Chapter 40: Forty.

The next week went by smoothly, and despite not being able to be intimate with one another, Colt and Calum found a comfortable rhythm around each other; a fact which Kalvin couldn't help but be secretly overjoyed about. Although, he did continue to remind his frustrated daughter that it took him over a month to get a hold of Maeve; a week shouldn't surprise her, and then he would repeatedly promise Isla he wasn't trying to stall Colt from consumating her and Calum's relationship at all.

The only down point was the lion, who had a terrible habit of putting his foot in his mouth, a prime example was when they had returned from dinner that first evening.

*Kalvin had pulled Felix to the side to thank him for his dedication in protecting Colt, from the lunatic Highlanders and their incessant gift giving. They were stood outside the house, while the others made their way inside. Then Kalvin made a lighthearted joke, "I feel you should be on the payroll, with how much security work you do for my daughter."*

*Felix's brain to mouth filter then suffered from a serious malfunction, when he responded, "No worries, Colt has previously paid me in kind, and generously so as well." The lion laughed out with a salacious wink, before he remembered who he was speaking to, and could be heard audibly gulping.*

*Kalvin's face had dropped to an expressionless glare, his jaw tensing, "That's not funny." He stated quietly, his tone full of an unspoken threat.*

*"No Sir. Sorry Sir." Came Felix's response, his face completely pale, as he fought back the urge to vomit, and Kalvin glared at him with disgust, before making his way inside. Felix didn't join them for the rest of that evening, or the three days after that.*

Other than that, their stay in Scotland was good. Colt was happy, and he and Lewis were enjoying getting to know Isla's brother, and his daughter.

Kalvin's only concern was Isla. She often seemed tense and on edge, he knew she was hiding something from him, but whenever he came close to asking her, she changed the subject and adopted a false demeanour of jovial humour. Something was up with his mate, and if she would only stop focusing on everyone else, he could possibly pin down the problem. But, Isla was a natural mother hen, so reducing her fussing wasn't an easy task.

Even tonight, Lewis had disappeared off with Felix, which would no doubt lead to trouble; but, Robert and Iona had visited for dinner, and Isla seemed hell bent on introducing Iona to the error of her ways. Something his brother in law seemed rather happy about.

"Iona, Sweetie, it is honourable that you want to keep your word and marry this, Samuel MacTavish lad," Iona stated plainly, while leaning against her brooding mate on Colt's couch, "But, actions have consequences, and you cannot expect to walk away from your true mate so easily."

"She's right, you know," Robert chimed in, thankful to have his sister in his corner on this matter. "A true mate, should be treasured, not callously thrown away."

Calum and Colt were as always on the cuddle chair, snuggled up as close as they could be. It was from here Calum's snort, gained the attention of everyone in the room.

"Sorry, I just don't know whether to say, *that's rich, coming from you,* or to smack you in the mouth for daring to speak in such a way at all," he spoke annoyed, before taking a large swig of his beer.

Colt among others was stunned, as she craned her head upwards to look her mate, in the eye. But, Iona saw red.

"How dare you speak to my father like that!" She began, her voice rising, "Who the hell do you think you are, Macgregor?" She snapped, coming to her Dad's defense.

Robert gulped, closing his eyes as if that would make the situation diasappear. He knew exactly what Calum was talking about, and he only hoped for Iona's sake it didn't come out. Unfortunately, there was bad blood between him and Calum's family, and Calum wasn't ready to keep his mouth shut, when he believed the man responsible for his Aunt's death, was sat in the same room, drinking from a beer he himself had bought.

"I think, I'm the only one prepared to call him on his hypocritical bullshit!" Calum seethed at Iona, his grip on Colt tightening slightly.

"Calum?" Colt asked, confused by the uncharacteristic anger she could feel rising in her mate.

Calum's eyes briefly softened when he looked at her, but they hardened, when Robert cleared his throat and spoke to Iona, his mind made up.

"Settle down, Iona," Robert chided her, much to her, and everyone else's shock.

"No. He doesn't get to speak to you like that! Making up weird half arsed insinuations, out of nowhere." Iona snapped back, "What exactly are you implying?"

Calum scoffed, "Half arsed are they? You want to tell your daughter, or should I, *Uncle Robert*?" He challenged.

"Keep your damn mouth shut, you dont know a thing, Boy!" Robert hissed back at Calum, his own anger rising.

"Tell me what!" Iona demanded, looking frantically between the two scowling wildcat males, as she stood from her seat at the table.

"That, if Daddy followed his own advice, he would be my Uncle by marriage, making you my cousin," Calum sneered, watching as the others fell silent at the revelation, "Except, he walked away from his true mate, then he later married your mother instead. My Aunt killed herself from the grief! So, yeah it's fucking rich that he, of all people, dares to comment on anyone's relationship with their true mate; never mind his own daughter's!" He spat, before maneuvering himself out from beside Colt and walking out the front door.

Colt looked around, her eyes settling on her Dad who mouthed the word "go" when he seen her indecision. She was out the door in a blink, desperately wanting to find her mate and sooth his anger.

"Dad? What's he talking about?" Iona asked horrified, her eyes pleading for him to deny it all.

But, Robert sat there staring at his feet, the pain of the past coursing through him, as 5he weighting it all resettled on his shoulders..

"Robert?" Isla asked gently, moving discreetly to Iona, and tugging her to sit back down on the dining room chair, "Let him speak, Iona." She added gently, before returning to Kalvin's side.

"It was before I was engaged, Iona. Your Mom was still finishing school at the time, there was no betrayal there. But, Calum and his family have every right to hate me," he sighed despondent, "After I helped Isla leave..."

"Wait, helped?" Kalvin asked confused, he wasn't aware his mate had required help when she left.

"Mum had hidden my passport, now, shush." Isla said quickly, without glancing at Kalvin.

Kalvin's face was suddenly crumpled up with so many questions. Questions he was determined to get the answers to.

"Anyway," Robert sighed, while rubbing his face, "Mum was livid, and guilt tripped me over hers and father's *'loss of position'* in the clan." He scoffed, "My true mate was Calum's Aunt, Jocelyn Macgregor, and I was bullied by my Mother into walking away from her. She set the marriage up with your Mum, a few months after she found out. I tried to... I.... There was no way I could make everyone happy. I...I just didn't know what to do, and my decision, cost Jocelyn her life; because she couldn't take the pain of watching me settle down with another female, and raising kittens with her. The Macgregors would have supported our union, which is why they may toast Isla's health, but, they will never have anything but hatred for me." Robert stood up and looked at Iona seriously, "Neither I, or your Mum, would want you making the same mistake, or having to live with such consequences."

"Mum knew?" Iona asked, appalled.

"Yes, she felt an equal share of the guilt over Jocelyn's death. Your Mum was a good woman, Iona, and I loved her and honoured her because of it. Like many, she also wasn't given a choice in her mate." He stated, patting her on the shoulder. "But, you are. I am your father, say the word and I will cancel this farce of a wedding in the blink of an eye." He offered, before adding, "I think I will head off now, there's been enough drama for one night," Robert spoke quietly, not waiting on a response.

But when he got to the door, he felt two arms wrap around his waist, "I love you, Daddy."

"I love you too." He spoke softly, squeezing the arms around his waist briefly, before disappearing with his pain.

Iona sat back in her seat, noticing her Auntie had disappeared. "Where did.." she began to ask, when Isla returned with five tumblers and an unopened bottle of *Ledaig* Single Malt Whisky.

"I think we will be needing these, Sweetie," she stated pouring the drinks, and handing out three of them to those in the room. "Well, for once I am glad Lewis and Felix are off out. I do not believe you or your father needed a bigger audience for that. Are you alright, Iona?"

"I.. I don't know what to say. I never knew," she answered, still in shock.

"Iona," Kalvin began, "If I may give you my opinion?" He asked, to which she nodded, "You have your reasons for going along with your arranged marriage to this Samuel; but, you will be giving up more than you know if you do. You unlike a lot, have found your true mate, walking away from this Alasdair MacDonald, shouldn't be taken lightly, or be done without good reason."

"I.. It's just, Samuel, was my best friend growing up, Uncle. I can't just betray him like that, especially when the betrothal was initially my idea," She lamented.

"He isn't your best friend, if he would want you to give up on your true mate for him, Sweetie." Isla added gently.

"He doesn't know," she commented quietly, "I haven't told him." Iona stated, wincing as the whisky she drank burned her throat on the way down.

"How is that even possible, most of the Strath knows?" Isla asked, baffled by this new information.

"He works off shore," Iona explained, "When he is home, he keeps to himself, he always has."

"I see..." Isla began, ready to question her niece further, but was cut off by the return of Colt.

She was alone.

Colt came into the room, spotting the glasses and bottle on the table straight away, and making a beeline for them, she poured herself a large one. Then sitting down beside Iona, she took a large gulp followed with an annoyed sigh.

"Where is..."Kalvin began to question.

"Cooling off. Apparently," Colt snorted out, her annoyance clearly written across her face.

"Colt?" Isla pushed, to get to the bottom of her daughter's distress.

"I'm, I'm pissed, Mom, I'm pissed because apparently, opening up only works one way in my relationship; and I am apparently too fucking fragile to handle it!" She fumed, "Asshole." She murmured.

Iona smirked, with a shake of her head.

"What?" Colt demanded, snapping at Iona.

"Just how your mood reeks of supportive mate, cousin." She responded sarcastically, emptying her own glass with a final swig.

"Shut up." Colt bit out, frowning in Iona's direction.

"Colt." Isla warned, with a slight hiss, seeing quite clearly both young women were to take their frustrations out on one another.

"No, Mom, and anyway, please enlighten me, Iona, on how exactly I am supposed to be supportive, when he is shutting me out and shifting to run off, while hissing at me not to follow him?"

The other three in the room winced at Colt's description, that was cold of Calum, and suddenly Colt's anger seemed more reasonable.

"I think, I will just head home and check on Dad," Iona stated, placing a sympathetic hand on Colt's shoulder, "I'll call round tomorrow, to check on you, okay? Give him hell." She added, with a sly grin, causing Colt to give out a half laugh.

"Alright, Sweetie," Isla said, pulling Iona into a warm hug, before she left, then returning to her husband her eyes gradually drifted closed as the whisky worked its magic.

Colt sat stewing silently in her own annoyance, sipping on her whisky and avoiding eye contact with her parents altogether. She understood Calum's anger at her Uncle. But, the way he dismissed her entirely, half heartedly making up excuses that it was because he didn't want to weigh her down with more to worry about. He couldn't even look her in the eye as he said it. They had barely been apart, and Colt had begun to think it was something real they had, but apparently it was only one way. She wasn't entitled to know his pain, he didn't respect her enough to share it with her. Thinking back, it wasn't even Calum who told her about Amy, but her cousin Iona. Colt was getting more irrate, and if Calum did come back tonight, he had some serious making up to do.

The awkward silence continued, until Kalvin's cell rang and broke the tension that had settled in the room. He shifted his hip to pull it out his pocket without disturbing Isla, and Colt could hear Felix's muffled voice on the other side. Raising her eyebrow she waited go be filled in on the details.

"Alright, I'm on my way." He said down the line, before hanging up, and shaking Isla awake, "Lewis, has been in a scrap."

"What?" Isla shrieked, "What hospital? Lets go!" she stated jumping upwards.

"Nope, not a hospital. He and Felix need bailed out of jail." He sighed annoyed. "Seems the lion hit on the wrong woman, and her human boyfriend pulled a knife out. Lewis got defensive and beat the boy to a pulp." Kalvin stated, standing up behind Isla, "Will you be okay, Princess?" he asked Colt as Isla began to put her coat on.

"I'll be fine. I think I'm just going to have a bath, and head to bed. Text me and let me know the boys are okay, will you?" Colt sighed, standing up with a stretch.

"Sure thing, Sweetie." Isla stated warmly, pulling her daughter into her arms.

Colt collected up the empty glasses and returned them all to the kitchen. Once everything was washed and put away, she went upstairs to run her bath. She had a cup of chamomile and honey tea, and the scents mixed with her lavender bath oil, soothed her stressed out mind while she watched the tub fill up.

Twenty minutes later, when the hot water had started to cool and the bath began to lose its appeal; there was a knock at the door. Colt hoisted herself out the water, quickly drying her body as she threw on a loose t-shirt of Calum's and some pyjama bottoms. She pulled her hair out of the messy bun on top of her head, and let it fall, hiding the damp tendrils that were plastered against her neck.

As she went downstairs, she was relieved, because if Calum at least had the sense to knock, then he must realise she would be pissed. Taking a breath to calm her rage, she opened the door unable to keep the frown from her face.

"Wait, Angus?" She asked, her frown changing to an expression of confusion.

*Author's Note: Dun, dun, dun.... I have done my best to proof read this, but I'm super tired, oldest child picked up a sick bug at school. The worst has passed, but now we are waiting it out to see who else may have picked it up in the house. So, we're all pretty pooped, and I wanted to get this out to everyone. Sorry for any mistakes I have made, hope you enjoy it. B x.