“Jesus, why does he have to be so gorgeous?” she thought as she altered into human form and pulled on a t-shirt and jeans.
“Fine, I’m ready to talk,” she said when she was dressed. She tossed a jacket to Maddox. “Put this around your waist. I don’t want to talk to you naked.”
He slowly wrapped the garment around himself and tied it in the front, so that it barely concealed his generous cock. Kyla glared at him, resentful of his beauty.
“Seriously though, Kyla. I’m sorry about how I left this morning.”
“Why did you do it? I trusted you. In more ways than one.”
“Because I told you, I have to find someone. It’s crucial. If I’d gone with you it would have thrown my whole plan off.”
“So you slept with me, literally, to get me to think you liked me and then took off like…like some kind of asshole.”
“I slept with you because…” Maddox looked at Jay, suddenly self-conscious. “Because I do like you. A lot. I trusted you too, you know. Enough to do that with you…to you.”
“Well, I wish you’d told me what was going on.”
“I didn’t want to put you in a bad position. I knew that if you let me go your pack might get pissed at you. If I escaped, well, it wouldn’t really have been your fault, would it?”
“As it was, you hurt me, Maddox. I’d rather have an angry pack than a broken ego.”
“Sorry.” He stepped towards her and she thought he intended to hug her, but he seemed to change his mind.
“Now that you two have sort of made up after your love-fest, Maddox, who is it you’re looking for?”
“I can’t tell you.”
“Can’t or won’t?”
“Does it make a difference?”
“I think it does, yeah.”
“I’m looking for the person—the shifter—who’s been attacking people. Hunters, specifically.”
“So you know him?”
“Yeah, I do.”
Kyla saw a look on Maddox’s face that she now felt familiar with: sadness.
“Who is he?” she asked, wondering if she wanted to know the answer.
Maddox let out a sigh and sat down on the ground, covering himself with the jacket. The other two followed suit, taking up residence next to him.
“He’s my brother.”
Eight
His brother. This complicated matters.
“That’s who you’re looking for?” asked Kyla, realizing as she said it that he’d already provided the answer.
“It is.”
“Maddox, why is he doing this? What’s going on?”
“It’s a bit of a long tale, I’m afraid. I told you, Kyla, that I had a sister who died when we were kids. That she was, essentially, murdered. What I didn’t tell you is why.”
“I didn’t know this,” said Jay. “I’m sorry, Maddox. But what do you mean, why? Who would kill a child?”
“As I told Kyla, we learned of our powers, my siblings and I, when we were very young. My sister was the youngest of us three, alongside my brother Corgan and me. Her name was Chloe and she was a sweet little girl.
“We lived on a large ranch and so it was easy for us to shift and run around, we three kids. But one day we came too close to the neighbouring property. The man who ran that ranch saw us and went nuts. He insisted that he be allowed onto our land to hunt the bears that he said were killing his livestock. We knew it was coyotes, but he was bent on ridding the place of the horrible young bears he’d seen romping around.”
“Jesus,” said Jay.
“He came by one day. My parents were in town buying supplies and we three, as usual, were running around, wrestling and playing. The family dog was even in on it; he was never afraid of us in bear form. We were near the house, nowhere close to the man’s land. To this day I think he knew my parents were gone.”
“What happened?”
“We were playing hide and go seek. My sister was behind the house, by the driveway. That’s where he found her.”
“He saw her in bear form?”
“At first, yes. I was on the other side of the house so I can only assume that’s what happened.”
Maddox went silent again and caught his breath, his chest heaving.
“The rancher had a rifle with him. But he didn’t shoot. He didn’t need to. He also had a dog.”
“A dog?”
“Yeah. Ours was a golden retriever. His was a bull mastiff. Corgan smelled or heard something; he’s never said which. Something made him run to the back of the house, and he saw what happened.”
Kyla waited, dreading the next sentence.
“He told me later that the man shouted a command at the dog, like a kill order. And it lunged at Chloe.”
“But…but she was a bear…”
“I know, I know. But you have to understand, she really was the sweetest girl, and she loved everyone and everything. She would never have hurt a dog, even one that was about to attack her.”
Maddox’s voice caught in his throat, and Kyla’s heart broke.
“Corgan said…he said that she shifted…just before it wrapped its jaws around her throat.”
“Oh, Maddox.”
“We think she was trying to calm it, to show it that it was all right; she was human. She was protecting the dog, you see. Not herself. She could have turned into a hawk and flown off, and to this day, I don’t…I don’t understand.”
“She was protecting you, too,” said Kyla quietly. “She didn’t want to desert you.”
“But I was the oldest. I was the one who should have saved her. I was too late; too slow. It’s my fault, you see.”
Kyla put a hand on his back, which she felt heaving as he tried not to weep.
“It was not your fault. It was never your fault. It was the rancher. How could he?”
Silence again.
“I’m sorry,” said Maddox. “I get emotional when I talk about her.” His voice was calming now. “She was amazing.”
“This rancher. Do you think he knew? That you were shifters? I mean, before he commanded the dog.”
“To this day I don’t know. The truth is, I think he knew perfectly well who his dog was attacking, but the thought of it is almost too much to handle. That a human being could kill another one, a little girl, just for being a little different. It sickens me. I prefer to think that he sincerely thought we were threatening, wild animals. It’s the only way that I can sleep at night.”
Maddox paused and took in a deep breath before proceeding.
“The man took off when he saw Chloe lying there. He called his dog to him and they ran. But Corgan ran after him. He wanted to rip the guy’s head off, and I had to stop him. He’s never really forgiven me for it, but more than that he’s never forgiven people in general. And I don’t mean just humans; I mean shifters; everyone. It’s trust that he lacks, and faith. He’s a sweet kid, he really is. But he has an anger in him that comes out in unhealthy spurts. I’m worried about what might happen if he really gets hold of someone.”
“I can’t say I totally blame him.”
“No, I can’t say I do, either. To watch your baby sister’s life be snuffed out like that…it’s something you never forget. But almost worse was watching my brother suffer. Childhood is meant to be innocent and really, the best time of your life. Everything is beautiful when you’re a kid; everything has promise. But Corgan’s youth was ripped away from him, stolen.”
The massive man’s voice sounded choked again with these last words.
“My parents pressed charges, of course. But it was ruled an accident, like the guy hadn’t issued the command. Like he was innocent and his hands were clean. All I can hope is that every night for the rest of his life he sees her face in his mind; her eyes with the life stolen from them.”
“I can’t imagine…” said Kyla.
“And I am here, now, because I couldn’t protect Chloe,” continued Maddox. “But I can protect my brother. You can only guard the living; no
t the dead, and while Corgan is living I will try and keep him safe.”
“But what I want to know is what’s he doing here? How did he know there were men hunting us?” asked Kyla, a sympathy palpable in her voice.
“That I don’t know for sure. He left home abruptly—we don’t live together anymore, so it was a few days before I knew he’d left his college dorm. I found out from his roommate where he’d gone, and that he’d found something online that had upset him. Corgan had told me a while back that he suspected that there were men—hunters—that were out for shifter blood. But I have no idea where he’s sleeping, or what his next move is. I’m trying my best to hunt, but obviously I’m not doing a great job since I haven’t found him yet.”
“Well, I’m afraid we have a better idea where he might be. Another man was attacked last night, not too far from our pack’s cabin,” said Jay. “It seems he got away, but it’s worrying, obviously.”
“Oh God.”
“Maddox, would you be prepared to help find Corgan? It might save his life.”
“Of course. I’m only here to search for him. I’ve been tracking him today and thought I was getting close when you two came along. I guess this is an old trail.”
“Jay,” said Kyla, “Do us a favour. Run ahead to the cabin and tell Tristan what’s been happening. Tell him I’ll be along with Maddox. I think he and I should branch out a little and come at the place from the north, in case Corgan’s moved that way. Tell the pack to be ready in case we’re in touch and need them.”
“I’m on my way,” said Jay. “You two be careful.”
“We will.”
When Jay had shifted and his wolf form had disappeared, sprinting down the side of the mountain, Kyla said, “Right, you ready?”
“As ready as I’m going to be,” said Maddox. “But Kyla…just so you know…”
He put his hand on her arm, squeezing gently. She saw remorse in his eyes, sorrow at having hurt her. She knew that he wanted to protect her as well, and she liked him all the more for it and forgave him easily.
“It’s okay. Let’s just find your brother,” she said, resolving not to bring emotions into the mix any more than they already were.
Maddox turned his back as Kyla disrobed again and thrust her garments into her pack. When she’d shifted, she gave him some privacy and, taking the discarded jacket in his jaw, he tossed it to her. She wanted to laugh; if only she were a hyena and could do so.
Packing a bag with no opposable thumbs was always a challenge.
She hooked the pack over her neck and they took off running down the slope. Kyla led the way; she was more familiar with the territory around the cabin, and the mountains in general, and Maddox trusted her. She knew now that he wouldn’t try and run. He had too much to lose.
The day was clear, the air dry and the run was invigorating. Kyla, normally a creature who liked exploring alone, was enjoying the company of the enormous bear who seemed to be watching over her wolf. Occasionally one or the other of them would stop, sniff and change direction slightly, always aware of the distinction between animal and shifter.
When they’d returned to thick forest, Maddox seemed finally to properly pick up a scent and Kyla let him lead the way. She smelled it too; a musky odour that could very well be a bear shifter; not unlike Maddox’s own scent.
As they advanced it grew stronger. Kyla began to hope that they could find a way to get to Corgan before the other wolves, in case a fight broke out. A bear the size of Maddox could fight one, two of them easily. But not a whole pack.
Just as their progress seemed encouraging, the grizzly in front of her pulled to an abrupt stop and shuddered. He raised his muzzle and sniffed the air again and let out a low growl.
Kyla grew frustrated. She didn’t know what was going on; she smelled Corgan too, and now something else…a human?
Maddox thrust his huge head to the right to signal Kyla to follow and he led the way, walking slowly and quietly now, through the underbrush.
As they walked, Kyla felt an apprehension building in her. If there was a human between them and Corgan, he was most likely armed. And it was entirely possibly that Maddox would have to relive the incident from all those years ago in which he’d watched his sister be killed.
She shoved her muzzle into his fur, trying to communicate silently with him.
He turned and looked, his dark eyes shining against his rough coat. But the frustration at not being able to speak only grew.
Kyla shifted then, knowing full well that he could see her. She quickly pulled the pack in front of her torso and spoke. It wasn’t like he hadn’t pretty well seen every inch of her last night, anyhow.
“What is it?” Maddox asked, shifting himself. He wasn’t carrying anything he could use to hide his body, but nor did he seem to feel a need to do so. Kyla tried her best not to let her eyes lazily make their way down his torso, though he wasn’t making it easy. His bronze form was glistening with sweat, and a bead of it was trickling down the middle of his chest, now making its way towards his perfect six-pack, and then….
What she would have given to be able to get her tongue on him.
In her mind, she got on her knees and licked the stream of perspiration off his belly, allowing herself to bend further down and wrap her lips around his cock, which by this point would be rock-hard, its tip glistening with a hint of his lust.
She shook her head, trying to focus.
“I…right. Thing is, I think we should put some clothes on,” she said, wanting to pour a bucket of ice water over herself. “If we come upon a human it’ll be safer, obviously, if we’re in human form.”
“Right, because he’s less likely to shoot a big, naked man than a bear.”
“Give me a second,” Kyla said, putting her own clothing back on.
“Here,” she said, taking the jacket back out of her bag. “And here.” She pulled out an oversized t-shirt and when Maddox had it on, she helped tie the jacket around his waist in an attempt to make it look as though he was wearing shorts underneath.
“There, you’re perfect,” she said, meaning it more literally than she hoped it sounded.
“Look at us. Hikers,” he laughed.
“Hikers with no shoes.”
“The good news is I think we’re close,” Kyla said, sniffing at the air again. Her lip curled up a little when she caught the scent of the human.
“God, I hope he’s not a good shot, whoever it is,” she thought.
As they walked, she put a protective hand on Maddox’s back. This wasn’t intended as a sign of affection; it was almost involuntary, as though she wanted him to know that she was there if the worst should happen.
Maddox seemed to understand, and gladly allowed her to touch him. She could feel the tension in his back, his muscles tightening, ready, she knew, to spring into action.
After several minutes the two emerged from the woods next to a narrow creek. Maddox sniffed.
“This way,” he whispered, and led Kyla upstream.
It wasn’t long before they saw the bear, who was standing by the water, drinking.
“Oh thank God,” Maddox let out under his breath. “Corgan!” he yelled.
The grizzly looked up just as the first shot was fired.
Nine
The bullet grazed the bear’s ear. The shooter was clearly aiming to hit him square in the head.
It was only a split second before Corgan realized what was happening. He turned and ran towards the woods next to the creek, and Maddox and Kyla followed, sprinting after him. The hunter, they all assumed, must be firing from the top of the nearby rock face or some other elevated position and the best thing was to conceal themselves in the thick brush.
A second shot was fired as Corgan ran, and this one hit him in the left thigh. He made it, limping, into the forest just as his brother and the strange woman by his side came upon him.
Corgan shifted and Maddox put his arms around his brother, who was wincing in pain.
&n
bsp; “We need to get you out of here,” Kyla said. “There’s no time.”
“No. I need to find that hunter,” growled Corgan. This was a nice introduction.
“Not when you’re injured,” Maddox said. “Your ear’s not too bad but your leg’s no good. We need to get it cleaned up and bandaged, at the very least.”
Kyla pulled a belt out of her pack and secured it, tourniquet-like, around Corgan’s leg to keep the bleeding to a minimum.
The young man opened his mouth to protest further but he seemed to know that his brother was right.
“There’s a cave not far from here,” he said, “but I think maybe this shooter knows where it is. I think he’s been following me for at least a day.”
“Persistent bastard.” Maddox was disturbed and angered at the thought of a would-be assassin after his brother. It was all too familiar, somehow.
“We should get him closer to the cabin,” said Kyla. “He’ll be protected if we can make it there. And we have a doctor in town who can come out and help.”
“Okay,” said Maddox.
After he and Kyla had given Corgan what clothing they could to cover himself, including the shirt off Maddox’s back, the large man shifted again. His injured brother climbed, with Kyla’s help, onto his broad back and their run began. Kyla then disrobed behind a thick tree and shifted quickly to follow close behind. This was becoming a strange habit.
It was hard for the young man to hold on; the grizzly had thick fur and Corgan was able to entwine his hands in it but he found himself slipping in and out of a sort of mind-numbing haze from the pain in his leg. Maddox wanted to say, “Just a little further,” but instead he simply grunted reassurances at his brother.
Kyla, meanwhile, was worried. They were bringing a criminal, a vigilante bear shifter, back to the wolves’ lair and it didn’t seem entirely wise. But Tristan was a fair man and a smart one, and she trusted him. He wouldn’t be impulsive about Corgan, and he’d be sympathetic once he’d heard the story of their sister.
It seemed that most shifters had a story to tell from their youth, of heartbreak or pain of some sort. They were all outcasts in their way, and even if those close to them accepted them for what they were, the rest of the world had its prejudices. This trend of hunters stalking through their woods was proof, and when they found the cabin, she knew that there would be trouble.
Bearing Up In Wolf Rock (A BBW Bear Shifter Romance) (Wolf Rock Shifters) Page 7