16 MMA Bears One - Part 5

Lacey wasn't entirely sure of her direction, but she was lucky enough to stumble upon a path and as she followed it, some of her surroundings began to look familiar. She saw the berries which she'd eaten before, and smiled to herself, laughing at how stubborn she'd been, and how she and Gage had laughed about it afterwards.

She really was going to miss him.

Lacey continued on, and after a time the path widened and came out at a road. That road led up to the Main Street of Wild Cove.

It felt strange to be back among civilisation, even in its most rural forms. There had been something intoxicating about being alone with Gage, and now that she was back among the townsfolk of Wild Cove, she felt almost unsettled being around other, as Gage put it, pure bloods.

She still had enough money to get the bus to the next town. There, she would see if she could get a room at a hotel, if she could afford it.

Lacey walked along the main street in the early morning sun, taken by the silence. She'd always been used to cities with there never sleep bustle, and yet there in Wild Cove, not long after dawn, there was no one around. It almost felt like a ghost town.

She walked up to the bus stop, which sat in front of an old convenience store. Looking at the timetable, it appeared she'd have to wait a couple of hours before the next bus would be there. There was a small seat where Lacey could have made herself quite comfortable inside the bus stop, which was surrounded by a frame and some plexiglass, but it seemed too out in the open.

It had been several days since she had first come to Wild Cove, and if Miles or his men were on her trail still, they surely would have entered the town by then. She could only hope that perhaps they had come to the town and then passed through onto the next one.

Excitement began to grow. She had an idea. If Miles and his men had gone onto the next town, then perhaps she would be able to double back and travel in the opposite direction; to go in the direction she had first come from. Maybe then that would buy her some time. It didn't solve the issue of having very little money, but it certainly wouldn't be what they expected. They probably saw Lacey as a frightened women running hysterically in the opposite direction, but she was more than that; she was smarter.

Scanning the bus timetable, she saw that the next bus in the opposite direction was only 30 minutes away, and so perhaps she would just risk it. She would wait at the bus stop until then.

When the bus arrived, Lacey breathed a sigh of relief. In her head or not, she had a strange feeling that she was being watched and was glad to finally get off the street, even if it was just onto public transport. The bus ticket was not too expensive and would leave a little money left over, so she bought a ticket from the driver and found a comfortable seat at the back.

The bus engine started up, and because she was surrounded by four or five other passengers plus the driver, she felt safe. As they headed down the main street, Lacey felt pangs in her stomach, a strange yearning to run off the bus, to head back down the street and into the forest and to get to Gage's cabin. It was a strange experience, but it was a potent one. She'd never felt anything like it, like a hunger which needed to be sated.

That was when a van came rushing towards the bus, from one of the side streets no doubt. It went at full speed and smashed into the side of the bus. A man screamed as the bus toppled over onto its side, glass showering those inside.

Lacey was dazed, her ears ringing from the impact. She tried to climb up across some chairs, helping another woman to her feet. After ensuring that everyone else got off the bus safely, Lacey stuck her head out of the emergency exit which was now on its side, and started to pull herself up into the outside. Then a hand grabbed hold of her hair and yanked her up, hard.

Lacey screamed in pain, trying to free herself from the man's grip. She looked up, and there he was. The man she had hoped to never lay eyes upon again: Her husband, Miles. No doubt there to collect his wife and dispose of her as he chose fit.

Fighting for her life, Lacey kicked with her feet and tried to free herself from his grip, but it was no use. Two other men grabbed hold of her arms pulling her towards a black 4x4 which sat at the side of the road.

"So this is where you've been hiding? You little whore," Miles said, half grinning, half seething. It was clear he was excited by finally tracking his wife down, almost turned on by it.

His men held Lacey in place as he stared at her. Miles then struck her across the face with the back of his hand. "Did you really think you could get away from me? I own you. And just like any piece of property, I can do with you as I please. If I want to take you into the woods and shoot you in the back of the head then through your body in the trash and go and have a few drinks with the boys after, well then, Miles gets what Miles wants."

The two men laughed at their boss's sick plan. Lacey's fear was now at a crescendo. While she'd been running for months, there was always that part of which knew that Miles would never give up. That he would get his grubby hands on her eventually. But the realisation that it was finally happening was too much for her to take. She was young, life was in front of her, and now it was going to be snuffed out by this brutal and abusive man.

"Put her in the car," Miles said. "Before the local police come by. There's a local quarry a few kilometres back, we'll dump her body there."

But as they were forcing Lacey into the van, a voice rang out. It came from the end of the main street. And it yelled one word deep and booming. "Miles!"

Lacey managed to turn her head to look down the street and see who it was. There, still b battered and bruised, was Gage. He started walking towards them, limping slightly as he did so.

Lacey screamed: "Run, Gage! Please, leave me! They'll kill you!"

"Lacey, don't worry. This will be over soon," Gage shouted.

Miles laughed, as two other men climbed out of the van. There were now five of them, facing down Gage who still limped slowly towards them.

"Is this who you've been shacked up with? This bum? Well, this is perfect. Now, Lacey, you can watch him die, before I do the same to you."

"We have something in common, Miles," Gage said loudly as he approached.

Miles drew his gun and pointed it at Gage. "Oh yeah? And what's that."

"We're both animals," Gage said sternly. And as he did so, the rage began to grow. All his life Gage had stopped it from reaching an overwhelming level. He'd always fought the beast within him, keeping it tempered, keeping it caged. But not now, not when Lacey, the women he loved, was in danger.

His eyes began to glow bright gold as the rage bubbled up from underneath.

"Holy shit! He's a shifter!" shouted one of Miles's men.

And for the first time ever, Lacey saw something in Miles's face which gave her great pleasure. He was frightened.

"Kill him!" Miles shouted.

Mile's henchmen drew their guns and instantly opened fire; and as they did so the rage within Gage reached its peak. He fell onto all fours as he moved, the hair pushed through his skin, his shoulders widened, his arms and legs became twice as big rippling with muscles; claws, teeth, and golden piercing eyes stared down the barrels of those guns.

Despite his injuries, Gage was captivated by his beast form, embracing the animal within. He deftly moved left and right, a hail of bullets missing him by inches.

Miles screamed. And it was not the scream of a grown man, or a crime boss, but that of a scared, spoiled little child. The true Miles, the one who had been so cowardly and violent towards Lacey during their marriage.

Gage was upon them, his claws tore through suits and flesh. Miles and three of the men backed off away from the car running into the bushes. The men who were left, Gage clawed to the side with ease.

Grabbing Lacey, Gage threw her onto his back, and she instinctively held on. Gage's bear form then ran back towards the forest as fast as he could. But Miles and his men were in pursuit.

The engine of the Miles's 4x4 revved over and over, as it gave chase, quickly catching up with Lacey and her bear companion. It drove up alongside Gage, and with a window rolled down and the car going at full speed, Miles pulled out his gun and leaned out of the window pointing it at Gage. But Lacey reacted quickly, grabbing the gun and pulling at his arm. The gun dropped to the ground, and Miles stared in disbelief and hatred at his wife.

Then, Gage abandoned the road and leaped into the forest with Lacey on his back, the slammed doors of his pursuers, echoing throughout the forest. Lacey looked down as they passed through the trees at speed. Blood trickled from Gage's shoulder. He had been shot. And yet there was a bond so strong that pain would not stop him. Gage would protect Lacey at all costs.

They reached the cabin, and Gage returned to his human form. He attended to his own wounds quickly, wrapping a bandage around his arm and shoulder where he'd been shot.

"I'm sorry, Gage. I thought I could leave. And that you would be safe," Lacey said, feeling terrible about the danger she had brought to his world.

Gage grimaced as he sterilised the gunshots. "I know, but it isn't your fault. We have to end this. Now. Miles will never let you go."

That was when they heard the footsteps approaching the cabin. A shower of bullets pierced the wooden walls of the cabin, and Gage grabbed Lacey, pulling her to the ground out of the way. Once more the rage grew, and Gage let the beast in once more.

As he burst through the door of the cabin to the outside world, he transformed into his bear form and thrust his claws across the chest of one of Miles's henchmen.

Gage took two of them down before hearing a click behind his ear. Miles was pointing a gun directly at his head.

"Come outside, Lacey. If you don't, your hairy friend here gets one in the head. I've heard these shifting bastards can heal quicker than us, but I'm pretty sure a bullet in the brain will put an end to that," Miles shouted, his voice echoing throughout the forest.

Gage panted, and slowly returned to human form. "Run, Lacey!"

But he knew she would not. The door to the cabin creaked open once more, and Lacey came out. "Just leave him be, and I'll come with you," Lacey said quietly.

"Get over here, girl," Miles said, menacingly.

Lacey began to walk towards her husband. Dejected. She was finally in his grip, and there was nothing left to do. But just as hope had left herm she heard something. It was Gage.

He was laughing. A loud and boisterous laugh which filled the air. "Do you really think I couldn't lose you in the forest?" he said.

"What… What do you mean?" Miles said, sounding less sure of himself than before.

"I lead you here deliberately; so you could meet, my family!" Gage yelled. Suddenly, he spun around, showing the skill of a seasoned fighter, a champion, and knocked the gun from Miles's hand in the blink of an eye. Just as fast, he returned to his beast form roaring loud, his eyes golden and fierce.

A rustling sound broke from the tree line. Emerging from it were a group of seven large shifting bears. Led by the Elder, Bran, and Gage's brother, Marlow.

Miles's men were overcome, they didn't even get off a shot. As the shifting clan tore through his henchmen like a hot knife through butter, Miles fell to the ground and scrambled for his gun; but as he did so, the Elder, that large and brooding grey bear, rose up on his hind legs and clamped his teeth clean down on Miles's head.

Their enemies were defeated, and the bears roared in victory.