Bearing It All (Grizzly Affairs Book 1) (11 page)

“Wait here.”As he unlocked the door, Doyle was just about to enter when Aria charged past him before he could stop her.

As she rushed into the living room, her feet went out from under her as she slipped across the wet floor. Landing on her side, Aria lifted her eyes to find herself looking into the two brown eyes that only held death. Gasping in horror, she back peddled in the large crimson puddle that she was laying in.

The vacant dead eyes of a girl stared back at her with a gaping mouth, as though she’d died screaming. Both her hands were stretched out from her sides and been nailed to the floor. The back of her hand reached up to cover her mouth as she saw the girl’s naked chest had been slashed open. Her scalp was bloody, sliced in sickening patterns that seemed to never end. Long strands of blond hair lay swimming in the dark pools of blood surrounding Aria, The once perfect the color now was utterly diminished. Aria cried out as strong hands lifted her from the ocean of blood around her.

When she’d rushed past him, Doyle had followed to stop her, but the damage was done before he could. Despite her struggles, Doyle pulled her to his chest. Wrapping his arms around her he spoke softly to her as he guided her gently away from the carnage before them.

Unwillingly Aria lifted her eyes back to the body that lay dissected on the bloody floor. Her stomach clenched in pain as she took in the evidence of what she’d brought down on Doyle’s home. It was then that she saw the message on the multicolored stones of the fireplace. Long trails of blood flowed and dripped down onto the floor from the haunting words smeared against the uneven stones.

You are next!

“You’re sure?” the police detective asked once again. With his arms crossed over his chest, Doyle resisted the urge to maul the wolf shifter that wouldn’t cease nagging him about his statement.

“Yes, again; I am sure I locked the door before we left this morning and no; I do not know what the specific time was.”

The officer nodded his head in acknowledgment as he went back to writing in his notepad. When Henry; the officer in charge, walked away Doyle leaned against the kitchen sink with a tired sigh. The police had been here for hours and there seemed to be no end to their questioning. They seemed to try all they could to trip him up on his statement and get him to admit to something he didn't do.

Though the grizzly shifters of this area had always held the “Alpha” position it had never stopped the wolves from growling out their displeasure. He’d dealt with their underhanded ways of striking back at him before, today would be no different. But the wolves were the least of his worries. It was his mate that concerned him or rather, her absence.

Since they’d come back to discovering the mutilated corpse in his living room, he confessed to not seeing much of his mate since the moment he first opened the door. Once the police had been called, it was like Aria had closed herself up inside her head. He’d watched from across the room as they had been questioned separately. Aria had done everything she could not to show how uncomfortable the situation made her, but she couldn’t hide it from him.

He was all too aware of how she avoided questions about herself. More importantly; he hadn’t missed the way her eyes had drifted to the blood stained floor. The body and all evidence since had been removed, but still her eyes went to the same spot. As if she could still see the empty eyes of the mutilated woman staring back at her.

Then without warning she just stormed away from the questioning officer and out the door. From his position he could see her huddled from out the kitchen window. She sat on the edge of the porch steps, her arms wrapped securely around her folded knees. For the last hour she hadn’t moved from that spot and it had begun to worry him.

Moving into the living room, he nearly ran over someone in his effort to get to the door. Stopping before he could collide with the said person, his eyes narrowed in realization at who was blocking his path. Mark smirked at him before throwing a knowing look over his shoulder at the front door.

“She’s fine. I just checked on her, not that she’d say anything to me.” Mark replied. Rolling his eyes he shrugged his shoulders helplessly.

Doyle released a tired sigh, praying that soon he could be alone with his mate. “How much longer is this going to take, Mark?”

“Well; as you know I have no jurisdiction here, so there’s not a whole lot I can do. But what I do know is their going to document everything and hopefully pack it all up soon.”

He couldn’t help but notice the way Mark studied everything around himself, including Aria. The thought made him tense that another man and a shifter at that, was watching her so carefully. “Are you spying on me for the council, Mark?” He asked, glaring at the cougar shifter that only was a few inches shorter than him.

Rolling his eyes, Mark tucked his hands into the pockets of his faded blue jeans. “Is that why you are suddenly hostel with me? Yes, several high ranking individuals of your pack asked me to keep an eye out. But not on you.” He admitted with a knowing look.

“Is that what your Alpha wanted you to do down here? Spy on my choice of a mate?”

“First off; Eric isn’t my
Alpha,
he’s my friend. Secondly; he has no need to send me spying on you or your mate, Doyle. You already have many shifters in Darkwood Springs that are loyal to Eric Daniels. You think they haven’t been feeding him information on your actions as Alpha? I was sent here to advise the signing and acceptance of the peace treaty between our packs. That was all I was informed to do until someone made it known that you had taken a human as a mate.”

Doyle didn't fight the fractional shift of his face and claws that the comment concerning his mate. His bear demanded that he rip this cocky cougar’s heart out and present it as a gift to his mate for his insult. Nevertheless making war against the pack he desperately was attempting to make peace with wouldn’t be wise.

“That is my business!” He growled out, clenching his hands into tight fists.

Pushing into Doyle’s personal space the cougar’s eyes flashed with restrained anger. “It is everyone’s business. In case you have forgotten, Alpha; it is forbidden to take a human for a mate and now that your elders know about it they are concerned that a challenge may need to be issued if you refuse to abide by the act of Revealment.” Taking a slow inhale, Mark took a step back. His calculating eyes never left Doyle anger filled ones. “I understand your anger; in fact I respect it. But it doesn’t change the fact that you intend to mate with a human and a corrupted one at that.”

Oh no he didn't
.

Not bothering to restrain his bear’s rage, his heavy fist struck out before Mark could block it. Mark’s body landed and slid with a heavy thud against the door just seconds before

Bending down Doyle wrapped his hand around Mark’s throat with unmistakable intent as he lifted him off the floor. None of this went unnoticed by the remaining police officers, but they were not suicidal enough to get in the way of a ferocious grizzly.

“This seems to be a familiar thing with you.” Mark wheezed out as Doyle’s unbreakable hold around his throat tightened.

“That is twice now that you have insulted my mate. Do it a third time and I will turn your pretty kitty coat into a rug for my floor.” He growled out, showing his sharp teeth at the gasping cougar.

“You are mistaken; when I say corrupt I don’t mean it as you are taking it.”

“Explain.” His voice rumbled out. His eyes glowed with the presence of his bear’s temper.

“I shouldn’t have to! Can’t you smell it on her? She is human, but her smell is deluded with something else. Her scent smells overly sweet and you know that is never a good thing. The sweeter a human smells the more dangerous they turn out to be.” Mark managed to rasp out as his face rapidly turned purple with lack of air.

Abruptly; Doyle released Mark with a skeptical look. When a human or even a shifter’s scent became sweetened, it meant that something was deeply wrong with them. It was a clear warning to all shifters to stay clear of that person. Many shifters that went rouge possessed a sweet smell as well as human killers and psychopaths. This made it easy for shifter law officers to hunt them down.

But how could this fit with Aria? His mate was more skittish than a turkey in November, she was no killer. Could she? Had he been so focused on the ardent mating scent and ignored the warning? The memory of her eyes blazing like twin cerulean flames when she’d commanded him to get away from her resurfaced.

Could he be right? Could something be wrong with our mate and we didn't even know?
His troubled thoughts turned to the only person he trusted to ask—his bear.

His bear replied with an uninspired confidence.
You’re an idiot. Nothing is wrong with MY mate.

Then why the sweet smell that Mark is talking about? Why does she hide so much about herself?

Why does she have so many nose bleeds and headaches? Who is she running from? You should ask those types of questions and not question our mate. She is our gift and our world, nothing else matters. If you screw this up I will personally make you regret it!
His bear growled out in threat.

His bear was right. He shouldn’t question the odd things about his mate, but question the things that were obviously causing harm to her. But one thing was for certain, Aria wasn’t a simple human. She possessed a unique gift that made her different…special. Even if she didn't realize it yet.

Turning his thoughts away from that of his bear’s, Doyle glared back at Mark. “Get these officers out of my home and then kick yourself out while you’re at it. I don’t care what you think or the elders. She is my mate and if I have to fight every last shifter of my pack to prove it I will.”

Shoving the dubious cougar aside, he jerked the door open and stepped out into the late afternoon air. Coming to stand by the railing, he stared down at Aria’s quite form. Her eyes looked empty, withholding any and all feeling from it.  Although she had changed out of her blood stained clothes, still he couldn't forget where it had been on her. From the haunting look in her bright eyes, he could tell neither could she. The wooden planks creaked and groaned under his weight as he lowered himself down to sit beside her until their shoulders were nearly touching.

“They’re almost done inside and then it will just be us again.” He stated softly, watching her face for any reaction. There was none. She stayed as unresponsive as the snow she was staring at. “I can't wait to see you in those sexy bra and panties we bought today. In fact I think you should just wear those around the house.” He teased in effort to get some type of response from her.

Still there was no response. Slowly, as if approaching a wild animal, his hand settled on her shoulder. The second his hand settled on her shoulder, she erupted into fighting like a cornered tiger. Her closed hands shot towards his face and would have stuck him, had he not had shifter reflexes. Taking command of her wrists, he jerked her against him. Unbalanced as he drew her closer, her upper body fell against his hard chest. His gentle eyes plead for her to see him. “Aria, it’s me. Calm down.” closing her eyes, Aria shook her head as she seemed to come out of a trance.

“What happened?” Her voice asked hoarsely. His hands settled on her shoulders, rubbing in soothing circles against the tight muscles. Her shaking hands reached up to shove at the hair that had fallen in her face.

“That’s what I would like to know? Didn't you hear me talking to you?”

Shaking her head in denial she shrugged off his hands and moved away from him before turning back to look out over the snow covered foliage. The stray locks that escaped her golden braid slowly lifted on the passing breeze, pulling the silky strands across her scowling expression. As quickly as the soft breeze had left, her expression begun to melted into one of misery and called to every protective instinct that he and his bear possessed.

“It's because of me that she is dead…” Her voice drifted between them softly.

Slowly shaking his head, Doyle reached out and took possession of one of her tightly clenched hands. While unhappy that her hands felt half frozen, he gave her a warm smile. “No. I will not allow you to blame yourself for this. I mean it.” He said firmly. Her lips parted to deny his words, but she quickly snapped them shut before slowly nodding her head, as she seemed to accept his vindication.

“Let's go inside.”

Shaking her head, Aria wrapped her arms around herself. “I like it out here.” She lied while her body trembled.

“Is it the police? Do they make you nervous?” She didn't respond. “It's because you’re running from someone, isn’t it?” When she averted her face, he went on, “If you don’t want to tell me, we can talk to them inside and tell them who killed that girl in there.”

Jumping to her feet, Aria backed away from him like he’d informed her that he wanted to harvest her organs. Stepping off the porch her feet hit the snow as she paced back and forth. Her eyes filled with fear as her hands clenched into tight fists. Long blonde strands floated on the wind around her as she shook her head back and forth rapidly. He could see her eyes glowing brightly for a moment before dimming in the light of the afternoon.

“No.” Looking the cabin, she watched with dread as officers walked past the windows. “I can't go to them with this.” A sharp pain stabbed through her skull and throbbed behind her eyes, causing her hand to reach up to cup the side of her aching skull.

Not again…

“Aria…”

Shaking her head, she let her arms fall to her sides. Meeting his gaze he could see the evident pain in her tired eyes “No! you listen, the people that murdered that innocent woman that is smeared all over your living room are so far above this small town’s police force that you can't even see them. I’m not saying anything and neither are you.”

Rising to his feet, he took a tentative step towards her. “So what then? Are you going to run for the rest of your life? What happen in there today isn't going to stop.” He pointed sharply over his shoulder.

Lifting her chin, she narrowed her rebellious eyes at him. “If you go and tell anyone about this you may as well stake me out in the middle of town with a sign attached saying
“Here she is!”
I don’t care how much you think the police can help. I will leave if you tell them and say to hell with all this mating crap!” she vented out, half hysteric.

His legs ate up the distance between them in a matter of seconds. He didn't stop until his nose was nearly touching hers. Reaching out, his fingers circled her chin, forcing her to look up at his determined expression. “Don’t ever threaten to leave me. I will hunt you down like I have twice now and the next time I will mark you where you stand. And by mark, I mean I will claim every delicious part of your body until there is no doubt in your stubborn mind that you are mine.” Rolling her eyes, she jerked her chin from his grip. He slowly took in a calming breath; taking a step back he gave her some space as she glared daggers at him.