#Chapter5
The Fallout
The low growl and quick reflexes of Colton as he jolts in beside me and catches me to rights, sends my head spinning. His arms lassoing me and stopping my body colliding with the concrete wall, instead hitting his chest as I grasp on impulsively. His eyes glow amber over my head, as he death glares his displeasure at the men, unconcealed as that flash of warning oozes from him. That fierce mate protection coming out instinctively and I honestly don't know how to react.
Becoming someone's mate is as much about instincts, as anything else. It changes you and makes you feel, do things, you didn't before. Even if he hated me before this, that need to protect me and look after me will become his mission in life and vice versa. It's completely crazy and I can't believe it's happening to me.
His father, however, almost takes his head off with the rage filled bellow he aims his way. I realize a little too little, that's who shoved me out of the way so forcefully right then.
/"Did you just growl at me?/" He snarls our way and Colton curls his fingers around my waist and arm firmly. Juan lowers his brows severely, and glares at his son furiously, moving into his head link to continue his chastisement; the way Colton stiffens around me tells me so.
Locked eye to eye, an intense standoff as the air thickens and his energy bristles. Captured in a tight embrace I know I shouldn't try and break free from, although my body is responding quite happily to the contact. Feeling his anger radiating from him and the anxious uptight bubbling inside of me, as I start to sense what he's feeling. I was never good with aggression and rage. And now the overwhelming amount he can spit out, as my mood takes on his, has me recoiling. Colton has a sea of dominant fury inside of him and his hostility knows no bounds. I try to blot out the projections I'm getting and close my eyes to focus on my breathing instead. Combatting growing heat and pulsing need from his touch, and fear and faintness from all the negative emotions flying between these two terrifying men. I feel like a piece of raw meat hung between two ferocious beasts. It's like I don't have full control of my mind or feelings anymore and try as I might, Colton now lives in my body as much as I do.
They argue inwardly, silent on the surface, but all in the corridor remain still and patient as they are meant to when their alpha demands. Juan is one of the most intimidating of the pack leaders and I guess it's why he moved so easily to prime position.
Colton's father spins on his heel finally, signaling they are done and marches off into a nearby doorway, clicking his fingers and gesturing us to follow. It's all so hostile and unnerving that I flinch, heart erupting into hammering thuds.
/"If people could just keep their hands to themselves and off my mate, that would be great! Thanks./" Colton mumbles it under his breath, not meaning for me to hear and I throw him an awkward glance. My heart flipping over and my stomach churning uneasily at his words.
He called me his mate.
I can hear you, and for the time being… it's what you are. We imprinted. We don't exactly have a choice.
Colton throws me a look that translates to 'relax and follow me' and I mutely do so, cheeks burning from stupidly letting him read my thoughts. Embarrassed that I'm stupid enough to not remember that thirty seconds after figuring it out. He fully lets me go and my body cools a little, somehow suddenly cold from the loss of him, and a weird emptiness fills me instead.
I follow behind him quickly, into a large room that looks like a study with extra couches. The men all file in and sit down in random places and Colton ushers me to a nearby chair, padded and semi shadowed in the corner, out of direct line of any of the men. He stands close by and waits as his father circles a bookcase and comes to perch in the chair at the desk, looking out at all of us in his position of leader.
/"I need solutions. This…./" He points at Colton and me. /"Happens over my dead body. My son is destined to be alpha one day and I will be damned if his lineage is diluted by a mongrel with bad breeding. She is not going to be our Luna. Fix this. Find a way! I don't care what the history books say, there has to be a way to break the bond and sever the connection, so he is free to mate up with a chosen female./" The stern tone of a man who doesn't want to hear excuses and yet a tiny ounce of hope fills my chest. That there might still be a chance I can get out of this, and here, and follow my plan to get the hell away from Radstone once and for all. It's even weirder that at the same time though, a desolate pain uppercuts me in the heart, at the thought of leaving him. Winding me, blind sighting me for a second.
/"You cannot fight fate. There are consequences if you ignore destiny. Imprinting does not happen to us all and when it does… you do not question it./" The Shaman is quick to verbalize but Juan slamming his hand on his desk, sending a loud thud through all of us brings silence once more. I stare at my feet and will the ground to open up and take me. Crushing pressure on my chest as anxiety envelops me.
/"Did you not hear me when I said, THIS is NOT happening! She is NOT going to be my sons' mate. I will kill her before I let that happen./"