Free TerrIIItory by Susan A. Bliler Page B

scent her distress and tears.
    “Beth!” he growled.
    “I’m not.” Her voice was breathless as she attempted to tamp down her hysteria.  “I’m not…”
    “What?  What is it, baby?”
    The endearment coupled with the tenderness in his tone had her finishing the sentence on an all-out sob.  “I’m not yours !”
    Shock was evident in his tone.  “What?”
    Bethany was crying full out now.  “I’m not yours, Evander.  It didn’t work.”  She crossed to sit on the toilet, bending over and wrapping her arms around herself as she cursed herself for the fool she was.  She’d known better than to get her hopes up, but she’d done it anyway.
    “Get away from the door.” Evander growled.  Bethany didn’t respond, and short seconds later the knob turned with a vicious click as the door jarred just barely open.
    Evander slowly pushed the door the rest of the way open as if he were afraid she was on the other side.  When he found her on the toilet, he rushed the room.  “Baby?”  She was up in his arms before she could object.  She sobbed and fisted her hand into his shirt as tears wet the front of his shirt.
    “I’m not yours.  It didn’t work.  I haven’t healed.”  She shook her head. “I told you.  My stupid fucking wolf!”
    “Shhh,” he soothed, carrying her back into the bedroom and settling on the bed with her on his lap.
    Weston and Clay rushed the room.  “Kane?”  Weston growled, looking for the threat.
    “Leave us!” Evander snarled, and then thought better of it.  “Clay!  Stay.”
    Weston bowed out of the room with true worry in his expression while Clay slowly approached.  “What is it?  What’s wrong?”
    “She hasn’t fucking healed.” Evander was back to snarling.
    “Oh, Bethany.”  Clay was contemplative a moment before he began. “Evander, maybe she’s not your…”
    “SHE’S MINE!”
    Bethany jerked in his arms, and he was back to murmuring softly to her.  “Shhh, baby.  I’ve got you.  I’m sorry.  I didn’t mean to startle you.  Everything is going to be fine.”  He looked up at Clay pointedly.  “Isn’t it Clay?”
    The clear warning in his tone had Clay fidgeting before he pinched the end of his nose and studied Bethany.  “Maybe you should mark her again.”
    Evander’s tone was full of impatience.  “What?”
    “Yeah,” Clay nodded as if he liked the idea.  “What if we treat it like a series of antibiotics?  Perhaps she needs more than the one time.”
    The scowl on Evander’s face showed he wasn’t buying it.  Locked in his displeased Alpha’s gaze, Clay shrugged and shook his head while silently mouthing, “I don’t know.”
    For just a fraction of a second, Evander entertained the thought that Bethany wasn’t his, but his wolf lunged forward, snarling its discontent.  No, she was his.
    Evander stood and gently placed Bethany on her feet.  “Get dressed, and then come down to the kitchen.  We’ll try again.”  He used a finger to tilt her chin up until mournful eyes met his.  He let the amber eyes of his wolf show through as he spoke, so she’d understand the seriousness.  “We’ll keep trying, Beth.  We’ll keep doing this until it works.”
    She simply nodded, and it took all of Evander’s strength to walk away from her in that moment when what he wanted most was to crawl into her bed, pull her close, and kiss away her fears.
    ***
    In the kitchen, Evander paced.  Clear agitation marred his brow.  “Why the fuck didn’t it work, Clay?”
    “Well, there could be many reasons her wolf is still in hiding.”
    Evander could tell by his pack healer’s tone that he didn’t buy it.  Clay believed that Bethany wasn’t his, and that once again Evander was attempting to force a mating where none existed.
    “I was stricken!”  Evander snarled stopping to square off against his healer.
    “I know you think that, but…”
    Clay didn’t get to finish.  One second he was facing Evander, and