Page 8 of Marked By The Filthy-Mouthed Grizzly

“For real,” he says, nodding as he licks my taste off his lips. “I was a mess until I met you.”

“I was a mess too,” I admit. “I think I still am though.”

He laughs as he takes my hand and holds it like he’s never going to let it go. “Let’s get you a fun drink and some French fries.”

We hold hands the whole way to the restaurant and even while he parallel parks. My nerves are replaced with this light feeling of weightlessness, like everything is going to be okay from now on.

The restaurant is fun and lively and just what I need. The band is amazing, playing Small Town by John Mellencamp as the hostess shows us to our booth. Magnus got us a reservation, which I love. I adore a man who takes charge and puts in the effort.

Magnus brings me to the side of the booth that overlooks the restaurant, giving me the better view. It’s small touches like that which mean the world to me.

This place is buzzing with energy—clinking glasses, bursts of laughter, and the hum of conversations filling the air mixed with the fun music.

Twinkly string lights zigzag across the ceiling, casting everything in a warm, golden glow.

The bar is packed even though it’s a week night.

The beautiful bartenders are shaking neon-colored cocktails and pouring huge mugs of draft beer.

There’s a chalkboard wall covered in drink specials with odd names like “Bear Trap” and “Whiskey Fizz,” and every corner of the room seems to pulse with that carefree small-town charm.

I haven’t found anything like this in Louisville. And I haven’t found anyone like Magnus.

We order drinks and food, and even though the waitress is young and gorgeous, Magnus pays her no attention besides ordering politely. This man only has eyes for me.

And it’s making me feel like the most special girl in the world.

I take a sip of my fun cocktail when it arrives—a brightly colored drink called Smoky Sunshine. I thought it was fate after the makeup job Jenny did on my eyes.

“ Mmmm ,” I moan as I taste it.

Magnus has a big mug of amber beer. I watch as he puts the cold mug to his lips and drinks some down. He’s soooo hot.

A thrill ripples through my body when he puts down the mug and takes my hands over the table. His big palms swallow them whole.

“So,” he says with a smile. “Tell me everything.”

We talk for two and a half hours. Over appetizers, and dinner, and dessert, and the second dessert that Magnus insists we order.

He tells me all about his brother and sister and his parents living in Switzerland.

He talks about his love of art and tattooing and how he started his shop.

He tells me about his grizzly bear and how much of a struggle it’s been lately, that darn bear taking him on a ride through three states looking for me.

I listen with rapt attention, unable to take my eyes off him. I’m amazed by it all—that he has a grizzly bear hiding inside him, that the grizzly bear is obsessed with me , and that one day I’ll get to meet him in the flesh.

I talk too, opening up about my life. I tell him about school and how I haven’t been able to find a meaningful job in Louisville.

How it never felt right. I tell him about my mom and my dad and how hard it was living with brothers like Mace and Knox.

He listens to every word, giving me all of his attention.

I’m falling hard by the time we’re walking to the truck late at night, my stomach full of good food, my heart swirling with thoughts of the future and how my mate and I will fit together. I still can’t get over that word. Mate. I’m someone’s mate.

And not just anyone’s mate. I’m this incredible, hot, nice, caring, sexy-as-hell, grizzly bear shifter’s mate. Wow. It feels like I’m in a dream and I’m about to wake up in some seriously sweaty sheets.

I’m supposed to leave in three days, but how can I leave now?

“Did you know my brothers?” I ask as I glance up at all of the shining stars over our heads. I’ve been wanting to ask him that since I saw his reaction in the tattoo shop. There’s something he’s not telling me.

His body tenses up. Just a little, but I notice it.

“It’s a small town,” he says, the lightness gone from his voice. “I knew of them.”

“Oh,” I say as we continue walking in silence.

This is going to drive me crazy if I don’t ask.

I have to know. I have to get this over with now.

I suddenly stop and stare at him. He exhales long and hard as he stops and turns to me, looking like he’d rather talk about anything but this. “But you knew them.”

He looks to the side, sighing heavily.

“What happened?” I ask bluntly. “I know who my brothers were. I just need to know. Please, Magnus.”

He takes a deep breath and looks at me like his heart is breaking. “I don’t know if you truly knew who your brothers were.”

“What happened?” I ask more forcefully.

“I was there,” he finally says. “The night they died.”

My blood goes cold. My hands start trembling.

“Oh.”

I feel my face getting hot, hoping he’s not going to say what I think he might say.

“They were trying to harm my sister and my best friend. I had to stop them.”

My soul feels like it’s left my frozen body. It feels like I’m watching this from another plane of existence.

“They wanted to kill us,” he says. “They were trying to kill us.”

“Did you… kill them?”

I close my eyes, not wanting to hear the answer. I want to be back in the restaurant with a fun cocktail in my hand and that beautiful smiling face gazing at me, my mind swirling with ideas of the future and all of the possibilities. Not… here . Not… this .

“I’m so sorry, Erica,” he says with a crack in his voice. “I killed Knox.”

I start shaking all over. I feel like I’m going to be sick. “And Mace?”

He shakes his head like he can’t believe this is happening. “Adrian killed Mace.”

Everything goes numb.

My head goes blank as if my brain has stopped working.

I can’t move. My muscles feel paralyzed. This can’t be happening.

“Erica,” he whispers as he reaches for me.

I flinch and back away from his outstretched hand. “Don’t touch me.”

“Erica, please,” he begs. “They really left us no choice.”

I have to get out of here. I have to go.

“I…” I begin to say, but there are no words. Nothing left to say.

So, I turn and run. I flee back to the restaurant and hop into a waiting cab.

“Drive,” I beg as tears fill my eyes. “Just go.”

The driver looks at me through the rearview mirror and then takes off.

When he turns the corner I catch one last glimpse of Magnus standing alone in the dark street, head low, looking like his heart just shattered.

Well, that makes two of us.