When he was done cleaning her wound, he could smell her change of mood and knelt in front of her, taking her hands in his.
"I'm so tired of crying,” she whispered. “I'm so scared, Rogan. What are we going to do?"
Looking into her eyes, he tucked her hair behind her ears. “We're going to get the hell out of here. We're going to go somewhere where they can't find us."
"Where is that, Rogan? Where can we possibly go?"
"I don't know,” he answered truthfully.
With a sob, Marlie collapsed in his embrace. His arms curled around her, and held her tightly. Her sweet scent surrounded him and he breathed it in.
"That man could have killed you, Rogan,” she whispered in his ear. “I don't ever want to..."
"To what?"
Marlie pulled away from him, staring at her hands in her lap. She shook her head and got up. She would have moved around him to walk out the door, but his large frame stopped her.
"Marlie, what's wrong?"
She sniffled but still didn't meet his eyes. “I don't ... I don't want you to be ... to feel smothered by me."
Rogan just stood there, speechless.
"I'm sorry if I've ... made you uncomfortable by clinging to you,” she said.
"Marlie, what are you talking about?"
She lifted her eyes, and he could finally see all of her hurt, all of her pain. It broke his heart.
"I'll give you all the space you need,” she said. “I don't want you to feel forced into ... caring for me."
"But I do care for you,” he said, framing her face with his hands.
She smiled gently with quivering lips as her tears spilled over. Giving him a small nod, she patted his hand and said, “I know you do."
She squeezed past him and walked back down the hall. Leaning on the counter after she'd gone, Rogan stared at himself in the mirror and had never felt more alone than he did at that moment. The look in her eyes had reached inside of him and grabbed hold of his heart with a vengeance. She loved him. He'd bet his life on it. And she believed he cared for her and that was all. But was it?
Growling at his own reflection, Rogan tried hard to get a grip on his own emotions. He had no goddamned idea whether or not he truly loved his wife, but seeing her pain was killing him inside.
Was love supposed to hurt so damn much?
Thirty
"So, what do we do?” Wade asked.
Marlie trembled as she watched the men talking in the living room. Her head was still pounding, and she had to sit down at the dining room table. Lanie was sitting next to her, biting her nails.
No matter what she did, Marlie couldn't stop shaking. She couldn't remember how she'd fallen unconscious to the floor, and that scared her most of all. The scientist, Dr. Carver, could have killed her if he'd wanted to.
"I don't know,” Rogan answered Wade. “We'll have to leave."
"And go where?” Mac, the tall, imposing shifter, paced back and forth. “Where the hell are we going to go? They know every move we make!"
"I don't know, but we can't stay here.” Rogan sighed loudly. “Look, I have no doubt that Sean's been alerted to our presence. He'll come for me—for all of us. And he's a crazy son of a bitch. He's literally insane."
Trevor, a handsome man with sandy blond hair and dark eyes, decided to speak up. “I say we hole up here. Stay and fight. Send those assholes back to hell."
A few of the other shifters nodded in agreement.
"If we stay here,” Noah pointed out, “then we're all in danger. Especially the women. They can't defend themselves like we can."
"Then send them away,” Mac said with a growl.
"No!” Lanie exclaimed, standing from her chair at the table. “You're not sending me anywhere. I agreed to go with Noah wherever he had to go, and that includes fighting B*E*A*S*T* if we have to."
All eyes turned to the dining room, and Marlie blushed when Rogan's eyes rested on her, but she didn't say anything.
"Sending them away isn't a bad idea,” Rogan said.
Marlie's heart fell, and she glanced at Lanie who arched a brow at her. Marlie stood up. “I'm not leaving my husband."
Mac shook his head. “You women are crazy. Do you know what B*E*A*S*T* will do to you if they catch you?"
"Of course we know!” Lanie said with her hands on her hips. “Marlie and I aren't so fickle as to toss our men aside when the going gets tough."
Noah snickered behind his hand.
"Damn, Tiger,” James said with a chuckle. “You have a feisty one."
"That he does,” Rogan agreed with a grin on his face.
Marlie had no idea why he was suddenly smiling, but she couldn't help the smile she gave him in return.
Mac growled. “If they stay, they need to keep out of our way. We can't afford to have them in the middle of this."
Rogan held up his hands. “Wait, wait, wait. We haven't even decided yet if we're going to stay here and fight."
"Maybe we should,” Wade piped up. “We have a chance here to find out who's behind it all. And if Sean's who they're sending, well ... why don't we set a trap for him? I know he's got a cell phone. Imagine the numbers he's got in his speed dial. We can find out who these bastards are and take the fight to them."
"Wade's right,” Jet said with a nod. He had to snap his head back to get his black hair out of his eyes. “They're not going to stop until we take a stand. We have nine shifters here. We're a small army."
Everyone nodded and James said, “You're right, Jet."
"We don't even know if they're only sending Sean,” Rogan said. “They could be sending an army of their own as well. And what if Sean knows this safe word?” Rogan glanced at each man. “What then?"
"You think the agency would tell their safe word to one of the most unstable shifters they've got?” Noah said. “I'd be willing to lay money down that he doesn't even know there is a word."
Rogan nodded. “Good point.” Looking back over his shoulder, he once again pinned Marlie with his handsome gaze. “You sure you ladies want to stay?"
"Yes,” Lanie said with a firm nod.
Marlie nodded as well. “Yes, I do."
"Then that settles it,” Rogan said. “We stay and face whatever the hell those bastards can throw at us."
"What about that story Luk—I mean Lucian—told us about the other B*E*A*S*T* compound?” Trevor asked. “Is that just a fairy tale?"
"Probably,” Noah said, rolling his eyes. “We can't take a damn thing that man said as gospel. He's been lying to us since day one."
"I knew I should have ripped out his throat when I had the chance,” Mac said, baring his teeth.
"Well, we can't totally write off the possibility of another B*E*A*S*T* facility,” Jason said as he plopped down on a nearby couch. “It's altogether possible that it really exists out there."
"Damned if we do, damned if we don't,” Rogan muttered. “Well, there is one thing we have on our side."
"What's that?” Tyler wanted to know.
"Wade and I stole Sean's truck back in Alaska. We have a few guns, including a tranq gun."
"Excellent,” Noah said, rubbing his hands together. “Then let's go get armed."
* * * *
"You scared?” Lanie's voice broke through Marlie's thoughts as they sat on the couch together.
The men were crowded around the dining room table plotting out their trap for Sean. Their excited voices carried throughout the house, and Marlie knew they weren't paying attention to her conversation with Lanie.
"Shitless,” she replied, chuckling nervously.
Lanie smiled and placed her hand on Marlie's knee. “These men won't let anything happen to either of us—especially Noah and Rogan. They have too much invested in us."
"Noah, maybe,” Marlie said under her breath.
Lanie arched her brow. “Is something wrong between you and Rogan? Want to talk about it?"
Did she? Marlie didn't really know Lanie at all. On one hand,
she didn't feel comfortable talking to her about something so personal, but then Lanie was the only one who would possibly be able to understand where she was coming from.
With a shrug, she said, “He just..."
"What?"
"He doesn't love me."
Lanie scoffed. “Who told you that?"
"He did."
Her eyes went wide. “Well, damn. That is a problem."
"I feel like he only came to find me in Alaska to find out more about himself. Wade says Rogan does love me, and when we're together, I ... I can't believe that he doesn't. He's so tender and gentle. I'm just so confused."
"What did he say exactly?” Lanie asked, scooting closer to Marlie on the couch to keep her voice down.
"I asked him if he loved me."
"And?"
"And he said he didn't know."
Lanie clucked her tongue. “Well, that's inconclusive."
Marlie grinned. “You're telling me."
"But he didn't come right out and say no, so that's a good thing."
"Is it? I wanted him to say yes."
Lanie sighed. “Give him some time. The man was tortured at B*E*A*S*T*, then he found out he had a wife and has just gotten back together with you. I think he's a little confused himself."
"He wanted me to wear my wedding ring again. And he also asked me to change my name from Silver to Wolfe."
"Well, there's your proof right there. He does love you."
"How can you be so sure?” Marlie asked.
Lanie smiled. “Because men are stupid. They hear the word love, and they run for the hills. But his actions speak louder than his words. You say he's tender and gentle. He wants you to honor your wedding vows to him and even change your name for him—again. Did he ask you to be his mate?"
Marlie blushed furiously as she stared at her folded hands. “He didn't ask."
Lanie gasped. “He didn't?"
"No, he..."
"What? You've gotta tell me now!"
"He told me I was his mate. I didn't have a choice in the matter."
Lanie giggled. “Oh, honey. He's got it bad."
"You think?” Marlie felt her heart lifting a little.
Lanie nodded enthusiastically. “Rogan's in love with you, Marlie. Probably madly in love. He just doesn't know it yet."
"So what do I do until he realizes it?” Marlie glanced over her shoulder at Rogan. He was so handsome sitting there at the table with the others, his fingers steepled in front of his face.
"Live like he's already told you,” Lanie said. “Don't push him away—that will only confuse him even more. The more loved he feels, the more he'll fall head over heels for you. Trust me."
Marlie smiled as she watched her husband. As if he sensed he was being watched, he glanced over at her, catching her eye. His slow smile took her breath away.
"See?” Lanie whispered. “There's your proof. When that man looks at you, nothing else in the world exists for him."
Lanie was right. The look in his eyes told Marlie exactly what she needed to know. Rogan did love her. When his eyes flashed gold at her, giving her a glimpse of the wolf inside him, her heart skipped a beat. His eyes only flashed for two reasons—when he was angry, and when he wanted her.
And Marlie was quite certain that Rogan wasn't angry at the moment. She blushed a deep crimson as she held his eye contact, but she didn't look away.
Neither did he.
Thirty One
Sean pulled his rental car up to the curb and smiled. There, in the driveway of the house he'd come all this way to find, was his black Hummer.
It had taken him a good eight hours to get to Portland from Anchorage. He'd had to wait a couple of hours before departing because there was a layover in Seattle, and the flight had been delayed. The flight itself had taken only about five and a half hours—the layover only about forty-five minutes. Getting the rental car had been a hassle, and he'd been a hairsbreadth away from shifting and killing someone, but he had to be patient—he knew that. Killing Rogan and his wife would be worth the wait.
By the time he'd followed Covington's directions and pulled up to the house, it was nighttime and his belly was growling. A wolf and his mate were on the menu, and Sean couldn't help the chuckle that escaped him. Perhaps he should eat Marlie in front of Rogan. But there was more than one way to eat her.
Sean's belly revolted at the thought of doing anything with Marlie that didn't involve feasting on her warm blood, but watching Rogan scream and cry while Sean violated his wife would be sweet music indeed. And he wanted to make that wolf howl before he was through with him.
Then he'd kill Marlie right in front of him. He'd tear her flesh to ribbons while her delicate bones crunched in his mouth. Saliva dripped from his lips and he had to wipe it away with the back of his hand. Maybe he'd kill her first then violate her still-warm corpse. Mmm, yes, that would be delicious. Sean got hard just thinking about it.
Once he opened the car door, he knew for sure this was the right house. He could smell the bastard Rogan mingled with other tantalizing scents. Wade and Noah were here as well, along with a few other smells that were unfamiliar. No matter. Whatever was behind that door, Sean had no doubts that he could handle it. One way or the other, he was going to get the better of Rogan Wolfe.
Now. Here. Tonight.
* * * *
Marlie couldn't stop shivering as she sat upstairs with Lanie in the room she and Noah shared with Tyler. The men had insisted they keep the door locked no matter what they heard beyond it. Marlie swallowed hard, knowing full well that the door wasn't going to stop Sean if he really wanted to get to them. Just in case that happened, Rogan had left her with her grandfather's shotgun.
The men had a plan, and she prayed it would work. James had made a trip out to the nearest store that sold camping supplies and had bought a can of bear repellant, along with some thick coils of rope. Having lived in Alaska where bears were prevalent, Marlie knew the repellant existed. Her father had been an avid hunter, and he'd never failed to carry the stuff whenever he went into the Alaskan wilderness, but it was really nothing more than glorified pepper spray, guaranteed to stop a bear in its tracks—exactly what they needed.
But their plan didn't appeal much to Marlie, because Rogan was their bait. The others knew Sean would be able to smell them if they hid inside the house, therefore they'd found various hiding spots outside the house—all upwind, of course—in order to be ready for Sean when he arrived. Rogan was the only one who was going to be waiting for him inside, sitting in the middle of the living room with nothing but the bear repellant and the tranquilizer gun. Noah and Wade had the two rifles that had been in Sean's truck and were the closest to the house, just in case something went wrong. But they all wanted the grizzly alive.
Waiting for Sean had to be the most nerve-racking time of Marlie's life. The long minutes ticked by, each one seeming as if it were an eternity. The minutes joined together, and hours passed until the sun finally set. She began to wonder if he was truly going to come or if they were just being paranoid.
Marlie glanced out the window when she heard the sound of a car door slam. There on the street stood Sean, looking as if he was sniffing the air. Her heart leapt into her throat, and her fear almost choked her.
"Oh, God,” she moaned under her breath, her skin prickling.
"What?” Lanie asked, moving to look out the window herself.
"He's here."
* * * *
Rogan sat on the couch, ignoring his body's demand to shift. He knew Sean was there—Tyler had rapped on the back door twice to alert Rogan to his presence. It was impossible to stay calm when he knew the bastard was right outside, probably plotting his own trap.
On second thought, Rogan seriously doubted that Sean had any kind of plan. He had never been one to think things through. He merely rushed into things, blindly hoping his brawn could save him from whatever lay ahead.
Marlie was upstairs, and Rogan hoped she was clutc
hing the shotgun he'd given her. If anything went wrong, he didn't want Sean getting his claws into her. She knew to run and run hard if she had to, but Rogan wondered if she would. She and Lanie both seemed determined to stay with the shifters, come what may. It both impressed him and annoyed him at the same time. Now that Sean had arrived, there was no hope of sending the women away somewhere safe, and it was probably just as well. Rogan knew both he and Noah would have never heard the end of it if they'd made the women leave.
The front door of the house suddenly splintered as Sean slammed against it once, then twice—rocking the entire house on its foundations. The door finally gave way on Sean's third attempt, and he stepped over the threshold, growling with a grin on his face. It didn't take long for him to see Rogan on the couch, probably because his scent would have permeated the room by now.
"There you are, you sneaky bastard,” Sean said, licking his teeth. “Where's your pretty wife?"
"That's none of your concern, Sean,” Rogan said coolly, still sitting and holding on to the repellant with a vengeance. “You came here to finish this, Grizzly. So let's finish it."
"That's where you're wrong,” Sean said with a chuckle. “I came here to torture you, Wolfe.” He took a deep breath as he glanced up the stairs. “And that's exactly what I'm going to do."
With a speed Rogan didn't even know he possessed, Sean sprang up the staircase. For a split-second, Rogan couldn't believe his eyes. Sean was going after Marlie!
"Shit! He wants Marlie!” he shouted desperately to the others outside before he sprinted up the stairs after Sean.
* * * *
Wade's ears caught Rogan's desperate cry, and he cursed foully.
"Sean's after Marlie! Let's go!"
"Christ, Lanie's with her!” Noah exclaimed.
"Remember, we don't want to kill him!” Jet yelled as they began to run toward the house.
"If that grizzly lays one hand my mate,” Noah yelled back, “I don't make any goddamn promises!” With that, he charged through the ruined front door.
* * * *
The door to the bedroom imploded, and Marlie screamed at the top of her lungs. Sean stared at her as if she were his next meal, and she had no doubt that was what he was thinking when he wiped his mouth with the back of his hand.
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