Bound To You

Chapter 24

Pretty long chapter to make up for all the feelz in the previous chapters :]

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"Colton, I can't do this anymore. I'm rejecting you." I said strongly, standing straighter than usual.

I huffed out, shaking my head at my reflection in the mirror.

"Too blunt." I muttered, shaking my arms. "Ok. Again." I said, breathing in and out. "I don't think it's gonna work. I'm sorry." I sighed in frustration, pushing the the brush off the counter.

I growled slightly, kicking the door.

"Why can't I do this?" I shouted, sitting on the edge of the bathtub, feeling extremely defeated.

'It's because you can't. You won't leave him.' My subconscious said to me.

'I will. I have to.'

I ignored the fact that I was having a mental debate with myself.

'Why? Why are you so desperate to leave him?' She pushed.

"Because I don't want to be hurt again!" I yelled out loud, my eyes watering. "I can't leave you." I said to my phone, which presented a photo of Colton and I together, our eyes crossed over and our tongues poked out in a goofy smile.

I let the tears fall softly down my cheeks as I closed my eyes, emotions fluttering through me like a waterfall.

"Indie..." I snapped my head up to the door, where Colton stood, standing slightly behind the door of the bathroom.

"I..." I trailed off, standing abruptly and wiping the tears away from my cheeks furiously. Uh...hey, hi...hey." I stuttered, rubbing my arm nervously.

"Indie, I heard you." He said softly. I looked down at my hands guiltily, shaking my head softly.

His soft, caring voice made my chest clench painfully.

He shouldn't be like this. He shouldn't be this nice to me if he knows what I'm about to do.

"You should be mad." I said quietly. "Why aren't you mad?" 

"Because." He said, taking a step inside the bathroom. He pushed the door closed softly, taking one more step towards me. "You're my mate. I shouldn't be mad at you for anything."

I looked down again at my hands, feeling a swell inside my chest.

I felt so guilty right now. He did nothing wrong, it was just his wolf.

He was just being protective.

"Go, do it." He said, standing a little straighter. "I won't get mad." I shook my head. "Indie, if this is what you want, do it."

I knew he was hurt. I knew it pained him to tell me to reject him.

I shook my head again, feeling a new batch of tears at the barrier of my eye. "I can't." I said, my voice wavering from the sadness I felt. "I can't do that to you."

"But you want to. You want to do this, right?" He asked, taking a slight step toward me. I shook my head, sinking down to the floor, and resting my back against the bathtub.

"I...I don't want to. I never wanted to leave you. But, if I don't I-"

"You're scared of getting hurt again." He finished for me, sitting down next to me against the bathtub, but leaving enough space between us.

I guess I appreciated the gesture, since I needed room to think, but it hurt.

I wanted him to be near me, to touch me and hug me, tell me everything between us will be fine.

But it won't be. It can't.

"I don't want to get hurt again." I said quietly. "But if I do this, I'm hurting you. And I won't be able to see you like that."

"Indie, all I want to do right now is apologize. Honestly, I was way out of line to say all those things."

"But that's the thing. It wasn't you, it was him." Colton stayed quiet as he observed me. "I'm not scared of you hurting me Colton." I said, looking up at him. "I know you won't hurt me. You've reminded me so many times. It's the fear of that happening again."

"I won't let him in control ever again." He said firmly. He looked into my eyes, determination in his voice. "I love you. And the thought of him doing that to you angers me to no end. Trust me, I've had a long talk with him."

The corner of my mouth lifted slightly.

"But I want you to be happy." He continued. "Forget about hurting me, forget about everyone else. Do what you want to do; what you need to do." I looked down at my hands, shaking my head softly.

"I don't want to leave you. I'm not going to." I said.

"Indie-" Colton tried.

"No. I don't care what happens, I don't want to leave you. I don't care if it's a bad decision, or it isn't logical or whatever. I don't care. I don't want to leave, and I'm not going to." He stayed silent after my slight rant, observing me carefully. "Colton, I thought I wanted this; needed this. But I don't. If I leave, then neither of us will be the same. We're fully mated, so is it even possible to reject you now?" I asked.

Colton nodded slightly. "I think there is a way, I don't know." He said.

"Let's keep it that way then. Keep it unknown, and just continue with this." I gestured between us. "With us. It may take a while for me to fully forgive you, but we'll get there eventually."

He nodded softly, staring at my hands that were shaking slightly.

"Colton, I-" I began, but was immediately cut off by the loud bomb-like sound that emanated through the house.

I snapped my head to the door, then back to Colton, who was already on his feet. I scrambled up, quickly moving to his side.

"Colton, what's happening?" I asked, feeling my heart beat increase as I clutched his side.

"They're here." He growled, keeping an arm around me.

"Who?" I asked, my face paling.

I knew who they were. Oh how I knew.

"Derek." He hissed, opening the door to the bathroom, an arm still around me protectively. "Hang on." He said, lifting me up as he held me on his back.

He ran quickly through our room, then down the stairs in a rush. Vincent was already in front of the door, leading Whitney out.

"Go to the pack village. Warn them about the invasion, tell them what's happening." He said to Vance and Hunter, who quickly nodded and ran outside, heading straight to the right of the forrest, where the other members of Colton's pack stayed.

"We need to get them out of here." Vincent said, his arm around Whitney protectively.

"I can fight." Whitney tried.

"Whitney I know you can, but this is too dangerous." Colton said, his voice ringing finality.

I clung on to him like a Koala, scared of letting go. He quickly put me down, and grabbed a firm grip of my hand.

"Whatever you do, don't let go." He told me, squeezing my hand comfortingly. I nodded, my heart beating rapidly as I ran after him.

"Please." A voice rung loudly causing Colton and I to halt in our steps. "I mean you no harm." I snapped my head to the left, where Derek was standing, his arms behind his back as he took slow steps toward us.

"Indie, get back." Colton said to me, bringing me behind him. Derek chuckled, shaking his head.

"You'd risk your life for your mate? How courageous of you." He glanced at me, his smile widening the smallest bit. "How do you do?" He asked, nodding his head slightly downward.

I stayed silent, trying to void all emotions from me.

Yeah, I don't think I was doing very well.

"Colton, I suggest you move out of the way." Derek sighed, taking more steps toward us.

"Alpha." Colton growled, reaching his hand behind him and latching it onto my wrist firmly, but not so much so it hurt.

"No formality needed." Derek dismissed Colton with a wave of his hand, turning his body so he was heading toward me more. "Now, move." He said again, making eye contact with me.

"You honestly think I'm going to move? Without a fight?" Colton asked in a growl, his voice incredulous.

"I wouldn't expect anything less." He said with his sick sadistic smile.

"What do you want?" I asked in exasperation, gripping Colton's arm for dear life.

Derek looked at me again, like he was slightly surprised that I had spoken. "You." He said simply.

"Why?" I asked, moving ever so slightly toward Colton. "Why do you want me?"

"Don't flatter yourself, darl'. It's not me that wants you." He said in a bored tone, leaning against the wall of the porch.

"Who?" I pushed.

Derek smirked, itching his eyebrow. "Quite the inquirer, aren't we?" He chuckled, pushing himself off the wall. "Unfortunately for you, I'm not permitted to say."

"You're not permitted to say who wants me killed?" I asked, my grip on Colton tightening.

He clicked his tongue, shaking his head. "He doesn't want you killed." He paused, acting like he was thinking about it. "Yet." He added.

"Oh my god." I whispered, moving directly behind Colton so Derek wasn't in my line of vision.

"You're not getting anywhere near her." Colton growled, sensing my worry and terror.

"I figured as much." Derek sighed in mock disappointment. "That's why we'll take you both."

Before I could even muster a squeak of sound, Derek had lunged for Colton. Colton pushed me further behind him while he fought off Derek.

I watched in terror as Derek and Colton both rained punches on each other.

"C'mon, what are you waiting for? Shift." Derek said loudly, smirking as he provoked Colton further. "You'll lose either way." He said.

Oh hell no.

My breathing became ragged as I stared at Derek with a full blown glare on my face.

I don't know what it was; but something had ticked me off. Maybe Derek doubting my mate, I don't know.

"What. Did. You. Say?" I said through clenched teeth, getting hold of the wooden plank that was leaning against one of the poles on the porch.

"He'll lose either way." Derek panted, his fists clenched as Colton held his neck and pushed him against the wall. He still had a slight smirk on his face.

Colton looked at me.

Then he looked at the plank in my hand.

Then back to me.

And cue smirk.

"Derek dearest, I don't think you know who I am." I said, a new found confidence in me as I walked slowly toward him. "I have a brother. A kick boxing champion as a brother, I should say." I began, swinging the plank back and forth. "My dad abandoned me, which admittedly hurt, but I got over it, and grew stronger." I stopped walking, watching Derek eye the plank in my hand. "And I have an Alpha as a mate."

I swung the plank toward Derek's torso, knowing it wouldn't hurt him as much as it would to a human, but would do some type of damage.

I took Derek's wince as a victory.

"You come here, all high and mighty and thinking you're in control." I said, swinging the plank by my side once again. "That's where you went wrong. You may be a sick, twisted, deranged psycho, but I can be worse." I dropped the plank, turning back to stare at Derek. "Who wants me?" I asked.

Derek stayed silent, eyeing me up with his trademark sadistic smile plastered on his face.

"Dunno." He shrugged with one shoulder. Colton's grip on his neck tightened. Again, he stayed silent, not uttering a single word of what I wanted to hear.

Colton let go of his neck, and landed a punch to his jaw. I winced slightly, rubbing my own.

That had to hurt, wolf or not.

"You really like to make life difficult for yourself." I muttered, shaking my head as I saw a few of Derek's men surround us.

I had seen them before, standing at a great distance when Derek had showed up.

Derek turned to look at them, before turning to me. He smiled, his teeth bloodied from the blow he had received from Colton.

He spat out the blood, his eyes meeting mine again. "Fine." He said, spitting once more. "You wanna know who wants you?"

"No, I don't want to know at all." I said sarcastically.

Derek raised an eyebrow, as if he was expecting a different answer.

"Yes I want to know, you moron!" I said incredulously.

"Answer something for me." He said, watching as Colton moved closer to me. "Whoever said that life would be easy?"

My face paled as Derek's smile widened a fraction. I opened my mouth, trying to muster some type of sound, but coming up with nothing.

"Indie? What's wrong?" Colton asked.

"I-I." I tried, shaking my head as my eyes held Derek's. He chuckled lowly, nodding as he moved his hands behind his back.

"Yes, I thought so." I couldn't move. I couldn't make a sound, I couldn't do anything.

All I could think about was that night.

"Eddie, why don't you suck a fart?" I said, pushing his chest as he laughed.

"Oh c'mon, you can't deny my love! Don't deny me, Indie. You can't say no to this." He wiggled his eyebrows, lifting his shirt to reveal his chiseled chest.

"Oh, what I would do if you weren't gay." I sighed in mock sadness, grinning after Eddie let out a hearty laugh.

"I know, I'm just-" 

"Indie!" I sighed, laying down on my bed and rolling off as I pulled the door of my bedroom open.

"How may I be of service?" I called back out to my mom.

I waited a few moments, before I heard some thumping up the stairs. Mom came shuffling hastily towards me, a look of worry on her face.

"Honey..." She trailed off, her eyes flickering to Eddie. "Indie, your father's here." I glared, my face suddenly stony.

"No." I said, stepping back into my room and sitting next to Eddie. She followed after me, a sigh escaping her lips.

"Eddie dear, do you mind?" Mom asked Eddie with a small smile, though worry wrinkles still appeared on her forehead.

"Uh...sure. I'll just be...in the kitchen." He rolled off the bed like I had earlier, and ruffled my hair. "Call me if you need, chicken." He gave me a quick kiss on my forehead, and bounced out of the room.

Mom sighed, turning to face me. She had a small smile on her face.

Eddie could do that. She's very fond of him, and ever since I could remember, she had treated him like her own.

Though her motherly instincts toward him grew when Leon moved out.

"My answer is still no." I said, crossing my arms defiantly. She sighed, the smile slipping off her face.

"He just wants to talk to you." 

"No! Mom, are you forgetting what he did to you? To us?" I stood up, shaking my head. "How can you be so calm about this? Why aren't you kicking him out?" I asked incredulously.

"The court order says-" I cut her off.

"Screw the court order! He's the one who left, and I highly doubt he cares about me." Mom sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose.

"Could you just please come down stairs?" She asked, her voice defeated.

I sighed, scratching my forehead in frustration. 

"Fine." I grumbled, stomping towards the door. I took my time walking down the hall, and towards the staircase, slowing purposely so I could 'admire' the work of arts that were plastered all over the walls.

I paused at the top of the stair case, noticing my 'father' sitting on the couch, waiting.

"What do you want?" I asked in a bored tone, stomping down the steps loudly, knowing very well that it would irk him.

He frowned at my feet, before looking up into my eyes.

"Hi to you too." He said sarcastically.

"You don't deserve a hi from me." I said coldly. "And whatever you want, make it snappy. Eddie's over and we plan on doing something productive with our lives."

"Well, that's a change. Being productive?" He asked. I glared at him.

"What do you want?" I said in an icy cold tone.

"Just wanted to see how you were doing. You are my daughter after all." He said, and if I wasn't mistaken, I could hear the slightest bit of sadness in his tone.

Ha! Nice joke ears.

"You haven't cared about me ever since you left us for that whore. Why the sudden change of heart? If you even have one." I said confidently.

This was how our usual 'catching up' meetings would go.

It's sad though, come to think of it. We used to be so close.

Key words: used to.

"Look, Indie. What happened is in the past."

"Not for me." I interrupted.

"What I wanted to say, is-" I interrupted him again.

"You're gay? You're gay, right? And Veronica is a he, not a she. It all makes sense." I trailed off, trying not to smirk at the agitated look on his face.

"Indigo!" He snapped. I scoffed, rolling my eyes.

"Please. You think the full name is gonna work with you?" I asked, raising my pierced eyebrow.

It seems it was only now that he noticed it, for he glared menacingly at it.

"It used to." He said through clenched teeth.

"Yeah, that was when you gave a damn." I said, glancing at Eddie, who was slowly emerging from the kitchen, a handful of food in his arms.

He paused, his eyes moving from daddy dearest, to me, to my mom - who was face palming - then back to me.

"Sorry, am I interrupting something?" He said slowly, making his way toward me.

"No." I said, smiling. "In fact, you can stay here. Watch my corrupted family problems." I looked back at my 'dad', who was sighing.

"Veronica-" He tried, but once again, I interrupted.

"The tranny?" I asked.

He glared. "We're getting married." I nodded, pretending to be interested.

"And you're telling me this because...?" I trailed off, moving my hands around in order to get him speaking.

"I don't have any family attending, and I'd like at least one person there." I raised an expectant eyebrow. "Do you really expect me to bring Leon?" He asked.

"I think he'd rather chop his balls off." I said bluntly, shrugging.

"Indie!" My mom gasped, giving me a disapproving look. I rolled my eyes.

"And if I had balls, I would rather chop them off than attend you and your tranny's wedding." With that last sentence, I grabbed Eddie's arm, and pushed him up the stairs.

I heard sighs, most likely from mom and 'dad'.

"You know what's disappointing? That I actually thought you would care." I paused at my dad's words, my foot resting on the next step.

I glared, turning around quickly.

"I stopped caring when you did." I said lowly.

"That's the thing." He said. "I never stopped caring."

"Well you sure as hell didn't show it." I spat.

I was too angry to care now. Did he come here and expect me to accept his offer? To attend his wedding with that gold digging hoe who ruined our lives?

"And another thing." I said. "Life around here became much easier when you left." I glared whole heartedly, my fists clenched.

Eddie had his hand on my shoulder, whispering calming words.

"Just remember one thing, Dee." He said. I was momentarily shocked out of words as he used the pet name he and Leon had made for me when I was younger.

He walked towards the door, and stopped just as he opened it. He looked back at me, a strange glint of emotion in his eyes.

"Whoever said that life would be easy?"

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COLTON AND INDIE AREN'T BREAKING UP! WOOH!

C'mon guys, did you really think I would do that? After all we've been through; mushrooms, insults, sucking farts... Did you think I would break them up? They're too perfect for each other :]

So, PLEASE tell me what you guys thought by commenting. The best part out of this whole experience is the results, which are the reads, votes and comments. As said before multiple times, they make my day:)

VOTE, COMMENT, FOLLOW, INBOX IF YOU WANT. GO TO WALMART IN HOPES OF BEING KIDNAPPED BY SOMEONE AS AMAZING AS COLTON.

Lub ya lovelies.

Stay awesome! -Sabrinaa