Texas (Wolfstate Chronicles)

Chapter 15

His muscles let off the endorphins of relaxation, shifting was a necessary evil at times. Stress reliving as he was barreling through ranch land at forty miles per hour looking for rival pack; Oscuro.

He broke his run to a jog and stopped along the fence line of the Red Valley Ranch, in other words, Abigail's home.

He trotted the barbed fence and leapt over, causing an uproar of dust and debris around him. He continue on, the faint smell of Oscuro mixed with the Redding's ranch, potent to him and he didn't like it.

He bound forward at a new pace, maybe faster than he had before. Scaling the boarders fast, he wanted his scent all over the place as a big warning sign to Mateo.

He stumbled from a sink hole in the ground, causing him to skid across the dried up ground and stop against a fence post. He growled and flung up off his back, standing and panting as he looked around him.

The falling heat of the day caused a stagnant and putrid air. He heard the soft sound of the creek and made his way towards it. Stopping on the top of the bank, he sensed her near.

He stepped behind a bush and tried to look down into the ravine. There, at the bottom, was Abigail. Sitting along the bank with her knees at her chest and her feet in the water as she cried.

Her sobbing hit Colten hard, he twitched his lips and sunk down into the bushes. Her scent in wolf form a lot worse, furthermore everything about what was in front of him was messing with him.

Oscuro became a mute thought in his mind.

She was completely breaking and all he could do was sit and watch. Then it all came to him. If he came down the bank and approached her maybe he could get it together enough to break into a human form.

He took a deep breath again and breathed her in.

She was sweet and made his mouth water. Her tears were killing him and he decided to move forward, to stop her crying at the least. He stood from the bushes, making a large rustle of distraction and she looked up him, at the top of the bank.

“Oh!” She gasped and skidded up on her feet.

He lowered his head, before taking a step off the bank. His paw lifted, about to make his way down the steep incline towards the creek, when he was tackled from behind. Flying into the air and tumbling down the bank, his attacker followed. The apposing wolf, ragged and lean, he reeked of Oscuro and Colten didn't have time to comprehend what had transpired but Abigail's screams were enough to set in his internal alarms off.

They landed in the cool creek below and he flung himself from the Oscuro member, digging his jaws into it's neck and thrashing.

Abigail screamed and scrambled up the sand bar to to grass, she looked over her shoulder as Colten swung the grey little wolf out of the water.

What are you doing on my Territory!

The wolf collided with a near tree trunk and fell down, whimpering, Mateo... It panted.

Where is he! Colten approached, leaping out of the swallow waters and landing in front of the wolf.

Abigail stared at them, and he wondered why she wasn't running!

He glanced at her and she met his eyes, he growled and turned his attention back to the wolf in front of him, lashing out, it skidded away.

Talk! Colten demanded on him. He heard Abigail's soft footsteps as she backed away from them. Likely trying to get away without them noticing her and then things changed.

She screamed and he tore around, Mateo present and had Abigail flung back to the sand bar.

Abigail! Colten roared.

Stop. Mateo snapped, drooling all over her face as his beta and another wolf appeared, snickering.

Colten growled, Let her go!

You like this human, Turner? Mateo chuckled, Why?

Colten's teeth barred and he snarled, Get off her! Leave her alone.

Why are you near a human, Colten... Furthermore, why are you near this human? Mateo laughed. He dropped his black nose to her cheek and opened his jaw, What is she to you?

Don't touch her! Colten threw himself on Mateo and they went crashing into the creek.

The other wolves advanced quick, dragging Colten off their alpha.

Colten thrashed, breaking, their hold on him, Get off my Territory!

You're going to have to do a lot better than that, Turner! Mateo spun, launching himself at Colten. Back into the water, he stumbled, Abigail screams melding with his raging pulse.

He growled, snapped and flung himself back on the alpha till he had Mateo pinned in the water, Is this better!

He threw Colten up onto the sand bar.

Be ready to fight! I'm done. Mateo lunged forward.

Colten skidded back, his shoulder had been pulled, like it had been dislocated.

I'm going to strip you of this Territory and if I don't find my sister, I'm going to kill you. Mateo then turned away and his wolves followed, I'll be back.

They bound up the bank and left Colten broken and beaten but he wasn't quite feeling the effects, only thinking of Abigail.

He turned to her, where she stood at the top of the bank, a large cut on her cheek but otherwise appearing alright.

He got up, limping and stared at her.

She swallowed, “Jeez.”

Colten dropped his muzzle and whimpered, he felt like an idiot and it was his way of saying sorry to her but she wouldn't be picking up on it.

He advanced on her and she stuck out her hand.

“Go!” She shouted at him.

He stopped, his injured paw in the air as he whimpered.

She stared at him and he could feel her heart beats pick up. He wanted to leave her alone but he wanted to lick her cheek clean of the blood and...

“Get out of here!” She grabbed a rock and threw it at him.

He limped backwards and dropped his nose to the ground, Baby.

She kicked some loose gravel and picked up a tree branch, wanting nothing to do with him. He backed off, about to fall out of his wolf form. When suddenly, she bolted, slipping and her head hit a large boulder, knocking her unconscious.

Abi! Colten lunged at her.

She bled from her temple and he nudged her to her back, still out.

Colten licked her cheek, trying to wake her. If he shifted back into his human form, he could take her back to her house or even his and she'd never know any different but he had zero for clothing.

He thought through his options and slipped into his human, bringing his hands to her face and brushing her hair from her eyes, “Abigail.”

She moaned against his fingers.

“Abi.” He came around her, “Baby, come on.”

Her eyes started to flutter, “Mm... Colten?”

“Hey.” He said simply.

She moaned as she tried to sit up, dizzy.

“Just stay there, Abi.” He breathed, holding her down, “You hit your head pretty good.”

“What happened?” She breathed.

“Baby, it's okay.”

She looked up at him and creased her brow, “Why are you naked?”

“Long story.” He grumbled as he inspected her head.

Abigail winced from his touch, “I'm so confused. There were wolves.”

He swallowed, if she was confused, now was not the time to explain everything. He sighed, trying to process what he should do.

What was right.

What was wrong.

What the best course of action, he was in a bind of not knowing in that moment.

She looked up at him and wrinkled her nose, “I came here alone. What are you doing here?”

He swallowed, “Abi, your head is bleeding. You should go back to your house.”

She creased her brow and put her hand to her head, wincing once she touched the gash along her hairline.

Colten moved towards her, his nose almost against her's, “Baby...”

She looked to him and swallowed, standing and he steadied her with his hands.

She stepped out of his grip as her piercing blue eyes stared at him, confusion plastered across her brow. He knew then she was jogging her memory, perhaps putting it together, perhaps not believing it.

He reached out to her arm and her eyes widened but yet she stayed silent.

“I want you to go home, Abigail.” He said in a deep voice.

She swallowed, “What's going on?”

He opened his mouth as they called him. The low, long howl that belonged to his pack.

“Abigail, go home!” He shouted at her.

“Colten!” She gasped.

“Go!” He grabbed her arm and hauled her up the bank, “Go home, now! Please. Run.” Giving her no time to think about anything he was saying.

“Colten.”

He grabbed her and pulled her in, cupping her cheeks and deepening his mouth on her's.

She moaned, bringing her body against him.

“I'm sorry.” He breathed, “I love you. I'm going to fix everything. I promise.”

She stared at him, “Colten, what's going on?”

He kissed her again, looping both his arms around her and dipping his tongue against her's. He stepped away from his mate abruptly.

“Go, Abi, now... and stay in your house.” He told her in a stern voice, “I'll call you soon.”

She nodded, “Okay.”

He stopped her though and grabbed her hand, “Abigail.”

She swallowed and looked back to him, “Yeah?”

“Are you mad at me?”

She shook her head.

“Are you afraid of me?”

“No, Colten.” She said like he should have known better.

He sighed and swallowed, deciding his fate, “I need to go. I'm going to show you this and after I do, I want you to run and I want you to go home to your room. Then I want you to think, I want you to think about what I showed you. Please, stay in your house tonight.”

Her eyes widened, “Colt-”

He sighed and looked back at her, “I love you.”

She nodded and her whole body tensed as he flew forward off the ground and landed in the creek as the big white wolf.

She gasped as he flung around to face her. Her bottom lip clamped between her teeth and she stared at him, hardly breathing but still managing to keep herself up right at the same time.

He lowered his muzzle, Oh, please don't be afraid of me.

She swallowed as more howling erupted and he heard and felt the approach of Tyler and Justin near.

She backed away, “Colten?”

He stepped towards her, his shoulder still hurt, Go, baby. He howled a long smooth call and it stopped the advances of his pack members. It basically meant he was safe and didn't need their urgency, it also meant, leave him the hell alone.

They called back and then he knew time was no longer on his side. They wanted and needed him.

He looked over her once more, God, you're beautiful. He licked his lips as be became side tracked by her hormones and fear. His wolf agitated and he growled, wanting his mate.

Abigail then took off, running. Her breathing laboured as he kept his ears on her. Even if he knew Oscuro had cleared out after their attack, he was still going to be paranoid.

He bound up the bank and then off in the distance, he saw Justin and Tyler waiting. They stood on the horizon, low in the grass, awaiting further instruction.

The smell of Abigail in the air was potent as she dashed towards the safety of her home.

He waited till his accurate eye caught her at the ranch front the two miles away and she disappeared. Running towards his pack members, he stopped in front of them, Mateo is going to attack.

We smelt Oscuro, then we smelt Mateo and we came looking. Justin informed him.

Colten growled.

What are we going to do! Tyler roared.

Justin glanced at him and back to Colten. We thought something happened to you, it's why we came.

Something did happen. Colten snarled, not speaking about Mateo.

Are you going to tell us or not? Tyler asked.

Colten's alpha rage got the best of him and he snapped, snarling at the pushy idiot that often did the grunt work, Back off, Tyler, I'm going to take care of it.

What's the plan? Justin changed the subject, What do we need to do?

We're going back to my house. Now. Colten started to run, as fast he could. His alpha blood helped him advance quicker than Tyler and Justin. Then he was home, with a mile and a bit to spare in front of them.

He dropped into his human, his shoulder killing him. He found a pair of his jeans on the porch that Alma had folder over the porch railing and pulled on the blue wranglers.

He was in the house even faster, jumping the stairs and taring into the back door as he did up the fly on his jeans. His blood boiled, his skin pouring sweat and the stress of his current situation was taking a tole on his un-mated body.

“Colten, that was quick.” Alma was standing at the stove making supper.

He grabbed the phone in the kitchen and dialled out, not paying much attention to the nanny. His impatience obvious.

“Are you okay?” Alma then tried again.

He raised his hand to the older woman and she silenced as the phone rang in his ear.

It rang again. Once more, then was fumbled with, a groan erupting with some cursing, “Hello?”

“Chloe, it's Colten.”