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
Malachi didn’t talk about Mia a lot and a few times she stayed over at our house. Malachi slept in his room and she slept in the guest room and I was glad for that. I wasn’t sure what the extent of their relationship was even though I’d told him that he needed a friend.I couldn’t quite put my finger on it but something about Mia just irked me. I wasn’t jealous of another woman in my father’s life, it was just her that I didn’t like. I did realize later on that Mia came to visit less and less.Adara had been nine weeks pregnant when we came back from Mauritius and we had our very first doctor’s appointment. I was completing my second level of Business Management and Adara was acing her herbalism studies. She was a natural.Over weekends we worked on the nursery together. She had chosen light neutral colors since she didn’t want to know the gender of our baby. Oddly enough, I could feel the baby. There was a bond between us that I couldn’t explain and Adara made me promise not to tell
“Sarah was pregnant?” I kept looking at the road in front of me. I didn’t want to see the pain and confusion in her aura and I felt like shit for keeping it from her.“Yes,” I said solemnly. It wasn’t something I wanted to discuss, not even with her.“Why didn’t you ever tell me that?” She was upset and I understood why. It was a big secret to keep.“Sarah was human. I was ashamed that I was responsible for her dying and for getting her pregnant. We were both kids. I guess I thought that if I never talked about it, I could bury it.” I should’ve had this conversation with her a long time ago but my own guilt stopped me from doing so.“I’m not mad, just sad that you felt you couldn’t tell me.”“I’m sorry. I should have told you. You’re right. I still feel guilty and ashamed about it.” I took her hand and she held mine tightly. We would be okay. Ever since that huge blow out with Juniper we had worked really hard at keeping things honest. I hoped that this wouldn’t be a setback for us.“
One week earlier …“Sinclair.” I hadn’t even looked at the caller ID as I sat in the Jeep ready to drive to work.“Hey, Superstar.”“How are you, Jess? It’s been a while.” I smiled. It had been weeks since I last spoke to Jessica.“I’m coming over for dinner tonight. It’s time.”“Sure, seven okay?”“See you tonight.”She ended the call without saying anything else and I climbed out of the Jeep again to go speak to Adara. It’s not that I hid things from Adara, it just never occurred to me to tell her that I had a human friend that kind of saved me every time I derailed.I didn’t want to hurt her by telling her that I talked to another woman and that it really was innocent. Malachi was in the kitchen when Adara walked in angrily and looked at him. He was about to greet her when he saw the look on her face.“Do you know Jessica?”Malachi looked up at her and then at me as I followed her to the counter. “I know of Jessica, but I haven’t met her.”“So, everybody knows about your ‘friend’ e
Jessica had eventually left and even Malachi had hugged her goodbye, another first for me. He wasn’t exactly anti-social but with humans he was different. Adara and Jessica had exchanged phone numbers and they looked like old friends. They had talked about herbs and mixes and I was shocked to learn that Jessica actually knew everything that Adara was learning about.“You were right, again, I do like her.” It was the only apology I’d get from Adara about Jessica and she went upstairs. I carried the dishes back to the scullery and Malachi helped me.“I can’t figure out why you never introduced her to us, she’s great, especially the way she puts you in your place.” Malachi smiled at me, a genuine smile I hadn’t seen in weeks.“Maybe because I’m not ready for a stepmom.”I heard him laughing as he walked up the stairs. ‘Wasn’t that funny,’ I thought to myself and looked at the dishes. There was no way I was doing the dishes right then. I shook my head as the feeling that I was missing som
The man in front of me claimed to be my brother. I could see it in his eyes but I couldn’t believe it. There had to be some sort of mistake somewhere.“Malachi.” He was already behind me, his eyes boring into the older man’s own.“So nice to see you again, Malachi.”“Franklin.” Malachi made no move to invite them in and I stood next to my father, shoulder to shoulder, blocking their entry. I sensed Malachi’s confusion as he looked at the younger man.“Where are your manners? At least invite your father and son in for some refreshments.” I looked at the older man again. I always thought that Malachi’s father was dead; it was an assumption I had made because nobody ever spoke of him.“My son?” Amusement reached Malachi’s eyes.“I present to you Alexander Reyan Miller. His mother was Alexandra Miller.” I saw the instant recognition hit Malachi’s eyes and I knew then that Franklin was telling the truth. This man was my brother, my older brother.“That’s impossible.” Malachi’s words were s
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