Colten's eyes snapped open. Staring into the darkness of his room, he listened to the fan rattling away, the creaking of the old house settling and the blatant silence. The air around him hot, sticky and thick, he held his breath, waiting for it.
Waiting for what he felt coming and then, he heard it.
Far off, distant but the sound of three wolves running were loud and clear.
“Crap.” He got of bed and rushed to get his jeans on, the rest of his clothing insignificant. He took the stairs fast, heading out back as the thundering paws got closer.
It smelled like Oscuro but more importantly, it smelled like Mateo.
Silence surrounded him again as he stopped his breathing and looked over the property from the porch. The door behind him blew in the wind and creaked, he reached out and grabbed it.
Sniffing the air the wind blew it up in his face, he growled.
“Turner.”
Colten let the screen door slam shut behind him as he jumped the porch and landed on the dried up lawn. He looked to his left as the lean man of thick muscles, walked from the shadows. He tossed his head from side to side and his mid-length dark hair parted from his eyes.
Colten stared at him. The sight of Mateo Marquez made his gut wrench tighten, his wolf wanted the shift. Wanted to go full battle.
Mateo stopped, his beta and another pack members coming to his sides.
“Why are you here?” Colten snapped.
Mateo smiled, “What's it been, three years, Colten?”
Colten growled, “Should be longer. You have a lot of nerve coming on my territory.”
“I'm looking for a pack member.” Mateo admitted, “Otherwise, I wouldn't waste my time with Fornone.”
Colten shook his head, “I don't know anything about an Oscuro member.”
Mateo lifted his chin and took a deep breath, “It's faint.”
Colten held back every budding need to shift, “Get out of here!”
“It's my youngest sister.” Mateo hissed at him.
“And I care why?” Colten snapped.
Mateo stepped towards him, his golden chest catching the moonlight. He growled, “I don't believe you.”
Colten stiffened, he didn't want to shift, if he did, it left Ella in more danger than it was worth.
“Her scent is here.”
“Her scent is also that way.” Colten pointed away from his property.
Mateo eyed him up, “She's a linage female. She'll produce Alpha blood. I'm sure you understand.” His words were slow, slimy, dark.
Colten sneered, dropping his chin, “I don't know anything about her.”
Mateo stared at him, “You knew we were coming, You didn't call in any of your pack?”
“I'm not afraid of you, Mateo.”
The man smiled, his bare feet took another step in the dried grass, “My uncle might not have been into the challenge, but I am.”
Colten took a breath, “Don't make me call them in, Mateo. I don't know where your sister is. Just move on.”
Mateo looked over him and to the back of the house, “Don't make a mistake with me, Turner. I'm not weak like my father was.”
Colten creased his brow and stayed silent at the mention of Angelo, the alpha his father had personally destroyed.
Mateo lifted a hand and smelled the air, “If I find out you know where she is, I'll take out a personal vendetta. I'll strip this pack from you.”
Colten stared him down, “Get off of Fornone.”
“You've been warned, Turner.” Mateo hissed, looking over his shoulder at his Beta, “Let's go North.”
Colten tensed, hoping they'd leave as peacefully as they had came.
Mateo then took one more look at him, “It's a bit of a waste anyway, unmated Alpha.”
Colten's nostrils flared, “Leave.”
With a low chuckle, Mateo turned and ran into the treeline. Colten heard them shift and their loud run followed as it dissipated into the Texas night.
Sighing, he walked back into his house, wanting to murder Peter. Now he had an Oscuro member mated to his beta and the Alpha of Oscuro wanting his pack as punishment for taking the female in.
He didn't want to track Mia, he didn't want it all on his hands unmated. Because if came down to it, he couldn't protect Fornone or Ella and consequently, Abigail. Lucky for him he had twenty-four hours to think it all through but he already knew what he was going to end up doing.
His room was anything but peaceful. Sleep wasn't going to happen. Not with the three in the morning wake up call from Mateo.
He wanted to call Fornone in but that would disrupt everyone and possibly alert Oscuro to Peter's new mate, if they were watching him, which Colten couldn't put past Mateo. Especially, if he was anything like his father, he would be out for blood in regards to Mia.
Colten pressed his face to his pillow and groaned, his mind was far from shutting off.
Once six am hit he picked up his cell phone, brushing the dust from the screen and putting it to his ear.
It rung a total of three times before an answer.
“Hello?” Her voice soft, breathy, tired.
“Abi.”
“Colten?” She perked up.
“Morning.”
She groaned, “What time is it?”
“Six.” He answered, hoping it wouldn't make her upset.
“Colten, when I said call me, I didn't mean first thing in the morning.” A laugh in her voice.
He groaned, “I'm sorry. I wanted to hear your voice.”
She fell quiet and he listened to her soft breathing.
“Abi?”
“Is everything alright?”
In a normal situation, asking for her comfort and reassurance towards the situation would have been done without second thought, but it wasn't a normal situation involving a mate.
“Just dumb issues with Pete I need to deal with tonight and I'd rather not.”
“Oh.” She breathed.
“Abi?”
“Yeah?” Her voice seemed to perk up again.
“I'm sorry about last night. I'm usually more... shy.”
She let out a laugh, “You're apologizing for having sex with me?”
He sighed, “No, sort of.”
“As long as you’re not taking it back.”
He swallowed, “No.”
“Good.”
He decided to move the topics, “Are you busy today?”
“No, just tomorrow, I start that job.”
“Oh, right.” He grumbled, “What would it take for that not to play out?”
She laughed, “Colten, you're funny.” Not answering his serious question
He sighed, “People always say that but I don't think I am.”
“You're funny because you try to be so nice but yet you still want to suggest.” She explained.
“I wasn't suggesting.” He grumbled, “I was just asking a question.” Those words coming from his agitated wolf wanting it's mate.
“Oh, grumpy, Colten. Maybe you should sleep some more.” She giggled at him.
“I would if you were in my bed.” He cringed at his words and put his face in his pillow.
“Colten!” She scolded him but still amused, “Do you want me to come over?”
He lifted his head and perked up, “Why? Do you want to?”
“Do I get to look after Ella?” She asked.
He smiled, “Whatever you want.”
“I can come over around supper.”
It was so long to wait for her but he would, rubbing his face, he spoke, “I have to deal with Peter later.”
“Well, who's going to watch Ella?”
He dropped his hand, that was a good question, “Oh.”
“I will.” She offered, “I'll make supper too.”
“Oh, you don't have to do that-”
She giggled, “I'll see you around four-thirty. Make sure you wear one of your plaid shirts.”
“Why's that?” He asked.
“Cause you're so hot in them.”
He groaned, “Abi.”
She laughed, “Bye, Colten.”
“See you later.” His voice caught in his throat as she hung up the phone, leaving him in a much better mood than his night of no sleep.
***
Colten leaned onto the engine of the pickup truck as he struggled to get rusted bolt free. He gritted his teeth as Ella squealed in her playpen.
He glanced up, pausing his grunting, “Yeah, I know it doesn’t...” He struggled with the bolt again, “Seem worth it, Ella. But it will be, I hope.” The bolt broke off in his hand and he stared at it, “Awesome.”
The baby girl stood, holding on to the side of the playpen and squealing again at him.
Colten pushed himself free from the vehicle and tripped back to the ground. He looked up to his niece as she smiled at him.
“We need to go to town, kid.”
Ella shook her head at him like she often did, thinking it funny even if she had no idea what he was going on about.
“Yeah, we are.” He walked over, brushing his hands off on his jeans, “With any luck you can least get a mother-like-person out of it.”
Ella gurgled as he walked out of the barn into the hot sun.
“Don't you like that idea?” He asked her.
Honey had moved herself and foal out into the pen and he glanced at them as her passed by. Once back in the house, he grabbed a bottle and tried to get whatever else he needed together to take the child with him.
It took him twenty-five minutes to drive to the shop and he spent another half hour looking around before actually finding what he wanted. Ella had just been starting to fuss so he got up to the counter.
He glanced at the clock and noticed he only had an hour till Abigail said she'd be at his house. He pulled out his wallet and used the money Charlie had given him to pay for the parts and left quick.
Ella more than fussy.
“You shouldn't have refused a nap, now look at you.” He put her in the car seat and buckled her in. Walking back around and getting in the driver's side, Boomer tried to climb to front.
“You ruin my leather, dog.” Not having the heart to tell the dog no.
The yellow lab whined and gave up, dropping it's head on the side of Ella's car seat and licking her hands as she giggled.
He made it home fast but that didn't matter because she was early and if the smell wasn't enough, the silver sedan next to his off white picket fence was.
He pulled the truck up next to the sleek car and got out, peeling around to free Ella and Boomer and get into the house. Which drove him crazy, the more her scent got to him.
“Abigail?” He walked in the front door.
“I'm in here.” Her soft voice called from the kitchen and Boomer took off, skidding down the hall. Her laugh filled the hall as the dog greeted her.
He walked into the kitchen and his eyes locked on the small framed girl in the yellow sundress and bare feet.
“Sit.” She told Boomer and looked to Colten, “Hi.”
Colten smiled, her in his kitchen was enough to make him selfish. He wanted to be able to walk in his house whenever and have her in a sundress and bare feet.
He came to her side, “Afternoon there, miss.”
She giggled as he ducked into her, catching her mouth for a kiss.
His free hand dropped down her waist and he pulled her in tight.
She melted and ground against him, making the situation turn on him.
She pulled back though, “Colten, the baby.” She reached out and took Ella, brushing her forehead in a kiss.
“Sorry, that I let myself in but it was getting hot outside.”
He took off his baseball hat and fluffed his sweat dried hair, “It's no problem.”
“Plus, I wanted to start dinner.”
He glanced at the items beside the stove, “Chicken-fried steak?” His mouth watered, convinced he had to find a way to keep her forever.
“Yeah.” Abigail nodded and put Ella in the highchair, “Is that alright?”
“Abi, I eat basically anything but that I will definitely eat.”
She walked to him and smiled, “Good.” and kissed his cheek, “I missed you.”
He caught her waist before she moved to the fridge, “You did?”
“Mmm.” She pressed her nose to his ear and purred, “Lots and lots, Mr. Turner.”
He put his hand on her cheek and lifted her chin, kissing her softly, “Were your parent's upset?”
“They got over it.” She brushed him off as she opened the old fridge to rummaged around.
“Why were they so concerned, did they say?” He really wanted to know what he was in for but he likely knew it would end up costing his job.
“That I took advantage of you.” She laughed and turned back around with a few items.
He smiled at her, “You did do that, taking advantage of an old man.”
She picked up a potato and looked to him, “Oh, yes, I am so guilty.”
He walked up behind her and kissed her cheek, “What am I gonna do with you, Abi?”
She leaned back into him and smiled, closing her eyes, “I'm not sure.”
He very much liked the sounds she produced from just his touch and he put his arms around her waist and kissed her neck to make more.
Her lips parted and she moaned, “I need to make dinner.”
He nodded and pressed her up against the counters, his belt catching the fabric of her dress and then he had to do it, had to remove himself from her before it progressed.
He stepped back, “Sorry.”
She panted but got herself together rather quick, “You're so well-mannered and then you're like... that.”
He smiled, his wolf burning his core. He knew exactly what she was talking about it. The mating drive was hard to ignore for both of them.
She started to cut up potatoes and throw them in a pot of water, “When do you have to go see Pete?”
Colten paused his bottle making for Ella, “Uh, it's late. Around eleven tonight. I can find someone to watch Ella-”
“That's alright. I told my mother I was going to Trisha's.”
He looked to her, “You lied to them?”
Abigail giggled, “Well, they're...”
“Yeah.” He breathed, “I'm just a ranch hand.”
“That's not it.” She bustled.
He smiled, “I'm too old.”
She blushed, “No.”
“I'm broke?”
She looked to him, “No, gosh Colten! That's horrible.”
He kept his smirking, “You best not tell them yet. I agree.”
She lashed out at him, hitting his shoulder, “You're not funny!”
He laughed and moved away from her,
She pointed to the table, “Go sit, old man.”
“Ow.” He pretended, walking to the table and sitting.
“So, why did you call so early this morning?”
He took of his boots for the first time that day, “I had a hard time sleeping last night.”
“Why's that?” She asked, still very busy with her dinner-making.
“I just felt,” He sighed, “bad about last night with you. Normally, I wouldn't have – well, I was just worried about you.”
She smiled, “That's cute and you haven't even asked me out, yet.”
He sighed and looked to the screen door as Boomer ran across the yard and fell into the grass rolling like a typical lab.
“I'd like to.” He finally said to her.
“What?” She looked to him.
“I'd like to ask you out.” Well, if he was being honest he wanted to do more than ask her out. More like get down on one knee and ask her to marry him. His heart thumped in his chest.
She just couldn't seem to stop smiling or laughing at him, he wasn't sure.
He stood, “I'm going to go out and check the foal. Is that alright? Can you watch Ella?”
“It's fine.” She smiled at him and turned back away to the food.
He took once last glance at her and put his old boots on before walking back outside. Boomer joined his side and barked at him.
“Shut it, Boomer. I get it.” He got to the pen and looked over the less than day old foal before throwing Honey a big pile of hay and returning to the house.
He stopped at the screen door and looked in as Abigail hummed a song and talked to Ella in between. In love was a light way to describe where his heart was.
He stepped inside the kitchen and she glanced at him.
“How was the baby?”
“Oh, seems happy.” He brushed off the well-bred filly, “I don't know what to name her though.”
“It must be tough to name them.” She agreed.
“If you think of something, let me know. She's looking like she'll be a palomino like Honey.”
“Sure, I'll try to think.” She fumbled with a pan and looked it over, “You might need some new pots and pans, Colten.”
“I need some new everything.” He breathed.
She smiled, “Well not everything.”
He looked to her, swallowing.
“Supper will be another twenty minutes if there's anything you want to do before.”
“I did a lot today. I think I'm going to pass on anymore work.” Like fighting with her old truck that she had no idea he had. He was however hopeful to get the truck going in time for her birthday later that month.
“What did you do?” She asked, her conversation with him easy, like she wanted to talk to him and like she hadalways talked to him.
“Just worked on my falling apart everything. Literally.” He grumbled.
“I hope this isn't rude of me, but do you get most of your income from my dad?”
He hated talking about money but it seemed like a legitimate thing to ask, “I do make my bills with his work but the foal will pay most of the truck off and then next year’s foal, I hope I can fix the house a bit.”
“Why don't you just try to make more money off the horses? Like get more stock.”
“I already spend a lot feeding Honey and keeping Trooper going for ranch work. I saved up just enough to get the stud fee on the new filly. I'm hoping the investment will pay off when I send the horse to the yearling sale.”
“How much was the stud?” She asked casually.
“Twenty five hundred.” He breathed, “With handling and all that.”
“Jesus, Colten.”
“I'm hoping the foal goes for close to seven thousand. She's a nice horse, I can already tell. Not to mention a small buy in as a broodmare for the bloodlines she has in her.”
“You don't owe much on that truck then?”
“No, I saved up a bunch a year and a half ago for it. I got sixty five hundred for the foal two years ago on top of that. I don't like to breed Honey too much but her babies seem to be going for quite a bit. Which I'm happy about.”
“Colten, you should get more serious about this.”
He smiled, “Money, Abi.”
She sighed, “I have some money.”
“Abi.” He had to put a stop to that thought, “I'm fine doing ranch work to pay the bills, just sometimes I don't make enough and it's tough but most of the time, I get by fine.”
“You must be one of the few people I know that could be perfectly happy just having enough. Don't take that the wrong way.” She started to cook the cutlets.
He nodded, “It's fine and yeah, I guess so.”
“You're so humble. Why you have no girlfriend defeats me.”
He smiled, “I'm shy.”
She laughed, “Yeah, I guess. You spent all of yesterday being silent and eating.”
He grunted from the truth, “You make me nervous.”
“Yes, I'm so scary.” She agreed.
He laughed, “No, you're just perfect and I don't think I deserve you.”
She looked up from the frying pan and fell silent.
He didn't know what to say and they stared at each other in consequence.
She glanced back to the pan as it sizzled and hissed and he got up, walking to her and brushing her golden hair out of the way to kiss her shoulder.
She moved into him and let him nuzzle her, “Mmm.”
“Abi, you're beautiful.”
She smiled and turned towards him, dropping her hands to his chest, “I'm glad you think so.”
He kissed her, gripping the loose fabric of the dress, “I do.”
“Well,” She smiled and her knee came between his legs, “I think you're hot.”
He lifted an eyebrow, he liked making her happy, especially when it involved turning her on, “I wore what you told me to.”
“I noticed.” She inched herself to his ear, “Your plaid shirts make me wet.”
His brain flipped and he pushed her against the counters. His mouth dropped to her neck and he stopped himself from biting.
Her whimper broke him and he lifted his mouth.
“Abi.”
She let out a soft moan, “When you get back from Pete, I expect complimentary plaid shirts.”
He smiled, “Whatever you want, you'll get.”
She grabbed his shirt before he walked away, “I...”
He stared at her and her words left her, “What?”
She shook her head and smiled, kissing him, “I need to finish supper. I bet you're starving.”
Perfect, Abigail Redding was perfect. He kissed her and walked back over to the table, checking Ella and passing her a toy.
She turned back to making supper and he read one of his diesel magazines but paid more attention to the girl at his stove then he did the lifted, engine enhanced trucks in the articles.
She made up plates and even heated up some baby mash for Ella before sitting down across from him.
She folded a napkin across her lap and tucked her hair behind her ears, all the while her fingers were graceful and it showed him how polished she really was. Out of his league even but then again, she seemed to really like him and love didn't seem to ever care about money or polish.
He picked up his fork and knife and started to eat, his first bite heaven.
Abigail had to stay.
He had to tell her what he was, had to make her his. Human issues aside. Soon but when was the real question.
She smiled as she watched him start to devour the food, “Do you like it?” Feeding Ella a small spoonful of as well.
“It's amazing.” He shovelled the creamy mash potatoes in his mouth.
She giggled, “It's like you never eat, Colten.”
“I... eat...” He swallowed more food, “Just not food like this. Where did you learn to cook like this?”
“My mother.” She smiled, still feeding Ella more than herself.
“I should thank your mother. Then likely propose to you after supper.”
Her eyes flashed up to him as he ate more, his sentence had stopped her dead and it took him a moment to realize that.
He noticed her flushed up cheeks, “Abi?”
She smiled and continued eating.
He also continued, watching her but she stayed her pleasant little self. Perhaps his comment had gotten to her or had thrown her off, but either way he had said it aloud and now he'd likely have to bring it up at a later point.
Maybe with a ring, later point.
He was overly thankful for the meal and she gave him a choice of either cleaning the kitchen or getting Ella ready for bed. He chose the kitchen, wanting to see if Ella was happy with his mate on a long term basis. Which left him to listening in the entire time as he washed the dishes. Kind and gentle as she gave Ella a bath, read her a story and even sung to her, she put his bedtime routine to shame.
This in turn meant Abigail had another point, possibly five or six more from supper alone.
He was slow at dishes, he just wasn't good with house chores all together so when she came down the hour in a half later and he was still trying to wipe down counters, she giggled.
“I did all that, and you're still cleaning?” She leaned into the counters as he rung out the dish rag.
“I'm guilty and that was quite the bedtime.” He noted.
“My mother always did that with me. Every night.”
He dropped the rag over the tap and turned towards her, “I think Ella likes you.”
She walked over to him and put her hand on top of his on the counter, “I like her.”
He leaned into her, his mouth grazing her lips teasingly.
She mumbled something, something about liking him. Her hands though, doing most of the talking.
He had a pressing two hour time frame till he'd have to deal with Peter and Mia and that for him meant he had some time to still spend with her and avoid his Alpha duties.
Her fingers pulled his leather belt from the buckle and loosened his pants off as she pushed him against the counters, undoing his jeans.
He swallowed, once he knew what was happening and what the advances and assault on his jeans meant.
She slipped to her knees, pulling him free of his boxers, “You own a lot of plaid.”
He tried not to let his embarrassment get the best of him and it was quickly washed away as her hand gripped him. Closing his eyes as her mouth came to him, he struggled to remember the last time he'd just gotten head. Maybe when he was nineteen and had that big black ford. Those thoughts made him feel guilty about her age.
Her mouth on him ripped him away from his thoughts and he looked down to her as she willingly took him.
He put his hand to her blonde hair and tangled his fingers in the wavy locks, pulling her mouth deeper. Even if his shy side said back off, his wolf told him to ask the woman for more to satisfy.
She took even more though, almost all of him in between her pink glossed lips for minutes and minutes.
He groaned, “Stop.”
She paused, looking up at him, slipping back on her heels, “Why?”
He swallowed, “It feels too good.”
“Isn't that the point?” She smiled, standing.
“Yeah, I guess.” He kissed her, dipping his tongue inside her little mouth.
She let out a soft moan, “I thought about you last night.”
“How do you mean?” He kicked off his jeans, not wanting deal with them anymore and crouched down, putting his hands under her dress and lifting to reveal her tiny panties.
She blushed, “In my bed.”
“I'm glad you like me.”
She smiled at him, “I do.”
He looped his fingers around the thong, right between her legs and pressed his mouth to her thighs. He liked being able to touch and kiss her where ever he wished.
She rubbed her thighs together and he could smell and taste the rush of hormones, even her skin heated but only his senses would have picked that up.
“Colten.”
He stood and let her dress drop back down as his hands cupped her flushed cheeks, “Everything alright?”
She nodded, “I want to-”
“I know.” He kissed her, supporting most of her weight and having to loop an arm around her because of it.
His wolf told him to strip her and have her where ever she'd allow it but he fought to keep the romance that she wanted and needed.
She wrapped her arms around his shoulders and kissed him, dipping her tongue in his mouth and he enjoyed that. So much so he lifted her onto the counters and she complied by taking her underwear off. He came between her knees, testing the distance and lucky for him, there was more than sufficient room.
She pulled his mouth to her, “More, Colten.”
He put his hands on her thighs and adjusted her, kissing her as he pushed himself inside her.
She let out a moan and gripped him, “Oh, that's good.”
He tried not to smell her or drop his mouth to her neck because he knew what was going to happen. He had to stay focused on keeping her happy and he would, with any luck, keep the mating instinct down.
He undid the buttons on her dress and let her slip her arms from the spaghetti straps. Once her white lace and see-through bra were revealed, he let loose more than he should have.
With each thrust, she arched back, her breathing laboured as she began to endure his strength.
He held her thighs, hoping for the best, hoping she wouldn't get hurt.
She moaned, her orgasm starting to take over, how it was possible he could make her come so fast astounded him.
He slowed himself in consequence to his thoughts.
She gripped his shoulder, “Colten... more...”
“I'm going to hurt you.”
“Are you joking!” She almost shouted.
He swallowed and he came at her with the same force and accuracy.
She started to break, her cheeks flushing, her hormones radiating.
His brain flipped and he ripped her off the counters, his arms wrapping around her as he took her to a near wall in the hallway and continued at a new deeper pace.
She liked it, perhaps she enjoyed feeling like she about to break in two or perhaps it was all in his head.
Her knees tightened on him and she wrapped around his shoulders and came for him, her breasts into his face. He lapped at her soft skin and nibbled the lace fabric, his human side liked that.
She was a loud girl, one of the loudest he'd ever been with and that for some reason was extremely hot for him.
He stayed in her, he hadn't been close to finishing but he let her rest. He took the time to enjoy her breasts. He brought one of her hands from her waist and undid her bra, releasing her from it and the dress she'd been wearing.
Still, she clung to him, “Colten.”
Taking one breast in his mouth, the comfort from that alone for his wolf was surprising.
She moaned again, “Even when you do that it feels good.”
He pulled her off the wall and lifted his mouth away from her, “I'm taking you upstairs.”
“I can walk if you want.”
“It's no trouble.” He smiled and carried her up the stairs.
She dropped her mouth to his neck and kissed him, “How do you do this?”
He brought her into his bedroom and dropped her down on his bed, “How do I do what, babe?”
“You're so strong but you don't look it. Don't take that the wrong way.”
He smiled and undid his shirt, stripping it in the process.
She ran her hands over his bare shoulders.
He smiled, “Put your hands on my chest.”
She dropped her hands to where he told her to and her knees tightened on his sides in anticipation.
He closed his eyes and got his muscles to the rock hard moment right before a shift would take place. Potentially dangerous but he'd practiced it many times, letting off a strong burst of hormones and he waited to see what her response would be.
Her fingers tightened on him and she moaned, her eyes fluttering shut.
He lowered his mouth to her ear, “You're perfect.”
Accompanied by pleasurable nothings, she relaxed into the bed.
He loosened his muscles, the shift later that night would be welcomed.
Adjusting, about to take her. He waited for her permission and her widening legs were a clear indication.
“More, Abi?” He asked.
She nodded, “More.”
***
Abigail passed out beside him was nice and knowing he was responsible for it, was nicer.
He brought the blankets up her bare back and kissed her cheek, well aware that had to go deal with Peter and Mia.
She moaned as he nuzzled her ear.
“I need to go, Abi.”
Her eyes fluttered open, looking a tiny bit confused, “I fell asleep?”
He laughed and got out of the bed, finding a new pair of boxers and jeans from his dresser, “Yeah, for the last twenty minutes.” All because she'd endured far too many of something to keep her human body coherent.
She sat up and tucked her blonde hair behind her ears, “Can I sleep, will Ella be okay?”
“Yeah.” He flipped on the monitor in his room, “You'll hear her. If you need someone you can call Tyler.” He grabbed a pen off the top of his cluttered dresser and found an old receipt, writing the number down for her.
“What about your cell phone?” She breathed.
“Just in case, I'm out of reception.” Or shifted into a wolf, whatever.
He turned around and handed her the piece of paper, “He doesn’t live too far away. Just in case.”
She nodded, looking over the number, “I'm exhausted, Colten.”
He smiled, “Sorry, babe.”
She looked up at him, “You're a lot more fit then you look.”
He grabbed a t-shirt and pulled it on before sitting down on the bed next to her and kissing her softly.
She groaned, “The sick thing is you could go again, couldn't you?”
He smirked, not answering her.
She dropped her head to his near shoulder and relaxed, “I'm glad I told them I was staying a Trisha's. I'm broken.”
He dropped her down into the bed and continued to kiss her, “I'm sorry.”
She giggled, “You're not. You enjoyed it.”
He kissed her again, “I'll be back soon, beautiful.”
She nodded, “Be careful.” Like she knew what he would be doing and it unnerved him.
“It'll be fine.” He got off the bed, “See you in a bit.” He walked out of his room with a reluctant step and hoped the rest of what was suppose to happen would go smooth and without any hiccups.
He walked out down the stairs and got his boots on, planning on driving half the way to where he could park the truck and shift.
He had tracked in members before but they were always acquaintance packs and never a lineage female of a rival pack member.
Getting in his truck, he drove the fifteen minutes to a broken part of fencing and pulled his truck in, running over a few dry bushes till he was satisfied it was a decent place to park.
Quick to jump out and start to strip his clothing, he pulled off his boots and moved to his belt, looking up and down the deserted highway.
He threw his clothing on the seat and slammed the truck door, locking it shut and dropping the keys in the dirt near the front tire.
Then he took a deep breath and the shift came easy. His muscle and bone ripped apart to reveal a big white wolf, whose coat shone and reflected the orange moon.
His paws slipped in the sand and dirt as he took off towards the meeting point. Scaling the rocky side, the faint smell of Oscuro became detectable.
He got to the top and let out a long howl, with a sharp yelp at the end. Waiting, he lifted his head and listened.
A reply came in the form of Peter and he was thankful for it. They had ducked their way from Mateo and were where he'd told them to be. Following a path down to the bottom, he jogged his way to the sound of nearing wolves as Peter appeared from the steep side.
The brown wolf stopped near him, Hey, Colt.
Mia was in her human form and Peter let her off his back to the ground.
Colten sniffed her, her scent potent, needing to be covered up right away.
She is a strong smelling female. He growled looking over the woman again.
Peter stepped towards him, I thought I heard Oscuro early this morning.
Yes. Colten snapped his teeth and smelt her again, she looked nervous.
Peter lowered his big brown head to the sandy ground, So they came looking for her?
If you mean came looking as in outside my house – being threatening Mateo... yes.
Sorry, Colt.
Colten stepped towards Mia and lifted his nose to her wrist.
If Mateo ever finds her, we're going to have a battle. You know this.
Peter nodded, But what else am I suppose to do?
Colten growled, I'm just not into having another war with Oscuro. Mateo already seems out for blood.
He opened his jaw around her tanned flesh and she winced in anticipation.
Peter came to her side and nuzzled her other arm, Be gentle, Colten.
He wanted to laugh at him but instead, he bit into her wrist. She yelped and whimpered as he held the bite. Breaking, she slipped to her knees and he followed. Letting his alpha saliva drip into the wounds and track her blood, making her Fornone's newest member.
He liked to make sure he always sealed the wounds so he ran his tongue along the red punctures and let her go.
She fell into Peter's side from the pain, tracking always seemed to hurt them.
Colten smelled the air and the scent of Oscuro blew away, leaving the soft scent of Fornone only. That revealed him.
Peter.
Pete lifted his head from his mate.
I want you to leave for one week. Like leave Texas and go very north, go somewhere different every day.
Peter nodded.
Mateo is going to search high and low for her, last night he made that very clear. We cannot let him find her. He may give it up after the week but I can't keep y'all here in hopes I can keep her hidden. Plus, I need to update Fornone and if Mateo does find out, you need to be prepared to come back here and fight.
It made him upset that he was going to put himself, his pack and more, on the line for an Oscuro female but he had this deep honourable alpha streak he'd gotten from his father and he'd do what he had to in order to keep his beta's happiness.
Call me once a day at the very least. Colten took one last look at the female and his beta.
Thanks, Colt. See you later.
He nodded and turned, running up the side of the steep rock-face. He didn't want to think about it any further but he was going to, in the process, tap out the rest of his luck in hopes Peter and Mia would win this battle for the sake of their happiness.
Back at his truck, he dropped into his human form, grumbling and brushing the dust from his shoulders. He unlocked the chevy and dressing himself in the process.
He was anxious now to get back to his mate and hope one day someone would be willing to fight for them, like he would fight for Mia and Peter, if need be.