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Lost Inside Chapter 37
The
crowded Tigers bent in a wave of moving bodies, like saplings before a strong
wind. Here and there, one hesitated, until a single Tiger still stood. Benny
eyed him. Some of the Tigers he’d grown up with were gone, including his
family, and there were a lot of strangers he didn’t recognize. He’d met many of
Yuri’s clan when they merged with his, but he didn’t recognize the massive
Tiger staring at the body sprawled at Benny’s feet.
“Are
you challenging me?” Benny laid his ears back and bared his fangs. He didn’t
want to fight, but damned if would stand by and let anyone else run the Clan
pick right back up where Sheshtun left off, terrorizing the others.
The
Tiger didn’t reply. He didn’t even look up.
Benny
snarled and stepped in front of the corpse. “Are you challenging me?” he repeated.
“What?
No!” The large Tiger would’ve fallen when he stumbled back if a smaller man
hadn’t jumped up and steadied him. Benny was startled to see tears shimmering
in the light when he tore his gaze from Sheshtun. His hands shook as he lifted
them up, his claws retracted. “Just… he….” His breath hitched.
“He’s
really dead?” the other man standing asked. His voice was soft as he hid
partially hidden, his arms wrapped around himself.
Couldn’t
they see the bastard wasn’t breathing? Hadn’t he stated it clearly enough? Dav
snickered behind him. Benny glared over his shoulder at the Snake before he
faced the assembled clan again. Both of the standing Tigers had taken advantage
of his momentary distraction and knelt.
Damn
it. He was going to have to give a speech. He hadn’t looked forward to
fighting, but he’d expected to have to. Benny swept another look over the
Tigers submitting to him. What was wrong with them? For all they knew, he would
be worse than Sheshtun ever was. Yet they gave in. Were they that bound to the
old ways?
“My
name is Benny. I’m mated to Yuri, Sheshtun’s son. I’m from the clan Sheshtun
merged with last year. Some of you may remember what he did to us for daring to
accept our bond.”
“Will
you hold that against us?” An older Tiger spoke up from the back, a cane
clenched in his hands. They all watched him fearfully, the two cubs hidden
within their families huddled in knots.
“Should
I?” It was his right, as the new leader, to do as he wished. Hierarchy within
the Tiger clan said his word was law. No one could gainsay him—unless they
wished to lead. An ache, dull and throbbing, began behind Benny’s left eye.
This was not the haughty Tiger Clan Benny thought he’d face. All the fight had
been tortured out of them.
“The
answer to my question is no,” Benny said. “Unless you harmed another
purposefully, you don’t deserve punishment. The betas who helped Sheshtun will
face the combined Council’s judgment. They will speak with each of you in the
coming weeks, but any who suffered at their hands for the barbaric experiments
Sheshtun created can claim retribution.
“There
will be many changes. The Tiger Clans follow an archaic set of laws with no
bearing on society today—one where Carthera live in peace with humans and each
other. The barbaric rule of might makes right is over.”
“Then
why should we follow you?” Ahh. Not everyone was as cowed as they appeared.
Benny was surprised to see the Tiger who spoke up was the slim man who’d stood
kept the massive Tiger from falling. His voice was still soft, but he met
Benny’s gaze and didn’t look back down.
“Because
I don’t want to be your Alpha.” That
announcement sent a wave of whispers through the room. “My mate needs me, but
so do you. So, for now, I’m in charge. I will see this clan moved away from this
cesspit to a new home. The other clans in his territory work together and have
thrived under his father’s, and now Velaku’s, rules. There is a house closer to
my home suitable for the Clan’s needs.” There were far less than he’d expected
to need to house, just over a dozen family groups and a few others huddled alone.
“What
about our jobs? How will we feed ourselves?”
“There
is a fund set up. Once the Clan’s properties and assets are assessed and
liquidated, as appropriate, the fund will be repaid and shares given out to
each family to help you until you get jobs and find a new place to live.”
“We
can do that?”
The
ache became a throbbing pain. They were like untutored younglings. The
strictures had ruled their entire existence, locking them into a place far in
the past. If he hadn’t had friends who helped him… Benny pinched the bridge of
his nose. He really wasn’t the Tiger for this.
“Yes.
You can. Look. I want everyone to go pack their things.” Benny pointed at the
two Tigers in the front row and the older man who’d spoken up. “Except you.”
The
three stayed on their knees after the room emptied. It had to hurt. “Oh, get a
grip, I’m not that bad. Stand up.”
They
stood, the older Tiger moving slowly and painfully.
“From
your reactions, I’m guessing you two suffered at his hands directly.” Benny
gestured for them to take a seat on the couches on the right side of the room,
usually reserved only for the betas.
They
sat together, thighs touching. Both men nodded reluctantly. “You’re mates?” He
was surprised they’d been allowed to bond.
“He
tested the shots on us first. It… broke… something inside Carlit.” Carlit, the
big Tiger, flattened his ears.
“Peten,”
he whined.
“It’s
okay.” Peten rubbed Carlit’s hand where it was clamped on his thigh. “I know
Benny, remember? He’s a good guy. He won’t hurt us.”
“I
thought I remembered you…” Benny snapped his finger. “You’re a friend of
Yuri’s!”
“I
was.” Peten bowed his head.
TBC
Okay, don't kill me. I promise next week we get back to Yuri and things get... interesting! Now go check out all the other great Briefers! You can also visit our website to get snatches of all this week's Briefs and more!
Great chapter. I wondered about others Sheshtun experimented on. I hope they can be helped. Look forward to next week but I always wonder when authors say "interesting."
ReplyDeleteEspecially when it's me, right?! LOL! Thanks for reading, hun.
DeletePoor beaten down group of tigers who suffered under Sheshtun and his betas. I really enjoyed the dynamics in this chapter and the first steps of Benny in learning to be their leader. So many decisions and variables to deal with for him. Great job.
ReplyDelete