by Zoey Harper
"Can I get water?" she asked.
Elvis smiled, then walked away. Tegan heard the sound of him ruffling in a bag before he returned and presented her with a water bottle.
Tegan drank greedily, and she instantly felt the nausea recede and a jolt of energy rush through her.
"Better," she said, her voice much stronger.
"Atta girl."
"Will you help me sit up?"
Elvis frowned, then shrugged. "I suppose there's not much more damage we can do now."
Tegan smiled, grateful to have him here. It wasn't right for Colton to be burdened with looking after her alone. He'd go crazy sitting around all day.
Once she was comfortable reclining at an angle, she took a deep breath.
"Where's Colton?"
"He went to the hotel for a shower. He'll be back soon."
Elvis took a seat and smiled at Tegan, but she didn't return the gesture. Colton hated morning showers. The only time he agreed to them was when sex was involved.
Elvis was covering for him, which meant that Colton was out there risking his life. That's why Elvis was here. His job was to feed Tegan lies so that she would remain calm.
Tegan scoffed. "You're lying to me. Colton hates morning showers. Where is he?"
Elvis sighed. "I told him you wouldn't buy it."
Tegan's heartbeat picked up, and she drew ragged breaths. "Is he okay?"
Elvis shot to his feet and stood by Tegan's side, before pointing a finger at her. "Don't you have a panic attack on me. We don't need any doctors or nurses coming in here until we get our story straight. Colton and I told them the same thing, so you need to get on the right page."
That news made Tegan's heart stutter, but it gradually slowed down. Elvis was right. If she allowed herself to panic, then the machines she was hooked up to would give her away. She couldn't cause Elvis or Colton more grief.
"Sorry," Tegan mumbled.
Elvis handed her the bottle of water once more, and she drank gratefully. The fact that Colton had asked Tegan to lie meant he was out doing something dangerous. Tegan had no idea what that was or how long she'd been out of it.
She felt disoriented, and it was playing right into the hands of her anxiety.
"It's okay," Elvis said, taking his seat once more, the water bottle in his hand. "You love him, and you're worried, but you don't need to be. Colton's smart. He can take care of himself."
Tegan shook her head. "That's the problem. He'd risk his life to do the right thing. He acts like he doesn't care about anyone but me, but he does. He wants to make things better for his clan, and I'm scared that Flynn will gather an army to take him down."
Elvis grinned. "Flynn's dead. So are his men."
"What?" Tegan's eyebrows shot up, and her mouth hung open. "How? When? Flynn was mid-shift when he pulled a gun on me. He should have flown away seconds after."
"Except he didn't. As soon as Colton heard that gunshot, he pounced on him and killed him. He did the same with the other two bodyguards. Just yesterday, he went to bury their bodies."
"Wait, how long have I been out?"
"A couple of days."
"So, where is he?"
Elvis shrugged. "Last I heard, he was making a move based on information he bought from some kid named Kylo. He said he was going to put an end to Patrick."
Tegan rested a hand against her upper chest. An ache had settled there, and she felt like her ribs were tightening, making it hard for her to breathe.
"Oh, God. Colton's going to take Patrick on."
Elvis cocked his head. "Why do you sound like you think that's a bad thing?"
"Because Patrick won't go down without a fight, and Colton will risk everything to take him down. I can't lose my mate, I just found him!"
"Colton is smart, and he's strong. I still don't like him for you, but even I have to admit that he'll fight to come back to you. Colton loves you too much to stay away.
"Heck, he even picked up the phone to ask me to come over. He did that for you. Oh, and by the way, I'm glad you're okay. Didn't get a chance to say that with you freaking out and all."
Tegan smiled. "Thanks for being here, Elvis. You didn't have to."
"I know. Besides, your mother would kill me if anything happened to you. You may be a grown woman, but in her eyes, you're still her baby."
"She's always been protective of me."
Elvis scoffed. "Of course, she's your mom. But if you want to see protective, you should have seen Colton before he left. That little antsy pants made me promise I wouldn't let the doctors give up on you if anything went wrong.
"I've known you longer than him, but he was acting like I didn't care for you. Of course, I wouldn't let the doctors give up on you. But once a man finds a mate, he starts acting like he's the only one that truly cares for her."
Warmth spread throughout Tegan's body. Colton hadn't just left her and gone after a lead. He'd called Elvis, then left him with explicit instructions to look after her. Even now, he was thinking of her.
"He's so sweet."
Elvis rolled his eyes "More like a nightmare. Colton's so extra."
Tegan chuckled. "When did you start using the word extra?"
"When I started eating lunch in the waiting room. The TV there seems stuck on a reality show. Those humans are pretty wild."
Tegan grinned. "Well, I'm glad your stay hasn't been entirely boring. You've found your inner teenage girl."
Elvis scowled. "You tell anyone I watch reality TV, and you and I are through."
"I promise I won't. I like watching it too sometimes. Even though it's scripted."
Elvis’ eyes bugged. "It's scripted?"
"Of course! How is it possible that the nemesis always walks in at the right time?"
"Wait a minute," Elvis said, scooting forward in his seat. "The last time Giselle and Kiera fought, Kiera just happened to walk into the same restaurant as Giselle on her anniversary night days later."
"Yep. Scripted."
Elvis shook his head, and his nostrils flared in disgust. "Thanks for ruining it for me."
Tegan struggled to hold back her laugh. "I didn't mean to. There's this other show that's a lot more real. It's called—"
The door to Tegan's private room opened, and Colton walked in, looking much the worse for wear. He had bags under his eyes, and he moved slowly, without any of the usual pep in his step. He didn't look like he'd been brawling, but he was very tired, all the same.
"Hey, there, gorgeous," Colton said, smiling as he bent down to hug Tegan.
She forced herself to wrap her arms around him, and her thigh protested as the motion caused her to twist her lower body. Tegan had all but forgotten about the wound, but it was quick to make itself known in Colton's presence.
"Where did you go?"
The sound of a chair scraping broke them apart. "I'll be outside," Elvis said. "Give you two a moment."
Tegan smiled as she waved at him. "Hope there's something interesting for you to watch."
Elvis glared at her and harrumphed. She was going to enjoy sharing a secret with the older shifter. But for now, she needed to check in on her mate.
"How are you feeling?" Colton asked, his eyes roaming up and down her body.
"Tired and a little sore. I've also got a headache."
Colton nodded. "Sounds about right. You had a mild concussion, and the doctors did have to dig a bullet out of your thigh. Everything you described is in line with the symptoms I Googled."
"So, you wanted to make sure I was okay, huh?"
Colton sneered. "I was doing my due diligence. I've seen those medical shows. Sometimes these doctors ignore the most basic things. I just wanted to know what was normal and what wasn't."
"That's sweet, Colton. I love you."
Colton inhaled before he lowered his head and kissed her. The kiss was light and sweet, and Tegan hummed in approval.
"I love you, too," Colton said, pulling away. He dragged the seat Elvis had previously
occupied closer to the bed. When he sat, he placed a hand on her arm and rubbed circles on it.
"I'm so sorry I messed up," Tegan whispered, her eyes beginning to water.
A lot had happened that she was and wasn't aware of, but one truth remained. She had messed up the entire mission by insisting on going off on her own.
If she'd been with Colton, Flynn and his men never would have laid a hand on her. Then, she wouldn't be in the hospital, probably racking up bills that neither Elvis nor Colton needed.
"Don't you dare apologize." Colton's blue eyes went extra icy. "Those assholes attacked my mate. They deserved to die. I'm just sorry I didn't get there faster. I knew I shouldn't have let you go off on your own."
"But I insisted." Tegan shook her head. "You couldn't have stopped me."
"I didn't try hard enough." Colton threw a hand up in the air. "I could have shoved you against the truck and eaten your pussy until you changed your mind."
Tegan's core clenched and she squeezed her eyes shut in pain as her hip jerked at the thought.
"No dirty talk. Not when I can't do anything about it."
Colton smirked. "So, I take it you've missed me."
Tegan whined. "Colton! Play nice!"
"Why should I? Your nipples have been poking through that flimsy gown ever since I walked in. You're teasing me, too."
Tegan exhaled. "Please. It's going to be a while for me. At least you can take care of yourself."
"I haven't, and I don't want to." Colton's face softened. "From now on, I want to share every good thing with you."
"Thank you. Now, answer my question. Where did you go?"
To Tegan's surprise, Colton grinned "It's a crazy story. You've got to hear it from the beginning."
Over the next ten minutes, Colton filled Tegan in on everything from his plans with Keith to his encounter with the alpha of the Black Banner Pack. By the time he was done, Tegan's eyebrows were glued up high.
"You're crazy, you know that?"
Colton laughed. "I had to do something to get Patrick off our backs, and it worked." Colton reached for her hand. "We can go home now, and not have to worry about him. Well, not right away, because the doctor said you had to stay here a few more days for observation once you woke up.
"But right after that, we can go to Elvis’ and when you're strong enough to travel, we'll go home. Imagine that, Tegan. You and me, in Bolsend. And a year or so from now, your mother and sister will join us."
Tegan took a deep savoring breath and sighed. Colton was the perfect man for her. Yes, he had flaws, but for some reason, she didn't see them as things that took away from him.
Every flaw added to the man that sat before her. A man who beamed about the fact that his in-laws would be moving in with them. What man did that?
Only mine. My Colton. My mate.
"I can't wait for us to go home."
"Say it again."
Tegan's smile dropped. "Say what?"
"Home. Say you want us to go home."
Tegan repeated the words and Colton rose to kiss her once more. "That means the world to me, you know. I don't want you to feel like you're being forced to move."
"Impossible. Home is where you are. I don't care how cheesy that sounds."
A knock on the door interrupted their moment, and Elvis poked his head in. "Doctor Gupta's started doing rounds. You’d better get the story straight."
"Can you stall him for a few minutes?" Colton asked. "I don't want to have another conversation with him. He's going to ruin my mood."
Elvis grinned. "It would be my pleasure."
Tegan frowned. "Why don't you like my doctor?"
"He's a snotty little know-it-all that has a god complex. Need I say more?"
Tegan chuckled. "No. I can see why you'd hate him."
"He's good, though. I heard he was some hot shot surgeon. So, I guess I don't entirely hate him."
Tegan nodded. "So, what's the story?"
"Oh!" Colton snapped his fingers. "Yes. The story is that you and I went to visit Elvis and were out for a stroll in the forest behind his home. Elvis was teaching a student to shoot, and we freakishly walked into his path. You hit your head when you fell."
"That's actually pretty well thought out. Elvis does train people at his home. But won't he get in trouble?"
"Nah. Elvis blamed it on a student and wouldn't divulge his name. The cops will ask you if you want to press charges. Just laugh it off, and everything will be fine."
Tegan nodded. "I'll try to sell it, but I don't think I can laugh. I'm feeling tired all of a sudden."
"I'll have Elvis in the room with you. He'll make sure they don't push you for answers."
Tegan nodded, and her eyes started to droop as Colton stroked her hair. Then her eyes flew open. "Wait. Why won't you be here with me? Where are you going?"
Colton grinned. "Sharp girl."
Tegan rolled her eyes. "I may be tired, and my mind may be a little foggy, but I'm not dumb."
"Of course not." Colton lifted her hand and kissed it. "I'm going back to Bolsend. Patrick wants his stash, so I have to keep up appearances until his brother comes for him. After that, I'll make sure the Red Claw Rising get out from under Ebon Wolf hands. I'll come back as soon as I can."
Tegan bit her lip. "What if Patrick's brother's late to take him away? What will you deliver?"
Colton smiled. "You are a little forgetful. I'll deliver the drugs Keith took to make the photo. Remember that? Patrick won't know it's already part of his stock."
Tegan tutted. "I can't believe Keith kidnapped someone."
"We'll pay the guy back once Patrick's out of the picture. Besides, no one would dare go up against the Gray Shade Clan."
"I guess you thought of everything."
"No," Colton said, stroking her hair again. "I reached out to people I trusted, and they helped me come through. It's been so much easier not carrying all the burden."
"I'm glad to hear that. You can't live stressed out and risk your life." Tegan felt her eyes droop. "You've got a mate now. I expect you to come back to me. Once I'm better, I'll help you, too."
"You already have," Colton said, his voice gentle.
Tegan felt her blanket settle over her, and she faded out of consciousness. Her final thoughts were of how she was going to build herself into a woman that would help Colton be the best alpha.
Tegan never wanted Colton to worry about her again. She'd have to learn to fight and even scheme to make sure that he'd never be embarrassed or undermined because he had a weak mate.
But Colton's never acted embarrassed. Not even when I flinch around male wolves. I guess he loves me for who I am.
With that thought, Tegan gave in to her body’s need for rest, knowing that the next time she saw Colton, he'd be there to take her to Elvis’, then home to Bolsend.
17
Colton parked his truck in his usual spot outside the garage and took a deep breath. It felt good to be home, but he couldn't truly savor the feeling.
After forty-eight hours of barely any sleep, Colton was running on nothing but cussedness.
He groaned as he stepped out of his truck, his back protesting every step of the way. The only thing that had kept Colton going was the thought that he'd be bringing Tegan home to Bolsend very soon.
Tegan still had a long recovery ahead of her if her lack of energy that morning was anything to go by. Colton wanted to make sure that everything was ready for her when she came home.
That meant getting Patrick off his back and finding a home for the two of them.
I'll also need money for furniture and all that good shit. I want Tegan to make our home up just the way she likes it.
Colton smiled tiredly, and he slowly walked along the parking lot to the backdoor entrance. His future with Tegan was a reality now. It was just a matter of waiting and preparing.
After Colton's meeting with Gavin Herron, a weight had lifted off his shoulders, and now, for the first time in his life, he da
red to dream of his future. Really dream.
Colton saw Tegan by his side with a couple of cubs. The Red Claw Rising would have their own territory, filled with all kinds of legitimate businesses. Their garage would only work on custom builds that brought in great money.
Colton sighed. "Just got to get through the next few years."
He pulled out his key from his back pocket and turned the lock. Colton jumped when he came face to face with a furious Damon. His second's dark blue eyes were bloodshot, and the bags under his eyes told of the same story:
Damon was overworked and angry.
"Where the hell have you been?" Damon demanded.
"Hello to you, too," Colton greeted, shutting the door behind him. He had no energy for a fight. The waves of anger emanating from Damon would have to go unanswered.
Colton tried to walk past his second, but Damon stepped into his path.
"No, Colton. You don't get to run away and ignore me. And I sure as hell won't let you get away with it, either!"
Colton growled as his bear scratched away at his insides, eager for a shift and a brawl. Damon was challenging his alpha. This kind of disrespect would have to be answered.
Colton threw his duffel bag on the ground. "You want to take this outside?" he yelled.
"Maybe I do," Damon said, taking a step closer. "You left me here to deal with everything by myself. We had at least a dozen mechanical problems, and you weren't there to give us advice. So, I had to call and pay another mechanic to come in.
"Then we had a wealthy human visit. It turns out Roger's been raving about the progress of our custom build. He wanted to place an order, but he would only talk to you. I tried to get you on the phone, but you wouldn't pick up. He walked out of here.
"Do you hear that, Colton? A hundred thousand dollars worth of business walked out of here because you were out there playing God knows what game with that knobhead, Patrick."
Colton felt what little energy his anger had sparked drain away. Damon had a right to be angry. Colton had neglected both him and his clan.
Colton had seen the missed calls and text messages, but he'd ignored them. Things with Flynn and Patrick had been on his mind. Then he and Tegan had gotten together. Colton hadn't wanted anything to infringe on those two important things.