Rejected Mate and Following Fate

"Okay, maybe. I mean we always knew he would try and maneuver some sort of union around the mountain, I just didn't think he would physically expect them to move here. The device, we don't know enough to be able to second guess what it would do to us all in the valley. The range was limited in what we brought back." Colton is stiff, uneasy, and I can tell he doesn't like his pack questioning orders from above. He truly is hooked by the nose when it comes to his father, and I need to figure out how to get in there and remove the darn thing. Maybe I wasn't paired with Colton so he could save me from my life… maybe I'm meant to save him from his. The fates work in mysterious ways and thing's aren't always obvious.

"You can't keep tabs and instill fear into people if they're not close enough to feel your wrath." Radar butts in again, and it's not hard to see that when it comes to Juan Santo, Radar isn't completely loyal to his alpha. There's a hint of malice in that tone, definite sarcasm in what he said, and I glance to Colton to see if he reacts in any kind of way.

In fact, this whole conversation isn't all that friendly where Juan is concerned, and Colton isn't biting back in the way I expect. Outside, if anyone dared to offend his father, he would rip them a new one and leave their remains smeared across the mountain, so I'm a little surprised to find he lets them speak freely. I guess he respects them enough to let them be honest with their opinion, and nothing said is repeated outside of their circle of trust.

I'm envious for a moment, a longing of belonging I used to know well eating at me, and it pushes me to go sit in the corner on a stool by the bar. Listening, but not part of this as it's not my place, and they are not my pack. My opinions on this mean nothing.

"Whatever the reason… he wants us out tomorrow afternoon, driving to the other villages and changing minds." Colton gazes at the floor this time, that same twinge of jaw muscle and the color of his eyes glow a little amber for a second. A hint he isn't happy, his emotions in turmoil, as I feel them ebbing this way strongly and suddenly and it only takes a second to find out why.

"Is he really suggesting we apply force to families and children if they refuse to be rehomed?" It's Cesar who bursts out with it, outrage in his tone and almost accidently evicts Meadow from his lap with his aggressive thrust, who looks equally startled, adjusting her position with a frown at him

Colton remains silent and the room falls into matched hush as they take it in. I can feel and taste the confusion and disgust, but no one wants to be the first to say it. I gawp at him, not sure I heard that right, but looking from ashen face to ashen face, of a group of people who all know what he means, it dawns on me that's exactly what Juan wants.

He expects his sub packs to go and forcefully move people from their homes and into the valley floor on the south side. In the name of protecting them from attacks, but the motive is bringing them in and taking control. Refusal will not be tolerated, and I wonder what kind of punishment he plans to exact. Juan is a cold bastard of a man and this isn't even as low as I expect he'll go. Juan always intended to push his agenda and now he's using the attack as his excuse. He hungers for power and reign across the packs and has been biding his time for so long.

They won't be any safer camping in the valley than they will in their own villages under the guard of patrols and watchers. Setting up alarm systems and training all who can fight how to do so is a better use of their time. They can all work together to safeguard and improve security from their own homes. How are they going to care for and cater for the hundreds who live around the mountain skirt if they dump them all in the center of the valley on this side?

There are enough Santo's to successfully spread out and patrol the mountain every night after dark, the only time Vampires can come out. They can rest in the day. Raising an alarm is enough to get them there fast… the orphanage is proof that they can span miles in half the time of a human in a car, and if they had warning, they would move to get there in time. With patrols already out there, the people would have way more expectation of getting through it. It makes no sense to bring them here. Matteo is right; this is about control.

"What good is gathering us all in one place. Like Matteo said, they set off that machine and every one of us, corralled in the valley, will be rendered useless. No one will be able to turn or fight back. It's easier to massacre a race when we're all laid like fish in a bowl, and no one'll be free of its effects if the only area we patrol is the valley. I'm sure they can make bigger, or use multiple, to hit us all at once." Jesus is now on his feet pacing, agitated, and getting worked up by the second. I'm starting to feel the restless unease spreading through them all like a virus, as they mumble their agreeance and I keep looking to Colton to say something.

"This is pointless… you think I don't think the same and that I didn't try and reason with him? Nothing I said made a difference. It never does." Colton stands up, losing his temper, agitated too, and utterly drained. I can feel it coming off him intensely, and his eyes lock on mine again as he catches me across the room, ignoring Carmen throwing her own his way.

"Come on, Lorey. I need to show you to your new room. I'm too tired for this, and we all need to meet down at mess hall for dawn. Go to bed, you reprobates. Stop arguing with me because it's futile, and it's not my place to make you obey him. We need sleep."

I don't need to be asked twice. I jump up, suddenly a little too excited at being alone with him again and know it's because I've mentally taken another path and have a plan in place. One that hopefully involves those beefy arms around me and the sexy mouth on mine once again. I go to follow him as soon as he makes a move towards the door and almost gloat at the way Carmen's face crumbles.

"One of us could show her." She snaps bitterly, and he spins his head back, stares down at her with a blank expression and doesn't move a step further.

"Yeah you could… but that isn't what's happening. I want to do it." He shrugs with one shoulder, his tone icy cold and it seems to shut her up. Recoiling back as though she's been burned, and I can tell he's in no mood for more defiance or squabbling. Her eyes mist over with what I expect are fake tears, maybe not this time, and I really try hard to figure out what it is he ever saw in her. Carmen's a horrible person with a selfish spoiled attitude, and I really don't like her.

tone. Colton's ego's wounded, his pride dented, and as much as I don't want to believe he had any feelings for her after we imprinted, I can feel the hurt in him radiating outwards. He maybe doesn't love her anymore in the way he used to, but he cared enough that he thought he could salvage

walks past me on the way to the door, catching my hand in his as he does so, making me jump as I was too busy looking at her and leads me out

too late… go to bed. Hers or yours, either is optional and fine by me, Chicas." She laughs in that raunchy cheeky way she has when she's being brazenly sexual, echoing behind us as we leave the room, and

like we're children and tugs me closer so

the more aware of how truly drained he is. It's seeping from every pore and despite the smile and the playful behavior, I can feel his

it with a half-smile, one dimple on show and I shrug childishly, still not 'owning

clothes." I squirm as I try to unwedge the jeans from my

expects my usual rebuff, but instead I throw a smile back his way, swallow down the utter nerves and butterflies he's hitting me with and nod, in the way Meadow showed me. She gave me a crash course in simple flirting, while doing

like." I bite on my lower lip, not sure if I'm

imaginary piece of carpet, and coughs, to cover his clumsy response, immediately less confident, perplexed, and failing at Mr smooth, all in one fell swoop. Cocky but

expecting." He frowns, swallows a little obviously, and fixes his eyes ahead of us while he regains

couldn't tell, and I throw a one shouldered coquettish shrug, absolutely dying inside with how weird and fake this feels. I've never flirted or played games with boys. I never had any interest in doing

distance between us and the opposite of what I was going for as he points us up a flight

memorize the route so you can find it again." His tone is distant, his mood not exactly what I expected, and I sigh at the deflated mood that hits

the next floor. Every wall painted beige, dark wood floors, and potted plants dotted around prettily. They have even started replacing windows up here, and one newly glazed one is letting light shine through. Colton begins leading the way, his hand no longer in mine as he slides in front

and yet acts like a coy virgin who doesn't do well with girls at my first attempt of encouragement. I know for a fact he's not a virgin, and not inexperienced with girls, I have all his memories. He seems all too hyper focused on where we're going and no longer on my presence. His mood still weird and now he's making me feel the same way. Sort of sad, depressed, and a bit

this door on the right. This used to be Taryn's room, but she mated up and now lives with Franko, her mate on the third floor. Room's all yours." Colton steps in front of a large dark wood door, tucked into a tiny alcove in an airy part of the hall that widens out, using a keycard and motions for

save your print for future use. No card or key necessary." He throws me a courteous quick lipped smile, takes my wrist, lifts my hand, and holds it on the smooth black panel, pressing in digits as he does so and then yanks the card out before it flashes red and beeps. He lets my hand go quickly, as though he doesn't want to be here holding it anymore, and I can sense his urgency in wanting to leave. It brings me down with

somber as his mood, looking for something to engage him in conversation with, because I literally feel his intentions of sneaking away and leaving me to my new room, and it sucks. He's disconnecting form me, shutting me out and it's shredding my soul to pieces a sit

be among the rest of us, and part of this pack, seeing as he's trying to unite the mountain. Convinced him your showdown was under better control and wouldn't happen again." Colton

fact that I can sense he's being evasive and keeping things from

tonight has taken a toll on him. Whatever was said to

I sigh, desperate with a raw, pleading tone, letting

special gift. He wouldn't entertain the topic. Shut me down and bombarded me with his disappointment in my lack of putting my pack, and my responsibility, first." His crestfallen face and the surge of pain that hits me in the chest tells me his father's words wounded

no intimacy, or any kind of anything. He just steps back and holds it wide

need anything, then mind link me. There's food in your room, I had it put here before I came to the communal. Enjoy your dinner and get some rest. I'll come for you at dawn." It's empty and devoid

have I done?" I blurt it out like a needy sad Carmen type, and he pauses, frowns, stopping mid step and turns back at me with a very noticeable wince of pain flashing across his face. It kills some of the sterile stance and he seems to sag a

something changes, or that my marking her kills our bond." He's deflated, as broken as he's making me, looking so much younger and vulnerable than his years in this moment, and giving up so easily. My instinct is to get mad and yell at him, like I've done so many times already in our short acquaintance, but my plan of earlier pushes through, reminding me that he's lost and set afloat right now. He's in pain too, and struggling to navigate it as much as I am. So much weighing

need to bring him in and secure him to my harbor. Stop letting him pull all the ropes alone, stop expecting him to sail against the storm without direction, making all the moves. Don't push, even if my instinct is to feel disappointed in him and seethe with anger. I need to stop, breathe, and look at him another way. As someone who needs gentle coaxing and nurturing. He's stubborn, he's