Two.

Two.
Driving north along the A9, Colt was chewing nervously on the inside of her lip. All of her own previous concerns had been magnified by Calum's overbearing silence. He was clearly wrapped up in his own panic, which was only serving to multiply her own anxiety tenfold.


It had been just over an hour and the couple had just passed Perth when finally, she could stand the lingering metallic taste of blood no longer and she ventured to speak, "Calum, are you alright?"


"Hmm," Calum responded vacantly at first. "Sorry Love, did you say something?"


Colt simply sighed, "Can you find somewhere to pull over?"


"Aye, is everything alright?" He asked, hesitantly switching his eyes between looking at his wife and watching the traffic around him.


Colt smirked at his response as Calum moved the truck into the left lane in search of a layby or parking spot.


"I could ask you the same thing, Casanova," she smiled at him lovingly, "Oh wait, I did."


"You did?" Calum asked surprised, "Sorry, I was... just busy, thinking, I guess."

Colt reached over and placed her hand on top of the hand Calum had resting upon the gear stick. She only just managed to swallow the purr back that bubbled in her throat from contact with his borderline unnatural body heat.


"And what, are you thinking about, Mr Macgregor?" She asked as Calum's fingers automatically interlaced with her own before he moved their hands across to Colt's thigh.


"Oh, just this and that, Mr Macgregor," he smiled, finding his turbulent mind calming under his mate's touch.


Colt affectionately squeezed his hand, "Talk to me Casanova," she demanded gently.


"Hmm, you first Colt," he responded dryly, squeezing back. "You've been off for weeks, and I do not think it is just your hormones, Love."


Colt felt a sudden chill when Calum withdrew his hand to flick down the indicator on. She never realised she was actually holding her breath till she let out a shakey exhale when Calum's hand returned to hers, once he had changed gears and pulled off into a large layby.


Switching off the ignition, he turned in his seat to look at her.


"I'm just going to ask this okay, Colt. Please don't be offended, but I have to know. Would you rather you weren't pregnant?" He asked, making it Calum's turn to hold his breath while he awaited her response.


"What?!" Colt shrieked, recoiling into her seat, as her hands wrapped protective around her stomach. "Why would you even think that?"


Calum couldn't help his initial relief at Colt's horrified expression.


"Love, you won't let us tell anyone. You don't want to make any plans. You've refused to let me turn the spare room into a nursery. What else am I supposed to think?" He explained, justifying his position.


"I... I... I just want to protect her Calum," Colt answered, realising her behaviour would naturally ring alarm bells.


"Aye, but she will still need a room, and you're no going to be able to hide that little bump forever. She will grow, and venture into the world beyond your body, as wonderful a place as that is," he pointed out, softly yet firmly.


Colt sighed, ignoring Calum's flirting, "I know."


There was an echoing silence weighing on them; because neither had yet put words to the real problem. The quiet lasted about half an hour, half an hour of Calum lightly stroking circles on Colt's stomach, while she in turn traced the veins on his wrist. Both of them deep in their own minds while the traffic continued to zoom by outside the truck.


"We have to leave Scotland." Calum finally stated, breaking the silence without ceremony.


Colt turned to face him in shock.


"I don't want my daughter subjected to the shit that goes on here. She is not going to be a piece of chattel for Colin or a walking incubator for any lad with no clue what's good for him. She deserves her chance at finding her mate, and I don't know how to ensure she gets that, and gets it without the constant pressure and expectations of being a female in this clan, if we stay." Calum passionately explained his reasoning.


"Where would we go, Calum?" Colt asked hesitantly, despite feeling relieved for the first time in months.


Calum's sigh was loud within the truck. "As much as I do not want you on the same continent as him, I think knowing what history has passed, your folks would be the best place to keep Colin's ambitions at bay."


He began scrubbing his face aggressively as he fought over his instincts. A part of him felt as though he may be sacrificing his wife to protect their daughter.


Colt had to take some time to digest his words. Leaving Scotland would bring her some relief, but it also felt like they were jumping out of the frying pan and into the fire. For whatever reason, Elijah hadn't pursued Colt to her mother's homeland, and she was in no doubt he had tried to find her. Calum had confirmed as much from his time in Ireland. But, Calum was right about her hiding her pregnancy, as much as she was trying to protect their child by keeping her existence a secret, it wasn't something they could do forever.


For the child's sake they would have to leave Scotland, and the best place to keep their daughter out of the grips of clan agendas would be in a place with her full family support behind her. That is what they needed to keep her safe. Plus, if she was completely honest, the thought of having her Mom near when the baby arrived was something she secretly longed for.


"I guess we are moving back to Montana then," Colt said, reaching for Calum's hand and placing it on her tummy. "For her."


"Always, Colt." Calum spoke calmly.


They sat for a few minutes longer, Calum still absentmindedly drawing patterns on his wife's stomach.


"How do you want to do this?" He asked.


"I'll get in touch with the vet and arrange a health certificate for Solaris, then he will only need a three day quarantine." Colt sighed, the thought of organising a move across the Atlantic seeming like a huge task.


But Calum only laughed.


"Of course, you would think I meant the bloody horse, Love," he smirked.


"Well I'm not going to just leave him!" Colt protested.


"Come on, be rational, Colt. We are moving to the U.S. isn't it a bit unfair to do that to him?" Calum attempted to argue.


"You do realise I brought him over here from the States, right? He is a calm flyer, Casanova," Colt corrected her husband assumptions.


"How much did that bloody cost?!" Calum asked in shock.


Colt laughed, "About ten thousand dollars, so roughly nine thousand pounds give or take. All depends on the fuel costs and exchange rates. Don't worry, Casanova, I can afford it. Well we can." She added with a shrug.


"Colt, exactly how much are 'we' worth?" Calum asked, realising in their six month relationship they hadn't actually had the money talk yet.


Colt smiled coyly.


"Casanova, enough that you could give up work and be my sugar baby," she teased him.


Calum snorted at her words, unsure if he was offended or complimented by Colt's revelation.


"I'm not quite sure what to say to that, Love," he eventually replied, somewhat dumbfounded.


"You don't have to say anything, Baby. Just drive Mama home, I'm going to have to pee again soon.