Bearing It All (Grizzly Affairs Book 1) (16 page)

Rubbing his scruffy cheek against the silky texture of her hair, Doyle released a deep sigh. For a few moments he thanked God that Aria didn't fight his embrace. Slowly breathing in her warm scent, he struggled against the impulse to crush her small form into his protective one. Instead his arms loosely held her. He gave her the freedom to leave if she wished, but also the reminding comfort that he was there.

Deep down he feared he'd lost her. He didn't know what he was doing. He was the first to admit it. He'd never had to woo a woman before and Aria was not just any woman, she was his mate. His worst fear was that he wasn't prepared for the trials that lay ahead that accompanied having a human mate. Shifter females knew to respect their male's authority. Obviously his mate didn't appreciate being told what to do.

You think?
His bear scoffed back sarcastically.

Shut up and let me handle this.

Yeah...cause you're doing a great job so far...

Shut up and go lay down.

“Shut up and go lay down.” Would you like me to roll over next?
His bear growled in irritation at being pushed aside.

Pulling away slightly from Aria, he gently turned her around to face him, all the time his arms never losing their gentle hold. All of the things he wanted to say to make up for whatever he'd done to upset her fled from his mind as her bright eyes locked on his. Laying her hands against his bare chest, Aria gently pushed him back.

The way her soft blue eyes looked up at him had him freezing on the spot. “Do you see me as unintelligent or someone that cannot protect herself?”

Shaking his head, he replied. “No, of course not,”

“Then do not think for one second that I will not be a part of this. I will accept your protection as my...mate.” She struggled to say the unfamiliar word. “But only if you accept that I am not going to stay on the side lines.” She stated firmly, never breaking eye contact with him.

“I understand.” He whispered with a nod. He understood. That didn't mean he would accept it. For now it was good enough.

Before either of them could move the front door slammed open, with Robert standing in the doorway. His chest rose and fell with his panting breaths. Doyle felt his upper lip curl with a forthcoming growl. He really needed to change his locks or bar the door against interrupters.

“I am not interrupting am I?” Robert asked, glancing between Aria and his brother as they stepped back from each other.

“This better be good or else I plan on throwing you off my mountain.” Doyle snarled out. He took a couple threatening steps toward his brother who took a few in reverse.

“Some cougar named Mark brought me. He said he had more information for you about this morning. He said you guys would need an extra tracker.”

Turning back to look at Aria over his shoulder, Doyle glanced at her guarded expression as she waved him off before mumbling, “Go. I'll wait here and find something to eat. You can fill me in later.” Once she moved toward the kitchen, he turned back and followed his brother out. The door softly closed behind him.

Walking behind Robert toward the ridge where he saw Mark waiting, Doyle couldn't fight off the feeling that something wasn't right. When Aria had told him about the men that were after her, she appeared to be hiding something, but her scent never changed. Normally; whenever anyone told a lie or truth, shifters could smell it, but with his mate? She seemed to be shielded from his ability to discern a lie from the truth. He could only pray that when he returned she would tell him more about her pursuers.

Coming up the incline, he nodded in acknowledgment to Mark as he moved around his brother to greet him.

“Tell me you have some good news.”

“I have some news. But you will not like it.” Stuffing his hands in the pockets of his dark jeans, Mark paced away from the two glaring grizzlies. “I couldn't find anything on the cigarette buds we found earlier. However; I called a contact I have and he told me there may be another reason we can only smell this evasive sweetness.”

“He knew what it was?” Robert asked in curiosity.

“Maybe. A few of Eric's enforcers have come across a few individuals lately with the same scent. They were caught trying to kidnap some werewolf children a few years back. They later discovered that the reason for the sweet smell was because these individuals had been altered.”

“I don't follow. Altered how? Were they shifters?” Doyle asked, shooting Mark a look of confusion.

“That's what I assumed as well. However my contact assures me that these men were human or at least were at one point.”

“How is that even possible?” Robert asked, stepping between both of them. “There is no way for anyone to be half and half. The only way to change a human to a shifter is if they are a mate and even then there is no guarantee they survive the transformation. Plus, if they are successfully changed no one's scent has ever turned sweet before. What else could this mean?”

“It means someone is experimenting on shifters and humans. Mutating the DNA and creating something else.” Mark nodded solemnly at Doyle's soft words.

“Is that even possible?” Robert asked bewildered.

“I have heard rumors of it happening, but there has never been any proof.” Mark stated. “As soon as I heard this I picked up Robert and head back here. I thought that now we know what we are looking for, we can track these bastards down. They may still be here on your land, Alpha.”

Nodding, a soft, rumbling growl slipped between Doyle's lips as he thought of these abominations after his precious mate. “Let's find them, take care of this situation and no mistakes.” Both Mark and Robert mutely nodded in agreement.

One by one, each of them stripped out of their clothes and began to shift. When each of them was in their animal forms, Doyle stepped ahead of the trio. Sniffing the air and the ground, he picked up the scent only this time it was mixed with anger. And it was fresh! They were here! Racing forward, Doyle could hear the heavy running steps of his brother behind him and the light, quick leaps of Mark beside him. Whoever this person was, their threat to his mate ended today!

* ~ * ~ *

Slamming the fridge door closed, Aria groaned in irritation as she couldn't decide what to eat. The heavy weight of restlessness fell over her as she walked to the kitchen window. She felt as if she couldn't find a way to settle down her over active mind. The sooner Doyle returned with some news the better. When he returned he would more than likely want to know more about herself and more about her captors. She couldn’t tell him the whole truth and she had no intention of doing so.

Groaning, she raised a hand to her forehead and rubbed at the blossoming ache that had grown more painful since earlier. If her headaches got much worse, she didn't know how she would be able to function. The pain was becoming too intense to push aside anymore and seemed to begin to sap her strength.

The stillness around her suddenly shifted as a soft creak echoed from the wooden floor boards behind her. A chill ran up the back of her neck at the softly, eerie noise. She dismissed it as just the creaking of an old house. As the sound repeated, she assumed it to be Doyle sneaking back inside without her noticing. Did he think to sneak up behind her and scare her? She loved his playful side, but two could play at that game.

“If you think you are going to sneak up and scare me you are mistaken...” Her words trailed off as she turned around not to see Doyle, but someone else.

Slowly emerging from the shadows of the bedroom a tall man stood before her. He wasn't as tall as Doyle, maybe a few inches shorter. He carried himself like a soldier with confidence and strength. He had a strong face that possessed lines of weariness. His black hair was cut in a military style and his even blacker eyes held hers. She could only assume that this was the man that had been hunting her. Whether he was here to kill her or take her back, she wouldn't go easy.

“I don't need to sneak, I have been here for an hour or so waiting for your bear sex-toy to leave you alone.” As he took as step into the room, Aria backed up. Her eyes wide as fear pounded in her chest.

“He will be back soon and there are more like him here. You should forget you ever saw me and leave.”

Chuckling and then grunting weakly as if that simple action hurt him, his eyes still danced with amusement. “They will be tied up for a while, following my false trail that I laid out for them. Giving me just enough time to grab what I came for.” Slowly he took a menacing step closer to her. She kept edging back until her back hit the wall beside the kitchen window. She was trapped, but she refused to cower.

“I won't go back. You will have to kill me.”

He groaned mockingly. “Don't be so dramatic. You're my meal ticket and you are worth a lot more to me alive. Now be a good girl and come with me.”

Stepping forward he grabbed her arm. As his fingers bit painfully around her arm she reached behind her and grabbed a framed photo off the wall. Swinging her free arm out, she smashed the thin glass frame into the side of his face.

Crying out in pain, he stumbled into the wall cupping his bleeding face giving her the opportunity to break free of his hold. Shoving away from the wall, she ran. Seeing there was no escape she looked all she could for a weapon to use. Her eyes fell on the twin barrel shot gun that hung above the fireplace. Running towards it, she heard her attacker's dark curses as he raced after her. Her heart was thundering in her ears as adrenaline flooded her veins.

Leaping, she was able to grab the gun by the barrel and jerk it off its mount. Turning with not enough time to spin it around she swung it upward like a baseball bat as he came at her. The butt of the shotgun struck him across the face with enough force to break his nose but it only seemed to knock the wind out of him for a moment. Spinning the gun around in her grasp she aimed and cocked the gun before he could rise to his feet.

Panting and shaking with the adrenaline that coursed through her brain, she watched as he stood to his feet. His face echoed in pain as he moved, blood flowed down the side of his face from a cut across his left brow but his visage remained hard. His arms hung loosely at his sides as he didn't bother to raise his hands in defense. Instead he only glared back at her.

“I hope you intend to kill me with that. Otherwise put it down. You are worth too much to me for me to harm you, but I have no problem returning the licks you've just given me.”

Without a warning, he lunged for her. Her finger squeezed the trigger only to hear the empty barrel tick in response. His hands grabbed the gun and jerked it from her grasp. Jerking it out of her tightly clenched hands, he struck her across the face with the butt. The impact caused her to cry out as she was knocked to the floor.

“Game over.” He grunted as he stood over her.

Lying on her side, she glared up at him while ignoring the throbbing pain of her temple where he'd struck her. She refused to cower before him like a weakling. He claimed he wanted her alive and kicking as he took her back to Malca. She would die before that happened.

Reaching down he gripped the collar of her sweater, jerking her back off the floor. “I think we've wasted enough time. It’s time to go, bitch.” No sooner than the words had left his mouth an unearthly growl echoed from behind the front door before it exploded in a rain of wooden shards and dust.

Stopping, Doyle lifted his head from the scent trail the three of them had been following for the past ten minutes. The trail was leading them away from town. It was too easy.

“What's wrong?”
Mark asked, sending his thoughts to his mind as all shifter did in their animal forms.

“It’s too easy…”
He rumbled out.

Robert looped over to the duo with an almost bored attitude. “
Things are best when they are easy to trail, brother.”

“
Not like this. Why is the trail leading away from my cabin and town if they were stalking Aria?”

The other bear and cougar just looked at him with a still expression, neither knowing what to say. Then it felt like a bomb striking the earth around him as Aria’s words from earlier haunted him once more.

We separate….All they will have to do is find out where I am, come after me….

As if lightning had struck him, Doyle spun around and ran back toward his mate with a fearful urgency. Running up beside him with wide feline leaps Mark easily kept pace with him.

“What is it?”

“It was a trap all along!”
His grunted out between heavy breaths.

“What do you mean?”
Robert inquired as he too came up beside his racing brother.

“They've been watching the house and they've been waiting for me to leave her unprotected. They wanted us to trail them so they could take her!”

Coming over the incline, Doyle didn't bother with the safe way down. Leaping over the snowy ledge and down to the solid ground, he clenched his jaws together when he hit the cold earth. Ignoring the pain, he didn’t stop. Rushing up the porch he was overwhelmed by so many scents. Aria's sweet scent, her fear, and then a familiar overly sweet scent mixed with anger. He was already here! Suddenly hearing her cry out as the smell of her pain hit him in the face, his vision turned red.

Time to die!

Not bothering to shift back he ran straight for the door, the impact of a full grown grizzly bear hitting a simple wooden door caused it to explode into bits. Rushing inside, Doyle took in the sight of a tall man jerking his mate partially off the floor by the neck of her sweater. A large, dark bruise already was forming on the side of her temple. Growling at the intruder, Doyle lunged forward. Knocking the man to the ground his massive jaws circled his throat, ready to ripped it out with an immeasurable abundance of glee.

His eyes shifted to Aria's startled ones. Her chest fell and rose rapidly—not so much out of fear, but out of surprise at the ferocity of his bear. She never moved to speak as he wrestled with his fighting prey. It was clear that she had no intention on stopping the forthcoming mauling that was about to occur.

“
Alpha, stop!”
Still holding the man's life in the cradle of his lethal jaws, Doyle snarled as Mark called out to him as they both ran into the house behind him.

“Why should I?”
He growled out in rage. No one touched his mate and lived!

“There were two of them, remember? We need information. You can't kill him yet.”
The cougar reasoned. His logical words caused both Doyle and his bear to pout inside. It was in that moment when he and his bear were tempted to ignore Mark's words, then Aria spoke.

“Doyle,” her soft voice broke through fury induced fog that overcast his mind. “Let him go. We need him alive.” Slowly rising to her feet, she braced her weight against the stone fireplace. Groaning, she cupped her left temple with a grimace.

Slowly and reluctantly, Doyle loosened his jaws from their not-so loving hold around the man's throat. The man beneath him held himself rigid as his eyes watched every move Doyle made. Not backing off, Doyle's dark brown hide melted away to sweat slick skin as he changed back to his human form. Doyle's eyes glared down at the man whom was looking at everyone in the room with calculating intent.

Gripping the man's throat with his strong hand, Doyle's grip tightened punishingly. “I don't care who you are, but remember this; for every hair you touched on my mate I will rip it from you.”

Though the man's face was rapidly turning red from the force of Doyle's hold, he chuckled deep in his throat without any hint of fear. “You have no idea what you're dealing with. This is way bigger than you, Yogi.”

Snarling at him, Doyle pulled his fist back and struck the cocky face before him. The force of his clenched fist knocked the man out cold. On shaky legs, Aria stepped over to the unconscious man. With a look of pure rage, she pulled back her boot covered foot and kicked the helpless man across his face. In the same spot where he'd stuck her.

“Game over, bitch,” She mumbled.

Raising her eyes to look around her, her eyes fell on Robert and Mark as their fur pelts melted away to reveal their sweat slick skin—just their skin. Doyle watched with amusement as her face suddenly flooded with blood. “Oh my God!” Jerking her hands up to cover her face she turned her back to everyone in the room. “Get some clothes on guys!”

* ~ * ~ *

Blue eyes full of familiar irritation flashed back at Aria as she bent closer toward the bathroom mirror. Her fingers hesitantly probed the tender bruise on her temple. It wasn't her appearance that concerned her. It was just another ache to add to her already pounding head.

Lowering her hand under the running water, using the slick digits she scrubbed the remainder of dried blood off her hand that she'd sliced during the struggle. Wincing at the pain of the action caused she glared at her reflection. From the bathroom she could hear the men moving around. After knocking out the man that had attacked her, she had left the currently naked men to tie up their prisoner.

Shutting off the running water, a blur movement in the doorway caused her to jump in surprise. Doyle leaned against the door frame wearing his jeans he'd worn earlier as his thick arms crossed over his bare chest. He must have sent someone to gather their clothes. Wiping her hands on her jeans she rolled her eyes at his sudden appearance.

“You scared me.”

“I wanted to check on you.” Pushing away from the door frame he moved closer, cupping her chin gently in his hand. His hard eyes closely examined her injuries. Not used to being fussed over, Aria jerked her face out of his hold.

“I'm fine.” She bit out as she tried to move around him. Stepping to the side, he blocked her path. His lips thinned as he held her surprised gaze. Moving closer to her, he backed her up against the side of the sink.

“I will be the judge of that. Now hold still.” He growled out.

Cupping her chin once more with one hand, his other rose to gently touch the bruised area. Doyle wasn't angry with Aria. He was angry with himself. Upon realizing that he'd played right into her attacker's hands had made him so angry that he could have ripped the poor excuse for a man to pieces. But what made it all worse was that Doyle knew him.

Aria's attacker was the same man that showed up on his doorstep but a day ago looking for her. He'd known Aria was there, just as she had said, all he needed to do was wait. And like Aria the man had the same sweet scent about him. It was time to get answers and he knew it would change the peaceful truce between his new mate and himself.

“Let's get some ice on that.”

Lowering his hand to circle her delicate wrist he pulled her along behind him with little effort while moving out into the living room. Though she kept muttering that she was fine, he still didn't stop until they both stood by the kitchen sink. Reaching into the freezer he grabbed a gel ice pack that he kept on hand for emergencies.

Taking the ice pack that Doyle handed her, Aria pressed the pleasant coldness against her pounding temple. Almost against her will, her eyes strayed across the living room. Both Robert and Mark had strung up the man in a way that was impossible to get loose. Mark had used his reinforced steel cuffs to bind his hands behind his back. From there Robert had tied thick ropes around his cuffed hands, looped and tied the remaining rope over a strong ceiling beam overhead.

She watched the bound man on his knees as he lifted his livid eyes to hers. She held herself motionless as his gaze locked on hers. His face flushed with rage while he continually jerked and fight against his bonds. The ropes were pulled so tight that it was impossible for him to stand on his legs without dislocating both of his shoulders.

“Stop struggling.” Robert ordered from his spot by—what use to be the front door. Crossing his arms over his wide chest he shook his head in disgust at the man. “You won't be released until we say so.”

The man said nothing but smirked in Robert's direction. Aria had no doubt that this man was desperate to deliver her back to Malca by any means necessary. Physical harm to himself wouldn't mean anything to him. But looking around he knew he was outnumbered and it was the look in his eyes that drew her attention. It was the same look she'd seen in her own and the other captives in Malca's facility. His eyes held nothing but calculating desperation and determination.

A soft knock echoed off the crudely patched together door at Robert's back, a second later Mark pushed his way inside with his cell phone in hand. Walking into the kitchen he laid the man's wallet down with a disgruntled sigh.

“Nothing, I ran his social security number, his driver’s licenses; hell I even ran his credit card! Officially this guy doesn't exist.” Straightening away from the wall, Robert let his arms fall to his sides with a hopeless look.

“Great. So we're no closer to know who the hell this guy is than we were an hour ago.” Mark's face mirrored Robert's frustrated one. Looking at Doyle, Robert went on. “Bro, we've tried to get this guy to talk. But he'd rather act like a mime than utter a sentence.”

A dark scowl painted Doyle's usual calm face as his jaw tightly clenched. Not uttering a word, he caused Aria to jump as he slammed his fist into the sink counter. The sound of wood smashing echoed though the suddenly quiet room. Lifting his hand, small flakes of splintered wood fell as he left behind a spider web shatter.

He growled deep in his throat as his flared eyes glowing with a dangerous yellow hue. “Perhaps it's time to stop talking and start asking to right way.”

With fists clenched, Doyle strode across the room to the kneeling captive. Pulling his clenched fist back, he slammed it across the bound man's face. Aria looked away as the sound of flesh hitting flesh repeated and intensified. She couldn't ignore a mounting feeling of anticipation that had her muscles gathering and bunching as though she'd spring out of her skin at any moment. Shaking the strange exhilarating rush off she turned back to see the man spitting blood on the floor near Doyle's boot.

“Who are you? Why did you attack my mate?” Doyle's voice echoed with evident blood lust, a darkness that Aria never knew he possessed. It was a dark instinct to protect what was his at any cost and she found that she liked it.

There was no doubt that he would savagely beat and rip the man to shreds to get the answers he wanted. With a swollen and bloodied face, the man lifted his face to glare up at Doyle with resistance. Crouching down to his level, Doyle sneered at the man's look of confidence.

“I have no issue with breaking every bone you possess to get something out of you. Now talk.”

“Go to hell.” The man gasped out with a ghostly grin. Rising back to his feet, Doyle held out his right hand as his fingertips lengthened into deadly claws.

Watching the lengths that he was willing to go for answers frightened her. She could understand roughing someone up for answers, heck; she could even understand beating the information out of them. But not this, she refused to stand by why Doyle butchered this man, even if he'd planned on dragging her back to Malca. She refused to allow Doyle to become just like the very person she escaped from. Rushing to his side with a speed Aria never even knew she possessed. Gripping his raised claw wielding arm, she met Doyle's look of surprise unflinching.

“Stop, he has too much love for Malca. He won't tell you anything, no matter what you do. Don't fall to their level.”

Doyle slowly lowered his clawed arm with a puzzled expression. Malca? Who the hell was Malca? Had she not told him the whole truth? This was becoming bigger than he thought and the worst of it was that his mate didn't trust him to tell him all of it. Before he could vent not only his confusion but his anger as well, the man before him lunged for Aria. Only to be held back by his bonds.

“Shut up! I have no love for her! If I ever have a chance I will rip her cold heart out with my hands.”

Turning from Aria's wide eyes, Doyle looked back down at him. “Who is Malca and what does she have to do with anything?”

Glancing back and forth between the pair before him, the man let out a dark chuckle. “This is perfect.” Turning his eyes on Aria, she couldn't prevent the step back she took as his dark eyes flashed with amusement. “You didn't even tell him the truth did you?”

Pressing her lips together, she refused to answer his question. She didn't tell Doyle everything, but she did what she did to protect him and herself. If that meant that she had to glance at the look of betrayal in her mate's eyes, so be it.

“She told me you kept her prisoner. Is that true?” Again the man laughed like he was listening to a pair of comedians.