Chapter 101: Twenty-three.

It took some doing, but eventually Colt had managed to slip away from her new shadow to make the teas and coffees. She achieved this feat while Felix was regaling Calum, first with the pathetic state Colt appeared in last night after her little 'oopsie' with the gates, and then with how she would easily intimidate bear shifters back in Montana, with her temper and fierce right hook. Colt had felt suitably awkward, but couldn't deny the convenience of the distraction. She really was ready to lick the man from head to toe, and the sheer will power it took to control herself was giving her a killer headache. At least now, she had enough space to stretch without bumping into the man.

Colt wasn't entirely sure what Calum would prefer to drink, so she just made him a simple white coffee and hoped for the best. He could like it or lump it, because she sure as hell wasn't going to ask him, and bring his attention to the fact that she had left the room. No, she would enjoy her small bit of freedom while she could, because for some strange reason, Colt didn't think Calum would be leaving any time soon. The thought of which brought her both great comfort and great apprehension.

For her own drink, Colt went for a simple, but strong peppermint tea, something with a powerful enough smell to hopefully mask Calum's scent, even a little. She had never known suffocation could be so pleasant, as she all but drowned on his manly aroma while trying to breathe as little as possible It looked like she had two drugs of choice now, both of which the man himself seemed to be able to supply in full.

It was almost like he was made for her, or something, she sarcastically chided her own fate.

With Felix around at the moment, there was at least a buffer, to stop her jumping on the wildcat in the other room, even if that buffer had a big mouth, and an over enthusiastic trait for attempting to embarrass her.

But, it's fine she told herself, she really couldn't jump Calum so long as Felix was there, right? Shaking her head, annoyed at her train of thought, almost as much as she was frustrated at herself for missing his touch, and the comforting warmth it brought.

Colt finished up making the drinks with a sigh, realising that her tea wasn't doing as much of a job at hiding Calum's alluring scent as she had hoped. She shrugged, It was worth a try, maybe she was just tuned into to detecting his scent, since he was her mate she pondered, as once again his smell seemed saturate the atmosphere around her, reminding her of how much she wanted to taste him.

"Shit!" She jumped with a fright upon turning around, seeing that Calum was watching her from the door. No wonder his scent was stronger, he was only five feet away from her. "Will you stop that!" She snapped, clutching her chest.

The left side of Calum's lip tugged up in a smirk, "Stop what, Love?" he asked. He enjoyed seeing her flustered, especially knowing he was the cause of it.

Colt ignored the flutter in her stomach, from Calum calling her 'Love'. Damn she felt pathetic. "Stop materialising out of thin air!" She stated exasperated at him, as she went to put the sugar back, away in the cupboard.

"What, like this?" Calum asked, grabbing Colt as she jumped in fright again, now that he was behind her, hands on her arms, laughing at her expense.

"Damn it!" she said annoyed, as she dropped the sugar all over the kitchen floor making him laugh harder. "Well, that's just fantastic isn't it!" She shrugged out of his grip annoyed, and went to get a sweeping brush to clear up.

"At least it wasn't the milk?" he offered, smiling slyly and trying to lighten the mood.

But, instead it gave Colt pause, and clouded her mind further. Sighing, she walked over to the other counter top and picked up his coffee holding it towards him, and falling back on the manners her parents instilled in her, "Is coffee okay?" She asked, as he took it from her.

"Grand, Love. Thanks," he stated, trying to figure out why she was going distant.

Colt picked up the other two drinks and headed back to the lounge area, where Felix was. She handed him his coffee cup, before tucking herself into the cuddle chair in such a position, if Calum were to try and join her, he would be perched uncomfortably on the edge, or he would be directly on top of her. She quite clearly was looking to enforce some personal space boundaries.

Calum was scrutinising her movements quietly with a raised brow, he definitely wasn't imagining her shift in mood. Every cell in his body was yearning to be close to her, and he couldn't help but be surprised at the feelings of hurt welling inside his chest, from her subtle rejection.

But, he hovered for a moment looking at her, she sensed him and turned to face him, their eyes locking together for a few seconds before she turned back to her tea. There was pain in her eyes, deeper than that of her hip, yet she had still tried to offer him a small smile. He scolded himself for missing it earlier, and realised for some reason, unbeknownst to him, Colt was trying to protect herself from him. She wasn't shutting him out, so much as she was shielding herself from more pain.

It was a sobering thought, and he realised he couldn't walk away from her even to sit elsewhere. She was hurting, his mate, she was in pain, and he had to try and be there for her, however he could.

Calum moved instead, without a word, to sit below her on the floor, his back to her leaning against the circular base of her chair. It was his attempt to be there, without being obtrusive.

Inwardly he smiled, as his decision was rewarded. After a few minutes of the three of them sitting in an awkward silence, he felt Colt's fingers slide through his hair again. It made his whole body tingle in the most delicious way. He couldn't help it, what was an awkward silence swiftly became a comfortable one, for him at least. In fact, if he never moved again he would be perfectly content with his place in the world.

But, the silence Calum was enjoying, didn't last long as Felix couldn't hold it in any longer. The laugh he was stifling at the atmosphere surrounding the two others was killing him, and it burst forth loudly, snorting mostly from his nose.

Colt just raised an expectant eyebrow as she awaited Felix's explanation.

"Fucking hell, you two need a room," he muttered, when his mood settled.

"Well, I didn't expect to agree with whatever you were going to say, but I am completely on board with that idea." Calum replied, instantly regretting it, when Colt's hand disappeared from his head.

"Oh, come on, Kitten," Felix coaxed, throwing Calum a lifeline, "You had him purring loudly enough, to block out the sound of a highway!"

"Wait, what?" Calum asked, his pride dinted, was he purring? He knew he was relaxed, but purring, really?

Colt rolled her eyes, not in the mood for any of Felix's banter.

"Sorry, I didn't realise," she calmly apologised, before going back to sipping her tea, becoming lost in her own little world again, as she finished it.

"Love?" Calum asked, looking over his shoulder. The lights were on, but no one seemed to be home.

Felix stood, "I'm gonna head out," he announced awkwardly, before leaving the building.

Calum let out a deep sigh and put his coffee cup on the low table in front of him. Then he took Colt's from her hand and placed it on the table as well. Next he all but crawled up Colt's body till he slid in behind her, lifting her slightly and managing to position himself underneath her. He wrapped his arms around her waist, and pulled her tightly against him, relief flooding his system when she didn't pull away and instead, turned to cosy up into his body. It wasn't long till he heard the tell tale signs she had fallen asleep, her deep rhythmical breaths felt like music for his soul, and it wasn't long before he was also drifting off into a deep sleep.

-----

When Colt awoke a few hours later, it was to a tickling sensation on her head and a slight grumbling noise. It took her a moment to gather her bearings, and realise that it was Calum who was holding her securely, and that it was his breath displacing the hair on her head and creating the tickling sensation, with each steady snore that left his body.

He snores, she thought amused. It wasn't a loud disruptive sound, but a soft steady rhythm, almost like a white noise machine. Despite herself, Colt found herself warming to him more as she discovered this little nuance, belonging to Calum Macgregor.

Colt suppressed her small laugh behind a contented smile, and delicately removed herself from his grip, pulling a blanket smoothly over him instead. She was confident with how often she used the blanket that it would carry her own scent well, and soothe him while he slept.

Stretching out, once she had stood, she realised, she felt more refreshed and at peace than she had in a long time, and as she looked at her sleeping wildcat, she realised it was down to him. That in the space of a few hours of just laying with him, some of the pain she had carried for over a year now had lifted. Shaking her head at the bittersweet thought, she took the empty cups to the kitchen and got a glass of water, before heading outside towards the beach, needing some fresh air to clear her nose of his scent, and help calm the need to jump on top of the obvious scoundrel and grind her hips into him like the desperate wanton hussy, she wanted to be around him. But Colt knew in her heart, she would never forgive herself if she did give in, so getting out of the situation was the only answer..

An hour later she was headed back towards the cottage slowly, her shoes in one hand and her long skirt in the other to keep it dry. Her toes had gotten used to the cool and rhythmical swaying back and forth of the sea, as the cold waters engulfed her to her ankles before returning to their depths.

Half watching where she was walking, and half watching the area around her, she spotted a man's figure, walking over the dunes and through the machair. He stopped for a moment when he spotted her before continuing on his way towards her. She knew it was Calum, the moment his shadowy silhouette came into view, the mate bond was a funny thing like that. She hadn't known him twenty four hours, yet his very being was imprinted into her consciousness.

She couldnt help the flicker of pity she felt for Elijah, a new understanding washing through her of how he felt, when they met, and how she reacted by smacking him in the jaw, or when she broke his nose, and how she constantly ran from his love. Or at least his interpretation of love. Was it karma now, that she was forced to do the same with Calum, run from him and keep him at a distance, when all she craved was his hold.

Calum stomped all the way to Colt, clinging to his irritation as it began to wash away at the sight of her, "Do you know the heart attack I had, waking to find you were gone, Woman, and that damn lion was there, shifted and staring at me?" Calum complained. The memory of his peaceful dream, holding Colt, swollen with his child had faded all too fast when his eyes opened to see a full grown male lion staring at him, from a whole two feet away.

Colt bit her lips together to suppress her laughter, but ultimately failed. Her hand dropping her skirt as it moved to her mouth.

Calum's annoyance at her friend vaporized into nothing when Colt began to laugh. If he admitted it, his annoyance at her had disappeared the moment he spotted her walking along the shore, like some kind of selkie princess, their to lure a husband back to the murky depths of the water. How gladly he would volunteer, he decided. He really would follow her anywhere. She was his own personal siren.

Colt's shriek tore him from his imagination, as she darted past him, her skirt had gotten soaked by a particularly large swell of sea water, as had her lower thighs.

It was now Calum's turn to laugh, and Colt found that even if it were at her expense, she liked the sound immensely. Straightening up, she looked at him and stated, "So, Felix got you then?"

Shaking his head and shrugging, Calum admitted, " Aye, Love, he did. Bastard," with a half laugh.

"Walk me home?" Colt asked, when her laughter calmed, formally inviting him to join her as she gathered her wet skirt off of her legs with the same hand that carried her shoes, and reached her hand out to him, before she continued walking with her feet under the edge of the tide once more.

"Try and stop me, Love," Calum playfully challenged her, as he fell in step beside her, grasping her smaller hand within his own large one. He would walk beside her the rest of their lives and more, he decided, amazed by the smoothness of her skin held within his rougher callused one.

"So, Calum, other than crawling naked into the backs of other people's vehicles, what do you do for fun?" Colt asked in a friendly effort to get to know him.

Calum laughed, "I deserved that, and no, it is not a usual habit."

"Uh-huh. Sure," Colt responded teasing him.

"I'm never living that down, am I?" He asked hopefully.

"Not a chance," Colt retorted, glancing him with a coy smile from the corner of her eye.

Calum looked at her beseechingly, "Please, have mercy?"

"Would you?" Colt asked, and then answered when Calum only smirked devilishly, "Thought not."

"Bollocks!" He laughed, then changing the subject he asked, "I don't really do fun so much lately, I've been busy I guess, had to find someone important you see," He teased back, "Speaking of which, can I ask you? Well, I mean, I.." Calum began to stutter awkwardly.

Colt smirked, "Spit it out, I wont bite,"

"Excuse me?" He asked pulling his torn t-shirt forward as evidence, "I beg to differ."

Colt tilted her head mischievously, "You're a bit of a tramp aren't you?" She teased with her lips pursed, loving the shocked look on his face, as she pretended not to have a clue about what he was talking about.

Calum hung his head while smiling, looking back up he asked, "I could always just take it off, if my trampy exterior bothers you do much?"

Colt froze and was sure Calum must have heard her gulp. Taking a steadying breath, she asked, "What was it you wanted to ask me?"

Calum smirked, "Wimp," he stated under his breath with a wink.

Colt scowled back at him, "Exhibitionist and a scoundrel."

Calum laughed loudly again, "That's fair," he stated, squeezing her hand within his own.

He was whole heartedly enjoying their easy banter as they headed back to the cottage, along the soft golden sandy beach, and until Colt reminded him he had forgotten about his question. "Oh, right, yeah," he stated awkwardly.

"Well?" She probed.

Sighing, Calum asked, "I dont want to come across overly needy, but..."

"Honey, that ship sailed when I found you naked in my truck." Colt teased again, making him laugh.

Calum conceded to Colt on that front, before asking, "Okay, so, in Ireland, why couldn't you smell me? And where on earth did you go?"

Colt smiled, "Not one for some mystery in a relationship, huh?"

"Please?" He asked, more like beseeched her, for answers to questions which had tortured him for over a year now.

"First off, my friend Maeve, who I was with is a water shifter. She got me to safety and to a hospital, I was never actually lost at sea." Colt smiled stepping out of the surf as they began to head inland.

Calum nodded, suddenly understanding the missing piece. "You were never in any real danger then huh?"

"Hmm, well I wouldn't quite say that," Colt tensed slightly. "I couldn't shift then. The jump was a test, one I failed by the way, it was to test my self preservation skills. Coincidentally, also why I didn't scent you. You see I couldn't shift then, Maeve was training me to be able to withstand my first shift, which only happened about a year ago now. My animal forms stayed dormant because there were two of them, and the shift could have killed me. It took about four hours to complete and a lengthy hospital stay was needed afterwards." Colt answered, skipping the more painful details, she didn't feel like reliving.

Calum froze, there was so much information to process there. He wasn't sure where to begin, and after a few seconds he had to jog to catch up with Colt who was several metres away from him now, having let go of his hand to keep walking.

"Wait up," he called, as he got level with her again, wrapping his arm about her shoulder, "Why do I feel, there is so much more to that story than you just told me?" He asked.

But, Colt just smiled at him.

"Please, Colt, tell me more? What else am I missing?" He asked, wanting to understand everything.

"You may be determined to get it out of me Mr. Macgregor," Colt began, "But, it is a long story, and I am tired and hungry, and not really in the mood to talk about it right now," she said on a sigh. "Maybe I'll write a book about it one day, you can read it there," she added with a wink and kept walking on toward her house, enjoying the feel of his arm wrapped about her.

Author's Note, Colt is such a minx..... 5 points to whoever can tell me where Colt's mind wandered off to....😉