TerrIIItory (13 page)

Chapter 24

She’s back!  She’s back!  She’s back!
  Bethany danced merrily in a tight circle, catching glimpses of her white fur.

It had been two days since Royce had extracted the venom and Evander mated her fully, and in that time, her body had fully healed.  She’d felt her wolf’s presence almost immediately, but had been too fearful to hope until now.

God, she’d missed her wolf!  Hazel eyes jerked up to Evander where he stood in a daze staring down at her.  She back peddled a second at his look, and fear hit her. 
“What’s wrong?”
  Now fully mated, her words carried to him easily through their newly formed pack ties.

Evander, the man, still stood slack-jawed, staring at her. 
“My God!”

She tensed, waiting for the bad news.

“You’re…  You’re fucking beautiful, baby!”

Relief swamped her, and her eyes crinkled in her show of a wolf’s smile.  She knew her wolf was beautiful.  A rare white wolf, with pristine fur, not a speck of color marred her satiny, thick coat.

“Run with me, Kane!”
she pleaded, ignoring his compliment.

Evander smiled and descended the stairs.  The sun was just setting, and soon it’d be dark.  Perfect for welcoming her wolf home.  A night run through her new territory, her new home.

Bethany felt a surge of power seconds before Evander dropped down beside her in his wolf form.  The large, black wolf that prodded her with his nose, rubbing his neck against her and licking at her ears, was a stark contrast to her own.  Where her wolf was pale and slight, Evander’s was black as pitch and large, even for a shifter.  His coat thickened around his shoulders, giving him an added bulk that made him look more ferocious than any wolf she’d ever seen, but she wasn’t frightened.  No, this wolf who was marking her fur with his scent belonged to her, and she to him. 

She nipped at one of his paws and he jumped back, startled, before lowering his head to eye her playfully.  When his wolf lunged at her, she dropped low and rolled to her back exposing her throat in an instinctual show of submission.  Instead of charging playfully, Evander’s wolf began sniffing his mate before licking at her muzzle.

Bethany whined as she quickly rolled to her side, then got back to her feet.  Shaking her coat once, she pounced toward him, lowering her shoulders to stare up at him with honey-colored eyes. 
“Run with me!”

“I’ll show you around.  Then I’ll call the pack for a full run.”

She knew what he meant.  Every pack would introduce a new member with a full pack run.  It gave their wolves a chance to become familiarized, while also showing them that she now held post beside the Alpha. Not as strong as the Beta, but definitely more significant in role.

Unable to wait any longer, Bethany yipped then raced off with her Alpha fast behind her.  Only his mate could get away with taking lead from him, and she did so excitedly, throwing a mischievous grin over her shoulder.  There was no way she could outrun him, and she wasn’t trying.  She wanted to be chased, and his wolf happily complied.

Bethany ran her wolf hard.  Her eyes narrowed on the path in front of her as she reveled in the feel of the Earth pounding beneath her paws.  Scents assailed her.  Pine, crisp leaves, fresh creek water, and packed Earth were at the fore of her nose, but when the wind picked up and blew up from behind her, she slowed to a stop.  The musk of her mate had her halting in mid-run.  Her wolf needing what the woman had already experienced, a true claiming.

Evander slowed behind her and came up to bump her side, breathing hard.  It wasn’t from the exertion.  No, his wolf was in its prime.  The lack of air was from his wolf’s need.

Bethany circled him, coming up on her hind legs to rub hard against him.  She wanted her mate marked with her scent as well, and they both knew the best way to do it.  Female pheromones filled the air around Evander as she circled him.  His wolf wouldn’t be able to resist, and she didn’t want him to.  His dark snout bumped under her belly, trying to get to the source of the scent.  She circled him again and nipped at his ear, jerking his attention up.  Turning, she presented herself to him, and his wolf didn’t wait.

Evander mounted her, and the joining of their wolves was just as meaningful as the joining of their human forms.  Sharp teeth bit into her fur, though it wasn’t painful.  It was a show of his wolf’s dominance, and Bethany accepted it.  Short minutes later, he was locked inside her, and Bethany tensed.  Only mated wolves ever coupled in this form, so she’d never experienced the pressure of being locked together.

“Easy, baby.” 
Evander crooned, settling over her and waiting for the swelling to subside.

Bethany whined and tugged tentatively, which earned her a hiss from the man and a firmer bite from his wolf. 
“Baby, don’t make me call the pack out now for a full run.”

Her head jerked round and slitted eyes narrowed on his. 
“You wouldn’t dare!”

He laughed.
“Pull again, and I just might.”

Her wolf slowly shook her head, but her pointed look relaxed.

“Plus, that feels too good.  If you want the swelling to go down, you’ve got to be still or I’ll be stuck inside you for weeks.”

Looking forward, she did her best to be still until, finally, Evander was pulling free of her.

“Aaaaah, fuck baby.  You’re going to be the death of me.  You know that, right?”

She couldn’t help but smile to herself.  Her wolf smiled too, satisfied that they’d been claimed and that their mate now wore their scent.

“You ready?”
he asked, and she could already hear the pounding of paws approaching.  The pack was coming.

As they got closer, Clay’s hoot and Swan’s squeal were clearly heard through the pack ties. 
“Congratulations, you two!
”  Raina piped in and when the pack burst into the clearing, Bethany was surprised to find it so easy to tell them apart.  Raina was easy.  Her wolf’s vibrant red coat perfectly matched her hair.  Of course, the large, scarred gray wolf beside her was Lincoln.  Clay’s sandy-colored coat was the lightest of them all, and Swan’s fur was nearly a perfect match for Evander’s, although her wolf was much smaller.  Mateo’s wolf was shocking.  Unlike the rest, he resembled an Indian Wolf with his reddish-brown coat and extremely short fur.  She made a mental note to ask Evander later about Mateo’s origin.

Finally, an unfamiliar stepped into the clearing and had Bethany’s gaze searching out her mate.  The bulk of this black wolf was massive.  Nearly double Evander’s size, and with his shaggy coat, he looked feral.

“Bethany,”
Evander nudged her side and stepped forward. 
“This is my brother, Barron.  He’s home for a
visit
.  Barron, this is
my
mate.”

She could feel the Alpha authority emanating from the wolf and, afraid to speak, Bethany simply nodded at the wolf.

“Pleasure to meet you.”
Barron tilted his head.

The wolves circled around the Alpha pair, but were careful to give Bethany a wide berth—especially the males.  Barron stepped back and waited.

Evander would be at his most aggressive in this form, and any attempt by a male to even touch Bethany would be considered an attempt to claim her.

“Well, you ready to see if you can keep up with the pack?”
Mateo chided, drawing her gaze from Evander’s scary brother to the beautiful Indian Wolf.

She smiled.  He looked like he’d run a good race.  She’d see about that.  Without a word, Bethany dashed off and the pack jerked to life, quickly giving chase.  Evander flanked her and pushed hard to pass, which he did. 

Show off!
  Mateo and Clay soon passed her, and Lincoln did as well.  She noted absently that Weston wasn’t among them, and she prayed he was being good to Charin.

Out of nowhere, Barron barreled by in a flash of fur.  His speed was so great that Bethany slowed to watch the unbelievable grace and agility of the Alpha.

“Come on, slow poke.”
Swan squealed as she raced by.

Bethany was falling behind, but it was to be expected.  Her wolf was newly emerged.  That, combined with her and Evander’s mating and their initial run, had weariness tugging at her body.

Raina slowed beside her. 
“You okay, Beth?”

“I’m perfect!”
she exclaimed, feeling happy for the first time in a very long time. 
“Don’t wait for me.  Show ‘em what you got, girl!”
  There was a flash of red fur and then Raina was gone.

Slowing to a walk, Bethany let the cloak of happiness settle over her.  She was mated, and she belonged.  Making things even better was the fact that Charin would be joining their pack.  It was almost too much to believe.  She’d been claimed by the Alpha, and for the first time since their parents died, Bethany and Charin would belong to a true pack.  She knew she should broach the subject of Bobby and Marcus joining the pack with Evander, but if Weston was mating Charin, then it was a foregone conclusion.  Charin
always
got her way.

Bethany’s paws stuttered, and she took a knee to shift back to human form as the crunch of leaves signified someone’s approach.  She wanted to thank Evander for claiming her, and for accepting her while the emotion was fresh in her heart.

A figure stepped forward.

“Evander, I just wanna say…”  Her words cut off when something stung her behind her right shoulder.  A sharp intake of breath and her hand slapping up to the site of the pain had her stilling and her wolf lunging to the fore.  This was familiar.  This had happened before.

Inside, her wolf snarled and raged, demanding to be released even as their shoulder throbbed and the drugs pumped through their system thanks to her now frantically beating heart.  Fear-filled eyes jerked up, and Bethany did the only thing she could before darkness consumed her.  She
screamed
!

Chapter 25

Weston paced in the hall just outside his own bedroom door.  Charin was inside, and she was still pissed.  He’d apologized a thousand times and still, nothing.  It’d been days, and no matter what he tried, he couldn’t seem to get her to forgive him, let alone accept him as her mate.  His wolf was restless too, and the more days that passed, the more his wolf demanded that he just storm the room and claim her.

He was worried that he’d truly injured her, and it was the reason she was having a hard time getting over the fact that he’d stabbed her.  Several examinations by Clay proved that he was wrong.  Charin was healing fine, and there would be no residual damage from the sliver except the occasional thigh cramps, which would pass in time.

“Pretty girl,” he cooed from outside the door.  “The pack has taken Bethany on her first pack run.  You sure you don’t wanna join?”

When silence reigned, he pressed an ear to the door to see if he could hear movement.  A pain-filled explosion of sound hit the door and jarred him as something crashed into it from the other side.

“I can’t run, you idiot!  Your pack healer said to give my leg a rest!”

Shit!
  “Let me take you outside at least.  You’ve been cooped up for days.”

Silence again.  He turned with a huff about to go back downstairs with his tail between his legs when the door jerked open.  He turned to find Charin scowling up at him from the crack in the door. 

It was the first time she’d opened up for him, so he laid it on thick.  “It’s a beautiful day!  And it’s not good for your wolf to be stuck inside.  A little bit of fresh air would do you both good.”  He laid his hand on the door, and elation soared when she let him slowly inch it open.

Swan had loaned her some clothes, and today she was adorable in a flower-print dress cinched at the waist with a brown belt.  A short jean jacket covered her arms, while a small pair of tan cowboy boots adorned her feet.  Her dark hair was braided neatly, and her scowl faltered a moment when she challenged.  “We can’t walk far!”

“I know, pretty girl.”  He took a chance and reached down, stealing her hand as he led her down the hall.  Her pace was slow, and he worried that her thigh was still too sore.  When they got to the top of the stairs, he didn’t ask before turning and lifting her effortlessly.  She gasped, but didn’t protest, and when she wrapped her arms around his neck, he took much longer getting down the stairs than needed.  Inside, his wolf pranced giddily as he nudged at Weston, wanting the man to see that they were holding their mate. 
I know!  Stupid wolf!

At the landing, he couldn’t bring himself to set her down, so he carried her to the front door, inhaling the sweet honeysuckle scent that was uniquely hers.

“I can walk!” she snapped.

“I know, but I don’t want to wear you out.” 
Oh yes we do!
His wolf objected and he had to hide a grin.

“What are you smiling about?” she turned to question.  Her breath brushing across his lips had his feet slowing.

“Just how much I want you,” he responded honestly and his smile broadened at her blush.

She shifted uncomfortably in his arms.  “You don’t even know me.”

The front screen door banged closed behind them as he carried her down the front steps and away from the house toward the tree line.  Late fall had crisp leaves crunching under his booted feet as the sun battled low in the sky for its previously claimed zenith.  The sharp threat of winter hung in the air and tingled at the nose, but the filtered sun’s rays cut back the chill just enough to make it a rather enjoyable day.

“So tell me,” he stalked deeper into the woods.  “Tell me what I need to know about you.”

She shrugged and kept her attention focused ahead of them.  “There’s nothing to tell.”  She struggled in his hold.  “You can put me down now.”

Reluctantly, Weston did as she requested.

“Tell me about yourself.” He tried to distract his wolf from the loss of her presence in his arms.

“Well,” she limped forward, and he stayed close at her side in case she faltered.

They walked for twenty minutes while Charin told him her history.  She relayed the story of her and Bethany’s parents, and the demise of their pack.  She spoke of their closeness, and Bethany’s sudden disappearance.  She’d just begun talking about her reluctance to settle down when she stumbled.

Weston caught her around the waist and hauled her up in his arms.  Charin sucked in her breath on a hiss, and he rushed to a fallen tree to place her on it before jerking her skirt up to look at her thigh.

“Just a cramp,” she moaned, clearly in pain.

“Easy.” He rubbed, pushing hard into the muscle from her knee toward her hip.  “Shit!  We walked too long.  I’m sorry, Charin.”

“It’ll pass.”  Her tone was evening out, some of the strain leaving her.  “I’ll be fine in a minute.”

He continued to massage her thigh, hoping the friction would ease her discomfort even as the pain of his hand on her skin jolted him.  “Damn it, pretty girl.”  He lifted sad eyes to hers.  “I’m
so
damn sorry for hurting you.  If I could take it back.  If I could change things…”  He shook his head.  “I know you don’t trust me, and I know it’s my fault, but you can’t deny that there’s something between us.  Hell, it’s more than just ‘something.’”  He let his wolf flash through and show in the amber color of his eyes.  “You
are
mine, Charin, and I intend to have you.  I know it’s not what you want, but…”

She blinked at him.  “Who said it’s something I don’t want?”

***
 

Part of Charin was worried about mating Weston, but another part of her, the female part, was curious.  Weston was gorgeous, and if she mated him she’d join his pack, which meant that she’d be near Bethany.  Her wolf bayed at her to let them be claimed, but she wouldn’t make it easy.  “I didn’t say I was opposed to it.”

Shock morphed his handsome features.  “You said you were reluctant to settle down.”

She shrugged.  “Well, if the right guy came along.”

That had his eyes flashing angrily.  “
I’m
that guy.
I
came along!”

“You stabbed me in the fucking leg!” she barked.  “Am I supposed to just throw myself into your arms?”

“Pretty girl, I’m…”

She cut him off.  “
And
you just left Bobby and Marcus.  They’re my…”

It was his turn to cut her off as his eyes darkened dangerously, and he snarled. “Just. What.  Is this fucking Bobby to you?”

She tensed, and when her wolf scented his jealousy, she yipped in glee.  No one had ever been jealous over her before.  For a moment, she considered tormenting him, but when he collared her throat, she relaxed into the masculine dominance of it with a feminine sigh of appreciation.

After a few tense moments she relented. “He’s my brother!”

***

Weston tensed, and the wolf left his eyes, leaving the man blinking at her and their position as if just now realizing.  One hand collared her throat, and he leaned into her; his body insinuated between her parted thighs while one hand was still up her skirt, resting on her thigh.  Resting, and no longer sending jolts of pain coursing through him.  His fingers flexed on her thigh, and he swore she moaned.  Unsure, he narrowed his eyes on her, searching for a sign.  When her legs parted further, his wolf lunged and Weston wasn’t prepared.  One minute Charin was inviting them, the next he was all over her.  His mouth crashed into hers, and both his hands slid high up her skirt to fist the whisper of satin at her hips and tear.  It took the man only seconds to realize the wolf was in control, and he was about to force him back down when he realized that Charin
wasn’t
fighting him.

Her small hands sifted through his hair, and she moaned into the kiss, but when she lifted one leg to wrap it over his hip, all bets were off.  Neither man nor beast could hold back.

Weston didn’t break the kiss as he reached between their bodies to rip open the front of his pants.  He was harder than he’d ever been, and in one fell swoop. he had her skirt lifted as his cock probed the mouth of her pussy.  It was easy to slide home.  Their mate was ready for them.  Warm, wet bliss enveloped him and he had to break their kiss just to breathe.

Charin released him to jerk off her jacket and then her finger made quick work of the buttons down the front of her dress.  Short seconds later she was bare, and he drank in the sight of her creamy, dark skin.  One hand grabbed a large breast even as his hips continued to work into her.  She shimmied out of her dress, and he nearly erupted at the sight.  He was fucking into his mate as she sat naked on the log wearing nothing but her cowboy boots, hiked high on his hips.  Her gasps and soft mewls drove him to fuck her hard.

Weston’s eyes slid down to the dark curls that shielded her pussy, and he watched as his dick pounded into her.  Her sex creamed around him, aiding his entry and her tight channel suddenly seized.  Charin tensed, and he watched in amazement as her mouth parted in a silent ‘O’ as her body shuddered, shoulders hunching inward and the dusky tips of her swollen breasts beaded in the fall chill. He continued to struggle against her seizing channel, chasing his own release.

One last look down was all it took.  The sight of her pussy devouring him had him slamming home one last time as he shot his seed deep inside her womb.  He gripped the globes of her ass to slide her from the log until the only thing holding her up was his dick impaled into her tight pussy while his hands locked on her hips.

Charin screamed his name. “WES…WESTON!”

He snarled, “MINE!”