Territory - Prequel (12 page)

He didn’t respond at first and she wondered if he’d even heard her.  “I don’t want you to either.”

“My mother loved Donnie very much.  So did I.”

“
We loved Mace in equal measure.  But…”

When he failed to continue she turned to frown at him.

“The sins of our brothers are no reflection on us Chloe.”

“Us as in you and
your family
,
or us as in you and I?”

He looked at her.  “You and I.”

Anger flared to life. 
Donnie hadn’t sinned.  H
e was just trying to protect what was his! 
“If Mace had stayed away from Beverly, everything would’ve been fine.”

“You don’t understand.”

The truck pulled to a halt in front of her mother’s house.  “Well make me understand.”  She spun on him, “Explain it so that my little brain can understand why Mace wasn’t in the wrong.  Why it’s okay to sleep with another man’s wife.  Why it’s okay to kill him over something that is rightfully his!”

“It’s complicated.”

Chloe reached down and jerked on the door handle, “It’s not really.  You’re brother took what belonged to mine, and now they’re both dead for it.”  She climbed down from the truck and turned to glare up at him, “Pretty fucking simple to me!”  She slammed the door and walked as straight as she could to her mother’s front door.

***

“Fuck!” Dell growled as he ground the steering wheel between his two hands and watched Chloe disappear into her mother’s house.  She’d extended an olive branch, and he’d screwed it up.
 
I should’ve just kept my fucking mouth shut!
 

His night had gone from bad to worse as it had progressed. 
First, he’d met his pack mates at the bar to watch some MMA.  He knew it was a bad idea from the jump. 
It didn’t take much for
drunken
men watching fights to think they all were suddenly scrappers too.  He and his pack had been asked to leave after Briggs had beaten three men into oblivion.  Dell had simply watched, enjoying the spectacle, but that didn’t prevent the owner from eighty-sixing him as well. 

Then, driving home, he’d
seen Chloe exiting the new Irish pub.  He’d pulled to a stop to watch her when that man had attacked her.  His grip tightened on the steering wheel and it creaked under the pressure as he remembered the terror on her face.  Even now, his wolf stirred at the memory.

He eyed the house one last time before turning and heading home. 
A few blocks from her house, Dell snatched up the bloody kerchiefs she’d left on the passenger seat and tossed them out his window.  For some reason, the scent of her blood had his boiling.  He kept playing over and over the sight of the man grabbing her from behind and the fear on her face.  He took deep calming breaths in an attempt to soothe his wolf. 
Nothing even happened
, he chastised himself.  But both he and his wolf knew that had he not shown up, things could have been very bad.

“What is she even doing out this late?” His angry eyes flashed to the rearview mirror, but her house was no longer in sight.
  He didn’t know this friend of hers, but decided instantly that she wasn’t a good one if she was willing to leave Chloe alone at a bar at, his eyes flashed to the clock on his dash, nearly two o’clock in the morning!  A growl rumbled from his lips and because he was alone, he didn’t try to stop it.

She said she doesn’t want to hate my family
.  God, why didn’t I just stay quiet!
  He frowned at the dark highway,
I should’ve said, ‘Then don’t.’ 
His growl grew louder,
Why didn’t I
think of that then?

He remembered the way she’d avoided his touch when he’d tried to help her up.  It was actually painful for him the few times he’d touched her and he wondered if she’d felt it too. 
Or is she avoiding touching me because she hates me?
  Maybe it was the medicine she was using on him.  Hell, he didn’t know
what her problem was.

He tried to force himself from thinking of her, but his wolf was awake and ready to fight, and Dell knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that he was in for one long sleepless night.
  He already thought about her too much, and with every encounter his desire for her grew. 
Desire?!
  He reached up and punched the dash when he realized that desire is exactly what he felt.

Chapter
11

“Not
Briggs.  Have Pony do it,” Dell snapped impatiently
causing Stevie to jump
.
 

Pony, a cousin of Dell and Briggs was mated to Stevie.  Both were shifters and both were strongly tied to the pack.

Cindy smiled apologetically at
Stevie who looked
on the verge of tears.  “It’s alright
Stevie. 
I’ll take care of it.”

Stevie nodded once before rushing from Dell’s office.

Cindy had been running interference for Dell’s cranky attitude for the past nine days.  Unfortunately, his outlook only seemed to be worsening.

“You didn’t have to bark at her.”

“I didn’t bark,” he growled without looking up from the paperwork
at his desk.

“You’re right.  It was more of a snarl.”

“Cindy…” Dell cautioned.

She eyed him, wondering if he’d thought about Chloe at all over the past several days.  She was dying to know, but was unwilling to broach the subject lest it remind him of what she was hoping he’d forget. 
“Michael and I were wondering if you’d like to join us for dinner on Saturday.” 

Dell didn’t stop working, “No.”

“You don’t even know where we’re going.”

“And I don’t care.  I still remember the last time
I joined you two
for dinner.”

Cindy grabbed her chest in feigned shock, “Brother,” she gasped, “are you implying that you did not enjoy yourself?”

“I’m not implying anything,” there was humor in his tone, “I’m flat out telling you.”

“She wasn’t that bad,” Cindy challenged.

Dell shook his head with a wince, “She was.
  No more blind dates.
”

“It doesn’t hurt anything to at leas
t date.  Have a one night fling.  G
et laid.”

He frowned up at his sister offering a sarcastic, “Nice.”

“Well!”  She jabbed a finger towards him, “You’re going to need to start looking.  It’s not good to have a mate-less A
l
pha.”

“It’s dangerous to have a mated one,” he countered.

“That’s so archaic and you know it.  No one would dare challenge you let alone try to harm your mate to hurt the pack.  It hasn’t happened in…I can’t even remember
the last time it occu
r
red
.”

Dell slammed down his pen, “Has it escaped you that I’m trying to work here?”

Cindy wordlessl
y
grabbed a stack of paperwork from his desk when her ears picked up an approaching vehicle.  She tensed and her eyes flicked to Dell who was already halfway to the window.

“Finally!” he
rumbled turning quickly.  “Mama’s home.”

Shit! 
She chased quickly on Dell’s heels as he strode quickly down the long hall, through the kitchen, then out the back door.

Mama’s cherub-like cheeks glowed with a pink hue as she smiled her greeting.  She had just gotten out of her SUV when her feet stuttered to a halt and her smile faded.  She lifted her head and took a slow breath in through her nose.  “What’s wrong?”

Cindy rushed out the back door and slammed into Dell’s back shouting over his shoulder, “Nothing!  Welcome back.  How was it?  Is Aunty Connie doing well?”

Mama ignored her and frowned up at Dell, “What’s wrong?” she demanded.

“We need to talk.” Dell took her bag and ushered her inside.

Mama led the way heading straight for the office, not even bothering to remove her coat.  Inside she turned and eyed Dell anxiously, “Well?”

Dell approached and grabbed her coat, helping her ease her arms from the sleeves before he folded it over the back of a chair and extended his arm indicating that she should sit.  He knew she’d refuse if he didn’t start talking.  “What do you know of the Lott family?”

“I know much,” she pursed her lips frowning up at Dell as she took a seat, “be more specific.”

Once Mama sat Dell crossed to lean on the edge of his desk, crossing his thick arms across his chest.  “Are they medicine people?”

Mama frowned, “No.”

“Do they have ties to medicine people?”

Cindy, who’d been standing silently by the door interrupted, “Dell we shouldn’t bother Mama with this now, she’s exhausted.”  Cindy smiled tensely at her mother, “Don’t you want
to
take a
nap?”

Mama frowned at Cindy,
knowing she was trying to be a distraction.
“
Son, what’s going on?”

Dell sighed and dropped his arms, turning to frown out the window.  “I think Chloe Lott has been using medicine on me.”

Mama’s eyes
widened
and she
slowly stood pointing a finger at Cindy.

“Mama!” Cindy hissed, “It’ll only end badly.  Think of Mace.”

“It’s not your place to decide young lady!”  Mama
shook her finger at Cindy and
turned then grabbing her son’s hand.  “Dell, Chloe isn’t using magic on you son.
  She’s done nothing wrong.”

Dell could sense his mother’s fear that he’d harm Chloe for what she’d done to him. 
“I don’t want to hurt her.” Dell’s tone was accusatory.

Mama grinned, “Of course you don’t, nor could you.  It’d be impossible for you to harm your most valued gift.”

His brows knitted, “Valued gift?  What in the hell are you talking about?”

“Don’t!” Cindy tried to intervene but only succeeded in earning herself disapproving frowns from both Mama and Dell.

When she looked back to Dell,
Mama’s eyes lit with a fire
as her lips spread in wide smile, “S
on, s
he’s your mate
.
”

Taking a step back, he visibly
paled.  “
What? 
You’re wrong.”

“I’m not wrong
.  If you stop and listen for a moment, you’ll feel her.”  Mama lifted a fragile knuckle to rap it on Dell’s solid chest
just above his heart
.  “Right there.  Still yourself son
.
”
Mama leaned closer
and closed her eyes with a smile.  “Listen.  D
o you feel her?”

Dell didn’t still.  He stepped away from his mother’s touch.  “It’s medicine.  She’s fooling you.”

Mama
’s eyes flew open and her cheeks flamed with indig
n
a
t
ion
, “If anyone’s the fool here it’s you.”  Then she jabbed a finger in Cindy’s direction.  “Her too.  She’s been lying to you to protect you
.”

Dell turned a scowl on his sister.  “It’s forbidden.  A pack member cannot intentionally deceive their Alpha.”

In response Cindy dipped her head.  “I would gladly take the punishment for such offense if it kept you from harm.”

“You admit it
?
” Dell challenged.

Her words were
strong with conviction
, “I deceived my Alpha to protect my brother.”  She
held his gaze
and
jutted
her chin defiantly
,
“I’d do it again.”

Dell stood frowning at her, unsur
e how to react.  He c
ould punish her.

“
Son, what matters h
ere is what is happening to you. 
F
or
you.
  You’ve been gifted with your mate.  You need to claim her.”

“Claim her?  I can’t claim
her.
”  He turned and stomped to the window leaning heavily on the sill.
 
“
She hates us.  All of us,
most especially me!
”

“She’ll forgive you…”

“No!  She won’t.” He
stood and
shoved an angry hand into his hair.  “We’re not discussing this.  She is not my mate and there will be no claiming.”

Mama tensed.  “Your
wolf has decided.  It cannot be
undone
.  It is impossible.”

“Nothing is impossible!” Dell growled
furious
ly
turning to scowl at Mama
.  “
I
am the Alpha and I’ll decide my
own
fate.  I am finished discussing this, it’s not to be addressed again.”