Colin paced back and forth, two miles outside Elias' land. Reed and Kali stood nearby, trying to offer support. But he knew that the real reason for their presence was to keep him from doing something stupid. Something that could get the pack in trouble.
"Why is she with him?" he asked no one for the hundredth time.
"We don't know, but it might not mean anything," Kali replied again, trying to soothe him. "Humans often accompany vampires. Elias is a strong man, but he does not have a reputation for cruelty."
"No reputation for cruelty? He's convinced her to stay so he can slowly suck the life out of her," he growled in response. "She probably doesn't even know what's happening! Can't they mind-control people? Even wolves and witches?"
Every so often, the wind would blow, sending her scent down to the trio. The only way Colin would agree to stay outside the property was if he could still smell her. His body began to ache whenever he couldn't, fighting to shift to find her.
A strong breeze froze Colin in his place. Reed and Kali sniffed the air, but they could not sense the change. "What's wrong?" she asked, stepping towards him cautiously.
"She's scared," he whispered. "He must be hurting her!"
Before Reed or Kali could move, Colin took off. It took every bit of self-control to not shift, but Lily's warning before they left rang in his head. Joe had been terrified when he learned of everything. If she was indeed human, then she knew about vampires - massive wolves covered in blood were another story. He could get there faster if he shifted. However, then his options would then be to either see her naked or as a wolf. Either coated in a fine mist of blood. So, he had to stay human. For her sake.
What could've been four minutes took seven, but Colin was able to keep himself in check. The closer he got to her, the more he could smell. Her fear, yes. But also, that she had been there. He could smell old traces of joy, happiness, and something that he could not understand.
Soon, he charged onto the driveway. Chris stepped towards him, "What are you doing?"
Colin shoved his brother with all his might, pushing the stunned behemoth aside. He strode past the wolves guarding the meeting, standing by a stone table. She was on the other side, so close to him.
"Colin!" his father growled, sending a burst of anger through the pack link so strong it knocked him to his knees.
Colin had spent the last 25 hours thinking of nothing but her, but he suddenly realized that he did not even know what she looked like. She had been a breeze, fallen flower petals on the wind. But there she was, and they were face-to-face. She was tall and strong, her arms flexing as they crossed over her chest. Her long, brown hair sat in two long braids that went past her shoulder blades. Colin stared at her face, with full, pink lips, puckered out angrily. Under thick, dark brows sat a pair of wide, crystal-clear blue eyes. The kind of blue that only the brightest sky could compare to.
But those beautiful eyes, they were filled with fear and confusion. Colin tried to get back to his feet and go to her, but Peter commanded him, "Do not move, boy!" And Colin froze, glaring at his father with an angry growl caught in his throat.
"Ah, Alpha Peter," the vampire said with a smug grin. "I had guessed that this was why you came after my child."
'Child?' Colin wanted to scream. 'What was this monster talking about? What was this twisted fucker doing to her?!'
Colin looked back at her and saw that she was close to tears. He needed to get to her, to comfort her. She was in pain, and all he could do was whine in displeasure. Her eyes rapidly jumped between him, the vampire, his father and uncle, and the witch.
"You. You're the smell?" she said as her voice cracked, finally settling her eyes on him.
Her voice was the most beautiful thing he had ever heard. Even in pain, it washed over him with a sense of relief. It removed invisible silver shackles he had not known he had been wearing. Despite everything, Colin smiled at her. And she smiled weakly back.
"You think that I would allow you to enter my home and destroy everything I have?!" the vampire roared. "You will all leave, now. If you wish to enter my property, do so with the official bearings of The Council, not this foolish attempt to sway me. If you want to carry such weight with your words, call Ife and the real Council here. Otherwise, leave."
Before his father and uncle could move, the witch said confidently, "I summoned him before we came today, Elias. He will arrive within the next two days."
Peter shot her an angry look; he clearly had not known that the vampire king would be traveling through his lands. He broke his concentration on the order holding Colin in place.
The moment the weight was lifted from him, Colin jumped over the table and placed himself between his mate and the vampire. "Take another step towards her, and I'll rip your head off," he snarled, and claws extended from his hands; a few drops of blood dripped from his fingertips, but he thought nothing of it.
The vampire laughed, "You have no idea what you're doing, young pup. Now step aside."
But Colin stood his ground, ready to lay his life down for his mate without hesitation. He growled, digging his feet into the ground.
"Claire," Elias said calmly.
Claire. That was her name. It was perfect. Her name was like her eyes, bright and clear. Claire. He wanted to scream it from the top of the mountains. Learn to play guitar and write songs with it. Carve it into trees and into his skin. Whisper it into her ears when they were alone. Claire.
"Don't speak to her, you monster!" Colin barked, baring his bloodied canines as they dropped into his mouth.
The vampire grinned, "You truly have no idea what is happening, do you?"
He heard a soft whimper behind him, from Claire. Colin whipped around and saw the horror and pain on her face. His stomach turned at the idea that his mate feared him. He quickly retracted his wolf features and took a careful step towards her. After wiping the blood onto his shirt, he held up his hands and calmly told her, "I would never hurt you, Claire. Ever."
She stared at his shirt and swallowed. Colin took another step and she screeched, "Don't come any closer!"
His heart shattered, but he did not move closer. Attempting to soothe her, he said softly, "My name is Colin. There's a lot to explain, I know that. I'm sure you're scared, but I want to help you. I will always help you."
"What a sweet boy," the vampire mocked, and Colin turned his head to growl in his direction. "You really have no idea what you've stuck your wet nose into."
Colin looked back at Claire, who had focused her attention on the ground. She looked up, and Colin sucked in a sharp breath.
Her eyes. Those beautiful, clear, blue eyes were a violent shade of purple. An impossible color. She watched his expression change and opened her mouth to speak, pushing out her lower lip. Colin swallowed hard as he stared at her teeth. It was sudden, but her canines had changed, turning pointed. Everything crashed onto Colin as he realized. Those eyes. Her scent was something he had never encountered. The doe had large bites taken out of it. But not by an animal. By her. By Claire. Elias began to chuckle as he watched the realization grip onto Colin like a python, squeezing the breath out of him.
His mate was not human, witch, or wolf.
Claire was a vampire.