A drug cartel kingpin facing 20 years to life in prison encounters a man who doesn’t fear him and starts a forbidden relationship with the warden’s daughter. When he discovers a plot to kill the warden, he faces a difficult decision that could cost him his life.

SYNOPSIS:

Havala Benoit drops off cocaine to a runner for her brother Abeara “Bear” Benoit. During the drop, the runner’s brother attempts to rape Havala. Bear finds out and kills the brother. The runner snitches which results in Bear’s arrest and subsequent incarceration. As soon as he arrives, Bear asserts himself over the other inmates and, using his sister to bring drugs into the prison, takes over the prisons illicit drug trade. Bear’s prison life seems set in stone until he meets Cole Alexander, the leader of a men’s prison group and Signe Allen, the warden’s daughter.

Bear and Cole start to interact when Bear tries to force a young man in Cole’s group to satisfy his sexual needs. Bear and Cole’s contentious relationship evolves into mutual trust and eventually friendship. Bear also starts a heated, physical relationship with Signe and the two fall in love. Bear’s relationship with Cole and Signe begins to change him and the other inmate’s notice. At a prison visit, Bear tells his sister and his mother that they are leaving the drug trade. His sister is happy, his mother is not. With his family out of the picture, Bear affectively stops the prison’s drug trade which puts a target on his back. Life becomes even more complicated when Bear discovers that Signe is pregnant and that several inmates have put a hit on the warden and on him as well.

Bear confides in Cole, but is reluctant to involve him because Cole has received an early release. Cole convinces Bear to let him help because Cole has relationships with officers he trusts. Bear tries to tell the warden about the plot, but the warden doesn’t believe him. However, the warden puts Cole in protective custody per Bear’s request. Cole tells one of the corrections officers about the plot and asks him to help Bear. The day the hit is to take place, Bear asks Signe to leave the prison and never return. Signe is broken hearted, but leaves. Two dirty officers try to kill Bear, but he escapes and reaches the warden just in time to thwart the attempt on the warden’s life. Bear is put in solitary, but the warden doesn’t like Bear and is considering putting him back into the general population where he will be killed. Signe returns to the prison, informs the warden that Bear is the father of her baby and demands that the warden request a pardon from his brother who is the governor. Bear is pardoned and released from prison. Bear marries Signe and they have a baby, but his good friend Cole is killed by Cole’s ex-wife. Bear also receives a visit from his uncle, the cartel ring leader, who decides to let Bear and his family live. Bear visits Cole’s men’s group in prison. He also becomes a father figure to Cole’s son. Bear is at home with Signe when he receives a visit from two DEA agents offering him a job. Bear does not respond.

THE BEES ARE GONE, BUT THE WASPS REMAIN