The Elf's Royal Match (Book 4 The Wolves of Winter Valley)

Chapter 18 - Seeking Help

Colt POV

When I awoke alone, I was instantly hurled back to that morning in Sinead’s mountain hut and bolted upright in a panic.

She wouldn’t have left me again! Not now. Not after last night.

My frantic thoughts halted abruptly as my eyes adjusted to the dark and focused on Sinead standing in front of the window. Her back was to me, but I could tell by the rigidness of her posture that she was upset, and I was pretty sure why. Easing myself out of bed, I went to her, wrapping my arms around her from behind.

“What is it, my love?” I asked, pretending I didn’t know how hurt she was that her marking spell hadn’t worked.

She lay her arms over mine as she leaned against me. “I don’t understand why it didn’t work. My rejection didn’t work either,” she said, causing me to start.

“Rejection? You rejected me? When?” I asked, but the answer came as soon as the words left my lips. The memory of the pain I’d felt that morning in the hut rushed to the surface while, at the same time, another stabbed my heart.

My mate rejected me.

Don’t let her go, Colton. It didn’t work, and she’s accepted you now. Focus on that.

Kai’s warning rang in my head, but the pain still pushed me to back away. Sinead turned to face me. Her eyes were wide and swimming with regret.

“The morning after you found me in the mountains. I was distraught over my behavior the night before and convinced that you didn’t sleep with me because you didn’t want me. It wasn’t a very large leap from there to believing that you had only come out of obligation, so I performed the rejection to free you from it and to end my suffering,” she explained with tears glistening in the shaft of moonlight filtering through the window. “I’m so sorry, Colton. I didn’t know what else to do and I couldn’t continue on as the broken mess I had become.”

Guilt and regret pushed aside the hurt, and I closed that brief gap between us to take her in my arms again. Without experiencing it, I knew that Sinead’s pain was greater than what I was feeling at that moment. In the few short weeks I’d been in Winter Valley, I’d twisted her up, confused her, and broken her heart. I deserved rejection, but I was relieved that it didn’t work.

“You don’t owe me any apologies, Sinead. I should be apologizing to you. There is no excuse for what I’ve put you through. None. It was cowardice, plain and simple and I hate myself for it. What you did was completely justified and solely to protect yourself from further emotional damage. I can’t and won’t fault you for that. However undeserving, I am grateful that it failed and that I was granted a chance to make things right, and I will. If it takes me until the end of time, I will make up for every ounce of pain I’ve caused you,” I vowed, crushing her against me and fighting tears of my own. Before Sinead’s admission, I thought I’d just come dangerously close to losing her the night before. I’d had no idea if not for some mysterious phenomenon, I would have lost her weeks ago.

“Let’s just start over from last night,” she whispered. “I don’t want that darkness hanging over us for eternity.”

I eased away, putting a small space between us, and kissed those full, pouty lips. “I love you, Sinead. As long as my heart beats, I will love you, and I swear to you before all the Gods that I will never again give you a reason to doubt that.”

Her lips curved slowly, and that smile was enough to soothe the painful pressure in my chest. Once again, I enveloped her in my arms and clung. She was mine, at last. There would be no more confusion, doubts, or hiding. I would shower her with my love and affection every day without fear of who saw or what they might say. Marks or no, we were mates, and I couldn’t wait for the entire pack to know it.

Our moment was shattered by the sudden shrill beeping of my cell phone’s alarm. I peeled myself from Sinead’s embrace with a sigh of regret and stalked to the nightstand on the opposite side of the room. Sometimes life was a pain in my ass. My mate and I had finally united, and I didn’t even get a day to enjoy it. I grumbled as I swiped at the phone’s screen to silence the noise.

“I’m sorry, my love. The training pitch is calling.”

Sinead moved away from the window and started toward the door. “Let me just pull myself together really quickly and I’ll go with you. We can talk to Natasha before the other warriors arrive. She can help us figure out why I couldn’t mark you. There’s also the matter of initiating you into the pack.”

I snagged her hand as she started to pass and dragged her back against me. “How about I run over to the packhouse, collect my motorcycle, then go change and come back for you.”

She lay her lips over mine briefly, then smiled. “Start the day on the back of a Harley? Twist my arm why don’t you.”

Chuckling, I released her and plucked my pants from her bedroom floor while she strolled from the room.

Sinead POV

Winged panthers must have an incredible amount of speed, I thought as I stepped outside my building twenty minutes after Colt left to find him waiting astride his very sexy black Harley Davidson Livewire. I walked to the bike and swung my leg over the back, settling in behind him. A sense of giddiness washed over me as I wrapped my arms around his waist and pressed myself against his back.

Mine.

This gorgeous stud of a man with the bad boy air and the heart of a champion was all mine. Whether we marked each other or not, we accepted each other and pledged our commitment. I still wanted to mark him, though. A mark was more than just a symbol to the world that you had a match, it solidified the connection. It bound all parts of your beings together for the duration of your lives and I wanted that with Colt. I needed it. My arms tightened around him as I fought off an unexpected wave of sadness.

Surely, the Gods and Goddesses wouldn’t have matched us if we couldn’t mark each other.

Natasha would know what to do.

Even if she didn’t have the answer herself, she would move heaven and earth to find it. She hated to see any member of her pack unfulfilled and would do her best to help if she could. In a way, she was helping already. Thanks to her offer to make Colt a member of the Winter Valley Pack, he would be protected from his father.

King Yasser would have no choice but to abandon his plans to abduct and torture Colt. To do otherwise, would be a declaration of war and he would be a fool to start one with a pack that was currently over 5,000 strong and headed by the most powerful magical trio in the world. I wanted to believe that he wasn’t a fool, but I didn’t know him and Colt and I didn’t waste time the night before discussing him any further than necessary.

I snuggled closer so lost in my thoughts that I didn’t even realize the bike had stopped until I felt Colt stroking my arm.

“Even without looking at you, I can tell you’re upset, my love,” he said softly.

“I want us to mark each other, Colt, and it scares me that we may not be able to.”

Colt shifted on his seat until his eyes could meet mine. “We will, Sinead. Believe it. I don’t think the Gods intended us to go unmarked. We’re just going to have to work a little harder for it. That’s all.”

My lips refused to cooperate when I tried to smile, so I leaned up and kissed him instead. “Let’s go find Nat,” I said, then slid off the bike.

When Colt joined me on the newly paved path to the pitch, I took his hand and linked our fingers. He looked up at me with mild surprise.

“There’s no need to hide it, my one. Everyone knows that we’re mates….”

Colt interrupted by asking, “Even your friend from Palachia?”

I frowned. “No, not yet but he will very soon.”

Natasha was inventorying our stash of weapons when we arrived at the north circle. She smiled when she saw us approaching and set the clipboard down on the bench.

“Good morning!” she greeted, rushing forward, and embracing me. “I am so happy to see you two together… You are together, right?” Her eyes scanned every visible patch of skin; no doubt looking for a mark.

My face flushed under her scrutiny. “Yes, we’re together. Colton told me everything and we’ve accepted each other.”

She hugged me again. “That’s so wonderful, Sinead! I am so happy for both of you!” Natasha practically squealed, then shifted her gaze to Colt. “So, when do we need to schedule our meeting with the rest of the leadership to discuss your induction?”

“Whenever you have the time, Alpha,” Colt said, bringing my hand to his lips and gently kissing the back. “But that isn’t the only reason we’ve come to speak with you this morning. We have a…rather…unusual problem and we were hoping you could help us solve it.”

“I’m all ears,” she answered.

Colt looked at me and nodded. “It’s a complex problem and one part kind of requires I ask a personal question,” I continued in his stead.

Natasha grinned. “Go ahead and ask.”

I shifted my weight and looked away. “How were you and Harmony able to mark each other? I mean, doesn’t it require having actual intercourse?”

“Double-sided strap-on, but no, actual intercourse is not required, only orgasm. It just makes things easier, because without p*****s it’s difficult to get into the proper position without interrupting the pace. There’s a shop in Raven’s Crest, I can take you tomorrow, if you’d like.”

Colt cleared his throat nervously and squeezed my hand. “Um…Do I have to…I mean…I can handle….”

Taking pity on him, Natasha laid a hand on his arm to stop his stuttering. “Let me do some research. Our situations are very different and I think it would be wise to have all the information before advising you further.” Colt and I both nodded but remained rooted to our spot. “Was there something else?”

I tucked a stray hair behind my ear. “Do you remember I told you that I tried to reject Colton and it didn’t work?”

“Yes. And thank the Goddess it didn’t!” she said with a smile.

“Yes, I am very grateful it didn’t work, but…. I tried to mark him last night. Elves use magic to mark their matches. It’s a simple spell. It should have worked,” I stammered as frustration and worry wrestled for control over my speech.

“But it didn’t,” Natasha finished for me.

I shook my head. “It left only a small red welt on his skin. I don’t understand.”

Natasha shifted her hand from Colt’s arm to mine and offered me a reassuring smile. “After training, I’ll call Caine and Lucy. One of them is bound to know, if not, I’m sure they can point me in the direction of someone who does.”

“Thank you, Nat. I’m sorry to dump this on you, but I don’t think even The Wise Ones would know. Elves are rarely matched outside our species.”

“We’ll figure it out. I promise. In the meantime, let’s get your match initiated into the pack, shall we? Are both of you free this afternoon around 3pm?” She asked while stepping back and collecting the clipboard from the bench.

“Yes,” we answered simultaneously.

“Excellent. Meet us in the conference room at 3pm. We’ll get the approval and the initiation done all at once.”

“Thank you, Alpha,” Colt said, dipping his head in respect.

“You’re welcome. Now, take your place in the circle, the rest of the warriors will be coming around any second.”

After Natasha walked away, Colt turned, drew me into his arms and kissed me until my toes curled. When he broke contact, he touched his brow to mine. “Don’t worry yourself over this, my love. Mark or no mark, I’m yours.”

“And I’m yours.”