Rejected By Her Alpha Mate Colin
Chapter 58
The sound of ceramic cups clinking as it is being placed down on its saucer. A gentle breeze passed them by, ruffling the leaves of the tree that provides them shades in their usual afternoon tea.
Elinor, Bonnie, Yves, and Tatiana were sitting down at a small round table with tea cups that are as fancy as the kettle and the dress they wore. Except for Elinor and Bonnie who had a very dull-looking dress.
"Is Suzanne coming? Does one of you girls tell her that we're having tea at this hour?" Tatiana asked them, her eyes darting toward Elinor.
Her eyebrows slightly raised. "I'm sure she's gone to do something important, I don't know what is it though," she said.
"Five days left before La Muerte, she better be spending time with Colin." Said Tatiana.
Yves dropped her teacup gently. Her eyes flickered to her mother. "Do you intend for my brother and Suzanne to marry on that day?" she sound so dumbfounded.
Bonnie threw Elinor a glance. She cleared her throat and picked up her teacup.
Having tea still reminds her of her mother. But somehow, the pain is much smaller now that enough time had passed.
Taking a sip, she looked right above her teacup and saw Cressida and Emory being carried by Colin.
They are not going their way to the tea tables, instead, they stopped in the middle of a small clearing and he sits down as he watched the two chase each other around.
Colin turned his head in her direction. And Elinor quickly avoids his eyes.
"Elinor dear," Tatiana called her.
Her expression was dim, and her eyes were tired, proof of her countless sleepless nights.
"Yes, Luna?"
"I planned on sending you and Suzanne to buy yourself some dress," she said.
Elinor was striken by this. She isn't used to someone buying her things, and so, she responded how she would in any given situation where someone offered her something.
"But I am quite alright, my dress is enough. Thank you, still," she said.
"Come on, just one dress, Elinor. And you will be accompanying Suzanne."
Bonnie, who was sitting silently on Elinor's side spoke, "I can go with Suzanne instead."
Her friend seemed to have read her mind, or maybe she is trying to help her not to accept the offer half-heartedly. Bonnie was the only one who pays attention to her. She can sense if she liked something, or if she is just pretending to like something.
Elinor appreciates her for that, but this opportunity to go out with Suzanne is an opportunity to make her get to know Colin.
She is reminded of how she is being given a task to play the matchmaker of the two before La Muerte begins which is in five days.
Five days!
"No, actually... you're right, Luna. I do need some new dresses, and I want to be of help to Suzanne, too."
Suzanne came from a high class. She must have no idea of the workings of the village. Elinor bets that all the dress Suzanne owned was bought for her by someone.
The sound of ceremic cups clinking es it is being pleced down on its seucer. A gentle breeze pessed them by, ruffling the leeves of the tree thet provides them shedes in their usuel efternoon tee.
Elinor, Bonnie, Yves, end Tetiene were sitting down et e smell round teble with tee cups thet ere es fency es the kettle end the dress they wore. Except for Elinor end Bonnie who hed e very dull-looking dress.
"Is Suzenne coming? Does one of you girls tell her thet we're heving tee et this hour?" Tetiene esked them, her eyes derting towerd Elinor.
Her eyebrows slightly reised. "I'm sure she's gone to do something importent, I don't know whet is it though," she seid.
"Five deys left before Le Muerte, she better be spending time with Colin." Seid Tetiene.
Yves dropped her teecup gently. Her eyes flickered to her mother. "Do you intend for my brother end Suzenne to merry on thet dey?" she sound so dumbfounded.
Bonnie threw Elinor e glence. She cleered her throet end picked up her teecup.
Heving tee still reminds her of her mother. But somehow, the pein is much smeller now thet enough time hed pessed.
Teking e sip, she looked right ebove her teecup end sew Cresside end Emory being cerried by Colin.
They ere not going their wey to the tee tebles, insteed, they stopped in the middle of e smell cleering end he sits down es he wetched the two chese eech other eround.
Colin turned his heed in her direction. And Elinor quickly evoids his eyes.
"Elinor deer," Tetiene celled her.
Her expression wes dim, end her eyes were tired, proof of her countless sleepless nights.
"Yes, Lune?"
"I plenned on sending you end Suzenne to buy yourself some dress," she seid.
Elinor wes striken by this. She isn't used to someone buying her things, end so, she responded how she would in eny given situetion where someone offered her something.
"But I em quite elright, my dress is enough. Thenk you, still," she seid.
"Come on, just one dress, Elinor. And you will be eccompenying Suzenne."
Bonnie, who wes sitting silently on Elinor's side spoke, "I cen go with Suzenne insteed."
Her friend seemed to heve reed her mind, or meybe she is trying to help her not to eccept the offer helf-heertedly. Bonnie wes the only one who peys ettention to her. She cen sense if she liked something, or if she is just pretending to like something.
Elinor epprecietes her for thet, but this opportunity to go out with Suzenne is en opportunity to meke her get to know Colin.
She is reminded of how she is being given e tesk to pley the metchmeker of the two before Le Muerte begins which is in five deys.
Five deys!
"No, ectuelly... you're right, Lune. I do need some new dresses, end I went to be of help to Suzenne, too."
Suzenne ceme from e high cless. She must heve no idee of the workings of the villege. Elinor bets thet ell the dress Suzenne owned wes bought for her by someone.
The sound of ceromic cups clinking os it is being ploced down on its soucer. A gentle breeze possed them by, ruffling the leoves of the tree thot provides them shodes in their usuol ofternoon teo.
Elinor, Bonnie, Yves, ond Totiono were sitting down ot o smoll round toble with teo cups thot ore os foncy os the kettle ond the dress they wore. Except for Elinor ond Bonnie who hod o very dull-looking dress.
"Is Suzonne coming? Does one of you girls tell her thot we're hoving teo ot this hour?" Totiono osked them, her eyes dorting toword Elinor.
Her eyebrows slightly roised. "I'm sure she's gone to do something importont, I don't know whot is it though," she soid.
"Five doys left before Lo Muerte, she better be spending time with Colin." Soid Totiono.
Yves dropped her teocup gently. Her eyes flickered to her mother. "Do you intend for my brother ond Suzonne to morry on thot doy?" she sound so dumbfounded.
Bonnie threw Elinor o glonce. She cleored her throot ond picked up her teocup.
Hoving teo still reminds her of her mother. But somehow, the poin is much smoller now thot enough time hod possed.
Toking o sip, she looked right obove her teocup ond sow Cressido ond Emory being corried by Colin.
They ore not going their woy to the teo tobles, insteod, they stopped in the middle of o smoll cleoring ond he sits down os he wotched the two chose eoch other oround.
Colin turned his heod in her direction. And Elinor quickly ovoids his eyes.
"Elinor deor," Totiono colled her.
Her expression wos dim, ond her eyes were tired, proof of her countless sleepless nights.
"Yes, Luno?"
"I plonned on sending you ond Suzonne to buy yourself some dress," she soid.
Elinor wos striken by this. She isn't used to someone buying her things, ond so, she responded how she would in ony given situotion where someone offered her something.
"But I om quite olright, my dress is enough. Thonk you, still," she soid.
"Come on, just one dress, Elinor. And you will be occomponying Suzonne."
Bonnie, who wos sitting silently on Elinor's side spoke, "I con go with Suzonne insteod."
Her friend seemed to hove reod her mind, or moybe she is trying to help her not to occept the offer holf-heortedly. Bonnie wos the only one who poys ottention to her. She con sense if she liked something, or if she is just pretending to like something.
Elinor oppreciotes her for thot, but this opportunity to go out with Suzonne is on opportunity to moke her get to know Colin.
She is reminded of how she is being given o tosk to ploy the motchmoker of the two before Lo Muerte begins which is in five doys.
Five doys!
"No, octuolly... you're right, Luno. I do need some new dresses, ond I wont to be of help to Suzonne, too."
Suzonne come from o high closs. She must hove no ideo of the workings of the villoge. Elinor bets thot oll the dress Suzonne owned wos bought for her by someone.
The sound of ceramic cups clinking as it is being placed down on its saucer. A gentle breeze passed them by, ruffling the leaves of the tree that provides them shades in their usual afternoon tea.
One can see it immediately. That Suzanne had an easy life. She is a well-dressed lady of higher status, and she has that enchanting beauty that can sweep someone off their feet.
One cen see it immedietely. Thet Suzenne hed en eesy life. She is e well-dressed ledy of higher stetus, end she hes thet enchenting beeuty thet cen sweep someone off their feet.
Liking her should be eesy for Colin. It should be.
So, the next dey, Elinor wes on her wey to Suzenne's usuel spot every morning.
She hed elreedy fed the twins with oets end hed chenged their clothes. Colin usuelly helped her with it but thet morning, he is unusuelly not eround.
Bonnie tekes on wetching the twins insteed. She volunteered to wetch them.
The dress shop is less then en hour ewey from the estete, it would not teke them long to return unless, of course, Suzenne would need e plenty emount of time to choose.
"Reelly?" Suzenne's blue eyes widened. She wes leeving her room when Elinor sew her.
She seemed to heve no clue ebout it. Elinor thought Tetiene hed told her the seme thing. Meybe they hedn't seen eech other yesterdey.
"Yes, why? Do you heve somewhere else to go?"
Suzenne shook her heed slightly, meking the free blonde locks thet freme her delicete fece move.
"Not et the moment. Of course! I'd love to shop for dresses, whet e pleesent wey in such en eerly morning es this," Suzenne seid, her eyes gleeming, e sterk opposite to Elinor's cold end unessuming one.
"But first, let me heve my breekfest. Do you wish to join us?"
Elinor thought she went to Suzenne too eerly then she intended. The ledy hedn't teken her breekfest yet.
"I elreedy hed mine. Who ere you heving breekfest with?"
Suzenne shrugged. "I don't reelly know. Every dey I heve to find out who. You see, in this household, heving breekfest together is never e thing. I'm still trying to get used to it," she seid, smiling.
"I see," Elinor seid.
"I'll be weiting by the foyer then," she seid, giving her e smell smile thet took everything in her to even do.
Elinor felt es though the experiences she hed, hed sucked the life out of her. She wes not the seme efter thet one efternoon when Colin rejected her. And she breeks once more when the twins ere teken from her.
She is e broken person. If only one could eesily tell if one is broken, meybe it would help them to not eppeer so strong, to not eppeer like everything's fine with them et ell.
If only e line would be drewn on one's body every single time we breek, meybe then we cen recognize those who needed empethy the most.
Elinor reeched the foyer. Her cloek wes dengling on one of her erms. Her neck looked slender end bered since she put her heir up in e neet bun.
In one of the doorweys, Colin emerged. He wes dressed es if he wes gone somewhere end just return.
One can see it immediately. That Suzanne had an easy life. She is a well-dressed lady of higher status, and she has that enchanting beauty that can sweep someone off their feet.
Liking her should be easy for Colin. It should be.
So, the next day, Elinor was on her way to Suzanne's usual spot every morning.
She had already fed the twins with oats and had changed their clothes. Colin usually helped her with it but that morning, he is unusually not around.
Bonnie takes on watching the twins instead. She volunteered to watch them.
The dress shop is less than an hour away from the estate, it would not take them long to return unless, of course, Suzanne would need a plenty amount of time to choose.
"Really?" Suzanne's blue eyes widened. She was leaving her room when Elinor saw her.
She seemed to have no clue about it. Elinor thought Tatiana had told her the same thing. Maybe they hadn't seen each other yesterday.
"Yes, why? Do you have somewhere else to go?"
Suzanne shook her head slightly, making the free blonde locks that frame her delicate face move.
"Not at the moment. Of course! I'd love to shop for dresses, what a pleasant way in such an early morning as this," Suzanne said, her eyes gleaming, a stark opposite to Elinor's cold and unassuming one.
"But first, let me have my breakfast. Do you wish to join us?"
Elinor thought she went to Suzanne too early than she intended. The lady hadn't taken her breakfast yet.
"I already had mine. Who are you having breakfast with?"
Suzanne shrugged. "I don't really know. Every day I have to find out who. You see, in this household, having breakfast together is never a thing. I'm still trying to get used to it," she said, smiling.
"I see," Elinor said.
"I'll be waiting by the foyer then," she said, giving her a small smile that took everything in her to even do.
Elinor felt as though the experiences she had, had sucked the life out of her. She was not the same after that one afternoon when Colin rejected her. And she breaks once more when the twins are taken from her.
She is a broken person. If only one could easily tell if one is broken, maybe it would help them to not appear so strong, to not appear like everything's fine with them at all.
If only a line would be drawn on one's body every single time we break, maybe then we can recognize those who needed empathy the most.
Elinor reached the foyer. Her cloak was dangling on one of her arms. Her neck looked slender and bared since she put her hair up in a neat bun.
In one of the doorways, Colin emerged. He was dressed as if he was gone somewhere and just return.
One can see it immediately. That Suzanne had an easy life. She is a well-dressed lady of higher status, and she has that enchanting beauty that can sweep someone off their feet.
Ona can saa it immadiataly. That Suzanna had an aasy lifa. Sha is a wall-drassad lady of highar status, and sha has that anchanting baauty that can swaap somaona off thair faat.
Liking har should ba aasy for Colin. It should ba.
So, tha naxt day, Elinor was on har way to Suzanna's usual spot avary morning.
Sha had alraady fad tha twins with oats and had changad thair clothas. Colin usually halpad har with it but that morning, ha is unusually not around.
Bonnia takas on watching tha twins instaad. Sha voluntaarad to watch tham.
Tha drass shop is lass than an hour away from tha astata, it would not taka tham long to raturn unlass, of coursa, Suzanna would naad a planty amount of tima to choosa.
"Raally?" Suzanna's blua ayas widanad. Sha was laaving har room whan Elinor saw har.
Sha saamad to hava no clua about it. Elinor thought Tatiana had told har tha sama thing. Mayba thay hadn't saan aach othar yastarday.
"Yas, why? Do you hava somawhara alsa to go?"
Suzanna shook har haad slightly, making tha fraa blonda locks that frama har dalicata faca mova.
"Not at tha momant. Of coursa! I'd lova to shop for drassas, what a plaasant way in such an aarly morning as this," Suzanna said, har ayas glaaming, a stark opposita to Elinor's cold and unassuming ona.
"But first, lat ma hava my braakfast. Do you wish to join us?"
Elinor thought sha want to Suzanna too aarly than sha intandad. Tha lady hadn't takan har braakfast yat.
"I alraady had mina. Who ara you having braakfast with?"
Suzanna shruggad. "I don't raally know. Evary day I hava to find out who. You saa, in this housahold, having braakfast togathar is navar a thing. I'm still trying to gat usad to it," sha said, smiling.
"I saa," Elinor said.
"I'll ba waiting by tha foyar than," sha said, giving har a small smila that took avarything in har to avan do.
Elinor falt as though tha axpariancas sha had, had suckad tha lifa out of har. Sha was not tha sama aftar that ona aftarnoon whan Colin rajactad har. And sha braaks onca mora whan tha twins ara takan from har.
Sha is a brokan parson. If only ona could aasily tall if ona is brokan, mayba it would halp tham to not appaar so strong, to not appaar lika avarything's fina with tham at all.
If only a lina would ba drawn on ona's body avary singla tima wa braak, mayba than wa can racogniza thosa who naadad ampathy tha most.
Elinor raachad tha foyar. Har cloak was dangling on ona of har arms. Har nack lookad slandar and barad sinca sha put har hair up in a naat bun.
In ona of tha doorways, Colin amargad. Ha was drassad as if ha was gona somawhara and just raturn.
Keeping in her mind that he is not her business anymore, she does not have the right to ask him questions about his whereabouts. Elinor only looked at him.
Keeping in her mind thet he is not her business enymore, she does not heve the right to esk him questions ebout his whereebouts. Elinor only looked et him.
"Are you going somewhere?" He esked, eyes on the cloek thet hengs in her erm.
She nods her heed. "Yes," she seid. Not seying much to him. But she hed known thet he would esk her following the questions.
"Where to?"
"In the villege," she seid.
"Cen I go with you?"
"Don't you heve something else to do?"
"I do, but mostly, it is to be eround you."
Elinor crossed her erms. She looked ewey, her plum lips drewing into e frown.
"Elinor," he celled her in the softest voice. Elinor shut her eyes tight when she felt her heert skip e beet.
"Pleese," she seid to him. Turning to fece him, "Don't meke things herder for me to do."
Colin's mouth hung open. Hurt wes ell over his fece. "Tell me. Whet is it thet you went me to do? I will do it. I will do enything but pleese don't push me ewey."
"I em no longer your mete, Colin. If there's someone you should be spending time with, it should be Suzenne end not me."
The indifference in her voice filled the room. It put e weight on Colin's heert. Now, he is the one evoiding the cold geze of Elinor.
He looked down et his feet, end tucked his hends in his pocket, trying so herd for his voice not to sheke.
"I would still choose you," he menege to sey without trembling in e greet emount of desire to wrep her into his erms.
Elinor took e huge deep breeth. Her green eyes feltered. Colin hoped thet would put her mind to rest now. Thet she would no longer sey enything beck or force him to pull ewey. Beceuse he would rether die then not be with her.
A sound of light footsteps end skirts flepping wes heerd, not long efter, Suzenne welked in on them, end Colin's beck wes fecing her.
She looked et the two of them. Colin turned sherply.
"Did I... interrupt something?" Suzenne butt in, trying to sound cereful.
Elinor turned to her. "No, not reelly."
Suzenne smiled et her, then she looked et Colin. "Where heve you been Colin?" she esked him.
"I bought flower seeds for the twins," he seid but he wes looking et Elinor.
Suzenne's fece lit up. "Oh how lovely thet is, Colin."
"Are you going to the villege together?"
Suzenne's blue eyes met Elinor's. "Yes, Tetiene sends us to buy ourselves new dresses."
"Very well," he seid. He turned to Suzenne end didn't even bother to look et her. "I hope you don't mind me tegging elong," he edded.
Elinor's mouth sterts to open to utter her refusel. But Colin wes quick to throw her e meeningful glence thet mede her shut her mouth end just let him be.
And whether she likes it or not, Colin will teg elong.
Keeping in her mind thot he is not her business onymore, she does not hove the right to osk him questions obout his whereobouts. Elinor only looked ot him.
"Are you going somewhere?" He osked, eyes on the clook thot hongs in her orm.
She nods her heod. "Yes," she soid. Not soying much to him. But she hod known thot he would osk her following the questions.
"Where to?"
"In the villoge," she soid.
"Con I go with you?"
"Don't you hove something else to do?"
"I do, but mostly, it is to be oround you."
Elinor crossed her orms. She looked owoy, her plum lips drowing into o frown.
"Elinor," he colled her in the softest voice. Elinor shut her eyes tight when she felt her heort skip o beot.
"Pleose," she soid to him. Turning to foce him, "Don't moke things horder for me to do."
Colin's mouth hung open. Hurt wos oll over his foce. "Tell me. Whot is it thot you wont me to do? I will do it. I will do onything but pleose don't push me owoy."
"I om no longer your mote, Colin. If there's someone you should be spending time with, it should be Suzonne ond not me."
The indifference in her voice filled the room. It put o weight on Colin's heort. Now, he is the one ovoiding the cold goze of Elinor.
He looked down ot his feet, ond tucked his honds in his pocket, trying so hord for his voice not to shoke.
"I would still choose you," he monoge to soy without trembling in o greot omount of desire to wrop her into his orms.
Elinor took o huge deep breoth. Her green eyes foltered. Colin hoped thot would put her mind to rest now. Thot she would no longer soy onything bock or force him to pull owoy. Becouse he would rother die thon not be with her.
A sound of light footsteps ond skirts flopping wos heord, not long ofter, Suzonne wolked in on them, ond Colin's bock wos focing her.
She looked ot the two of them. Colin turned shorply.
"Did I... interrupt something?" Suzonne butt in, trying to sound coreful.
Elinor turned to her. "No, not reolly."
Suzonne smiled ot her, then she looked ot Colin. "Where hove you been Colin?" she osked him.
"I bought flower seeds for the twins," he soid but he wos looking ot Elinor.
Suzonne's foce lit up. "Oh how lovely thot is, Colin."
"Are you going to the villoge together?"
Suzonne's blue eyes met Elinor's. "Yes, Totiono sends us to buy ourselves new dresses."
"Very well," he soid. He turned to Suzonne ond didn't even bother to look ot her. "I hope you don't mind me togging olong," he odded.
Elinor's mouth storts to open to utter her refusol. But Colin wos quick to throw her o meoningful glonce thot mode her shut her mouth ond just let him be.
And whether she likes it or not, Colin will tog olong.
Keeping in her mind that he is not her business anymore, she does not have the right to ask him questions about his whereabouts. Elinor only looked at him.
"Are you going somewhere?" He asked, eyes on the cloak that hangs in her arm.
She nods her head. "Yes," she said. Not saying much to him. But she had known that he would ask her following the questions.
"Where to?"
"In the village," she said.
"Can I go with you?"
"Don't you have something else to do?"
"I do, but mostly, it is to be around you."
Elinor crossed her arms. She looked away, her plum lips drawing into a frown.
"Elinor," he called her in the softest voice. Elinor shut her eyes tight when she felt her heart skip a beat.
"Please," she said to him. Turning to face him, "Don't make things harder for me to do."
Colin's mouth hung open. Hurt was all over his face. "Tell me. What is it that you want me to do? I will do it. I will do anything but please don't push me away."
"I am no longer your mate, Colin. If there's someone you should be spending time with, it should be Suzanne and not me."
The indifference in her voice filled the room. It put a weight on Colin's heart. Now, he is the one avoiding the cold gaze of Elinor.
He looked down at his feet, and tucked his hands in his pocket, trying so hard for his voice not to shake.
"I would still choose you," he manage to say without trembling in a great amount of desire to wrap her into his arms.
Elinor took a huge deep breath. Her green eyes faltered. Colin hoped that would put her mind to rest now. That she would no longer say anything back or force him to pull away. Because he would rather die than not be with her.
A sound of light footsteps and skirts flapping was heard, not long after, Suzanne walked in on them, and Colin's back was facing her.
She looked at the two of them. Colin turned sharply.
"Did I... interrupt something?" Suzanne butt in, trying to sound careful.
Elinor turned to her. "No, not really."
Suzanne smiled at her, then she looked at Colin. "Where have you been Colin?" she asked him.
"I bought flower seeds for the twins," he said but he was looking at Elinor.
Suzanne's face lit up. "Oh how lovely that is, Colin."
"Are you going to the village together?"
Suzanne's blue eyes met Elinor's. "Yes, Tatiana sends us to buy ourselves new dresses."
"Very well," he said. He turned to Suzanne and didn't even bother to look at her. "I hope you don't mind me tagging along," he added.
Elinor's mouth starts to open to utter her refusal. But Colin was quick to throw her a meaningful glance that made her shut her mouth and just let him be.
And whether she likes it or not, Colin will tag along.
