Chapter 73: Seventy-three.

Colt stood looking in the full length mirror, she was in the ladies room of Marcus and Marissa's wedding venue, the following Saturday afternoon. She bought her blue dress in a heartbeat, discovering it fitted her like a glove. Her hair was loosely curled and swept around her shoulders in a low half ponytail, set off with a blue feathered fascinator. She looked beautiful, Colt knew she looked beautiful, but still she had a sick feeling rising in the pit of her stomach. It felt like she was standing on a precipice, like at any minute her life was going to vastly change, and even though her move was all planned out, down to the arrival of Solaris who would need to cope on an airplane, she still felt that despite all the perfect planning, something unknown was coming. So, right this second she just felt terrified of the unknown.

There was a light knock on the door, which pulled her back into reality.

Felix was outside in looking incredibly dashing in his black fitted suit. He had chosen a pale blue tie to match her dress in his own little act of rebellion against Elijah for hurting his friend, symbolizing that tonight, Colt was with him. But, that was nothing compared to the act Colt had committed with her tattoo. It was her definitive way of showing that never again would she fall for his lies. Never again would he lure her in. Never again would she be naive to his deceitful ways. More than that though, it was her way of flaunting that he failed to break her, that he failed to keep her down, that not only was she still standing, but she would keep standing tall and proud, and away from him!

Although, even she could admit it was in bad taste to flaunt it so publicly at her cousin's wedding. His wedding that would be full of her own, Once Upon a time pack members - till ther Alpha blew it all to smitherines. Steadying herself with a final deep breath, she opened the door to rejoin her date. She had only ducked inside after smelling a particular wolf's scent, making her desperately want a moment to gather her wits, because there was no doubting it now, her mate was here as well, and she really wanted to have those wits about herself, should he be on the prowl.

Opening the door to rejoin her date, Colt came face to face with her Mom. Her Mom whose face of joy at seeing her beautiful daughter healthy, and seemingly happy, at a joyful family event, crumpled into one of disgusted rage, the second she laid her eyes on Colt's collar bone.

"What the hell have you done?" Isla whisper shrieked, grabbing Colt's arm tightly.

Felix went to step in, but one warning glance from Colt told him to wait. She pryed her Mom's hand from her arm with an easy smile, desperately trying to contain her eye roll.

"Calm down, Mom. Weddings are meant to be happy occasions." Colt answered, patronisingly. "Besides, I know you don't like them, but it's better than what was there before."

Isla's eyes widened with the realisation of what Colt had said, and she leaned in to inspect the ink more closely. "Bloody hell, Colt! You tattooed over his mark!" She said horrified, her hand darting up to cover her mouth.

Frantically Isla's eyes started darting around looking for her mate, at a loss of what to do or say herself.

-----

Kalvin was in the hotel foyer speaking with, Harris, Zoe, Asher and Lucy about his grandchildren, particularly little Lottie the latest arrival who was asleep nestled in her Mother's arms, when he spotted Isla pulling a flustered and somewhat embarrassed Colt into the gathering area. He sighed in frustration. "What's a wedding without some family drama." He joked, and nodded to his boys to follow him over.

When he seen Isla's face though, he became slighty concerned, she looked partly freaked out while also angry, and it was enough to set his nerves on edge - He too could smell the unwelcome wolf at the party. They greeted Felix casually with a nod and a manly back pat as they joined the group, hoping to get to the bottom of, and diffuse the situation as quickly as possible.

"What's wrong, Beautiful?" He asked Isla, automatically placing his hand to the small of her back to offer comfort. Then, turning to look at Colt, his jaw dropped in shock. "Princess, is that?" He drifted off.

Harris started to laugh loudly, and Asher was openly clapping his hands in approval when they noticed it.

"Little Sister, is that where I think it is?" Harris asked, failing to hide his smile.

Isla slapped the back of his head. "Don't encourage her. This is ridiculous!" She snapped, shrugging out of her mate's ineffectual embrace.

Colt sighed, at her Mom. "Yes it is, since it's my body and my decision. He made his, this is mine." She snapped at Isla.

Kalvin was too busy studying the two words in an elegant font scrawled over his daughter's mating mark, to reprimand her for giving her Mom sass - A mistake he would no doubt pay for later. He would be lying if he said it didn't give him a peculiar sense of satisfaction and pride, seeing the phrase Never Again inked over the scar that Colt was given by Elijah.

"Kalvin, will you say something!" Isla snapped exasperated, at his silence.

Kalvin looked about the group, before his eyes settled on his daughter. His eyes crinkled with a smile, and for the first time in months he felt like they were on the same page. He sighed happily, "You look beautiful, Princess. Absolutely beautiful."

Colt's smile beamed at her Dad, as her Mom palmed her face, and the two brothers laughed along, utterly delighted with the turn of events before heading back to their own mates to fill them in on what had happened.

"Thank you, Daddy." Colt smiled, wrapping her arms about him to give him a hug.

Kalvin's heart melted on the spot at that, and Isla knew she had lost him. Colt seldomly called him "Daddy" but, when she did, the only place he would be found was wrapped completely around his daughter's finger. He knew it too, but didn't care, his wolf cubs were all but grown and he would cherish every moment he could, of them still feeling like his little ones. Especially when this particular one was about to leave the den for good.

"Shall we go find our seats then?" Colt said with a nervous gulp, reaching for the comfortable warmth of Felix's hand.

"Come on, then." Isla sighed in defeat flapping both of her hands above her head, then leading the small group of four through to the suite where the ceremony would take place.

As soon as they entered the large floral room with the rows of white wooden folding chairs set out, that were decorated with organza and small bunches of lavender lining the aisle, Colt felt his presence descend on her like a ton weight. She scanned the predominantly white room, with its standing urns filled with lilacs, fresias and giant white roses. She couldn't help but miss almost every other detail, as her eyes zeroed in and focused on one man, and one man alone.

Elijah.

He was sitting on his own on the groom's side of the room, just as she and her family would be. His large shoulders were rigid and tense. But, he was impeccably dressed in a steel grey tux jacket, and if the colour was anything to judge by, Colt's traitorous mind couldn't help but think, about how piercing his blue eyes would be. About how the cut of the tuxedo would accentuate his figure in all the right places. Places she still longed to dig her claws into, places she wanted to bite, and lick and scratch all over again. She hated that even now, she craved his touch, the desire felt even stronger than it had before, like a raw desperate need that made her mouth go dry and everything else fade away.

She watched her Mom and Dad go and take their places behind Marcus' own parents, and she knew the other seats there were reserved for her and her brothers with their wives.

But, her feet were frozen to the spot, she was afraid to take the next step, not knowing what she would do. Felix placed a gentle hand on her back turning in front of her quickly, to block her from view as Isla passed Elijah's row. She could hear the low hiss in her mother's voice clearly, showing just how deep her hatred of her daughter's mate ran, and she clutched onto Felix's arm for support as he concealed her from view. Colt knew without a doubt, Elijah had turned to look for her. But was he still looking? Did he care that she had hidden from him? Did he even want to see her?

"We can go?" Felix said quietly in her ear, no fuss, no pressure, just him letting Colt know she had options.

Colt took a deep breath, and steadied her nerves, feeling grateful to her friend. "No, I will not run away from him."

Felix nodded and moved to stand back beside her. When Colt looked up, Elijah was gone. She couldn't help but wonder for a moment, if she had imagined it. But, as she scanned the seats looking for him, confused at where he had gone, she spotted something out of place.

There in the seat he had taken and then vacated, was one lone giant daisy.

Author's Note: I will be taking a break for three weeks from Determined to work on other projects..... Only joking. I will update with chapter 74 as soon as possible. 🤣😘 . Jokes aside who is looking forward to the wedding reception? And can you remember the significance of the Daisy?