"Mom? Are you going to be okay?" Colt asked.
She was watching as her Mom seemed to find solace in a second glass of whisky, desperately wanting to know what she was thinking.
"I know what he cost us, Mom, and I didn’t choose him. I, I, I just... Please don't hate me." Colt sobbed out, fearing she may have just lost her family over this.
The sound of Colt's tears and her request to not lose her mother's love, cured Isla of her shock immediately.
“Don't you be so silly, I could never hate you. I am just processing things. Come here, Sweetheart, " She said opening her arms for another hug. "You listen here, you could be mated to Satan himself, and I would not hate you. That man caused us pain yes, but as he is your true mate we will find a way to deal with it. As long as he keeps you safe and happy, we will manage, My Darling.” Isla sighed, taking her own comfort from the scent of her daughter’s hair, as she embraced her “Do you understand me, Colt? There is no scenario whatsoever, where either I or your father will ever hate you Colt. Especially not for something you have no control in." She added, pulling back to look into her daughter’s eyes, "The mate bond can be hard, and it can give couples trials beyond comprehension but so long as they stick together, then they will only enhance each other in all ways. Love is a powerful thing darling and maybe it can even bring some long overdue healing as well?"
Isla was stroking Colt's hair as she spoke, soothing her so much it took Colt a second to fully register what her Mother had said. When she did she sat up with a jerk.
"Wait, you are talking as though I have to accept him?" Colt questioned, mildly horrified by the insinuation.
"Well that is generally how these things work, My Dear." Isla replied, mildly patronising her daughter.
Colt pulled away, struggling to comprehend her Mom’s attitude. How could she even suggest such a thing.
"Mom, No! No. No. No. I will not be changing my mind, there is no way I will consent to being mated to, Elijah Lupus. I have turned down better men as chosen mates...” Colt paused mid rant as her Mom interrupted her.
“The lion, really? He wanted to mate, that is unusual. But, I see why you turned him down,” Isla remarked.
“Mom, that is not the point! And it wasn’t just Felix, I was referring to,” Colt sighed, feeling exasperated. “Look, the point is, there is no way I will take a mate and that is regardless of who the man is. Mom, I do not want a mate. Especially an over the top, Alpha wolf, who will intend to make me drop my life to help him live his." She started her rant, holding a hand up to stall her Mom's next interrupting comment as she continued, " Which before you say it, IS his intention. He made that pretty damn clear tonight. I have a life, Mom, a damn good one, that I worked bloody hard at building. I will not simply walk away from it because a man says so. Mate or not. I am worth more than the bed warming, baby producing figurehead that Elijah Lupus would clearly try to turn me into." She finished her tirade with passion burning in her eyes, but that passion quickly faded when she looked at her mother.
"Ouch, Colt.” Isla stated coldly, “Is that all you think I am to your father then?"
Isla's voice held a slight hint of accusation but mostly sarcasm. She was clearly goading her daughter to dig deeper.
"WHAT?” Colt shrieked, horrified that she had offended her Mom, “Gods no. Mom, you and Dad are different. If that was what Dad wanted he would have given you up after I was born or, you know sack, bridge and rivered me, like the alpha expected. But, you were his world, his family was everything and that began with you. You are part of each other. You are...."
"Mates?" Isla supplied, with an arched brow.
"That isn't fair Mom. You were never against finding a mate when you met Dad." Colt argued back, feeling a headache coming on.
"Wasn't I?" Isla smiled. "I may not have been against a mate but I wasn't exactly thrilled to be mated to a wolf either. I met your father on an exchange program, while I was involved with another. Not to mention, I am a Highlander at heart Colt, and a wildcat at that. There is a reason I tried to claw his eyes out then fled home in the hopes he wouldn't find me. Spoiler alert, Darling... wolves like to hunt and they do not give up easily. Your mate wont stop, and I can’t thank my lucky stars enough that your Dad didn’t either."
There was an edge to Isla’s voice that Colt couldn’t quite decipher. But all the wind hand been successfully drained from her sails as she looked at her.
"Mom you have never told me that before." Colt said softly.
"No and your Dad would be mortified to find out what you know, so keep it zipped, “ Isla scolded her daughter. “Look Colt, my point is that wolves, well most male shifters really, will not stop until that bond they feel is fulfilled. So you might want to at least talk to him, because believe me hiding wont work,” Isla replied.
"It doesn't really matter anyway, Mom, because I can’t give him what he wants, and he cant give me what I want. We would never work." Colt said, almost sadly.
"And what is it that you, my daughter are incapable of? I have never heard anything so preposterous." Isla snorted, her Mom tinted goggles fully affixed to her face now.
Colt sighed, her eyes welling up with tears and she looked at her Mom before responding, "Children, Mom, I won’t be having any children. Which would leave the most powerful Alpha in the country without the chance of an heir.