Chapter 109: Thirty-one.

Ignoring Calum's question, Felix asked quizzically, "You okay there? Looks like you have a bit of a limp," then he looked over at Colt, "What did you do to him, Kitten?" He asked folding his arms across his chest.

Colt looked up chewing the side of her lip, "I'm late, I should head out," she brushed passed Calum before stopping, "There's an ice pack in the freezer, Casanova," she stated, not without sympathy.

"I'm fine, just a momentary unwanted intrusion," Calum stated, reaching out and grabbing her hand, "If you wait though, I'll come with you," he began to speak to Colt, appreciating her ice pack offer despite the situation.

"Well, if one of us was going to suffer an unwanted intrusion, Casanova..." Colt stated, deliberately trailing off with a raised brow, and placing her free hand on her hip. "Besides, I'm already running late, I have to go."

Calum's face crumbled, "Hey, I wouldn't have went all the way, I was only playing, Colt," he said seriously, feeling offended at her accusation. Even though at the time, he was hoping she would change her mind and allow him to seduce her, "Plus your hairs still wet, you need to dry it right? You might catch a chill." He said matter of factly, while running a damp tendril through his fingers.

"No, it's fine, I'll just wear a hat," she replied politely, "Also, I think you will find, I did warn you..." Colt added, finding herself subconsciously rubbing his arm in a gesture of comfort.

"You bloody well did not warn me that your knee would be crashing into my balls, if I didn't listen," Calum stated annoyed, and shrugging off her touch in defiance.

All of which caused Felix to burst out laughing, "You kneed him, Kitten? A bit harsh." He asked through his laughter.

"Well, I asked you to let me go more than once, and you refused," she shrugged, "I'm not exactly going to give you my exact escape strategy am I?" she spoke sarcastically, driving home her point, "Besides, you know my middle name."

"Aye, and what's that got to do with anything?" Calum called back, annoyed at her lack of remorse.

"It means, you looked me up," she responded casually, checking her watch with a grimace, she was going to be late to meet Iona at this rate.

"Aye, and?" Calum asked, missing her point.

"And to have discovered that, you must have done a lot of reading on me. Which means you will know I specialise in self defense, and how to exploit my opponents biggest weakness," Colt concluded crossing her arms, with an exasperated sigh.

"I'm your fucking mate, Woman! Not your opponent!" Calum spat exasperated at her.

Colt tilted her head, "Not this morning when you were naked and pinning me to the bed, regardless of my objections, you weren't!" She clarified, "Now, I really have to go, I'm late. Goodbye Calum. Felix I will see you later."

"No worries, Kitten," Felix responded, smirking and following her towards the door, "Oh, before you go, I need to go get some more cement mix for the rendering on the byre. I can grab your gates too, if you want to take my car and I'll use the truck." He offered.

"Would you? Thanks Pussy Cat, that will be great," Colt said running out the door, leaving a confused and annoyed Calum behind her.

"Gates, rendering?" Calum asked, when Felix returned to the kitchen, unsure of what else was going on.

"I'm helping her get the byre ready for Solaris, the stonework is taking forever to secure, and the gates are to replace the two she crashed through in her wolf form the night she met you. She damn well did herself some damage too, shifted back, with a chunk of rotten wood stuck in her hip." Felix explained casually.

"She what?" Calum asked, concern momentarily masking his annoyance, "That's why she was limping two days ago," he concluded.

"Yup. Coffee?" Felix asked Calum casually.

Calum sighed, "Aye, then oh, I don't know? A fucking explanation maybe?" he asked expectantly, getting pissed off at feeling like he was constantly out of the loop.

"On what?" Felix asked innocently, putting the kettle on to boil again. "We only stock instant I'm afraid, will it do?"

"Aye, fine." Calum grunted, waiting for the lion's attention to be fully on him, before he continued his questioning.

When Felix handed him his hot drink, made with milk and two sugars, he motioned for Calum to follow him through, and they sat at the table in the open plan area of downstairs.

"So, what is it she can't risk exactly?" Calum asked, cutting straight to the point he hoped, would yield the most answers.

Felix sighed, weighing up his next decision carefully. He really hoped he was doing the right thing. His friend was hurting, and he knew of no other way than honesty, to try and move things forward for her. So, he decided to try and explain to Calum, the trickier parts that Colt may have left out.

"What did she tell you about Elijah last night?" Felix asked, trying to discover what the lay of the land was.

"The bastard who tried to kill her, and also cheated on her?" Calum responded confused, annoyed at how everything seemed to come back to that fucking wolf.

"What about her first shift?" Felix asked, his suspicions lining up, with what Calum hadn't said, "Did she mention that?"

"It took her hours, and she ended up in hospital." Calum answered quickly, wanting to find out what the lion was getting at.

"So, she missed out the biggest detail then." Felix sighed, "The fact that her shift was triggered by the damaging of their mate bond when Elijah first betrayed her with another woman? That, was why her heart failed. Colt had completed the shift and was awake. But, then he started round fucking two with his whore. Who of course happened to be Nora's biological mother. Did she mention the kid wasn't his sister, but his daughter?" Felix asked, continuing when Calum nodded. "What about, that while she was training to survive her shift, that in the end she turned down ever shifting, and came home, with the sole purpose of being his mate? All she had ever wanted, and she gave it up, for him, and he betrayed her." Felix took a gulp of his coffee, savouring the bitter taste on his tongue. "She was outside of his house, on his lawn when it happened, by the way. It was his Beta at the time, Zachary, who performed CPR, saving her life, Calum. Without him she may have died." Felix paused, judging by the horrified look on Calum's face he needed a minute to process it all.

Calum's face was an image of utter shock and confusion, marred together over a base of anger that was aimed at a certain wolf. Elijah had under sold his betrayal when they met.

"How did... I mean.. Fuck. I don't know what I mean." Calum breathed out, in shock.

"There's more," Felix began, noticing the heavy slump to Calum's shoulders he slouched forward, with his elbows resting on his knees, as he prepared himself. "Colt, was given a second chance to untether her and Elijah's bond. Or at least what was left of it."

"What!" Calum's head shot up in that moment, "What did she do?" He asked, dread pooling in the pit of his stomach, at the answer he suspected was coming.

"She couldn't do it. Not only would it have been a death sentence for him, but she couldn't cope with the idea of removing what was essentially a part of herself as well." Felix tried his best to explain Colt's frame of mind.

"A part of herself? How? It's a chosen bond, right? Why would she be losing a part of herself?" Calum asked, angered over Colt's attachment to Elijah.

"Dude." Felix stated in shock, "You think they were a chosen mating? No. Colt, was always adamant she would never take a mate. The only reason she did was because, Elijah is her true mate, she couldn't resist the bond. Just like you are her mate, and resisting it now, especially as she can shift is torturing her more than you know. Besides, he didn't wait thirty two years to pick a random Luna after he went nuts, Calum. They are soul mates in all the same ways you and her are."

Calum was shaking his head, "No. No, it's not possible. She can't be. They can't be. No." He repeated himself in disbelief.

"Why do you think she freaked out when you met? Crashed through gates, making stupidly serious mistakes, then cutting herself open on the lounge floor to fix them," Felix stated, shivering at the memory, "It's why she craves you, but I'm betting hasn't even kissed you yet?" Felix asked, forcing Calum to face the truth, "Calum, when Colt and Elijah first seen each other again after everything, he accused her of a lot of things. Which was rich, all things considered. But anyway, to prove herself Colt kissed me, infront of him. He was hospitalized for a week afterwards. From just a kiss."

Calum began joining all the dots. "It's why she is always blowing hot and cold," he concluded, "She is afraid of hurting her precious true mate" Calum sneered, disgusted at everything he was hearing.

Felix flew across the table and sunk his fist into Calum's face, before he could even register the lion was moving. Calum hit the floor with a thump, and Felix towered over him, grabbing him by the scruff of the neck, and getting right into his face, his own canines extending, as he was overwhelmed with the need to protect his friend.

"I will never hear you speak about her in that tone of voice again. Do you understand me? She has went through hell, and is somehow still standing, you egotistical bastard! She has the type of decency and heart that you only meet once in a lifetime. Colt isn't scared of hurting Elijah, she is petrified of killing him, because that isn't who she is! She is a good person, who is also terrified of hurting you! Although, after that comment I don't know if you even deserve her concern. On top of all of this, she has only been shifting for a fucking year, and isn't in full control of herself. Not to mention the arranged marriage shit, you folks have tried to thrust on her! Plus, she is dealing with harrowing medical news, which is her place to talk to you, not mine. That's, if you manage to deserve her trust." He finished his rant, throwing Calum back on the floor, with a growl. "And, any more comments like that, and I will make sure you don't see the light of day to even try and be good enough for her. Watch your step, Calum, because I won't let another bastard hurt her, I trusted the mate bond once already, and I regret the help I gave him every day. You, I won't do any such favours!"

Author's Note, To my wonderful and impatient readers...🤣. Colt has only known Calum three days in their timeline. Give a girl a chance to process. 😉

And yes, in time Felix will be rewarded for his downright awesomeness!