The Mating Game - Chapter 7：6.

Colton’s POV

Electricity was dancing through my veins, my muscles, and especially my heart as the little blonde angel slept peacefully against my chest. I had waited so long to find her, and all the visions I had concocted of what my mate would be like did no justice to India.

She was beautiful. Her blonde hair hung down her back in cascading curls that I wanted to run my fingers through every morning for the rest of my life, her blue eyes bright with life. She had me smiling more in the past 24 hours I’d known her than I had in the past 3 years. Her body was tight, her hips giving her that hourglass figure that drove me wild. Her scent had my wolf in overdrive, the peaches and cream intoxicating aroma making my mouth water each time I inhaled, my wolf getting drunk on her. I knew she’d make a great luna the moment we rolled into pack lands. I still can’t wrap my mind around the fact that she bolted from the truck to save Kyle without even knowing him. She showed compassion in helping him, and it made our wolf proud.

I looked down at her sleeping form, her head nestled on my chest as her hair splayed around her, her leg draped unconsciously over me as if she were staking her claim in her sleep. My wolf was practically purring in content with finally having his mate here in his arms after waiting for so long.

It was partially my fault. In the beginning, I hadn’t wanted a mate. I didn’t go looking for her like I should have, and I never visited the other packs myself. I showed for our annual meeting in Washington, where all the packs would come together and discuss any issues and agreements that needed be, and then I would return to my pack, not to be bothered by anyone until next year. It had been like that since I’d inherited the Alpha title the day I turned 18.

I never would have dreamed that I would find India the way I did. I was running rounds, checking the perimeter that bordered Alpha Shelton’s pack.

I picked up her scent when I neared the clearing, stepping out of the brush as I saw the little auburn wolf, thinking she held the scent. When her lifeless, hate filled green eyes met mine I knew there was no mate bond. I would have turned and left then, but my wolf insisted we see what the she wolf was struggling to keep under the water.

I padded to the waters edge on the other side, looking curiously towards the she wolf when I noticed she was holding down a little golden wolf. Anger coursed through my wolf and he took over before I had a chance to realize what had happened.

He could feel her slipping away, giving up. He would not sit back and let his mate die. He charged the red wolf, slamming into her as she flew back into the cover of the woods. She did not give up as he would have assumed. She stalked towards him, her eyes trained on the wolf still struggling for air in the water. He pulled his lips back in warning, threatening her if she took another step towards his mate. She took the hint and darted off then, disappearing into the cover of the trees.

He looked down at his little mate then, her blue eyes dull and tired as she lay at the waters edge. He would have helped her to her feet, but he was too stunned and shocked to do anything. He had found her. After 5 years of praying to the goddess, he had his mate, the wolf who would complete him.

She had managed to drag herself out of the water before collapsing again, panting in the grass at the effort it took. He took the shirt fastened tightly to his back leg delicately into his teeth and laid it in front of her as he finally relinquished control back to me. I darted off into the woods as I felt her shifting and shifted quickly, the bones elongating and popping into place as I pulled the loose shorts on quickly. When I came out of the cover of the trees she was sitting up, my shirt swallowing her petite figure. She looked marvelous, until her eyes fluttered closed and she began to fall back towards the earth. I dashed out and caught her, pulling her up into my arms and against my chest as I headed towards Alpha Shelton’s pack, only bothering with being polite for her sake. I could have taken her the moment I’d found her, but stealing her chance to say goodbye to her family would have been cruel, and it would have threatened the ties and alliance I’d formed with the Shelton’s pack.

I was brought out of my flashback when my beta Eric entered my mind through the pack link. ‘Colton, rogue’s entering the territory from the north. You coming?’

‘Capture and contain Eric, I’ll meet you in the cell blocks for questioning. Link me if anything happens. I take it you can handle things without me this time?’ I linked back smugly, Eric knowing I’d finally found my mate.

‘Take your time Alpha, just know I wanna meet the little spitfire soon.’ He linked back before breaking off the connection.

I smiled down at India as she began to wake, yawning smally, her lips forming an adorable little ‘o’ as she rubbed her eyes, still fighting off the remains of her sleep.

“I would say good morning beautiful, but you’ve barely slept.” I whispered against her hair as she held me tighter, burying her face in my chest.

“I’m just not used to sharing a bed with anyone.” she blushed against me and I chuckled, our innocent little mate.

“Listen darling, I’ve gotta head to the cell blocks in a minute and tend to a few rogues. You can sleep until I get back.” I told her softly and she nodded, rolling over and clutching the pillow as she began drifting off to sleep once more.

I shook my head and climbed out of the bed easily and soundlessly, heading towards the door. As soon as it clicked I dashed down the stairs and out the door, locking it behind me for once and darted through the forest to the cell blocks.

I arrived just as Eric and Kurt, my delta, were coming back above ground in their human forms.

“How many?” I asked as I reached the door to the underground bunker.

“4 of them. Leader wants to talk to you.” Eric replied, Kurt nodding in agreement.

“Kurt, head toward the house, I’m on edge leaving India alone after I’ve just found her. Make sure no one goes near the place.” I ordered and he bowed his head in acknowledgment before shifting and hurrying in the direction I’d just come from.

“Man, she’s only been here a few hours and she’s already got you whipped.” Eric chuckled and I growled playful toward him.

“Just wait until you find your she wolf Eric. No more playboy days for you my friend.” he rolled his eyes at that as we masked our faces of emotion before heading down towards the rogues.

When we neared the cells I took in the situation. There were 4 rogues, two females and two males. One male and female were holding each other, looking older than the pair that followed their actions. They were two sets of mates. The older male noticed my presence then, feeling the aura the alpha gene gives off.

“Alpha.” he inclined his head and the other three did the same respectfully.

“Why were you trespassing onto pack lands?” I started, keeping my voice blank and void of emotion.

“We just wanted to pass through. I hadn’t known we had reached pack lands yet. We were to camp on the out skirts until dawn and then ask permission to pass through.” he stated honestly.

I nodded then, “I need you to state your names, it’s pack protocol to document every rogue that passes through.”

They looked panic stricken at that, hesitating to respond.

“My name is Ross Allen, this is my mate and wife Mary.” The older man stated as Eric typed it into the files we had prepared.

“My name is August Brock. This is my mate Callie Ison.” The younger male breathed, he was on edge and pale, his mate beside him shaking and clutching him as if her life depended on it.

“Callie Ison! As in the daughter of Alpha Ison who was kidnapped by rogues?” I growled towards him.

“It wasn’t like that. You misunderstand. Callie wasn’t kidnapped!” August pleaded with me as Callie cried into his chest.

“I’ve heard enough!” I growled. “Alpha Ison and his family have been an ally to this pack and my family for generations. I can not sit here while he mourns for his daughter knowing she is with you. I will send word of your arrival into my territory by morning. He will take care of this.”

I was full of anger then. I needed to shift. Frederick Ison was my fathers best friend and one of our greatest allies. He had fought many battles by our side. His son Trevor had taken over his pack just before Callie was kidnapped. The old man had grown sick with grief and sent word to every pack to locate her and bring her home immediately.

‘Alpha, the Luna is headed your way. I tried to stop her, but she uh, she tricked me.’ Kurt linked me and I shook my head. The last thing I needed was India running around here getting kidnapped.

As if on cue, delicate arms wrapped around my torso as she nuzzled her head against my back, my wolf calming instantly and purring back at the contact.

“I hear you slipped past Kurt.” I breathed to her and she giggled.

“He’s a terrible Luna guard.” she pulled back then and looked around at her surroundings, frowning when she noticed the rogues in the cell.

She started towards them as I pulled her back against me, afraid they would harm her if she got too close.

“Callie?” she breathed out as if she couldn’t believe it.

The little she wolf looked up through her chocolate brown eyes until they settled on India, a spark of hope soaring through them as she bolted up and to the cell gate as India slipped through my grip and met her, embracing through the bars before I could pull India back.

“What are you doing here?” India breathed out, frowning as she looked around at the cell they were in.

“We didn’t realize we were trespassing yet. The beta caught us and brought us in. Alpha Lithe is going to turn me over to my father at dawn, but he can’t India. They’ll kill August and the others.” She sobbed and India pulled away from me again, going to the comfort of the little she wolf.

“Why would Alpha Ison kill her mate? Wouldn’t he understand if she explained?” I asked her.

“Colton, they ran away because her father tried to make her reject August. He’s a rogue, she is an alphas daughter. He wouldn’t let them be together so she ran. She went on her own free will to be with August. She was never kidnapped.” India growled towards me, and my wolf whined in my mind, not liking the fact that we were making our mate angry.

“If you turn them in Alpha Ison will not hesitate to kill them.” India pleaded with me.

I ran my hands through my hair in frustration at the thought of betraying Alpha Ison. It went against every instinct I had to do this.

“Fine.” I sighed, fumbling with the keyboard as I erased the files we had made on them before pulling the key out of the desk drawer. “But they need to remain on pack premises. I don’t care if they stay in the woods or in a guest house on pack grounds, but they don’t need to leave. If another pack gets them, they will not show the mercy I am. Alpha Ison has every pack in the country on high alert for them.”

India nodded brightly as she pulled the keys from my grasp as she kissed my cheek happily, running back to the door and unlocking the cell before she hugged Callie tightly.

“I’m so glad I get to see you again. Were you going back to Alpha Shelton?” India breathed and August answered.

“We were. Your pack showed us mercy when others would not. We were going to ask to join. We’re tired of running. The Shelton’s were good to us.”

India nodded brightly, “I’m sure when things blow over you’ll be able to head over. Ty should take the title soon. He’ll be a great alpha.”

My wolf growled at the praise she gave Alpha Shelton’s son, but I kept him at bay.

“I take it you two weren’t mates after all?” Callie raised an eyebrow and India sighed, the two of them caught in their own world of catching up.

“I think I knew all along he wasn’t, but I was closer to him than anyone else. I wanted to believe we were for so long, but deep down I knew. I’m happy here though. I’m glad the goddess gave me Colt. He saved me.” She smiled as they exited the cell and unconsciously moved closer to me as I draped a hand across her hip and pulled her against me.

As much as I hated the way she talked of Ty, I couldn’t help but smile at her thanking the goddess for me.

I walked out of the bunker with India by my side as she told Callie and Mary the story of how I came to find her, the purr of electricity flowing through us easily.

“I never liked Jessica. She’s such a witch.” Callie commented sourly as August chuckled.

“I just hope Alpha Shelton finds her soon. She needs help bad.” India sighed, leaning into my side as we headed towards the gravel road that lead to town.

Kurt met us then, taking the group of rogues to their new home as I pulled India back up to the house with me, ready to curl up next to my mate and finally get some much needed sleep.