Free Mountain Men II: Primal Hunger by Mandy Monroe Page B

Maura’s.
    The airbag had deployed and there
was some blood on it and the door handle on the inside but not a
life threatening amount. Gavin further investigated the car and
found her phone and purse in the passenger seat. As he pulled
himself back out of the car he caught a different scent altogether.
Bain shouted for him from atop the mound of rocks. The scent was
stronger there.
    “ Seth.”
    He could no longer restrain his
beast. His lion came roaring to the forefront. Bain shifted into
his bear, as well. In this form, their sense of smell was far
stronger. Gavin and Bain followed the scent trail of Maura and Seth
into the woods for what felt like an eternity to both men. The
smell of blood had dissipated but the mingled scents of fear and
aggression was a torturous trail for the men to follow.
    Knowing Maura was at the mercy of
that piece of shit was slowly driving him insane. He had to force
himself to concentrate on the fact that she was still alive and
close. He could hear Bain’s bear crashing through the brush a few
yards away. Their sense of urgency was tangible in the air between
them. Gavin felt rage and fear in equal measure clawing up his
chest and gripping his throat. He had to put his full focus on the
scent trail, his mind kept trying to slip into what ifs and that
could drive him mad and worse, make him make mistakes. There was no
room for error in this.
    Gavin couldn’t stop a roar ripping
free of his throat when he caught sight of Seth and Maura. His mind
almost blanked with rage when he saw Seth’s hands on her. Maura was
struggling, hands bound behind her back, and Seth had cut free some
of her clothes with the knife he kept with him. Seth was openly
groping her and tears streaked her face. Gavin heard Bain bellow
and crash forward a titan of anger and aggression.
    Seth whipped around toward the
noise and pulled a gun from his waist band. He fired off a couple
shots in the general direction that Bain’s roar came from and Gavin
pulled up short. He reached out with his mind and connected with
Bain, reassuring himself that bullet was indeed a wild shot. Seth’s
eyes were wide and wild and Gavin knew there would be no resolving
this without bloodshed.
    “ See, you fucking freaks of
nature!! I came better prepared for you this time!”
    Seth was waving the gun wildly
around, that meant he didn’t really know where they were or where
they were coming from, just in the general direction of the noise.
Gavin had to force his mind to focus on details so his rage
wouldn’t take over and cause him to make mistakes that could be
fatal to them all. He circled around to the left while Bain
approached more head-on. Gavin worked to calm Bain and lay a plan
to get the three of them out safely.
    The pistol Seth was waving around
wouldn't do much against either of them in this form. Bain's hide
was a bit thicker and he maintained a more head on approach. Gavin
circled around to the rear of where they were while Seth's
attention was focused on Bain. Bain slowed his approach when they
came into sight. Seth grabbed Maura and used her as a human shield,
putting the gun to her head. Gavin fought the instinct to charge
forward and rip Seth’s throat out with his teeth. The lion in him
roared and fought, wanting desperately to protect their
mate.
    Bain came forward into Seth's line
of vision and, in response, Seth pointed the gun at him. "Where’s
the other freak? I know you two are always together."
    Bain merely stared silently in his
bear form, there was no real way to answer him without shifting
back to his human form and that would leave him more vulnerable to
gunshot. Seth put the gun back to Maura's head and Gavin could
smell the insanity coming off of him. Seth's hand was shaking and
Gavin knew the gun could discharge in his unsteady hand and almost
dove for him when Bain's voice sounded in his head.
    I'm going to shift back and keep
his attention and the gun pointed on me. You do the
rest.
    No. Bain, it's too