Page 27 of Driven Wild By The Grizzly

“Fuck, Ricky, what are we going to do?” I hiss.

Ricky cocks his shotgun, balances it on his shoulder. “Blow their fucking heads off, that’s what.” He dives to the front door and pulls back the latch.

“Ricky, no!”

He opens the door a crack and shoves the barrels of the shotgun through. “You come any closer and I’ll take you all out!” he screams.

“You and whose army?” Kevin, my ex-boyfriend sneers. “You’re all alone in there, aren’t you? You and my old lady.”

Old lady? My blood boils.

“I mean it!” Ricky screams. He’s scared. He’s never killed anyone before, of course.

“Get the hell out of here,” I yell. “The only way I’m coming with you is if I’m dead.”

Kevin gives a nasty laugh. “You know what I told you, Jessica. If I can’t have you, no one will—”

Boom!The door smashes open. Ricky shoots, but he’s knocked off his feet and the pellets spray the ceiling. I scream as my ex-boyfriend charges in. For a split-second he stills, and looks me up and down, a smile flickering on his lips.

And then he’s got me in a headlock, his other arm tight around my waist. I kick and thrash with my elbows. He grunts in pain, but he doesn’t let go. I watch in a dazed horror as his buddies stream through the door as well. The last one in aims a vicious kick at Ricky’s stomach. Ricky crumples to the ground, but he keeps kicking him again and again.

“Stop!” I scream. “Okay, I’ll come with you. Just don’t hurt him.”

“See?” Kevin breathes in my ear. “It doesn’t have to be hard. Just do what I tell you, and you and me are gonna be real happy.”

I let my body go limp and heavy as he drags me toward the door. I’m not about to make it easy for him.

He lets go of my waist, and reaches for the door knob… and the door smashes back against the wall.

A huge, dark shape fills the doorway. A full-grown grizzly bear, standing up on its back legs, claws and teeth flashing.

Then it parts its massive jaws androars. It’s an incredible sound, like a sonic boom, knocking everyone backwards.

Everyone except me.

Because, for me, it’s the most welcome sound in the world.

The call of my mate.

I shove Kevin away from me and I stand on my two feet, locking eyes with Ethan. Love and admiration pour through me as I see him in his animal form for the first time. His fur is chocolate brown and glistening with health. His four massive feet are tipped with shining gray claws, and his teeth are gleaming white. His ears are pricked up and his eyes… his eyes are the ones I love. Emerald green and glowing with love and desire, for me. We share a long look. There’s no need to speak; we understand each other perfectly.

Then he crashes down on all fours, the floor shaking under his weight. Rage flares in his eyes as he sweeps the room. He lets out a bellow, and he charges.

His huge bulk smashes right into Kevin. Kevin barely has time to scream before Ethan seizes his head in his massive jaws and hurls him at the living room wall. There’s a loud thunk and Kevin slides to the ground in a crumpled heap.

The others start to flee to the kitchen, but Ethan is too quick for them. One after the other, he snatches them up, and shakes them until their brains rattle. Then he returns to Kevin. His eyes are glowing red with murderous fury.

I close my eyes. As much as I’d like to kill Kevin with my bare hands, I don’t need to see this.

There’s a slashing sound and a scream, and pleas for mercy.

A silence follows, then a muted crunching.

“Get him out of here,” I hear Ethan’s voice say. “And if any of you ever think about bothering these people again, you’ll have the same treatment waiting for you.”

There’s some dragging and grunting and whimpers of pain. Then the front door slams shut.

At last, I open my eyes. The living room walls are dented in several places, the plaster’s all cracked, and there’s a small puddle of blood on the floor.

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