Thatcher

Morgan had never killed anyone before. But he didn’t feel bad for doing it the other day either. As he sat in his home, wondering what he should be doing now, he thought about the events that had given him an insight on people that he’d never seen before. Especially Paul Long, a man that he never liked but worked with for a long time. Ten years, he thought.

He thought about the first time he’d heard of what the monster was doing right down the hall from him. When his dad asked him where the room was that Anna was being hurt in, he was two doors down from there in a meeting of his own. Going to the room at breakneck speed, all he saw was a grown man beating a woman with a large statue that he had. At that time, Morgan had no idea who the man was—his back was to him, but he was covered in blood. When he saw her gun lying not a foot from her shoeless body. Morgan just knew that she was dead. That Paul, he’d realized, had murdered her.

“Long, what the hell are you doing? Get off her right now.” Paul turned and looked at him. And for as long as he lived, he’d never forget the satanic look on his face. The way the blood from her dripped from his cheek and was all over his face and hands. “I’m going to kill you if you don’t get off her. You’re going to kill her, man.”

“She’s mine. I saw her first.” Paul’s voice was even all wrong, he’d just realized. It sounded gravelly and full of hatred. “Go away, Morgan, and when I’m done with her, you can have a piece too. But wear a condom. They get testy with you if the police find semen inside of her. I’m going to have me a grand old time with this piece of ass.”

When he lifted the statue, one that Morgan only just recognized, he was bringing the bust of Beethoven down on the woman’s head again when Morgan fired the gun. That too was something that he’d never forget. The sound wasn’t that loud at all, but it did make his ears ring. He’d just shot a man in the back. Then Morgan shot him again when Paul got up and came staggering toward him. This time Morgan shot him in the head and he finally dropped. So did Morgan.

His dad had shown up seconds later. It could have been days for all Morgan knew for sure; his mind was still centered on Paul wanting to share a dead woman with him. Dad finally slapped him hard on the face.

“You all right?” He nodded, then shook his head. “Yes, I can see that. Just don’t shoot me, son. I’m going to check on them to see if either of them is alive. Don’t move. The police is on their way.”

The police had asked him a million questions, and Morgan tried his best to answer them all. But his vison kept drifting to the dead man. The woman was being worked on by the medical team that had arrived first, and he wasn’t in any position to see her. He wasn’t even sure that he wanted to, for as much blood as had been on Paul. Andrew, his friend and a police officer, had spoken to him like he was asking him to go fishing with him. Or have an ice cream. Everything about that day had been surreal now that he could think back on it.

“Morgan, I’m going to have to put you under arrest for this. I know you were saving the girl and all, but we have to go by the books on this one, okay?” Morgan had stood up and staggered a little. “Steady there. I have you. Just let me cuff you, and I’ll take you on to the hospital to get you checked out.”

“I’m all right. I promise. Andrew, he told me that he’d let me have sex with her when he was finished with her. What sort of sick bastard does that?” Andrew told him to hush up and wait for his attorney. Morgan told him how sorry he was again and again that day.

“I know, Morgan. You’re a good man.” He was escorted to the cruiser that was just outside the building and sat in the back seat. His dad came to the car and Andrew let him speak to him. “But nothing about the case. I don’t want this to come back and bite any of us in the ass.”

“All right, Andy, I understand that. Son, I talked to your mom and she’s a tad upset. Not with you, but about that poor girl. Don’t you fret none. We got your back. Rogen is getting someone to come to the station to talk to you soon.” He nodded, suddenly feeling sick. “Just hold on, Morgan. You’re going to be just fine.”

He was fine after being checked out at the hospital, and then taken to jail, he remembered. They weren’t charging him with anything, but Andrew wanted him close so that he could ask him questions if he had any. Morgan laid down on the too small cot and closed his eyes. When he got home, he decided, he was going to shift and then go for a run that lasted the rest of his life.

“Morgan?” Morgan, his mind in a fog even then, had looked up at the man standing there. It had been Dean Sheppard. “I just found out what happened. Do you need anything? I want you to know that this isn’t going to hurt your dean-ship. You killed a horrific person, and I for one commend you for it.”

“Thank you. I don’t think I need anything. I just want to go home and take a shower.” Sheppard said that he could well understand that. “Yes, and thank you for coming down here. To be honest with you, sir. I didn’t even think of how this might affect my job. I was just more concerned with the young woman.”

“As you should have been. To think, he’d been doing this all along.”

That struck Morgan as odd. Even now, two days later, he was still concerned about Dean Sheppard’s comments, when he was sure that everyone, including him, had known about Long’s horrific behaviors. There had certainly been enough reports filed against him. Not that he’d been trying to kill women, but just that he’d tried to get into the pants of a lot of them. But Sheppard spoke before he could question him about it.

“You go on home, and we’ll take care of the press at the school. The school might have a few questions for you, like why did you have a gun in class, but we’ll talk about that later.”

A few hours later, not only was Morgan showered and cleaned up, but his mom was pampering him a little. But the need to see the woman, he didn’t know why, was driving him crazy since he’d been home. He didn’t mention it to his parents, but when he could, he told Mom that he needed to take a drive. Blow the smell of death off him.

After driving around for a little while, he’d gone to the hospital to see the woman. Morgan hadn’t realized that she was close to his age, only a year between them. But he snuck in the room with her while Dawson was checking her IV’s. It was then that he realized not only was she pretty, but she was his mate as well. Morgan went home after that and hadn’t left since. Now here he was in his house, still not sure what to do.

Getting in his car, he drove to get himself milk and eggs, neither of which he knew if he needed or not. Then as he was standing in line, ready to pay for it, he felt her fear, or something akin to it. Leaving his little blue basket on the floor, he made his way to her. Morgan didn’t know what to say to her if there was nothing wrong, but he needed to make sure she was okay.

“Hello.” Morgan had no idea how long he’d been standing there, just staring at her. But when she spoke, he moved into the room. “That wasn’t an invite, moron. I just thought you were lost. What do—? Holy crispy noodles, you’re him. My mate.”

It wasn’t a question, but he answered her anyway. “Yes. I’m Morgan Robinson. You’re Anna Hayes. I’m so sorry that you were hurt. I did the best I could in getting to you as quickly as I could.” She asked him if he’d saved her. “Yes. My dad, you reached him first and he had no idea where you were. I figured out I was right down the hall. May I sit down?”

“No, you’re not staying.” Morgan smiled and sat anyway. “That sister-in-law of yours, Rogen, have you talked to her yet? She’s got some intel on me that might make you wan

t to run in the other direction.”

“I doubt it. I’m a dean of studies at the college.” She twirled her finger in the air like it was no big deal to her. “And no, I’ve not spoken to Rogen. And if she had something on you, I really don’t care. Whatever it is, we can work it out.”

“Look, mister. I don’t want you in my life where I have to be your slave to everything you want. I’m here to go to college and try to make something of myself.” He nodded. “Are you addled?”

“Not that I’m aware of. I am rattled, however. Ever since I saw you there on the floor, all I can think about was I’m glad that I could save you.” She snorted at him. “Such a pessimist. I was glad that I was able to save you for yourself. And me. But that was later, of course.”

“You’re a dumbass.” Morgan was delighted with her. She was sour and bossy. Anna was not afraid to say what the thought, and she was Morgan’s. Forever. “Look. I’m not even a full-blooded tiger. I can tell that you more than likely have had tigers in your family for generations upon generations. I’m not—”

“What are you studying in school?” He knew that he’d thrown her off. Good, he thought, her scent was driving him crazy as well. “I was teaching finance, but I’ve been promoted recently and given a nice corner office.”