Bearing It All (Grizzly Affairs Book 1) (9 page)

He watched as her eyes slowly widened at every word he spoke. At this point he didn't care what supernatural being she was, she was his and he needed to tell her. Shaking her head, Aria pulled her hand away from his tender grip. All at once she missed his secure touch on her hand now that she’d lost it. Dropping her hands to her lap she stared unflinching back at him.

“But I can't be your mate.” She urged under her breath, being sure the other customers didn't overhear them. This would be an odd conversation to explain, if they were heard. “I’m just a boring human. How could I be your soul mate or whatever?”

“First off, you are anything but a boring human. Secondly, I know for certain you are my mate. You have to understand what a big deal this is for me; most shifters don’t even find their true mates at all. Most just chose to fall in love and marry another shifter.”

“What about human and shifter relationships? Is that common as well? Even if I was on board with all this weird stuff you're telling me, how would it even work out?” Once her question left her mouth, she knew the answer by the fallen look on his face.

Shaking his head slowly, Doyle whispered, “No. Many shifter groups are against the idea of a human and shifter mating.”

“Why? Is it because you think us beneath you?”

“Some do and others have learned from past experiences that loving a human is very dangerous. In the dark ages, my kind was hunted as witches for our gifts. That was when our elders decreed that it was not to be attempted again unless we were willing to summit to the act of Revealment.”

“The act of Revealment?” The words left a bad taste in her mouth as well as in her mind. The way it was phrased didn't settle well and made her dread her next question. “What is that?”

“Revealment proposed when the pack or whatever cast of shifters one belongs to, thought their secret was in danger of coming out. It states that the shifter involved has the responsibility to reveal what he or she is to their mate. The human mate must then either accept a mating bite, which will turn a human if they are a true mate into a shifter or the human is sentenced to death. This is done all in their neat little effort to protect the secret of my kind.”

“Why are you suddenly telling me this here? Are you expecting me to run away screaming? The people who are after me are scarier than what you just said.” She lied. All this time she was worried that Doyle being around her was dangerous for him. Now it seemed like it was her that could be in danger.

“I am telling you this because with more shifters knowing about you, the more likely we are able to keep the act of Revealment from occurring. I am the leader of all the shifter in this territory or
Alpha
as other shifters say. At the next pack meeting I plan on introducing you as my mate.”

Shaking her head, Aria mumbled, “No. That would draw too much attention to us.”

“That is the point. With the protection of my pack, when whoever is hunting you shows themselves, you will be well protected. The Alpha female of any pack is always well protected.”

“I can protect myself. I don’t need some grizzly army to do it for me.” She sniped; she was quickly falling down his rabbit hole and the deeper she fell the more lost she felt.

Would he really offer his protection and offer to be with her if he discovered she was a no one? No past with zero hope of a future and forever looking over his shoulder? No. She couldn’t do that to him. Slowly she felt herself caring for this unbearable man. But she needed to keep her heart out of it, because it may not be beating for much longer.

Ignoring Doyle’s stubborn look, she turned back to her food, swallowing the food without really tasting any of it. Slowly she felt the hairs on the back of her neck stand on ends. Lifting her eyes to sweep over the room, she couldn’t shake the feeling that she was being watched. No one in the room stood out or screamed “DANGER” to her. But she couldn’t shake the feeling off.

“What is it?” Doyle’s voice growled out, his eyes glowed brightly as his bear sensed his mate’s discomfort. His sharp eyes looked over the room. His muscles bunched and his claws grew from his fingernails, preparing to jump up and defend his mate if needed.

Still looking over the room, Aria shook her head in confusion before turning back to her food. “It was nothing.”

Lifting a hand to absently rub at the back of her neck, her eyes slowly slid back around the room once more. She knew someone was watching her but they were hidden from her gaze. It reminded her that she would need to stay on her guard until they were back at Doyle’s cabin. Malca’s soldiers would make a move soon and when they did she would need to be geared up to fight or flight, against Doyle if needed.

* ~ * ~ *

From the shadows across the room, Raoul watched quietly as the bear and his lovely companion returned their attention to their food. He’d been trailing them from the second they’d drove into town this morning. He couldn’t deny the overflow of pride that filled his chest at the fact that the bear hadn’t the slightest clue that he was being followed. It was almost too easy.

His job was to watch them and only to watch them. Tightening his hand around the neck of his beer bottle, he struggled to not shatter the glass beneath his hands. What were they waiting for? Reaching into his jacket pocket, pulling out his burner phone he checked his messages for what seemed to be the hundredth time. Seeing there were no messages from his twin requesting to meet him somewhere, he snapped the small phone shut before tucking it back in his pocket. Where the hell was Thomas?

He knew his brother had a thing about playing cat and mouse with these types of assignments, but Raoul didn't. Late last night, Thomas had dragged him into this very bar for a drink, only to leave him when a pretty blonde caught his attention. Returning to his hotel room, Raoul couldn’t shake off his excessive energy. He was so close to the finish line and yet his brother wanted to drag his feet. However, for now orders were orders.

His eyes suddenly jerked to the door as he watched Thomas strolled into the establishment with a cocky grin on his face. His belt hung from his belt loops undone. A thin scratch along his cheek stood out as he took a seat next to Raoul with a satisfied smile. Motioning at the bartender for a beer as well, Thomas smirked at Raoul’s bored expression.

“How’s our girl?” Thomas asked, using their telepathic link to avoid attention. He showed no interest in their target what so ever. He took a seat, placing his back to their targets.

“Still here,” Raoul answered sarcastically, placing his empty bottle back on the table with a soft clink against the wood.

“I’ve told Malca we have the package, we wait for her word to extract package quietly.”

“And if that doesn’t work?” Raoul waited until the giant bartender left Thomas’s drink and took away his empty one.

Turning in his seat, Thomas licked his lips as he’s devious eyes looked over at their target and her overbearing companion. “Then we do it the fun way and the messy way. On the other hand, she wants us to avoid drawing attention to ourselves.”

“Well; you ruined that I think.” Raoul remarked, his sharp eyes catching the smear of blood along Thomas’s hand as he reached for his beer. Catching his brother’s attention, Thomas set his bottle down and looked at his hand. Turning in his chair, Thomas’s amused filled gaze settled on the golden haired beauty across the room. Not taking his eyes off the pleasing slight of their target, he brought his stained hand to his lips and licked the smear of blood off his hand.

“Sweet and tasty. You missed out.”

Raoul didn't even bother shielding his revulsion as his lip curled. He had no doubt that the once pretty girl from last night was now laying in a ditch dead after a night with his twin. Once he had his freedom, he intended to end this worthless excuse of life that sat beside him. He wouldn’t let this go on anymore. And if Malca wouldn’t put a stop to it he would have to.

Opening the door, Aria was happy that a strong cold wind didn't immediately try to blow her away once outside. The air was still and quiet as she stood on the sidewalk waiting for Doyle to meet her outside. The high sun felt warm in the mist of the sight of endless snow, bringing a smile to her face for the first time. Her eyes turned to gaze down at her new boots that protected her feet.

She wasn’t happy about Doyle spending so much money to help get her some things of her own, but she was thankful to be in a pair of shoes that actually fit her. Glancing around her, she felt her heart warm as the town was just beginning to buzz with activity. Voices of people walking to work or children throwing snow at each other and the sloshing sound of cars driving by, somehow she couldn’t deny the peace the havoc of noise brought her.

Glancing down the street, her eyes caught sight of a tall man, leaning his back against a dark red SUV. His short, caramel hair was highlighted by the sunlight. With dark sunglasses covering his eyes as he watched her, Aria suddenly felt uneasy. The intensity of his stare seemed to burn against her skin. Everything about this man screamed for her to run, but she couldn’t find the will.

Pulling a phone out of the breast pocket of the black vest he wore over a similar sweater, without taking his eyes off of her at all. She watched his lips move voiceless. With a small nod, he hung up and returned his phone to his pocket. Straightening from his reclined position, at first he just stood there. Barely five feet from her, his shielded eyes just studied her. Unable to look away, she watched as the strange man took a single step in her direction. Before she knew it he was headed in her direction and moving closer to her. He moved with slow agility, confident and unrushed.

Her instincts screamed at her to run, but she stood her ground. As the door opened again from behind her, she jerked around to Doyle’s smiling face. She was just about to point out the strange man to him, hoping he may be just a strange person or possibly a friend of his. She was flabbergasted as she jerked her head back around and the strange man had disappeared from his spot near the red truck along the curb.

“What are you looking at?”

“I thought I saw someone…” Her words trailed off as she glanced up and down the street, looking for the mystery man that still caused chills to run up her spine.

“Who?” His hard voice asked. Mirroring her concern as his arm wrapped around her shoulder, pulling her voluptuous figure against his hard one. His sharp, determined eyes shot up and down the sidewalks.

“He was just there.” She pointed at the red SUV, desperate for him to believe her.

Nodding his head slowly, Doyle urged her into a slow walk in the opposite direction of his truck. Realizing they were heading further away from Doyle’s truck, she jerked her head around to look behind her. “Aren’t we heading in the wrong direction? I thought we’d be heading back by now.”

Rubbing his impossibly warm hand up and down her opposite arm, he silently reassured her. “We will. I need to stop down at Ed’s Hardware Store first.” He replied, nodding his head in the direction of the large corner shop at the end of the block.

They shuffled down the freshly salted sidewalk but the image of that man coming towards her kept replaying over and over in her mind. Why hadn’t she run? What had she been waiting for? Though he’d seemed peculiar, he didn't seem like Malca’s type. Malca’s soldiers were just that, soldiers; men of action and violence. That man seemed to be more of a predator than a killer, in many ways like Doyle.

Ding.

The high pitched sound of a bell above her instantly pulled her out of her thoughts as she saw that Doyle had already ushered her through the doorway of the hardware store. The store was set up with a service counter on the left side and a multitude labyrinth of shelves on the right. Down the first aisle was a thin man of medium height half way up a tall yellow ladder. Seeing her and Doyle waiting by the door, the clerk set the merchandise he’d been stocking aside before climbing down the ladder.

Walking towards them, the older man smiled up at Doyle. “What can I help you find, Doyle?”

Nodding kindly at the clerk, Doyle pulled Aria forward. “I need your help, Ed. What would you suggest to get these off?” He asked, holding one of Aria’s unwilling hands out, pulling the sleeve of her sweater up to display the metal cuff circling her wrist.

Pulling a pair of glasses from this pants pocket, Ed leaned forward to study the strange cuff on her wrist. “Can’t get it off, is that right?” He asked looking between them with curiosity. His critical eyes lingered on the dark metal; for certain he must have never seen anything like them before.

“That’s right. Do you have anything that can cut through them?” As he let go of her hand, Aria stood in her spot as the two men wandered down an aisle while talking amongst themselves. Crossing her arm over her chest she turned to look out the glass door of the shop. Her heart nearly stopped beating as she glanced across the street to see the same man from moments earlier.

He was talking with an older woman that was pointing in her direction while at the same time, nodding her head in agreement to something. Fearing she was the object of their conversation, she slowly edged away from the door. As she moved away, down the street she watched as a long, grayish-blue bus pulled along the curb, blocking her from the view of the unnamed man.

This was her chance. The chance she’d been waiting for since she escaped. Her mind worked furiously as a plan formed in her mind. Looking in the direction that Doyle had gone with regret, she battled at the inner voice that urged her to stay and wait for him. Shaking her head, deep down she knew she couldn’t do that.

Glancing back at the bus, she watched as a small line of patrons began to form beside the bus. She had a limited window, she couldn’t miss this chance. Turning she made her way to Doyle’s side. Just as she expected his attention was focused on different bolt cutters that Ed was presently pointing out and the information he was imparting about each specific one. Slowly she slid behind Doyle, her eyes falling on her target. His dark leather wallet was stuffed in the back pocket of his jeans. Inching her hand closer, her confident fingers gripped the wallet and carefully pulled it free. Jerking her hand behind her and hid the wallet from view as she froze. When neither one of them so much as glanced her way she slipped around the corner of the shelves.

Clutching the wallet to her chest she let out a deep breath of relief. Glancing around the corner at Doyle’s back. She felt her heart seize in her chest. This would be the last glimpse of him she’d ever see again. Thinking back to the first moment she’d seen him she couldn’t help but smile. Though it wasn’t good timing on either side, she would always treasure that amusing introduction. In another time, in another place they may have had a chance to find some common ground. But now she was certain that Malca was closing in on her she couldn’t take the chance.

* ~ * ~ *

At the sound of the bell above the door chiming once more, Doyle’s grizzly came to attention. His inner senses reached out, searching for Aria’s scent trail but he only found confusion. Walking to the end of the aisle, he found her scent trail ending at the closed door. Had she decided to wait outside? He didn't know what was going on with her this morning but she seemed more edgy than she had been since he’d met her.

Go find our mate!
His bear snarled in panic.

His heart began to race as his frame slowly grew an inch taller and his muscle mass thickened to the point that he felt his bear nearly bursting from the seams of his flesh. Growling in the back of his throat he slammed his eyes closed, taking in deep, heavy breaths. No matter what he did, his bear was adamant about coming to the surface. Darkwood Springs was mostly a shifter community, but there were several humans that lived here and many were not privy to that secret. Therefore, he couldn’t risk transforming in the middle of town at daylight.

Placing a mental choke chain around his bear, he turned back to Ed. Snatching the small pair of bolt cutters he was holding with a look of confusion. Spinning back around he went to the service counter to pay and get out as fast as he could. As Ed came around the counter, he stared up at Doyle as though he feared Doyle would take a bite out of him if he said a word.

Slapping the bolt cutters on the wood of the counter, Doyle reached into his back pocket for his money. Everything in him stilled as his hand came in contact with empty space. Where the hell was his wallet? Checking all his other pockets, he was confused when he still found nothing.

Gulping loudly, Ed looked at Doyle like he wanted to hide under the counter. “Is there a problem?”

His head snapped up as he remembered a feeling a brief touch moments earlier. At the time he’d ignored it, chalking it up to his imagination. Now he knew it must have been Aria pick pocketing him! Ignoring Ed’s questioning look, he lunged for the door. The moment his hands gripped the door handle, his heart stopped as he saw the traveling bus letting passengers on. Jerking the door open he rushed out into the gathering crowd, his eyes searching franticly. His eyes scanned for the sight of his precious mate with no luck.

All at once he felt his bear struggling to break free. The memory of the questioning man from this morning surfaced before his eyes causing his heart to nearly stop as his eyes widened in horror. Had he been the man Aria was worried she’d seen moments ago? Fearing that her pursuers had found her, his bear broke through his chain of submission. He couldn’t lose her, not when he’d just found her.

* ~ * ~ *

Shoving her golden braid over her shoulder, Aria tapped her foot in apprehension as she sat in her seat waiting impatiently for the commuting bus to take off. Crossing her arms, she looked franticly out her window. Seeing no sign of Doyle or the mystery man, she knew she should feel at ease. But somehow, her nerves seemed more on edge.

She didn't care where this bus was going; all she knew is that she needed to get as far from this place as she could. Not only did she fear Malca had found her, but all the talk at the restaurant about his kind and them being mates made her feel like she needed to flee. It was stupid she knew, but so was thinking one grizzly man could stand against Malca’s army.

A low vibration ricocheted through the floor of the bus, causing her to lift her feet in confusion. She didn't remember hearing the bus starting up, was it the engine? Slowly placing her feet back down on the floor, with a tired sigh she relaxed her back against the stiff seat. Lifting Doyle’s stolen wallet from her lap, flipping it open she pulled out his driver’s license. Smiling down at his blank expression in the old picture, she couldn’t help feel lightness deep down. Her mind couldn’t help but go over everything Doyle had said at the restaurant.

So much she wanted to just summit to his protection and trust him to protect her. But deep down she knew Doyle had been hiding something from her this morning. Not that she’d asked what it was, it didn't matter anyway. She was leaving for good this time. Placing the I.D. where she’s found it, she tucked the wallet in one of her pockets in the borrowed pants she wore.

Again there was another vibration shooting through the soles of her shoes. Glancing up, her face fell as she spotted Doyle’s wavy dark hair as he stomped up the stairs of the bus. From her seat near the back of the bus, she could see his face was an angry shade of red with a pulsing vein in his forehead.

There could a possibility he’s a little put out with me.

“Aria, where are you, little thief?!” He snarled out, stalking down the aisle looked at every seat.

Alright maybe more than a little…

Jerking her head down, she silently prayed that he got thrown off the bus before finding her. Was it just her or did he seem bigger? Shaking her head, she shook the unimportant thought from her mind. Luck had found her as the large bus driver took that time to stand up from his comfortable seat to face spitting mad Doyle.

“Look here, sir.” The potbelly old man reprimanded, pointing a finger at Doyle. “You can't just come on my bus throwing a fit. If you want a ride you have to pay just like everyone else.”

Doyle ignored the pursuing bus driver as he continued down the row. He knew his mate was on this bus, her scent was everywhere within the large metal tube. His eyes suddenly fell on the blinding sight of her golden hair ducking down in her seat.

Got you!
He smirked with victory.

Moving with more purpose, he went right to her seat. Ignoring how she tried to hold him off with beseeching hands and angrily saying something about how he had no right. Not that he cared. He was getting tired of chasing his mate down. He was done listening to her excuses.

Gripping her stretched out wrist; he pulled her to the edge of the seat. Bending down, he threw her over his shoulder in a classic fireman hold.

She was shocked at first as he just threw her over his should as though she weighed nothing. She was by no means a stick figure, but her amazement at his strength quickly faded as he wrapped a restraining hand around the back of her legs and marched toward the front of the bus.

“Doyle put me down. You can't do this!” She yelled attempting to kick her legs in his strong hold while she punched his back with all her might. But he just seemed to ignore her efforts.