Chapter 10: Ten.

THUMP! THUMP! THUMP!

Colt groaned, her face scrunching up.

THUMP! THUMP! THUMP!

"Argh!" She complained annoyed, before she forced her bleary eyes open. She was being unwillingly pulled from her slumber, and that's when she discovered the source of the thumping was in fact, knocking. Some inconsiderate idiot was knocking at the front door.

Knock. Knock. Knock.

Angrily she threw her covers off the bed, and stomped to her window, realising her head that was still pounding in tune with the knocking. The idiot who was outside, now rattling on the door, was going to bloody pay for this.

Throwing the window open and leaning her head out she yelled, "WHAT?" Her eyes widening in surprise, as she made out the vibrant red coloured flowers in the worried young lad's hands. Colt sighed internally. "Hold on." She called out.

She came back into her room, throwing on an old t-shirt of Elijah's that she still clung to. It lost his scent long ago, but it was her little piece of him. That, and her necklace, safely nestled around her neck still. Even after his betrayal, there was still a part of her that felt she belonged to him. Despite her anger, and her hurt, she knew Elijah Lupus would always hold a piece of her heart. Even if he was a stupid bloody wolf, who ruined everything with his inability to tell the truth, and his unfortunate lack of keeping it in his pants.

Pulling on her pyjamma shorts, she trotted downstairs to the front door. Shivering slightly at the cool morning air. Colt didn't even know what time it was, but she knew by her hangover alone, which was bubbling under the surface, it was far too early to be out of bed.

Opening the door with a shudder, as more cold air rushed into her porch, Colt said, "What's going on?"

The teenage boy froze, staring at Colt's exposed legs with fascination, he was completely lost for words. The poor lad was only sixteen, and this was just his Saturday job, delivering flowers for his Aumt's shop. He felt in no way equipped to deal with the feelings that were being evoked in him, by the woman standing infront of him. He coughed uncomfortably, and shifted his weight from one foot to the other, clutching the bouquet of roses tightly.

When Colt coughed to get the teenagers attention, his eyes snapped upwards as his face began to redden. But then, he noticed how the cold air was affecting her breasts. The t-shirt she was wearing, was pulled tight across her chest by her crossed arms. The young man was riveted, this woman had to be the most beautiful creature he had ever seen. Unfortunately, he was about as eloquent as a suffocating frog, and his tongue felt swollen in his mouth, as he tried, and failed to talk to her.

Colt sighed, and dropped her arms, deciding the boy was obviously an idiot. She reached for the flowers asking, "You're here to deliver these, right?"

The embarrassed boy nodded.

"Okay, I'll take them. Thank you. Is there a card?" She spoke slowly.

He tried unsuccessfully to clear his throat, then just settled for nodding again, feeling utterly humiliated. But, when Colt went to take the flowers he panicked and wouldn't let go.

Colt frowned her hands still on the base of the flowers, and asked perplexed, "Do you need me to call someone for you?"

This seemed to panic the lad even more, as he jumped back shaking his head, revealing just how affected he was by Colt's appearance, now there was nothing to hide himself behind, his hands darting to shield his erection.

Colt's eyebrows raised, and a silent "Oh." came out her mouth, as the boy turned and fled back to his motorised scooter, his head hanging in mortification as he went.

Colt re-entered her house, taking the flowers to the kitchen, where she found Iona giggling as she made them coffee.

"Poor Robbie Kerr." She said laughing. "His teenage hormones are just all over the place. What did you do to him?" She teased accusingly, turning to face Colt. "I could hear his heart rate from here."

"Oh, don't!" Colt begged, becoming embarrassed by the whole fiasco herself, as she put the flowers in the sink and hid behind her hands. "It's not funny."

"It kind of is. He will probably dream about you for the rest of his life." She smirked. "Wetly."

"Ew! That's..Iona. Stop it! That's just gross!" Colt physically shuddered. "It also illegal. He is still a baby."

Iona literally cackled at Colt's discomfort, handing her a coffee. "Actually, technically over here, he is 'of age' So, you know... have at." She teased, her cousin. "I'm sure he will grow out of his acne, and learn to talk to you. Eventually."

Colt retched. Making Iona's laughter increase.

"I'm going to stop letting you hide from Granny here. Enough." Colt threatened her cousin. "He is just a baby, leave him alone. Oh, and for the record," she said holding up her hand to shush her cousin's reply, "I will be doing the same."

"You're mean when you're hungover. You know that right?" Iona pouted sourly.

"Hmm." Colt mumbled, sipping her coffee and turning her attention to the roses in the sink, while turning on the tap with her free hand.

"So, who are they from?" Iona asked, nodding at the flowers. "Is Angus grovelling?"

Colt jumped slightly as she remembered the card, and reached in for it. "Not if he has any sense. So, probably yes." She said giving a little laugh.

She pulled out the card, and furrowed her brow. "Iona, who the hell is Paul MacDonald? And why is he sending me roses?" She asked perplexed.

"Wait? What!" Iona said, all but slamming her coffee cup down, and snatching the card from Colt's hand to read it for herself.

*Colt, I am so sorry that idiot has given you a poor impression of the males of our species. Please accept these roses as a token of my esteem and affection for you. Warmest Regards, Paul MacDonald.*

"Do you know he always was a bit creepy like that, and not just because he is a MacDonald. Always so formal, like he swallowed a Jane Austen novel." Iona stated. "But, what would possess him to think, a Campbell woman would be an option?" Iona muttered. "Vases? Shame to waste them." She asked Colt, who was standing, staring at the flowers utterly bewildered.

"No, I'm not keen on roses, I think I'll give them to, Granny. You know," she winked. "Settle her down, when I reiterate my feelings about Angus." She said making them both laugh.

"Colt, she will throw an absolute wobbler, if she learns she has flowers from a MacDonald in her house." Iona laughed, picturing the scene in her head.

"Hmm, alright." Colt nodded, "Let's just slide this back in then." She said, popping the card back into the flowers, as the girls laughed away at Colt's petty revenge tactic.

"I don't know, why I let you make me mix my drinks." Colt suddenly complained, taking a long sip of coffee with a grimace. "Damn, my head is pounding. What time is it any way?"

"It's nine-thirty." Iona smiled. "And I got this for you, since you are such an old woman and all." She said rolling her eyes, and heading to the fridge, where she pulled out a very orange looking soft drink.

Colt's eyes lit up. She had drank *Irn Bru* before, when hung over, (the last time Iona convinced her to go drinking), and it was a miracle cure for her hangover then.

"You do love me, that's why I'll let the 'old woman' comment slide." Colt concluded, as she took a long swig of the bright orange fizzy juice, her coffee abandoned on the counter. It was almost sickly sweet, and had a slight metallic undertone, like sweet bubblegum with rust. It should by rights be disgusting. But, there was something about it that was so right, especially as it would cure a hangover in about thirty minutes.

"You have no idea, just how much I wish I had access to you in college, Sweetie." Colt cooed at the drink, making Iona laugh out loud.

"I wish I knew you in college. You'd have been so much fun." Iona commented. "Ypubare always welcome to relive your glory days you know."

"You would have been what, eight though?" Colt asked sarcastically, taking another swig.

"Come on, I would have been at least twelve or thirteen." Iona laughed along.

"Trust me. You weren't missing much. I'm a total nerd. Becs, my best friend dragged me out kicking and screaming on occasion. But, other than that I was all, work, work, work." Colt clarified, making a mental note to give the Elephant shifter a call at some point, to check in.

Knock. Knock.

The women both turned to look at the door, as they heard it again.

Knock. Knock.

"You go please." Colt asked Iona sweetly.

Iona shrugged. "Fine, but I will be sorely put out, if I dont have the same affect on your young, Mr. Kerr." Iona added, laughing her way to the door.

Colt could hear Iona talking to whoever was there. They were older and female, so thankfully not her young admirer, she noticed with relief. Before long, Iona was back in the kitchen, with a worried but slightly amused face, carrying a large box.

"What did you do?" She asked Colt.

"Why? Who was it?" Colt replied, her nerves escalating. Her intuition was telling her something was off here.

"It's not who it was, that's important. But who this, is from." Iona answered cryptically, holding up a gift box, of three limited edition whisky bottles. "First Paul MacDonald is buying you flowers, now there is a courier dropping off this, from Logan Macaulay?"

"Iona, I don't know who these people are!" Colt answered confused. "Let alone why they are sending me gifts. Although, my Mom would love that." She said, pointing to the box. "Help me out here. What is going on?" Colt almost begged her cousin.

Iona sighed, and put the whisky down on the counter. "I would say you have some admirers. Some serious admirers. And these two, are two of the lads who were with Alasdair Dougal last night." She answered. "Meaning, they are making a play for you. But, when you are a Campbell, that is beyond unheard of." She answered honestly, then smiled. "So, it begs the question. What did you, and Alasdair talk about last night? And I hope I'm there when Granny finds out, she will go bloody nuts!" Iona giggled.

"Alasdair and I spoke about you, mostly." Colt said confused, but still noticing how Iona's eyes lit up at that piece of information. "He did say weirdly enough, that it was you that chose another, over him though. Which I am curious about, myself?" Colt countered, leading the way through to the living area, and slouching into the sofa. "Why would you choose another over your true mate?"

Iona followed her, wagging a finger behind her cousin. "Don't you try and change the subject on me, Miss Merrier." Before she plonked herself down into the soft cuddle chair Colt had, grabbing a blanket to get wrapped up in.

Colt held her hands up in mock defeat, until Iona said her name, "Wait. I might have said that last night. I did, I said, I wasn't a Campbell, I was a Merrier. I think. It's hazy and I'm not sure I have the exact details, I was so angry at Granny and Grandad. I may have disowned them a little." She smirked.

Iona's jaw dropped. "Shit! Colt tell me you didn't claim to be clanless. Please Colt, tell me you are joking?" Suddenly all her humour was gone.

"What? Iona explain what is going on. I wasn't raised here, I am clanless aren't I?" Colt asked, confused by her cousin's worried attitude.

"Well, yes and no. Shit, Colt!" Iona rubbed her face, before smirking. "Well, if I were you I would be expecting, a lot more gifts pretty soon. Let's put it that way."

Colt's eyebrows raised alarmed, "What, why? You still aren't explaining anything to me Iona. Spit it out." Colt snapped at her cousin.

"So, clans and family septs only marry within their allies. Bruces, Campbells, MacTavishs, etc. We dont form couples outwith these groups. Wildcat females are rare. As a species of shifter we are the equivalent of endangered in the first place. Making women highly desired among said, clan allies."

"Right," Colt said following along, "So, me being clanless means what exactly?"

"It means you are up for grabs, with any unmarried wildcat male. They want you as a wife, Colt. To bare their young, and further their line. Blah, blah, blah." Iona explained. "Colt, you have a giant engagement shaped target on your back now. Thank God, you can defend yourself. You know, in the olden days, men would rape a woman, then shame her into marriage afterwards."

"I'd like to see them fucking try." Colt snapped, annoyed at the lunacy of these people. "This is ridiculous, you know that right?"

"Of course it is. But, at least you will be spoiled for a while." Iona laughed. "You have to let me borrow the jewellery you will get, please." She asked, her sense of humour returning.

"Iona, this isn't funny. I have a mate! Elijah. I couldn't marry another even if I wanted to." She sighed. "Which I don't. All I see when I look at another male is how he lacks in comparison. Plus, I'm most likely infertile anyway."

"But, you are still legally single, and he isn't here. It's a loophole, they will all exploit, and by all I am including their families who will back them. Plus, some of them won't care about your fertility. Of the choice is being alone, or childless but with a partner, then, the latter will probably win out." She smiled compassionately. Iona knew Colt's fertility was a touchy subject. Thus, she didn't think it right, to encourage her to broadcast it for no good reason.

"That isn't helpful." Colt whined with a sigh. "How many mateless men do I have to worry about here?" Colt asked, as knocking on the door was heard.

Iona stood up and moved to the door, while answering, "About sixty-five I would say at a guess. Though two I would expect aren't interested, one is always off chasing his true mate, which is a shame, he is so hot, and you two would actually look good together. And the other is Alasdair." She shrugged.

Colt scrubbed her face and swore, ignoring Iona's lighthearted set up attempt. She was definitely going to have to come clean to her family now. Her Mom was going to kill her. But, she supposed then, she wouldn't have to deal with this nonsense, so that could work.

"Hey, Colt." Iona called. "You might want to come take a look at this."

Colt begrudgingly pulled herself forward, and towards the front door with a frown. But, it exploded into a look of awe, when she seen what the post man had just made Iona sign for. There were thirty, next day delivery parcels, all piled infront of her door. All in various sizes, none of which she had been expecting herself."

"Oh, shit!" Colt said her hand darting to her mouth. "This is fucking crazy."

"And so, it begins." Said Iona, in a mock deepened voice, to which Colt gave her a deadpan stare.

"I think I need to call my Dad." Colt replied, her face ashen.

*Author's Note; I hope you liked this one, because it was so much fun to write. Let me know your thoughts. B x.