Terr5tory (6 page)

Chapter 10

Jesus Christ, she was going to be the death of him. 
How?  HOW!  How is it possible that she isn’t claimed?
  Delano stalked down the hall and pounded down the stairs as fast as he could.  He had to get out of the house, away from her scent.  He needed to run, fast and hard!  He had to get the scent of her out of his nose and off of his tongue, or he was going to end up doing something he’d regret.

His tongue darted out and licked his lips, and he swore he could taste her.  He sucked in a deep breath through his nose, and it was a mistake.  Her scent still clung to him.  She smelled like pure moonlight and it was too much, too enticing.  He felt like he was being strangled with the need to have her.

On the porch, he shifted just as he palmed the railing and vaulted himself over.  Padded feet hit the Earth and then he was gone.  Paws dug deep as he used every muscle to force himself into a hard run.  If he couldn’t have her, he’d run her out of his system.

But why?
his wolf asked quietly in the back of his mind. 
Why
can’t
we have her?

Gritting his teeth, he pushed harder, forcing his wolf into a breakneck pace. 
Because we’ve already threatened to claim her!
  And he couldn’t stop remembering the look on her face or the scent of her terror as it exploded on the air when he’d made the threat.  Eleanor didn’t want to be claimed by him.

He attempted to justify his decision, to placate his wolf. 
She doesn’t want us.

His wolf wasn’t having it. 
An outsider grabbed her and threatened to force her submission.  Of course she didn’t want it then.  She didn’t know us.  She was afraid of us then.

He couldn’t argue with his wolf’s logic. It was true.  He had been a stranger who’d waltzed into camp and, within the first five minutes of meeting the pack, threatened her in front of her own pack.  It’d been bad form, but it was for a purpose.  A purpose he’d achieved, but at what cost to Eleanor?  She’d been scared and—he clenched his jaw at the realization now—
humiliated.
  Knowing her like he knew her now, she had to have been demeaned by his aggressive show.  Right in front of her pack, it had taken him less than a minute to prove that she didn’t have the power needed to protect them.  Self-loathing rose to the fore and had Delano pushing harder as the trees around him became a blur.

His paws pounded the Earth as he let his nose lead him.  It was easy now.  The pack perimeter once latched onto was easy to follow, and he did.  It wasn’t like home though.  Back in British Columbia their territory had been vast, but here in the Cherokee National Forest, they had to share the space with other packs.  It’s why pack perimeter had to be so clearly defined and guarded, to let others know the area was claimed.  He was getting used to it, but it still irked his wolf that they couldn’t have the whole forest.  As he ran, part of him wondered why he stayed.  If he went back home, he could reclaim his old Alpha pack’s territory and…
  And what?
  Evander, Barron, Gray, and Wren had all moved on, and one wolf didn’t make a pack.  Wolves needed pack.

Delano slowed to a stop.  Pack had nothing to do with it, and neither did this pitiful excuse for territory.  No, he stayed because he was going to help Eleanor get this shit straightened out.  Just the mere thought of her struggling alone had that undiluted moonlight scent punching him in the gut.  Funny that when he thought of her it evoked the same emotion as when he thought of his beloved British Columbia. 
Home.
 

Dropping under the shade of a tall pine, he heaved a sigh as he scanned the area, letting his breathing and heart rate slowly calm.  He had to admit, it felt good to be the sole Alpha of a pack, and of his own area.  He didn’t even care that Eleanor had warned that other shifters had been testing the lines.  He hoped they tried while he was here. 
Hope hell!
  He hadn’t had a true and proper fight since leaving British Columbia and he longed to test himself.

The warm summer breeze ruffled his fur and shook several berries from a Mountain Ash overhead.  He sniffed at the orange berries before dropping his head onto his paws.  Sunlight filtering through the branches above and the “chip-woo-woo” of the whippoorwills lulled him into a much needed sleep.

***

Delano’s dream was vivid.  Challengers were in his territory. They’d come for Eleanor.  His wolf wasn’t having it and neither was the man.  He was running, chasing the pack of miscreants from his territory and they howled in fear as they ran. 

“Ahhwooooooo!”

A grin split his wolf’s lips. 
Run!  And never come back.

“Ahhwoooooo!”

Mid-dream, the wolf’s call changed.  The cry from retreating cowards morphed into a fear-filled call for the pack Alpha.  It was his pack!

The dream slowly melted away, yet the baying of the fearful wolves didn’t.

“AHHWOOOOOOOOOOOO!”

Delano startled fully awake before jerking to his feet.  The call was no dream.  One of his pack was baying for him, and whoever it was, they couldn’t hide the distress in their call.  Something was wrong.

Before he’d even fully shaken off his sleep, Delano was moving.  The call came again, and each time it rang out louder and louder.  Delano’s heart constricted painfully.  Something terrible must have happened. 
Please don’t let it be Eleanor!
  He’d never forgive himself if his compound had come under attack while he’d been out dozing in the shade.

Running harder than he’d ever run in his life, he let his wolf take over and heighten its senses to the point where they could taste the dust that was kicked up by his paws and he could hear beetles scurrying for cover as he zinged over the forest floor.

Nearly to the compound, ears pricked forward, he listened for signs of battle.

The pack were all talking in unison.  He couldn’t make out any words, until he clearly caught Riss’s startled cry. “Who did this to you?”

Delano turned as the forest gave way to the clearing.  He rounded an outbuilding and slid to a halt.  The pack was out, circled around…
Eleanor
! 
NO!

Taking in the sight of her, Delano couldn’t stop the fury that raged through him.   She was limping, her hair was disheveled, and several scratches marred one cheek, but what drew his attention was the crimson stain on her thigh.  A gash was seeping blood as she limped toward the pack.  Several males rushed to her aid, but stopped dead at the sound that followed them.

A feral growl erupted from Delano, rattling his chest so mightily that it had the entire pack bowing their heads in submission and stilling.  They quickly parted to let him pass as he stalked to Eleanor.

“Who!  Did! This?” his words were a vicious snarl.

Eleanor looked up at him with a mixture of exhaustion, pain, and relief.  “Alpha, I…” Delano scooped her up into his arms, and her words died off in a pained hiss.

“Were you attacked?”

Eleanor nodded and it was all he needed.  He began barking orders loudly even as he hurried toward the house.  “June!  Go get Miston!  I want the rest of you men out on the hunt, NOW!”  Her voice jerked his head to the side when they all moved at once.  “Not you, Parker.  You stay!”

The males shifted in an explosion of clothes and snarls.  Dust kicked up as they spread out to seek Eleanor’s attackers.

Delano’s boots pounded up the front stairs.  At the front door, he lifted one booted foot and gave a hard kick, sending the door crashing open as he entered, careful of the precious burden in his arms.

Inside, he took the stairs two at a time until he was at the top of the landing.

“It’s okay, Alpha.  I’m fine.”

She was lying.  He could scent fear on her.  It wasn’t fresh, but lingered from earlier.  She’d been afraid of whoever had done this and it had him clenching his jaw tight that he hadn’t been there to protect her.  Now, he could scent her anxiety.  She was seconds away from having a full-blown panic attack.

Eleanor’s room was on the second floor, along with two unused guest rooms, but he instinctively carried her to
his
room.  Gently, he placed her on the bed and turned to rush to his bathroom.  He came back with a fresh towel and pressed it hard against her wound.

“Ouch!” she hissed.

“Sorry, baby.”  He paused at the endearment and shook his head when Eleanor’s brows hiked.  “I mean…
Eleanor
.”  He looked to the door and growled, “Where’s that fucking healer?”  His eyes jerked up when she sucked in several quick, shallow breaths.

“Easy,” he crooned, dropping onto the bed beside her and pulling her onto his lap.  One hand still pressed firmly against her wound while the other snaked behind her back and pulled her into his chest. 

“Wh-what do I do?”

He knew what she meant.  Last time she’d had an attack he’d talked her through it, encouraging her to follow his breathing and relax. 

“Just be held,” he soothed, hugging her tighter, not sure the comforting gesture was for her more than it was for himself.  When he’d first seen her after making it back to the compound, his heart had stopped.  Finding her injured, after having been attacked, he’d been nearly unable to restrain his wolf from taking over. 

He felt some of the tension leave her, even as his ratcheted up.  His eyes dropped to the blood-soaked cloth at her leg as he mumbled, “Where the fuck is Miston?”

“Here!” he heard Miston shout from downstairs, “I’m here, Alpha!”

When Miston rushed into the room, Delano lifted Eleanor and placed her back on the bed then stood back, allowing Miston to assess her wound.  He had to distract himself from the fact that the other man’s hands were on her. 

“Who was it?” he demanded.

“New wolves, Alpha.  I’ve never seen them before.”

“What did they want?”

He felt his breathing stop when Eleanor lowered her head.  He barely heard her whispered reply.

“M-mate.”

White-hot rage seared him as the full force of his Alpha power whipped around the room causing Miston to bow his head.  Eleanor too mistook the Alpha’s reaction.

“I-I didn’t incite or encourage…”

The Alpha couldn’t throttle the growl that rumbled forth and bounced off the walls, silencing Eleanor’s explanation.  Of course she hadn’t enticed the males, he knew that.  It wasn’t in Eleanor’s character.   Hell, she could have her choice of males, she didn’t need to seek outsiders. 

Suddenly, the full pack was there crowding the room.  Miston continued his ministrations and when Eleanor whined in the back of her throat, Delano took a step toward Miston before he could force his wolf back.  Convincing the creature that Miston wasn’t hurting Eleanor was damn near impossible.  Delano needed an outlet.

“How bad is it?” he demanded.

“It’s deep and dirty.” Miston glanced up before returning his attention to Eleanor’s thigh.  “I need these pants off.”  He was reaching for the button of her jeans when Delano was suddenly there in front of Eleanor, his broad back hiding her from the healer’s view.

“EVERYONE OUT!” Delano snarled.

“Alpha? I…”

Again, the Alpha’s power bathed the room in a firestorm of enraged energy.  Miston bowed his head and backed toward the door the rest of the pack had already exited.

“I’ll call you when she’s ready.” 

The door closed with a soft click.

Delano turned, not looking at Eleanor as he gripped her upper arms and pulled her slowly to her feet.  “Hold on to me for support,” he commanded.  Eleanor’s hands reached out and gripped his lean hips.

“Alpha?”

He didn’t speak as he released her arms and reached for the button on her jeans.  He undid the snap and slid the zipper down, ignoring the sudden tightness in the front of his pants.  Looking up, his eyes collided with hers.  Honeyed amber and dark determination swirled in the depths of his eyes, with flashes of hazel lightening sparking as he worked his jaw.  His thumbs looped on the inside of the material and he slid his hands around to her hips before he started to push down.

Chapter 11

Eleanor’s heartrate had accelerated exponentially.  Already agitated from her encounter in the woods, she didn’t think her heart could take any more excitement, but she was wrong.  Delano was inching her pants down and she wanted to protest, but knew it’d sound silly.  She was injured and needed to be looked at, but that didn’t mean the Alpha had to be the one to look after her.

“Delano, I can manage.”  She placed her hands on his and attempted to shove his away, but he didn’t let go.  Looking up she was startled to see his expression had changed.  He was studying her with a look she couldn’t quite place.

“Delano?” he asked in a husky voice.

Eleanor swallowed hard. 
Shit!
  She’d forgotten protocol and called the Alpha by his first name.  Licking her lips only served to draw his attention there and she quickly sputtered, “I…  Sorry.  Forgive me…I didn’t…” She let the words trail off as a wave of exhaustion suddenly swept over her.  She’d fought hard against the males who attacked her, and racing back to the pack compound had been even more difficult considering she was injured.

“Hey!  Easy.” Delano’s tone softened as he eased her back to a sitting position on the bed then forced her to lay back.  She fought him at first, but knew the action was improper, not to mention she lacked the strength to keep the Alpha from putting her where he wanted her.

Lying on her back staring up at him, Eleanor’s body was tense.  Unsure what to do with them, she curled her hands into fists, then released them only to repeat the action a second time.  When Delano placed a knee on the bed near her hip and crawled over her, she knew she’d go deaf from the loud thumping of her heart.  Her stupid wolf mistook the situation and Delano’s action and instantly released sex pheromones that wafted into the room, indicating to the male wolf hovering over her that she was not only available for breeding, but very interested. 

Delano’s eyes cut to hers and she felt herself blush before turning her head to look away.  It was a mistake.  She heard Delano inhale sharply, and she jerked her head back around, refusing to look at him.  She’d just sent out pheromones and bared her throat while on her back.  It was more than a sign of submission.  It was an invitation.

“Alpha, I’m sorry.  My injury has my wolf seeking a protector,” she partially lied.  Yes, her wolf was looking for a protector, but the woman wanted one as well.  She wanted him.  “I’m….” she struggled to sit up as she explained.  “Not well.” 

The words spurned Delano into action.  Strong hands gripped her shoulders and kept her pinned to the bed before sliding down her frame to the opening of her jeans.  Then she felt material slowly tearing.  He was trying to get her jeans off without the need to slide them over her wound.  Her thoughts instantly went to her panties. 
Oh God!  What did I wear today?
  Her eyes rounded as she stared up at the ceiling, screaming internally. 
“Nooooooo!”
  The arrival of the Alpha had her taking up new habits.  One of which being her sudden fondness for lacy lingerie and previously boycotted thong underwear.  The first time she’d tried to wear them she’d found them to be hideously uncomfortable, but something had changed in the past few weeks. On a whim she’d bought several new pairs that were so delicate they felt like she was wearing a mere whisper of lace.  Today, she’d opted for a lacy red pair.  Mortification seared her with the knowledge that her underwear were practically see-through and her Alpha was getting a free show. 

Lifting her hands from the bed, she crossed them over herself in an attempt to shield her practical nudity.  It was odd.  For shifters, nudity wasn’t supposed to be awkward, but it was in this moment.

Was that a growl?
  The sound jerked her from her reverie, but she swallowed hard and ignored it. Seconds later when Miston knocked, she closed her eyes briefly and silently thanked him for the intrusion. 

“Alpha?  Is she ready?”

“NO!” Delano snarled, then cleared his throat.  Too much of his wolf was coming through and his voice was practically unrecognizable. 

To her horror, Eleanor’s wolf responded to the wolf in Delano’s voice and released more pheromones.  Eleanor clamped her legs tighter together, ignoring the pain the action brought.  The last thing she needed after shooting sex mist into the room and exposing her throat was to flash her Alpha with what were now wet panties.

“Give us another minute,” Delano growled before crossing the room and pulling a sheet from the linen closet. 

He returned and shoved Eleanor’s hands aside before straightening to fold the sheet.  She noticed that he folded the sheet more times than needed, and spent the entire time staring at her panties.  She cleared her throat and Delano bent to place the folded sheet across her lap.  He crossed to his window and opened it wide before circling the bed to open the window on the other side of the room before he growled, “Miston!”

The door opened and Miston hurried to the bed.

“What do you need?” Delano asked.

“More towels,” Miston replied, already pulling up his small duffle that comprised his first aid kit.  As Delano went to the bathroom to retrieve towels, Miston tried to distract Eleanor while he worked on her.  “What happened out there, El?”

Licking her lips she took in a deep breath and started. “I was out on a run and was ambushed.  Two flanked me and ran me to ground.  At first I wasn’t sure if it was an outright pack assault, so I didn’t want to lead them to the compound.  I thought I could lose ‘em.”

Delano returned, placing the towels on the bed before crossing his arms and standing back to hear the rest of Eleanor’s story.  “How many were there?”

“Three.”

“Did you recognize them?”

“No.” She winced as Miston began cleaning her wound.

“I’ve never seen them before.  Their scents were unrecognizable.”  When silence loomed she continued.  “I broke through the clearing near Shuffle’s pond but there was another one waiting in human form.  He had a knife.”

Delano uncrossed his arms.  Wolves didn’t use weapons…
ever!
  They didn’t need to use them on humans, and they’d certainly never use them on each other.

“I tried to run past, but he lunged and stabbed the knife into my thigh.  I couldn’t stop myself from falling over the cliff side.”  She chuffed. “The fall saved my ass.   They were too cowardly to follow.”  Tears flooded her eyes as she looked up at Delano. “If I hadn’t fallen… If they’d have caught me.”  She shook her head, fighting the tremble that wracked her slight frame.  “They shifted and taunted me as I raced for the compound.  Warned me that none of our females would be safe.  Delano…they said they’ll be back.  They want females.”

Unable to hear any more, Delano stormed from the room, forcing the telepathic ties that he’d been permitting to form slowly…until now.  He called to his pack through the ties. 
“Somebody had better fucking have something!”