paper.”
“And they’ll know I’m mated by then.” Doyle acknowledged.
“Yes. Her scent has already begun mixing with yours. I’m afraid your mating has become a ticking time bomb. If you drag your feet about this, it will blow up in your face.”
* ~ * ~ *
“So, you’re Doyle’s mate? He must have done something great in a past life to deserve someone as pretty as you.” Robert mused, his light voice startling Aria out of her deep thoughts of foreboding as he took a seat next to her.
A deep scowl surfaced across her face at his teasing words. What was it with these guys? And what the hell did they mean by “mate”? A part of her wasn’t certain she wanted to know. Needing a less confusing topic, Aria changed the subject.
“You are Doyle’s younger brother?”
“Yeah, by five minutes,” He nodded, holding up five fingers. “Then there was our sister, Kari”
Robert shook his head as his mouth morphed into a big grin, “I got to say, you’re acting very calm for being around one of our kind. Most would be running down the mountain, screaming their head off by now.”
“Your kind...? You mean, enormous mountain men? No, wait; you’re giants, right?” her tone was light as she attempted to joke.
Robert shook his head in denial as he smirked down at her, “Funny. But all kidding aside; there are perks to being grizzly shifters, as I’m sure you’ve figured out by now.”
Aria felt frozen in place. She didn't think she could talk or move if her life depended on it. Upon meeting Doyle, she’d assumed he was nuts with all his talk of owning her after a minute of meeting her. But; grizzly shifters! What did that even mean? These people were crazy with a capital C. Had she stubble upon some fanatical animal cult? She was wrong to think this place would be a safe hiding place from Malca. These guys were more nuts than that sadistic doctor was!
Taking a deep and steady breath, she slowly rose from the couch. Concealing her nervousness, she gazed down at Robert’s calm expression as he watched her like a hawk. She didn't want to have to injure him in effort to escape, she was certain she could be sneaky instead.
Looking down at his feet, she barely could hold her triumphant smile in as she took in the sight of his boots. They were near the same size of Doyle’s, but slightly smaller. They would defiantly fit her feet with some modifications. She could practically feel the gears in her head twirling as a plan formed in the shadows of her mind.
“I think I could us some air.” She remarked. “Could I barrow your boots?” Robert’s eyes narrowed in confusion as he looked up at her.
“My boots...? Don’t you have any of your own?” He asked in confusion as his face began to look incensed.
“No, I don’t have any shoes to speak of. The ones I did have…are lost.” Looking uncertain for a moment, she put on her most pleading expression that she could muster. She had to get out of here while Doyle was distracted. He had already declared that he would not let her go without a fight. This was her only chance. At Robert’s confused expression, she half expected him to press her for details. She breathed a sigh of relief once the heavy weight of Robert’s gaze was moved from her.
Bending over his knees, his large hands jerked the laces of his boots free before pulling them off. Standing now on his shoeless feet, he held out his boots to her with a grim look. Taking a precarious step forward, she slowly reached out to take the offered boots. As her fingered bit into the unyielding brown leather, she jumped when Robert’s hand gripped her extended wrist tightly.
For a moment he just held on to her while looking sternly down at her. Aria suddenly felt starved for air as his suddenly hard eyes bore into her. His russet eyes mutely challenged her, making the dread that had settled at the back of her mind expand. Had he seen through her ploy? Stepping closer to her, Robert bent his
“And they’ll know I’m mated by then.” Doyle acknowledged.
“Yes. Her scent has already begun mixing with yours. I’m afraid your mating has become a ticking time bomb. If you drag your feet about this, it will blow up in your face.”
* ~ * ~ *
“So, you’re Doyle’s mate? He must have done something great in a past life to deserve someone as pretty as you.” Robert mused, his light voice startling Aria out of her deep thoughts of foreboding as he took a seat next to her.
A deep scowl surfaced across her face at his teasing words. What was it with these guys? And what the hell did they mean by “mate”? A part of her wasn’t certain she wanted to know. Needing a less confusing topic, Aria changed the subject.
“You are Doyle’s younger brother?”
“Yeah, by five minutes,” He nodded, holding up five fingers. “Then there was our sister, Kari”
Robert shook his head as his mouth morphed into a big grin, “I got to say, you’re acting very calm for being around one of our kind. Most would be running down the mountain, screaming their head off by now.”
“Your kind...? You mean, enormous mountain men? No, wait; you’re giants, right?” her tone was light as she attempted to joke.
Robert shook his head in denial as he smirked down at her, “Funny. But all kidding aside; there are perks to being grizzly shifters, as I’m sure you’ve figured out by now.”
Aria felt frozen in place. She didn't think she could talk or move if her life depended on it. Upon meeting Doyle, she’d assumed he was nuts with all his talk of owning her after a minute of meeting her. But; grizzly shifters! What did that even mean? These people were crazy with a capital C. Had she stubble upon some fanatical animal cult? She was wrong to think this place would be a safe hiding place from Malca. These guys were more nuts than that sadistic doctor was!
Taking a deep and steady breath, she slowly rose from the couch. Concealing her nervousness, she gazed down at Robert’s calm expression as he watched her like a hawk. She didn't want to have to injure him in effort to escape, she was certain she could be sneaky instead.
Looking down at his feet, she barely could hold her triumphant smile in as she took in the sight of his boots. They were near the same size of Doyle’s, but slightly smaller. They would defiantly fit her feet with some modifications. She could practically feel the gears in her head twirling as a plan formed in the shadows of her mind.
“I think I could us some air.” She remarked. “Could I barrow your boots?” Robert’s eyes narrowed in confusion as he looked up at her.
“My boots...? Don’t you have any of your own?” He asked in confusion as his face began to look incensed.
“No, I don’t have any shoes to speak of. The ones I did have…are lost.” Looking uncertain for a moment, she put on her most pleading expression that she could muster. She had to get out of here while Doyle was distracted. He had already declared that he would not let her go without a fight. This was her only chance. At Robert’s confused expression, she half expected him to press her for details. She breathed a sigh of relief once the heavy weight of Robert’s gaze was moved from her.
Bending over his knees, his large hands jerked the laces of his boots free before pulling them off. Standing now on his shoeless feet, he held out his boots to her with a grim look. Taking a precarious step forward, she slowly reached out to take the offered boots. As her fingered bit into the unyielding brown leather, she jumped when Robert’s hand gripped her extended wrist tightly.
For a moment he just held on to her while looking sternly down at her. Aria suddenly felt starved for air as his suddenly hard eyes bore into her. His russet eyes mutely challenged her, making the dread that had settled at the back of her mind expand. Had he seen through her ploy? Stepping closer to her, Robert bent his
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