The Fallout Prt 2

We imprinted. We have a link; we can hear each other even from miles away. No distance is too far. No one else can tap into this. It’s like our own personal telephone line with dampeners.

He isn’t looking at me, but watching Carmen walk down the hall, crying into her own hands and creating a pitiful picture. I can sense his pain from watching her go and it pains me too. Feeling what he feels, another downside to now being connected to this guy. I don’t want to feel heartbreak or pain or any of this crap.

I’m sorry. I didn’t mean for any of this.

The honesty and ache in my response brings his eyes to mine and we do that weird thing, where we lock eyes, get a tremor of something we can’t deny, and both look away again. Neither want this, that much is clear.

You didn’t do this. Fate did. Now we just have to figure out how to undo it. If that’s even possible.

The hesitation in his tone catches me off guard and despite myself I look at him properly. His side profile of chiseled square jawline. Sallow skin and dark hair to match those dark eyes and brows. Colton is tall, muscular, and fit, which is only enhanced by being among the biggest wolves in the pack even at his age. His family originated from Colombia and you can see his heritage clearly, in the best kind of way, despite his mother being Caucasian. Me, I’m just a good old country white. Bland hair, plain girl, and nothing special or beautiful that I know of. Carmen is a goddess compared to me.

The atmosphere turns cold as a troop of men come marching in from the same door we did, and I’m pushed out of the way ungraciously by one of them. I get knocked sideways, unable to stop myself, and for sure know I am spiraling down as I lose my footing. Still on unsure legs after tonight’s ceremony and unable to stop myself.

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.”

Silence befalls the room as his biting tone echoes in the air, although I swear, I hear the most subtle of growls come from Colton’s way, so close beside me and make sure I don’t look at him. Instead I stare at my hands in my lap and pray for this to be over. Shaking internally and genuinely fearful for my life. Never have I actually wanted to be left to go back to the orphanage to spend time in my room with Vanka, but now it’s so calling to me.

I don’t want anything as much as I want that right now, well except maybe this weird primal urge for the guy at my left to calm down a bit and stop plaguing me. I can feel him, overly so. Way too in tune and aware of him, even if he is three feet away. My body and mind are doing some weird things in relation to him and as terrified as I should be right now, I don’t feel it when he moves closer and somehow calms me without even looking my way. One backwards step of maybe a foot and he soothes my nerves back into warm gooey submission, that inner heat spreading as he gets close enough that his scent sparks some internal fire in me.

“Then your son will die too, and we lose our future leader. You cannot break the bond without severe consequences. The choice has been made. Fate has chosen for him and you must obey.” The Shaman comes back, undeterred by Juan’s anger and stands as though to press the point. He’s low toned and confident in his wisdom and does not seem intimidated in any way.