The Fallout-2

That stupid part of me that cares has me staring at the floor guiltily, as though somehow accepting I’ve done something wrong here. I feel ashamed.

“Be quiet. Go home and I’ll talk to you later. Right now, we are nothing until this gets rectified. I can’t have two mates. You know the laws.” It’s the edge in his tone that signals him executing his dominance and she recoils quickly, knowing when not to question or argue, even if her face gives away the pain in what he said. Alphas have a tone reserved for times when pack animals won’t obey. It somehow renders us mute and makes us do what is asked of us, and this is one of those times. Even I tremble at the effect it has on everyone present and have to stop myself from slinking back into the shadows. Not every male has the gift, only those who were born to lead.

“Alora? That’s your name, right?” Colton turns to me, surprising me with the change, those chocolate eyes melting me when we connect and I have to look away again, too pulled towards him for my liking, and nod shyly. No control over his effect on me, and I don’t like this one bit. Freedom was calling to me, and now this annoying, undesirable need to be wrapped around the one guy I never wanted to know.

“Or Lorey ... I get called both.” It’s a feeble quiet mumble and I inwardly curse myself out for sounding as weak as his pack always labeled me. It’s no wonder they cast my bloodline into the reject pile. I’m no match for an Alpha.

Relax, I’m not going to hurt you.

It’s his voice in my head and I flicker up, startled that he spoke to me inside my mind and not verbally. We’re not supposed to be able to do that when both in human form and especially not when we’re not from the same pack.

How can you …?

I start to ask, replying in the same way without thinking and then inhale sharply as I realize I just did the same thing. I’ve no idea if that breaks rules, considering who he is.

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, he’s 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 bring 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 of us wants 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, 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 spiral 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, sends my head spinning. His arms lassoing me and stopping my body from colliding with the concrete wall, hitting his chest instead 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 instinct as anything else. It changes you and makes you feel and 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 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 to break free from it, although my body is responding quite happily to the contact. Feeling his anger radiating from him, and the anxious, uptight bubbling inside me, as I 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 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.