“Colten!” Chloe squealed, “Oh my gosh, how are you! How's Ella! I was totally going to phone you... but we had grad and then... yeah. I mean things are good but, argh, I have totally been meaning to call.”
“It's fine, Chloe.” He let out a breath, the girl tended to overwhelm him but she was nice enough.
“What's up?”
“Oh, some things.” He grumbled.
“Like, what?” She asked, “What's that mean? Some things.”
“Actually, I was wondering if Grayson is around.”
“Mmm...” Chloe was eating something now, “No, he should be soon though. He just went out with my dad and Roger. Is everything okay?” Her voice got a bit more serious.
He sighed as Tyler and Justin burst in the back door, “I may need Grayson's help. I have a rival pack wanting to challenge me and I'm afraid of what the Alpha is going to try to do.”
Chloe let out a breath, “We can come down there, if you want our help, that is.”
“Well, I don't want to endanger you. But I could use Grayson and his Beta to help ward them off.”
Chloe fell silent and moment later spoke, “One second, Colten...” She shuffled on the line, “Gray just got home. I'll give him the phone.”
He waited and Tyler piped up in the meantime,“What is going on?”
Colten sneered at him, “Nothing. Calm down.”
“Hello?” Grayson's voice came over the phone.
Colten turned away from the men, “Grayson, how are you?”
“Alright.” He sounded mildly amused, “Sorry, I just got in.” Chloe was in the background and his voice muffled as he shoed her away.
“So, how are you?” Grayson asked.
“Not the best. I think I need some backup. My Beta got himself in a sticky situation. He mated a member a pack across the border. They are now trying invade, the alpha is mated and he's not backing down.”
“They want the female?” Grayson was trying to put it together.
“Yeah, except she's not here. Peter's taken her away. Originally, I was just trying to get Oscuro off my back by sending them away but it's not working. The alpha's father was killed by my father years ago and since then, Mateo has had it out for me and Fornone. Now is a good chance, I suppose.”
Grayson thought, “So, you don't have a Beta right now?”
“No, just my regular members.”
“I can come down with Mike, if your females don't mind watching Chloe. She'll get herself in trouble otherwise if I don't bring her.”
“That's not funny!” Chloe huffed in the background.
Grayson chuckled, “We can leave now, it's not a problem. Nothing going on here anyway.”
“Thanks a lot.”
“You really need to get a mate.” Grayson joked, “We'll figure this out. I doubt he'll advance once he sees our line up.”
“Yeah, that's my hope.” Colten breathed.
“See you soon.” Grayson hung up the phone and Colten did the same, turning back to Justin and Tyler.
They stared at him and he walked over to the table and sat. He tapped the table and finally looked up to them, “Grayson Holtz is coming.”
“The alpha from Tribune in Alaska?” Justin asked.
“Yeah, Ella's uncle. His help alone should give Mateo a wake up.”
“Then what?” Tyler snapped, “What if Mateo challenges again?”
Colten swallowed, “I'm working on it.”
Justin sighed and sat back in his chair, “Sorry to agree here, Colt but it's true... Mateo is out for blood. Especially since his dad was murdered by yours.”
“Thanks for pointing that out.” Colten snapped at them, “You can go, tell Fornone everyone needs to be here at noon tomorrow.”
“What about the borders?” Justin asked him as the men stood.
“Every male is out tonight.” Colten told them, “Go.”
They left the kitchen and exited out the back screen door, stripping their clothing.
Alma had finished frying food but silent.
Colten couldn't deal with his guilt and stress so it flowed from his mouth without further issue, “I showed her, Alma.”
Alma looked to him, “Abigail?”
“Yes.” Colten nodded, “I showed her and she ran. I told her to run before I shifted, so she'd get away from Oscuro but I don't know, it hurt me, seeing her run.”
Alma dropped the pan to the stove and looked him over, “Did she seem afraid?”
Colten run through the whole thing again, “I don't think she was afraid of me or I hope.”
Alma nodded, “What is your next plan?”
“I want her to stay away but I just – I want to talk to her.” He breathed and dropped his head to his palm.
Alma nodded and walked across the kitchen, picking Ella up out of the playpen near the fridge and getting her set up in her highchair.
“Perhaps you should call her?” Alma suggested.
Colten looked up to her, “You think she'll be okay with that?”
Alma laughed, “Well, I'm not sure, but you should at least check on her.”
He nodded and swallowed, “I'll be down quick.”
“Take your time.”
He glanced over his bare chest, he thought it weird he hadn't noticed needing a shirt earlier. Standing, he made his way to the stairs. As his hand trailed the banister, he thought of his hands on her. Those thoughts frustrated him, about ready to do whatever he had to for his mate.
In his bedroom, it became worse, her scent still lingering.
He withered and tried not to breathe through his nose, it only ended up agitating his wolf as he snatched the phone from the receiver. Her number memorized over the past few days since she'd given him it, he called her.
Waiting, it rang, a total of three times before falling to voicemail. He hung up the phone, staring across his room, before trying her again.
It rang once that time and went straight to voicemail.
He sighed, folding to the voicemail options, “Abi, it's Colten. I...” He groaned, “Can you call me? I'm at home. I just want to know you're alright.” He hung up the phone and fell into his bed, turning on his side in the tossed up blankets.
He remembered the whole night with her. He remembered everything. Her moans, her words, her giggling when he...
He pushed his face to the pillows, needing a break from all the emotional ups and downs. Where he stayed for an hour or what he'd figured had been an hour, but the setting sun might have indicated longer.
Still Abigail hadn't called.
He picked up his phone from where he stood and dialled her again. This time it cut right to voicemail.
He dropped the phone, giving up and found a shirt and pair of socks. Panic, anger and a 'different' hunger all hit him at once as he barrelled down the stairs. Almost colliding with Alma as she was about to make her way up with Ella.
“I'm going out!” Colten raced past her. He found his boots and keys.
“Okay.” Alma watched him hurry, “Is everything alright?”
“Yeah, no... I guess...” He waved a hand as he exited the house, not making much sense. He jumped in the driver's seat of his truck, and sped out onto the highway, a cloud of dust exerting every which way.
He didn't know what he was going to say or do but going to her seemed like the best thing to do.
His foot on the gas wasn't light and he got there in less than half the time it should have took, which ended with his truck getting slammed into park and the engine cutting at the same time.
Getting out of the truck, he got his balls in order. Her scent hit him with a strong accompaniment of panic but she was no where to be seen. He looked up to the house and walked towards it. The setting sun making him on edge but he tried to focus on Abigail and her panicked scent.
His mate's distress was not something he liked. He stopped at the front door and swallowed, then knocked.Waiting about impossible.
The door opened and Darlene, Abigail's beautiful mother, stood in front of him.
“Oh, Colten.” She said softly.
“Evening, Mrs. Redding. I was wondering if Abi was around.”
Darlene stared at him as heavy footsteps in the back of the house sounded on the wood floors.
“Who is it, Darlene!”
Darlene glanced at Colten then over her shoulder, “It's Colten Turner.”
“What!” Charlie snapped, pushing his wife back, “Leave us, Darlene.”
The woman moving back on command.
“What are you doing here!” Charlie stared at him, “Get in your truck and leave.”
“Charlie.” Colten put himself together the best he could, “I would just like to talk to Abigail.”
“Are you stupid, boy!” Charlie snapped, “I told you to get off my property. You're not allowed near my daughter.”
Colten sighed and looked away, “Please, Charlie.”
Charlie stepped out of the house and slammed the front door, “My daughter will have nothing more to do with you.”
Colten raised his eyes as the man approached him.
He pointed at him as he walked into Colten's personal space, “You think I'm going to let my daughter have anything to do with you? What you are? A dog.”
Colten looked to him, trying to figure out what Charlie Redding had just said aloud.
“I don't think so.” Charlie continued, “Now, get off my property before I have you destroyed. You don't even know how much power I have.”
Colten stared, “How do you know?” Maybe Abigail had something, he winced.
Charlie smiled, “Get off my property.”
Colten was going to try one last ditch effort but he doubted Charlie would be giving in, “I love your daughter. From the day I met her. I tried everything I could not to do this, Charlie. I really did but she – she loves me.”
“My daughter doesn’t love you and she never will.”
“You don't control who she loves!” Colten argued.
“Are you listening to me, Turner? Get off my property before I call the sheriffs in!”
Colten shook his head and looked up, where Abigail looked down at him from her window.
He took in a staggered breath, “Abi...”
Charlie shoved him off the front step, “Leave! She doesn’t want anything to do with you!”
Colten tripped to the ground, nothing worse than being beat by a human, that was for sure. He could have gotten past Charlie easy, he could have ran upstairs and begged Abigail to be with him but his sense of morale and her human life meant something to him.
He got up, raising his hands in defeat, “I'll leave.”
Charlie nodded, his brow furrowed as he stared down the unmated alpha.
He glanced up again but the window was empty and with that, he turned, walking back to his truck. The front door of the ranch home slammed and he sighed, feeling beat and broken.
Back in his truck, he paused, staring at the steering wheel, his hand on the key in the ignition.
As he tried to figure out why he'd been dealt what he had been in life. Why his mother had died, why his father had, why his sister had been taken from him too, why his mate was a human and daughter to Charlie Redding – the one man that basically owned all of Silvertun.
Shit luck, his only conclusion.
Looking up, Abigail ran from the side of the house. He watch as she stopped in front of his truck.
Their eyes locked and he got out quickly.
“Abi!” He walked towards her and she moved back but he walked to her, kissing her. His mouth bit into her but she didn't move. Instead she shoved him off and slapped him across his face.
“You ass!” She shrilled, “Don't touch me!”
Colten groaned, “Abi.”
“What the hell, Colten!” She screamed, “What the hell!”
“Abi, I can explain-”
“I don't want you to explain, I want you to leave! I want you to leave now. I never want to see you again!” She cried and it broke his heart.
“Abigail, I love you.”
She wiped her tears, “I don't even know what to say to you. You lied to me!”
“Baby, I was going to tell you!” He tried.
“But you didn't!”
He rung his hands to his hair, “Abigail, please. I need you. I-”
She shrilled and started to walk away, “I don't even understand what you are!”
“Abigail.” He followed her.
“Leave me alone, Colten!” She swung around as he gripped her wrist, “Go home, Colten! Go!” She screamed, breaking herself from him.
“Abigail, please...”
“Please, what!” She snapped. The front door of the house opening.
“Abigail!” Charlie roared as he walked around the corner, shot gun in hand.
“Jesus!” Colten swore, his mind a mess. He looked to her as she stared at him, her cheeks streaming tears as she sobbed with confusion.
He grabbed her red face in his palms and kissed her, crushing his mouth roughly to hers. Trying to show her what he could give her in one last ditch of his effort.
Love.
She whined as he dropped his mouth, his nose running along her's softly.
“I love you.” He told her, “I love you, Abi. I need you. I'll marry you. I'll give you whatever you want.”
She stood frozen, a small gasp escaping her.
“Colt.”
He melted form her soft voice with him, “Baby.”
“Get off my daughter!” Charlie ripped Abigail back and shoved the gun in Colten's direction. He backed off, not wanting or needing it go down a worse path. Meeting her eyes once more, he begged her to be his. He needed her, really needed her.
He turned and walked back to his truck, getting in and driving away.
Abigail consumed him but Charlie Redding knowing his was a wolf, and speaking so idly about it, that confused him.
He drove home with so much on his mind, he didn't know up from down in the fifteen minute time frame. Hoping Abigail was not rejecting their bond and she would come to him, perhaps later.
He slammed the truck into park back home and headed for the house. Where he found himself a dish Alma had left for him at the table and started to feed his dying alpha shell.
Tyler and Justin's scent covered his property, they were running borders and he even smelt the faint smell of Fornone's other males. Which brought him a tad bit of peace.
Either way, he knew Grayson Holtz would throw the pompous alpha; Mateo for a loop. Colten only wished that he could protect his pack like Grayson's simple presence was going to do.
He finished his meal and made a cup of coffee. Needing chill out, that included accepting his fate, which helped him move forward with the rest of what was going to play out.
Grayson would fight for Fornone but at the end of the day, without Abigail, he'd always have confidence problems with his pack. He settled on the idea that if Abigail decided to reject him, he would give Fornone to Grayson or even Peter, if all else failed. Leaving his niece’s mate to run and protect Fornone one day.
“Colten, your back.”
He turned to Alma, his thoughts leaving him, “I am. Thank you for supper, it was good.”
She nodded, “I can stay tonight.”
Colten thought a moment, “Tomorrow I called a meeting. I'm going to have to go in the morning and buy a box of burgers and buns.”
Alma nodded, “I can go, it's no worries.”
“Chloe and Grayson are coming.”
“It'll be nice to finally meet them.” Alma said, “I'm sure Fornone will enjoy it too.”
Colten nodded, “I only wish the circumstances were different.”
Alma laughed, “Colten, if you put your wishes in one hand and shit in the other, which would be heavier?”
He smiled at the woman, “What are you saying?”
“That you can only do your best. That yesterday is gone and that today is today. You'll work it out.”
“And Abigail?” He breathed.
Alma sighed, “If that girl doesn’t get sick to her stomach over the next twenty-four hours and show up at this house begging for you, then I've lost the plot.”
Colten laughed, “No, that's me.”
“Well,” Alma started, “She ain't gonna last this one out.”
“For the sake of this pack and my self survival, I really hope not.” He winced at his selfishness but then again, Abigail could put Fornone back together and then some. The girl just didn't know how many she could save and more importantly, that she could save him.