Twenty-eight.

Colt pulled over on the small road which runs through the resort grounds, on her way home. She was absolutely livid at Elijah, first he is rubbing up against another ridiciculously beautiful woman, and a pretty much nude one at that. Then he makes a show of himself, and her for that matter in the hot tub, by acting like a neanderthal. Followed by his not so epic speech, insulting her for all to hear, he causes her injuries more damage, and finally the asshole dares to try and decide she cant drive herself home. Colt couldn't get over just how much of an self entitled imbesile he was, and in such a relatively small space of time as well.

After taking several deep calming breaths, she began to drive the rest of the way home with tears running down her cheeks. Unfortunately, it was a side effect of hers, whenever she got too angry, if she were unable to vent her frustrations efficiently, inevitably her eyes would fill up and she would start to cry instead. She hated it. In that moment she made a decision, deciding she needed some positivity in her turmoil and a chance to blow off some steam, Colt quickly pulled over, picked up her cell and dialed Rebecca.

"Hey Colt, everything is fine." Rebecca answered, presuming her workaholic best friend was phoning to check in, again.

Instantly Colt smiled at her friend's incorrect presumption of why she was calling.

"Well hello to you too, and for your information that's not why I was calling." she smiled, instantly feeling better, knowing she had made the right decision calling Rebecca.

"Oooh, I am intrigued, what can I do for you then?" came Rebecca's reply lighthearted reply.

"Well, Ms Ali. How do you fancy a long over due, girls night?" Colt asked smiling. She knew the reply before she had even asked, Rebecca tried at least once a week to organise a girls night with Colt, but Colt was usually far too busy, and would often put it off.

"Miss. Merrier, I do believe you have just made all dreams come true. Meet you at six thirty in the bar for some food first?" Came the bubbly response, Rebecca's enthusiasm filtering through the call.

"Excellent, I will see you then girl." Colt said hanging up happily.

She leant back into her seat contentedly, it felt good to have something planned to enjoy, and she felt physically excited about getting to go and let loose later. Smiling to herself, she pulled the little red jeep back onto the road and drove home.

------

Elijah burst out of the woods at speed, jumping over the paddock fences that contained the horses, and sending them scattering in a panic as he did. But, neither did he notice that they were not happy at his intrusion nor did he pay them any further attention as his destination came into view. Colt's picturesque little cottage and garden. He felt a surge of triumph as he realised he had beaten her home, it spurred his legs on as he jumped the fence at the other end of the field and raced down the road to the cottage. He only slowed as he was approaching the gate, closing it behind as he stepped through and walked briskly up the path.

He sat on the steps for five minutes, awaiting her return. He was feeling smug at first that he had sucessfully reached the house before her, but now he wasn't so sure she was coming back here at all. Doubt crept in to his consciousness, as he got up and started to pace back and forth across the porch, admonishing himself for not simply following the car, in his wolf form at least then he could have kept track of her. He was so lost in his imaginings of where she had went, or what tree she had wrapped the tin box little jeep around, he failed to notice the little red jeep itself was parked at the edge of the horse fields, as its driver tried to work out what had the spooked horses so unsettled.

Colt got out of the jeep and whistled to the horses calling them over. Solaris, ears perked and he instantly whinnied at her in recognition, but even he refused to come over. It was so unlike them, him especially. Looking around to figure out what had unsettled them so, and had them cowering, herded in the far corner of the park, Colt started following their line of vision, she then spotted what had them so upset. Stomping up and down on her front porch was Elijah, muttering to himself and totally lost in his conversation by the looks of it. Which meant, the asshole had to have been in the field. Otherwise, the horses wouldn't be so unsure, as they knew that was their safe place. *That bastard!* she thought, getting back in the car and making her way over to him. Before, he had pissed her off. Now she was out for blood. Nobody scared her babies and got away with it, nobody!

Elijah's head jerked up with a snap at the sound of Colt slamming her door. She looked pissed, no she looked like she was a volcano, ready to blow it'stop. He tried to rein in his curiosity at and stay annoyed at her, but his brain was wondering what had her so worked up, surely it wasn't because he was standing on her porch.

"Where have you been woman? What took you so fucking long?" he tried to demand of her, hanging on desperately to his irritation at being disobeyed earlier.

Unfortunately, it wasn't the first or the likely the last mistake he had made that day as Colt marched up to him with her fists clenched and socked him square in the face. She took a brief comfort in the crunching noise his nose made, as it gave way to the pressure from the impact of her fist.

"First off, you do not make demands of me!" she shouted, as Elijah in shock reached for his nose, as he felt the blood beginning to pour from it. "Secondly, if you ever make a scene at my place of work again, I will castrate you. Do you understand? This is my territory that *you* are a guest in, remember that, or you will be removed Mr. Lupus." she snarled at him. "And thirdly, if you ever so much as make my horses blink in concern at your appearance, I. Will. End. You. How dare you traumatise them like that, you bastard!" she spat out amongst ragged breaths as her anger finally was released.

Elijah snorted at that last one, "I'm the one bleeding on your porch and your concerned about their trauma?" he asked in disbelief.

"They have earned my concern Elijah, many times over. You however have not! You have insulted me repeatedly, and tried to control me. I am not subservient to your fucking whims! Get that through your moronic skull!" she retaliated, adding, " And you can clean up your bloody mess as well!" as she unlocked the door to go and get him a cloth, slamming the door behind herself.

By the time Colt reached her kitchen, her anger had dissipated in it's entirety. So, with her guilt now rising she grabbed the first aid kit from the cabinet, as tears began to fill her eyes. She abhorred violence, it was absolutely only to be used as a last resort in her opinion, but there was something about when she was around Elijah, that made her lose control of herself, and she thoroughly hated herself for it. She had just broken Elijah's nose, that wasn't acceptable to her standards at all. She quickly went to her bathroom, for a couple more supplies and went back outside to find Elijah. He wasn't hard to find, sat growling lowly on the porch steps, clearly trying to control his shift as his muscles tensed and relaxed then tensed again. She approached him and plopped herself down on the steps beside him, releasing a sigh loudly at all that seemed to keep going wrong between them.

"Come here." she sighed, motioning for him to turn his head with one hand, so he was facing her.

Then picking up and opening the antiseptic wipes, she turned to him and started cleaning his face. Feeling another horrid pang of guilt in her stomach. She was so ashamed of herself.

Elijah frowned slightly but did as she asked. At this moment in time, this was the last thing he had expected, and he didn't really know what he was supposed to do or say. So he just sat there, quietly enjoying the feel of his mate tending to him, and how her touch seemed to soothe his temper and anxiety with such ease.

"I'm sorry Elijah." Colt began to speak. "I am so out of line on this one. I don't even know why I got so mad. I have no excuses for punching you like that, and I will be ashamed of myself for it, for the rest of my life." she finished, avoiding making eye contact with him.

"Don't." he said, gently tilting her head, so she was forced to look him in the eye. "I would never want to be the cause of you carrying shame, Little Bird." he spoke softly, as if he might scare her away at any moment. "Please don't cry, I really don't want to be the cause of your tears either." he asked, seeing the tears starting to spill from her eyes and fall down her face.

Colt looked at him through watery eyes, as she said "You aren't the cause of either Elijah, not this time, anyway. I am responsible for my own shame, not you." she sighed. "But, your lucky, the bleeding has stopped so theres no need to use a tampon to plug your nose now." she smirked, picking it up and waving it from her little bundle of supplies, trying to lighten the mood.

"Well, that settles it then." he said looking at the offending item in horror. "I was in two minds about, straightening it to heal, or leaving it crooked, but now, I will keep it crooked, definitely"

"Why would you be in two minds? Nevermind it doesn't matter, just straighten your nose Elijah, dont be ridiculous." Colt said in utter confusion.

"Not if you plan on putting that thing anywhere near me." he recoiled.

"Wait a minute, are you telling me that with the reputation you have, and you're afraid of a feminine hygiene product, really?" she mocked him openly.

"Hey! I am not afraid of anything." Elijah defended himself, puffing out his chest.

Colt quickly threw the unopened tampon at him, as he lunged off the stairs in disgust, with a grunt.

"Yeah right." she rolled her eyes, now dry of tears as she began to openly laugh at Elijah. "This is priceless." she clutched her stomach, trying to calm her giggles before her ribs began to ache more.

Elijah tried his best to be offended, but he couldn't help but smile. Colt was laughing, but more than that she was playing with him and it felt good.

"You just wait Little Bird," he said jokingly, "I will get you back for this." How he wished he could tickle her, but for once he held back knowing it would only cause her pain, and ruin the moment.

"Sure you will, sure you will." she mocked tidying up her first aid pieces, and grabbing another clean wipe and some tissues. "Now, come and sit down.

Straighten your nose and I promise, no tampons." she smiled at him. "Can't imagine what would possess you to want to keep it like that anyway, it ruins your perfect face."

Elijah, grabbed his wrappedly healing nose and twisted it back into place with a slight grimace, coming to sit down so Colt could now tend him again. He was smiling from ear to ear at this point, so much so that Colt had to comment.

"You sure are awfully chipper for someone who has just had their nose broken twice?" she asked.

"You think my face is perfect." he boasted smugly, smiling at the slight blush appearing on her face.

"I didn't say that." Colt defended instantly embarrassed.

"Yes. You did." he reaffirmed, his face beaming with pride. "you said leaving it broken, would ruin how perfect it was."

"Oh shut up. You're the lunatic that was going to keep it broken." she chided, desperate to change the subject.

"Only because, it was you who did it." he replied with a shrug.

"That makes literally no sense, Elijah." she said raising her eyebrow and standing up, and heading towards the door, since the bleeding stopped quicker this time.

"Maybe not to you, but I take pride in all my mate's achievements, including your strength, Little Bird." he said approaching Colt as he too stood up.

"You're soft in the head, you know that right?" Colt jibed.

"Or the heart?" he offered.

"Oh, be quiet." she said walking closer towards the door, before Elijah could drain away anymore space between them with his charming platitudes. "Are you coming?" she asked as he stood still now, looking confused on the porch.

"You're inviting me in?" he asked, surprised at this turn of events.

"Yes. Unless you want to stay here alone, while I make and eat lunch inside by myself?" she laughed asking rhetorically.

"I am definitely coming." he affirmed. "Especially if you are going to cook, Beautiful." he smiled, as his stomach growled loudly in agreement.

Colt smiled and headed to the kitchen to dispose of the left over first aid materials, and wash her hands, pausing to look at him for a minute.

Elijah watched as Colt finished cleaning up and headed upstairs quickly without a word, unsure of what he should do. He looked around her cosy home, he had seen it the other night, but he was so nervous he didn't really take a lot of it in. He was just admiring the warm neutral colours on the walls with the dark green and purple accents: chequed curtains and matching cushions on the couches. It was warm and cosy and the thought made him smile for some reason. He was grabbed from his thoughts on her home making skills, as he heard her trotting back down the stairs.

"Elijah?" she called.

"In here, Beautiful." he answered.

"Oh, here." she handed him a piece of black material.

When he took it, it folded open into a man's t-shirt. He started to frown, jealousy and anger building at the item she had given him, when he felt her hand on his cheek.

"Stop. It's my brother Asher's. He left it when he was here last with his mate Lucy. No jealous angry fits are required here Balto." she said with a soft smile, seeing where his mind was headed. "There is a shower room with some fresh towels at the top of the stairs, second door on the right. You can clean up the rest of your bloody self in there while I cook alright?"

Elijah found himself leaning into her hand. She was taking care of him, he realised. For the first time, Colt was acting like the mate he had always dreamed about. He knew he should move, go and do as she said, but he couldn't break the contact she had made. For over a decade, it was all he had ever wanted, and this small taste was proving highly addictive. So much so, that when Colt's hand started to withdraw he found himself capturing it and holding it to his face. Without breaking their eye contact he turned slightly and placed a kiss into the centre of her palm. His eyes lit up when he felt her slight tremble.

Their moment was soon interrupted however, by the loud growl, coming from Colt's stomach this time, and she pulled her hand down to cover her abdomen.

"Go on, you are covered in blood. I will get started on the food." and she left the room to return to the kitchen. Shock creeping over her at how easy it was to get lost in his beautiful blue eyes and soft kisses.