Territory (12 page)

Kya exhaled deeply. “She just…she wanted you so much. She thought I was in her way, that I was here to keep you two apart. We should have told them. We should have told the pack right away.”

“Told them what?” Briggs growled

Kya looked at Briggs uneasily. Nervously she pulled her hand from his and fidgeted with a loose string on the light blue blanket that covered her. “That you…” Kya’s voice dropped to a whisper as she looked up to stare Briggs evenly in the eye, “don’t want me.”

Silence hung between them and Kya watched an unknown emotion flash across those honey colored eyes as Briggs worked his jaw.

Briggs took a deep breath, shoving his hand through his glossy black hair, “Kya…”

“Kya! You’re awake!” Chloe entered the room with Dell close on her heels. The Alpha smiled warmly down at Kya as Chloe crossed the room and leaned over an angry Briggs to hug Kya’s shoulders gently. “We’ve been so worried. Poor Briggs is on the Nurse’s station hit list.” Chloe laughed as she leaned back and punched Briggs in his good shoulder.

Dell grabbed Chloe by the shoulders. “Yes, Kya. You’ve been out for a week. You lost so much blood. You needed a transfusion and…”

Kya struggled to sit up her eyes flashing to Briggs, “Oh my God! Do they know? Do they know about us…what we are?”

Briggs stood, placing large hands on Kya’s shoulders to force her back on the bed. “It’s alright. Dr. Adams is one of ours.” Briggs felt Kya’s slight frame relax.

Briggs smoothed hair back from her face and Kya’s heart somersaulted at his touch, “It’s taken care of. All of it. You don’t need to worry about anything…ever again.” Briggs reclaimed his chair and recaptured Kya’s small hand in his. “We’ll get you released as soon as we can. Until then you only need to know that you and I were in Colorado on our honeymoon. We were in my truck at Golden Gate Canyon State Park when some men tried to carjack us. They shot me then you.”

Dell cut in, “It might be best if when the police come you just don’t remember anything. Dr. Adams says it’s perfectly normal for victims of attacks who’ve suffered injuries such as yours to remember nothing of the incident.”

Kya nodded taking in all the information. She tried to concentrate on their alibi, but the only thing she could think of was Briggs and his possessive hold on her hand. Part of her wanted to pull her hand back, but a bigger part wouldn’t let her do it.

“Well, well, well, sleeping beauty has finally risen.” A short balding man wearing wire-rimmed glasses strode through the door. Briggs stood and shook the Doctor’s hand before he reclaimed his seat. The Doctor snatched up the chart at the foot of Kya’s bed. “How are you feeling young lady?”

“I’m fine.” Kya inhaled deeply but couldn’t smell the wolf in him. Her eyes darted instantly to Briggs at her side, alarm evident in her features.

Briggs squeezed her hand reassuringly. “Doctor Adams is well known in Montana. He isn’t one of us, but he is a supporter; therefore, nearly every shifter in this area makes the journey to be seen by him. He’s very experienced when it comes to our…unique anatomy.”

Kya looked from Briggs to Doctor Adams uneasily.

The Doctor smiled up at her, but Kya quickly looked away leaning sideways to partially hide behind Briggs’ shoulder.

“It’s alright.” Briggs whispered over his shoulder. Pressure squeezed his chest at the overwhelming feeling of possessiveness he felt.

“Mrs. Blackbird. I assure you the highest level of care coupled with the most severe forms of discretion. My wife is…of the kind. I promise you that your secrets are as near to my heart as if they were my own.”

Kya smiled weakly from behind Briggs’ shoulder. “When can I go…home?” Kya’s shoulders slumped.
Home? Where the hell is that?

Doctor Adams turned serious, “Not today I’m afraid. Too soon. Now that you’re awake, we’ll need to monitor your condition, get some food in you, and see if there are any complications. End of next week is my best guess.”

Kya squeezed Briggs’ shoulder, whispering in his ear as he leaned back to her, “The longer I’m here the more dangerous this is. What if someone finds out?”

Doctor Adams shoved his glasses up on his nose, “If you
insist
, we can have her flown to the Glacier Park International Airport, but no sooner than the end of the week.”

“Make it Lone Hawk Airport.” Briggs turned to stare at Kya intently. “And, I insist.”

Eight days later, Kya and Briggs arrived at Lone Hawk Airport in Whitefish, Montana. The flight had been turbulent to say the least. With the fall season in full swing it meant snow for the higher elevations of Montana and Whitefish was nestled just on the west side of the Rocky Mountains, meaning it was covered in a blanket of white sparkling crystals.

Mama was waiting at the airport to usher Briggs and Kya home. Briggs lifted Kya into the backseat of Mama’s Suburban ignoring Kya’s protests. He’d scarcely said a word to her, opting to glare out the window for most of the flight. Kya wasn’t sure what had changed, but from the moment Briggs arrived to pick her up from the hospital that morning he seemed to be angry with her.

“You comfortable?” Mama asked smiling at Kya in the rearview mirror.

“Perfect, thanks.” Kya leaned back, resting her stiff body and exhaling slowly as Briggs climbed in the front passenger seat. Slamming his door shut, Briggs stomped his slushy feet as snow slid from the roof of the car leaving a wet trail down the front windshield.

“We’ll have you home in no time. You must be exhausted.” Mama shook her head as she pulled the Suburban out of the parking lot, “Your poor little body.”

Exhausted, Kya remained silent.

“Where’s your brother?” Mama asked Briggs as she turned a dial on the dash, cranking up the heat.

Briggs’ scowl deepened as he continued to glare out the window. “He and the rest of the pack stayed behind. With the Colorado Alpha gone, Dell acquires the territory. He needs to let everyone know who’s in charge before he can leave the area.”

“Colorado huh? That’s a nice chunk of land.” Mama nodded a twinkle in her eyes as she winked at Kya in the mirror. “We’re gonna need more wolves to cover that much land.”

Mama eased the car to the side of the road. Briggs hopped out slamming the door behind him before the vehicle had coasted to a complete stop. Mama and Kya watched as he shifted, melting down into his large gray wolf before he disappeared, limping into the tall pines.

Kya shook her head, a heavy weight settling on her chest. “He’s been mad at me all morning. Hasn’t said a word to me all day.” Kya looked down fidgeting with her icy fingers, “Maybe he wanted to stay and help Dell. Maybe he’s upset that I came back. I don’t know.”

“Why would he be upset that you came back?”

Kya smirked as she stared out the window in contemplation. “He’s never really liked me. The first time we met, he wanted to kill me. I don’t think he wants me around.”

“Well,” Mama said turning the suburban onto a mountain road, “maybe he’s grown fond of you. Maybe he’s changed his mind about wanting a mate.”

Kya raised her eyebrows, using a finger to trace a circle in the fogged up window. “I sincerely doubt that.”

“How can you be so sure? Have your feelings changed any?”

Kya felt heat flood her cheeks. “What feelings? I didn’t…I don’t…” She couldn’t formulate the words so opted for shaking her head.
“Don’t what?” Mama prompted eyeing Kya intently in the rearview mirror.

“I haven’t allowed myself to consider the option.”

“Well why not?” Mama bit out a little too angrily.

Kya met her eyes in the mirror. “Everything’s happening so fast. I only met him a few weeks ago. He’s hated me ever since. He said he didn’t want a mate.”

Kya bowed her head trying to hide her embarrassment, the backs of her eyes stinging with the threat of tears before she whispered, “He knows what I am Mama. How I’ve lived, what happened to me. He knows it all. He wouldn’t want that…I wouldn’t want that for him. I’m just…an Omega. A used Omega at that.”

“That’s not what I asked.” Mama barked. “Would
you
accept
him
as your mate?”

Kya licked her lips. “I-I…don’t know.”

Mama pulled the Suburban to a halt just outside the Blackbird compound. “Well, you’d better get to thinking about it. In case you haven’t noticed, it doesn’t hurt him to touch you anymore.”

Kya’s head snapped up, searching for Mama’s eyes in the rearview mirror. “What does
that
mean?”

Briggs stood next to her staring at her in puzzlement. “What’s going on?” He looked from Kya to Mama’s retreating form as she entered the Blackbird home leaving the door wide open.

“N-n-nothing!”

Briggs shook his head, bending to grab Kya, “You ready?”

Kya shoved a hand into his chest. “Look, I can do this. You need to let your arm heal. You really shouldn’t be lifting anything, especially not me.”

Briggs looked from Kya to his shoulder. When he’d shifted, his clothes regenerated, but his sling and bandages did not. Looking back to Kya, he grabbed the wrist of the hand that she held to his chest. He pulled her forward to slide his arm behind her then effortlessly lifted her from the vehicle.

Kya bit her lip to keep from crying out. After spending a week in a hospital bed, her body was revolting against the jerky plane ride and much shorter car ride.

Briggs didn’t miss the flash of pain that blanched her features. He stood motionless for a moment with her in his arms, “You alright?”

Kya simply nodded; afraid the pain would be evident in her tone.

Briggs carried her into the compound then up the kitchen stairs.

Kya’s heart gave a slight squeeze as he passed by his room and carried her to the guest room she’d stayed in the first night she’d come to the compound. He laid her gently on the bed then bent and unzipped the coat Chloe had lent her. He slowly peeled the coat off her before he hung it on a hook on the back of the door then returned to her, bending to untie her shoes. Kya noted that the house was eerily quiet.

Briggs retrieved a Pendleton from the closet and laid it over Kya before he returned to the closet and came back with two pillows. He slowly lifted Kya’s legs and tucked a pillow underneath before he helped her sit forward and placed a second pillow behind her head.

“Do you need anything right now?” Briggs’ scowl deepened as he looked anywhere but directly at her.

“No. Thank you.” Kya answered simply, wanting desperately to be alone.

Without another word, Briggs turned and exited the room. Kya exhaled and finally let her tense muscles relax. The tension between them was mounting with each hour. She didn’t want him angry with her. She didn’t know what she could do to make things right because she didn’t know what she’d done to make things wrong.

Fuck! I’m trapped her like some wounded animal. God, I wish I had the strength to shift. I’d be gone so fast.
Tears slid down her cheeks and Kya swiped at them angrily.
He’s suck an asshole. I didn’t ask for this, for any of it. If they’d have let me leave the first night we met. FUCK! I need to pee.

Kya threw the blankets aside and set her feet on the floor, and did something she hadn’t done for the past two weeks. She slowly stood, and it was a mistake. Slamming her eyes shut, she held tightly to the wall as the room swam around her.

Oh God, please don’t let me be sick, please don’t let me be sick, please don’t let me be sick!
She knew that with her recently sewn together belly, retching would be excruciating. Kya held her breath hoping the nausea would pass. She was still holding her breath when Briggs threw the door open and raced to her side.