Territory (10 page)

“Time to eat.” Chloe shifted and ran towards the sound of the howl.

Kya stood staring down at the fire pit.
Die for me?
Her belly danced uneasily as she pulled the sweater over her head and hung it on a nearby branch before shifting. She raced after Chloe deep into the Rocky Mountains.

The sound of birds chirping stirred Chloe from her sleep. She stretched languidly, her muscles tight from their marathon the day before. She licked her lips then yawned loudly waking the two wolves that lay curled up next to her.

Stevie and Hannah each stretched then rose lazily from their beds. Chloe turned her head to wake Kya, but Kya’s spot was empty. Chloe shifted back into human form and walked into the woods. “Kya?” Nothing. “KYA!” She yelled louder. Still no answer. Chloe crashed through the trees, stumbling into the clearing. Hannah and Stevie had both already shifted. “She’s gone!” Chloe voiced breathlessly.

“I knew she wouldn’t wait for us.” Hannah bit out harshly. “She probably left in the middle of the night, so she could arrive before us and look like the fucking hero. Bitch!”

“Her shirts gone.” Stevie offered tentatively.

“So what the hell does that mean?” Hannah barked angrily, glaring at the much shorter woman.

“Cool it Hannah!” Chloe raked a nervous hand through her hair. “I’ll contact Dell; let him know we’re on our way, see if he can tell us where in the hell we should be going.”

Chloe closed her eyes as Hannah and Stevie fell silent waiting for instruction. Several silent minutes passed before Chloe’s eyes snapped open. “Well if she’s on her way to Briggs, she’s hasn’t gotten to him yet. If we race, we can catch her. Follow me.” Chloe shifted and bounded off through the trees with Hannah and Stevie on her heels.

When Dell and his pack had arrived in Colorado Dell refused to allow Briggs to go charging into what Dell thought might be a trap. The pack had holed up in the forest just outside of town and made their way into the city that morning to strategize one last time over breakfast at a local diner. Dell was in mid-bite when he felt Chloe. The forkful of bacon and cheddar omelet froze just outside of his opened mouth. Briggs and the rest of the pack stilled, knowing their Alpha was receiving pack information.

“Well?” Briggs prompted impatiently, holding his own fork between tense fingers.

Dell was still for a moment longer before he slowly set his fork down. “Chloe’s on her way here. She, Hannah, Stevie, and Kya left the compound last night.” Dell grabbed his cup and took a long swallow of coffee.

“That’s not all.” Briggs rumbled at his brother’s side, knowing there was more information that Dell wasn’t supplying.

Dell set his cup down and dabbed his lips with his napkin, choosing his next words carefully before he cleared his throat, “Kya’s…broken off from the pack. Chloe thinks Kya is on her way to you…she may already be here.”

Briggs’ jaw tensed and the silver fork bent under the pressure of his forceful fingers. Wordlessly, Briggs shoved his chair back and stormed from the diner without having touched his food. He had to get to Reiner before Kya tried anything foolish.

Dell wordlessly motioned with his head for the rest of the pack follow Briggs as Dell settled their bill and followed after the pack.

Dell had made some inquiries the night before. Those inquiries, coupled with his great sense of smell and the pack was on Theron’s doorstep before the sun had even fully risen.

“What a pleasant surprise.” Theron’s smile didn’t quite touch his eyes. “The great Northwest Territory pack. To what do I owe this honor?”

Dell eyed Theron thoughtfully, as he stepped into the Alpha’s dark office with Briggs directly behind him. “North
American
pack.” Dell corrected.

“Yesssss,” Theron hissed, “I forgot you have territory in Canada as well.” Theron steepled his boney fingers as he gazed at Dell from the chair behind his desk.

“What is it that I can do for you gentlemen at this early hour?” Theron lifted his eyebrows in inquiry.

Briggs scanned the darkened office. The desk sat back against the furthest wall facing the door. Off to Theron’s right and left were two more doors. Briggs had no idea what was behind them and he didn’t care.

Dell had decided that other than Briggs and himself, the remainder of the pack should wait outside. He didn’t want Theron to think they’d come with hostile intentions. Briggs knew that was
exactly
why they’d come.

“Reiner!” Briggs bit out between clenched teeth. Dell placed a calming hand on his brother’s chest, holding him back from the step forward he’d tried to take.

Theron’s eyes snapped to Briggs and he eyed the Beta up and down in disgust. Briggs could tell by his face that he thought it beneath him to speak to anyone but the Alpha. “Reiner, my Beta. What of him?”

A rumble emanated from Briggs’ chest.

Dell turned to Theron. “My Beta seeks audience with yours.” Dell dipped his head as if he were merely asking for a glass of water.

Theron knew better. “My Beta has no quarrel with your…brother.”

Dell looked from Theron to Briggs. “Well it appears my brother has a quarrel with your Beta.”

Theron stood leaning on his outstretched fingers on the desk, “Careful, careful Dell. Must I remind you that you are in
my
territory? Coming here in this aggressive manor with…” Theron stopped and sniffed the air, “half your pack? One might assume that you were looking to expand your territory. You do realize that I’d be well within my rights to defend my land.” Theron snapped his fingers and the door to his right opened. Kyler and Tyler strode in. The two freckle-faced brothers resembled disproportionate twins, with similar faces but one brother taller and leaner than the other. They stopped just to the right of Theron.

Briggs clenched his fists at his sides impatiently. “We don’t want
them
. Where’s Reiner?”

Dell placed a hand on his brother’s arm. “What he means to say, Theron, is that we are not here to challenge
you.
I assure you that your territory is safe. However, it would appear that your pack’s former Omega is destined to be Briggs’ mate.”

“Kya!” Theron erupted into laughter. “You must be joking!” He eyed Briggs, a challenging glint to his eyes. “She’s no wolf’s mate.” He turned to Kyler and Tyler and laughed. “She’s
everyone’s
mate.”

Briggs was across the room before Dell could stop him. He grabbed Theron by the shirt and slammed him against the wall, sending the desk chair flying. Kyler and Tyler jumped on Briggs, each pulling at an arm, neither strong enough to wrestle Briggs from their Alpha.

Dell flew across the room and shoved the idiots Kyler and Tyler out of the way, as he wrested Briggs from Theron.

Theron straightened his jacket, his shaky hand smoothing his thinning gray hair as his beady blue eyes danced with anger. “How dare you! Come into
my
territory to challenge
me
for one of
my
wolves!

“She’s not yours!” Briggs ground out threateningly.

Theron threw back his head haughtily regaining his composure as he waved a hand dismissively at Kyler and Tyler. They re-claimed their positions standing off to his right. “Yes, she is. She is a member of my pack and therefore she belongs to me. I’ll do with her what I choose until such time as I deem it appropriate to
allow
her to depart my pack.”

Dell released a still seething Briggs as he turned his attention to Theron. “I’ve offered her a position in my pack and she’s accepted. It is done.”

“IT IS NOT DONE!” Theron yelled, saliva dripping from his trembling lips as he convulsed with anger. “She belongs to me! And as long as she is in my pack and as long as she is in my territory she
will
obey me!”

“Then I guess it’s a good thing that she’s
not
in your territory.” Briggs bluffed angrily, his smoldering honey eyes warning that his wolf was near to taking over.

Theron shook his head derisively. “You come to my territory to challenge me. Then you lie outright to my face.” Theron snapped his fingers twice and both Dell and Briggs turned their attention to Kyler and Tyler. Instead, the door to Theron’s left opened and Reiner stepped through dragging a bloody and beaten half-dressed Kya behind him.

Reiner pulled Kya into the room by a thick rope he had wound around her neck. Her slight fingers trembled as she pulled at the rope while kicking with her bare legs trying to keep from being choked. The sweater Chloe lent her was ripped and crusted with blood.

Briggs lost all control, he shifted instantly, but before he had a chance to fly across the room and attack Reiner, Kya heard a loud pop. She struggled to turn her head, facing Briggs.

“NOOOO!” Kya screamed.

Despite the bullet wound to his left front shoulder, Briggs didn’t stop in his angry stride toward Reiner.

“How
much
do you care for her?” Theron spit as he turned his Glock from Briggs to Kya. His attempt at controlling Briggs by threatening his life having failed, Theron knew he could control Briggs by threatening Kya’s life.

Briggs halted mid-stride, blood dripping onto the hard wood floor from his shoulder. He turned to Theron; his lips curled back revealing his long sharp canines as he loosed a loud growl.

Reiner smiled wickedly at Briggs, never taking his eyes from the wolf as he wrapped his wrist around the rope at Kya’s throat tightening his hold.

“Theron!” Dell shouted. “I demand you lower your weapon and release Kya. NOW!”

Theron kept his pistol trained on Kya but looked up to Dell. “You’ll demand
nothing
from me. I am Alpha here. Not you.”

Dell lowered his head to eye Theron evenly. “Fine! You’ve forced my hand. I’ve changed my mind.”

A genuine smile crept across Theron’s face, “I thought you’d see things my way.” Theron smiled over at Reiner whose eyes were still transfixed on Briggs. “Take your mutt,” Theron waved his hand towards Briggs, “and leave my territory at once.”

Dell crossed his arms over his chest and laughed as he shook his head. “You misunderstand. I’ve not changed my mind about taking Kya with us, or about audience with your Beta.” Dell lowered his head menacingly, “I’ve changed my mind about expanding my territory.”

The door behind Dell opened and six members of his pack entered the room, each shifting to wolf form as they crossed the threshold.

To Dell’s surprise, his pack’s entrance did not seem to instill in Theron the fear he’d hoped it would.

“I anticipated such treachery. When we met in Montana, I suspected you would not let sleeping…
wolves
lie.” Theron smirked. “If there’s one thing you’ll learn before leaving Colorado, it’s that I too have an impressive pack that will not be trifled with.”

As if on cue, Kyler left Theron’s side to yank the door closest to him open. Eight wolves ranging in size stepped into the room to line either side of Theron.

Kya fell to the floor with a hard thud as Reiner shifted, releasing his hold on the rope around Kya’s neck.

Briggs took a step closer to Reiner, and Theron’s head snapped back to Briggs. “I’ll shoot her.” Theron wiggled the hand that held the pistol pointed at Kya.

Briggs stopped without turning from Reiner.

The tension in the room was stifling as Theron and Dell stood sneering at each other. Each man waited for the other to make the next move.

Kya struggled to her feet, laughing as she rose. All eyes turned to her.

“Babies.” She croaked her voice weak and harsh. Blood trickled from her mouth and ran down her chin. She wobbled slightly as she rose to her full height. “They’re just babies.” Kya waved dramatically at the wolves on either side of Theron. “When did you make them? After you’re trip to Montana? That would make them not even weeks old. Do you think they can defend you when their just now learning their capabilities?”

The wolves on either side of Theron eyed each other.

“And how many of them did you force?” Kya asked turning serious. “How many of these females weren’t given the option of choosing whether they wanted to become shifters?” Kya spat as more than half of the wolves aside Theron turned angry eyes towards him.

Kya turned to face Theron’s pack. “There is no way to give you the choice now. What’s been done to you cannot be undone, but you do have one choice.” Kya turned to Dell, “Can you find them packs? Packs that will take care of them and protect them?”

Dell looked from Kya to Theron’s pack. “I’d welcome any of them into my pack. I vow my protection. They’ll be treated as equals among my wolves.”

Looking back to Theron’s pack, Kya saw confusion and dissidence swirling in their ranks. “Theron and his men
will
use you. They
will
beat you. They’ll torture you and they
will
rape you…if they haven’t already.” Kya looked down at the last words, mustering her courage before she shoved a blood soaked lock of hair from her forehead. “It’s your choice. Them…or us.”

Half the females alongside Theron growled. Some falling back to sit against the wall, others standing looking from Theron to Kya, unsure how to react. None were given the chance to choose a side as Reiner lunged at an all too eager Briggs. The two tore into each other as snarls and growls rent the air.

Kyler and Tyler shifted and ran towards Briggs only to be stopped by Dell as he shifted mid-stride and attacked the brothers with the aid of two wolves from his pack.

Including Dell, there were nine Montana wolves in the room. Theron had three loyals and eight undecided females. Dell’s pack was outnumbered twelve to nine. If Kya’s impassioned speech hadn’t swayed several of the females, she was sure that Dell’s pack would lose this fight.

Four of the females Theron had recently changed jumped into the fight, squaring off against wolves from Dells pack.

Aside from Kya, Dell’s entire pack was in the fight, while Theron’s undecided females curled into tight balls against the wall, whimpering and whining their confusion and unease.