Territory - Prequel (29 page)

She thought of her mother and doubled over in the chair, her arms wrapping around her mid-section. 
Oh Ma!
Would her mother accept her for what she’d done, what she would become? 

The door opened and Chloe turned to frown with tear-filled eyes at Dell.

“Mama will bring food when it’s ready,” his words were quiet.

Ignoring him she turned her heated gaze back to the fire and slowly rocked her upper body back and forth. 
She refused to look at him when he approached and stood next to her.

“You can hate me Chloe.  You have the right to, but tonight
,
”  He
bent and picked her up.

She shoved at his chest and struggled in his arms, but he wouldn’t release her.

“Tonight you need me to be strong for you, to be here for you.”
  He stalked to the bed, “And that’s exactly what I’m going to do.”  He set her down and the bed sunk with his weight
when he settled onto the bed next to her
.

She tried to crawl away from him, but a large arm snaked around her waist and pulled her back into the solid wall of his
chest
.

Keeping his arm firmly around her, Dell
lay
behind her and pulled her into the warm cradle of his body.

Chloe tensed knowing she should get away from him, but she was terrified.

“Relax
love.”

Her teeth gnashed, “Love?”  She turned to scowl at him over a slender shoulder.  “So I’m your love now?”

Dell’s brows drew together and he grabbed her jaw gently, keeping her from turning away. 
“You’ve always been my love Chloe.  I just didn’t know it until now.”

She jerked her chin free of his grasp, “I don’t want your pity Dell.  Or your guilt.”

He rolled her onto her back and pinned her body under his.  Stormy
amber eyes darkened dangerously.  “I offer you neither.” 
He let his eyes rove her features before his
expression softened
.  He
lifted a thumb to swipe away one of her tears.  “I give you my love Chloe.”  His
eyes searched hers, “And wheth
er you want it or not, it is yours. 
All
my love, a
ll my heart
.”
  He dropped his head and gently kissed her lips.

Chloe sucked in a breath when his lips brushed hers.
  “Don’t.”  She turned her head and stilled when he growled.

“Look at me Chloe.”

She didn’t move.

“Look at me!” Dell commanded angrily drawing her eyes back to his.  “
There’s nothing I can do
about the change that’s going to happen, about what you’ll become
. 
But if you don’t want
me
Chloe, if you don’t want us.”  His words stalled as he drew in a shaky breath and dropped his eyes to her lips.  “I’ll accept your decision.  I won’t like it and I’ll try not to fight against it, to let you go, but for you,” his eyes found hers, “I’ll do it.”

Trembling under his weight, Chloe was shocked to see the emotion that glistened in his eyes.
“You’ll let me go.  Let me live my life in peace
?”

He dropped his eyes to her throat, “If that is what you want.”

“And
if I found another?”

His eyes snapped to hers and Chloe gasped at the rage in them.  “There will be no other.  Not now.  Not ever Chloe.  You may leave her
e
and choose to be away from me, but you will always be mine!”   His face inched closer to hers, “Don’t ever forget that!”

Chloe stared at his angry eyes before finally turning her head to stare out the window.  “I-I don’t know what I want Dell.  I might have chosen this,” she looked at him, “chosen you.
”  She swallowed hard, “But I wasn’t given a choice.  I don’t know what’s going to happen.  I’m scared and I’m worried for my mother.  I need to know what all
of
this means
.  W
hat’s going to happen to me?”

Sighing, Dell rolled her to her side and pulled her back until he was spooning her.  “It’ll be alright Chloe, I swear it.  Once the change takes place tonight, you’ll shift on the first full moon.”

“The ceremony?” she asked tremulously.

Dell stalled for a moment.  “
The ceremony Mama was referring to is a wedding ceremony.  Typically when a female is changed it is out of mutual affection.  Her wedding night marks her first steps into our world.”

Hugging her arms tighter to her body Chloe winced when the pain she’d suffered earlier slowly began to ebb its way back into her midsection.  “So what about us?”

He breathed heavily into her hair.  “You’ll still change, regardless.  It’ll be a different type of ceremony, a welcoming.”

“And then?”

“Then you’ll be one of us.  A member of our pack.  You’re expected to reside here at the compound, but
because of our circumstances I can permit you to reside offsite.”

“Permit me?” she couldn’t disguise the sarcasm in her voice.

“I am the Alpha Chloe.  You must comply with my commands.”

“Or what,” she bit out angrily, “you’ll kick me out of your pack?”

“No,” he rolled her again until she was staring up at him.  “I won’t need to.  As Alpha I can compel any member of my pack to do as I command.”

Delicate brows furrowed, “Compel?”

“Forget it,” he fell back against the bed and stared up at the ceiling.

“No,” Chloe rolled until she was hovering over him, “what do you mean
compel
?”

His eyes darted to hers then back to the ceiling.  “Induce.”

Her eyes widened, “You mean force?”

“Not the way your thinking.”
  He looked at her, “I’d never hurt you Chloe.”

“Then force how?”

“I’m the pack leader Chloe.  All members are required to obey
.”

She made to get up, but his hand on her arm stopped her.  “Let me get this straight.  I’m going to be a member to a pack where the Alpha can force me to do things that I don’t necessarily want to do?”  She twisted her arm, “Could you compel me to have sex with you?”  When he didn’t answer she prodded, “Dell?”

“I would never do that.”

“But you could?” she demanded angrily.

“It
could
be done,” he
got up and turned to tower over her as she sat perched on the edge of the bed, “but
I’d never do that to you Chloe.”

“Dell what do you expect me to…” her words died and she paled dangerously
.  Her hands clamped on her belly and she held her breath.

“CHLOE!”
  Dropping to his knees in front of her Dell grabbed her hands, “You’ve got to breathe through it baby.”

She shook her head and her hands clawed tighter into her belly.

“Breathe Chloe damn it!”

She sawed in a ragged breath and it was expelled just as quickly on a long moan.  Her fingers found his shoulder and clawed in the material of his shirt.  “Deeeeeeell?” 

Dell quickly got to his feet and lifted her from the bed.  He sat and cradled her on his lap while one hand rubbed fervently at her back.  “It’s gonna be okay.”  His eyes lifted and relief
swamped him when Mama entered carrying a tray of food.  The look of confusion on her face was disturbing.

Mama set the tray down on the dresser.  “She shouldn’t be this bad this soon.”  She approached and lifted a hand to Chloe’s cheek.  “Hmmm.”

“What?” Dell barked.  He stood
with Chloe still in his arms to pace the room as
he gently rocked
her
while she continued to moan.  “What does that mean?  What’s happening?”

Mama shrugged, “You’re the Alpha.  Things are always different with t
he Alpha.  Stronger, m
ore powerful.”

Dell cursed under his breath and looked at Chloe.  Her face was no longer ashen, but now highly flushed.  Sweat beaded on her forehead and her hands
,
still clamped at her belly
,
began to tremble.  “What do I do?”

“What I told you do to,” Mama crossed to the door and pulled it open, “help her change, or watch her suffer through it.”  She exited the room quietly, pulling the door firmly closed behind her.

Chapter 26

Dell’s eyes dropped to Chloe’s flushed features that were contorted in pain.  He wanted her, he always wanted her, but how did he convince her
that sex would ease her pain.  It sounded ridiculous and advantageous even to him. 

He turned sad eyes to the untouched tray of food.  He knew she’d need the strength the nourishment would provide, but now there was no hope of getting her to eat.  “Chloe, can you eat?”

She just moaned and lifted a trembling fist to ball it in the front of his shirt as she turned her head and panted against his chest.

Fuck! 
He crossed to the bed and tried to set her down, but her fist tightened in his shirt.

“No.”

“It’s okay baby,” he crooned, “I’m right here.  I’m not going anywhere.”

Chloe released her hand and Dell placed her on the bed.  She instantly curled into a tight ball, pulling her knees close to her chest. 

Dell ripped off his shirt while toeing off his shoes.  He quickly stripped then started removing Chloe’s shoes.  When he’d gotten her socks and shoes off, he used strong hands to rip the back of her shirt and began peeling it from her clammy skin.

“What are you doing?”

“Making you comfortable,” he lied.

Her hand clamped over her shirt at her breast to hold it in place.  “I’m cold.”

“You’re burning up love.”  He tugged on her shirt, “Trust me Chloe.”

She loosened her grip and allowed him to remove her shirt.
  He threw the tattered garment on the floor then rolled her to unfasten her jeans and
pulled
them from her legs. 

The fire still burned brightly in the hearth, so Dell crossed and flicked off the light casting the ro
om into a warm glow.  He peeled
back the
covers on the bed
and lifted Chloe to place her between the sheets before he climbed in beside her and pulled her into his arms.

Her slight form shivered and she cuddled closer to his warmth before she froze.  “Are you naked?”

He winced.  “Yes.”

Her confused eyes found his, “Why?”

He had to tell her.  “
Chloe, the transition is going to be difficult.  I can lessen your pain, if you let me.”

“What
?”

“I spoke with Mama.  She said you’re body needs…” he tightened his hold on her.  “
My DNA will quicken the transition.  The more of me you have, the easier it’ll be on you.”

She tilted her head to frown up at him.  Sweat beaded on her nose and forehead.  “DNA?”

His mouth lifted at one corner, but his eyes remained serious.  “We need to make love Chloe.  I need to claim you, mate you.”

She shivered and dropped her hea
d back to where it rested on his
arm.  “Is there another way?”

He couldn’t help the stab of rejection that pierced him.  “No.”

“Can we
wait?
  See if I can tough it out?”

“We can.” He pulled her closer and kissed the top of her head, “But know that if it gets too bad, I won’t ask your permission Chloe.  I’m not going to let you suffer when I can ease your pain.”

She merely nodded and drew in a deep breath.
  There was silence between them before she spoke.  “I’m sorry Dell.”

“For what?”

“For this.  For
what you’ll have to do if I’m not strong enough.  I don’t want you to have to take me that way, out of obligation.”

“It isn’t obligation Chloe, and I’m
looking forward to easing your pain.”  He quieted for only a moment.  “And
I’m
the one
who’s
sorry Chloe.  I should have prepared you
.  I should have
asked
you.”  While part of him felt guilt over his action
s
, the wolf within didn’t bother disguising his pure joy.  She was going to change tonight!  She was so close to being his that he could taste it. 
His
mate.  His!

***

Chloe had
dozed off from the exhaustion of fighting the change
. She’d struggled for hours
,
relegated to simply focusing on breathing to get through the worst of it.  Finally, her worn muscles had
relaxed when sleep had claimed her. 

P
ain tore through her abdomen
and forced her awake as
she sat bolt upright and gasped in agony.