Terr4tory (12 page)

Chapter 22

Hours later, Willa had her pack settled.  Everyone was distraught, and she had nothing to offer them except that they should be grateful for the time they’d had with Barron.  To her shock, all of the children were taking the arrival of Evander exceptionally hard.  Jase and Sarya were practically inconsolable, and she understood just how they felt.

When she finally joined Barron and Evander’s pack in the kitchen, she felt wiped.  It was late, and to her relief Cortez and Keryn had done their part.  The kitchen had been cleaned, and empty plates and half-filled glasses now sat on the table in front of their guests.

“Did everyone get enough to eat?” she asked by way of greeting.  As she approached, Barron, Evander, and Weston all stood.

Evander’s mate, Bethany, was the first to respond.  “It was delicious, Alpha Hutchinson.  I haven’t had barbecue that good in ages.”

“Please, call me Willa.” She took a seat beside Barron and when she sat, the males around the table followed suit.

“So good in fact,” Barron slung an arm around her shoulders, “that we’re doing it again tomorrow.”  He turned to her. “If that’s okay.  Tonight they’ll sleep in the woods, and then I figured we’d have a feast before everyone hits the road late tomorrow night.”

Willa nodded, trying to swallow down her dismay. 
‘Before everyone hits the road.’
  How could he be so casual about leaving?  Like nothing had happened between them, like she wasn’t madly in love with him, and like her heart wasn’t breaking into a million pieces.  “Sounds fine.”  She knew her voice sounded brittle, but there was nothing for it.

Barron squeezed her shoulders.  “You okay?”

“Yeah.” She cleared her throat and lifted a hand to her forehead.  “Just wiped.”

“It must be exhausting,” the beautiful, dark-skinned Charin spoke up.  “I’ve never seen a pack with so many young ones.  Barron says none of them are yours?”

“No.” Willa smiled sadly.

“Well.” Charin huffed out an exaggerated breath.  “You’re doing a phenomenal job.”

“Thanks.”  Slowly Willa stood, and again the males followed suit.  “Alpha Kane,” she focused on Evander.  “I can never thank you enough for all that you’ve done for my pack.”

“Speak nothing of it,” he offered.  “Garner and I were friends.  I was glad we could help.”

“My apologies for Jase’s outburst.”

“No apology needed for that.  Barron says you’ve had several challengers.  It’s understandable that your pack’s on edge, especially the little ones.”

If you only knew
.  “Well, accept my apologies then for the early night.  Let’s do breakfast at eight?”

“Eight sounds perfect.”

She made to step away, but Barron caught her arm and bent his head to hers.  “Hey.”  His concern was evident.  “You okay?”

“Fine,” she murmured.  “Just tired.”

He cupped her cheeks and kissed her long and soft before pulling back.  “I’ll be up soon, beautiful.”

Quickly she nodded, then turned away as tears flooded her eyes. 
God, I’m going to miss him!

As she made her way to their room, she vowed to feign sleep when he finally came up to bed.  She knew there’d be no hope for any real rest tonight; regardless, she refused to torture herself with one last night of ecstasy.  Part of her wanted to enjoy one last night with her faux-mate, but she knew it’d only hurt more to watch him go tomorrow if she did.  No, she’d shared her last bit intimacy with Barron when he’d kissed her goodnight.

***

The next day Barron was on edge.  Something was wrong with his pack and his mate. She’d pretended to be asleep when he’d finally gone to bed last night, and knowing she was beat from dealing with Sarya, Becca, and Jase, he’d permitted it.  Breakfast was odd as well.  Willa barely looked at him, and none of the kids really ate.  The distraction of Evander and the other guests was the only thing that kept Barron from calling a pack meeting to find out what in the hell was going on.

By the time evening came, Barron’s nerves were razor fucking thin.  Willa had openly avoided him all day, and part of him couldn’t help but wonder if Evander’s arrival didn’t have something to do with it.  Did she have feelings for his brother?

He was just about to step away from the grill and the steaks he was supposed to be cooking when Evander approached and clapped him on the back.  “It’s good to see you alive again brother.”

Barron rolled his shoulder, removing Evander’s hand without looking at him.  “It’s good to be alive.”

“Any word on Delano?” Evander asked, voice filled with humor.

Barron growled. “He came through.”

Evander didn’t even bother to hide his glee.  “Just came through?”

“I had only just mated her.” Barron jerked his head toward Willa.  “He came through, and I made sure he kept going.”  His eyes stayed fixed on Willa, and he wondered what she was thinking when she cast a glance his way and he saw sorrow flash in her expression as she watched him with his brother.  He didn’t even bother excusing himself as he crossed to her.

“And it’s been good talking to you,” Evander shouted at his back sarcastically.

Stepping up to Willa, Barron waited for Evander’s mate, Bethany, to finish speaking before he snagged Willa’s hand and offered a polite, “Excuse us.”

“Uh, sure.” Bethany waved.  “It was nice talking to you, Willa.”

Willa threw a wave over her shoulder as she tried to brace herself for what she knew was coming.  She was rehearsing her goodbye in her head as Barron tugged her into the woods, stopping where they could still see the rest of the packs milling around the back yard.

She tried to sound flippant.  “What’s up?”

“Tell me what’s wrong.”

“What makes you think something’s wrong?”  She pulled her hand from his and crossed to a tree, turning to lean a shoulder into it as she eyed the barbecue and her pack as they chatted good-naturedly with Evander’s.  Taking a long draw from her beer, she had to grip the bottle hard to keep her hand from trembling.

“You and the pack have been off since Evander arrived. I know something’s wrong, beautiful.”

She snorted.  “You should probably stop calling me that now.”

“And why would I do that?”

“You’re leaving, right?”

If he wasn’t mistaken, her eyes flooded with tears before she looked down and quickly blinked them away.  Realization slammed into him like a freight train.  They thought he was leaving with Evander.

“I...”  She couldn’t look at him.  The thought of letting him go was crushing.  “I appreciate all you’ve done.  And I fully understand that it was something Evander sent you to do…”

He cut her off.  “First off, Evander is my younger brother.  He doesn’t
send
me anywhere.  And second.”  He stepped closer, reclaiming her hand.  “Stop.”  His brows speared down.  “I know what you’re doing,
beautiful
.”

Willa shrugged in an attempt at casualness.  “I’m thanking you.”  She licked her lips.  “And I’m letting you go.  I’m not going to try to keep you here out of some misguided sense of duty, Barron.  On your part or mine.”

“I’m not leaving.”

Her head snapped up.  “What?”

“I’m.  Not.  Leaving.”  His scowl broke, forming into a smile when his suspicions were confirmed by the scent of her relief.  “I like the idea of two Alphas, ready to claim their rightful territory and decimate anyone that stands in our way.  You don’t think I could walk away from this do you?”

“This?”  She looked at the pack.  “You mean being Alpha?”  How embarrassing.  For a moment, she thought he’d been about to profess his undying love for her. 
Idiot!

“Fuck the pack!  I’m talking about this.”  He lifted a hand and laid it gently over her heart.  “I didn’t know it could actually exist.”

Confused, Willa shook her head as she stared up at him, barely breathing.

His smile turned serious as he pinned her with dark, almost sad eyes.  “You’re the most loyal being on the face of the Earth, Willa Hutchinson.  Those under your protection, in your pack, are blessed with such fucking steadfast devotion that sometimes it’s hard for me to witness.  I know the weight of it, but I’ve never had the courage to grant it, and I’ve certainly never had the hope to believe in it…until you.”  He leaned forward, placing his forehead against hers and closing his eyes as he cupped the back of her neck.  “You’d kill for them, and you’d die for them.  And that’s something I want.”  He opened his eyes to look at her with such pleading that her heart actually clenched with the need to give him whatever it was he sought.

“I want you to covet me as you do them.  I want you to grace me with the same loyalty you’ve bestowed upon them.  And…I want you to
love
me, as you love them.  They’re blind to your sacrifices, and the honor of your faithfulness, but I’m not.  I’d never take it for granted, Willa.  I vow to never take
you
for granted.  If you could find it in your heart to accept me, I will spend the rest of my days proving my worth.”  He took a knee in front of her, and when Willa heard a gasp, she glanced over her shoulder to find both her and Evander’s packs had stopped what they were doing to watch as her Alpha did what he would do before no one else.

His next words were spoken with ferocity.  “Willa Hutchinson, you are my mate, and I am
never
letting you go.”  His expression softened as he gazed up at her. “But it’d honor me more than you know if you’d agree to become Willa Kane without me having to hog-tie you and drag you through the ceremony.”

Willa’s mouth slowly fell open.  “Are…are you asking me to
marry
you?”

“No.”  He shook his head.  “I’m
telling
you that you are going to marry me.  I’m just asking you to accept it.”

The smile that spread across his face was devilish and had Willa’s knees buckling.  Barron caught her and pulled her onto his knee.

“Is that a yes?”

Willa blinked repeatedly as she stammered, “I-I…”

“I love you,” he supplied, leaning forward to brush a kiss across her lips.  “Now say you’re mine before I have to go punch a hole through my brother for laughing at my sappy display.”

Holy shit!
 
Is this actually happening?
  Was Willa getting the good guy and a happy ending?  It was too good to believe.

“Willa.”  Barron warned on a growl.  “I can see your mind working, which means you’re about to overthink this.”

And she was. But how did she teach herself to take a chance?  She looked at him and knew he was her future.  He was what she wanted, and where she wanted to be.  With a slow nod she bit her lip and then released it.  “I accept your terms, Alpha Kane.”

He smiled as he gently collared her throat in one large hand.  “Glad to hear it, but there’s something else I need to hear before we go share the good news.”

Her wolf responded instantly to the dominant display, and she couldn’t help but be turned on.

“Say it,” he whispered, watching her lips intently.

She licked her lips and grinned at the rolling purr that rumbled forth from his chest.  “I love you, Barron Kane.  You are my Alpha.  And I…am all yours.”

He kissed her hard, but it didn’t last as long as he’d hoped.  Jase, Arden, Sarya, Becca, Keryn, and Cortez charged the duo to share in the celebration, and for the first time in many moons, the pack was whole.

THE END… ;o)

Ahhwooooooooooo! 

Exclusive Excerpt

Terr5tory

By

Susan A. Bliler

“I only count ten.  Who’s missing?”  Delano eyed the circle.  Just as he’d suspected, his first test had begun.  “Didn’t I command
all
wolves present?” he snarled.

Several pairs of eyes shot around the circle.  Most were indifferent, some actually appeared bored.  Someone whispered a name and murmurs began.  Suddenly, all looks turned to ones of genuine concern.  Good!  They should know that he’d be challenging the wolf that defied his order.

The hot-shot stepped forward and actually appeared repentant, “Alpha, we…”

“Oh,
now
I’m Alpha?”  He had to admit his curiosity was piqued.  Why was this punk suddenly so acquiescent?  Who in the hell was this wolf that was missing that he’d garner such worry from
his
pack?  Were they afraid for the missing wolf?  Or were they actually concerned for Delano’s safety?  He snorted derisively.  He was Alpha by action not appointment.  He’d fought to gain the title and he’d fight to keep it.

He picked up the sound of leaves crunching seconds before the pack’s eyes jerked behind him. 
Perfect!
  He’d get to mete out some punishment and show this unruly crew just who was boss by making an example of the tardy wolf, who for some reason seemed to evoke protective instincts in the pack.

He spun and lunged simultaneously just as several members of the pack shouted in unison, “NOOOOOO!”

His hand was clamped to the throat of the tardy wolf and he let his Alpha command surge with full force to the fore.  Lips peeled back, incisors elongated, and a vicious snarl rumbled from deep within his chest.  It took him several seconds to realize it wasn’t a male wolf challenging for dominance at all.  His hand was clutched in a death grip around the slender column of a satiny throat.  Still snarling, he let his wolves eyes drift up until they locked on the softest brown eyes he’d ever seen.  They weren’t light brown, they weren’t even hazel.  No, they were like crystalized cinnamon with flecks of green. 

Instinctively, his grip loosened, and his eyes dipped to watch petal pink lips part to suck in a deep breath.  To her credit, the wolf in his grasp didn’t struggle or attempt to fight back.  

“Let her go!  It’s Eleanor,” someone protested.

It got Delano’s hackles up.  The word Eleanor was spoken, not as if it were a name, but as if it were a revered position in the pack. 

The woman, Eleanor, lifted a hand and closed it around his wrist.  For a moment, he thought she’d fight.  Instead she began massaging his wrist with her thumb.  His hold loosened more until she was able to pull free from him.  Her shoulders instantly slumped and her free hand went to her throat as she coughed quietly.

“Eleanor!” a young female raced forward, scowling up at Delano as she passed.  “Are you okay?”

Eleanor cleared her throat and peeked up at Delano with a soft smile, “Fine.”

The rest of the pack stepped forward and all spoke at once, reaching for Eleanor to give her a quick hug or reassuring pat on the back. 

Unsure what to do with himself, Delano stepped back as the crowd gathered around the woman.  She spoke to the pack but kept her eyes on him.  Surprisingly, and annoyingly, he felt guilt bite for having grabbed her. 

After reassuring everyone that she was fine Eleanor held up a hand and the pack quieted.

“Riss, introduce me to our new Alpha.”

The female that had scowled at Delano earlier lifted her chin defiantly as she faced him.  “Eleanor…”  It was a sign of disrespect to him to be introduced second rather than first and the little stunt didn’t go unnoticed.  “This is Delano Bowden.  The new pack Alpha.”  The last sentence was spoken with clear disdain.

Eleanor turned to frown at Riss disapprovingly.  When she stepped forward, the pack parted and allowed her to walk up to Delano.  She extended her hand, “My apologies, Alpha Bowden.  I meant no disrespect with my tardiness.” 

She looked at him and he could see the truth in her words even as he accepted her hand and instead of shaking it, held on.