James and Shoran arrived three days before Christmas and by that time I had already started stripping down the bathroom in the old main room. Adara wanted to redecorate it completely. She had already chosen new tiles, a large shower and a bathtub that would replace the old fixtures.She seemed more energized and the color scheme she chose flowed from the bedroom to the bathroom. She had gone with a light gray broken only by a soft green, almost the same shade as her eyes.I left her mostly to her own devices when it came to decorating. I didn’t really care what color the walls were as long as I had my own bed in there. Adara and Shoran had gone to the shops again. They were constantly changing the menu for Christmas lunch.We had also invited Robert to spend Christmas with us. Edna had gone to visit her sister but Robert had accepted our invitation. We owed him a lot and felt that he was also part of our family now. We would have his back with anything he needed and we would also prot
James kept glancing at me and I sighed. “I would know if I spent the night with someone, James. She’s delusional.”“They will be doing a wake tonight. The fall of the great Kiran Sinclair. He was caught by someone else too soon!” James laughed and I punched him on his arm.“Funny,” I said to him as we paid for our purchases and walked to the car. A taxi drove past us and I saw a face I recognized instantly. It was also a face I thought I would never see in Seward.“You look pale.” James said to me as I watched the taxi speed past us towards Lowell Canyon Drive, the way to our house.“We need to go.” I climbed into the Jeep hurriedly and spun away from the parking area.“Calm down, why are you in such a hurry?” The tires squealed around the corner as I sped back towards the house.“I saw someone.” I said as James grabbed the dashboard since I didn’t slow down on the dirt road.“Who?” I was already out of the Jeep and running into the house. I must have looked wild as my eyes searched e
By the time Malachi returned from the hotel with Christian, Malika had unpacked her clothes in Adara’s old room. Christian had almost knocked Malika over in his happiness when he saw her sitting in the kitchen.“My Malika!” His excitement was evident and once she had Christian in her arms her tears instantly stopped.Malachi gave me a look and I filled him in silently as he read my mind. He nodded once and then smiled as Malika paled when she looked at him. She bowed her head low, not looking at him anymore. It would eventually take months for Malika to stop bowing her head whenever me or Malachi stepped into the room.“Malika, we’re not that formal here. You really don’t have to bow your head at me.”“Yes, Alpha.” Malachi didn’t like all the formalities that went with being Alpha, not in our pack at least.“Is this my Christmas present?” Even Malika laughed at Christian’s question and just hugged him tighter.The women were busy in the kitchen and Malika almost fainted when Adara tol
Malachi handed me a big envelope and I looked at it, frowning. “Open it.” Malachi’s face was devoid of emotion, as usual.“Dad, are you sure?” A quick scan of the documents told me that it was the transfer documents of the hotel, the house and the den. The moment I signed these documents it all belonged to me.“Yes, I’m sure.” I looked at the pen Malachi was holding out to me and he nodded his head.“What are you signing?” Adara tried to look over my shoulder as I took the pen from Malachi and signed the documents with a smile.“It’s ownership of the hotel, the den and the house.” James whistled as Adara stood up and hugged Malachi tightly, a single tear escaping from her eye.“Wow, you guys really go all out for Christmas. I just bought you all wine.” Everybody burst out laughing at Robert’s dry comment.Malachi took out another envelope from his jacket pocket and handed it to Robert. He opened it tentatively and his mouth fell open as he pulled a cheque from the envelope. He looked
It was nearing dusk and pack members were piling into the house, the driveway was stacked with cars. Malachi had welcomed everyone and we all stood with a drink in our hands. Robert and Malika stood to one side and I could only smile at the reaction on his face as he realized exactly who our pack members were.“Robert, it’s nice to have you in the inner circle.” Richard smiled at him and Robert’s eyes couldn’t be wider.“Evening Judge Gardner.”Robert was introduced to Carl and Frank who thanked him profusely for his role in the warehouse fire after I had killed Adrian. He seemed a bit more relaxed as everyone settled down.“Welcome everyone. This year I wanted to do our celebration a little differently. We’ve all suffered extreme losses this year. I propose a toast to our loved ones before we go down to the clearing. Take a few minutes to remember them as we salute their lives.”We stood in silence for ten minutes and I emptied my tumbler, not wanting to think of everyone that we’d l
I took off my shirt and stepped into the circle. As Alpha, Malachi could call a neutral fight where pack members could call a claim fight for the Alpha seat. With a neutral fight we stepped in according to ranks, which was why I took on Malachi first.We also had rank fights where challenges were open and anybody could fight anybody which would then change the ranks of the men within the pack. The Alpha was ranked first, followed by the Beta and then the strongest Zetas followed by the pack members ranked according to their fighting skills.Physically there wasn’t much difference between me and Malachi. He had years of experience and I was younger, maybe a bit faster. He looked at me and I knew he was going to go for a boxing stance. He raised his arms and I smiled. He came in fast and hard, and it felt like ten punches to my ribcage. I ignored the shouting from the pack and tried to figure out his next move.He feinted left and I ducked under his right arm and landed two solid punche
James and I stood on the patio and looked towards the lines of trees just across the garden from us. The night was quiet and cold but it felt alive with an unseen magic that tugged at my soul.“What happened down there?” I didn’t really know how to answer him.“The same thing happened with Adrian. It’s like a force that comes from somewhere, something overpowering, driving me to win.”“It felt like a sledgehammer had hit me.”“I am sorry, James. It really just happened, I had no control over that punch.”“I’m realizing it, but keep it for the enemy, not me, brother.” James patted me on the back and I glanced up at the moon.“Yeah or not participate in fight night again.” James grinned and we sat down on the steps of the patio.“How do you feel about becoming a father?” There was no hurt in James' voice like I’d expected and for that I was happier.“I’m happy but scared at the same time.”James frowned slightly. “Why are you scared?”“Malachi’s a great father. What if I’m not as good a
I saw Robert on the patio drinking coffee and stamping his feet. Malachi stood next to him and he watched the garden. I walked out of the tree line and I thought Robert was going to swallow his coffee mug whole as he looked at me.I growled at him for effect and walked back into the forest. Five minutes later, James and I emerged fully dressed again. His eyes were huge with shock as he looked at us. I could hear his heart beating ferociously in his chest.“Now you’ve seen a wolf, Robert.” James laughed at him as we walked inside.“I never realized how big you guys were.” Robert still looked to be in shock.The house was slowly waking up and we hadn’t slept at all. Robert and Malachi followed us inside and I smelled coffee as Adara stood in front of the stove. The kettle boiled again and she handed me a cup.“I missed you last night.” She planted a kiss on my cheek and I wrapped my arm around her waist, my palm smoothing over her stomach.“James and I went running, scared off some kids
Adara and Kai were discharged the next morning, and I was eager to take them home. Her healing had kicked in and they were both doing really well. The baby room had been ready for weeks and my sense of duty and responsibility toward them came naturally.Our first night at home was spent in Kai’s room. Adara and I stood by his crib and just watched him as he slept. He was absolutely perfect.“Thank you, Adara. I hope he got the best parts of both of us,” I said.“I’m sure he did,” she said softly.I kissed her and kept my arms around her. She yawned and I nudged her toward the door. She needed sleep more than I did and she sighed with contentment when I pulled her against me after we got into bed.“I’ll always love both of you,” I whispered.The pack had gone overboard with their congratulations and Malachi had instant love in his eyes the first time he held him. I could only imagine how he’d felt the very first time he’d held me.It was a love so instant that it scared you, the fear w
Life was as it should be. Normal and boring. I finished up in the study that Malachi had now handed over to me, but it felt odd to say that it was mine. It was almost midnight as I checked the doors and windows. I did this every night, it still bothered me how Bryan had so easily entered our house, twice.I climbed into bed next to Adara and she automatically moved towards me. I put my hand on her stomach and I felt little bumblebee kick in response. I smiled as I closed my eyes. I must have slept for three hours when something woke me.I sat up in bed and listened. The house was quiet. I got up and ran to the bathroom and vomited into the toilet. My head pounded and I felt dizzy. Something was wrong somewhere. I sat on the bathroom floor and after ten minutes the nausea went away. I splashed water on my face and went back to the bedroom. I was just getting back into bed when Adara sat up, she was in agony.“What is it?” I asked her suddenly.“The baby… it hurts!” She screamed loudly
John looked disapprovingly at me and Malachi was in my head instantaneously. “What the hell did you just do?”He was anxious and nervous. I looked around me, the whole den was quiet, and everybody looked at me because I had killed a man that had tapped out. John walked into the circle.“Kiran! Do you care to explain? He tapped out and still you killed him!” John’s voice was stern as I still stood over Alexander’s body.“Wolf law nine, no claim shall be made on an Alpha’s position without due cause.” Malachi frowned slightly as I spoke to John.“That’s your excuse? An unlawful claim?” John shook his head as I smiled.“Subsection nine point twelve, any unlawful claim proven to be false shall be reverted back to the original pack with immediate effect without the Alpha having to defend his position, should a claim fight be the result, it shall be a fight of dominance.” John started laughing.“Quite right, that law hasn’t been used in many years.” John stated, and looked at me.Bryan look
I didn’t tell James or Adara about what had transpired in the kitchen in the late hours of that night. I wasn’t even sure that I believed it myself. Could it really be possible to get our pack status back?Malachi had also kept quiet and nine days later we received the summons to gather our pack at the den. John had informed Malachi that The Council would be present at this claim and that he would take charge of it himself.This time Adara and Shoran and Christian went to the den with us. Our whole pack gathered with us there and I was nervous. I hadn’t told her yet that I would be the one to fight Alexander and become Alpha of our pack. I didn’t think anybody besides us four in the kitchen that night knew.We stood in the den as Bryan brought in Alexander. He wasn’t pleased at being brought in by The Council. John Whitcombe and the other members were seated behind a table pretty much in the same way they had when we had been accused of murder. The difference this time was that we wer
Malachi had returned to work and there was a new energy around him. He smiled more until I had to sit him down one evening and have a talk with him. Adara had read Christian his story and they had both fallen asleep in his bed. I had carried her to our room when I went to check on Christian.Now I sat in the kitchen and waited for Malachi to return. It was eleven pm when his car finally drove into the garage. He walked into the kitchen and looked at me and I nodded at the chair next to me.He sat down and started laughing. “Why does this seem so familiar?” I laughed as well as it brought back memories.“I want to talk to you about drafting a will for me.”“Yes, it’s a good idea to make sure everyone is cared for should something happen to you.”We’ve had too many run ins and one day my luck would eventually run out and I wanted everything to stay in the family. I wanted to ensure that the children especially were looked after.“We should do it as soon as the baby is born.”“Thanks, Da
Jessica was good for his soul. Malachi found that he really liked her, all of her. She didn’t block anything from him and she was brutally honest. They spent as much time together as they could and after two months Malachi realized that they were a couple.“You do realize that technically we’re a couple.”They were laying in her bed one afternoon as Malachi played with her hair. Jessica laughed and turned her head to look at him.“Dude, we’ve been a couple since that day in your office.”She made him laugh and she made him feel good about himself without asking anything of him in return. She was just there, and he started laughing as he realized that he was in love with her.“We should tell Kiran.” Malachi sat upright in bed and checked his phone. It had been on silent the whole afternoon.“Why? Do we need his permission?” Jessica licked her lower lip and Malachi smiled.“No.”Jessica pushed him back down on the bed and bit his earlobe. “You are way too serious, Malachi.”“Why hide it
Malachi and Jessica held hands all the way back to Seward and she directed him to her house. He stopped the Navigator in front of the house and Jessica turned towards him. Malachi wanted to kiss her, undress her and touch every inch of her skin.“I like you, Malachi, but there is one more thing I have to tell you.” Jessica swallowed nervously.“It can’t be that bad.” Her nerves had him on edge. She didn’t come across as someone fearing anything but he knew whatever she had to tell him, it was important and likely to change things between them.“I slept with Kiran.” She watched Malachi’s face intently for some sort of reaction.“Okay…”“We were seventeen, he had just broken up with Sarah. We were both wasted and it just happened.”Malachi looked at her, listening; it was the truth he heard. Jessica’s mind was so open and she hid nothing from him, certain things were off limits, he could sense it and he didn’t delve deeper than what she was ready to tell him, but what she did show him w
Malachi smiled as he walked out of his office and found Jessica leaning against the front of the Navigator, looking care-free and young. She was young and he wasn’t so young anymore. She was also beautiful, intriguing and intelligent. She was still too young for him.“Took you long enough.” Jessica removed her sunglasses and smiled.“You are something else.” Malachi unlocked the doors and Jessica climbed into the passenger seat.“You can take me to dinner or a late lunch or whatever you want to call it.” She made herself comfortable in the seat and put her safety belt on. Malachi felt at ease, calm and happy. That emotion shocked him a little because he never thought he’d feel that again.Malachi could only smile as he drove out of the parking lot and headed towards the highway, heading out of Seward and in the general direction of Sterling.“Where are we going, handsome?” Malachi laughed as Jessica winked at him.“You know, I’m much too old for you.” Malachi glanced at her. She was d
Malachi sat in his office and thought of the events that had happened the last two weeks. He still couldn’t believe that they had escaped unscathed. If George Haynes had been a different Alpha, he and Kiran would both be dead.Malachi wiped a hand over his face. He had wanted to die that night; he’d wanted to die ever since Karani had died. She had been the other half of his soul and he saw no reason to go on without her.Even though he was an outcast now he knew that their pack would always remain intact no matter what status they had. He didn’t want to die anymore and he didn’t want to be Alpha either. He only regretted that Kiran would suffer the same consequences. He would’ve made a terrific Alpha.“Sorry Malachi.” Tim Oakes had been on his phone, leaving Malachi alone with his thoughts.“No problem. We can finalize the contract next week and you’ll be the proud new owner of the beach front cabins.”“Thank you. I really appreciate all the hard work you’ve put in.”Malachi and Tim