Texas (Wolfstate Chronicles)

Chapter 2

Her voice hit him like a bullet out of a shot gun.

“Hey, Abi.” He tried to calm his nerves but it was like meeting her all over again and he remembered that first day, all too well.

He tried to wet his parched mouth and hoped he didn't like a hungry animal.

“How are you?” She breathed.

He shifted his weight, needing to stop his fantasy prone mind around her, “Uh, yeah, good. You?”

“Could be better.” She etched with uneasiness.

Her words forced him to snap his focus back on the horse and why he was there.

“We need to get Fiesta walking.” He stuffed.

“She won't.”

Her obvious distress bothered him, hunching forward, he became determined.

“We'll get her up.” Going to walk past her, he couldn't, the six inches of door frame left would end with him brushing against her, that he wouldn't be able to endure.

She stepped back into the isle, “I don't want to lose her. I just couldn't stand it.”

“She'll be okay.” Making possible impossible promises to not just himself but to her as well, that could be bad – very bad.

She crept inside the stall while he took a moment to gather his senses.

Walking forward, he convinced himself he could now stand in front of Abigail and not be in pain.

He entered the stall and looked down at the pretty blonde as she stroked the sorrel's face, humming softly to her horse. He walked around and bent down, looking the mare over.

“I'll try giving her a shove up.” He tried pushing and Fiesta shifted, causing Abigail to lean in. His eyes snapped to the nineteen year old girl as her shirt exposed a bit of her cleavage.

He bit his tongue as burning shot cut through him, “Ow.” He tripped away from the mare.

Abigail looked to him and he could see her astonishment, “Oh, did she hurt you?”

“No. I bit my tongue.” Blood filling his mouth, surprised he hadn't taken the tip of it off with the chomp, all because of her chest. He shook off the burning sensations and moved back to push the horse, “On three, mare.”

Abigail stepped up next to him, “I'll help.”

He grumbled, counting down and they pushed.

“Come on, Fiesta!” Abigail's voice broke, as she whimpered from pushing.

Colten groaned, not liking her wavering emotion. A low growl in his chest erupted and the mare shot up, skidding away from him.

He smiled but caught himself, brushing his hands off on his jeans.

Clinging to his bicep, Abigail squeezed him, “You did it!”

“You helped.” He looked down at her, her blue eyes meeting his and they both stopped.

Biting her lip, she swallowed, “Daddy! She's up!” Abigail hollered, breaking away from him.

“Shh, it's alright, girl.” Colten moved toward the mare and grabbed her by the halter, clipping the lead rope on. The horse backed away from him, eyeing him up, he took a deep breath and tried to settle the wolf stench pouring off him, “Here, Abi.”

Abigail took the lead rope from him and led her mare from the stall, excited to see the horse moving.

Colten needed out, he wanted to leave but then again, he wanted to stay and watch Abigail as she cooed and doted on the mare he'd just gotten to stand. He disliked the fact that Abigail's general happiness towards her horse made him radiate hormones. If only she could have felt them.

Fiesta moved slow out in the isle and he followed behind. The horse kept moving because he was behind her.

“Let's keep her walking, see if she pulls out of the colic.” Colten decided he'd stay another half hour and if he couldn't take it anymore, he'd leave – at least he'd gotten the mare up.

Abigail brought Fiesta into the round pen outside and kept walking her in circles, “Do you think she'll be alright?”

Colten leaned into the metal gate, “She's young, I'm sure she'll come through.”

Abigail nodded, walking the mare in silence for almost five minutes. He tried to speak about twenty times in those five minutes, but nothing but his nerves got him.

“What have you been doing?”She breeched into conversation.

“Working.” He admitted, “How was school?”

“Good.” She breathed, pausing, “Did you miss me?”

Colten wasn't sure if she had really asked him that or if he was just hearing things.

“Y-yeah.” He answered, “Why? Did you miss me?”

She smiled, “Mm, my mom mentions you in the ranch stories she tells me over the phone.”

“Oh, yeah.” He watched the mare, but didn't study the horse much more. Instead, he watched Abigail's sweet little hips sway back and forth.

Forcing himself to look away, he swallowed.

“I missed home, those city boys are sort of annoying.” She admitted, patting Fiesta.

“There's a difference between the two?”

She looked to him as she passed by, “They're such babies. I even mention camping and they wince.”

He grunted, “Well, I doubt they could make a fire.”

She laughed, “I think that's what they are most afraid of.”

“Ah, fire!” He joked.

“Yeah, pretty much.” She giggled, “So, d-do you have a girlfriend still?”

“Still?” He smiled, “When did I have one before?”

Her smile grew, “Oh, come on.”

“Nope.” He answered, “I don't.”

“So, you like being a lone-ranger.” She noted.

Colten shrugged, he didn't know what to say so he kept his mouth shut. He was good at being the silent cowboy – he'd done it most of his life.

She continued to question him, “Are you going to the rodeo next weekend?”

“Uh... yeah.” Unfortunately, because he'd promised Sarah.

“Oh, cool.”

His eyes had caught her cut off jeans and nice behind and he jumped the fence. Walking over to Abigail with her cheeks flushed red and shoulders beaded in sweat.

“Here,” He took the lead rope from her and his hand gently grazed her, “I'll walk her a bit for you. You should go get some water, it's too hot out.”

Abigail smiled, “You always are nice to the ladies, Colt.” She spun away and threw her scent in his face.

He withered, taking in a huge whiff of it and the horse bucked against the lead rope, not liking his wolf side again, “Oh, calm down, I'm not having you for breakfast.” Attempting to pull back his alpha hormones, he focused on walking the mare around the ring. This gave him a few minutes to get it back together and figure out how to get himself out of there.

With Abigail's return minutes later, he hadn't gotten far with his thoughts. She came to his side, two big glasses of ice tea, “I brought you a drink.”

“Thank you.” He took it from her.

“How's she doing?”

“I think she'll be alright, she's walking, stops once in a while but keeps going again. She'll turn around. Already starting to.” He concluded, not wanting her to worry much longer but wondering where the hell the vet was.

“I really wanted to run her in the rodeo but, my parents are not in favour of it and now that's this has happened.”

“They won't let you race?” Colten was surprised, Abigail was a good barrel racer and she had done well in all the high school rodeos.

She sighed, “They don't want me to anymore. They think it's a waste of time.”

He found himself wanting to root for her but that was wrong or maybe it wasn't, “You're good. So is this mare.”

She sighed, “They figure since I did so well at school, I can make something more of myself, than just riding horses.”

Colten glanced away, “The troubles of being an only child.”

Abigail giggled but slapped her hand to her mouth, “Oh, Colten I heard about Savannah in the winter. I'm so sorry!”

He looked over to her, “It's... umm....” He really hated when people brought up his sister but since it'd been Abigail, he'd forgive her.

Her blue eyes softened once she saw his distraught non-vocal issue, “You don't have to say anything. I'm sorry.”

“It's okay. I'm okay. We're okay.” He glanced at her and took another sip of the ice tea, “This is good.”

“I made it earlier.” She breathed.

He looked to her and wince, of course she had it – she was the prefect girl. He hated in the little while he'd been around her again, she had already reminded him of it several times.

Perfect girl.

He finished off the ice tea.

“Do you want another?” She offered.

“I'm good for now.”

She took the glass from him and wrapped her lean fingers around his, “Are you sure? I can run in the house for more.”

His heart slammed, pulling the contact from her, “Oh yeah, I'm good.”

She nodded, “I can walk her now, thanks for all your help.” She walked over to the fence and put the glasses down on the wood pillar, “The vet should be here in the next hour, my mom called again.”

“Not a problem.” He pulled out his cell phone from his back pocket and brushed the dust from the screen, squinting down to read the time.

“You're welcome to stay for lunch. Momma said to invite you.”

“Oh, I need to go. I have people over.”

“Sorry to pull you away.” Abigail walked back to him.

“Call me if you need anything, Abi.”

She smiled with a soft nod and Colten walked away, wishing he could have at least one more glass of Abigail's ice tea. Instead he walked away, like he was supposed to.

***

Once home, he was greeted by Sally and Jake, who came screeching around the side of the house, chasing each other with hay.

“Colten!” Sally screamed as Jake bailed on top of her and threw the hay in her face.

Colten put his truck in park and jumped out, “Whoa, whoa.” He skipped over to the kids as Jake laughed at his triumph.

He pulled the boy back by his shirt, “Jake, how about you don't beat your sister with hay?”

Jake sighed, “Awe man, Sally, you're no fun!”

Sally got up off the ground and kicked gravel at him.

Colten sighed, “Let's go, children.” He pointed to the house.

“Did you save the horse?” Sally asked.

“She's sick but I think she'll be okay.” Colten told her.

“That's good!” Sally beamed, both children taking off away from him.

He walked up to the front door and opened it, walking inside the warm house. Chucking his hat to the near hall chair as he made his way to the kitchen. Fluffing his hair up and wiping the sweat from his brow.

Sarah was at the counter, looking to be making some sort of dessert.

“What are you doing?” His voice was low and suspicious.

“Pie. Supper.” She smiled.

He walked over and looked to the filling in the mixer beside her, “Why do you do this to me?” He joked.

“Oh, you like it.” She teased.

“I don't like being fat.”

“You burn too many calories on a daily basis to ever get fat.”

“Maybe not with so much of that pie around.” He laughed and walked to the fridge, “Ella?”

“Nap. I'll start lunch soon.”

He grabbed a coke from the fridge and snapped the can open, “Let me guess, I don't get pie till after supper?”

She glanced to him and said nothing about the pie, “How's that horse?”

“It'll live.” He sat down at the table, “It's too bad though, that's her real good barrel-horse.”

Sarah grunted, playing with the mixer, “Does she run it a lot?”

“Well, she's been at college since the fall. Just got back last night. She wanted to run her in the rodeo but I guess that won't be happening.”

“Guess not.” Sarah snapped on the mixer and pulled open the cupboard.

Colten stopped his conversation for a minute while the woman busied herself, “She's got another horse; Mocha.”

Sarah lined her pie plate in the crust she had prepped and didn't reply.

“It's too bad though, Fiesta's is real good horse. I don't think Mocha is up to that calibre.”

The brunette glanced at him, “Well, it's not always about winning.”

Colten smiled, “Well with barrel racing it is.”

Sarah turned back around, “I'm sure the horse will be fine.”

“Let's hope.” He grabbed a magazine and flipped through it till he found some ads for horse trailers. He'd been convincing himself to get a new one, though his money was tight, he was still finding justification in it.

He looked over a few used trailers as Sarah cleaned up the kitchen. They could hear the kids outside squealing and it was enough comfort to know they were still alive, even if they were giving each other a good beating.

“The kids are wanting to watch a movie tonight.” Sarah finally spoke after what was close to ten minutes.

“Oh.” Colten glanced up, “That sounds fine. Look at this trailer, what do you think?”

She walked over, wiping her hands on her apron, “Why do you need a gooseneck with live-in quarters?”

“Well, it's darn nice.” He turned the magazine back to himself and looked over the pristine white four horse, “Good for traveling.”

“Colten, you hardly leave your house.” She laughed.

“I know.” He sighed, realizing he really didn't need the big, beautiful trailer.

She sat down next to him after pouring herself a coffee, “I saw Pete in town yesterday.”

Colten glanced at her, “Oh yeah.” Then returned back to the magazine, still stuck on the trailers.

She continued, “He said he was going to stop by this weekend and talk to you about a meeting?”

Colten grumbled, “I saw him last night, he didn't mention anything.”

She laughed, “You saw him at the bar, he was drunk.”

Colten sighed, “Pete always thinks there's a need to call a meeting.”

“Well, you haven't had one in a while.”

“It's been peaceful.” Colten looked to her, “Why disrupt everyone's life?”

She gave in, “Alright.”

The kids rushed in and that was the end of that conversation and he was thankful for it.

***

The rest of the afternoon for them was slow and quiet but that was how Colten liked his life. Slow. Quiet. Calm.

He went about feeding his horses and checking his prized mare who was going to foal any day.

He was just hoping it was sooner rather than later – Honey was starting to look uncomfortable and that never sat right with him.

Back in the house, Sarah had made supper and the kids had somewhat got the table set. Once again, calm came to mind. He liked the kids – no, he loved the kids. They often amused him and made him happy all in one moment.

He walked to the sink and washed his hands as Sarah dished up the steak she'd made.

“Colten!” Jake came to his side, “After supper, can you show me how to throw the rope again?”

Colten finished with his hands and grabbed the near dish rag to the dry them, “Sure.”

“Me too, Colten, me too!” Sally begged.

He smiled at her, “Yep, alright.”

Jake rushed to the table and sat next to his sister, sticking his tongue out at her in the process, “Girl's don't throw ropes.”

“Girl's can throw ropes.” Colten pointed at him.

Sally beamed, “If Colten says it, it's true, turd.”

Colten held his smile as Sarah brought two plates to the table and handed them to her children, “Okay, enough. Eat up or no desert.”

The children beamed at their mother and dug into their food.

Ella was next to him, leaning into his niece, he kissed her forehead. She cooed as Sarah took over feeding her, for the third time that day.

“Eat, Colt.” Sarah encouraged.

He nodded and picked up his fork, perhaps Sarah was right, maybe he did need a woman in the house but the woman he wanted in the house was not plausible and therefor, insane.

“Do we have to go home tomorrow?” Sally whined, breaking through his tormented thoughts.

“Of course.” Sarah told her, “You have school.”

Colten swallowed what was in his mouth, “You don't want to be staying here anyway, Sally.”

“I do!” Sally protested.

Jake agreed, “Mom's a pain.”

Sarah smiled and pointed at her son, “You're the pain.”

He giggled and took another bite of his food.

Colten tried to avoid the conversation further and busied the kids with mindless chatter, which brought them into the evening of watching his old box television and old videos from the depths of a dusty box; after an hour on the porch with a rope and two kids with little patience, that was.

Sally and Jake were easy to bed from the constant running around that day and Colten took responsibility of all the children and put them down for the night.

As he walked out of the room, closing the door, Sarah waited for him in the hall. He swallowed and walked towards her, almost cautious. The burning deep in him was starting to get to him. He'd been fine for the months Abigail had been gone but now that she was back, within close proximity his other side wasn't liking it much.

Sarah took his hand and they were in his room. He let her feed her neediness, which consisted of kissing, climbing and lying in his bed. All of which were fine for his human side but not really for his wolf side.

He hated his basic instinct as it turned him off of a woman he'd grown quite fond of over the many months of being lonely. Now he had real issues to deal with; women issues.

For Colten Turner, it was too much drama for him to comprehend.

***

Abigail Redding had the softest hair he'd ever touched, the cutest wrinkle of her nose he'd ever seen and the most innocent smile that had ever grace a pair of lips in front of him. Her hands on him were enough to cause him fits of sufferance.

His alpha blood would pass as persistent but he, himself was mellow, making his other side lack in some occasions.

With her close – close enough to touch, he reached out, cupping her cheek in his hand and pulling her in to him.

Mmm... Colten.

Her soft giggle took every inch of him and he ducked his mouth against her neck. The sharpness of his bite against her goose bumped, hormonal skin produced blood. A lot and he could taste it's metallic sapidity.

She whimpered and sunk away from him. Her cries of protest would go unheard against his coursing alpha neediness that was now no longer under his control.

Afraid of hurting her, the last of his thoughts.

Startling, he woke in his bed, the old fan busy blowing hot hair at his face. Still dark out, it was only three in the morning. He rolled onto his stomach and remembered why he'd woke.

Abigail.

He groaned, rubbing his face into his pillow as his eyes fell on Sarah next to him, she was tangled in the sheets and though beautiful, he couldn't shake his obvious want for the Redding's daughter.

He was dreaming about her.

She had consumed his other side.

Again, another battle of morale and will-power would consume him but this time, he was concerned about who would win.