Twenty minutes later he was seated at the head of a long wooden table in the dimly lit atmosphere of the new steak house. To his left Mama listened as AJ regaled the table with the story of his and Pony's most recent hunting trip. To Dell's right Cindy mumbled quietly over her two-year old son Isaac's head to speak to her husband Michael. On the opposite end of the table, Stevie and Hannah were arguing about the best way to tie a bib onto Stevie and Pony's daughter Hailey.

Dell pretended to be engrossed in his menu. The pack rarely dined out. The scents and noise were stifling to shifters who could hear every conversation and could smell not only the overpowering aromas coming from the kitchen, but the too heavily applied perfume the women wore and the stench of after shave slapped on men by the handful.

Dell was sifting through the noise, picking up pieces of mundane conversation when it hit him. He dropped the menu he held and lifted his head, drawing the attention of everyone at the table as they quieted to watch him.

Everyone tensed, inhaling deeply and straining to listen. The pack wanted to know what had caused their Alpha to tense so suddenly.

Dell stood and Cindy motioned with her chin, "By the kitchen."

He turned and locked his eyes on Chloe seated in a corner booth, deep in conversation with her mother. She hadn't noticed him yet. He didn't hesitate to close the distance between them, stalking up quietly until his presence next to their table had both women looking up, Bea in delighted surprise and Chloe in utter shock.

"Dell Blackbird, so good to see you," Bea crooned.

Chloe stared up at Dell who had his eyes fixed on her. She quickly looked down and picked up her menu. Her heart thundered in her chest.

"Chloe, aren't you going to say h.e.l.lo to Dell?"

Chloe kept her nose poked in the menu. "Hi," she responded coolly.

"Chloe!" her mother chastised.

Chloe lifted her eyes to frown at her disapproving mother before turning to stare reluctantly at Dell, her voice softened with resignation. "Hi."

Dell didn't smile, simply stared.

Bea eyed the restaurant, unsure of where Dell had come from. "Are you dining alone? Would you care to join us?"

Chloe snapped her eyes to her mother and tried to shake her head imperceptibly, but Dell was already accepting the offer.

"I'd love to."

Chloe cringed when he slid into the booth next to her. She shimmied closer to the window to avoid touching him, dismayed that she was now blocked in.

"So," Bea began delighted with their guest, "Chloe tells me she had a wonderful time on your camping trip, too bad you had to pack it in early due to the storm."

Chloe shrunk in her seat.

Pulling his eyes from Chloe, Dell smiled warmly, "If I could go back, things definitely would have been planned differently." He turned to Chloe then, "Things didn't end as I had hoped."

Still eyeing the restaurant, Bea caught sight of the Blackbird clan. "That's your mother isn't it?"

"Yes. Candace." Dell supplied.

Bea began scooting out of the booth, "I've only ever met your mother once. It was quite brief, but she seemed a remarkable woman. I'd like to run over and just say h.e.l.lo. If you two don't mind."

Dell smiled warmly and shook his head.

"Ma!" Chloe's eyes flashed to her mother. "What if the waitress comes? She should be back soon."

Bea eased out of the table and waved a dismissing hand at Chloe before winking. "You know what I like. Order for me."

Then she was alone with Dell. He was so close she could smell him, and G.o.d he smelled good. Like smoke and rain, it's what she imagined thunder smelt like...wild.

Chapter 22.

"How have you been?"

She kept her eyes on the salt shaker she'd s.n.a.t.c.hed up. Twisting the cap off and back on as it rained white granules onto the table. "Good," she tried to keep her tone light and airy, "You?"

"f.u.c.king miserable!"

The admission had her hands stilling on the salt shaker as she looked up at him.

"I'm sorry for what happened. I hurt you and I don't expect you to forgive me because I can't forgive myself."

She lifted a hand to rub over her arm where she still had bruises. She noted that for the first time in days, her skin didn't crawl at her own touch. "I'm tougher than I look."

He swallowed hard, "I know. You possess more admirable traits than it would initially appear. I'm praying that forgiveness is among them."

She didn't respond.

"At least give me the opportunity to defend myself. I need to explain."

"You didn't give me the opportunity." Her eyes locked on his.

Dell dipped his head, "I know, and I regret it. I attacked you when I should have comforted you."

The waitress arrived at the table, her brows hiked high as she looked from Dell to Chloe. Obviously she'd heard his statement. "Uhh, we ready to order?"

Chloe shot the waitress an annoyed frown, "No, I'm waiting for my mother to return."

The waitress turned to point over her shoulder with her pen. "She already ordered. She said to tell you two to enjoy your dinner; she's eating with his mother." She turned and jabbed her pen in Dell's direction.

Chloe frowned across the room at her mother, who simply waved then returned to her conversation with Mama. s.h.i.t! She heaved an exasperated sigh. "I'll have the sirloin, medium rare, with a baked potato and steamed carrots."

The waitress jotted then turned to Dell, "For you?"

"Same."

The waitress turned back to Chloe, "Anything to drink?"

Chloe wrapped a small hand around the dark bottle near her silverware. "Another beer."

"For you?" the waitress turned to Dell.

"Just water."

The waitress continued to write as she walked away.

"Look," Chloe's eyes darted up to Dell's then back down, "I really don't want to talk about this. I've been trying to forget about it all week, so if you wouldn't mind."

Dell eyed her for long moments before he reclined back in his seat, his hands falling to his lap. "I'm probably not going to get another chance to explain myself where you're forced to listen. So I apologize, but I'm taking advantage of this opportunity."

The waitress returned and set their drinks on the table then disappeared.

"Chloe, I'm dying here."

The pain in his voice was so raw that Chloe couldn't help but peek up at him. Her heart contracted painfully at the expression on his face.

"Everything was going so well. But when I entered the room and saw you..." He balled his hands into white-knuckled fists and dropped his voice to a whisper, "I don't regret killing him. I only regret doing it so quickly." He took a deep calming breath, his broad chest expanding then relaxing. "I scented you as soon as I stepped back into the house." He looked at her then with sorrowful eyes. "It wasn't sadness or fear, it was overwhelming terror. I knew you were in danger, being hurt, and I was so f.u.c.king disgusted with myself for having left you unattended. I should have known." He swiped a hand over his tired features, "When I saw how close he was to claiming you, to taking you from me."

Chloe swallowed hard, emotion thickening her throat at the memory as she blinked back tears.

"I didn't know if he had. Everything happened so fast. When I smelled your blood, I just a.s.sumed..." He drew in a ragged breath and frowned at the room before looking back to her. "I thought he'd taken you from me. I thought he'd claimed what was mine and I was so repulsed with myself for having let him beat me to it." He reached out and grabbed her hand, pulling it to his lap and looking down to play with her small fingers. "I couldn't take my rage out on him, he was already dead." He looked up, "That left only you, and I'm sorry. I'm sorry I couldn't control myself. After Donnie's death, I didn't blame Mace, but I blamed what we are. The man should have been able to deny his wolf's claim on an already married woman and I..."

"What?" Chloe's body went rigid, shock coursing through her. She couldn't believe what she was hearing. "Is that what happened? Mace claimed Beverly?" Angry tears flooded her eyes and she gritted in a hushed tone as she sneered at Dell, "Are you f.u.c.king kidding me? They all died over this mating s.h.i.t?" She jerked her hand free and stood, "Let me out!"

Dell didn't move. His shoulders fell when he realized his mistake.

"Let me out, now!" Her tone rose slightly, drawing attention from a few of the nearby tables.

He turned his body slightly. He allowed her to pa.s.s then stood and followed her as she stormed out of the restaurant. He was relieved when he glanced over and saw that Cindy had distracted Bea to keep her from noticing her daughter's abrupt departure.

Outside Dell saw Chloe storming across the parking lot. He lifted his nose and scented her anger and her tears. f.u.c.k! He jogged to catch up with her and caught her by the elbow. He expected her to turn and slap him but she didn't. It was worse. Instead she turned sad eyes up at him, her lower jaw quivering.

"Is there anything else I need to know that you haven't told me?" Her voice cracked as she fought to retain her composure.

Dell shook his head, his heart breaking at her clear distress. He lifted a hand to her cheek. "I have never intentionally lied to you Chloe. I've only kept things from you that I knew would hurt you."

"And when I find them out anyway?" she challenged. "When I am hurt by them anyway and even more so when I discover that you've intentionally kept me in the dark?"

He didn't respond, just held her gaze.

She jerked her chin from his grasp and turned her back to him, "This is killing me Dell. All of this. The deceit, the absurdity of it all, the fact that I want you when I shouldn't."

He grabbed her arm and spun her to face him. "You want me?"

Her eyes thinned to slits, "Don't act as though you didn't know."

"I'd hoped."

"Dell stop, this isn't funny to me."

He grabbed her by both arms and pulled her hard into him, startling her. "This isn't funny to me either." His teeth were clenched so hard that they creaked, "I want you so f.u.c.king bad Chloe that I can barely see straight. When I'm near you, when I smell you..." A deep rumble emitted from his chest as he slid his hands under her arms and lifted her, turning them both until she was pinned on the truck behind her. Dell had maneuvered until her legs were wrapped around his hips. He pressed into her, a hand fisted in the hair at the back of her neck forcing her head back as his mouth descended on hers.

She struggled at first, moaning in his mouth and tried to push him away, but as his mouth worked over hers, she lost her fight. She didn't want to fight it anymore, was tired of being the martyr for her family. She felt something with Dell, something she could no longer deny. In his presence was the sole place in the universe where she felt safe and at peace, and right now it was all she wanted, to let that feeling last for as long as he was willing to allow it. She kissed him back and prayed that after tonight she'd finally work him out of her system and be able to f.u.c.k and forget Dell Blackbird once and for all.

Her hands gripped his shoulders and she pulled him tighter as her tongue danced with his. She just wanted to feel, to have. To have him. She ground her hips against his, growing wet at the pleasure it brought. She'd been so careful around Dell so cautious to keep from making him aware of her desire. Now, she threw caution to the wind. Let him know!

Another growl rumbled from Dell's chest and then they were moving. She didn't open her eyes, only hoped that he was taking her some place where they could be alone.

She felt him drop to a knee and opened her eyes, noting he'd carried her into the woods just past the parking lot. She lay back in the soft gra.s.s and pulled him with her as he squeezed his hands between them and worked furiously to release the b.u.t.tons of her blouse. She gripped the hem of his shirt and when she tugged he growled when he had to pull back to jerk the fabric over his head.

He had every intention of falling back on top of her when the sight of her fingering open the b.u.t.ton on her jeans had him freezing. His eyes found hers and he was startled by the warm haze of desire that clouded her eyes. When she pushed her jeans down over her the curve of her hips he made the mistake of inhaling. The sharp musk of her desire hit him and he lost all control.

Rough hands grabbed the denim to pull the jeans down her silken legs before he plucked off her shoes, jerked off her jeans, and tossed them aside. His hands gripped her hips, pulling her up onto his lap. She ground against him, and he hardened to forged steel knowing that her scent was marking him. He wanted her, wanted to taste her, to bury himself so deep inside her that part of him would imprint there forever. His engorged c.o.c.k strained against the fabric of his own jeans dying for release and he reached down and ripped the front of the denim open.

Chloe didn't bother trying to remove her bra, instead she jerked the cups down to expose her b.r.e.a.s.t.s. The peaks were stiff with desire and instantly drew Dell's attention. He wrapped an arm around her and eased her back before he fell forward, catching himself with his arms as he dipped his head to suck one nipple into his mouth, forcing an appreciative moan from her soft lips.

He pulled back to stare at her, then his lips found hers with an urgency that she too felt. She didn't want to lose the moment, didn't want someone or something to interfere.

"Take me," she whispered against his mouth.

Dell pulled back and shoved the jeans down his hips. He didn't get the chance to reclaim the position he'd had over her. Instead, she scrambled up and before he could react, Chloe spread her thighs around his hips and impaled herself on his rigid flesh. He stilled himself, not believing the incredible pleasure that swamped him as her tight body fisted around him. When she lifted and eased herself down onto him again, forcing him deeper inside her Dell threw back his head and couldn't contain the growl that rumbled lose from the depths of his soul. Mine!

He held Chloe close, her breath fanning his face as she worked herself on him. His hands slid from her lower back, down to cup her rounded a.s.s to a.s.sist in her thrusts. He gritted his teeth at the pleasure of her steady pace and the soft moans that left her parted lips. When he could no longer stand it, he eased her back until he was over her.

His hands grasped her creamy thighs and spread them wider to allow him to drive deeper, harder, faster. He pounded into her and when she arched her back, her body tightened with its release as pleasure tore through her. Her nails dug into his thighs and her p.u.s.s.y clenched around his c.o.c.k. Her v.a.g.i.n.al muscles convulsed, sucking at him in hungry demand of his seed. Dell's muscles bunched and he growled as he shot his warm release deep inside his mate.

He fell over her, and then rolled pulling her on top of him. He remained buried inside her and her legs were wrapped around his body as they both fought to stabilize their breathing lying naked and p.r.o.ne on the forest floor.

She moaned quietly and he felt her lips brush against his chest in a feather-light kiss. Then Dell stilled. f.u.c.k! He rolled again to pin Chloe to the ground.

Staring up at him, Chloe noticed that he'd grown deathly pale. "Dell! What's wrong?"

He eased from her and quickly jerked his pants up. "f.u.c.k! f.u.c.k! f.u.c.k!"

"What?" Chloe followed his lead and pulled her bra over her b.r.e.a.s.t.s then quickly began working the b.u.t.tons of her blouse with trembling fingers. She eyed the area, but she could see no one. "Is someone coming? Did someone see us?" She let her eyes drift over the area again.

Now fully dressed, Dell retrieved her jeans from where he'd tossed them and handed them to her without looking at her, "Here, put these on."

Chloe grabbed her jeans and quickly shoved in one leg then the other, hoping on one foot as she nearly tipped over. "Dell! What's going on?"

He was searching for her shoes, ignoring her words. When he handed the shoes to her she didn't bend to put them on, simply stood and frowned at him. "What. Is. Going. On?"

"Put your shoes on," he commanded, "we have to go."

"No," she crossed her arms over her chest, a shoe dangling from each hand. "I'm not going anywhere until you tell me what's wrong."

Dell turned his back to her and hissed. When he turned back to her he shoved an angry hand into his short black hair. "We just had unprotected s.e.x!"