Territory - Prequel (2 page)

“Well?”

Chloe heard the female’s voice and peered around the corner to see that Dell was standing face to face with a
n
unknown
woman, his back to Chloe.  Like Dell, the woman had raven black hair
, but hers was
pulled up into a
tight
chignon that emphasized high cheek bones.

“How’d it go?” The woman prompted.

Dell sighed heavily before offering a weary sounding, “
As good as could be expected
.” 
 

“No problems?” The woman prompted.

Problems?
  Why would there be problems at a funeral?
  Granted the Blackbirds weren’t welcome, but it’s not like Chloe’s family would cause a mutiny at their arrival
. 
Well,
no one besides her. 

Chloe moved her head trying to catch a better glimpse of the woman who stood
only
shoulder high to Dell even in her black high heels.  The woman was dressed for attendance, her outfit nearly replicating Chloe’s.  Both women wore black pencil skirts
with
black suit jackets
, but while the other woman’s perfectly applied make-up and well done hair were shielded from the downpour by the black umbrella she held, Chloe felt like a drowned rat.  Her hair was now plastered to her head, and she could feel the rain running d
own her face in
chilly
rivulets.  S
he didn’t
care;
she knew she wasn’t going back in
to
the church.

“No problems.” Dell conceded.

Chloe thought she caught him motioning with his head in her direction
, so she quickly pulled back and quietly settled herself back into her dark corner. 
Does he know I’m here
? 
Impossible! 
She tried to listen in on the rest of Dell and the woman’s conversation, but the rain picked up and the cacophony of rain splatter on asphalt and nearby
passing
cars drowned out their words.

Chloe tilted her face up and closed her eyes, letting the rain pelt down on her face.
 
I
don’t give a fuck
!
  Rain.  RAIN!
s
he
challenged
mocking the skies
.
 

Distracted only momentarily by Dell and his friend, Chloe’s thoughts
reverted
to her brother
.  T
he heavy weight of sorrow that she’d been carrying for f
ive straight days settled back o
nto her chest.  She toed off her heels and completely ignored them
, leaving them on the ground next to the
wall
as she pushed off
it
and began walking away from the chur
ch, no longer caring if
Dell or his friend
spotted her
.

She was halfway down the block when the sharp cadence of heels clicking rapidly down the pavement caught up with her.

“Chloe.”

She ignored the call.

“CHLOE!”

She didn’t turn to
acknowledge
the woman that had been talking with Dell even as she caught up to Chloe and
lightly touched her arm.

Instead of trying to stop her, the woman kept pace
as she
switched the hand in which she held her umbrella in an effort to afford some sanctuary to Chloe
as well as herself
.

“I’m Cindy.”

Chloe didn’t break her stride
as she gritted her teeth
. 
Like that should mean something to me
!

The woman continued, “Cindy Gorr.”

“And?” Chloe bit out angrily, wanting to be alone.

The woman grabbed Chloe’s arm roughly and jerked her to a stop.  “My maiden name is Blackbird.  I’m Mace’s sister.”

Chloe stuttered to a halt and turned on Cindy with angry eyes.  “What do you want?”
  She could see now that the woman had a light sprinkling of freckles high on her cheeks, but that was the only interruption to perfect tan skin
that left no question as to the woman’s native ancestry.

"Dell would like a word."

Chloe snort
ed.
 
"No.
 
That's a word, take that to him."

Cindy's features darkened, "You can come
willingly
, or I can make you."

"Well," Chloe scoffed, "you can certainly
fucking
try."

Cindy
frowned
at the
slightly
taller woman, "It wouldn't be a fair fight."

"If you find yourself in a fair fight," Chloe began, "then you haven't planned properly."

Cindy's frown cracked into a genuine grin.
 
She too enjoyed the expression
and used it often
.
 
She tilted her head studying Chloe silently, deciding that had they met under different circumstances, the two would have
been
fast
friends.
 
But they hadn'
t, and Chloe had no idea who or what
she was fucking with.
"He won't wait much longer."

Chloe shook her stiff fingers before she ran them down her rain drenched face.  “
Look, I just buried my brother.” Chloe cocked her head
,
a scowl marring her features.  “You remember him?  Donnie.  Donnie Lott.”  Chloe took a step closer in challenge, “You know, the one
your
brother killed.”

“You aren’t the only one to have suffered the loss of a much loved brother.”

Chloe shook
with
rage
as she balled her small hands into tight fists
.  She’d never wanted to punch someone so bad in her whole life.  Instead
,
she dipped her head and ground out through clenched teeth, “
My
brother was fighting to protect what was his. 
What was
your
brother doing
?”  Chloe watched as Cindy took a calming breath.

“
I don’t expect you to understand. 
Look, I’m not here to fight with you.  Dell just wanted to have a word with you and I thought it’d be better if…”

“If what?  I don’t want to talk to him.
”  Chloe pointed in the direction of the church.
 
“
I don’t want to talk to
you
!  What I want is for you people to leave me and my family the fuck alone.
”  Chloe turned o
n Cindy and strode angrily away.

Unable and unwilling to do anything else, Cindy merely watched until Chloe
was swallowed up by the blackness of the
October
Montana night.
 

***

As Cindy shook off her umbrella and slid into the car, Dell didn’t have to ask what
happened.  He’d heard it all.

Dell turned to stare out the window and the light that
shone
down the church steps in multi-colored patterns
as it filtered through the
intricate stained glass.

“You should let it go brother.”

Dell turned to stare at his sister.  “Our brother killed hers because our brother’s wolf claimed the man’s wife!
”  His tone was angry.  “How can I let it go Cindy?  We’ve ruined their lives and we can’t even explain to them why.”

Cindy shook her head, “It’s not Mace’s fault his wolf claimed a married woman.  He couldn’t control it, you know that.”

Dell’s eyes glittered with rage.  “You’re wrong!  Mace’s
wolf
couldn’t control it.  But it’s the man’s job to control the wolf.”  Dell shook his head as his eyes slid down to his hands, “This never should have happened.  Three people
are
dead because Mace couldn’t control
himself.
  Because of what he was…of what we are.
”

Cindy argued, “He was in love Dell!  Do you get that?  He was madly and deeply in love with a woman
he couldn’t have.  He got that.  I
t was his wolf that didn’t
understand
, but it wasn’t his fault.  Do you think Mace knew that woman would kill herself over her inability to choose between
him
and Donnie?”

“No,” Dell barked, “but if Mace had stayed away, let the m
an grieve for his wife in peace
none of this would have happened.  They’d both still be alive.  Donnie and Mace would both still be alive.”

Cindy turned to stare out her own window
, “You don’t know what it’s like Dell.  When you find your mate you’ll know, but right
now,
you have no idea what it’s like to
have your mate. 
T
o
claim
your
mate.
  I couldn’t imagine if another woman had a claim to my Mike.
  If I couldn’t have him.
”  Cindy
sobered
turning and
reaching out to touch her brother’s knee, “I can honestly tell you I probably wouldn’t have done anything differently than Mace had.
”

Dell’s features contorted into a sneer, “It’s inexcusable.  And it’s weak.”

Cindy’s lips twitched into a rueful smile as she reclined back into the buttery softness of the leather interior that lined the vehicle.  “You’ll see big brother. One day, you’ll see.”

“I don’t want to see.  I want to make amends
with
that damn family for what we’ve done
, f
or what Mace has done.”

“There’s nothing you can do Dell.  They don’t want our help
or our apologies
.  What would you say to her anyway?  ‘Hi, my name is Dell Blackbird.  My brother killed yours but it
wasn’t
h
is fault. You see we
’
re shifters and
my
brother
’s wolf
claimed you
r
sister-in-law.  So you can see the only resolution was for your brother and mine to fight to the death over love of the same woman.’
”  Cindy threw up her hands, “Christ Dell, let it go.  I’m telling you if we don’t walk away now, this is only going to end badly.”

Dell shook his head.  “I can’t let it go.  Did you
scent her
rage?  She hates us.
”  He shook his head, his eyes drifting back to the rain, “
Unchecked rage begets action.  We don’t need enemies.  We can’t afford them.  I
will
fix this
—for
their sake and for ours.  I’ll make it right.”

“You can’t bring
them back.”

Dell reached up to rap the window with one knuckle.  “I know
, but I can’t just leave things as th
ey are.  That family, that girl…she
deserve
s
an
answer
.”

Cindy sighed, “And
that
is the one thing you can’t give them.”

Silence hung between them for several moments before Cindy sighed and added, “And she’s hardly a
girl
Dell.  She’s the same age as you.”

Chapter
2

Chloe stood in her mother’s bathroom drying her long black hair with a fluffy white towel when she heard the front door click open then close just as softly. 
Draping the towel around her
shoulders,
she sucked in a breath
, bracing her hands on the sink as she m
et her own gaze in the mirror. 

She looked like hell, and for her mother’s
sake,
she wished
she didn’t.  There was nothing she could do about the dark circles under her eyes, so she picked up a brush and attempted to tame her long straight locks into some semblance of order. 
She opened the cabinet and retrieved her mother’s lipstick.  Applying a thin layer to her full lips, she took a deep breath then descended the stairs. 

“Hi mom.” Chloe wrapped her arms around her mother’s slight shoulders from behind.  She felt her mother stiffen then her shoulders hunched and a long moan of agony tore l
o
ose as her mother’s body wracked with uncontrollabl
e
sobs.
  Chloe knew she’d fought hard to hang on to her misery through the service, but now alone in their own
home;
her mother had no strength left.