Nine.

Nine.
Colt was still sat feeling the ghost of Elijah's hand on her face. A small frown was marring her features as she analysed internally why it gave her such comfort, when Calum burst into the room.

He was beside her in a nanosecond, pulling her into the warmth of his embrace, as he reassured them both that they were there, together. His scent and his warmth permeated into her very soul and Colt could feel herself instantly relaxing. She had no rational reason to apply to Elijah's affection, or it's affect on her, but it didn't matter anymore. Calum was here. She could breathe again.

"Are you okay?" Calum asked, forcing himself to ignore his pang of jealousy at Elijah's scent being on his mate.

"I... I had to comfort him. I couldn't watch him break." Colt whispered, automatically sensing Calum's unease while simultaneously leaning into him more.

She was longing for nothing more that to shift into her feline form and curl up in her husband's lap.

"He cried, Calum. Alpha's don't cry. I didn't expect it to hurt. Our bond is all mangled up inside me, yet I felt his pain. I didn't want it." She tried to explain.

"It's not your fault, Love." Calum sighed, holding her as tightly as he dared.

"He was mean too." Colt spoke softly. "But, I think he was lashing out. I understand. If I lost you..."

"Never going to happen, Love." Calum interrupted her. "You're stuck with me. Like the bad smell I am, I'm sticking around."

Colt smirked, before pulling back to look at her husband.

"I love you, Casanova." She stated, before pushing herself up higher to fuse her mouth to his.

Calum equally clung to her, allowing her need for him to melt away his anxiety at Elijah's presence, alone in a room with his very reason for being. His lips took over, searing into Colt's soul as he took over their physical connection.

Colt wasn't sure, but at some point she ended up sitting in Calum's lap. Her legs draped over his as their heat intensified. His hands traced over her skin as her own fisted into his hair holding his head firmly in place as she revelled in their connection. Allowing it to bring her mind the peace she so desperately craved.

They parted in fright, as the doors to the small library slammed open. At first Colt thought Elijah had made good on his promise and had returned to fight Calum. A reality that sickened her to her core. But, it wasn't Elijah.

It was Lucy, Asher's wife, her usually neat hair disheveled as she gasped for breath.

"Colt come quickly," she panted. "It's your Dad, he, he's collapsed. There's an ambulance on the way."

Colt shot off Calum so quickly she had to ignore the spasm of ligament pain she had triggered in her pregnant belly. But, Calum was there, holding her hand and giving her the strength to stay upright as he lead her behind Lucy back into the ballroom, where a small crowd had gathered, presumably around her father, and the band had silenced completely.

The company parted to let her through, but it was her mother's whimpers that first caught her attention. When they made it through the crowd, Colt almost buckled at the sight in front of her. Calum had to grab her just before her knees gave way as the scene came into view.

Kalvin was on the ground, with her brothers protectively surrounding him. But, her Mother, she was clawing against Marcus to get closer to him.

"Colt," came Harris' harsh voice. "You need to calm Mom down. She keeps trying to move him and we have to wait for the paramedics."

Colt nodded, forcing back her own anguish at what was going on as she walked on miraculously steady legs to her now wailing mother.

"Mom," she began hesitantly.

Isla's eyes briefly flickered over to Colt, but upon assessing she was alright her fight to get to her mate renewed with vigour.

"Mom, please. Stop." Colt began, getting closer.

But, Calum grabbed her arm and shook his head. Isla was a wildcat, he knew wildcats. She wouldn't stop, and he wouldn't allow Colt to get hurt in the crossfire.

"Mom," Colt tried again, "Please, I need you to tell me what happened. What happened to Dad?"

Isla's eyes flickered to the desperation in her daughter's voice. Her instincts were being torn between comforting her daughter and getting to her mate, causing her to sound out an agonized wail.

Colt sensed her Mom's wavering, and before she had thought it through, she blurted out something she knew would get her full attention.

"Mom, Elijah tried to kiss me tonight," Colt admitted loudly, causing all her nearest and dearest to suddenly still.

But most painfully of all, Calum's hand left her arm, and his presence shrunk back from her side.

However, before Colt could focus on that her Mom's voice echoed in the quiet room as she zeroed in on the man holding her back.

"You," she spat at Marcus, "You told him where she was!" Her claws were latching deeper into her nephew's arms as he visibly winced in front of her.

Marissa's growl could be heard echoing throughout the room as she was restrained by a couple of snow leopards on the bride's side, who knew a brawl would not help anyone right now.

"You traitor! How could you, Marcus, after everything that Bastard has done?" Isla hissed out, her body rippling with the need to attack.

"Mom, no!" Colt yelled, surging forward, and grabbing Isla's wrist.

"Elijah didn't know I was here, he was shocked when he saw me." Colt tried desperately to calm her Mom.

But Isla's eyes were like steel as she turned to her daughter.

"Then how did he know where we would be?" Isla demanded, sounding completely feral.

"Mom, there was a wedding announcement in the papers, remember?" Scott intervened, from the floor beside his father where he was squatting, holding Kalvin in the recovery position.

Isla froze, her claws instantly retracting as she was swamped with guilt and an image of the baby she used to care for hit her.

"Oh Marcus, I'm so sorry!" Isla cried, her hands holding his face as she looked him over, before returning her attention to Colt. "Are you okay, baby girl? Did he hurt you?"

"No. I'm fine. I.. We talked." Colt stammered.

"And kissed?" Calum asked, from where he was rooted to the spot, six feet away.

"What? No!" Colt shrieked. "He tried, I didn't let him. What do you take me for?"

"How dare you accuse my daughter of such a thing! After what she has been through, and at that man's hand, and you think she what, would just allow such an act?" Isla rounded on Calum, her instinct to protect shifting onto the man who was now emotionally hurting her daughter.

"Shit." Calum swore, knowing full well he was about to go toe to toe with his mother in law, as she pushed Colt behind herself.

"Isla, do not put yourself between me and my wife." Calum spoke steadily, his weight already on the balls of his feet, as he prepared for the attack.

"No one gets to hurt my children, Calum. No one." She hissed out, before lunging for him, the pupil of her eyes morphed into angry slits.