Terr4tory by Susan Bliler Page A

his Alpha.
    Everyone watched them go except Willa.  Her eyes were trained on Barron’s back.  Blood was seeping through his shirt.  He’d been injured.  “Barron?”  She took a step toward him, but when he turned on her with a vicious snarl she jerked back.
    “GET AWAY FROM ME!”   Barron roared.
    Willa paled.  Was he angry that he’d had to fight for her?  That he’d held her out to be his mate when she wasn’t?  That he’d been injured over protecting her?
    “Don’t look at me like that, Willa.”  Barron’s harsh tone softened slightly.  He turned away from her and she could read the restrain in the taut lines of his body.  “I’m feral right now, and my wolf needs…  We need to fuck you like we need to breathe.”
    Willa’s mouth fell open and her eyes rounded.
    “I need time to cool off.”  His words were still strained, but were growing less rough as his wolf slowly receded.  “Get back to the house.  Now !”
    She didn’t hesitate to turn, ushering Keryn and Cortez ahead of her as they hurried back to the farmhouse.  She completely ignored her wolf’s long, low whine to remain with Barron and let him take what he needed.

Chapter 12
    Back at the house, Willa busied herself by briefing the pack.  Challengers were coming ahead of schedule; therefore, no one was to leave the territory for any reason.  She didn’t want any Alphas getting their hands on a member of her pack.  The last thing she needed was to be forced into acquiescence because some asshole had leverage.
    After she had briefed the pack, they’d hurried into the living room, no doubt dying to get details of the battle from Cortez and Keryn.  While she half-listened to the exaggerated retelling of the battle, she paced the kitchen, waiting for Barron to return.
    She desperately wanted to check Barron’s wounds and talk to him.  What was the motivation behind his claim?  Was he helping?  Was he challenging for her territory?  Was it a fluke, something just blurted out?  She stopped pacing to stare out the window, wondering if Barron had realized, post-fight, that he’d bitten off more than he could chew when he’d lied for her.  Is he already gone?   The thought was jarring.  Barron could very easily have simply walked away.  Despite the hollow feeling produced by the thought of Barron leaving them, Willa couldn’t blame him.
    Worried now that he’d simply left, Willa hurried to the door.  She opened it just as Barron stepped onto the porch.
    “Barron!”  She couldn’t help the surprise that laced her tone.
    Apparently, he heard it too, because he flashed a lopsided grin.  “You sound surprised to see me.  Did you think I bled out in the woods?”
    “No, I…”  She didn’t want to admit that she’d thought he’d left them.  And when the pack rushed from the living room, she didn’t have to.
    “BARRON!”  Sarya yelled.  As she raced from the house to fling herself into Barron’s arms, Willa couldn’t help but notice that it looked like she’d been crying.
    “Easy.” Barron laughed as he hugged the girl, then set her back on the porch.  “Miss me?”
    “We were worried!”  Sarya swiped at her cheeks.
    “Yeah.” Jase stepped around her and held his arms up, evoking another smile from Barron who complied with the silent demand by hoisting the boy up onto his shoulders.  “Cortez said you won, but we were scared you got mad and left.”
    Willa watched Barron’s expression closely.  The children’s worries mirrored her own, and she was hoping to tell by Barron’s reaction whether he’d entertained the idea of simply walking away.
    Dark brows furrowed and he frowned at the pack, slapping a hand to his chest in mock offense.  “You wound me, kids.”  He lifted Jase off his shoulders and set him on the porch before bending to look at him.  “I would never leave without saying goodbye.”
    As one, the pack sucked in a breath.  Willa’s heart plummeted and when Barron