Peter took her hand and brought the petite, tanned skinned woman inside Colten's home.
Colten looked her over, sniffing the air and cementing his pissed off state.
She looked to her mate and shifted, “This is your alpha?” She said through her thick spanish accent.
Peter closed the door, “Yeah, this is Colten... err... Colten this is Mia.”
Colten caught his glance and then he looked back to the woman, “Man,” Colten put his hand to his brow and rubbed, “How'd did this happen?”
Peter smiled, stepping up beside his tiny mate and squeezing her hand, “I found her.”
Colten dropped his hand and stared at his love-sick Beta, “What? Where, at the Rodeo?”
“No!” Peter laughed.
Colten creased his brow, “Pete, tell me!”
Peter nodded, pulling his eyes of Mia as she looked between the men.
“I dropped off Fuller...”
Colten cringed at the mention of the woman, “Yes, then when?”
“I was driving home and I could smell her.” He smiled, nuzzling her.
Colten groaned, “Alright, enough!”
Mia sunk back, “Your alpha is not happy.”
“No, that's not it.” Colten tried.
“I am sorry, Alpha.”
He creased his brow, “Uh... Colten is fine.”
Peter smiled at her, “I told you, he's cool.”
“No. No. No!” Colten pointed at him, “We've got a serious issue here!”
Peter sighed, “All you have to do is accept her in and Track her.”
Colten itched his neck as he became more and more agitated, “I can't deal with this right now-”
“Are you saying you won't accept her in!” Peter snapped.
Colten stopped and stared at him, “No, Pete, I'm saying I don't want to deal with this right now.” Well, he would have dealt with it, if Abigail was mated to him but for that to happen she would have had to be like him. His head was all over the place.
“Colten, come on!”
He stared at him, “Just give me a minute. Go sit in the kitchen!” He turned to the stairs and stumbled on the first step. His head starting to give out from the overload of the whole entire night and he needed to make sure Abigail stayed far away from the mess. A mess that had started off bad and just got worse as the night progressed.
He wasn't going to live it through. He got to the top of the stairs, just barely and walked towards his room.
His nose caught the scent of his mate, it permeated past the rival pack scent and his mated beta. Opening the door, he found relief from the new situation.
She was sitting on his bed, dressed in one of his plaid shirts and that was it, “Hi.” She dropped the quarter horse magazine to the bed beside her.
He swallowed, trying to decide which situation was more dire. Likely Peter and Mia but he still walked over to the bed and crawled towards his mate. Her comfort would make his head calm.
She sat up and met his mouth as he sunk his tongue against hers.
He groaned from the taste of her and she giggled in reply, breaking from him as he laid her to her back.
“Was everything alright?”
That snapped him out of it, even though he had to force himself not to meet her mouth again, “Not really, no.”
“Oh?” Abigail breathed, “What's wrong?”
He winced, “I've just got to discuss something with him. I'll be up as quick as I can.”
She wrapped her arms around his neck, not letting him leave. Her knees tightening on his sides and she smiled, “Don't be long, Colt.”
He nodded, wanting to kill Peter in the process or scream why aloud. He kissed her, “I won't.”
She paused “Are you okay?”
He broke a smile from her perfectness, he wanted to tell her so badly what was going on but he knew that was far from happening at that moment in time.
He kissed her forehead, “I'm fine.”
Her hands on his bare chest ran over his smooth shoulders, “I can come downstairs and make more coffee and...”
He kissed her, breaking off her sentence. He didn't want to hear the rest of that perfectness flowing from her soft lips.
She moaned, “I can help.”
He kissed her deeper and her knees tightened, pulling him in.
“Just rest.” He parted from her, thought it felt like he was ripping himself from her. He stood and walked to his closet, pulling a shirt over his head, “You need to rest.”
“Why's that?” She laughed, sinking into his mix-matched bedding. She brought her knees up and revealed her bare bottom and more.
He swallowed, his mouth watering but he forced his eyes away from the enticing situation, “You have to win the barrel race tomorrow.”
She stared at him and blinked, “Seriously?”
He nodded, “Yep. I'll be up in a bit.”
She sat up right as he got to the door, “Do you have a phone?”
He glanced to her, “Uh.”
“I should call my parents.”
He winced, “Yeah, sure, right there on the nightstand.”
She looked over to the old corded phone, “I thought that was a decoration.”
He smiled, “Never mind, you need to get rest because I'm torturing you when I get back up here.”
A smile budded across her face as her cheeks did that same sweet redness he liked.
He opened the bedroom door, “Don't get me in trouble, Abi!”
“I'll lie to them!” She called as he left the room and headed back to the stairs, walking down them.
As he did his generous side broke back away. She seemed to melt him, but as soon as he left her side, he was back to angry with his beta and his uncontrollable mating. The least Peter could have done was come to him first and figure it out.
He walked into the kitchen and Mia sat at the table, Peter beside her, nuzzling her.
He stopped and stared at his beta, “Pete.”
Peter jumped away from Mia and looked to him, “Hey.”
“Alright.” Colten walked in, “I understand she's your mate but seriously, you could have and should have came here first. I can't believe what position you just put this pack in.”
“Hey!” Peter stood and exploded, “She's mine!”
Colten creased his brow and stared at him, “Sit down.”
Peter slipped into his seat again, “I'm just a bit worked up.”
Colten laughed at that, “You're worked up?”
Peter shrugged.
He smiled at him, “Pete, you wouldn't know worked up if it hit you in the face.”
His beta sighed, “Colten.”
“Yeah. Yeah.” Colten nodded and sat down across from them, he looked over Mia, “I can't do this tonight.”
“Why not!” Peter snapped again, “You have to. I want her scent covered up. I don't want the trail. I want her in the pack!”
“Oh, yes.” Colten rolled his eyes, “Because I want the trail too. No, I can't Track her tonight and I won't.”
“It'll take five minutes.” Peter insisted.
“I want to know more about her!” Colten shot.
“She's my mate. I'm your beta. You need to do this!”
“Oh, come on!” Colten slammed his hand on the table, “It's not my fault your a little boy, Pete. You couldn't control an instinct to mate for even five minutes then you come here, asking for me to Track the girl and have no consideration for the rest of Fornone.”
“What about Mateo though!” Peter argued, “He'll come for her. He'll notice her missing soon. I want her scent wiped out.”
“Well no offence, Pete.” Colten spat at him, “But her scent is all over my home and territory so in other words, we're already screwed. Do you get that? Do you!”
Peter fell silent and stared at him.
“Now, what's her name?” Colten dropped his voice again.
“Mia.” Peter snapped.
Colten rolled his eyes, “Her whole name.”
“Oh.” Peter swallowed, “Well, you know... it's...”
Colten smiled, “You don't even know her name?”
“Uh.” The beta paused, “No, I know it.”
Mia put her hand on his shoulder, “I will tell him.” She then looked to Colten, “My name is Mia Adrianna Marquez.”
Colten stopped all living movement in his body and stared at her. Then he exploded, “You brought a sister of Mateo in my house! Have you lost your mind!” He yelled at Peter.
Peter shot up, meeting Colten on the other side as they both snapped and snarled at each other.
“What's going on?” Abigail's sweet voice cut through the anger and both men snapped their heads to her.
“Holy.” Peter stared at the blonde as she still wore his shirt but was also in her jeans – thankfully.
Colten stepped back from Peter and rubbed a hand under his nose, “It's fine, Abi.”
Abigail looked between them all and saw Mia, still sitting at the table, looking a bit frightened.
“Oh, hello.” She said to Mia.
Colten walked to her, taking her arm and turning her away from Mia and Peter, “Abi, everything's alright. They're just about to leave.”
She smiled, “Well, you were shouting.”
He sighed, “Peter's just... I'll explain it later.” He said quickly, “Can you go back upstairs, baby?”
She looked over her shoulder to Peter, who kept his eyes fixed on her, “Alright.” She nodded and kissed him. That softened him and he felt his wolf's anger lessen, lucky for Peter in that regard. She walked away, saying goodnight to them and disappearing back up stairs.
Colten listened to her fading steps as she returned to his room and then he turned towards them, “Leave.”
“What!” Peter snapped, “You're mad at me because I mated a Marquez sister and you have a human for a mate!”
“I didn't say she was my mate!” Colten argued.
“Well, I'm sorry!” Peter pointed, “But since when do you fuck humans!”
Colten lunged out and punched him in the face, causing a loud crack to go with it. Mia letting out a shrill as Peter hit the ground.
Colten groaned, shaking his hand. He was really having issues controlling his other side.
Peter sat up, wiping the blood dripping his nose. To say the least – the beta looked stunned.
Colten proceeded with his lecture, that was about to be run by his wolf, “My mate is none of your business. You brought a direct rivals Alpha's sister, not only onto our territory but mated her. Mateo is going to flip and meanwhile I have Fornone and more to look out for. I told you I would Track her, but no, I'm not doing it tonight. I'm asking you to leave with her, go north for twenty-four hours and come back later. Send her scent off my territory. Tomorrow night, I'll meet you and I'll Track her. Do you understand?” He stared down at him, “This isn't because I don't like her. I'm sure she's a fine girl. But even a Beta won't come before my pack. So get up, get the hell off of Fornone and I'll see you tomorrow. Both of you.”
Peter stood, nodding, “Fine.”
Colten swallowed, “I don't need to explain this further, do I?”
“No, I get it.” Peter nodded.
“Good.” Colten nodded, “I'll call you in tomorrow on the north side of the Territory.” It's all he could say to him, he couldn't even get out a congratulations because he was so mad at Peter's lack of control and lack of tongue holding.
Peter walked to Mia and took her hand, “Come.”
Colten walked them to the front door, “Drive the scent right north. By the time Mateo realizes she's missing, hopefully the scents will move enough and make a location difficult.”
Mia looked to him as he opened the door, “Thank you, Colten.”
He nodded, “Goodnight.”
They walked off the porch and into the moonlight.
Colten stepped out of the door, “Don't shift here. Do it out of sight.”
Peter looked at him over his shoulder, “Sure.” He took Mia and they walked east, away from Colten's house and into the shadows of the night.
He closed the door and took a minute to think it all through. Not even his hand grinding into his forehead made him feel better, he was freaking out.
He wasn't going to be able sleep and it wasn't because of staying up all night with Abigail.
He waked to the near corded phone to call Tyler to run the borders.
As he picked up the phone, Abigail's soft voice cut over the speaker, ending his plans.
“No, momma. We were at the Rodeo.”
“Why are you at his house, Abigail! This is completely inappropriate of you! We taught you better. Think of how you're looking to this man!”
Abigail sighed, “His horse had the foal though and she's darling.”
“Abigail, enough, your father is coming to pick you up. This is enough of this rampaging around. Colten can't possibly appreciate such an invasion! He doesn’t want to be babysitting teenage girls!”
Abigail stayed silent.
“Do you want to come off like a little tramp, Abi!”
“No, Momma.” She breathed.
Colten cringed, wanting to put the phone down but not at the same time.
“Be ready, your father is on his way with the stock trailer. I cannot believe you would put Colten out like this!”
“I'll be ready.”
“Good. You tell that man sorry.”
“Yes, momma. See you soon.” She hung up the phone and Colten did the same.
He paused, thinking of what to do now. Realizing it would be as he thought, her parent's thought of him being too old, too poor and the bottom line; they didn't question his integrity, just her's and that ate him up.
He walked to the stairs and moved up them as Abigail appeared from his room, dressed in her clothes.
“I'm sorry, I have to go. My dad's coming.”
He nodded, staying quiet.
She looked up now and he saw her watered eyes. Obviously it was breaking her heart and it made his ache in turn.
“I'll pick you up tomorrow.” He offered.
She shook her head, her tears now spilling her eyes, “No, Colten, they – they said no.”
He broke, “But you won today.”
She smiled and looked up at him, staying quiet as she did.
He put his hands on her cheeks and drew her in, kissing her forehead, “Why are you crying?”
“I wanted to stay with you. My mother considers it tramp like behaviour. They won't tolerate it from their child.”
“It's okay.” He kissed her cheek, cleaning her of tears, “I'll see you later this week. Maybe for dinner?”
She moaned and gripped him in, “I can't wait that long.”
He sighed, neither could he but he'd waited five years so what was another few days on top of it?
“No man's ever made love to me like you just did.”
His hands on her sides tightened as he dropped them around her waist and back, “Don't worry, I've never made love to a woman like I just did.”
She pushed herself against him and whimpered, “I'm sorry.”
She was sorry?
Colten hugged her, caressing her shoulders and back as his hands felt her warm little body that radiated for him.
If he was being honest though, her going home was safer.
No one, especially Oscuro needed to know who his mate was and worse, that she was very much human.
He kissed her cheek, “Let's go downstairs, Abi.”
She nodded as he broke from her and took her hand. They walked down the stairs and he waited as she took the last couple after him.
He watched her wipe a tear and then he sighed, thinking his mate in bed the whole night would have been too good of luck.
She found her boots and slipped them on, “Dad's got the trailer.”
“Okay.” He nodded, even though he already knew.
She looked up to him, sniffling, “I'm sorry. I must look like an idiot. Crying over this.”
“You're not an idiot.” He laid firm, “Remember, I'm the idiot.”
She smiled, “Colten.”
He walked over to her again and brought her into his chest. Nuzzling and loving on her, thoughts of him being a pervert or what her parents would think, left his mind as he kissed her.
He was ready to have his mate.
Take her.
His wolf got agitated as the moments passed and she started to respond to the hormones coming off him. Which were alpha, deep and pungent, even to a human.
She moaned against his mouth and he drove her against a wall, pinning her as he sunk his mouth against her neck again.
Mate.
It screamed in his head and he bit into her.
She moaned and gripped his hair, “Oh!”
He felt the burning coming from his core and he ripped himself from her.
Leaving her with heavy breathing and panting, the wetness between her legs left an aromatic scent in his nose and he stared at her.
His eyes burning.
He knew he was in trouble.
She put her hand to her neck and winced from the lacerated teeth marks, “You broke my skin.”
He swallowed, his human side was angry. His wolf was angry. He couldn't show her either.
“I'm so sorry, Abi.”
She drew her hand back, “It's fine.”
He took her wrist, pulling her down the hall to the kitchen. The girl had to go home. His mate had to leave.
“Take a shower when you get home.” He couldn't have any of his scent on her, it would leave her in more danger.
He brought her to the sink and inspected her perfect neck. It angered him more, once he saw what he'd done her, the tiny indents surrounded by already purple bruises.
“I'm sorry.”
She shook her head and kissed him but he stayed static, not moving forward with the kiss.
She drew back, “Colten?”
“Abi, I just bit your neck.”
She shrugged, “You like biting. I noticed.”
His face fell from the shock that she was okay with that. That she accepted his abuse as a form of alright.
“Abi, there's blood!”
She put her hand on his mouth, her brow creasing, “There's no blood, Colten.”
He stared at her, blinking as he did. The girl just kept shocking him, Abigail Redding was made for him.
She dropped her hand, “Sorry.”
He stepped up to her, needing her comfort. He felt like a boy around her. A silly, dumb, hormonal boy.
He dropped his mouth to her broken skin and sunk his mouth back on it, licking.
She smiled, “Colten, that won't make it better.”
He sighed, “I can try.”
Her fingers caressed his dark hair, “You’re silly.”
He stepped back from her, “Please take a shower.”
“Okay.”
“I guess we should get Mocha ready to go and your tack.”
Abigail nodded, “Yeah, I guess.”
He took one more look at the bite and wanted to kill himself. Of course, if he did that he was messing up more people's lives then it was worth, he opted against suicide and decided that he'd have to figure out a way to break it to Abigail that she'd just slept with a werewolf.
She came to his side and took his arm, dropping her head to his shoulder, “Colten. I really don't want to go.”
“Come on.” He urged her towards the back door and grabbed his boots as he did, putting them on. Abigail was slow though, her natural bubble ridden attitude, stripped away.
He walked out to the pen and looked in at Mocha in the dark, “Hey, hot mare, time to go.”
The horse looked up and snorted at him.
Abigail joined his side and he turned to her, “I don't think this mare likes me.”
Abigail smiled, “She likes you fine.”
“I don't know about that.” He grunted as he walked over to the trailer, opening the tack room door. Where he unloaded Abigail's tack, putting it down on the ground where her dad would pull in.
She emptied her belongings from the cab of the truck as he did that, “What are you doing tomorrow?”
Colten looked over to her as she closed the door, “Uh, just around here, I guess. Watch the foal. Spend some time with Ella.” Hoping that Alma would be back so he could take care of Peter and his new mate.
“I start Monday at the Diner.”
He took note and stayed quiet.
“If you need me... you...”
He smiled, “Abi, you're sweet. Too sweet.”
She smiled back, “Just call me.”
“Okay.” He finally replied.
The sound of Charlie's truck broke their eye contact as it rumbled up the dusty driveway.
“Have a good night, Abigail.” He stepped up to her quick and lifted her chin. Kissing her, his mouth possessing a new desperate hunger for her.
The kiss, abrupt and short, full of panic.
She let out a little gasp as he moved back away from her. Looking to the ground, he tried to ignore her quickened heart and rush of hormones.
“Call me.” Her voice a whisper.
He tensed, “Yeah, I will.”
Charlie's truck stopped in front of them and Abigail gave him a soft little look before her father interrupted.
Charlie jumped out and came to his daughter, “Abigail.”
“See, Daddy, I told you to let me fix my truck.” She forced out the words.
“Don't start, Abi.” He turned his attention off his daughter, “I heard your mare just had a foal.”
“Yes, she did, about an hour and bit ago.” Colten answered.
Charlie nodded, “Well, I hope it went well.”
“It seemed to go smoothly.” Smoothly all over Charlie Redding's daughter, that was.
Abigail turned away from her father, “I'll go get Mocha.” Leaving Colten to face her father alone.
“I could have brought Abi back.”
Charlie shook his head, “It's fine, Colten, you've done enough for her. She tends to push people.”
“It's no problem. My nanny actually left because her mother is dying.”
“Oh, sorry to hear that.” Charlie wasn't interested in conversation with him, like usual.
“Abigail was a needed help tonight.” He tried to lay a nice I-didn't-just-enter-into-a-relationship-with-your-daughter bed for the man.
“Well, at least she wasn't a bother. She tends to do that.” Charlie grunted, “Damn girl is always all over the place.”
Colten sighed.
“Now, she's got this job at the Diner.” He smiled, “At least, she'll be out my hair a few days a week. Her mother ain't too happy about it though.” Charlie grunted, “Good for the girl though, give her some work ethic, I think.”
Colten tried his best not to let his alpha sneer out.
Abigail turned up with Mocha and her Dad moved to the trailer and dropped the back ramp.
Colten busied himself, loading the tack room with her saddle and things.
He stepped out as Abigail waited for him, meeting his eyes with her sad little face. Her bottom lip pout worthy. If they'd been alone, if would not have had a good outcome.
Charlie walked up to them, “Come on, Abi, get in the truck.”
Colten swallowed, he didn't want her to go.
“Thanks, Colten.” She breathed.
He forced himself to nod to her as she walked away.
“Here you go, Colten.” He held out two hundred dollar bills.
Colten swallowed, that was a lot of money, considering his truck had only used twenty dollars in fuel to drive to the rodeo and back.
“No, it's alright.” Colten said to him.
Charlie grunted, “Darlene is insistent and so am I. You did too much for Abigail today, all so she could barrel race.”
Colten swallowed and took the money, even if he didn't want to, he wanted to erase other possible motives from her father's mind for taking Abigail to the rodeo.
“See you Monday. I need those fences done.”
Colten nodded, “Yeah, for sure.”
“Have a good evening!” Charlie waved a hand and headed back to his truck.
Colten only looking up as the truck backed out from beside the barn and Abigail met his gaze one last time for the night.
He hoped she'd take a shower, hoped her parent's wouldn't see her neck and he really hoped, he'd see her fairly soon.
The truck pulled away from the house and his eyes fell back to the two hundred dollars in his hand. Deciding what he'd use the money for, cause he couldn't use it for himself.
Morally, that was.
Abigail wasn't about to be used as a sold item in his mind, no, he was going to fix her truck for her so she'd at least be able to barrel race that summer without her parent's permission.
He shoved the money in his back pocket and headed towards the barn, checking on the foal and turning the lights on in backroom to start analyzing how broken down the truck really was and what it required from him.