Mark Of The B*E*A*S*T*

by Rebecca Goings

  Mac rolled onto his side and faced her. “You're going

  to hate this."

  She was confused. “Hate what?"

  "I...think it's best if you...if you... It's best if you go. If you leave."

  His words left her thunderstruck. She couldn't help but stare at him with her mouth wide open.

  "What did you say?"

  "You need to stay away from me, Robyn."

  "Well that's not happening."

  "Listen to me. This is the only way—"

  "The only way for you not to face your problem! Sending me away is not the answer."

  "Yes, it is. I could hurt you. I've come damn close."

  "But you haven't."

  "Yet. I haven't yet."

  Robyn fumed and smacked his shoulder. “You won't ever. I know you, Mackenzie. You couldn't hurt me, not even the bear."

  "You're wrong."

  She sat up just so she could glare down at him. “You've got to be the most stubborn man I've ever met."

  "You need to go. I can take care of myself."

  "You will kill yourself, Mac. If you don't face this, if we don't face it together, it will eat you up from the inside out."

  "If I don't send you away, that bear will eat you! And I'm not talking about the fun way, sweetheart."

  "So you want to die, is that what you're telling me?” Her eyes flashed and she knew the scent of her fury must be choking him. She didn't give a shit.

  "I can barely control him,” he said through clenched teeth. “Right now, he wants to jump out of me and destroy this room, but not before..."

  "Not before what?"

  Mac glanced back at the ceiling and balled his fists on the blanket.

  "Oh no you don't,” she said, tossing the blanket aside to stand before him in all her glory. “If you're going to send me away, you're damn well going to tell me why. What are you thinking right now?"

  He sat up. He was pissed. She'd pushed him, she knew it, but he was being ridiculous. She couldn't leave him

  now, not when he needed her the most.

  "You want to know what I'm thinking? Fine. I'll tell you.” His eyes were golden orbs when he narrowed them, his face taking on a sneer. “The bear wants to take you from behind. He knows you're too small for him, but tearing your sweet skin excites him like nothing else. He wants to smell your blood while he's doing you, and Jesus Christ, the mental image is making me hard. Look at that,” he said, wiping his chin. “My damn mouth is watering."

  Robyn gasped as he crawled to her on the mattress, his eyes almost level with hers. Short hairs grew on his face and his voice began to change into a deep growl.

  "Get back on the bed and I'll give you a little taste."

  He was scaring her on purpose. She knew it.

  At least, she hoped it.

  Raising her hand, Robyn smacked him right across the cheek. Her palm burned, but she slapped him again with tears in her eyes.

  Mac was shocked and fell back onto the pillows, clutching his smooth cheek with his fingers.

  "You don't have to be so cruel!” she yelled at him. “You're just trying to prove a point!"

  "I proved it though, didn't I? It's hard enough controlling my moods. You know how strange Dylan was, lucid one minute, crazy the next. I feel like that all the friggin’ time now."

  "The bear has never broken free on me. You've managed to control him."

  Mac shook his head. “You don't get it, do you? I don't want to take the chance that one day I might not be able to control him. What if I kill you? How am I supposed to live knowing I killed the woman I love?"

  "Do you, Mackenzie?” she asked, crossing her arms.

  "Do I what?"

  "Love me?"

  "You're seriously asking me this?"

  Robyn spread her arms wide. “Well obviously!” she cried. “No one in their right mind would send away the person they love."

  Mac snapped his fingers and pointed at her. “Right there, Robyn—I am not in my right mind!"

  She turned away and headed to the dresser where she'd put away her new clothes. With short, angry tugs, she got dressed, even donning her new pair of flip-flops, these complete with slot machines on the soles.

  "You might not be in your right mind, but you're not crazy. I have been able to talk you down every time you've been tempted to become that friggin’ bear. I have confidence you won't ever hurt me. But if you want me gone, I'll respect that. Rogan said there was no talking you out of something when your mind was made up. Guess he was right."

  When the only sound Mac made was a sigh, she turned back to him.

  "Am I still your mate?"

  His silence was answer enough. A sharp pain punched her right in the gut. With a trembling chin, she grabbed Wade's credit card and reached for the doorknob.

  "If you...” Damn it, her voice wasn't steady at all. She wiped away a tear. “If you change your mind, I'll be in Colorado, at Lanie's cabin."

  She didn't look at him when she opened the door. Seeing him in the bed watching her leave him would crush whatever heart she had left. Mac wanted her gone. She certainly didn't want to force him into this relationship if he didn't want it.

  She knew he loved her, but maybe what he needed was time on his own to figure out for himself that he couldn't live without her. She'd been willing to give him his space in the casino, but could she manage giving him this much?

  With her love on the line, Robyn took the biggest gamble of her life and quietly closed the door behind her.

  "Mr. Erickson?"

  Robyn sniffled into the payphone at the Reno-Tahoe International Airport. She'd taken a cab to get there and paid with the cash she'd been able to get off the card at an ATM. Remembering the phone number Noah had given them, she'd dialed the number, despite the late hour. It was eleven p.m. in Reno, so it had to be midnight in Denver.

  "Hello?” a gruff male voice answered.

  "Hi. You don't know me, but my name is Robyn."

  The sound of shuffling was heard before the man

  asked, “Oh, Robyn Bishop?"

  She cleared her throat and closed her eyes.

  "I...I was, sir. Robyn Groves now. Is Lanie there? Can I talk to her?"

  "Sure, sure, hang on a moment."

  More shuffling came through the other end, followed by a soft knock. Muffled talking reached her before a tired woman's voice said, “Robyn?"

  "Lanie?” She couldn't hold back any more. Her grief got the better of her.

  "Honey, my dad said you'd changed your name back. Noah called me earlier and told me what happened with Mac. Is something wrong? Are you okay?"

  Robyn sniffled into the phone. “I need to come to Denver. Can I stay at your cabin?"

  People walking by glanced at her as she cried, but she was beyond caring. Exhaustion overcame her and all she wanted to do was be alone and weep.

  "Did Mac hurt you?"

  "No, no, he didn't. He's convinced he will, though. Told me to leave him."

  "He what?"

  "He wanted me to leave. Said it was only a matter of time. I...Rogan told me to give him space if he ever needed it. I don't know if I can survive this. I don't even know if I'm his mate anymore. I don't know where else to go."

  "Can you get to the airport?"

  "Already there."

  "When's the next flight to Denver?"

  Robyn glanced at the departure board, which just so happened to be a few feet away. “There's a flight leaving in one hour."

  "Be on that plane, Robyn, I'll meet you. We'll all meet you."

  "Okay."

  "You might have to swipe someone's ID to get a ticket, will you be okay with that?"

  Robyn sniffled. “Yeah, I guess I'll have to."

  "Just try to find someone who looks kind of like you and they won't ask questions. You'll get here before the guys. They're driving in Wade's new Jeep. Said he wanted to

  break it in. But they should be here by tomorrow."

  "Thank you s
o much, Lanie."

  "You bet, sweetie, and don't you worry. We'll protect you from that man of yours and make sure the jackass never

  breaks your heart again."

  [Back to Table of Contents]

  THIRTY TWO

  It had taken every ounce of willpower Mac had not to run to that door and rip it open when Robyn closed it behind her. What he'd done was inexcusable.

  He'd broken her heart.

  He wanted to apologize and take her back into his arms. He wanted to call himself all kinds of fool and grovel at her feet for her forgiveness. But he'd managed to hold himself in check and let her go.

  She was right about one thing, he didn't have to be so cruel telling her his true thoughts. But he needed her to understand the danger she was in just by being near him. She had to know what the bear wanted to do. She couldn't stay.

  But damn, the sorrow had been pouring off her. She didn't want to go. Mac knew if he let her, she would have stayed with him, even if it meant her own death. He couldn't allow that to happen.

  She'd probably be at the airport by now. Robyn told him she'd be in Colorado. She was going to stay at the cabin with Noah and Lanie, no doubt.

  Mac groaned as he curled around her pillow. It smelled of her, spicy and sweet. The bear growled within him, but he ignored it, trying hard not to sniffle. He couldn't hold back the torrent of tears.

  He finally did have his breakdown, alone in his room, cursing himself to Hell. He was an asshole, plain and simple. Robyn had been right—no man in his right mind would send away the woman he loved, or break her heart on purpose.

  Remembering the gentle way she'd offered herself up

  to him in the bathroom had him hating himself even more.

  With a primal yell, Mac released his anger, his pain, his frustration. He wanted to shift and destroy something, but becoming the bear was out of the question. Instead, he shifted into the jaguar and attacked the very pillow he'd been holding.

  The sooner he erased her scent, the sooner he'd stop torturing himself.

  But he knew that was a lie.

  He'd remember Robyn's scent until his dying day. It was all over him, in his heart, on his soul.

  The jag screeched again before smashing the lamp, clawing the mattress and slamming against the television. Amazingly, in his shifted state, he didn't hear the bear taunting him. With his breath heaving in his lungs, Mac stopped and closed his feline eyes, listening to the silence.

  With reverie.

  Robyn was dead on her feet. She'd managed to get a little sleep on the plane, but she'd only been dozing. What she needed was a good night's sleep.

  She wandered the gates at the Denver International Airport, looking for her way to baggage claim. She had no bags, but that was where Lanie said she'd meet her.

  If she was in a better mood, Robyn would have marveled at the beauty of the terminal. A large fountain sprayed water in the middle of the thoroughfare, surrounded by a hedge of plantlife. The second level could plainly be seen above the first as a balcony of sorts, while artistic canvas arches stretched like sails across the vast ceiling from rows of ivory pillars. It was spectacular. But it was still dark outside. Robyn could only imagine those canvas arches would be ten times as lovely with the soft glow of sunlight illuminating them.

  It didn't take that long to find where she needed to go, and her keen eyes scanned the people. There weren't many of them wandering about at three-thirty in the morning.

  "Robyn!"

  She spun around and saw Lanie, Keira, and Marlie running toward her. She raced to greet them, hugging each of them in turn.

  "Oh, honey, look at you,” Lanie said, holding her at arms’ length. “Mac did a number on you. You look exhausted."

  Robyn bit her lip to keep from tearing up. Her eyes were filled with sand. She couldn't tolerate any more tears.

  "Let's take you to the cabin,” Marlie said, draping her arm around Robyn's shoulders.

  Lanie nodded. “Lots of fresh air and solitude to clear your head."

  "Sounds wonderful."

  "You'll get your own room, sweetie,” Keira said, taking her hand. “Don't you worry, you're in good hands."

  Robyn hoped so. For as long as she was in Colorado, the last thing she wanted was to drive herself crazy thinking of Mackenzie battling the Kodiak on his own.

  "How was your flight?” Lanie asked with a smile. She was trying to get Robyn's mind off the obvious.

  "Long,” she answered.

  "You hungry?"

  She nodded. It had been a while since she'd eaten her dinner.

  "We'll hit some fast food on the way."

  She glanced at each of these women, her friends, her saviors.

  "Thank you,” she whispered.

  "You are more than welcome, sweetie,” Marlie said. “We know more than anyone how pig-headed these men can be. Mac will come to his senses. He just needs time."

  With a deep breath, Robyn nodded. But with the way he'd told her to leave, she wasn't so sure.

  She wasn't sure of anything anymore.

  [Back to Table of Contents]

  THIRTY THREE

  After an hour of driving, they finally pulled up to Lanie's father's cabin. It was bigger than Robyn had first thought. She'd pictured a one-room house in the wild, but it turned out to be a lovely log cabin, with a huge stone fireplace, a kitchen-dining area, five bedrooms and two baths.

  It was dark, but as Lanie flipped on the lights, Robyn delighted in the rugged mountain decor. A few wooden mallards were scattered on the hearth, while paintings of the mountains hung here and there. A pair of snowshoes hung decoratively in the hallway and the kitchen continued the log cabin look with hanging pots and pans.

  The floor was polished wood and covered with a few fluffy carpets.

  Robyn could definitely get lost here and be happy about it.

  "We were staying at my father's house in Denver when you called,” Lanie explained. “But I knew you'd want to get away from everything, and I've found this cabin does the trick. Don't worry, we'll all be here with you. I told Noah to meet us here when they arrive. Shouldn't be too much longer until they get here. They're driving straight through from Nevada."

  "Where's the bathroom?"

  Lanie pointed. “Down the hall, to the left. Your bedroom is right next door, the one with the pink quilt."

  "Thank you guys, really. I don't know what I'd do if I..."

  Marlie walked up to her and gave her a kiss on the

  cheek. “We take care of our own, honey,” she said with a smile. “You go get some sleep. We'll hold down the fort."

  Robyn nodded and walked down the hallway. Glancing at herself in the bathroom mirror, she couldn't help but chuckle. She looked like shit. No wonder the women had been aghast at the sight of her. The bags under her eyes had bags of their own. Her eyes themselves were rimmed in red and her hair was hopelessly tangled every which way.

  With a sigh, she turned away and found her room a few minutes later. Closing the door behind her, Robyn peeled back the covers and sank into the sheets. She trembled with shivers and desperately wished Mackenzie was there to keep her warm.

  She tucked the quilt under her chin, determined to think no more on her wayward mate.

  His eyes flashed at her, exciting her beyond reason. They were both naked and she couldn't hold back as she forced his mouth to hers, tasting his exotic flavor.

  A growl escaped him and she arched into his chest, her stiff nipples rubbing on his skin. He'd brought his knee between her legs and she ground against him, straining for the release she knew would come.

  But he pulled back, his body changing before her very eyes. Thick muscles bulged down his arms while coarse, dark hair grew. His body doubled, then tripled in size. Before she knew it, she was underneath a giant Kodiak, screaming for her life.

  But the bear was ruthless, crushing her underneath him. Good Lord, she felt him probing her, his growls of pleasure reaching her ears.

  "M
ackenzie, no!” she screamed, hitting him again and again, but it was no use. His enormous mouth descended, and all she could see was his sharp fangs. The only thing she could do was shift.

  But the bear was faster than she was. He caught her in his jaws. All he needed to do was bite down...

  Robyn sat up in bed, her heart racing in her chest. Covering her face in her hands, she sobbed, trying to calm herself. The dream had been so real, that for a moment, she thought it was really happening.

  She was safe, at Lanie's cabin in Colorado, far away from that insane bear.

  Guilt ripped through her at that thought. The Kodiak was Mackenzie, the man she loved more than life itself. She flopped back into the pillows and lamented at the sunlight pouring through her window. It looked to be sometime in the afternoon.

  It didn't feel like she'd slept that long. She laid there for a little while longer until the sound of voices reached her ears.

  The guys. They must have arrived.

  After that dream, Robyn knew she wouldn't be able to sleep any more. She grabbed her clothes and got dressed. Thankfully, there was a brush on the nightstand.

  God bless those women.

  After she'd tamed her hair, she wandered down the hall.

  "There she is!” Rogan yelled happily, moving to give her a hug. But he didn't just hug her, he swung her around the room.

  "Rogan, let her go this instant,” Marlie said, smacking him on the shoulder.

  He obeyed with a dramatic sigh. Wade and Noah followed suit, but not quite as enthusiastically.

  "How are you doing?” Noah asked, holding her eye contact.

  Robyn's chin trembled. “Been better."

  "Listen, I know you're hurting right now, but we know that jag better than anyone. He loves you something fierce. If he sent you away, it's not because he doesn't want you."

  "I know,” she said dejectedly. “But that doesn't make it any easier to bear."

  Noah nodded. “He searched for you desperately when you were gone. He never gave up. He just needs to sort out what he's going through and he'll be back. Mark my words."

  "Not before we're gonna give him hell,” Wade spat from the kitchen. He was pouring himself a cup of coffee, but she still saw his eyes flash from where she stood.