Chapter 33: Thirty-three.

Colt's eyes were locked on Elijah's as she moved to the sound of the music around her, seductively trying to beckon him closer. She was very obviously dancing just for him, moving her hands over her own body as she wiggled and rolled her hips to the music, desperately wishing they were Elijah's hands instead.

However, when Elijah remained seated at the bar with his Beta and Rebecca who were in deep conversation, she upped her game again, adding a little more incentive into her routine by picking up not one but two dance partners. She was now positioned between both Tobias and Lenny, with Lenny behind her holding her swaying hips and Tobias' legs entwined with hers as her hands were placed on his shoulders. As the three ground against one another in time to th music. All the while Colt's eyes never left her mate's, challenging him to join her.

Elijah would be lying if he said he wasn't affected. His skin was crawling with the need to go to her before, and now it was like a burning itch to remove the other mens hands from his mate. But, he knew it was a show meant to bait him, and he also hated losing. So, during this battle of wills he was determined to stay where he was, sat by the bar with his jaw and his fists clenched shut as tightly as possible, his eyes fixed on Colt's. He had never wanted to spank a woman as much as he did right now. To put her across his knee and watch as her perfect ass became a beautiful shade of pink and red under his ministrations as a punishment for her current behaviour. He hadn't even realised he was growling in a low steady manner until Zachary turned to him and removed the cracked bottle of beer from his grip.

"Eli, I never knew you were such a masochistic." he laughed.

"But it is an impressive feat of control." Rebecca interjected.

"What?" Elijah asked confused, but still watching the show in front of him.

"Well what else do you call what you're doing? You are being stupid." Zachary said, shaking his head.

"Pipe down," Rebecca admonished Zachary, "You will cost me the bet." she smiled.

Elijah scrunched his brow in annoyance at them both. "No, I am just refusing to give in to this game. I won't be baited."

Zachary laughed at this, "What? Baited into being the one holding her close, as she rubs up and down against you, instead of them." he asked pointing out the obvious. "Dude. Are you really letting your misplaced pride stop you from... Wait, woah did that cheetah just lick her neck?"

Elijah stood abruptly, his bar stool crashing to the floor behind him but still he didn't move another step as Colt eyed him up and down with longing.

"Dude, come on now, don't make me play the dead mate card." Zachary said shaking his head. "Because morbid or not, I will do it."

At this Elijah finally turned to his friend, Colt's spell temporarily broken."What do you mean?" he asked concerned.

"Only that, its decisions like the one you are clinging to now, which you will regret should the worst happen." Zachary swallowed bitterly. "Don't be a fucking fool, go dance with your woman."

"You think?" he asked, not wanting to upset his friend, especially around the anniversary of Maya's death.

"Yes. I do. Go stop her, she is your mate and she looks like she is partaking in a fucking fully clothed orgy" affirmed Zachary, annoyed he was still having this conversation.

Rebecca couldn't help it, her inner matriarch caused her a need to look after people and she wrapped her arms around Zachary, pulling him in for a hug. Elijah was suprised to see Zachary accepted it, as he leaned into the warm embrace. It had been a long time since Zachary had accepted comfort from someone when he was in pain, rather than masking it with humour.

Elijah thoughtfully nodded at his friend's advice, and took a deep steadying breath looking up at Colt who still was pinned beneath the two other men, staring at him intently. He stood up and shocked everyone however, by walking straight out of the club.

Instantly Colt was beside Zachary and Rebecca, "Where is he going? What did you say to him?" she demanded concerned.

"I genuinely have no idea, Luna. I told him to come and dance with you." Zachary replied defensively after pulling away from Rebecca's hug.

"Colt back off." Rebecca warned her friend.

"Why? What's wrong?" she turned to Zachary with concern, when she realised her friend was in a looking out for someone mode. "Are, you alright?" she asked placing a hand on his knee compassionately.

Zachary smiled at this, "I'm fine Luna, thank you. Just a sad memory." he couldn't deny it felt good having his pack's Alpha female around.

"Okay then. We will talk more another time though." Colt said, with a sigh, wanting to be able to make Zachary feel better, but knowing she wasn'tfot to meddle right now. "Well, I guess he obviously didn't want to dance," she said, swinging the topic to Elijah, "and please, stop calling me that Zachary." Colt sighed frustrated.

"Stop calling you what?" Elijah asked as he slipped his arms around her waist pulling her back flush against his front.

Colt allowed herself to be pulled back against him, with all the other bodies in the club she hadn't smelled his scent becoming stronger till now, when he was right against her. Her anger and frustration evaporated as Elijah's scent enclosed around her. She leant her head back against him in a trance as he effortlessly lifted her moving them both away from their immediate audience.

"What's got my Little Bird all a flap?" He asked in her ear, while he himself was basking in his contact with her.

At this comment Colt seemed to somewhat remember herself, and pulled abruptly away from Elijah to turn on him. "Where the hell did you go?!" she demanded angrily.

Elijah smirked at her, replying with "I only went for a bit of fresh air before I joined you. Unless you would rather I ripped you new friend's throats out for having their filthy hands all over what's mine." he growled out in a possessive manner. "Why were you worried?"

Colt froze, she wanted to stay mad but the tequila in her system was making it a losing battle. As much as she tried to hold onto her annoyance, her lowered inhibitions combined with Elijah's scent, his attitude and well, his everything, were causing her libido to over power her brain and all she could think of doing was ripping his shirt off and licking every inch of his bare chest. She had never needed a man as much as she needed him. So much so that she ignored his question altogether and grabbed his hand.

"Let's go dance then," she said as she lead him onto the dance floor. "I have wanted your hands all over me for too long now Mr. Lupus." she added with a wink of her lust filled eyes as she dragged him onto the dancefloor.

Elijah, not quite having a response at that startling piece of information, except for a face splitting grin, followed eagerly desperate to fulfil his mate's desire. The were barely on the dancefloor before Colt had grabbed his hands and put them on her hips, her own wandering around his torso, leaving a burningtrail wherever they travelled. Elijah moved his body to the music gripping on tightly to Colt's body, his hands exploring every inch that he dared to, while they were still in public. At one point he found himself wishing very desperately he had looser trousers on as his hand slid up onto the delectable skin of her stomach as her back was pressed against him, and she was grinding herself against him along with the music. When she felt his excitement, her moan sent waves through him and he knew enough was enough. He had to stop or he would lose control altogether, his wolf side was howling in his head in tortured delight. Every sensation was becoming too much for him to bare.

Colt had gone full on, into a cat on heat mode. She was beyond turned on and the only thing she wanted to satisfy her was Elijah, so when he leant down and whispered in her ear, she was ready to agree to anything.

"Let's get a drink Little Bird." Elijah managed to croak out either ear.

Colt couldn't help the shiver of excitement she recieved when he got close, but still felt bitterly disappointed that he wasn't suggesting they hit the road, back to finish their dance in private. "Sure." she almost seethed at him.

Taking Elijah's hand she allowed him to lead her from the dancefloor back to the bar where she slipped away to chat to Rebecca as Elijah ordered a round of drinks.

"Hey Becks." she said, as Rebecca also pulled away from Lenny and Charlie to chat with her.

"Hey you. Guess I owe you some money huh?" she joked, peeved.

"Nah, keep it. I got my prize." Colt winked at her.

Rebecca shuddered, "Ew. Stop that you! Far too much information."

Colt laughed and rolled her eyes, "I wish." she added feeling her frustration bubbling under her skin. "To be honest girl, I was thinking of calling it a night." she said, as she glanced at Elijah and silently plotted her revenge for leaving her all worked up for a beer.

"Actually, that sounds like a great idea. My feet are killing me in these shoes." Rebecca sighed in relief at the thought of getting out of her heels.

"But, they are so, so pretty" Colt cooed over her friends sparkling peep toe heels.

"They are in looks, but definitely not in nature." Rebecca joked, "Like you."

"Ah, why so mean?" Colt asked, feigning hurt.

"Because, I'm jealous honey. You clearly have company for bed tonight. Me on the other hand... Ash won't finish till the morning." Rebecca pouted at her situation.

Colt who was feeling mischievous decided to share part of her idea at this point, so she leaned over to Rebecca's ear and whispered "Shall we sneak out then?" putting her finger to her lips with a wink.

Rebecca whose eyes lit up with glee at this idea, nodded enthusiastically. Quietly, so as to not draw attention to themselves they walked over to the dancefloor only knocking over one chair in the process as they were overcome with giggles. They danced for about fifteen minutes, acting completely normally, until no one was watching them. Then they made a beeline to the doors, quickly collecting their jackets and leaving the club, full on laughing as they burst through the doors.

They walked in the direction of home till a cab came past and Rebecca caught it to go to Ashley's apartment to wait on her, with Colt's full encouragement. Colt kept walking on her own having left the town border about two miles ago. She was enjoying the bite from the chilly night time air and the sky which was lit up, by thousands of tiny pinprick stars. It was beautiful. It wasn't long however till the sound of an engine could be heard coming behind her and she ducked down out of sight giggling, but it drove on by without an incident and she kept walking. After another two miles she took a left turn into the woods, planning on taking a short cut through the forest to get home rather than walking all the way around the road. It was likely she wouldn't be home for another ninety minutes or so but she didn't care. Colt enjoyed being outside in the woods and had made this walk on several occasions before, though none that would be quite like this one, she smiled knowingly to herself.

Colt was feeling invigorated, despite her high levels of intoxication and she was excited. She had only went another three miles when she first heard it. That rhythmic three beats that indicated somewhere close by a wolf was at at a lope, she smiled again and skipped ahead to where she knew there was a small clearing, free from the typical undergrowth of the forest. She stood in the middle looking up at the sky with a smile on her face. He would be here soon.

-----

Elijah smiled, Colt was happily dancing with Rebecca and for the first time he felt like she was trying to include him in her life. Zachary was with him discussing the potential boost his soon to be father in law could bring their pack, quite in his element. Elijah was doing his best to stay focused but it wasn't easy. His heart and his head were very much elsewhere. Only this time when his eyes drifted over to watch his mate on the dancefloor he couldn't quite seem to find her. His eyes shot around the club, evaluating every face desperately as he began to feel the frantic need to shift. He stood up, completely ignoring his Beta as he tried to get a better view. She was gone. He began looking for Rebecca next, but again came up with nothing they weren't here. He did however spot the cheetah she had been dancing with and strided over in his direction.

"Where is she?" he snarled at the man who dared lick his mate's beautiful neck, feeling the urge to rip that disgusting appendage put of his mouth and only holding himself back so he could get the answers he needed.

Tobias eyed him curiously before nodding with a toothy grin and saying, " The hot hybrid? Dude, she totally left like twenty minutes ago."

"Shit!" he swore, realising he obviously succeeded more than he thought in keeping his eyes from wandering over to her, and feeling like s complete idiot for it.

Elijah bolted out of the club with Zachary following, behind him.

"Eli, what's going on?" his Beta asked, "Where's the Luna?" he added with respect.

Elijah didn't answer at first, instead he inhaled deeply latching on to the faint trail of his mate's scent, before turning to Zachary and saying, "She's that way. Grab the SUV and head back I'll follow her."

Zachary nodded, waiting only to take the clothes and shoes Elijah handed him, then watched momentarily as his Alpha ran off on all fours to find his mate, before heading to collect their vehicle.

Elijah followed Colt's scent along the road cursing the woman for being so overly independent. But, what he didn't expect was to find her scent had veered off into the woods. He followed becoming panicked that something had happened to her. Thankfully, hers was definitely the only scent he continually reassured himself as he pressed on loping through the woods. As the scent became stronger he started to slow into a trot, knowing he was almost upon her.

After another minute, he could see her, Colt's silhouette was outlined by the stars she was staring at against the forest. She turned smiling at him.

"Took you long enough." she mocked him.

With that he became annoyed. Why was this a game to her? He charged at her leaping up to knock her down. But mid fall he swiftly shifted forms and twisted them, to ensure he would break her fall not wanting to cause further harm to her injuries. She lay sprawled over his naked body, both of them breathing hard when she made eye contact smiling and biting her lip again.

"Well, that's a neat little trick there Balto, isn't it? " she baited him again.

"You will be the death of me Colt Merrier, do you know that?" he said, his hands automatically reaching up to cup her ass, as he enjoyed the feel of her weight on top of him.

Colt manoeuvred her legs so she was straddling him, and leaned over till she was just an inch above his face, "Such a morbid statement, I have much more lively things on my mind Alpha." With that, she ground her hips against him and crashed her lips to his.

Elijah was awed by this woman, his mate. He answered her kiss fully, not missing the opportunity in the slightest, while grinding his hips upwards against her, wishing he could be on top with Colt pinned beneath him. He was so in the moment he whimpered out loud when Colt suddenly broke their kiss, both of them panting like mad. He was even more suprised when she jumped up off of him.

"I'll make you a deal, Elijah," she said as she started to back away from him.

Elijah, lazily propped himself up on his elbow and asked, "Oh, what's that then, Little Bird?"

"If you can catch me, you can keep me, Handsome." Colt replied, before spinning on her heel and disappearing into the forest behind her.

Author's Note: Sorry for the delay here in this upload. We have had a very busy weekend, treating the croft animals. Anyway as always, I hope you enjoy it, and thank you so much for reading. B. x