Chapter 41: Forty-one.

Elijah kept to his word, after dropping off his friends at the main hotel, he had arrived at Colt's house an hour and a half later with the SUV groaning under the pressure he had administered while driving. However, he found Colt not in her house, but in the horse paddock lying face down, draped across the back of Solaris as he calmly grazed, completely unfazed by her behaviour. She had been taking comfort in the bond she had with the horse, to calm her erratic heart she was taking in deep lungfuls of his warm dusty horse smell like her life depended on it. Elijah couldn't help but wonder, just how often an occurrence this was. He scooped Colt off of the animal's back, without an objection from her, as she shifted into his embrace and he carried her cradled against himself, back towards her home noting she was barefoot as he did so with a shake of his head.

Once inside the house, he had walked through to the lounge where he sat down on the couch, still holding Colt close, and pulled the familiar checked blanket around them both. It was here, Colt still holding onto relayed her inner most demons, and his heart broke in two as he realised the pain his mate carried around with her everywhere, and how strong she forced herself to be. But when he discovered the danger it posed her, even now from the purist shifters who still attacked her when they could, he began to understand why she trained so hard with her father, and silently vowed to destroy anyone who would attempt to do her harm. He heard her family return without comment on his appearance, no doubt because they could hear from Colt's voice, that his presence was at her request. But, even they didn't interrupt the conversation going on in the lounge and it wasn't too long until only Kalvin remained, the rest having departed without ceremony as the new couple got to know one another.

Still, Colt poured her heart out to him, her hesitations, her fears, anxieties as well as her hopes and dreams. It was only at the end of the conversation that Kalvin joined them both, and enlightened Elijah on his search for a mysterious man rumoured to be able to help Colt find a way to shift. Elijah agreed that finding the shaman was of paramount importance, and agreed to lend whatever support he could to the endeavor. Anything to help Colt.

Then, after dinner he said his goodbyes to his mate and drove away. It was a better parting than the one he had experienced that morning, and Colt was messaging him repeatedly, so much so in fact, that Zachary offered to take over the first leg of the drive, since he was worried Elijah would wrap them around a tree.

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It had been seven weeks since Elijah had last set his eyes on Colt in person. They were in touch regularly every day, much to the annoyance of those around them, whether it was small texts consisting purely of a single emoji, or four hour long video calls as they went about their day. Each of them were constantly attached to their cell phones and jumped to the slightest beep or buzz they made. But today however, Elijah hadn't heard from Colt, and he wasn't just worried he was down right stressed now. Winter was well and truly beginning to grip the country, and his head was spiraling as it conjured up a myriad of different accidents Colt could have gotten into on her mountain side in Montana, furious that her staff and family hadn't bothered to be in touch to make him aware of what had happened, or what hospital she may be in.

He was in a foul mood and even Nora's usual happy chirping couldn't lift the black cloud that followed him around. He walked straight past her, as she tried to engage with him playfully. Blanking her completely, he even let out a small warning snarl as he slammed the world out, closing his office door with a bang. He shook off his mild attack of guilt when he heard his sister crying as she ran off, and strode across to his desk to pick up the phone, and try Colt's number for the eighth time that morning.

Again, there was no answer and in a rage he ripped the phone unit off the table and threw it across the room, smashing it against the wall by the door, just as there was a firm knock rapping against the wood on the other side.

"Fuck off!" he snarled, turning his back to the door, as he heard it open, "You must have a death wish to come in here against a direct order." he barked, without looking at the intruder.

"Hmmm, and you must want your nose smacked with a rolled up newspaper, to talk to me like that, Balto." came the condescending reply.

"Colt." Elijah said as his jaw hit the floor and he spun around, taking in the glorious sight of his mate stood in the doorway with her hands on her hips, and an annoyed look on her face. "What are you doing here?" he asked incredulous.

"I can leave. Since you're so prissy, you know?" she threw at him disapprovingly, with an eyebrow raised as she took in the carnage that once was a phone.

Elijah dived over his desk and practically sprinted across the room. Pulling his mate's body towards his own, he breathed her in and replied "Don't you fucking dare even think about it, Little Bird." he demanded, holding her in a vice like grip.

Colt pulled Elijah's face back away from her own, despite her longing to kiss him, as his fingers dug in deeper to her hips, most likely leaving little bruises in their wake. "Nope. Elijah." she said sternly. "No kisses for grown men who make children cry." she scowled.

Elijah's brows pulled together in a frown as a small growl slipped from his lips in objection, before he could stop it. Then before he knew it, there was a sharp stinging sensation on the end of his nose, and he hadn't even seen her hand move.

"Did you just flick my nose?" he asked astounded.

"Yes I did. Now, stop growling at me, or I swear next time, I will roll up a newspaper." Colt said with an eerie calm. "Now, go make sure your sister? I think it was. Blonde pigtails? Looks almost as cute as you, only smaller?" Colt teased "Go make sure she is alright, you neanderthal. I only have four days to spend here and would like to not waste them." she winked.

Elijah huffing, reluctantly put Colt down and stepped back. "Fine but, you wait right here for me." he demanded, "I want to know where you are."

Colt smiled smugly at him crossing her arms."Yeah, I'm not doing that. You can go apologise to your sister, then come find me when you are done. I'm going to explore."

"Colt." Elijah said warningly, while crossing his arms.

"Elijah." she threw back at him mimicking his stance.

"Don't test me woman, I have spent half the day going out of my mind with worry because of you, I will gladly take you across my knee right here and turn that sweet little ass pink." he growled.

Raising an eyebrow, Colt closed the distance and flicked his nose again, before he could react. "Rein it in Elijah, I came to suprise you, talk down to me one more time and I will go straight back the way I came, and you can have two women in your life pissed at you. Now, go fix things with your little sister, then come and find me. Alright?" she proposed to him through gritted teeth, fully intending to leave if he didn't stop with the macho nonsense.

"Colt, I.. " he started, hurting at the thought of her leaving.

"No." she interrupted him. "This" she said pointing between them, "can wait. Your eight year old sister, needs to know her big brother isn't a complete ass right now."

With that she flounced out the door calling back, "And don't even bother to try and get into my good books until you have spent at least forty minutes groveling to Nora, and making her smile."

Elijah rubbed his face, feeling guilty as Colt advocated for Nora. He walked towards Nora's room, wondering if Colt would ever accept the truth he kept hidden, and if she would ever forgive him for it. When he arrived at her door, he was swamped with guilt as his little sister's face was swollen and blotchy from crying, and all he could think of was how much of an asshole he was.

Author's Note: For anyone curious about Solaris. I have based him on my own horse, Sunny. A picture of which I have posted on Facebook @Bethanyriverwrites