TerrIIItory (6 page)

Chapter 11

Twenty minutes later, in fresh briefs and jeans, he found himself stomping out to the front porch for some fresh air.  What he truly wanted was to check on Bethany, but he figured meeting her true mate was a lot to take in, so he’d opted to give her time to accept the fact.

He had only just stepped onto the porch when his feet stuttered to a halt.  There, in the wooden swing that hung from the porch, was his Bethany.  She looked tired and lonely, and he noted how her frame tensed when his scent was picked up by the wind and pushed toward her.  She didn’t look at him.

He ground his teeth together and tromped down the porch steps to circle the house.  He could feel her eyes on him.  Minutes later, he was in his jeep and pulling up in front of the house before he threw the shift in park, hopped down, and circled round to open the passenger door before frowning at Bethany. “Get in,” he growled.

Dove-gray eyes met his, before she dropped her head.  She didn’t move. “Where are you going?”

“To eat.”

“I’m not hungry.”

“I am.”

***

Bethany chanced a glance at Evander and could tell by the set of his jaw that he wouldn’t take no for an answer. She actually was pretty hungry, though mostly she was subdued.  Something was off.  They’d marked each other, she’d dry-humped him, and then she’d drank from him, but none of that was the problem.  The problem?  She didn’t feel any different.  Granted, she’d never mated before, but she’d known people who had.  There was always a change, but she couldn’t sense any.

“Get in,” he commanded again, drawing her from her reverie.

Reluctantly, she stood.  Too tired and deflated to fight him.

As she approached the vehicle she felt her wolf stir and that, at least, was comforting.  Since meeting Evander, her wolf only came out of her shell when he was near, and the longer they were around each other the more her wolf’s confidence grew.  Her wolf trusted Evander, but she couldn’t bring herself to do the same.

They rode a few miles in silence before Evander asked, “Why’d you take off like that?”

Her cheeks singed in humiliation.  “If you’re going to make me uncomfortable, I’m going to get out.”

As if he were worried she’d do as threatened, his foot jerked off the accelerator and the car slowed considerably.  “I’m not trying to make you uncomfortable.  I just want to know what’s going on.  I want to know that you’re okay.”

“I’m fine.”  Her voice came out too brittle, and she knew he recognized the lie in her words when he turned to look at her.  She avoided his gaze by turning her own head to stare out the window.

“Beth, if something’s wrong you can talk to me.  I’m not just your Alpha, I’m your mate.”

Her head jerked back around.  “You’re
not
my Alpha.  You’re just some shmuck who saved me and fooled my wolf.”

“Fooled your wolf?”

She scented his anger even before she saw his hands tighten on the steering wheel.

“What do you mean,
fooled your wolf
?”

Christ! 
She should have kept her mouth shut.  “Nothing.”  She faced forward and crossed her arms over her chest.  “Let it go.”

The jeep began to slow, and Bethany panicked.  “Don’t you
dare
stop this vehicle.  I don’t want to talk about what’s bothering me, and if you try to force it, I’m walking!”

The jeep eased to a halt and Evander turned in his seat to scowl at her.  When she reached for the door handle, it locked and her angry gaze cut to his.

“I mean it! I don’t want to talk.  Feed me or let me out.”

Evander regarded her for several tense moments before his scowl relaxed, and he blew out a frustrated breath.  Turning forward, he shifted the jeep into gear and hit the gas.  “I thought you weren’t hungry,” he muttered.

“I lied.”

Evander drove into town and stopped at a little café.  Full windows in the front showed a small restaurant with only a few tables occupied by patrons.  Exiting the vehicle, he raced to get Bethany’s door as he helped her from the jeep.  Bethany accepted his hand, but only because the jeep was taller than normal, and she was worried about falling flat on her face if she attempted to get out unassisted.

On the sidewalk, Evander kept his hand locked just above her elbow as he led her into the diner and directed her toward a booth near the window.  Once seated, a plump waitress arrived and the lines in her face smoothed out as she beamed a smile at Evander.  “Good evening, Kane.  Long time no see.”

Evander smiled warmly at the woman and reached across the table to snag Bethany’s hand.  “Good to see you, Vi.”  He’s eyes slid to Bethany.  “This is Beth.  My mate.”

Bethany felt herself blush, and tried to pull her hand from his, but he only tightened his grip.  The woman, Vi, turned to Bethany with shock, quickly replaced with a teary-eyed smile.  “Oh, Kane!  It’s about time.  I’m so happy for you!”  Without asking, the woman bent and enveloped Bethany in a French fry scented hug.  “So happy for you
both
!”  The woman beamed.  When she finally pulled back, Bethany smiled and looked from her to Evander, uncertain how to respond.

“Th-thank you.”

Vi clucked her tongue and stared at Bethany as if taking her in for the first time.  “Oh, but she’s gorgeous!”

Bethany felt herself blush again and repeated, “Thank you.”

“So, what’ll it be?”  Vi pulled a pen from her hair and a pad of paper from her apron.  “I assume you want the usual, Kane, but what about your wife?”

Wife?
  The word set Bethany on edge, and she eyed the restaurant wondering if any of the other patrons were shifters and could scent the lack of claiming.  She felt like a fraud.

“She’ll have the same as me.” Evander spoke for her when Bethany didn’t respond to Vi’s inquiry.

“Oh.” Vi’s forehead wrinkled as she eyed Bethany questioningly.  “I’ll go get this started then.”  She made to leave, but stopped to lean toward Bethany.  “Sorry if I embarrassed you dear.  I’m just so
happy
that Kane’s finally found you.”  Tears filled the woman’s eyes again as she glanced at Evander with clear affection.  “He’s such a good man, and he’s been looking for you for so long.”

Bethany dipped her head and forced a smile.  Still unsure how to respond to the woman’s comments she offered, “Thanks, Vi.”  Hopefully, the tag-on of the woman’s name would appease her.  It did.  The woman’s face broke into another beaming grin as she nodded once in approval before turning to hurry toward the kitchen.

“Sorry,” Evander apologized, and rubbed his thumb over the back of her hand.  “I’ve been coming here for years.  Vi is like an aunt.  She means well.”

Bethany nodded and concentrated on studying the restaurant to keep her attention off the feel of Evander’s fingers stroking her hand.

“So,” he laced his fingers with hers.  “What’s this ‘fooled your wolf’ business?”

Bethany’s gaze jerked to his, and she tried to pull her hand away, but he smiled and held firm.

“Answers,” he demanded with a cocky grin.

Vi approached with two fountain sodas, and Bethany waited until she was gone before glaring at Evander.  “This really isn’t the place for that discussion.”  She eyed the tables around them warily.

“The man behind me in the jean jacket is a shifter.  A lone wolf.  He won’t listen to our conversation because he doesn’t care about it.”

“Vi?”  Bethany couldn’t help but ask, knowing she couldn’t rely on her wolf’s senses.

“She knows what we are.” Evander eyed the woman behind the counter, smiling at her.  “But she’s not one of us.”

“Still.” Bethany shook her head.

“Honestly, this is the best place to have this discussion, Beth.  Because if you wait until we’re alone, I don’t think my wolf can take you denouncing us again.  He’ll feel the need to
show
you
that you’re ours.”

Bethany saw the truth of his words in his eyes and had to agree that, if she didn’t want a predictable reaction, then a public setting was probably the best place to explain her theory.  Clearing her throat, she focused on the table as she spoke.  “I could have escaped that bunker.”  She glanced up and just as quickly dropped her eyes.  “I didn’t, because the other women were human and they couldn’t take the beatings, and the…” her words stuttered when Evander growled.  Peeking up again, she saw anger flashing across his features.

“They
beat
you?”

She forged on as if he hadn’t spoken.  “Instead of them each singling out a female, they’d pick one and all concentrate on attacking her.  They’d beat us until we couldn’t fight back, and then they’d…” She swallowed hard. “They’d bite us.”

She felt Evander’s finger’s shaking around hers, and she looked up to find his eyes black with rage.  She blew out a pent-up breath and hurried on.  “I could have escaped, but it would have left the human women unprotected.”

When Evander spoke, his voice had dipped dangerously low.  “Unprotected?”

Bethany pulled on her fingers and he let them go.  Under the table, she fisted her hands and continued.  “The other women were weaker, and they couldn’t take the pain.  So I…”

“You what, Beth?”

“I baited them.  I taunted them into attacking just me.  I knew I could take it.  The others couldn’t.”

“Here we go.” Vi’s cheery voice cut into their conversation as she approached the table with two steaming cheeseburger platters complete with all the fixings and a pile of golden fries.  She placed a plate in front of Bethany and the other before Evander.  “Anything else?”  She looked at Evander and stilled.  “You alright, Kane?”  Clear concern laced the woman’s tone.

“He’s fine.”  Bethany eyed Evander, willing him to calm.  “Can…can we get some ranch maybe?”

“Sure, sweetheart.”  Vi pulled her attention from Evander to do Bethany’s bidding.

“Look.” Bethany leaned in to hiss.  “Please don’t go all psychotic Alpha on me.  I want to finish this, but I’m not going to if you can’t handle hearing it.”

Evander’s scowl lessened by only a fraction.

“Eat your food.” Bethany pushed his plate toward him.  When he didn’t reach for it, Bethany frowned. “Please?”  She looked toward the rapidly approaching Vi.  “I don’t want her to think we’re fighting.”

Just as Vi reached the table, Evander reached down and lifted the burger to his lips, taking a vicious bite.

“That’s what I like to see,” Vi beamed.  “A man with a healthy appetite.  She turned to Bethany. “Anything else, dear?”

“No, thank you.”

“Enjoy.” Then Vi was heading back behind the counter.

Bethany relaxed a little, and gave Evander an appreciative smile as she lifted a warm fry to her mouth and nibbled on it.

“Finish!”  Evander growled before taking a second bite of his burger.

“So, I could have escaped, but I didn’t.  My wolf wanted to, and I sure as hell
wanted
to, but I couldn’t leave those women like that.  After a few beatings, I no longer had the strength to leave, or to heal.  I was at their mercy.”  She looked up when Evander dropped his burger on his plate and fisted both hands on the table.

“Beth.  Did they…” 

He didn’t finish, but from the way his jaw worked and his face paled slightly, Bethany knew what he was asking.

“No.  They didn’t touch me sexually.  They didn’t hurt any of the women like that.”  She watched as some of the tension left his frame, but he let his food sit.

“At first, I thought my wolf was just worn out from keeping constant vigil.  She never slept, and I figured that being on alert twenty-four-seven protecting me was just too much.  She healed me the first few days, but after that…   I figured, once I was rescued, I’d eat, sleep, and then she’d heal me.  It hasn’t happened.  She’s…gone.  She’s just gone.”  Tears flooded her eyes.  “I think she’s upset that I didn’t get us out of there when I had the chance.  I let us be abused, and she abandoned me for it.”  Bethany lifted her eyes to Evander’s.  “Until you.  She stirred when you rescued us, and I think it’s because she recognized that you’re one of us.  She knew you’d protect us.  Even now, the only time she comes forth is when you’re near, and I’m…I’m sorry Evander.”  She shook her head. “My wolf has attached herself to you because you came for us.  Because she needs your strength.”

“You truly don’t think you’re mine, do you?”

She flinched at the wounded look that flashed across his face.  “I’m sorry, Evander.  I’m just so…so damn sorry.”

He shoved his plate aside and braced his elbows on the table.  “There are two things you need to know with absolute certainty, Beth.  One, it is the wolf who should be relied upon in times of great distress.  If she’s coming to me, it’s because she knows.  Two, you
are
mine.  I know it to the very depths of my soul.”

“Look at me.” Bethany thrust an arm forward, yanking up her sleeve to reveal bite-marred flesh.  Evander growled at the sight.  “I’m not healing, Evander.”  She slumped back in her chair and whispered, “I’ve rested, I’ve eaten, and I carry your mark, but I’m still not healed.  It can only mean one thing.”