Three.
Then he came here to this famous resort, built by some strange hybrid creature sonthey say, to offer safety to all apparently. He only came because he was forced by his beta and gamma to take a break for a week. Then he arrived and her scent hit him from all angles. It smelled like paradise here, because it smelled like her.
How he kept his preoccupation hidden from his two friends even he isn't sure. But he had to lay eyes on her first, and then they went for dinner in the bar.
She walked in while he was eating his spicy chicken fajitas, and straight behind the bar not even giving him a second glance. He almost choked when it happened but blamed the spices. It was infuriating, but he quickly got over it when he realised he had the one opportunity almost all mates dont have. He could just watch her. Without her knowledge of his existence.
So he now sat in silence watching her move gracefully behind the bar, as she chatted happily with all the customers and sang along to the loud music. She was enchanting to him. In his peripheral view point he was aware that Marcus and Zachary his companions had disappeared to play pool elsewhere in the bar.
He sipped his drink and that's when it happened, to his horror and astonishment she was laughing along playfully with the lion behind the bar. What's worse his nose would have to be plugged with vapour rub to not smell the shifter's attraction to his mate. HIS MATE!!
Then his vision went fully red though, when the lion wrapped his filthy arms around her. He stood abruptly as they parted and heard his mate make a comment about leaving him. Which thankfully stopped his wolf from making an appearance in the bar and getting him banned from the resort before he even had knowledge of his temptress' name.
"Well, I for one think that's a great idea." he interrupted them growling. "Step away from the cat little mate. You belong to me." he added then inwardly cringed at his own caveman esq comment.
Colt felt like she had just been drenched with a bucked of ice water, and as half cat, that is not a pleasant experience. The stranger never broke his commanding eye contact as he approached the bar waiting for her to turn her face as he quite obviously tried to ascert his dominance over her.
But for Colt this was an insult she may only be half wolf but her father was a beta, and raised her to not take shit from anyone, no matter how important their piercing eyes, evidently chiselled good looks made them think they were, a challenge was a challenge.
As he got to the bar their eyes were still locked on one another as the other few wolves in the vicinity started to whisper about what was going on. Colt was obviously glaring at him now, while he oblivious to it all and just basking in her attention, leant over the bar and chimed out, "Collect your things, your shift is over now. I'm taking you home little one."
The jukebox finished playing precisely at the moment Colt lost her senses and for the second time today broke her no violence rule and punched Mr. Handsome square in the right eye, causing him to stagger back, mostly from shock. His mate just attacked him.
There was a dead silence as Colt looked him in the eyes with disgust. Her head held high she said "I am no man's mate Mr
Lupus, least of all yours."
His eyes shot up at her formal use of his name with confusion, masking his hurt momentarily at her rejection.
"Yes, your reputation preceeds you. The most powerful alpha in the country. But here, you are just another customer, and if you ever so much as look at me in that condescending "little one" manner again, you will be escorted off my property before you have the chance to blink." she spoke with absolute authority. "And I will stand where and next to whonever I damn well please. Do you understand me?" she asked, demanding a response.
In his head his wolf was whimpering, this had never happened before. It wasnt so much her tearing him down, although even he could feel her power over him in that moment, wait she said it was her property, does this mean the resort is hers? he wondered as he consoled his wolf over his mate's anger and actions towards him, with words of soon and we can be patient a bit longer, we have at least found her now.
He straightened up and Colt felt like she had been stabbed in the gut when he looked at her then. She had prided herself on never causing undue hurt or pain to anyone. She only ever condoned violence as a method of self defense, and although in that moment she had felt uneasy, she knew deep down she was in no danger. But the look of pain in Elijah's eyes would haunt her dreams.
Crap, what should she do now. He was just standing looking at her, all presumption gone.
"Boss, I think I can manage the rest of the night now if you want to finish that paperwork you love so much now." Felix chimed in, throwing her a lifeline. It was moments like these she was reminded just how glad she was to have him on her side.
"That would be great, thanks." she said turning and smiling genuinely at him before heading put through the back to head to her office.
Elijah was torn now, because seeing the smile the cat just got from his mate made him want to howl and rip out the lion's throat, but that smile suggests they were friends and he is pretty sure he would lose her forever if he so much as tried. So instead he grunted out an order for some whisky and asked for an ice pack. Damn she had one helluva right hook, he inwardly smirked as Felix passed him a drink and a towel with some ice. Why did he think that the lion was looking at him with pity in his golden eyes.