Rick kept going. “I can’t. I have to get this out.”
The agony that ripped into him had a tight hold on his brother. “Rick—”
He spun around, confronting him. His fangs slipped over his lower lip, his eyes glowing with hurt. “Don’t you fucking get it? I’m the reason she’s leaving.”
“What? No. Why?”
“I should’ve treated her better. I should’ve talked to her nicer. I should’ve told her earlier.” Rick tunneled a hand through his hair, his breaths coming quicker. “I should’ve shown her how much I love her.”
He’d had the same thoughts and would share in the blame. “I can say the same thing. Hell, if we’d told her the truth about why we were gone so much and what we are, she wouldn’t have had to find out the way she did. But what’s done is done. We can beat ourselves up about it, or just hope she stays.”
“Fuck that. I’ve got to get out of here.”
He had to let him go. To try and hold back his inner bear would only cause him greater pain. Gunner watched his brother shift, then tug his shirt over his head. Maybe Rick had the right idea. He lifted his gaze to her bedroom window.
Please, baby. Stay. Without you, we’re lost.
The shift came swiftly as it always did. Amber filled the world as he dropped onto all fours, then broke into a run after Rick.
* * * *
Mallory didn’t sleep. The night passed slowly, anguish keeping her wide awake. How could she sleep when she kept going back forth, deciding to stay with the men, then worrying that she wouldn’t fit into their world? Did she want children who could change into bears? Could she leave them and hope to fall in love again? Even if she did, she knew a dead spot would always remain inside her, a special empty place that would eat at her for the rest of her life. Was that a life? Was staying with werebears a better life?
When the sun finally rose over the horizon, she was still torn, but she’d finally made her decision. Taking her suitcase in hand, she left the bedroom and walked to the stairs.
She should’ve known they’d be waiting for her. Their faces were calm, but she saw the sorrow in their eyes when they took in her suitcase.
“You’re leaving?”
Her stomach tightened. Gunner sounded so surprised, so hurt. “Yes.”
Rick’s pain soon changed to anger that he made no effort to hide. He dragged in a shaky breath. “Then we’d better get a move on. You don’t want to miss your fucking bus.” He held out her purse that he’d retrieved from the pasture.
“Easy, man. We made a promise. Don’t take it out on her.”
“You’re right. I swore I wouldn’t let my mouth get away with me, and I already broke that promise. I’m sorry, Mallory.” His haunted gaze met hers. “For everything.”
Gunner took her suitcase from her as she made her way to the bottom of the steps. Keeping her gaze averted from theirs, she walked to the pickup and got in.
Just keep looking straight ahead. Soon, it’ll all be over.
Or would it? Would her heart hurt forever?
She hadn’t expected them to talk much on the way to Shatland. But not at all? Like the time they’d taken her to catch the bus before, a stoic Rick drove while Gunner kept his head turned toward the window. Even Rebel, who had jumped into the bed of the pickup, seemed sad.
Their electric energy, the connection, as they’d called it, was stronger than ever. But mixed with that was an overlaying tone of misery. If it hadn’t been for that anguish, she wouldn’t have resisted the urge to beg them to make love to her one last time. She bowed her head and tried to hide her tears.
They went on, the truck bumping over potholes as they headed toward Shatland and the bus line. Exhausted, the noise of the engine lulled her to sleep.
* * * *
“Damn it all!”
She startled awake and would’ve slammed into the dashboard if Gunner hadn’t used his arm to break her forward motion. Confused, she looked to the men for an answer.
Rick was on his feet and out of the pickup with Gunner at his side. Both men shucked off their clothes as they headed toward the cow lying in the middle of the road. Rebel barked then hurled his body over the side and landed beside the pickup. His barks turned to growls.
She inhaled, coming fully awake as she gawked at the gray wolf, its jaws and neck covered with the cow’s blood.
Oh, please, no.
Rick and Gunner shifted as they rushed toward the wolf. Within a minute, they’d changed, their huge bear forms bursting from their human forms. Rebel was by their side, ready to stay with his masters. They were only feet away from the wolf when it transformed, changing back into a man.