Willa blushed, and that easily, with just his softly spoken words, her pussy creamed.
Barron’s nostrils flared, and his eyes dipped down to her barely covered pussy. “For me?” He asked with a smile. His hands gripped her thighs and were pushing her shirt up when the kitchen door crashed open. Willa’s hand jerked her shirt down to cover herself.
Cortez doubled over and grabbed his knees to catch his breath. Distracted, neither Willa nor Barron had heard the car pull up.
“S-Stranger,” Cortez finally gasped out as the rest of the pack hurried through the door with worried expressions. “Stranger coming!”
The familiar words sent ice water shooting through Willa’s veins and acid filling her belly. Her first instincts were to battle, to defend. She didn’t get the chance.
Barron lifted her off him with zero effort before barking, “Get dressed! The rest of you, stay here!” Then he was out the door.
Dumbfounded, Willa could only stare at his back as he exited the house. She made to follow him when Sarya stepped in front of her. “Maybe some pants first, Phina?”
Looking down, Willa realized she hadn’t even remembered she was only half dressed. “Stay here!” She echoed Barron’s order and then raced for her room.
***
Barron’s shoulders bunched and tensed. Another had come to his territory to take his mate! It was getting fucking old! His hope had been that word of his defeat of Atkins and his beta, and of David and his pack of skinny coyotes, would have spread. Apparently, it hadn’t spread far enough.
Stalking from the house he cared little that his feet and chest were bare, or that his low-slung jeans were still unbuttoned. In fact, he was thrilled that he and Willa had enjoyed a relaxed morning. He hadn’t yet showered. The scent of sex and his Willa filled his nose. It’d fill the strangers as well.
Seeing a form on the horizon, he imagined this must have been how Willa felt when he’d first come to her territory. No! He shook his head with a snarl. She had been brave, yet fearful. He was pissed off and eager, his hands literally itching for a fight. If any part of him had originally intended for the claiming to be false, it was gone now. Vanished. Wiped away by the soul-wrenching ecstasy of loving his Willa. And he did. He loved her body, loved her pussy, but more importantly, he loved her soul. She was proof that a pure heart could manifest into glorious beauty…and she was his! The mere notion that some male would even think he could come and have a chance to claim her produced such vicious rage that he actually prayed the fucker would challenge him. It’d end here. After this last one, no wolf nor man would dare come back after Barron made a message out of this last fucker.
The two men, nearly equal in stature, stalked toward one another. The stranger was at an advantage. With the sun rising behind him, it blinded Barron, but he didn’t need to see detailed features. A general idea of where this asshole was would do.
Gnashing his teeth, his fists curled tightly as the space between the two shortened. Clearly, the stranger was an Alpha, otherwise he’d already be running.
Barron let the need to protect combine with his fierce possessiveness and rolled his head, his vertebrae popping. This fucker’s dead!
The two drew closer and Barron smiled. He wanted to hurt the man. Now.
“Barron.”
The greeting had Barron’s shoulders tensing even further, the maniacal grin slipping. He knew that voice. Scrolling through his mental rolodex it took a second to place and when he did, Barron slammed to a halt.
“Barron,” Delano Bowden greeted. “I didn’t expect to find you here.”
The appearance of Delano, one of Barron’s rogue Alpha pack, was unexpected.
“What do you want,” Barron snarled.
“Easy, brother.” Delano held up his hands. “I come in peace.”
“What do you want?” Barron growled a second time. He knew Delano, and he respected the shit out of him, but it didn’t change the fact that he was an unmated Alpha in the territory of what was known to be a female available for claiming.
Delano shifted anxiously, his look puzzled. “I heard that Willa Hutchinson…”
“You heard wrong,” Barron snapped.
“Easy,” Delano said again, his frown resigned. “Look, I can smell her all over you, so clearly I’m not needed.”
Barron sneered. “Who sent you!”
“I went to see Evander, hoping to find you. He said he’d sent you here to help his friend, but he’d gotten word that things had gotten complicated. He was worried that you weren’t ready for this. He sent me…”
“In case I failed,” Barron supplied.
Delano nodded.
The scent of Willa hit Barron before he even heard her approach. Raw possessiveness slammed into him and without thought, he partially shifted. Long incisors filled his mouth; his chest expanded; black hair sprouted up along his arms and shoulders; and his wolf shone through in his eyes.
“Easy.” Delano growled, finally taking offense. Barron knew it wouldn’t take long, they were both Alpha’s after all. Still, what did Delano expect?
“Barron?”
Willa’s soft voice carried to him, but only lent fuel to his fury.
***
Relieved the fighting hadn’t started, Willa moved up beside Barron so they could confront the stranger together. She had only just stepped up when Barron’s hand shot out grabbing her arm and pulling her in front of him, her back pressed into his chest. What’s he…
One of his hands reached up and grabbed her chin, turning her head, while the other caught the collar of her shirt and ripped. She yelped, unsure of what he was doing.
“MINNNNE!” Barron snarled from behind her as if possessed.
Holy shit! The declaration was sexy as hell and had her turned on before she could even blink. Her chest heaved at his display, her breathing suddenly erratic as the stranger’s eyes dipped to the mate mark on her neck.
“MINNNNE!” Barron growled again on an almost animalistic rumble as he reached down and cupped her pussy through the jeans she’d hurriedly pulled on.
Willa gasped and grabbed his arm, trying to shove it away, but he wasn’t having it.
The stranger who, oddly enough, looked like an unscarred version of Barron though with softer features, dipped his eyes to Barron’s hand and then lifted back up.
Barron’s hand left her chin and slid into her shirt to cup a bare breast. His display was thrilling and, to her embarrassment, had Willa extremely turned on.
“I get it,” the stranger offered, raising his hands slowly and taking a step back. “She’s your mate. I’ll go.”
To her embarrassment and delight, Barron didn’t release her. His hand between her legs started rubbing along the seam of her jeans while the other snaked inside her shirt to massage her breast.
“Mine!” Barron ground out again, and she wondered if he was okay. His hand left her breast, pulling from her shirt. She thought that was the end of it, but then his hands were ripping open the front of her jeans and tearing them down her legs.
“BARRON!” she yelped.
“Gotta have you!” He snarled, fisting her shirt on two sides before ripping it from her body. “Now!”
He forced her to her knees and she went, his big body coming down behind her. She heard material shred and then he was surging into her. No preamble, just pure raw fucking. She sucked in a harsh breath, her eyes jerking to see if the stranger had gone. The man was further away, but had turned to look back. When his eyes saw Barron’s display, the stranger stopped and turned to watch. Bizarrely, it was arousing.
Barron fucked her hard and fast while she swayed on her hands and knees. She knew what he was doing. It was a blatant display, showing the world that he was claiming her. She didn’t have to worry if the pack was watching, she knew they’d follow Barron’s command to remain at the house. So, with little else to do, she relished his display. He was willing to fight for her. He was willing to chase off both suitors and challengers, and
to put them on display to show he meant what he said. And God, did it feel like he meant it. It felt so real that she’d almost forgotten that it wasn’t. This was a favor, and how fucking stupid was she for imagining it was anything else?
She couldn’t think about it anymore when his pace quickened. She cried out as he tunneled into her. Feeling herself tightening, she knew it was almost time. A few more thrusts and she was lost, a shattered cry leaving her and then pitching higher when Barron’s hands tightened on her hips as his thrusts became short jerks, working into a panicked frenzy before he slammed home and stilled his hips, his release erupting deep insider her. Belatedly, she realized that they should be using protection, but couldn’t hold on to the thought as she rode out the last tendrils of their shared ecstasy.
For long minutes he emptied into her and she took in every drop before she came back to her senses and turned to find the stranger gone.
Chapter 20
“Maybe not so much next time,” Willa offered before asking, “Were there any young females in your old pack? Did you have any little nieces or younger sisters?”
Barron growled and dropped the wrench he’d been using to change the spark plugs in Willa’s car.
“You undermining me?” He asked without any bite as he squared his shoulders and smirked at her.
It’d been three weeks since he’d chased Delano away, and each night was spent in Willa’s bed. It had been exquisite, but he could still sense her hesitancy to accept what was happening between them.
“I’m not.” Willa shook her head, looking contrite. “Seriously,” she shoved her hands in her pockets. “I’m not trying to undermine you, I’m just…trying to help.”
“By busting my balls?”
Her cheeks reddened. “I wasn’t.” She turned to walk away but he caught her elbow, pulling her to him. She’d been hovering over him the past few days, watching his interaction with the pack, the girls in particular. Apparently, today she didn’t approve of the amount of money he’d given Becca and Sarya as their allowance.
“What’s this all about then? The twenty questions, the close guard?”
Willa’s eyes lifted to his. “I just know what it’s like is all.”
“What what is like?”
When she suddenly looked embarrassed, he decided he really needed to know.
As usual, when she was saying something she felt was particularly difficult to get out, she looked anywhere but at him. This time, her gaze disappeared off to his side somewhere.
“The problem with being Alpha,” she swallowed hard, “with being the strongest, is that no one ever asks if you need help. No one ever asks if you’re ok.” She shook her head. “I just thought…”
He smiled. “You just thought you’d give me what you would want in the same position.”
Her eyes cut to his and she jerked out of his hold. “We’re not talking about me.”
He stepped closer, forcing her to have to tilt her head back to look up at him. “Aren’t we?” Unable to stop himself, he lifted a hand and cupped her cheek. She tried to step back, but he caught her hip and held her still. “Willa, if while I’m here there’s ever a time when you feel you need my help…”
She turned her head away from his hand. “I don’t.”
Her stubbornness infuriated him, but try as she might, she couldn’t hide her protector’s soul from him. He saw now what she’d been trying to do. She’d been trying to take care of him.
Grabbing her chin, he bent as he turned her face to his. He kept lowering his head until their noses touched and never once did he take his eyes from hers. “I want you to know that I see you.”
Her lips parted and she inhaled sharply, her body going tense.
Barron’s eyes darkened as his wolf neared the surface and he repeated more quietly, “I see you, Willa.”
She tried to pull away again, but he’d had enough. Standing tall, he pulled her flush against his body. “Now, tell me what it is you’re trying to get at with all this protective crap? Does it seem like I’m failing to you?”
Shit! She hadn’t thought he’d take it that way.
His arms tightened. He scented her guilt and smiled inwardly knowing he could use the emotion to get her to confess. A little of his own guilt bit at him, but he shoved it back. Sometimes Willa was too damn stubborn to come to him willingly for what she needed. It was only when she felt as if she’d offended him that he could see her plans clearly. “Tell me, Willa.”
“I just wondered,” she looked away from him. “If it could work like that.”
“If what could work.”
She shrugged negligently. “Since we’re playing house. I thought it’d be nice to see if two Alpha’s could share the burden. Help each other out where they can. I’ve never seen it work that way, but...”
He smiled at the blush on her cheeks. “You want to know if it’s possible for a male and female to share the lead?”
“No!” Her angry eyes snapped to his. “It’s not about the lead. It’s about the burden.” She shoved at his arms. “I wanted to know if a male and female could help each other. If they could find a happy middle ground where they’re both equally as valuable to the pack, equally respected.”
“No.” His tone turned serious and had her stilling her attempts to escape. “They can’t.”
Under the veil of her sooty lashes, she tried to hide the regret that flooded her, but Barron grabbed her chin and forced her head up, his eyes colliding with hers.
“An Alpha female will never be equal to an Alpha male because she’s worth so much more. The female is the heart of the pack, Willa. The male is just the fist.” He dropped his hand to grab one of hers before lifting it to his lips and kissing her knuckles. “A body can survive without a fist, without a hand, but it’d die without its heart.” He smiled. “You’re worth ten of me, Willa Hutchinson.” Suddenly, he released her and turned back to his work. “And don’t get it twisted. It is I, who am trying to live up to you. Thank you for sharing your pack with me. I’ll try to be more…suitable.”
Willa stood staring at his back, dumbfounded. Why did he always know the perfect thing to say? Does he rehearse this? Impossible. He’d had no idea she’d approach him with her veiled attempt at seeing if they could actually make it work.
Turning to leave, she stopped and turned back to him. She couldn’t leave it like that. He vowed to try and be more suitable, but that’s not what she was after. “Barron?”
He pulled his head from under the hood of the car and stood tall. “Yes, beautiful?”
“You’re more than suitable for this pack.” She swallowed hard. “And I thank you for protecting this pack, for protecting me.”
His gaze bored into hers.
“A false claiming isn’t an easy thing for anyone to endure, and I… I want you to know that I recognize that, and I appreciate you going through the effort it takes to take us on and to not make me feel…sullied for my choice. I’m grateful for all you’ve done, and when the time comes for you to go, if there’s ever anything I can do…” She lowered her gaze to kick at a rock distractedly before lifting her head and locking eyes with him. “Well, I am in your debt, Alpha Kane.”
The corner of his mouth barely lifted, and he nodded once. It was all the cue Willa needed to turn and hurry back to the house as anguish surged through her. She didn’t want to talk of Barron leaving, because she didn’t want him to go. The past four weeks he’d been with the pack had been the most enjoyable four weeks of her life. The pack had taken to Barron, and she had to admit that, despite her best intentions, she’d taken to him as well.
Making her way up the front steps, she smiled weakly at Cortez and Keryn as they hurried from the house with towels slung over their shoulders.
“We’ll be at the swimming hole, Phina.”
She nodded at Cortez’s announcement, too distressed to speak. Once in the house, she set about busying herself making dinner. Tonight they’d barbecue, and tomorrow she’d talk to Ba
rron about when he intended to leave. The subject would have to be broached soon. It had been three weeks with no more challenges, and despite how much she yearned to keep him around, she knew that the longer he stayed, the harder it would be on the kids. Tears flooded her eyes as she pulled eggs, chicken, pickles, and mayo from the fridge. Damn kids! They should’ve known better than to get too attached. She sniffed as she lifted a delicate hand to the mate mark on her neck.
Chapter 21
Dinner was fabulous. Barbecued chicken was accompanied by creamy potato salad, baked beans, cheese-flavored tortilla chips, and strawberry shortcake for dessert. Over the time that Barron had been with them, Willa found that she’d enjoyed cooking more than ever. Perhaps it was because Barron attacked everything she prepared with such manly appreciation that she felt proud of her culinary skills. Regardless of the reason, she found herself carefully planning each meal and discovering nearly as much appreciation for Barron’s reaction as he apparently found in each meal.
After dinner, the kids hurried out back for a game of volleyball at the new net Barron had purchased and set up earlier that day. He’d taken all three boys and gone into town that morning for what he’d said was a trip to buy spark plugs. He’d returned with enough groceries to feed the pack for a month and the volleyball set. It wasn’t the first time he’d bought groceries either. No, he’d snuck into town early one morning and when he returned he’d brought some things for dinner and the following morning’s breakfast. What had really shocked Willa though were the receipts he’d produced that showed he’d paid her gas, electricity, and car insurance for five full months.
“I call first serve!” Becca yelled as the pack disappeared out into the warm summer’s evening.
Willa smiled and stood, picking up an empty plate as Barron crossed to the fridge and grabbed two cold bottles of beer. “That’ll wait.”
Her eyes lifted to his in question as he held out one of the beers. “Come on, let’s go for a walk.”
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