Chapter 141: Sixty-three.

"Are you ready yet, Wifey to be?!" Iona called out to Colt, who was up the stairs in her house.

"In a minute," Colt called back, a slight annoyance in her voice.

Iona was disturbingly chipper about tonight, and her bossy attitude was rubbing Colt up the wrong way. They only had three weeks left to go till the wedding, Colt's family were arriving in eight days to spend their stay in Ardair House, at Colin's insistence of course; which as expected, Isla jumped at the chance of having her own entire clan under one roof, grandchildren and all. The only one missing would be Colt, and that was partly due to her and Calum's suspicions about the chief's motives.

All in all, Colt had become unreasonably stressed about everything wedding related. She felt as if she were constantly having to rein Maria, and her over the top ostentatious plans in, and now she was getting annoyed at the slightest thing. One such thing was Calum, he had been spending a ridiculous amount of time at sea lately, excusing it under the guise of "fishing is a feast or famine industry,'" and "he has to make the most of it in summer, because the north Atlantic can be too treacherous in winter," a fact Colt was painfully aware of. Thus she felt she was permanently wearing a scowl, and was quietly looking forward to it all being over.

So, Iona's last minute plan of some strange traditional highland bachelorette party event, was the last thing she could be bothered with. Not to mention she resented being made to get changed twice, because apparently, she was too well dressed in the first two outfits she chose. It was quickly becoming more effort than it was worth.

Colt came down the stairs to see Iona with a wicked gleam in her eyes as she assessed Colt's outfit. The young woman was standing at the door like she was ready to bolt at any minute, which Colt put down to her own award winning personality of late. However, the realisation didn't make her any more outwardly cheerful.

"I'm not changing again," Colt said adamantly, as she looked down at her cut off denim shorts and cotton tank top. "It will just have to do, or I'm not going."

They were in the middle of a heat wave as well, which Colt found unsettling; a twenty-eight degrees celsius average, in the the Scottish highlands is enough to make even the incomers contemplate the beginning of an apocalypse. That plus the midges that were around, miniscule vampyric flying insects, with a venom that left their victims scratching for days; the result being that everyone constantly smelled of citronella. At least when the sun was shining they weren't too much of an issue, and the slight breeze should keep the horse flies at bay, or cleggs as she was informed they were called here.

"You don't have to change, you're perfect. Now, come on, you aren't getting out of it," Iona stated, as she darted out the door like her tail was on fire.

Colt grabbed her keys to follow, turning around to lock the door as she did so, while she could hear Iona fumbling around behind her, and what sounded like a sharp intake of breath.

However, just as she slid the key into the lock, a cold, slick heavy substance hit the top of her head, sliding slowly, but effectively over her face, and down through her hair. It began to drip in lumps onto her arms about the same time her eyes became covered. Colt shrieked as her body tensed, while she heard Iona, and some others laughing behind her.

Letting go of the key she wiped her eyes clear, and turned towards her cousin to ask what she was playing at.

"Porridge, Iona? What the fu..." But, she was cut off as the sweet smell of molasses started to assail her nostrils. Maria was behind her, and before Colt could react, Maria was pouring the bucket of sticky brown tar over her as well, dumping its load on top of the porridge, and leaving Colt almost speechless about the wole thing.

She heard the laughter again, and turned to see her Mom, Maeve and Rebecca propped up on a tablet, connected to a group video chat, laughing their asses off at whatever was going on. But, before she could ask, Iona promptly threw a bag of flour all over her, as well.

Colt was left gaping like a fish, totally confused and unsure of what to do, when Maria broke through her haze.

"It's called a blackening Dear, a Highland tradition for an engaged couple. The lads captured Calum, as he came off the boat earlier. They will be here shortly with the trailer, to join us." Maria explained.

"Trailer?" Colt asked concerned, and honestly still a bit lost, as she looked down at the mess she was in.

Iona laughed, "Aye, you dont think we would do this and not show off our handy work, do you?" She scoffed, "We're going on tour."

Colt winced, knowing the answer before she asked, "I can't shower can I?"

"No, but for that I'm adding jam," Iona cackled, "Does, Calum, prefer strawberry or blackcurrant?"

"Oh, I bet he likes both," Colt heard Rebecca shout through the screen, and she turned to scowl at her through it.

She was still scowling at her howling best friend, who was obviously enjoying this way too much, when Iona started smearing jam up and down her legs.

"What the... Oh, I'm so going to kill you all," she said tipping her head back in utter disbelief at what was happening.

Maria then decided to add some beaten eggs over the top of Colt as well, before making up for it slightly by giving her a malt, only slightly though. Colt swung it back in one, wincing at the taste as it became flavoured by the porridge and molasses, not to mention the eggs, all of which caused her nose to wrinkle in disgust. Thankfully she was allowed to wipe her mouth before she was given another, and then another.

They didn't have to wait too long until they heard the bass of a sound system beginning to get close. The long distance nembers of their little party signed off, still laughing their heads off as Colt drank more and more, to numb the humiliation of what was about to happen.

By the time the others had pulled up to the cottage, Colt's embarrassment had mostly faded, and she gleefully climbed on board the trailer hooked up to Alasdair's land rover, snorting when she spotted her mate. Calum was on his knees, gagged and with his hands tied to a frame behind him, that was all mounted on a platform of hay bales in the centre of the trailer. In front of him, there were more bales arranged in such a manner to make it look like a throne. Upon which sat a banner, that read bride to be. The whole set up made Colt laugh even more, especially when Iona merrily hopped up beside her and place a cheap synthetic veil on her head.

Colt studied her mate's appearance, as she neared him. Apart from his underwear Calum had been stripped bare, before he was painted from head to toe in molasses, not an inch of him was spared. But, that wouldn't put Colt's attraction to her mate off, in fact, if it weren't for the feathers which were also stuck all over him, Colt would have volunteered to lick him clean right there, their audience be damned. Unfortunately for her libido, the thick coating of white duck feathers, covering him up over the molasses, made it rather impossible for Colt to even spot a clear place to leave a small peck He really did look ridiculous.

She smiled, biting her lip in sympathy, as she sensed his discomfort and annoyance, before the alcohol kicked in again and she burst out laughing, at it all.

Calum softened, at Colt's laughter, relaxing slightly as she approached him and bent down to pull the rough cloth from his mouth, to hang below his chin.

"I thought you were fishing, Casanova," she smiled, almost too sweetly.

"I was," Calum responded, "Till I got a call saying you were hurt, and needed me. The bastards ambushed me at the harbour."

"I see," Colt nodded along, "Well that wasn't very nice of them now was it?" Colt asked with false pity.

"Will you untie me please, Love?" Calum asked her hopefully, even though he could sense her playful mood.

But Colt had a wicked gleam in her eye, and before Calum could speculate why, a cheer erupted from the friends surrounding them. Colt had dropped to her knees and pressed her body against Calum's, sealing her mouth over his in a very passionate and very sticky kiss. When they eventually pulled apart, Calum had his fair share of egg and porridge coating his body, and Colt had become slightly more fluffy, making them both laugh at their horrendous appearances.

But, when Colt moved towards her place with a smirk, Calum cleared his throat to get her attention, nodding behind his back to where his hands had been tied.

"Oh," Colt smirked, with a wicked gleam in her eyes, "You're not going anywhere, Casanova. I find I like the thought of you tied on your knees before me." She said with a slight purr to her voice, causing Calum's glare to involuntarily heat at her suggestive words.

Turning to grab a bottle of beer from one of the coolers she spotted, she returned to her mate after popping off the lid.

"I'm not heartless though, have a drink," she offered, tipping the bottle up at his lips, smiling as he gulped it down gladly.

When he was finished, Calum said, "Very funny, now untie me pl..."

He was cut off when Colt quickly reapplied the gag, silencing his next words, as she stroked his feather topped hair lovingly.

"Hush now, Pet." She joked, "Be a good boy, or I won't be so nice again."

Everyone laughed, as she took her seat and the others climbed on board. Colt tilted her head as she studied the pots and pans they were all carrying. While she was studying them, Felix decided to lazily lounge beside her, enjoying the tension in Calum's muscles as he did so.

"So, this is fun," Felix said to a rather tipsy Colt, sitting forward to drape an arm over her, before he thought twice and dropped it back by his side with a grimace; flirting was fun and all, but getting coated in whatever concoction coated Colt certainly wasn't.

"It is, isn't it," she replied clinking her bottle to his instead, as the land rover and trailer began to drive on.

"Though, I can't imagine it's legal, Kitten. You are a very, very naughty girl to be going along with it," he smirked, deliberately looking at Calum while he spoke.

Calum tensed in his binds, testing out how much it would take to tear free, and wipe the smug grin from the lion's face. Felix was the only damn reason he was caught in the first place. Calum had proven many a time to be able to out manoeuvre his so called friends in a fight, so they just had to go and bring the bloody lion with them, talk about a gun at a knife fight.

Felix came out of no where fully shifted, and basically sat on Calum while the others tied him up, deliberately shifting back to sit on him naked once he was sudued; and now he had the ordasity to flirt with Colt in front of him. Calum felt himself straining more against his ties as he desperately wanted to throw the lion off the flatbed, maybe even under the wheels of it.

Calum's hiss came out somewhat garbled because of the gag, but it was recognisable all the same. It drew Colt's attention, and caused her to frown.

"Now look what you've done, Pussy Cat," she complained to Felix, gently whacking him in the chest, "You're upsetting my pet," she smirked moving towards Calum on wobbling legs as the trailer rumbled down the road. "Did you want to say something, Pet?" She asked, pulling down his gag when he nodded, and trying not to squirm under the fire in his gaze; she was also struggling not to fall over altogether with the wobbling of the moving trailer beneath them all.

"Keep it up, Love," Calum threatened, "You'll pay for it later, as well."

Colt smirked, delicately walking her fingers up his sticky and feathered skin, before lightly plucking a few feathers from his ear. She then leaned in allowing her breath to disrupt the feathers on his neck as she did so, feeling his body ripple beneath her as they tickled his skin, then she whispered in his ear, "If you think for one minute your revenge will involve me being on my knees, in front of you, well...." she drifted off, nibbling his ear as he began to purr, when she pulled back she looked him dead in the eye, "Its a shame that payback is a bitch, and I haven't forgotten about you getting me all worked up before you proposed, Casanova."

Calum's eyes briefly bulged as Colt tugged the gag back in place gently kissing his mouth though it, before she sat back down and took another swig of her beer.

"Oh Kitten, you're vicious," Felix stated with a laugh, before joining in and banging his saucepan, as they came to the first of the many villages they would travel through, showing off the soon to be married couple as they all got progressively drunker.

When they had reached the third village on their route, the only sober person left was the driver, and Calum. That was when Colt finally took pity on her mate and untied him, ignoring the booing from those around her. Calum pulled the gag from his mouth abruptly and demanded a malt.

He downed the plastic cup in one swig, before shouting "Another!" Then grabbing Colt by the waist he pulled her closer against him.

He slammed his lips to hers, forcing her to submit completely to the heat of his kiss, while everyone hollered about them, garnering even more attention from the crowds gathering on the streets. When he was done, he grabbbed his drink from Logan's outstretched hand and promptly poured it over Colt's head on retaliation, all while holding her tight so she couldn't escape, before kissing her struggling form once again, smirking against her mouth at his perceived victory.

"Now that's how to drink whisky!" He shouted, as he released her once again, turning to face his friends in triumph.

Colt stood there simmering in annoyance, when something brushed against foot. She looked down to see Maria toeing a leftover, and unopened bag of flour on her direction. She had a wicked glint in her eye, that was obviously either a helpful suggestion or a complete dare. Colt caught on quickly and gladly took on Maria's suggestion. She scooped up the bag with a sly grin, opening it quickly.

"Oh, Calum," she called seductively.

Calum's body instantly began to turn to his mate, just in time to watch her dump the entire contents over his head.

"Oops." She stated with a smirk, as everyone, Calum included began to laugh hysterically.

By the time they had reached the fourth village, Calum was no longer the only sober one left on the trailer; in fact he was singing on a makeshift hay bale stage, while everyone else cringed around him, except Colt. She was sat drinking a beer and banging a saucepan she had stolen from Paul, though she wasn't entirely sure he minded, when he declared he could now hold a drink in each hand.

Alasdair's father, William, who was driving was eventually convinced in the fifth village to stop and buy food for everyone, and luckily there was a space outside the local fish and chip shop their makeshift rig would fit. No one had thought to bring any actual food, not any that was edible now anyway, and since they hadn't eaten since lunch most of the party goers were starving.

A small crowd had gathered to laugh at the drunken bride and groom, with some tourists looking on in horror and confusion, yet still snapping pictures on their cameras as proof of the site before them. Calum and Colt were sat together on the hay bale throne, in a sticky drunk mess, looking revolting, while sipping their drinks and occasionally chanting for food, when they weren't exploring the depths of one another's mouths.

When William finally came outside, laden with bags to deliver the food; an assortment of deep fried fish and heavily salted chips with vinegar, the group went wild, almost tugging the poor man on board in their excitement. It wasn't long before the food had disappeared and the group were at the pebble stone bay that edged this particular village, having done another two loops while they all ate.

William had parked up in a layby that ran along the shore, and gradually everyone started to disembark leaving Colt confused at what was going on.

"What's happening now?" she asked, Calum while taking his hand to step down onto the road. "Are we done?"

"Not quite, Love," Calum smiled pulling her forward, as he backed up towards the bay.

Their friends and family had made a path for them, leading down to the beach as they banged their make shift drums in anticipation of what was next.

Colt froze, her suspicions rising. "No," she stated, trying to pull her hand free as she threw her weight away from Calum, and started to panic.

Calum's grip tightened on her hand as he yanked her closer.

"Oh, come on." He smirked devilishly, "At least it's summer," he added, before swiftly throwing his mate across his shoulder, not giving her objections a second thought.

Everyone laughed at Colt's shrieks, as she thrashed uselessly on top of Calum, unable to get any real grip because of the gunk covering them both.

"Don't you bloody dare, Macgregor!" Colt snarled out, causing Calum to retaliate with a slap to her backside that hurt her more than it should.

Calum waded straight into the sea, the temperature difference was shocking to say the least, and Colt knew what was about to happen. It filled her with a sense of dread, and unexpectedly at the last minute she shifted, swiftly turning into her wildcat form and latching her claws deeply into Calum's chest in an attempt to stop him throwing her into the sea.

"Fuck, Woman!" Calum hissed out, as everyone else laughed around the shore line. "Bloody hell, Colt!" He shouted, as he failed to pry her loose. "Fine, the hard way it is."

Before Colt could judge what Calum was about to do, he threw his entire body forwards, submerging them both under the cold salt water, as the crowd cheered with poorly contained joy. Calum felt Colt's claws retract out of his skin and went to grab her, but she swiftly slipped out of his reach. He stood in a blind panic, thrashing around to find her in the dark coloured sea, but unable to see where she had went.

"Colt!" He called to no avail, as every one went silent on the shore, hearing the panic on his voice. "Colt!" he screamed.

At seeing him panic, everyone else ran in towards him. Colt hadn't resurfaced, all that was visible were her sodden clothes floating on the surface.

Author's Note: Yes they are real. No, I dodged mine by being thirty weeks pregnant when we tied the knot. Our wedding was originally set for 10 weeks later, but that wasn't going to work now was it...🤣. Mr River's also successfully dodged his, as there were no lions to hold him down on the eve of our wedding.... no, in truth he overheard what they were planning and left before they could execute it, ignoring their calls and texts afterwards too 🤣🤣🤣 I hope you enjoyed it. B x.