Talons

Chapter 99: The Call

Colton’s POV

When I hear my mate’s door lock, I plop on my bed and punch the mattress multiple times. I don’t know how to fix her; I don’t even know where to begin. 

Everything I know about the mate bond is secondhand information that I received from my mother, and if her words can be believed, all Rhea and I need to heal is each other, but she can’t even complete a full sentence around me.

It has always been that way between Rhea and I, but I never really noticed it until now. Her eyes go vacant as she struggles to come up with some sort of excuse to avoid my wrath, but she should never have had to do that in the first place.

I hear rummaging in my suite, and thinking Jessica may have gotten in, I exit my room aggressively, shocked to see my brother sitting on the couch, looking depressed.

“If that's how you react to a little bit of noise it’s no wonder your mate is still terrified of you.” My brother closes his eyes, and it's then that I realize his nose is red.

“Have you been crying?”

“No,” he says defensively.

“Dolton, you can talk to me man.” My brother leans forward and hangs his head, sighing before he stands to raid the kitchen.

“It’s Miracle,” he says, and I expect him to tell me they are having relationship problems, but that is not the issue. “She has me watching these depressing dramas all day, and it's taking its toll on me.” I hold back my laughter, trying hard not to be a jerk, but when Dolton sniffles, I lose it and he glares at me.

“Sorry, sorry, but at least your mate actually wants to be around you.”

“Is she in there?” My brother asks, jutting his chin toward his old room. I nod and he starts making a plate of something that smells amazing. 

“Wait,” I say, taking the food from him. There is no way I'm letting him taste my mates cooking before me. 

“What the hell Colt?” My brother says, clearly annoyed that I just claimed his meal, but once I tell him my reasoning, he quiets down and grumbles as he pulls out another dish.

I had gotten distracted before, otherwise I would have already eaten. The rice touches my tongue and I blissfully shut my eyes. 

"We have the perfect mate," Orlin says, and I nod; Rhea is truly amazing.

I'm drawn out of my mind when Dolton starts sniffing the air. I know it's because he just noticed the slight smell of blood from my mate's cut. 

Before his thoughts can go dark, I explain the situation to him, and he studies my face for a long time.

“What?” I ask, starting to get irritated with the way he is looking at me.

“I just feel for you man. If mom and dad hadn’t gotten involved, you would be happy right now; I might even have a niece or nephew.” My chest constricts with those words because I never thought of it that way.

I started to feel a pull toward Rhea immediately after she hugged my wolf. We didn’t recognize it then, but we should have.

Before that, I was literally entranced by her at Carter and Mandy’s wedding reception, but my dumbass wolf thought I was just curious about her reaction, so we ignored it.

If she and I had been on friendly, or even neutral terms back then, I don’t think I would have had the same reaction. 

I would have been able to approach her, to ask her what she was feeling, and I probably would be having s*x with her, but no, that right has gone to other people. 

"She is ours now and we will make her forget everyone else," Orlin says, and I refocus on my delicious meal.

“Hey Colt, let me ask you something.”

“Shoot,” I say, raising an eyebrow when my brother asks why I don't have a beard. “I’m too pretty,” I reply, and he gives me a creepy smile. “Don’t look at me like that,” I jokingly warn.

“I can’t help it. It's so crazy to me.”

“What is?” I ask, but my brother goes mute. “Tell me.”

“It's just that your mate knew that. That’s how she could tell us apart.”

“I don’t look sh*t like you,” I tease, and my brother laughs deeply. We are identical, and aside from a half-inch height difference, his beard, and his hair, nearly everything else is the same.

“That’s not what I mean you moron. How would she have known that? From what I’ve heard, you were never much into the twins, so I doubt she learned it from one of them.”

That’s a good question, and as I’m considering it, I start to think of all the gifts she bought for my birthday.

My favorite of them all was the guitar pick collection Rhea started for me. I remember curiously opening the wooden box, and when I saw that it was almost filled with picks made from varied materials, I became excited.

I probably stayed in my room for a month, experimenting with each pick, and that small gesture reignited my passion for playing.

“Maybe she asked someone?” I finally say, and my brother just gives me the ‘really bro?’ face.

“Sure, she asked someone what gift they thought she should buy for her sister's mate; very subtle.” I stay silent because Dolton is right.

Rhea knew what I wanted because she knew what I would like. Meanwhile, I didn’t even know her name until a few days ago.

Rhea’s POV

I don’t know what time it is, but I haven’t left my room since I woke up. I feel like I stink, but I’m too afraid to shower. 

Even if I did, there is no soap in the bathroom, no toothpaste, and no towel; basically, I have nothing. I haven’t brought it up to Mandy or Miracle because I don’t want them to get the wrong idea. I would rather them help me escape, not make me more comfortable, but that’s me dreaming.

Someone knocks at the door, and I find myself unable to answer it. If I open it and see Colton, I will have a panic attack, but it could also be one of my cousins, so I whisper a response to the sound.

“It’s Holly,” the person says. “And I’m alone.” I crack open the door, and the woman comes in with food. “Mandy is in a meeting. She asked me to-” Holly doesn’t get to finish her sentence because in walks Colton with a concerned looking Mandy behind him.

I retreat slightly, not sure what I did wrong, but Colton’s face looks serious and I’m sure I did something to upset him. I suddenly remember that I never finished the dishes last night, and I panic.

“I-I’m sorry. I won’t leave dishes in the sink again.” Mandy and Holly frown deeply with my words, and I try to fix the issue immediately. “I-I will clean them now.”

“Rhea,” Colton says in a soft tone that fills me with dread.

“Please?” I whimper, but the man doesn’t move out of my way.

“I’m not here about dishes. I’m here to give you your phone.” My eyes go wide in fear because I can’t tell if this is some sort of trap.

Anytime Colton was nice to me was always a part of a bigger plan to hurt me. From the tree climbing race to the tackle; he always tricked me, only, I'm old enough to notice it now.

“Why?” I whisper, looking at Mandy, who hasn’t said a word.

“It’s not to keep. I just want to give you the opportunity to reach out to your mother.” Colton lifts my device toward me, but I'm conflicted. 

"And…" The man continues. "You have to go outside." I start to breathe heavily and Colton sighs dramatically. "You don't have to meet the pack until you are ready." 

My eyes dart around the room, trying to read the situation, but my mind has drawn blank. I feel like my phone is going to explode once I touch it and I'm reluctant to take hold of the thing.

Exasperatedly, Holly takes the device and hands it to me. There is no pain, and I find myself staring at it in confusion. 

I have over ninety-nine missed calls and most of them are from my mother. I start to panic about what General may have done to her, and I find myself returning the calls.

“Rhea?” I hear, and I can’t help but to start crying.

“Mommy.”

“Oh, my baby girl. Are you okay? Is everything alright?” I shake my head, and wipe at my face, switching into Spanish to avoid having Colton understand what I am saying.

“Mommy, I have nothing here. No soap, no clothes, not even a toothbrush," I sob.

Colton's POV

I try to hand my mate her phone, but she whimpers, slightly recoiling from my outstretched hand. 

I know what she is thinking, but this isn't a trap, so I just stand there waiting for her to come to that realization on her own. 

She doesn't, and Holly becomes restless, snatching the phone from me and handing it to my mate. I want to be angry, but she mind-linked me to stay calm.

She said that my mate needs to see that petty things won't bother me, and somehow, I know she is right.

Rhea studies the phone in her hand for a while, almost as if she were surprised it didn't explode.

When she finally makes a call, I regret not telling her to put the device on speaker phone, but I'm sure it wouldn't have helped anyway because my mate is talking in a whole other language.

"Mandy, translate," I say. She draws back her face, looking slightly offended so I ask again. "Aren't you Puerto Rican?" My cousin snorts as Mandy's mouth hangs open.

I stare at the beta female while Holly just chuckles, but my mate is still ranting and I'm starting to panic. 

"What? TRANSLATE!"

"I CAN’T YOU JERK!" My brows furrow and Mandy leaves the room in annoyance.

"I can translate," Holly mind-links. “It’ll cost you.” I glare at her, but with Rhea’s words flooding out of her mouth, I’m conflicted.

“What do you want?”

“I want to take your mate out for a girl’s night,”

“No,” I link

“Suit yourself.” My cousin starts to leave, but I grab her shoulder and she grins. She starts translating and the look on Rhea’s face tells me that it's accurate.

Embarrassed, I snatch the phone and hang up. How could I forget such basic things?