden place. Bryan watched him work. He knew his brother wouldn’t let this go.
“We have to get back,” Bryan said. “Mia will be annoyed.”
Brady shook his head, snorted. He made one more circuit, pushed the bed, sniffed under it, sneezed with the dust.
Shifting back, Brady put his clothes on. “If she’s got her mother’s research it isn’t here in physical form.”
“She’s got a laptop,” Bryan said. Brady noticed a box on the bottom shelf of her bookcase. Small, nearly unnoticeable, he pulled it out of its place and opened it.
“Well, this is interesting,” Brady said. “There’s recent letters in here from a number of senators requesting meetings and making offers.”
“For her mother’s research,” Bryan asked finally showing interest.
Brady said, “Here’s a general.” He pulled out letter after letter. At the bottom of the box, some pictures of Jolyn and her parents. “They all have different addresses.”
“What’s that one,” Bryan asked pointing to a letter at the bottom of the box. “It looks personal.”
Brady saw an envelope with only her name. Pulling out the letter, he said, “It’s from her mother. It’s talking about how she wants her research to be used.”
“Does it give you any clue as to how far she got with it,” Bryan asked.
“No but she was aware people watched them,” Brady said. “It appears they were in danger by a number of different factions.”
“Does any of this prove one way or another whether she’s connected with the hounds,” Bryan asked.
“She talks about Willie D,” Brady said. “Do you think she means William Denton?”
“How would they know him,” Bryan said.
“Unknown but do we want to take on the bear clan,” Brady asked.
“Let’s go ask,” Bryan said. “He’ll be in the park now.”
“This should be fun,” Brady said.
William Denton was a gentle man and bear. He liked to take time every morning to sit in the park and soak up the small bit of nature in the city. He did not need others coming to bother him. “What do you want, cat,” Willie said.
“I’m Bryan Puma, alpha of the Puma Pride,” he introduced himself. “This is Brady Puma, my enforcer.”
“I don’t care,” Willie said. “This is not your litter box so go away.”
“What do you know of Jolyn Applegate,” Bryan asked.
Willie went still, didn’t appear to be breathing. “Why,” he growled, swinging his big head towards the alpha cat.
“She’s a… guest in our home,” Bryan said.
“Leave her be,” Willie said.
“She helped the hounds kidnap my daughter,” Bryan said bluntly.
Snorting, Willie said, “Not ever. Not in a million forevers.”
“Her family was attached to a pack,” Bryan said.
“Her family and the pack are dead,” Willie said sorrow furrowing his brow.
“My mate believes she helped the hounds take our daughter,” Bryan said.
“Your mate is a damn fool,” Willie watched them. “What do you plan to do with her?”
“If we find proof she interfered with our kit,” Bryan said. “We will put her to death.”
“That would be a mistake,” Willie said. “A grave one.”
“Why,” Bryan asked.
“Your enforcer has more than a passing interest in her,” Willie said.
Bryan turned to his brother, who said nothing. “Is that the only reason,” he asked.
“She’s my cub,” Willie said. “Maybe not biologically but she’s mine.”
“I see,” Bryan said.
“Tell her, I want to hear from her today,” Willie said.
“How should she get in touch with you,” Brady asked.
“She’ll know,” Willie said as he huffed and lumbered off away from them.
“We need to speak to our guest,” Bryan said. “I have the feeling this just got much more complicated.”
“Are we willing to take on the bears,” Brady asked.
“Is she your mate,” Bryan asked.
“My cat wants her,” Brady said.
“Not what I asked,” Bryan said.
“She might be,” Brady said. “I stand ready to serve my alpha.”
“Without telling me, of course, that I might be ordering you to kill your mate,” Bryan said. “Do you think me so damn heartless?”
“The Pride matters,” Brady said.
“Let’s go see if my wife has calmed down,” Bryan said. “Maybe she won’t want to kill her.”
“Her kit was stolen and harmed,” Brady said. “Do you see her calming down anytime soon?”
“I won’t,” Minnie said. “Jolyn didn’t do anything mean to me. She doesn’t smell like the other humans. You’re wrong.”
Mia said, “You don’t know all the intricacies of the situation.”
“I know who snatched me,” Minnie said. “It wasn’t Jolyn.”
“Minnie,” Mia scolded. “You will calm down right now.”
“You’re the one who’s hysterical,” Minnie said. “Can’t you smell how she’s different? I can. I did last night. You didn’t see how afraid she was or how protective.”
“Yet, you disappeared and showed up in her house,” Mia said.
“Because she helped me,” Minnie said. “Daddy, make her see reason.”
“Minnie, your mother isn’t wrong. Jolyn has connections you don’t know about,” Bryan said. On hearing the argument, Brady escaped up the stairs.
Brady turned down the wing. He knew he shouldn’t but he needed to see her, needed her scent. Striding to the corner bedroom, he nodded to the guards on her door. He knocked and entered. On the table in the room, her food sat untouched. He heard water running in the bathroom, waited for her. She stopped short when she saw him. “Are you here to …” she stopped not wanting to say it.
From his jacket pocket he pulled out several newspaper clippings he’d taken from her box. “Tell me about these,” he asked.
She crossed to him. She smelled of soap and lilacs. Her scent surrounded him, drew him in to her. She held out her hand. He stepped closer sniffing her hair as he handed her the first of the clippings.
“You searched my apartment,” Jolyn said stepping away from him. She went to the window. Gazing down on the picture, she saw herself with dozens of pups from the Pack. It was a good year for the pack. There had been many pups born. “This was taken about three weeks before the pack was killed,” she said. She closed her eyes. “It was the first time the pups were allowed out with outsiders. They were joyful, sweet. It was quite the experience.”
“Did you always want puppies,” Brady asked.
“No actually, my mother collected house cats,” Jolyn said with a smile. “They hated the way we smelled when we got home.”
He snorted, “What about this one?”
Jolyn didn’t move. She knew what the second clipping was. “I found them,” she said. “Peter, the alpha, was helping me with my parents’ funeral. I was lost. They offered comfort. I went there to discuss some details about my parents’ funeral and found them.”
“You found them like this,” Brady asked wanting to hand her the clipping.
“I don’t need to see it,” she said. “Have you seen what an automatic weapon does? There was blood and gore everywhere. They shot them and then they walked around and put a bullet in each of their heads. Including all the puppies.” She covered her mouth, closed her eyes, and turned away from him.
Brady didn’t like her turning away. He wanted her in his arms. “Even the pups,” he asked thinking of the horror she witnessed.
“Every single one,” Jolyn said. She wiped her eyes. “I called the sheriff. He came out and took me away from there. It was already too late though the media got the story.”
“Why were they killed,” Brady asked.
“Do you want the official version or the speculation,” Jolyn said a hard tone coming into her voice.
“I have the official version, drunken idiots,” Brady said.
“Yeah, except I don’t know a lot of drunk people who can shoot so accurately,” Jolyn said. “The speculation is my mother and the pack were making progress on building a more collaborative relationship between shifters and humans. There were a lot of people who didn’t like it.”
“Because they want us out of power," Brady said.
"I suppose," Jolyn said.
"You don't want us out of power," Brady said. "You're human."
"I'm human but what do I care who's in power," Jolyn asked. "When the humans were in power it wasn't any better or any worse."
"Why did you help Minnie," Brady asked.
"Look at the picture," Jolyn said her voice caught. "I know they were hounds but those puppies, all those defenseless babies were killed. Do you honestly think I would let someone harm another child if I could stop it?"
He took the clipping from her. With a gentle hand, he wiped away her tears. His cat purred at touching her, wanted to wrap his body around her, wanted her hand in his fur again. "Did you sleep," he asked.
"Does it matter, enforcer," Jolyn said. She stepped back though he mesmerized her. "Mia won't let go that someone harmed her kit. She'll want someone punished. She's the alpha. She can order it and you will carry it out. I wish you’d just get it over with."
He saw sorrow and grief. His cat snarled inside him to stop making her sad. "I'll return soon," he said. "Try to rest."
"We can't fight the bears," Bryan stated. "Mia, be reasonable. Minnie says the woman helped her, protected her. Isn't that enough for now?"
"I'm not releasing her until we know her part in this," Mia hissed. "I'm not giving them another chance at my kit."
"She needs to contact the bears," Bryan said. "We'll determine where we go from there."
"Fine," Mia snarled. "She'll be our guest. We can justify it with the bears because the hounds tried to break into her apartment."
"Willie," Jolyn said frowning. "You spoke to him?"
"We did," Bryan said watching emotions flit across her face.
"He won't be happy you interrupted his time in the park," she said. "May I have a phone?"
Brady handed her one. He stood close to her, inhaling her scent. The longer she was there, the more he wanted her. The more his cat demanded her. She stepped back from him. "Uncle Willie," Jolyn said.
"What have you gotten mixed up in this time," Willie asked.
"I helped a girl," Jolyn said. "I'm all right. They say they want me to stay here until the issue with the hounds is settled."
"I want to hear from you daily," Willie said. Getting her away from the cats, especially the enforcer, would be difficult.
"They'll let me talk to you," Jolyn said. "I'm all right. I'm probably getting fired again."
"We'll find you another job," Willie said.
"I thought you didn't help with this one," Jolyn said.
"You are the most troublesome cub," Willie chuckled.
"I have to go. Bye Uncle Willie," she said. When he hung up, she handed the phone back to Brady.
"How do you know the bear alpha," Bryan said.
"His wife was a friend of my parents," Jolyn said. "What happens now?"
"You stay here until we determine why the hounds tried to take Minnie," Bryan said.
"Have you considered contacting the alpha," Jolyn said.
"You may go into the public rooms," Bryan deliberately didn’t answer her question. "Do not leave the house."
"For how long," Jolyn asked.
"For as long as it takes," Bryan said.
2
Jolyn sat in the library watching the birds in the backyard flit from flower to tree to bush. A book lay in her lap forgotten. In the last month, she figured out the rooms she was allowed to be in. The first time she came down for a shared meal, the entire room went silent and stayed that way while she was there. The tension was so great, she couldn't eat. She excused herself. Now she made a point of fixing her meals in the kitchen.
The door to the library opened. Mia stepped in. Jolyn closed the book in her lap and stood to leave. Mia in the same room with her always ended in snarling and arguments.
"Why do you hide things from us," Mia demanded.
"I'm not hiding anything," Jolyn tried to step around Mia.
