Colten woke the next morning and waking without a purpose, like a job or some form of life, really put him off. He rolled onto his back and looked up at the ceiling, his eyes squinting from the bright sun filling the room.
It being far past his normal wake up time but passing out the night before, from drinking four beer and a shot of whisky had finished him off.
Now, he had to start his day and hope for the best.
He looked to the alarm clock on his nightstand and wrinkled his brow, it was after ten in the morning. He couldn't ever remember sleeping that late. What was worse, Alma had let him.
He got up with a yawn and stretch, deciding on a shower, which took him a whole fifteen minutes and left him down stairs shortly after.
It was then the television in the front room caught his attention. He found Tyler and Justin sitting on his living room couch.
“Morning, Alpha.” Tyler droned.
Colten stopped in the archway, “What's wrong with you two?”
“Nothing.” Justin shrugged.
“Are you joking!” Tyler yawned, “We're exhausted.”
Colten crossed his arms and looked them over, they did look dirty and tired, “Well, what happened? Anything?”
“No.” Justin shook his head, “Oscuro stayed far away. I didn't smell them and we were out all night, till sun up.”
“Good.” Colten nodded, “I'm glad.”
Tyler looked him over, “Yeah, can tell someone got their beauty sleep.”
Colten lifted an eyebrow, “Why don't you both go home and get some beauty sleep?”
Justin jumped up, “Thanks, Alpha.”
“Stop....” Colten groaned at them as Justin flipped off the television.
Justin then smiled at him, “We're just giving ya' a little respect there, Turner.”
Colten smiled, “Go home for a bit. Come back around three.”
Tyler nodded, “Bye.” He left ahead of Justin and disappeared out the door as Colten followed them into the foyer.
Justin paused though, turning towards him, “When's those Alaska folks getting here?”
“I'm sure soon.” He answered, knowing Grayson wouldn't be wasting much time in helping him.
“Cool. See you later.” Justin waved a hand in the air and exited the house.
Colten stood a moment after the door closed, running a hand over his face and turning to walk towards the kitchen.
He heard Alma shuffling around and Ella cooing in her playpen as he stepped in. The morning paper on the table was inviting and so was the smell of coffee.
“Alma, you shouldn't have let me slept.”
The older woman laughed as she put some pots away, “I'm not going to wake an Alpha from his beauty sleep.” She joked.
He walked to the coffee pot and looked to her, “Ah, you heard Justin and Tyler, did you?”
Alma laughed, “I didn't hear nothing.”
Colten smiled and poured his coffee before walking back to the table, “Next time, wake me up, if there is a next time.”
“Okay.” Alma smiled as she agreed to his terms, “Oh, I've already gone to the store and back.”
“Jeez, this is why I don't ever sleep in. I miss half the day.”
“Colten.” Alma shook her head, “You didn't miss much...”
He sipped his coffee and opened the paper, “No phone calls?”
“No.” Alma answered him in a soft voice, knowing what he had been hoping for.
He turned his attention down to the paper as the phone rang and launched himself at it. His shoulder bounced off the wall as he grabbed the phone from the hook and calmed his voice, “Hello?”
“Colten?”
He sighed as Pete's voice crackled over the speaker, “Hey, Pete. How are you guys?”
“Alright, we're in Canada.”
“Good.” Colten knew Oscuro wouldn't be finding Mia but now he was dealing with the repercussions, “Look, Pete, Oscuro is going after Mia. Mateo is becoming a threat to Fornone.”
“He's not letting up? What's happened?” Peter asked.
“A lot.” Colten breathed.
“It's only been a day since I talked to you, not even.”
Colten cut him off, “Yeah and in that time, I've lost my job, gotten rejected by Abigail and had my whole pack threatened to be taken from me. So really, I guess you only need a day for your whole life to turn to a living hell.”
“Jeez, Colt. I'm sorry. Wait, what about Abigail?”
Colten tried not to laugh, instead he put his forehead to the wall and groaned, “Good news is Grayson is coming to ward off Oscuro.”
“Should we come home?” Peter asked, “It sounds like you need me.”
“Just-” Colten shook his head, “No, stay there. At least until I figure out things with Grayson.”
“Right.” Peter silenced as Mia said something in the background and Colten heard him explain that another Alpha was coming to help.
“I'm going to go, Pete.” Colten said, “I have a pack meeting later this afternoon and I think I need to prepare a bit for it. You know, put on my best plaid shirt and all.”
Peter chuckled, “Colten, part of me misses you.”
“Talk to you later then.”
“Sure, man. Hope the meeting goes well.”
“Thanks, bye.” Colten grumbled and hung up the telephone.
He sat back down and decided the newspaper was the best option to fully distract himself from his many thoughts. Staying in bed should have been top priority but then he would have felt like a lazy, unemployed idiot. It was better in his case, to just be an idiot.
***
Colten looked over the empty mis-matched lawn chairs, Alma and him had just set out and everything looked pretty typical of his normal pack meetings. Including all twenty-five members with children.
He heard the distant sound of a car coming up his drive and that made his heart pick up, wishing it was Abigail but he didn't want to get his hopes up too high.
Heading around the side of the house, he came to the front as a black sedan stopped by the white picket fence, a very clear sign of his expected guests.
The back door opened and the petite, auburn haired girl known as; Chloe was the first out.
“Colten!” She screeched, waving and jumping.
A pale blonde male followed out of the passenger side in dark sunglasses and a leather jacket.
Colten walked up to the white gate, “Howdy.”
The blonde boy stared down at Chloe beside him as she booked it to the fence.
“How are you!” She chirped as he opened the gate for her and hugged him.
He grunted from the abrupt force around his neck, “I'm alright... ow...” He looked back to the car, as the driver's side opened and the tall built boy, stepped out.
“This car is way too small, why did we rent this piece of-”
Chloe parted from Colten and rolled her eyes, “Shut up, Grayson.”
He walked over, removing his sunglasses, “It's hot here.”
Colten smiled, “It's not that hot yet.”
Grayson didn't look that happy with the information.
“It's a bit cooler in the house.” Colten tried to appease his guests from Alaska and more so, Ella's uncle.
Chloe smiled, “No, I like it. It's amazing...”
Grayson looked to him and smiled, “Here, free Luna!” He shoved his mate towards Colten.
Chloe swatted at him, “Shut up, you lug!”
Colten tried not to laugh, “Jeez, y'all are a breath of fresh air.”
“Or slow suffocation.” The blonde piped up at Grayson's side.
Colten looked to him, “I don't know if we were really ever introduced, I'm Colten Turner.”
“Mike. The Beta.” The blonde offered.
They shook hands and Colten led them towards the house.
Chloe right at his side, in fact, she had herself hanging off him, talking his ear off.
He opened the front door, “Ella's for a nap.”
“Awe!” Chloe exclaimed.
Grayson rolled his eyes as they stepped into the foyer, “Chloe, the kid is obviously going to wake up at some point.”
Chloe glared at him and came back to Colten.
“Are you tired? You can rest if you want.” Colten offered.
“Nope!” Chloe chimed.
Grayson shook his head, “We're okay. It was an easy flight.”
Colten nodded as Mike took off his jacket. He itched his neck and thought of offering them food or at least a drink of some sort, “Come in the kitchen, take a load off.”
Chloe was at his side again, “Your house is so cute, Colten.”
“Thanks, but it's sort of on it's last leg.” He walked into the kitchen and opened the fridge, “Juice, milk... coke? Beer?”
“Beer.” Grayson and Mike said at the same time.
“My kind of buddies.” He grabbed two beers and passed them out.
Chloe watched them, “It's like one in the afternoon.”
Mike smiled at her, “Do you know what's it's like being stuck in a car with you for three hours straight and the plane ride before that?”
She rolled her eyes, “You're so dramatic, Micheal.”
Grayson sat down and stayed quiet, obviously not wanting part of the conversation.
Mike smiled, “Yeah, I'm the dramatic one. Man, Colten, you should hear her talk... I always knew she had a problem shutting up but it really doesn’t hit home till you're stuck with her for an extended period of time.”
Grayson smiled, “Mike, shut up, before I have to hear it.”
“You both are stupid.” Chloe sat to the table in a huff.
Colten tried not to smile, “Do you want anything, Chloe?”
“No.” She trailed off, still obviously mildly annoyed at her mate and his beta.
He sat down, “Are you sure? I've got food too.”
“No. I'll probably just throw it up anyway.”
Grayson groaned, “Chloe, don't start.”
Colten then looked between them, stopping on Chloe, “Are you pregnant?” That was the last thing he needed, he'd then feel huge guilt for involving them if she was pregnant.
“No.” Grayson grunted and took another sip of his beer, clearly trying to put an end to the whole thought.
“Grayson's in denial.” Chloe snapped.
Mike chuckled to himself and the spunky girl glared at him.
“We already went over this. You just have a stomach bug or something. You only threw up yesterday.” Grayson explained.
Colten sighed, “I'm really sorry for asking for your help.”
“What!” Chloe spun to him, “Oh no, it's fine, Colten. We, of course want to help!”
Grayson agreed with her, “Yeah, no worries, man.”
Colten swallowed, “I called a meeting for three.”
Grayson nodded, “That sounds good. What were you going to brief them on?”
“Everything.” Colten told him, “They don't know much. This of course mostly just developed within the week.”
“Yeah.”
Colten continued, “Besides the obvious, I'm sure they'll enjoy finally meeting Ella's aunt and uncle. Ella's story is well known, Chloe's a bit of hero.”
“Awe!” Chloe gushed, “I didn't do much though.”
“Yeah,” Colten nodded, “Other than saving my baby niece from a sure death-sentence.”
Grayson smiled, “She wouldn't have been in that death sentence if it wasn't because of her own known trouble magnet.”
“It's a talent really.” Chloe played along with her mate's sarcasm.
“A poor one.” Grayson drank more of his beer as she sneered at him.
“What's up with this rival pack?” Mike asked, “What's their motive?”
“Other than me not being mated and taking one of their linage females from them? Nothing.”
Mike smiled, “Right.”
Grayson rolled his eyes, “They'll let the female go with some pressure, I'm sure, other than that, his need to test you is an obvious power trip. Is he just mated?”
“Just.” Colten breathed and rubbed his hands over his face.
Chloe rubbed his shoulders, “You need a mate, Colten. After this you should let us look after Fornone and you can go look for her.”
Colten lifted his face from his palms and stared at the small luna, “No. It's fine.”
Grayson shook his head, “You need a mate. You need to be able to protect your pack.”
“It's not that easy.” Colten breathed.
Grayson shrugged, “Yeah, I guess it's not. Unless they just stumbled upon you.”
“I didn't stumbled, Grayson.” Chloe lifted an eyebrow at him.
He laughed at his mate, “Love you, babe.”
She huffed and looked back to Colten, “We'll help you, Colten, whatever you need.”
“Thanks, Chloe.” He got up and walked to the coffee pot, needing another pick me up, “I just really need help getting Oscuro off my back.”
“Oscuro?” Mike repeated, “Are they known trouble makers?”
Colten shrugged, “They've tried several times to invade our territory in the last decade. Every time they've failed. My father ended up killing the alpha, that was this new Alpha's father. His brother then took over but that guy never gave me issues. I figured Oscuro would try again, it was only a matter of time. My father put the blood on my hands and now I've got to try and wash it off.”
“Did your pack take it hard when your dad died?” Grayson asked.
“Yeah.” Colten sat, “They are all holding out for the day I mate. I'm sure of it. You can see it in their eyes. I think they're losing faith in me with Oscuro testing the borders, even the past couple years. I'm getting older, not younger, it's only a matter of time before another Alpha steps in and challenges me.”
“Yeah.” Grayson nodded, “But it's okay, we'll help you. Like Chloe said, even after this. Tribune is more than okay for us to take a vacation for a bit.”
Chloe smiled, “Balant hasn't tried once to mess with Grayson. Not once.”
“Nope!” Mike laughed, “Not since we sent Bruce back with his tail between his legs and beat to all hell.”
Grayson smiled, “With a sticky note on his head.”
“Hey! That was all my idea!” Mike laughed.
Colten cringed, remembering what Bruce was responsible for and in many ways he was just as accountable for Savannah's death as Darcy Holtz had been.
Grayson's smile faded and Mike seemed to catch onto it being a sore subject too.
“Well, thanks for coming.” Colten nodded.
Chloe looked to him as a soft cry from upstairs erupted, “Is that Ella!”
“Yeah.” Colten went to get up but Chloe bounced up.
“Can I go get her!” Chloe beamed.
“Sure.” Colten nodded and Chloe dashed out of the kitchen without another word.
Mike smiled, “God, I hope she's pregnant.”
Grayson sneered, “Why?”
His Beta laughed, “Because you as a father is going to be hilarious!”
Colten smiled, “Sorry Grayson, I felt bad for her when she was dying.”
He groaned and drank more of his beer, “Stop wishing this damnation on me.”
Mike laughed, “This is why I'm staying mate-less.”
Colten laughed and pointed at him, “That's what my Beta said, the night he found his mate. Better watch it.”
Grayson chuckled, “See, Mike, it could happen.”
“Shut up.” Mike grumbled, drinking his beer.
Chloe walked into the kitchen, almost in tears, “She's so beautiful, Colten! She's so perfect! Those photos you send are nothing compared to holding her in person.”
Grayson looked up to the baby as Chloe cuddled her.
“I love you, baby Ella.” Chloe gushed and cuddled into her.
Colten smiled at her, “Yeah, she's cute.”
“Oh god! She's perfect!” Chloe crushed her nose to Ella's cheek, “So perfect. I wanna keep her!”
Mike laughed, “Colten, if Ella goes missing, at least you have a good first suspect.”
Colten smiled and watched Chloe with the baby, wishing once again for Abigail and hoping Alma was right, and maybe she would come to him after all.