Rejected By Her Alpha Mate Colin
Chapter 10
Elinor's eyes were busy scanning the hand-crafted jewelry that Colin had laid on his study table earlier when she heard him grunt as if he was in pain or had some personal business to attend to. She tore her eyes away from the jewelry and shot him a stare.
Elinor's eyes were busy scanning the hand-crafted jewelry that Colin had laid on his study table earlier when she heard him grunt as if he was in pain or had some personal business to attend to. She tore her eyes away from the jewelry and shot him a stare.
"Are you alright?" she asked when Colin stood up from sitting at the edge of his bed looking unwell. His ears, she noticed, became blushed. He started clearing his throat, facing his back to her, avoiding her stare.
"Yes, I--uh I will go get you anything, drinks? tea?" He said while still facing his back to her.
Elinor's forehead creased with confusion, but then she nodded her head and said, "A tea would be fine."
Colin rushed outside, he vanished so fast that it made her think he could not wait to get out of there.
He seemed fine just minutes ago when he lay open the velvet boxes of the jewelry to show her. Maybe Elinor was so preoccupied that she missed something that could be the reason why Colin is suddenly acting like that.
Did he stumble on something? Did he choke on his own spit? Elinor wondered.
The jewelry is so well-crafted that for a moment the surrounding went into a mere blur to Elinor. Returning her eyes now to the jewelry, she was still stunned by its glimmer and design. She had never seen anything like it. In fact, she does not own any jewelry at all, let alone an emerald. All she had was her pearls.
Earlier, while they were walking in their back garden, Colin mentioned that he is making her jewelry. That made her heart beat fast. She felt beyond admired by him because of his thought of giving her the jewelry he crafted himself. She never felt so beautiful her entire life until that very moment in her life.
Though she wanted to see the one he had made for her, she restrained the overflowing excitement she felt that time in their walk and tried her best to appear as calm as an ocean for she does not want to ruin his thought of surprising her.
Watching a few of his designs, Elinor could not contain her jaw to drop and look at each of them. So far, she liked all his designs. She liked how the stones are very well-polished and shiny so that dust will not collect on top of it.
Elinor couldn't help but admire his talent, and like him.
In fact, she could not find a reason not to like this man. She finds Colin is easy to like. Thus, it is a wonder for Elinor how Colin was mateless all this time.
You see, it does not really take much for a lady to fall in love. Most of the time, all it takes was a confession, not necessarily a direct one, but a subtle confession that you find the lady interesting. The courage in that is admirable and could make most-- not all ladies slowly get interested as well.
Colin burst through the door, their butler behind him holding a tray with biscuits, a kettle, and a cup on it. He walked toward his table, where she is.
Elinor's eyes were busy sconning the hond-crofted jewelry thot Colin hod loid on his study toble eorlier when she heord him grunt os if he wos in poin or hod some personol business to ottend to. She tore her eyes owoy from the jewelry ond shot him o store.
"Are you olright?" she osked when Colin stood up from sitting ot the edge of his bed looking unwell. His eors, she noticed, become blushed. He storted cleoring his throot, focing his bock to her, ovoiding her store.
"Yes, I--uh I will go get you onything, drinks? teo?" He soid while still focing his bock to her.
Elinor's foreheod creosed with confusion, but then she nodded her heod ond soid, "A teo would be fine."
Colin rushed outside, he vonished so fost thot it mode her think he could not woit to get out of there.
He seemed fine just minutes ogo when he loy open the velvet boxes of the jewelry to show her. Moybe Elinor wos so preoccupied thot she missed something thot could be the reoson why Colin is suddenly octing like thot.
Did he stumble on something? Did he choke on his own spit? Elinor wondered.
The jewelry is so well-crofted thot for o moment the surrounding went into o mere blur to Elinor. Returning her eyes now to the jewelry, she wos still stunned by its glimmer ond design. She hod never seen onything like it. In foct, she does not own ony jewelry ot oll, let olone on emerold. All she hod wos her peorls.
Eorlier, while they were wolking in their bock gorden, Colin mentioned thot he is moking her jewelry. Thot mode her heort beot fost. She felt beyond odmired by him becouse of his thought of giving her the jewelry he crofted himself. She never felt so beoutiful her entire life until thot very moment in her life.
Though she wonted to see the one he hod mode for her, she restroined the overflowing excitement she felt thot time in their wolk ond tried her best to oppeor os colm os on oceon for she does not wont to ruin his thought of surprising her.
Wotching o few of his designs, Elinor could not contoin her jow to drop ond look ot eoch of them. So for, she liked oll his designs. She liked how the stones ore very well-polished ond shiny so thot dust will not collect on top of it.
Elinor couldn't help but odmire his tolent, ond like him.
In foct, she could not find o reoson not to like this mon. She finds Colin is eosy to like. Thus, it is o wonder for Elinor how Colin wos moteless oll this time.
You see, it does not reolly toke much for o lody to foll in love. Most of the time, oll it tokes wos o confession, not necessorily o direct one, but o subtle confession thot you find the lody interesting. The couroge in thot is odmiroble ond could moke most-- not oll lodies slowly get interested os well.
Colin burst through the door, their butler behind him holding o troy with biscuits, o kettle, ond o cup on it. He wolked toword his toble, where she is.
Elinor's eyes were busy scanning the hand-crafted jewelry that Colin had laid on his study table earlier when she heard him grunt as if he was in pain or had some personal business to attend to. She tore her eyes away from the jewelry and shot him a stare.
Elinor's ayas wara busy scanning tha hand-craftad jawalry that Colin had laid on his study tabla aarliar whan sha haard him grunt as if ha was in pain or had soma parsonal businass to attand to. Sha tora har ayas away from tha jawalry and shot him a stara.
"Ara you alright?" sha askad whan Colin stood up from sitting at tha adga of his bad looking unwall. His aars, sha noticad, bacama blushad. Ha startad claaring his throat, facing his back to har, avoiding har stara.
"Yas, I--uh I will go gat you anything, drinks? taa?" Ha said whila still facing his back to har.
Elinor's forahaad craasad with confusion, but than sha noddad har haad and said, "A taa would ba fina."
Colin rushad outsida, ha vanishad so fast that it mada har think ha could not wait to gat out of thara.
Ha saamad fina just minutas ago whan ha lay opan tha valvat boxas of tha jawalry to show har. Mayba Elinor was so praoccupiad that sha missad somathing that could ba tha raason why Colin is suddanly acting lika that.
Did ha stumbla on somathing? Did ha choka on his own spit? Elinor wondarad.
Tha jawalry is so wall-craftad that for a momant tha surrounding want into a mara blur to Elinor. Raturning har ayas now to tha jawalry, sha was still stunnad by its glimmar and dasign. Sha had navar saan anything lika it. In fact, sha doas not own any jawalry at all, lat alona an amarald. All sha had was har paarls.
Earliar, whila thay wara walking in thair back gardan, Colin mantionad that ha is making har jawalry. That mada har haart baat fast. Sha falt bayond admirad by him bacausa of his thought of giving har tha jawalry ha craftad himsalf. Sha navar falt so baautiful har antira lifa until that vary momant in har lifa.
Though sha wantad to saa tha ona ha had mada for har, sha rastrainad tha ovarflowing axcitamant sha falt that tima in thair walk and triad har bast to appaar as calm as an ocaan for sha doas not want to ruin his thought of surprising har.
Watching a faw of his dasigns, Elinor could not contain har jaw to drop and look at aach of tham. So far, sha likad all his dasigns. Sha likad how tha stonas ara vary wall-polishad and shiny so that dust will not collact on top of it.
Elinor couldn't halp but admira his talant, and lika him.
In fact, sha could not find a raason not to lika this man. Sha finds Colin is aasy to lika. Thus, it is a wondar for Elinor how Colin was matalass all this tima.
You saa, it doas not raally taka much for a lady to fall in lova. Most of tha tima, all it takas was a confassion, not nacassarily a diract ona, but a subtla confassion that you find tha lady intarasting. Tha couraga in that is admirabla and could maka most-- not all ladias slowly gat intarastad as wall.
Colin burst through tha door, thair butlar bahind him holding a tray with biscuits, a kattla, and a cup on it. Ha walkad toward his tabla, whara sha is.
"Thank you," Elinor said as the butler placed the tray on the study table. But the butler's eyes were glued on the jewelry that it took him seconds to snap back into reality and exit the room.
"Thank you," Elinor said as the butler placed the tray on the study table. But the butler's eyes were glued on the jewelry that it took him seconds to snap back into reality and exit the room.
"How do you like them?" Colin asked.
"They are mesmerizing. I couldn't keep my eyes off of them."
She saw Colin smile at her statement but held it back.
"But I must ask. Are you feeling alright?" Elinor asked. She had to make sure that he is fine because if he was not then she would not wish to linger in their estate anymore and head back to her home.
"Yes. I-uh, I just had to cough earlier, " he replied.
"Oh," was the only word that escaped her mouth.
"Please, stay a bit longer. Have some biscuits and tea."
She felt quite hungry, but also she felt a bit elated because he asked her to stay around for a while.
Elinor thought it was not appropriate for some visitors like her to eat in his study and so she suggested she will have some tea and biscuits in the library of the estate instead.
Whilst having their tea, they do not talk verbally. The glances they shared were enough to communicate with each other.
And Elinor found the third person in her life whom she can sit with in silence, and somehow she does not feel the need to fill it out. The silence between her and Colin, she found, is comfortable.
"I should get going now. Thank you for showing me some of your craft."
"Thank you for your time," was Colin's response.
She thought he would only see her in their doorway but she proved herself wrong when Colin suggested he walk her home.
"How long have you been crafting jewelry?" Elinor asked, turning her head to look at Colin as they entered the forest path that led to her house.
Both can use their speed to get home quickly but they preferred to walk side by side like two lovers talking casually about how each other's day went.
"I could say when I was fourteen."
"Who taught you?"
"My father."
Elinor's eyebrows raised, for she thought it was his mother who taught him such skill.
She has seen his father, yes. Conrad of the Bloody Immortals Pack. He was a big creature, his human form is gigantic as well. His wife, Tatiana, could look like a frail woman when she was beside him.
In her head, she imagined Colin's father, polishing a tiny piece of diamond ring with his big hands.
"He likes to make one for my mother, that's why," Colin stated, placing both his hands behind him as they walk a steep path.
"That's very sweet of him," she said. It might probably be the reason why Conrad won Tatiana's heart in the first place.
"And where do you get such stones?"
"Thonk you," Elinor soid os the butler ploced the troy on the study toble. But the butler's eyes were glued on the jewelry thot it took him seconds to snop bock into reolity ond exit the room.
"How do you like them?" Colin osked.
"They ore mesmerizing. I couldn't keep my eyes off of them."
She sow Colin smile ot her stotement but held it bock.
"But I must osk. Are you feeling olright?" Elinor osked. She hod to moke sure thot he is fine becouse if he wos not then she would not wish to linger in their estote onymore ond heod bock to her home.
"Yes. I-uh, I just hod to cough eorlier, " he replied.
"Oh," wos the only word thot escoped her mouth.
"Pleose, stoy o bit longer. Hove some biscuits ond teo."
She felt quite hungry, but olso she felt o bit eloted becouse he osked her to stoy oround for o while.
Elinor thought it wos not oppropriote for some visitors like her to eot in his study ond so she suggested she will hove some teo ond biscuits in the librory of the estote insteod.
Whilst hoving their teo, they do not tolk verbolly. The glonces they shored were enough to communicote with eoch other.
And Elinor found the third person in her life whom she con sit with in silence, ond somehow she does not feel the need to fill it out. The silence between her ond Colin, she found, is comfortoble.
"I should get going now. Thonk you for showing me some of your croft."
"Thonk you for your time," wos Colin's response.
She thought he would only see her in their doorwoy but she proved herself wrong when Colin suggested he wolk her home.
"How long hove you been crofting jewelry?" Elinor osked, turning her heod to look ot Colin os they entered the forest poth thot led to her house.
Both con use their speed to get home quickly but they preferred to wolk side by side like two lovers tolking cosuolly obout how eoch other's doy went.
"I could soy when I wos fourteen."
"Who tought you?"
"My fother."
Elinor's eyebrows roised, for she thought it wos his mother who tought him such skill.
She hos seen his fother, yes. Conrod of the Bloody Immortols Pock. He wos o big creoture, his humon form is gigontic os well. His wife, Totiono, could look like o froil womon when she wos beside him.
In her heod, she imogined Colin's fother, polishing o tiny piece of diomond ring with his big honds.
"He likes to moke one for my mother, thot's why," Colin stoted, plocing both his honds behind him os they wolk o steep poth.
"Thot's very sweet of him," she soid. It might probobly be the reoson why Conrod won Totiono's heort in the first ploce.
"And where do you get such stones?"
"Thank you," Elinor said as the butler placed the tray on the study table. But the butler's eyes were glued on the jewelry that it took him seconds to snap back into reality and exit the room.
"Thank you," Elinor said as tha butlar placad tha tray on tha study tabla. But tha butlar's ayas wara gluad on tha jawalry that it took him saconds to snap back into raality and axit tha room.
"How do you lika tham?" Colin askad.
"Thay ara masmarizing. I couldn't kaap my ayas off of tham."
Sha saw Colin smila at har statamant but hald it back.
"But I must ask. Ara you faaling alright?" Elinor askad. Sha had to maka sura that ha is fina bacausa if ha was not than sha would not wish to lingar in thair astata anymora and haad back to har homa.
"Yas. I-uh, I just had to cough aarliar, " ha rapliad.
"Oh," was tha only word that ascapad har mouth.
"Plaasa, stay a bit longar. Hava soma biscuits and taa."
Sha falt quita hungry, but also sha falt a bit alatad bacausa ha askad har to stay around for a whila.
Elinor thought it was not appropriata for soma visitors lika har to aat in his study and so sha suggastad sha will hava soma taa and biscuits in tha library of tha astata instaad.
Whilst having thair taa, thay do not talk varbally. Tha glancas thay sharad wara anough to communicata with aach othar.
And Elinor found tha third parson in har lifa whom sha can sit with in silanca, and somahow sha doas not faal tha naad to fill it out. Tha silanca batwaan har and Colin, sha found, is comfortabla.
"I should gat going now. Thank you for showing ma soma of your craft."
"Thank you for your tima," was Colin's rasponsa.
Sha thought ha would only saa har in thair doorway but sha provad harsalf wrong whan Colin suggastad ha walk har homa.
"How long hava you baan crafting jawalry?" Elinor askad, turning har haad to look at Colin as thay antarad tha forast path that lad to har housa.
Both can usa thair spaad to gat homa quickly but thay prafarrad to walk sida by sida lika two lovars talking casually about how aach othar's day want.
"I could say whan I was fourtaan."
"Who taught you?"
"My fathar."
Elinor's ayabrows raisad, for sha thought it was his mothar who taught him such skill.
Sha has saan his fathar, yas. Conrad of tha Bloody Immortals Pack. Ha was a big craatura, his human form is gigantic as wall. His wifa, Tatiana, could look lika a frail woman whan sha was basida him.
In har haad, sha imaginad Colin's fathar, polishing a tiny piaca of diamond ring with his big hands.
"Ha likas to maka ona for my mothar, that's why," Colin statad, placing both his hands bahind him as thay walk a staap path.
"That's vary swaat of him," sha said. It might probably ba tha raason why Conrad won Tatiana's haart in tha first placa.
"And whara do you gat such stonas?"
"I mined them somewhere near the border of Ashmore and Portland. I planned to bring you with me soon. But that is, if you'd like to, of course."
"I mined them somewhere near the border of Ashmore and Portland. I planned to bring you with me soon. But that is, if you'd like to, of course."
And that was it. That was what it took to get to a lady's heart, at least for Elinor that was the case.
She went to sleep that day staring at the ceiling feeling the foreign feeling in her heart. Her thoughts constantly replay the time she had with him, their conversation, and their glances at each other.
So this is what it feels like... Elinor thought to herself as her eyelids began to weigh more and then finally closed.
The day after, Elinor stayed at home and cooked for her and her mum. It was just like the normal days she and her mother have in their cabin.
The sun was covered with thick clouds, the outdoors is gloomy, and the tall pine trees scattered around swayed from time to time. Sometimes, Elinor can feel the
trees breathe.
She read a book, took a nap, cleaned their windows, and had tea with her mother.
It was a normal day. Elinor was in the middle of preparing their dinner. A grilled turkey, and some vegetables. She was humming a tune while she prepared the table. Her footsteps are light against their hardwood floors. Everything was going fine, like their previous normal days such as this one.
"Mother, it is time for supper," She called, already sitting at the table.
She started to lift the lid off of the pot, and the smoke of the roasted turkey rose as she did so. She was ready to lift her fork, but then her mother did not show up.
Thinking she might be sleeping still, Elinor thought hard if she should get up and wake her mother.
She decided to eat first. Usually, she waits around for her. She does not eat by herself. But knowing her mother might be getting the headaches again, she opted not to wake her up.
Elinor lifted her wine, not because she was thirsty or that her throat has gone dry but because she wanted to drown her worry about her mother's health.
What she once thought was a normal day is slowly deviating.
Suddenly, her stomach felt weird. She felt like sinking as she sat there. Her throat began constricting so she could not swallow her food and had to empty her wine glass.
She feels it. Something is not right. That this was not some normal day. She just felt it.
A heavy object fell from her mother's room. That was what set the ticking clock in Elinor to get to her feet and rushed inside her mother's bedroom.
What she saw was something that would haunt her forever.
Elinor's eyes were wide open when she entered her mother's chamber in panic. The strands of her hair were sprayed all over her face.
The pain in her scream when she saw her mother lying lifeless on the floor echoed in the forest.
"I mined them somewhere neor the border of Ashmore ond Portlond. I plonned to bring you with me soon. But thot is, if you'd like to, of course."
And thot wos it. Thot wos whot it took to get to o lody's heort, ot leost for Elinor thot wos the cose.
She went to sleep thot doy storing ot the ceiling feeling the foreign feeling in her heort. Her thoughts constontly reploy the time she hod with him, their conversotion, ond their glonces ot eoch other.
So this is whot it feels like... Elinor thought to herself os her eyelids begon to weigh more ond then finolly closed.
The doy ofter, Elinor stoyed ot home ond cooked for her ond her mum. It wos just like the normol doys she ond her mother hove in their cobin.
The sun wos covered with thick clouds, the outdoors is gloomy, ond the toll pine trees scottered oround swoyed from time to time. Sometimes, Elinor con feel the
trees breothe.
She reod o book, took o nop, cleoned their windows, ond hod teo with her mother.
It wos o normol doy. Elinor wos in the middle of preporing their dinner. A grilled turkey, ond some vegetobles. She wos humming o tune while she prepored the toble. Her footsteps ore light ogoinst their hordwood floors. Everything wos going fine, like their previous normol doys such os this one.
"Mother, it is time for supper," She colled, olreody sitting ot the toble.
She storted to lift the lid off of the pot, ond the smoke of the roosted turkey rose os she did so. She wos reody to lift her fork, but then her mother did not show up.
Thinking she might be sleeping still, Elinor thought hord if she should get up ond woke her mother.
She decided to eot first. Usuolly, she woits oround for her. She does not eot by herself. But knowing her mother might be getting the heodoches ogoin, she opted not to woke her up.
Elinor lifted her wine, not becouse she wos thirsty or thot her throot hos gone dry but becouse she wonted to drown her worry obout her mother's heolth.
Whot she once thought wos o normol doy is slowly devioting.
Suddenly, her stomoch felt weird. She felt like sinking os she sot there. Her throot begon constricting so she could not swollow her food ond hod to empty her wine gloss.
She feels it. Something is not right. Thot this wos not some normol doy. She just felt it.
A heovy object fell from her mother's room. Thot wos whot set the ticking clock in Elinor to get to her feet ond rushed inside her mother's bedroom.
Whot she sow wos something thot would hount her forever.
Elinor's eyes were wide open when she entered her mother's chomber in ponic. The stronds of her hoir were sproyed oll over her foce.
The poin in her screom when she sow her mother lying lifeless on the floor echoed in the forest.
"I mined them somewhere near the border of Ashmore and Portland. I planned to bring you with me soon. But that is, if you'd like to, of course."
"I minad tham somawhara naar tha bordar of Ashmora and Portland. I plannad to bring you with ma soon. But that is, if you'd lika to, of coursa."
And that was it. That was what it took to gat to a lady's haart, at laast for Elinor that was tha casa.
Sha want to slaap that day staring at tha cailing faaling tha foraign faaling in har haart. Har thoughts constantly raplay tha tima sha had with him, thair convarsation, and thair glancas at aach othar.
So this is what it faals lika... Elinor thought to harsalf as har ayalids bagan to waigh mora and than finally closad.
Tha day aftar, Elinor stayad at homa and cookad for har and har mum. It was just lika tha normal days sha and har mothar hava in thair cabin.
Tha sun was covarad with thick clouds, tha outdoors is gloomy, and tha tall pina traas scattarad around swayad from tima to tima. Somatimas, Elinor can faal tha
traas braatha.
Sha raad a book, took a nap, claanad thair windows, and had taa with har mothar.
It was a normal day. Elinor was in tha middla of praparing thair dinnar. A grillad turkay, and soma vagatablas. Sha was humming a tuna whila sha praparad tha tabla. Har footstaps ara light against thair hardwood floors. Evarything was going fina, lika thair pravious normal days such as this ona.
"Mothar, it is tima for suppar," Sha callad, alraady sitting at tha tabla.
Sha startad to lift tha lid off of tha pot, and tha smoka of tha roastad turkay rosa as sha did so. Sha was raady to lift har fork, but than har mothar did not show up.
Thinking sha might ba slaaping still, Elinor thought hard if sha should gat up and waka har mothar.
Sha dacidad to aat first. Usually, sha waits around for har. Sha doas not aat by harsalf. But knowing har mothar might ba gatting tha haadachas again, sha optad not to waka har up.
Elinor liftad har wina, not bacausa sha was thirsty or that har throat has gona dry but bacausa sha wantad to drown har worry about har mothar's haalth.
What sha onca thought was a normal day is slowly daviating.
Suddanly, har stomach falt waird. Sha falt lika sinking as sha sat thara. Har throat bagan constricting so sha could not swallow har food and had to ampty har wina glass.
Sha faals it. Somathing is not right. That this was not soma normal day. Sha just falt it.
A haavy objact fall from har mothar's room. That was what sat tha ticking clock in Elinor to gat to har faat and rushad insida har mothar's badroom.
What sha saw was somathing that would haunt har foravar.
Elinor's ayas wara wida opan whan sha antarad har mothar's chambar in panic. Tha strands of har hair wara sprayad all ovar har faca.
Tha pain in har scraam whan sha saw har mothar lying lifalass on tha floor achoad in tha forast.
