Colt was sipping her coffee the next morning, black like tar, with a lot of sugar. Normally she was a herbal tea type of woman, but today, she needed the hard stuff.
After her confession to her mother last night, about how she herself didn't want children a very long and a very hard conversation was had, in which Isla picked holes in all her daughter’s logical reasoning.
In the end her Mom would not be convinced that Colt was being anything other than ridiculous and they agreed to go to bed around two in the morning and discuss it further another time.
Now, Colt was suffering from a splitting headache, partly from the whisky they consumed, but mostly from the late night heart to heart; and she was desperately trying to wake herself up enough to head to the spa and gym area. This morning she was scheduled to lead her group self defence class, and for several reasons she couldn’t see it far enough right now. However, she was grateful for one thing, her Mom had agreed to come help out, effectively splitting the work load with her.
Thus, Colt was dreading this class a little less knowing she had a fall back lesson plan as well as having her Mom to have her back as she went for round two with Elijah.
After all, she had no doubt, he would be there. It was an open group, with no advanced booking required, giving anyone who wanted access to her an easy in.
Plus after what her Mom had said last night, Colt was pretty sure Elijah would have at least part of her schedule memorized by now, meaning he would definitely be in attendance. Bloody possessive males, and their belief in their bloody god given rights and expectations.
As such, when they arrived and were setting up, Colt was not at all surprised that the first client through the door was Elijah Lupus, nor was she surprised that he was fifteen minutes early either. She hated that he looked good, the dark wife beater top and loose joggers were enough to hold her interest, and if he was any other man she would definitely have been flirting with him by now.
But he wasn’t any other man, he was the wolf determined to claim her soul as his own, and that type of behaviour was not to be encouraged at all.
Colt smirked at Elijah instead, rolling her eyes for good measure, and earning a small growl from the wolf at her disrespectful gesture. Which Elijah swiftly tried to conceal with a cough, reminding himself he was meant to be wooing this woman, not terrorising her.
As he began taking measured steps to approach her though, another woman appeared in the doorway, and without missing a beat said, "Ah, Mr. Lupus, you are and early bird aren't you?” He was caught very off guard, especially with her resemblance to his mate, “But I'm afraid there are absolutely no worms to catch here, so if you wouldn't mind waiting in the lobby with all the clients it would be very much appreciated.” She stated, holding her arms out and walking forward, “You will find there are snacks and other refreshments available out there, since you seem so occupied with getting a quick bite.”
Elijah almost choked at her words.
But, Isla didn’t miss a beat, “I just have to have a quick word with my daughter here, in private." She stated, without leaving room for an argument, and finished herding him out of the room, closing the door firmly behind him.
Isla then turned to her daughter and said with a smirk, "Fine you win, I'm cooking dinner tonight," and they both erupted into laughter.
-----
Elijah was suddenly standing in the corridor listening to the laughter coming from the room he had just been forcibly removed from. The woman was her mother apparently, and she must be the cat who mated a wolf.
A lot of elder generational wolves were not a fan of mixed breeding, and at one point they often would turn their back on their true mates, when they were not of the same shifter species. When a wolf did mate with a non wolf shifter, the mated couple would almost always be ostracized, and although not exiled from their pack, the disapproval would be made clear.
Obviously times had moved on, but he could still understand if his mate’s parents had faced difficulties, and a new found respect bubbled under his skin for the two of them. The strength they must have shown to be with each other, and there was no doubt in his mind, Colt’s mother was strong.
Elijah could suddenly seen where all Colt's grace from the night before came from. Her Mom, was charming and incredibly difficult woman to say no to, especially with her firm motherly demeanour and soft Scottish accent. She was not a woman to be taken on lightly.
It also did him no favours that she looked so similar to Colt, except for a few small things; Colt's hair was as black as night but her mother's was a honey brown colour, similar to her eyes which were inherited by her daughter. Elijah was curious about her father.
He could sense the wolf inside of Colt, but she just exuded so many feline traits and to his amazement he couldn't get enough of them. Elijah was intrigued by everything about her and he felt like he just to get to know her. He wanted to explore every aspect of her, physically and mentally; there just isn't any part of his mate he doesn't want to get lost in.
If he was completely honest with himself, he would probably become slightly worried about how obsessed he is getting, and how quickly it seems to be happening. But he brushes that thought off quickly as he begrudgingly walks away from the door and back to the lobby area. If only to allow himself to daydream further about his the woman who dare to smirk at him.
Elijah stationed himself as close to the corridor as possible, standing between the refreshments table the entry way to the work out rooms. There he waited, still lost in thought about his mate; she was crouched down unrolling crash mats when he entered the room, but even in that position he could make out just how fit she was, lean but muscular where she needed to be. Defined arms led to delicate shoulders, then a long graceful neck that would bare his mark beautifully when the time came. She was wearing work out clothes that somehow looked painted on, and left both too much and not enough to his imagination. His first impression was that she looked flexible and he was busy thinking of all the ways he could put that to their mutual satisfaction, when someone cleared their throat to get his attention.
The noise robbed him of the happy place he had entered in his head alerted him to another person’s presence, another person who better have a damn good reason for wanting his attention.
"Eli,” the voice began, “I'm not exactly sure where your head is at. But, you're wearing very loose trousers for the workout and I can pretty much bet its somewhere a bit more intimate?" Marcus said, nodding downwards.
"Shit!" Elijah cursed, as he realised it wasn’t just the head on his shoulders that was fantasizing about becoming lost within his mate.
He was standing fully to attention with just the thought of her, in public, at her place of work. Without giving himself a chance to think it through, he reacted; grabbing the jug of ice water from the table and up ending it over his head. The freezing temperature shocked his system, and his erection lowered slightly. But, with her scent surrounding him everywhere it was hard to shift his focus completely, and he realized worryingly, that with Colt around he may have to spend the rest of his life constantly at half mast.
"Dramatic, but if it helps.” Marcus shrugged, pulling Elijah back to reality a second time, “How come you're out here? I thought the class was inside?" Marcus asked, changing the subject for his own sake as much as his Alpha’s.
"It is. I got kicked out. Too early." he grunted.
"What? Who exactly has big enough balls to kick you, an alpha wolf who has been hunting for his mate for over a decade out of the room, said mate is in?" Marcus asked in disbelief.
"Her Mother." Elijah grumbled quietly in response, closing his eyes to avoid seeing the glee in his Gamma’s eyes.
Marcus stumbled at this point, biting his tongue while desperately trying not to laugh. Only once he had composed himself, did he dare attempt to speak again.
"Look Eli,” Marcus sighed, “I may have an in road with Colt for you. But, first I have to tell you something about Colt and myself" he said, with a guilty conscience, “We...”
But, before he could finish what he was saying, Elijah had him against the wall, one hand around his throat, and his other fist ready to smash into his friend’s face.
"What exactly did you do with my mate?" Elijah roared out, as the door down the corridor opened and Colt came hurrying into the lobby with Isla.
Elijah was panting hard, and for a second he froze. Colt was watching him, and he no longer knew how to act to impress her. He didn’t want to scare her, but he also needed Marcus to know his mate was off limits. In this moment his anger was over ruling his logic; Marcus had a mate, Marcus was loyal and hard working. But Marcus indicated some kind of previous relationship with Colt; what of she still liked him, like she did the lion, what if him hurting his Gamma, were to upset her? There were too many possibilities, so he stood there, frozen in time as Colt’s mother began to speak.
"Well if it isn't Marcus Nightingale?" Isla called out affectionately. "You're all grown up, Sweetie, but I would recognise those blue eyes anywhere." Then she frowned, her hands on her hips, tutting in Elijah’s direction, "Mr. Lupus, I suggest you lower your fist before you are thrown from the property, my daughter has a strict no violence clause here, remember?” She warned him, raising an unimpressed eyebrow. “Also, while you are at it please put my nephew down, I haven’t seen him in years, and would like to give him a hug,” She said warmly, smiling at Marcus.
"Hi Auntie Isla,” Came Marcus’ awkward reply.