Page 3 of Marked By The Filthy-Mouthed Grizzly

CHAPTER THREE

Magnus

F ucking newlymates are the last thing I want to deal with this morning. I grumble as I take a sip of coffee, watching the two lovebirds over my chipped mug. They’re holding hands as they approach the shop, stopping to smile at each other every two steps.

I close my eyes and curse under my breath when they stop to make-out.

It’s only Monday morning and I’m already dealing with this shit.

I don’t have the patience or the energy to be dealing with another starry-eyed shifter couple giggling about getting matching runes or infinity symbols or his-and-hers paw prints. Kill me now.

Julian is at the doctor’s with Lainey and their new little cub Angelica. It’s just a routine checkup for the adorable little girl. My younger brother is a father now, and I can’t even keep my bear from trying to claw his way out every damn day.

“Are those customers I hear?” Victoria says as she walks in from the back, adjusting her top. Her black hair is a mess. Adrian follows her out a few seconds later, holding a box of bandages, his lips all red and puffy, his eyes a little glazed. Fucking newlymates. I’m surrounded by them.

My bear starts grumbling like the bitter beast he is as the couple walks in, looking so happy it should be illegal.

I slink back as Victoria and Adrian take over, greeting the couple and making fast friends. I watch them as my grizzly bear burns with hatred and jealousy.

I hate this. This is not me. I’m not the bitter and jealous type. I like to build people up and bring joy to the world, but it’s hard when all that negativity is radiating out of your core.

“How did it happen?” Victoria says, pulling their first encounter story out of them.

They both smile at each other like they’re reliving it all over again. My bear snarls in disgust.

“We were at the waterslides,” the pretty young girl says, bouncing on her feet, she’s so excited.

The big brute beside her nods eagerly. “I saw her whizzing down a slide and I just knew.”

“He climbed up the slide and jumped in after me,” she continues, smiling and giggling.

“I just couldn’t let her get away,” he says. “I panicked.”

“I landed in the pool,” she says, laughing, “and like three seconds later, this big handsome man slammed into my back.”

“I was terrified I’d crushed her!”

“But he didn’t,” she says as she wraps her arms around his hip and looks up into his brown eyes like she’s falling in love all over again. “And it was the best moment of my life.”

Victoria is gushing over the story as I slink into the back, muttering something about coffee. I refill my mug and then take a deep breath, my big broad shoulders rising and falling like boulders. I close my eyes, trying to calm my agitated bear.

He was a bit better this morning, but that story got him going again. Shit. What am I going to do?

Go to the waterslides maybe?

Nah. What’s the point? She’s not going to be there…

I sigh as I take my mug and head back into the shop.

Julian and Adrian are helping the happy couple choose their designs. They’re getting matching tattoos—so goddamn original. I roll my eyes as they all start talking about going out for sushi after on a double date.

My grizzly bear growls so loud they all suddenly stop and turn my way.

“Magnus,” Victoria says, looking concerned. “You okay?”

“Just need some air,” I say as I grip my mug and head outside.

I walk around to the side of the shop, feeling the cool morning breeze on my clammy face. I close my eyes and breathe in the crisp mountain air.

A hawk circles overhead, a squirrel runs across the parking lot, the trees sway in the breeze. Everything is so calm out here, which feels so damn strange with the furry storm brewing in my gut. My bear is getting himself all worked up again.

You taking a damn temper tantrum isn’t going to get her here any faster, I shout at him.

He snarls back, like he doesn’t give a fuck what I think.

Stop , I warn him when I feel the tantrum coming on like a tremor in the ground. It rumbles through my body—ominous and violent. Unavoidable and imminent. The kind of outburst that ends with me waking up three states over with blood on my hands.

Where is she? he roars inside me, outraged. Where the fuck is she?

My bear doesn’t say words, but I can tell what he’s saying from his growls and snarls. Sometimes I wish I couldn’t.

I don’t know, bro. What do you want from me?

He doesn’t like that answer and charges for the surface. I grit my teeth, flex my body and push him back with all I got. My hand clenches around the mug and it shatters, sending coffee flying everywhere.

That was my favorite mug, asshole , I hiss when he’s pushed back down, pacing in fury.

Now he’s really angry. He lets out a bloodthirsty growl as he circles inside, getting ready to force his way out.

Come and try, dickhead.

I clench my jaw and flex my chest, ready to battle him again. He’s not getting out. No fucking way.

He claws and hacks at me as he charges up with a roaring battle cry.

I squeeze every muscle in my body as I grunt and strain, barely holding him back.

I stumble into the brick wall behind me, grunting and cursing and wishing we could both be out at the same time so we could fight for real.

I’d love to pound my fists into his furry fucking face, but the real curse is that we’re never out at the same time. It’s a cruel twist of fate.

He slinks back down for the moment, but I can tell he’s not done. He’s circling in a violent rage, huffing out feral grunts as I catch my breath.

What are you gonna do? I say, egging him on. You can’t do shit.

Find her! he roars.

Fuck you!

He comes at me again with more force than ever.

I slam back into the wall as I struggle to get a grip.

A car pulls into the parking lot, but we’re too far gone to stop.

I’m fighting for my life here. If this furry prick gets out, he’s going to take me to god knows where and do god knows what.

I’ll wake up in Nevada, naked with no ID or money.

“ No ,” I roar as he starts to slip out. I feel him coming…

My skin tightens, ready to tear as my arms and shoulders balloon.

My gums and teeth burn as I feel my canines lengthening and sharpening.

My spine curves as the vertebrates pop and crack, rearranging themselves.

My fingertips split. Pain sears through my fingers and into my hands as long black claws slide out.

I brace myself, ready to be pulled into the darkness where I’ll be trapped for days or weeks, watching helplessly as this furious beast rampages through the world, but then…

Everything… stops…

I’m stuck mid phase, looking like something out of a horror movie as a car door opens.

We turn with a growl as the scent hits us like a ten ton truck. It tingles our nostrils and sears down our throat. It’s like lightning in our lungs—sweet and sharp and burning with promises that nothing will ever be the same.

We both savor the sweet succulent scent as we turn our head for more.

For once, we’re not fighting. For once, we’re on the same page.

We both want the same thing— MORE .

I push away from the building, taking a step forward, and that’s when we see her.

We both go deathly still.

It’s her. My mate. There’s no doubt in my mind.

My bear knows it too. He just watches in awe. We both do. She’s incredible.

It’s a beater of a car with dust on the hood and dents along the side, but she steps out like a queen descending from a chariot.

I nearly drop to my knees and bow, wanting to worship her properly.

She’s stunning.

Even more perfect than I could have ever dreamed up.

Those blue eyes… They grip me immediately and I know they’ll never let me go.

It pains me to tear my eyes off them, but I want to see the rest of her.

She has the silkiest, softest-looking dark hair.

It’s loose around her shoulders and dancing in the breeze.

The movement is mesmerizing. It’s pulling me in.

There’s nothing I want more than to sink my hands into it and pull her soft mouth to mine.

Those lips… That mouth… I know she’s mine, but how do I get to the moment when I can kiss those lips whenever I want?

How do I get from this —lurking on the side of my shop, mid-phase, looking and feeling like a monster—to the moment we’re like those couples inside, googling at each other and stopping every few steps to kiss? I desperately want to be there.

My eyes continue roaming down her sweet, perfect body. She has a large hoodie on that drapes over one bare shoulder, a black tank top on underneath. The sight of her skin makes me all shaky inside. I want to touch her. I want to taste her. I want to claim every inch of that beautiful girl.

She slams the car door closed and it shakes us out of our stupor.

Mine , my bear growls in my ear.

“Ours,” I whisper back.

He reluctantly agrees.

Now get back inside and let me handle this.

He takes one last look at her and then begrudgingly slinks back in, handing over control. My giant shoulders and swollen arms return to their normal size. My long sharp canines retract. My spine straightens and the long black claws retreat into my fingers.

I take a deep breath and glance down. I’m a mess—ripped clothes, coffee-stained jeans. She can’t see me like this. Not for the first time.

I hear the front door of the shop open and the bell ringing as I race to the back door. I head inside and grab the spare clothes I have tucked away in the back. I pull on some jeans, a different shirt, my black apron, and take a second to fix my hair and splash some water on my face.

My bear watches from within, all of that anger and bitterness gone. It feels like a tremendous weight has been lifted off my shoulders. I feel like I can breathe again.

I take a deep breath, knowing everything is about to change. Once I walk into the shop and make eye contact with my mate, nothing will ever be the same again.

I’m ready. I’m so fucking ready.

“I’ll be with you in a second,” Victoria says to her in a cheery voice.

“I got it,” I tell her as I walk into the room.

I can feel my sister’s concerned eyes on me, but I just ignore her, heading straight to my girl.

She’s even more magnificent up close. The cute little freckles dotting her cheeks and nose. The roundness of her jaw. The way she sucks in a little gasp as she sees me walking toward her, ready to change her life for the better.

Those gorgeous blue eyes are locked on me like she can’t quite believe what she’s seeing. That makes two of us.

She seems to have forgotten how to breathe as I walk up to her behind the counter.

My bear is on the edge of his seat, but it feels different than usual. More excitement than agitation. More optimistic than bitter.

Mate , he growls possessively.

That’s right, buddy , I say back to him. That’s our mate.

She shifts her weight from one foot to the other as she looks up at me in awe.

God, I love her already.

“Hi,” I say, smiling wide. “I’m Magnus.”