Colten waited at the kitchen table as Abigail took a bite of her burger. She was only half done but starting to slow down with her food intake.
Grayson came in the back door, beer in hand, “Hello! Thought we lost you guys.”
Chloe was behind him, “Argh, Grayson, get out of the way!”
He grumbled at his luna and she shoved past him.
Colten shook his head, “It's all good.”
Abigail looked between them all and kept quiet, nibbling again at the burger.
Chloe sat down next to her, smiling “Hi again!”
Grayson finished his beer, “Alright, so this is all worked out now?” He gestured to them.
Abigail looked to him and then to Colten, “Umm.”
Chloe rolled her eyes, “Grayson's buzzed.”
“I think I'm closer to drunk.” He smiled at her.
Colten sighed, “You're in charge in a minute, Grayson.”
Grayson paused his grabbing of more beer, “What? Where are you going?”
“I'm just going to take Abi out for a bit.”
“Oh yeah,” Grayson smiled at him, “I get ya'.”
Chloe whacked him, “Grayson, stop!”
Abigail's cheeks were red in consequence and she stayed silent, taking one last bite of her burger and pushing the half eaten plate of food away from her.
Grayson pointed at his mate, “Hey, it's all good, right, Colt?”
Colten looked to him and nodded, “Yeah.”
“Grayson, come.” Chloe grabbed Grayson's shirt and hauled him from the kitchen, “Have fun!”
“Fun.” Colten breathed.
Abigail swallowed, “They seem nice.”
“They're from Alaska, Ella's aunt and uncle.”
“Oh!” Abigail seemed interested, “That's mighty far.”
“I needed some help and I think Chloe was looking for a reason to drag Grayson out of town anyway.” He stood, “Ready to go?”
“Yeah.” Abigail nodded, tucking her hair behind her ears.
“You sure you feel better?” He looked her over.
She stood and smiled to him, it was her first smile in a bit since they'd sat down to eat and he was thankful to see it.
He walked to her and took her hand, leading her down the hallway to the front door.
“Do you have a sweater?” He asked.
“It's pretty warm tonight.” She told him.
He thought a moment, “I'll be right back.” Then tore up the stairs in search of some quilts. He found two sitting outside his room on a rickety chair and returned to her moments later.
“Blankets.” She smiled at him.
He guided her to the front door, the children in the front room watching them again.
“We're getting watched.” Abigail whispered to him.
“They're interested.” Colten told her as he shut the front door.
They walked down the steps and went around the side of the drive to his red truck that was separate from all the cars.
He opened the passenger door for her and helped her inside.
She paused, not letting go of his hand once she was situated in the vehicle.
Colten looked to her, “What's wrong?”
She swallowed, she seemed so afraid and he wasn't sure if proceeding with you need to be a werewolf was going to be a good course of action or not.
Abigail shook her head.
“Are you sure?” He pressed, “I can – I can take you home, if you've changed your mind.” He really hoped she wasn't going to agree but he had to give her the option to settle his self guilt.
Abigail's eyes shown with surprise, “No, let's go.”
He thanked the heaven's for that reply and shut her door softly. Now the rest of the evening he prayed would go smoothly as possible.
He walked around the truck and found his keys in his back pocket. As he settled in the driver's seat, he started the diesel.
She sighed and he heard it.
“Nothing's wrong? You're sure?” He asked.
She nodded, “I just miss my truck a bit.”
He glanced to her as he pulled the truck out of the drive, “Oh... yeah...” He thought about when he might be able to give her that back, soon would likely be a good option. It would make her happy at least, soften the blow of being a wolf forever and ever.
He pulled the truck out on the long stretch of highway towards Silvertun and they were quiet. Very quiet. The radio on in the background, it wasn't loud enough to halt conversation but it was quiet enough to make it awkward.
“Are your parent's quiet mad with me?” He asked, he just kept thinking of Charlie raging on about him and it bothered his good, human side.
Abigail sighed, “No. I mean, I'm not sure. They are probably more mad at me than you.”
He smiled, “Doubtful.” Just based on the simple fact that Charlie Redding seemed to know he was a wolf, he still wasn't sure wether to bring that up with her or not.
She sighed, “Daddy had plans for me. He wanted me to marry upstate. They were going to send me to university there next year just to try and get me in with the click, I guess. But I was begging to just go back to college. I don't need to go to university. I didn't even know what to take or...”
He sighed, “They just want you to be set for life, Abi.” Or something like that.
She smiled, “I'd rather be poor and feeding the horses then rich and upstate with some idiot that just thinks I'm pretty in a little black dress.”
Colten grunted, “I think you'd be pretty in a little black dress.”
She burst into a giggle and he caught a glance at her, surprised by her quick reaction to his comment.
“Then I don't need rich and upstate if I have you.”
He sighed, “I'm broke, Abi. Like, super broke. These horses are running me dry, my house is falling apart. You need to at least weigh the pro's and con's here.”
“Against someone I love?” She asked him.
He looked to her, “You love me but you don't understand me yet.”
“I understand you enough, Colten. It's been five years and you've never ate me or tried to. You seem, normal.”
He smiled, “Normal with a twist.”
She reached over and took his arm on the rest, staying quiet and he did too. Until he pulled the truck to a stop. The only sounds around them night insects and the dried grasses in the wind.
It was serene. Beautiful.
He decided to leave the windows open but maybe get her to venture out after a few moments into the bed of the truck.
Abigail undid her seat belt and looked up to the sky, “It's so dark here.”
“Yeah. It is.” He agreed.
“It's breath taking.”
He swallowed and looked over to her, “Do you want to go outside?”
She glanced out her window, “The grass is tall.”
“I'll carry you.” He jumped out of the truck on that note and came around to her side.
She smiled, “I can walk, Colt.”
“Come here.” He smiled and grabbed her, pulling her into his arms. Carrying her around the back, he dropped her gently to her feet and reached to the tailgate to bring it down.
She grabbed him before he got that far, kissing him on the lips once.
He pulled back after a few moments, “Oh, baby.”
She let out a soft moan and he dropped the tailgate blindly beside them.
“Up.” He grabbed her by her waist and put her in the bed of the truck.
She smiled, “That was very forward of you, Mr. Turner.”
“You bring out this forwardness, Miss.” He grabbed her ankle and she sunk into the bed of the truck, looking up at the stars.
“It's cold.” She breathed.
“I'll go get the blankets.” His hand trailed up her thigh and she giggled, clenching her knees together.
She sat up and nodded but her cheeks were flushed and they'd obviously both been thinking about the same thing.
He went around the side of the truck and grabbed his preparation tools, he took another feel at his side pocket and once satisfied, jumped up on the tailgate and stood, laying out the quilts for them.
She kicked off her boots and fell back, staring up at the stars, “It's pretty. Do you bring all your human's here?”
He swallowed, “What?”
She smiled, “I was kidding.”
“I've never... umm...” That wasn't exactly true, he had been with a human before. Interesting, not the best and even being drunk hadn't made up for it.
He came down next to her and sat, looking over her as she smiled up at the sky.
“It's much too pretty.” She breathed, then caught his gaze.
He leaned down into her and kissed her, “Yeah, you're right, you are much too pretty.”
She giggled, “Colten.”
“What?” He grumbled, kissing her more.
She pressed her nose to his and leaned up into him, bringing him right down over top of her, “I missed you, Colt.”
He nuzzled her neck, missing her was much worse for him. However, her missing him as well made him feel less desperate.
She dug her fingers to his dark hair and pressed his mouth closer to her chest.
His fingers loosened off the buttons and he nibbled at her lace bra.
She shuddered as a gust of wind blew up.
He drew his mouth back, his wolf liked to get the better of him it seemed.
“Don't stop.” She purred, “Make love to me.”
He smiled at her words, making love to her was all he wanted but he adjusted her shirt back on her and sat up, “Abi, we should probably talk.”
She followed him and dropped her chin, “Colten.” Getting her normal agitation about her.
He smirked but it faded as he looked out into the pitch of darkness around them, “We need to discuss all this.”
She sighed, nodding, “Alright.”
“Alright, well, this may seem a bit twisted.” He swallowed, “But you're, you're mine.” He winced at his explanation.
“Huh?” She made a face.
“I didn't just crush on you. You're meant for me. You're my mate and you have been since the day I met you.” He knew that really did sound sick and twisted, perverted even.
She stared at him through the moon light, “I'm your what?”
“It's why you want something to do with me because really, you probably shouldn't.”
She let out a tight breath, “You're hot though.”
He lifted an eyebrow and smiled, “Um...”
“Well, you know. You're a hard worker and you were always around the ranch and...”
“Yeah, I tried not to influence you, Abi. If you were going to come to me I wanted it to be because you wanted to. Not because I was charming you or anything like that. I'm not a pervert.”
She let out a laugh, “Colten, you're so concerned about being a good boy.”
He winced, “It was hard information to swallow that day I met you, Abigail. You were perfect and sweet and I loved you right away but being I was nine years older, well, that was shot in my heart. I tried my best to keep a distance.”
“I noticed.” She breathed, “The other cowboys all came around me that second year, chattin' me up.”
He grumbled, “I wanted to beat them blue.”
She smiled, “You did good and now, you can have me.”
The growing lump in his throat became impossible to swallow. Her words were satisfying and amazing to hear. The pain he'd been dealing with the past five years would finally fade once they were mated.
He leaned into her and kissed her.
She pulled him in suddenly, “Do I need to be like you?”
“You do.”
“Mm.” She nodded, “How do we do that?”
He didn't really want to tell her and she didn't really let him answer either. She kissed him and her tongue dipped against his.
His want and need for her grew, it was all starting to eat away at him.
“I love you, Abigail.” He looked to her with his soft, shy eyes and prayed she would say something to the same affect.
Her bursting hormones hit him smack in the face and it was far worse this time to endure for him this time.
She was in agreement to needing him as a mate and she didn't even have to say it!
Her lips parted and she smiled, “I love you too, Colten.”
He swallowed, “I want... to ask you something, Abigail.”
“What's that?” She breathed.
“Uh...” He choked on the lump again as she purred against his chest.
Her eyes locked on him and she swallowed, “Go on.”
His heart started to beat in his chest, “I know it will seem, well, I think it's the right thing to do.”
“Colten, say it!” She urged him, getting back to her old impatient self.
He swallowed and looked to her, her bright blue eyes and hormones drawing him in. He put his hand and in his pocket and pulled out the small brown velvet box.
Her eyes flashed to it and she sat up quickly, staring at him.
He readjusted his weight and moved up as well, “Abigail.”
She raised her hand to her mouth and watched with intent.
He wanted and had to do this, he had to give her some sort of human normalcy before he stripped her of it forever, “Do you think you – you might be inclined to do me the honour and, marry my sorry butt?”
She let out a soft whine as he opened the box for her.
He watched her, hoping for an answer of some sort,“It's not big like you deserve but it was my mother's.”
“Oh my god!” She moved towards him and kissed him.
Caught off guard, he rolled with it.
She cupped his cheeks and pulled him closer.
“Well, um-” He stammered.
“Yes.” She cut him off, sinking her mouth back against his.
He dropped her down into the blanket and a flood of hormonal urge took over. Ripping the ring from the box with his nervous hands, he dropped it behind him. Still, he kissed her, clutching the vintage diamond ring in his palm as he moved over his mate.
She smiled through the lip smacking, “I'll be your wife.”
He smiled back and lifted away from her frantic mouth, “Calm down, baby.”
“No.” She shook her head, “Put it on.” Holding up her left hand.
He readjusted himself to her side and took her trembling fingers. He glanced at his mother's ring and swallowed, this had always been for his mate, never a doubt in his mind. He line it up with her ring finger and slipped it on. It looked beautiful on her lean hands, just like it always had on his mother.
She stared down at it as it sparkled from the moon, “Oh.” She smiled again.
He leaned into her and kissed her forehead, “I wasn't sure if you'd like it.”
She pressed her nose into his neck in happiness, “Colten, I love it.”
He laid back down around her, “I'll love you forever.”
“I know.”
He smiled and kissed her, knowing there was more to say. At least a low-down on her future disposition but all of a sudden he didn't seem in such a big rush.
She was happy.
She was very happy with him.
She pulled him down into her and smiled, “Colten Turner, all mine.”
He groaned and kissed her, “I want to be yours.”
She giggled and lied back to the bed of the truck, looking at the ring again, “Here I thought for the last five years that having a crush on you was wrong. I thought you'd never want anything to do with me.”
“I've always wanted everything to do with you.” Relaxing even if his wolf was telling him to mate her right at that moment but there would be complications to that neediness.
She straddled him and looked down, “I'll be proud to be your wife. You're so respected here, Colt.”
He put his hands on her sides, “I'm a shy cowboy.”
She kissed him as his hands trailed her goose-bumped body and moaned from his touch, moving against his jeans.
He watched her before him and his hands undid her jeans, “I need you now.”
“Finally.” She breathed, caging around him and kissing him, “I was about to ask, again.”
He smiled and kissed her soft lips as a wind blew up. It reeked of Oscuro and he shot up, clutching her around the waist.
She made a noise of displeasure, “Colten.”
“Hush.” He snapped, listening out around them in the darkness. Silence only came, his hand on her lower back gripped her closer.
She swallowed, “Is something wrong?”
There was a faint snap of a twig and Colten knew they were in danger. He kept his firm hold on her and hauled her from the bed of the truck, falling into the grass.
She steadied on her feet, “Colten.” Her voice laced with worry, “What's wrong?”
He slammed the tailgate of his truck and held her hand, listening and waiting, hoping the smells would fade. His senses searched the area around them but it was so dark, he had a hard time concentrating. His wolf would have done much better.
Then the brushing of grass against a coat of fur happened.
He growled low in his throat and she shot against him.
“Colten.”
“Let's go.” He pulled her along the side of the truck as the low growling of several wolves surrounded them.
He tensed and pushed her against the truck. Her heart racing, afraid, his wolf not only on high alert but raging in desperation.
“Colten...”
He moved towards the cab of the truck and pushed her in the door once he got it open but that's all he got done as the door snapped against his body, crushing him against Abigail.
She screamed as the intruder recovered and came at them again.
“Mateo!” Colten yelled.
The black as night wolf growled, snapping his teeth as Colten turned towards him, so angry, he'd never felt his emotions so messed up before.
“Colt.” Abi breathed.
“Get in the truck.” He snapped at her.
She swallowed, not moving, scared to death.
“Abi!” Colten yelled as Mateo came at him and his pack stood on the side lines.
The wolf snapped and snarled, backing off for one more second.
“Go, Abi!” Colten threw the keys on the driver's seat, his muscles tensing, the shift bursting across him before he knew it.
As his body attempted the shift, he was hit with a hard blow, his head slamming into the side of the truck as the attacker collided it's solid wolf with his human form. The sounds of Abigail's screaming as he slid to the ground, covered in his own blood, were the last of his recollections.