Bearing It All (Grizzly Affairs Book 1) (25 page)

“Why are you stopping?” Jason hissed out as he stood by the elevator.

Clenching his hand on her shoulder, Doyle drew her attention. “What is it?” He whispered as his eyes filled with concern.

“Where'd everyone go?” She asked. Her suspicious gaze flickered around at the luminous area.

“Who cares? Let's go.” Jason hissed while his face tense with frustration.

“It matters. This place is always crawling with people. It's never empty.” she insisted urgently.

“Quite right.” a soft voice echoed from behind them.

Spinning around, Aria held on to Doyle as she raised her gun. Around a corner, half way down the hall. The sound of clicking heels echoed as Malca stepped out. Her hands were tucked into the pockets of her lab coat. Taking slow calculating steps, she pulled her hands out of her pockets to clap her hands mockingly.

“Very good, Arianna. You know, you almost went unnoticed the way you sneaked in here. If it wasn't for someone ripping the security pad off the wall, I may have missed you.”

Turning his head to look at Jason who stood behind them, Doyle raised an accusing brow. Not moving his raised weapon, Jason mumbled, “My bad.”

“Don't worry, I’ve got perfect aim.” Aria stated with her aimed weapon.”I won't miss.”

Flashing a wide toothed smile, Malca shook her head. “That's true, if you were going to actually shoot me.”

“You think I won't? You manipulated me. You held me prisoner. You experimented on me.” She said bitterly as her hand tightened around the gun. Malca's lips thinned into a soft smile as she lifted her hand to snap her fingers. The entire time she met Aria's narrowing eyes unflinching at the gun pointed at her. Within seconds, Aria found her eyes jerking left and right as more than ten armed soldiers filled the area before them.

Laughing, Malca shook her head as she stuffed her hands back in her pockets. “If you recall correctly I didn't do anything you didn't volunteer for. Now I own you and your furry friends too.”

“Over my dead body,” Aria bit out. Her eyes glanced at each of the stone faced soldier's that held the three of them at gunpoint. Even if she shot Malca, there were still ten other guns aimed at the three of them.

“That won't be necessary.” Turning to look at a head soldier beside her, Malca motioned at the three in front of her. “Process them. I want them on the next flight out with the new recruits.”

Giving Aria and her raised weapon an ungratified look over, Malca turned and disappeared down the hall. The sound of a door slamming a moment later made Aria all too aware that unless Doyle suddenly got his strength back, they were in trouble.

“Lower your weapon.” The head soldier ordered with a thundering tone. This was not a man that would pull his punches.

After Malca's departure, she had refused to lower her weapon, but instead she placed her aim on any soldier looking to move closer to their huddled position by the elevator. Making no move to lower her weapon she moved a step back with Doyle still leaning heavily against her shoulder. She could feel her lab coat becoming damp with Doyle's blood. Her mighty grizzly protector wouldn't be much help to them now.

“Got a plan?” Jason asked as he took moved his aim around as the head soldier demanded they lower their weapons.

“You're asking me? You're the werewolf.” Her accusation hissed out under her breath. Tilting his head weakly towards her, Doyle's pain laced breaths caressed the side of her face.

“I don't suppose your mind control trick would come in handy at this moment?” His voice escaped sluggishly. With all the blood Doyle had lost and was still losing, she wasn't sure how much longer he'd be able to stand on his own.

“It won't work on Malca's soldiers. I don’t know why it did on Raoul, but trust me when I say it won’t work. Jason and I can shoot them but that will only get us so far.”

“And so dead,” Jason commented dryly.

Taking a slow step forward, the head soldier glared at them as he holstered his weapon at his hip. “Arianna, isn't it?” He asked with no real interest. Aria narrowed her eyes at him. They couldn't hold this stand off for long and it appeared that he was making his move. How she played her move would result in their lives.

“Aria,” She corrected with a defiant tilt of her chin.

“I served with your brother, Tyler.  You can call me, Daren. Why don't you and your friend put the guns down? No one needs to get excited here. All Malca wants to do is check you out and then I'm sure you and your friends will be freed. However there is a protocol to this—as you know.” His words were as logical and seemingly harmless as a snake's conversing with an uncooperative meal. Not that she was buying it.

“You will have to kill me if you think I will go back to those labs.” She hissed out.

Shrugging his wide shoulders, he smirked at her statement. “Have it your way.”

Motioning to the other nine soldiers with his pointer finger they all moved forward like a flowing wave. They all began moving as one, their guns raised and ready should either of them make one wrong move. With her heart lodged in her throat, Aria squeezed her hand tighter around her weapon. She wouldn't go back, but what choice did she really have?

Her trigger finger began to increase in pressure, she was prepared to kill as many as possible in hopes of escaping with her mate and their tag along wolf. Before she got the chance, a loud boom sounded above them and shook the floor beneath their feet. As they fought to stay upright as the foundation shook, the ceiling above them split in a long jagged arch. Three of the soldiers broke ranks and rushed toward them a split second before a section of the concrete above them broke away and fell on the foolhardy men. The thick cement slab crushed the three with a deafening wet kiss.

As the other soldier's scrambled forward as well, other things began raining from the ceiling above other than concrete. Smoothly dropping in front of them was reinforcements. Standing amongst the dust cloud that fanned around them was two massive grizzly bears flashing their dangerous looking fangs at the stunned soldiers. She could only assume that the two bears were Robert and Colin. A moment later Mark dropped down holding an automatic rifle in his hands as another armed body fell from the room above. Raoul.

“Are we late?” Raoul asked as he glanced back at Aria's smirking lips.

“I'm sure there's more to go around.”

Realizing that they were outnumbered, the other soldier's quickly dropped their weapons with little hesitation except for the head soldier whom took off running down the hall. She took great joy in watching him being chased down by Robert's bear and dragged back by the scruff of his neck a moment later.

“Aria...” Doyle's weak voice echoed through the chaos around them and instantly gripped her attention.

His complexion had faded to a gray color as his limbs felt cold. Aria's eyes widened with fear. Calling out to Mark for help, Aria and Mark quickly moved Doyle's slumping form into the prepping room and onto an empty bed. His breath wheezed past his parted lips as though an unseen weight was crushing his chest. All his strength drained from him as his eyes slid closed. Looking down at his ravaged body, she saw that his wounds on his biceps had begun to draw together but were slowly bleeding again. Was she too late?

“Doyle!” She yelled as she bent over the bed, her hands cupping his face tenderly. Her soft fingers soothe against the skin under his swollen eye.

“I'm alright,” he muttered softly,

He was too weak to lift a hand out to touch her as he longed to do. Instead he struggled to open his eyes. He felt so tired. Never before had he been without the strength of his bear. As the pain of his body grew, he felt weaker. His eyes locked on Aria's concerned ones as she leaned over him. Doyle could feel Mark inspecting his wounds but his entire focus was on Aria.

“Stay with me.” She urged tenderly.

His eyes lowered as he struggled to fight off the black void that sought to pull him away from his mate. “Does this mean I am forgiven for drugging you?” He asked with a grin.

Narrowing her eyes at him she shook her head. “Not even close.” Wincing as a smile curled on his split lip, Doyle felt himself float down into an involuntary rest as Aria's comforting hands still soothed his face. Her soft voice floated around him as darkness covered him.

“Stay with me. I love you…Stay with me….”

“Don't even think about it.” Aria scolded unwaveringly. Smirking at her from his position on the couch, Doyle shrugged his shoulders.

“I'm not doing anything.” He insisted, not that she believed him for a second.

After Doyle had passed out from blood loss Mark had able to stop the bleeding at Malca's facility, much to her relief while the others handled the rest of Malca's soldiers. They all had returned to the pack's compound later that night. Mark and Raoul had worked together interrogating the soldier's on information on Malca's home base and activities. But as it turned out they knew very little other than rumors and whispers.

She had been surprised when Raoul had asked to stay with Doyle's pack. He'd longed for freedom for so long and now he seemed to find where he belonged. But she still she couldn’t shake the feeling that he was still hiding something from them. The rest of the pack welcomed him with open arms and curiosity. The only problem was now she would never be rid of him.

Since rescuing Doyle from Malca's clutches almost two weeks ago, she was finding him to be the most stubborn and most amusing patient she'd ever seen. Whatever Malca had injected him with had somehow slowed his ability to heal as well as the use of his other abilities. After three days, he had begun to regain his ability to shift as his strength quickly returned. However the pack's healer had urged him to take it easy while his body finished healing and left Aria in charge of seeing that happened. A task easier said than done.

At every opportunity he had baited her with a reason to roam outside in his bear form or any reason to get out of bed. Then there were the times he would try and trick her to join him in bed. As much as she missed his kisses and the feel of his hands on her body, she was forced to hold herself back.

For the moment, she was sitting on the couch beside Doyle as she had to occasionally slap his wandering hands away from her. Instead of placing a mound of pillows behind his shoulders she should have used them to build a wall between them. He was impossible. Jerking the news paper between her tightly clenched hands, Aria tried to focus on the article she'd already read four times now. Just as she thought she'd reach the last sentence a warm hand moved under the quilt that covered them both and slid across her cotton covered thigh.

Tossing the news paper down on her lap she glared at him with frustration. “Will you stop? You know what the doctor said. You are too weak for anything other than light exercise.”

“What do you think I'm trying to do?” He grinned. Bending towards her, he unfolded her crossed legs and began tugging her toward his side of the couch with devilish intent.

“I said light exercise not sex-ercise.”

“But both are good for your health or so I'm told.”

Raising an eyebrow at him, she wasn't surprised to find herself now sprawled across his lab with his shielded erection causing havoc on her good intentions. Resting her hands on his t- shirt covered chest, she shook her head at the addictive and gratifying fire that flashed in his eyes. More than anything she wanted to stroke that fire and watch it consume them both.

No. she scolded her inner thoughts.

Doctor’s orders...no sex...doctor's orders....

The words repeated in her mind over and over again until she felt Doyle's head dip down to lick a path over her mating mark. Her life was so unfair. The selfish and hornier side of her wanted to screw what the doctor's orders said and have her mate. However the more rational side of her still fought against the raging hormones rushing through her sex starved body.

“Doyle...” She whispered as his lips trailed up to her ear before his teeth nipped at the skin under her ear lobe. “I think we—” His lips move to engulf her ear lobe and drew it into the hot cavern of his mouth to nip and suck on the tempting piece of flesh. Aria groaned as her womb clenched with need. “—we...need to stop.”

Releasing her lobe with a scowl, his hands speared through her willful golden tresses jerking her closer to his waiting lips. “Hell with that.”

“You're still weak and recovering.”

Jerking her hip higher along his body, Doyle pressed his straining length against the soft cloth of her sweats. He grinned down at her as her lips parted in a muted gasp. “Does it feel like I haven't recovered?” Not uttering a word, Aria shook her head as she fought off her body's response to the brush of his.

“I am better and I can prove it to you in just a moment when I have you screaming my name. Hell; I may even get you to finally admit that you love me.”

Shaking her head with a teasing smile she replied, “Not a chance. I wouldn’t give you the satisfaction. You’re too smug anyway.”

His eyes narrowed at her words. A challenge then was it? “I’ll take that bet.”

His lips skimmed along her jaw with a soft, fervent caress. Sinking her teeth down into the soft flesh of her bottom lip, Aria struggled to hold onto her resolve. “The doctor said—”

“That stupid doctor is a turtle and thinks everyone moves as slow as he does. I am fully healed.”

Sliding her arms up around his neck, she slid her covered channel against his ridged length. Her lips curved as his eyes slid closed in response. “A turtle? Really?” Just when she thought she'd figured everything out about these shifters they surprised her.

Lowering her head, her lips brushed over his parted ones with a feather-like touch. “I should drug you like you did to me. I still haven't gotten my revenge for that yet.” She warned. Her plump lips melted into a smile that promised paradise and possible destruction—which one it was, he didn't know.

“I am willing to allow you to drug me so that you may have your wicked way with me for revenge if you'd like.” He murmured, raising a tantalizing eyebrow.

“Tempting.” leaning away from him, Aria sighed with contentment as his strong arms came around her. Heat from his skin seeped into her very bones and filled her with a sense of belonging.

Her thoughts turned to the events of last night and her night of transformation--supposedly. Was he disappointed? She could remember the whole night with perfect clarity.  Doyle and Aria had been snuggled up against each other on the couch with the glow of the fireplace spread all around them. Then without warning the newly repaired front door burst open. Stepping through the door, Colin cast a stony expression over the both of them. Doyle's family really had no concept of knocking.

Without much explaining, Colin demanded that they get warm clothes on and come with him. She hadn't seen Colin since the night of Doyle's rescue and she could tell he still hadn't forgiven her for running off on her own. Colin had come to get them just as the night fell and the full moon rose above the trees.

At first she had no idea what was going on. A few moments later, Doyle had explained that once a mate receives a mating bite they changed within the next full moon, as it was with all shifters. After the first change the moon no longer held sway over the ability to call upon their animal forms. Doyle hadn't told Aria beforehand because he feared she would have run out of fear. Deep down she didn't know what she would have done. She had no warning, no way to prepare for what was going to happen. Her heart felt like it would beat out of her chest with fear.

Seconds after arriving at the compound, Aria found herself escorted to the center of a large circle being formed by every pack member under Doyle's charge. Colin and Doyle had stood off to the side as everyone else seemed to be waiting for something.

As the moon cleared through the dark clouds overhead, Aria glanced up as the silvery moonlight cast over her face. Her golden hair shone brightly with the light of the full moon above. Seconds turned to minutes. As nothing happened, Aria found herself feeling uncomfortable as eyes locked on her clouded with confusion.

Awkward...

As the pack members began murmuring amongst themselves a group of five older men pushed through the circle and advanced on her. Glancing at Doyle with confusion, she saw Doyle's eyes narrow in confusion as well. Colin held Doyle back when he started toward her. Had she done something wrong? What the hell was going on?

She flinched back as a tall man in his prime invaded her personal space. He had a plumb round face with a salt and pepper goatee. His short, dark hair had streaks of silver at the temples and near his ears. Leaning close to her he sniffed her like a dog inspecting a morsel of food. With a look of confusion he jerked back only to be replaced by another man. This one was taller and bolder. The second one had the gall to grip her by her upper arms and hoist her up off the ground to sniff at her face.

It was then that Aria snapped. She had been indulgent up to this point with their strange rituals but enough was enough. Drawing her head back, Aria slammed her head into the nose of the man that thought it was alright to touch her. Instantly he dropped her like a hot potato as he cried out in pain, his hand cupped his bloodied nose with look of astonishment. The remaining men were smart enough to remain a safe distance away from her.

“What the hell is your problem?” She hissed at the man still cupping his abused nose. A shocked silence spread through the watching crowd with her words.

“You dare to talk to me like that!” He accused, pointing a blood smeared finger in her direction. “I am an elder! You have no right to speak or strike at me!”

Aria could only shake her head. What was wrong with these people? “No right?” She asked with a raised brow. “Touch me again and I'll give you your last rites!” turning in a circle until she spotted Doyle she swung her arms wide in question. “What the hell is going on?”

“She's defective!” the first elder exclaimed, pointing accusingly at her.

With a snarl of fury, Doyle shoved past his father while fixing a deadly look on the elder that had spoken. “Speak of her like that again and you will be hanging over my fireplace, wolf”

“Why doesn't she change?” The second elder asked with accusation.

“Why doesn't she smell like a human?” One of the other elders asked bewildered. 

Needless to say, Aria didn't know whether to feel disappointed or relieved at the time when no change happened. The whole pack was confused that she was the first human to not transform after being claimed. Could it be because of what Malca had done to her?

Not bothering to explain, Doyle proceeded to introduce her to the pack as his mate and as the Alpha female. A party was held later that evening with mounds of food, spirits and dancing in celebration of her introduction into the pack. The elders still remained miffed that she hadn't become a shifter like one of them and had avoided any contact with her for the rest of the night.

“Aria?” the sound of Doyle's voice pulled her from her thoughts as her eyes lifted to focus on his concerned expression. “What's wrong?”

“I was remembering last night.”

Nodding, Doyle pulled her closer until her body was pressed against his with no space separating them. “I am sorry that I didn't tell you about that beforehand.”

“Are you disappointed that I didn't transform?”

Yes
. His bear pouted. Not that Aria could hear him.

“I could never be disappointed in who and what you are. I was hoping to chase your sexy, bear butt around the woods. But I guess I will just have to settle with chasing the only one you have.” His hands reached down to cup her firm buttocks in example. 

“I can deal with that.” She nodded with a grin. “I may even be up for you, me, and a bit of honey.” Aria struggled not to laugh at how Doyle's eyes brightened up at the thought of her and honey. Her honey addicted bear was too easy.

“You’re on.” his chest rumbled with excitement, only to be dashed with a pounding knock echoed off the door. Tossing his head back, Doyle groaned in despair. Slowly the front door opened with Robert and Raoul slowly entering the house. The corners of Robert's eyes drew together with amusement.

“Bad time?” He inquired motioning at their position with a conniving smirk.

“Get. Out. Now!” Doyle bit out as Aria moved off his lap to stand beside the couch.

“Look, we're not here to purposely interrupt your fun time.” Raoul stated, holding his hands up to stall any forthcoming violence.

“Why are you here?” Aria asked, crossing her arms over her chest. Her eyes glanced over Raoul's chest. From what Robert had told her at the compound last night, the pack's healer was able to safely remove Raoul's tracking device from his chest and Raoul was suppose to be on the mend.

“I think I may have found the lab that you escaped from.”

Aria felt her breath catch in her chest. They'd been searching for a clue or even a whisper of where Malca had fled to, but since the rescue mission they'd found nothing. Finding the lab that Aria escaped from could point them in the direction of Malca's home base and the heart of her operation.

“Where?”

* ~ * ~ *

Sunlight blinded her as she moved across the glittering snow. Her breath came out in puffs as she neared the door. From the outside it looked like a simple one level home with white paint and black shutters beside the windows. Three aged concrete steps led up to the simple door in front of her. At her back she felt Doyle, Robert, and Raoul following her. She felt a wave of security with her small handgun resting against her back.