Colt dropped her cell phone on the bed beside her. It caught her attention, a moment later as it lit up and began to ring, glancing at it briefly, through the tears in her eyes she could make out the blurry shape of that same now very recognisable number. Elijah was calling her back.
But, she was currently being flooded with the memories of Ross, her little brother, forever a small and helpless infant. Fighting for a chance at life in his little incubator, with the wires and the tubes that were attached to him, and she just couldn't talk to Elijah right now. The man she had always blamed for his death.
Her Mom and Dad, didn't even get to lay their hands on, never mind hold their youngest son, before his tiny heart gave up. They were told his lungs were not yet developed enough gor him to breathe for himself, so the machines, and the medication he was given were to help him do that. But those attempts failed.
Colt wept, as she remembered his tiny tiny hands, with the smallest little finger nails she had ever seen. She remembered the nurse with the red hair, telling them he was about eight inches long from his head to his bottom, and his skin, it was so delicate, it was almost translucent. The doctor with the green eyes who reminded them, they all had to be silent when they got to visit him because of how sensitive his little ears were, and no one dared make a peep even outside the neonatal intensive care unit, just incase. He was so small and so innocent, this tiny perfect little life, snuffed out far too soon.
It was Colt, who was the one with her Mom when she was pushed to the ground by Elijah's thugs, landing on her stomach as they were restraining her arms till it was too late for her to catch herself. It was Colt, who had at sixteen years old held her Mom's hand as she broken heartedly pushed Ross out and he made his way into the world too early. It was Colt, who kept a hold of that hand, as Ross was whisked away for urgent and immediate care.
Her Dad arrived about half an hour later to take care of his mate, but still Colt would not let go of her mother. She was too young, even at sixteen for that experience and it had often been talked about since, how she stepped up and cared for her Mom in what were arguably Isla's darkest hours. In the end, that day her older brothers Mark and Harris were the ones who had to literally force her away from her Mom at her father's request, so as to make sure Colt would be alright as well. The two females of the family had at this point been clinging to one another in silence, for hours.
Colt had always wished she could have somehow protected them all more. If she could have shifted, a desire never wanted so badly as it was when those men barged their way into her home, she could have done something to help more. It was that guilt that ate her up inside at times, wishing she could have done more to save her Mom and her baby brother.
But, in the end it didn't matter, because they lost him, despite the hospitals best efforts, Ross died at four days old, and it was because of Elijah Lupus and his damn territory disputes.
This time, when her cell lit up again, Colt was angry. She hit the decline button sending the call through to voicemail, while forcing herself not to throw it against the wall. She however, also wasn't at all surprised at when Elijah called again straight afterwards. At least if her phone were broken, he couldn't reach her.
Her rage was aimed at him wholeheartedly, when she answered the phone, "Leave me alone, Elijah." she snarled, hanging up before he could respond and settling for switching her cell off, afterall if something happened at the resort she couldn't be unreachable.
Then she screamed out her anger and rage, venting loudly at the top of her lungs. Her fury though all too soon turned to anguish, anguish over the loss of her baby brother.
It wasn't long before her Mom and Dad came bursting into the room, not more than a few seconds later in a panic caused by the sounds of their daughter's screaming.
"What in the name of hell is going on, Colt?" her Mom asked, upon seeing she wasn't in fact being murdered and was just sitting on her bed. Although, she did quicken her pace with a frown when she seen the fresh tear tracks running down her daughter's face.
But Colt, still annoyed that her Mom had given her cell details to that man, shifted away from her and looked at her Dad. She was trying very hard not to say something she would later regret.
"Princess?" he asked, moving to sit on the bed beside her confused. "Is everything alright?" he asked, already knowing full well something was wrong, and trying to probe gently to find out what it was.
With a frown marring her face, she looked between her parents again, before desperately asking, "Is there any way for me to be free, from my connection to Elijah, Dad?"
She heard her Mom's sharp intake off breath as her Dad sighed and leaned forward resting his elbows on his knees. Kalvin was mentally preparing himself to effectively disappoint one of his girls. Which he never liked doing, even when it was necessary.
"In simple terms, Princess, no, there is not." he sighed, running his hand through his black hair before continuing. "Colt, everyone out there has a soul mate. Another person out there who has a soul which isn't simply a reflection of their own but that fits together with theirs, like a missing puzzle piece. You cannot change who you fit with, anymore than you can change a piece of your own soul, it is what makes you, you. Besides, if you were to somehow find a way to reject your mate bond, it would have dire consequences for Mr. Lupus and most likely his pack, and that is something I don't believe you would want."
"What do you mean? she asked deflated, but typically worried about Elijah and the others around him.
"I'm referring to the condition of *solum rabidus* that runs prominently through certain shifter type species. The dog shifter community, wolves and gorillas are some of the most affected species, but it has been known to crop up randomly in other species as well. It only ever seems to affect the males, and the wolf shifters who do become affected, Colt, are typically hit the worst.
Most male wolves are typically mated off by the age of twenty-two, some luckily enough to find their soul mates like your mother and I. Others to a partner of their choice who they dedicate their lives too. In wolves who do not mate, however, or cannot due to the partner's refusal, the build up of hormones seem to somehow cause an affliction in the brain and they quite literally begin to go crazy. It can be catastrophic for the ones who are around them and mostly leads to the shifter's death.
The more dominant the wolf shifter, the worse the condition effects them. No body knows just how Elijah has stayed in control this long, but it has been discussed at length in the wolf community. However, now he has found you, if he were to lose you without completing the mating it would very likely tip him over the edge."
"Which would also, likely have very far reaching and devastating effects for everyone in his pack" Isla added, wrapping an arm about her daughter for support.
Colt sat digesting the information for five minutes before saying "So, I don't really have a choice, unless I want to potentially condemn thousands of people to a lunatic for an alpha?"
"You, always have a choice Colt. Those people are not your responsibility and likely as it is with his age, it would kill him before he could do any serious damage." her Dad replied stoically.
Colt visibly paled at the thought of Elijah being dead, all because she couldn't bring herself to love him. It all felt so unfair.
"It is why the mate bond is so precious, Sweetie. Why all shifter's respect it, especially wolves." her Mom chimed in seeing her daughter's distress.
"He has a little sister, Mom." Colt seemed to randomly informed them. "Her name is Nora." She was hesitantly trying to explain her reasons for being so upset and angry.
"That's sweet, does that mean you talked?" Her Mom asked gently, sensing something more.
"Yes. He got a hold of my cell number somehow." Colt responded, seeing her Mom stiffen slightly, but quickly before the subject changed she added to her comment, "Nora turned eight last May."
The silence that echoed throughout her bedroom was deafening.
The three of them were sat, statuesque, not one of them moving, each of them lost in their own pain as they digested that torturous piece of news. The man who they all held responsible for the death of their youngest family member, had at the time of their loss, welcomed a new family member himself.
How could life be so unfair, and now, to add insult to their injury he was also the mate another of their children as well.
After a few minutes Kalvin reached across to his mate and daughter, pulling them both into his embrace.
"Dad?" Colt asked a moment later, as her mind had finally wandered away from her grief, and onto trying to find a way forward for herself. "Why can't I shift?"
It was a question she had always wanted to ask but, never dared to. She knew the reason of why she had both animal traits, but the fact that she couldnt shift had always eluded her. She was almost afraid of the answer, it was so personal to her, yet so unknown.
Kalvin, breathed a sigh of relief internally, at being allowed to shift his focus, and that Isla would have hers shifted as well. The well of their grief over Ross, may be over eight years old, but it was still a pit either of them could sink into at the slightest mention of him. There were still days where they would lose themselves in it, and the other would often have to pull them back up to the surface so they could breathe again. Colt's redirection of their focus was at this point a very welcome reprieve.
"I have my suspicions Princess, but I don't know anything for definite." He paused, before continuing as an old memory sprang to him, "I have heard rumours however, about a shaman that knows more, in my business travels. I can try and find out if he would know more if you want?" He offered, fully satisfied with the idea of something to keep him busy.
"Is it safe?" Isla interrupted, concern for her daughter bubbling up, amid the fear of potentially losing another child, because she also had her suspicions about Colt's inability shift.
"I don't know. They are just loose fragmented rumours. At this point I don't even have a location for him." Kalvin answered honestly. "But, I can try and find out more I'm sure."
"What kind of rumours, Dad?" Colt asked, her curiosity heightened at this new piece of potentially helpful information.
"He supposedly understands how to manipulate another shifter's shifting process. But like I say, they may just be rumours." he answered, raising both hands in an effort to stay his daughter from rising her hopes up prematurely.
"Can you find out more please?" Colt asked, desperate to remain clinging to any small sliver of hope, that there might be a way for her to attain what she had always wanted.
"Sure thing, Princess." Kalvin replied.
*Author's Note: A lot of background in this chapter about certain characters and their motivations. I would love to hear your thoughts. Is there still hope for Colt and Elijah? Thank you so much again for reading, it blows me away, that you are, and I am so very very grateful.*