Chapter 2 #3
She didn’t want to sit. She was too keyed up, but she nodded because she figured arguing about this would delay things further. So she perched on the edge of a cushion while he sank into the sofa like an anchor into the seabed. And he still sat taller than she.
“What did he mean about Theo about to change?”
He leaned forward, setting his elbows on his knees. His gaze was steady—weirdly so—and there was no softness in him anywhere. “Surely you’ve noticed a difference in Theo. He’s gotten surly, eats a ton, sleeps like the dead, then rouses like an…an angry bear.”
“He’s a teenage boy. Isn’t that all of them?”
“Not like this. I heard he got into a fight at school. For no reason.”
How the hell did he…? Amy, her next-door neighbor and confidante. “That’s it. I’m never talking to Amy again.”
“Don’t blame her. She was keeping an eye on Theo for me.”
An icy fist slid through her body. He’d been spying on her and Theo? “Just what kind of stalker creep are you?”
Mr. Max shrugged. The gesture would have been endearing if she wasn’t so freaked. “One that has known about Theo since he was a boy and wanted to look out for him. In case this happened.”
“What’s ‘this’?” she almost screamed.
“Theo’s entering the First Change. He’s a little young for it. It doesn’t usually hit before sixteen, but with steroids in foods nowadays, kids are maturing faster.”
“What the hell are you talking about?”
“I’m talking about Theo. Your nephew is a grizzly bear shifter.”
Becca stared at him. She opened her mouth to ask him to repeat himself. To explain. To something, but nothing came out.
“I know. Werewolves get all the press. But there’s all sorts of shifters in the world.”
“Werewolves?”
“Yeah. Bryn’s one. That’s why he was sniffing everything.”
“A werewolf?” He couldn’t possibly have said what she thought she’d heard. Or be looking at her as if she should understand.
“Yes.” He was getting frustrated. The one word came out clipped and a bit angry. “He’s a werewolf. Theo’s a were-bear, though we prefer being a little more specific. Were-grizzly, to be exact. And he’s about to shift for the first time.”
And then it all made sense. Normally, she would have caught on faster.
If this were a usual day, her sense of sane and insane would have kicked in well before now.
But she’d had that fight with Theo, so she’d been off her game.
She didn’t realize until now that Mr. Max was a stark raving lunatic.
Fortunately, he’d set down her cell phone when he’d joined her on the couch.
It was within reach if she was fast. And if she failed at that, then it was just another step to the front door.
“Becca? You’re not saying anything.”
“I’m just trying to process it, that’s all.”
“Look, I know you must think I’m insane, but it’s all true.”
“Sure. Werewolves. Bear shifters.”
“Grizzly bears. He comes from a long, proud line of them.”
She pushed to her feet. Let him think she was just pacing off her agitation. “I’m sure they’re very proud.”
“We’re all through Michigan, but mostly around Gladwin because of the park. We like forests.”
“That makes sense.” It was a lie. Nothing made sense, but she’d managed to get within reaching distance of her phone. “I’m just… I’m gonna…” She pointed to the kitchen. “Maybe some more coffee.”
He arched a brow. “Are you sure you need more caffeine? If I were you, I’d be reaching for a beer.” He flashed her a lopsided smile. “Or a bottle. Or a keg.”
Charming. The lunatic was being charming. She tried to smile back but didn’t manage to pull it off. Which meant it was time to bolt.
She did it in one smooth move. She snatched up her cell phone and ran straight for the front door. She wasn’t an Olympic runner or anything, but she could be quick when she wanted to. She was highly motivated to be fast.
He was faster.
She barely got the door open when he was on her, pulling the cell from her hand and catching her about the waist. She started kicking him, but if it bothered him, she couldn’t tell. Certainly not when he was lifting her off her feet and carrying her back into her apartment.
“Becca, listen to me!”
No way. No how.
She drew breath to scream.
She got half a breath in before he dropped a hand over her mouth.
She tried to scream anyway, but it came out more as a muffled exclamation.
And then every survival instinct she had kicked in.
Every dirty fighting trick she ever knew.
Every animalistic gouge through his skin, bite through his meaty palm, kick in the gonads, and scream tore through her system as if her life depended on them.
She fought like she was a demon possessed.
And she still lost.
He was just too big.
Then he was pressing on her throat, cutting off her air.
Oh hell. Oh shit.
She couldn’t breathe.
“I’m not going to hurt you Becca. I swear!”
And that was one big fat lie because within in seconds, there were dots in her vision. A few moments later, it all went black.
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