B*E*A*S*T* of Burden

by Rebecca Goings

  Sean stood on his hind legs and swiped his enormous paw into the air, hitting the bird and slamming him into the far wall. The bear charged as the bird fluttered on the ground, shrieking in terror. But Sean had no mercy. With one sickening crunch, he bit the bird's head clean off and swallowed it whole. Too damned easy, he thought to himself.

  Despite the metallic tang of blood in the air, Sean could smell the faint scent of Rogan wafting through the garage door. Was he outside nearby? He sniffed at the door going into the house then sniffed under the garage door. Rogan's scent was mixed with Marlie's, and they were definitely not in the house. Looking around for what he wanted, Sean finally found the button that would open the garage.

  Fortunately, killing his guards hadn't been too noisy, so he doubted there'd be anyone to stop him before he ripped Rogan's body apart. Sean lumbered to the button and pushed it with his snout. He watched as the door slowly lifted, revealing the black Hummer in the driveway, right behind Noah's white Lexus. Sean was sure that's where the lovebirds were—he could smell their stink. They'd mated once again.

  No matter. They wouldn't even see him coming.

  Thirty Five

  Marlie squealed as a colossal crash woke her from a satisfying sleep. She'd been resting her head on Rogan's shoulder, but once the crash rocked the Hummer, Rogan sat up, disoriented. They'd both gotten dressed after their lovemaking because it was chilly out in the truck, but neither one had wanted to wander back into the house. They'd pulled out the blankets and pillows from the side compartments and snuggled up to enjoy their private night together.

  But now something was crashing into the truck—hard. Marlie's heart was suddenly in her throat.

  "Jesus Christ!” Rogan exclaimed, glancing out the window.

  "What? What is it, Rogan?” Marlie yelled.

  "It's Sean! He's escaped, and he's shifted too!"

  "Oh, God ... oh, God...” Marlie was unable to stop the tears of terror from forming in her eyes. “What are we going to do, Rogan? What are we going to do?"

  "I don't know, honey. We don't have any weapons with us."

  "Shit!” Marlie's hands shook, but that didn't stop her from opening a few of the compartments to check for herself.

  Another crash rocked the truck from side to side so violently that it almost tipped.

  "He's ramming us! Jesus!” Rogan turned to Marlie and grabbed her shoulders. “Marlie, listen to me. I've got to go out there and draw him away from you. I want you to run into the house and get Noah and Wade. They have the rifles. We have to kill Sean. There's no other choice."

  "No!” Marlie said through her tears. “Rogan, he'll kill you!"

  Another crash hit the Hummer, and Marlie screamed at the top of her lungs, holding out her arms as if she alone could keep the truck from tipping over.

  "Babe, he'll kill us both if I stay in here! The house is a few yards away, and you'll have to sprint to get there. I want you to promise me you'll get Noah and Wade!"

  Marlie couldn't speak. She was panicking and could barely breathe. Rogan grabbed her cheeks and made her look at him.

  "Listen to me,” he said. “Go to the house. Don't worry about me. I can hold my own against that bastard—I've done it before. You get yourself to safety.” Giving her a swift, hard kiss, he said, “I love you, Marlie. Now go get the others!"

  With that, he opened the back door of the Hummer and shifted at the same time, ripping out of his clothing before his paws even touched the ground. Once he was out of the truck and running up the road, Sean charged in hot pursuit, leaving her behind in the truck.

  Marlie sat there and stared after her husband in shock.

  "Rogan!" she cried out, not believing her own eyes. Sobbing her heart out, Marlie climbed out of the truck and ran to the front door of the house, screaming for Noah and Wade.

  * * * *

  Rogan's paws crunched through the light snow on the ground. It was nothing compared to the deep Alaskan snow, but it was still cold regardless. He didn't know where the hell he was going, but he could hear that damned bear behind him, practically breathing down his neck.

  But that's when his keen ears heard Marlie behind him, yelling for Noah and Wade. Glancing over his shoulder, he saw for himself when Sean stopped short and looked back at Marlie as she ran toward the house from the truck.

  Sean didn't even hesitate. Without looking at Rogan again, he turned around and charged the other way, clearly intent now on Marlie rather than on the wolf before him.

  Rogan's entire being cried out for Marlie to hurry and get to safety before it was too late, but the bear's long strides were gaining on her. Then she suddenly stumbled and fell in the snow. Without knowing what else to do, Rogan tipped his head back and howled at the top of his lungs right before he took off running, determined to keep that goddamn grizzly away from his wife. Once and for all.

  * * * *

  Wade woke up to a strange noise. It sounded like a ... garage door opener. Sitting up from his blankets, he could suddenly smell blood in the air, and he could also hear deep growling from beyond the door into the garage. Every hair on his body stood on end, and he leapt from the pull-out bed. He grabbed his pants and tugged them on before yelling up the staircase and banging on the wall.

  "NOAH! I think Sean's escaped!"

  Glancing around the darkened living room, Wade found his rifle and made sure it was loaded. He grabbed the extra ammo magazine on the side table near the couch and stuffed it into his pants. He didn't wait for Noah, he merely yanked open the door to the garage and almost puked at the wave of blood that hit his nostrils. Jason, James, and Tyler were all dead! Holy shit!

  At that moment, Wade heard Marlie screaming in the front yard just as Rogan's distinctive howl rent the air. Wade dashed to the driveway only to see Sean charging Marlie who'd stumbled in the snow. She was sobbing and trying like mad to get to her feet and make it to the front door before Sean caught her.

  With his adrenaline pumping, Wade aimed and fired his rifle, catching Sean in the shoulder. The bear stumbled and went down, giving Marlie the time she needed to make it to the front door just as Noah crashed through it, holding his own rifle trained on the bear.

  With a roar, Sean stood once more and ran toward Wade just as he fired and missed. Another gunshot cracked through the air as Noah fired, hitting the bear in the flank. Sean released a mighty howl but continued his charge. Wade lifted his gun once more, but he was too late. Sean's gigantic paw swiped the gun aside, and he pounced on Wade, both of them tumbling in the snow.

  Wade didn't even think, he merely shifted as fast as he could and growled as he sank his sharp teeth into Sean's neck. The mighty bear stood and shook Wade off. The cougar landed a few feet away, dazed.

  Sean stood over him, and Wade was sure it was the last thing he was ever going to see. But at that moment, Rogan jumped on the grizzly's back, sinking his fangs into his thick hide. Sean roared once again, trying to shake Rogan off, but he was unsuccessful. Wade could see Noah aiming his rifle, but he didn't shoot, probably for fear of hitting Rogan.

  Standing up from the snow, Wade lunged once again, ripping at Sean's face with his sharp claws. But he'd underestimated the bear's strength—even with multiple bullets in his flesh. Sean swiped his claws, hitting Wade right in the soft flesh of his belly. Blood poured on the ground as Wade yowled in pain, his pristine golden coat stained red. The pain was so intense that he could do nothing more than lie on the ground in stunned disbelief.

  * * * *

  Rogan was too pissed to care about Wade at the moment. He wanted Sean dead and, at this point, he'd stop at nothing to do it. With a mighty heave, Sean finally managed to unseat him, and Rogan went rolling in the snow. But he wasn't down for long before he stood once more, springing past the grizzly as it lumbered toward him.

  Sean's paw caught nothing but air as Rogan leapt over it. The bear screamed, his hot breath puffing white in the cool midnight air. Rogan tore past him once more, taking a bite out of Sean's
flank as he passed. With a growl, Sean stood on his hind legs and roared, presumably to intimidate him. Rogan would have chuckled at Sean's lame attempt at getting the upper hand if a wolf could laugh. The bear was bleeding badly, thick pools of blood already littering the ground.

  With a quick glimpse at the house, Rogan noticed that Noah had run out to grab Wade, pulling him from the fray. Good. He didn't want his friend to get hurt any more than he already was. Once Sean came down from his hind legs, Rogan launched himself at him once more, yelping as Sean succeeded in batting him out of the air. Rogan hit the ground so hard that the wind was knocked out of him. The world spun in circles, and he yelled at himself inside his head to get up or Sean would kill him.

  Rogan managed to regain his footing, but he wasn't quite stable. Once again, he smelled Marlie's sweet scent on the wind and groaned when he saw Sean chuffing at the air as well. Sparing another glance at the house, Rogan could see Marlie outside on the lawn. What in God's name was that crazy woman doing?

  Son of a bitch!

  * * * *

  Marlie screamed when Sean clawed Wade in the belly right before her eyes. The cougar went down, panting hard in the snow. Rogan was trying desperately to get the bear away from him, and he succeeded long enough for Noah to run out onto the lawn to grab Wade by the scruff of his neck and pull him to safety.

  But when she heard her husband yelp, Marlie was desperate to help him. A few yards away near the driveway, she saw where Wade had dropped his rifle. If she could just get to it, she might be able to take down that bear.

  Before Marlie could move, Lanie put her hand on her shoulder, somehow knowing her thoughts. “You go out there and you'll get yourself killed!"

  "If I don't,” Marlie said, trying to pull away, “Sean will kill Rogan!"

  "You don't know that, Marlie!"

  At that moment, Rogan flew across the snow, landing in a heap not too far away. He was dazed, that much was obvious, and he didn't immediately get back up on his feet. Marlie wasn't thinking about her own safety now. All she wanted was to save her husband.

  Sprinting away from the door, Marlie ran to the gun on the ground and grabbed it. Just as Sean's sights turned to her, she dragged up the barrel of the gun but stood frozen when Sean growled at her. He wasn't more than a few yards away, slowly approaching.

  "Marlie!” Noah's voice cracked the air just as Sean charged her.

  Her arms were shaking, and her first shot hit the snow in front of Sean's feet. The bear roared, and he was so close that Marlie could smell the stench of his breath. Closing her eyes, she pulled the trigger once more, the kick back of the gun making her stumble.

  She waited for the death blow that was sure to come. She knew running outside to help Rogan fight Sean had been sheer madness, but she had to do something. She couldn't just stand there and watch as her husband was killed right in front of her.

  But Sean's death blow never came. Snapping open her eyes, Marlie gasped as Sean lay in the snow, bleeding from a gunshot wound to the throat. His eyes were closed and he wasn't moving. Had she killed him?

  "Marlie!” Noah yelled again, running out to her.

  She could see the other three shifters staring at her in disbelief from the doorway. “Is he dead?” she asked, staring at the large hulk of the bear at her feet.

  "Looks like it."

  Rogan trotted over to the scene, growling low in his throat as his golden eyes caught Marlie's gaze. She knew he was pissed, and she could imagine the things he was going to say to her once he shifted.

  Sean's body suddenly twitched, and he sat up with a deep growl while swiping his paw at the same time, catching Marlie across the ankle with his sharp claws. She cried out both in fear and pain as she stared at the bear in disbelief. What the hell was it going to take to kill him?

  Noah didn't falter as he pulled her away from Sean, who was now trying to stand, snarling through the blood pouring from his mouth. Like a flash, Rogan pounced on him, catching Sean in the throat with his sharp fangs. Sean thrashed on the ground as Rogan continued his death grip on the grizzly, not relenting even for a moment.

  Only one of them was going to come out alive.

  Thirty Six

  Rogan bit down as hard as he could. He could taste Sean's foul blood filling his mouth, but he couldn't afford to let go of his throat. His fangs were digging into Sean's gunshot wound, ripping it open. He prayed to God that Marlie had nicked an artery in Sean's neck, and judging by the amount of blood that was already pooled in the snow, he knew his prayer had been answered. Now it was just a matter of holding on tight until the bastard was dead.

  Sean was exhausted, Rogan could tell. His own body was screaming for rest as well, but he wouldn't dare let go. He had the upper hand now. Sean was going to die. All Rogan had to do was hold on for just a little while longer.

  The bear fell back into the snow, bringing Rogan right along with him. He could feel Sean's windpipe crushing inside his neck, and Rogan's belly threatened to revolt. He wanted to back off, to let go, but killing Sean was now their only option. The bastard must have succeeded in killing the three shifters who'd been guarding him in the garage, and each one of them deserved justice. Not to mention both Marlie and Wade who'd been injured.

  Rogan closed his eyes as his thoughts turned back to Justin, his good friend who'd been guilty of nothing more than being a naïve kid when Sean's fangs had ripped through him, snuffing out his life. Biting down harder, Rogan wanted to take a chunk out of him, to rip out Sean's black heart and feast on it. If he'd been human, Rogan would've had tears in his eyes at the memory of Justin, torn and broken on the floor of one of B*E*A*S*T*'s labs.

  There was no way he was going to let this asshole live.

  Suddenly, Rogan felt something on his back, and he turned and snarled, snapping at whatever it was.

  "Easy there, Wolfe!” Noah exclaimed, holding up both hands. “But I think Sean's dead."

  Rogan closed his eyes for a moment to regain his bearings before glancing back down at Sean, who lay still on the snow. The bear's eyes were fixed and dilated. Rogan wasn't prepared for the overwhelming satisfaction that coursed through him in that moment. He took a deep breath and howled, laying his ears back on his head.

  Sean was dead. And it was about damn time.

  * * * *

  Cops swirled around the house until dawn broke. The neighbors nearby had called the authorities when they'd heard the commotion, but no one had been prepared to see a dead Kodiak grizzly on the lawn. They'd taken Marlie's statement twice, and each time she'd been careful not to mention any of the shifters’ abilities. As far as the cops knew, some rabid bear had killed two men and a bird in their garage and had to be taken down by the guns they'd owned.

  The police were truly baffled.

  Luckily, the B*E*A*S*T* agency had the foresight to weave into their DNA the exact genetic code of the animal their shifters could become, so for all intents and purposes, Sean was a Kodiak grizzly, not an insane shifter intent on killing one and all.

  It took awhile for the coroner to remove the bodies in the garage, as well as Animal Control to come and pick up the bodies of the animals. Everyone in the house shed a few tears for their fallen friends, the three shifters who'd lost their lives to Sean. Marlie knew it could have been any of them in there—Noah, Wade, or even Rogan. She shuddered at the thought and thanked the fates for letting her keep her husband this time around.

  Marlie's ankle ached something fierce, but Rogan had carefully bandaged it, refusing to let anyone else do the job. His gentle hands were changing her bandage right now, and she watched him while he propped her ankle onto his leg.

  Wade was already healing, his power as a shifter impressing her beyond belief. If she looked hard enough, she thought she could actually see his skin knitting itself back together. But Noah had bandaged Wade's midsection awhile back from torn bed sheets, and he was keeping an eye on him. Regardless of the fact that he could heal fast, Wade was still badly hurt and could
get an infection just as easily as the next guy.

  They'd downplayed their injuries to the cops, neither Marlie nor Wade wanting to make a trip to the hospital. Wade would never be able to explain his healing abilities for one, and Marlie didn't fancy spending hours on end waiting in the ER for some doctor to tell her to take a few pain killers and stay off her feet.

  "You're lucky you were wearing your shoes. You don't need stitches,” Rogan said in a low voice, wiping at her wounds with a cotton ball soaked with rubbing alcohol.

  Marlie hissed through her teeth. “I'm lucky Sean didn't rip me to pieces,” she said with a chuckle.

  "That's not funny,” Rogan replied, glancing up at her with his flashing eyes.

  "I'm sorry."

  Up until that point, when the cops had finally left and everyone wanted to be alone for awhile, Rogan had stayed quiet. He'd showered after Sean's demise to get rid of his blood and stench, and he held Marlie close whenever she shed a tear over the night's events. But now that it was quiet once more, aside from the news crew outside who couldn't resist the story of a rampaging Kodiak in a quaint Oregon neighborhood, Marlie knew she'd be getting quite the tongue-lashing from her husband.

  "I never want you to do something that stupid ever again, Marlie.” His voice was soft but full of venom.

  She bit the inside of her lip and held his gaze, even though it was one of the hardest things she'd ever had to do. “I couldn't leave you out there helpless, Rogan. I had to do something."

  "I was doing just fine. You risked your life, Marlie! What if your second shot had gone wide? Then I would be the one left dealing with your death."

  "I'm sorry, Rogan. I wasn't thinking, I—"

  "You're right. You weren't thinking. I told you to stay in the house, damn it! Why the hell did you think it was all right to throw caution to the wind?"