Territory - Prequel Read online

  Chapter 27

  Chloe woke and tried to stretch but the soreness that tore through her limbs had her eyes snapping open. Memory came flooding back and she lifted her hands to cover her face as mortification seared her. She’d begged Dell to make love to her and he had. Repeatedly!

  God what have I done! If it wasn’t for the change… She didn’t finish the thought, knowing it wasn’t true before she’d even thought it. She’d wanted Dell. From the first moment she’d laid eyes on him in high school until the moment he strode back into her life at Donnie’s funeral. She wouldn’t bother lying to herself any longer.

  Dropping her hands and slowly tilting her head, she was relieved to discover that she was alone in the bed. Moving her legs, she winced at the stiffness in her muscles. Her whole body felt battered. She lifted the blanket and saw that she was still completely naked.

  Glancing around the room she noted that the fire was out, but faint light filtered through the wood slats of the blinds. She shifted her eyes to the ceiling and assessed her body. She didn’t feel any different. She wiggled her fingers and her toes. Everything seems to be working normally. She took a deep breath and her belly rumbled loudly at the scent of French toast, bacon, eggs, and coffee wafting through the room.

  Propping herself on an elbow she scanned the room searching for the tray of food, but there was none. Funny, I can smell…

  Just then the door opened and Dell strode in. He was dressed in his typical jeans, work boots, and form fitting undershirt. His eyes met hers and he entered and crossed the room to her carrying a tray of food. “Morning beautiful.”

  Chloe lifted a self-conscious hand to her hair and tried to smooth it down. “Morning,” she whispered weakly.

  “You’ve gotta be starving.” He placed the tray on her lap when she reclined back against the head board. “You need to eat it all.”

  She looked down at the plate and nearly moaned in appreciation at the pile of syrupy French toast, three steaming eggs, and heap of crisp bacon slices. Her hand instantly reached for the mug of already creamed coffee. “I’m starving!”

  She sipped at the coffee before replacing the mug on the tray and taking up the fork to attack the plate. She was on her fifth bite when a noise caught her attention and she stopped chewing. She looked up at Dell quizzically as he watched her eat.

  “Mama dropped something in the kitchen,” he supplied calmly.

  “Oh,” she spoke around her bite of French toast and lifted another bite to her lips before she stopped. Her shocked eyes found Dell’s as she swallowed down the food in her mouth. “How did I hear that?”

  His lips curved in a smile, “One of the shifter perks.” He pointed to her plate, “You’re sense of smell should be greatly improved as well.”

  Chloe eyed her plate and remembered that she’d known exactly what Mama had cooked for breakfast before Dell had even brought the plate into the room.

  She inhaled deeply, but could only smell the food on the plate in front of her. Her eyes lifted to focus on the wall as she strained to listen.

  She heard Cindy’s voice from somewhere in the house. “Do you think she’ll forgive him?”

  “I’m sure her heart already has, she just needs to talk her mind into accepting it.” Mama’s response was crystal clear.

  “I hear Mama and Cindy!” she lifted startled eyes to Dell. “Where are they?”

  “Still in the kitchen,” Dell crossed his arms over his chest as he smiled at her. “It’ll take you a while to filter out the stuff you don’t want, but once you get the hang of it it’s pretty useful.”

  A noise outside drew her attention and she tried shifting the tray of food off her lap to inspect, but Dell’s large hand on her shoulder prevented her from getting up. “Eat,” he ordered. “You can get accustomed to your new senses after you’ve finished your meal and rested.”

  “Fine,” she pouted pulling the tray fully back onto her lap and reclaiming the fork.

  Dell watched her a few more moments before he disappeared into the bathroom. She heard him turn on the bath before he came back into the room. He didn’t approach her instead he crossed to stare out the window while he waited for her to finish her breakfast.

  Chloe ate as much as she could and when she couldn’t take another bite she inched out of the bed, careful to pull a sheet with her to cover her bare body.

  “Ready?” Dell ripped off his shirt as he crossed to her.

  Her eyes darted from his bare chest to the bathroom, “For what?”

  “For our bath?”

  “Uhh, our?”

  He rolled his eyes as his fingers quickly unsnapped his jeans as he kicked out of his shoes before his thumbs shoved the denim down over his lean hips. “You’re still weak Chloe.”

  “I think I can bathe myself.”

  “No.” He was completely naked as he strode toward her angrily. One hand reached up and pulled the sheet from where she had it clamped just above her chest.

  “Dell!” she gasped reaching for the sheet.

  He smiled and dropped it to the ground before scooping her up to cradle her in his arms as she attempted unsuccessfully to cover her intimate parts.

  “Umm, about last night,” she wanted to get an explanation out before anything else happened between them.

  Dell carried her to the bathroom, “Don’t!” he growled.

  “But you don’t even know what I was going to say,” she avoided looking at him.

  He stepped into the large Jacuzzi tub and lowered himself and Chloe into the steaming water. Her flesh instantly bristled in goose bumps. It took her a moment to get used to the water, and when she did it was bliss.

  Dell kept her settled on his lap. “You’re going to attempt to denounce what happened between us. You’re going to say it was the change or Mama’s tea, or any other excuse you can think of to push me away.” He cupped one large hand and lifted it to pour hot water down Chloe’s back. “Look at me.”

  She arched her back at the hot water pouring down it and followed his command in time to see his eyes dip to her breasts as they thrust forward with her body’s arch. Instantly she hunched over trying to fold in on herself to keep him from getting the wrong idea.

  Smiling Dell commanded again, “Look at me Chloe.” When she did he continued, “What happened between us last night was meant to happen. You belong to me. You were destined to be mine.”

  She opened her mouth to argue but Dell’s wet fingers on her lips silenced her. His amber eyes found hers. “If there had been any thought of ever letting you go, it’s dead now. After last night,” he drew in a deep breath and grabbed her chin to keep her from looking away. “I’ll never let you go Chloe. I refuse to live without you.”

  She blinked back tears at the emotion in his eyes and when she finally opened her mouth to speak, he simply covered it with his own.

  After long moments he pulled back. “I want you to say you’ll willingly be my mate Chloe. I want you to accept what we are to each other.” His hand slid up her jaw to cup the side of her face, “I want you to say that you’ll marry me.”

  She gaped at him before clamping her mouth shut and climbing off his lap.

  He let her go, but when she lifted a foot to climb out of the tub his hands snaked out so quickly she nearly fell when he jerked her back down. His hands were strong though, and he knew exactly what he was doing.

  There was a loud splash and Chloe shrieked before she swiped the water from her face and realized he’d settled her back on his lap except this time she was straddling his hips, the hard length of his erection pressing against her bare pussy.

  She sputtered from the water on her face and when she opened her eyes it was only long enough to see that Dell’s eyes had transitioned to all black. She was learning quickly that the change meant he was fighting to keep his wolf leashed.

  His mouth c
rashed down on hers. All the gentleness of the first kiss was gone. This kiss was urgent, passionate, demanding. The taste was so irresistible that Chloe couldn’t help but return the fervor.

  Her arms wound around his neck even as she silently cursed her lack of will power. When her pebbled nipples brushed against his bare chest, she pulled back to suck in a shaky breath. Her hips rocked against the thick length of his shaft and her sex flared to life demanding satisfaction.

  Her mouth found his even as his hands slid down her wet back to cup her bare ass, lifting her higher as he spread her cheeks and forced her closer to grind against her clit.

  She tried to scoot even tighter on his lap but he released her ass and lowered a hand to her abdomen to keep her from sinking onto his cock.

  “Please,” she begged breathlessly.

  “Say it,” his voice was so harsh it was nearly unrecognizable.

  “Dell?” She whimpered praying he’d fulfill her plea as she rubbed herself against his fingers now that he was keeping her from rubbing on his erection.

  Instead his hand fisted in the back of her hair and gently pulled her head back until the satiny column of her throat was exposed. The dusky peaks of her nipples jutted forward and Dell inched his hips closer until just the crown of his cock was parting her. His mouth dropped to flick at the tip of one nipple and his deep growl rumbled in his chest and vibrated against her taut nipples.

  Chloe gasped and tried to inch her hips forward but Dell’s firm hand on her hip kept her in the position he wanted. His mouth opened and he sucked in her breast. The strong tugs of his mouth on her nipple had her moaning and splashing to get him inside her.

  His mouth left her nipple, “Say it,” he commanded.

  “Yes!” Chloe shouted.

  His hand on her hip tightened as he slid his cock a few inches deeper. “Yes what?”

  Her hips bucked, but he wouldn’t relent. “Yes Dell!”

  He released her hair and her eyes found his.

  “I’m yours,” she responded breathlessly, “I accept what we are.” She dipped her head to his mouth but his head jerked back.

  “And…” he prompted slowly inching closer until her tight pussy slowly spread to accept his rigid girth.

  Chloe moaned and bit her lip, her vaginal walls tensing in pleasure at the desired intruder. “I’ll do it.” Her eyes drifted closed, but Dell roughly grabbed her chin and pulled her head down. Her eyes snapped open to stare at him in shock.

  “Do what?” his voice left him on a harsh snarl.

  Her shock dissipated when she realized he wanted her submission. She blinked once. “I’ll marry you Dell. I’m yours, all yours.”

  He threw back his head and growled loudly as his hands lowered to her hips and he pulled her so that he was buried fully inside her in one rapid thrust.

  Chloe didn’t wait, she couldn’t. She ached for him. Her hands found his shoulders as she gripped his hips with both her knees and began riding him. The water sloshed and spilled over the tub but she didn’t care.

  Dell’s hands on her hips began to lift her weight to help her rock faster and she rode him until her sex clamped tightly around him, milking his manhood even as she found her own release and gasped his name.

  She felt him shooting his warm seed deep inside her and his hands clamped tightly on her ass as he growled, “MINE!”

  Chloe collapsed against his chest and the water lapped at her hips as it slowly settled from the turbulent passion they’d shared. He was still rock hard inside her and she couldn’t bring herself to pull free and face him, not after what she’d just promised.

  “Dell?”

  She felt his body tense.

  “Can you promise me that everything’s gonna be alright.” Hot tears slid down her cheeks.

  He pulled her face from his chest to stare at her. “Yes. Chloe I swear to you on my life. Everything is going be alright. Nothing will ever happen to you, and if anyone ever wishes to harm you they’ll have to get through me and my pack to do it. I love you Chloe. You are mine.”

  Chapter 28

  “It’ll be your choice Chloe, one you’ll have to make alone.”

  “But,”

  “No,” Dell cut her off. “There can be no coercion. There can be no interference. It isn’t permitted. You’ll have to come to the kind of your own volition or not at all.”

  “W-will it hurt?”

  Dell clenched his jaw. “I wish I could say no. I wish I could promise you that the transition was easy, that it was painless, that you wouldn’t regret it.” His expression darkened, “I can’t tell you any of those things so I won’t. What I can promise you is that I’ll be there with you through it all.”

  The full moon was finally upon them. There had been little time for Cindy and Mama to plan the ceremony and the wedding, but they’d been so elated at Dell and Chloe’s announcement that they’d recruited the pack and everyone had worked tirelessly to get everything ready in time. Even the un-mated men had been welcomed back to the compound. Now that Chloe wore Dell’s scent, his wolf had no doubt that his pack mates understood that she belonged to him.

  Chloe smiled without humor, “What if something goes wrong tomorrow, what if it doesn’t work on me?”

  Dell stared at her, “It’ll work Chloe, and there will be pain, so be sure it’s what you want. I’ll be unable to protect you, no matter how much I’ll want to, we’ll both be helpless unless…” He turned to frown out the window.

  “Unless what?” she prodded.

  “Unless I refuse to claim you at all.”

  She sobered, “You wouldn’t do that to me. Not now that I’ve decided. Would you?”

  One strong hand snatched up hers as he brought it to his lips, “I wish I could lie to you and say that I would. But I’m selfish Chloe.” He tugged on her arm drawing her closer until he bent to rest his forehead against hers. “I want you too badly to ever consider it.”

  “Good,” she sighed nervously, “I don’t want any more surprises.” She pulled back to stare up at him, “And I don’t think I could take it if you said you didn’t want me now.”

  He clamped a hand at her lower back and smiled down at her, “I want you. I’ll always want you. You are mine Chloe. Forever.”

  Smiling weakly she turned imploring chestnut colored eyes up to his. “Tell me,” she demanded.

  Knowing what she wanted to hear, he cupped her face and kissed her gently before pulling back, “Everything’s gonna be alright Chloe.”

  She sighed heavily and Dell pulled her into the circle of his arms. “Hey, I’m not just paying you lip service. Everything is going to be alright. I swear it.” His hold tightened. “I’d die before I ever let anything happen to you. Do you know that?”

  She nodded, wrapping her arms around him. She truly believed him, and his vow to protect her was the only thing that kept her from fleeing the compound, the city, hell even the state. She was in love with him. She hadn’t said the words yet but she knew it with every fiber of her being.

  Her hold on him tightened. She was terrified of the ceremony, of her first change. He’d explained in explicit detail what would happen, but she still had so many questions. Mostly, she just wanted him to be with her and she was having difficulty accepting the fact that she’d have to enter the ceremony alone. She swallowed hard, unsure whether she had the courage to actually go through with it. She didn’t know if she was more terrified of the ceremony or of showing her cowardice by failing to follow through.

  ***

  That night the pack celebrated. A great feast was held and Mama regaled the pack with tales of previous ceremonies. She did note that this was the first time that an Alpha had claimed a non-shifter, and it was obvious that she was looking forward to the ceremony.

  Chloe was not. She barely ate or drank and her laughter came out as brittle when she tried to laugh
at Mama’s stories. Several pack members inquired into her emotions on the great event and she simply rattled off some lame response, not really paying attention to anyone or anything.

  Finally after supper Dell stood, “Good night,” he pulled Chloe up with him, “we’ve a long day to prepare for.”

  Well wishes and bids of good night were delivered on a chorus of happy voices, but Chloe could only wave meekly as she trudged woodenly from the table.

  She and Dell weren’t even out of the dining hall before he bent and scooped her up into his arms. “I can walk,” she whispered without looking at him.

  “You’re not even here,” he didn’t sound annoyed. “I know your nervous love.” His lips brushed her temple, “You’re having difficulty with what’s going to happen, but all you need to do is one thing.”

  “What,” her voice was too hopeful as her eyes found his.

  “Trust in me.” He crested the stairs and carried her down the long hallway to their room. “Would I ever let anything happen to you?”

  She shook her head.

  “Would I ever do anything to harm you?”

  “No.”

  “Then trust in me tomorrow Chloe. I will protect you. I will help you through your first shift. We all will. We are your pack now.”

  Though the words were meant to bring comfort, Chloe lost the battle with trepidation as it stole through her leaving her feeling cold and alone.

  Chapter 29

  Chloe stepped from the house, clamping a hand firmly against her flat belly to quell the butterflies flitting within. Her long flowing white gown was a stark contrast to the dark cloudless sky that hosted thousands of brilliant stars all winking as they watched the ceremony begin. As was promised, there was no one there to meet her.

  It’s do or die! She drew in a breath and stepped down off the porch onto the gravel path that led deep into the woods. Torches alight with flame dotted the path lighting her way.