In his heart Malachi had known that Adrian wouldn’t be at any of the addresses any of them had. It seemed too easy and he knew Adrian was smarter than that. He was heading back to the house when his phone rang.“All clear on my side, Malachi.” Malachi sighed, he shouldn’t be surprised, he’d known this would happen.“I’m on my way back to the house, thank you, Robert.”“I’ll meet you there.”“You don’t have to, Robert. You’ve already been a big help to us.” Malachi couldn’t help the frustration bubbling up in him.“I’m not leaving until we find that little boy and Adrian Peters. Kiran was right about one thing, Adrian needs to be put down.” The call ended and Malachi parked his Navigator in front of the garage.Malachi walked into the house through the kitchen, knowing it would take Kiran longer to return since Malachi had given him two extra addresses. He found Adara pacing up and down in front of the kitchen counter.“Did you find anything?” Adara was worried and chewing her thumb na
Adara pushed Juniper towards Robert, blood still flowing from her broken nose. “Tie her to that chair. I need to take care of Christian first.”Robert looked at Malachi and took out his handcuffs when Malachi nodded. He pushed her down onto a kitchen chair and handcuffed her hands behind her. He didn’t particularly feel sorry for the woman, she was as guilty as Adrian.Adara knelt down next to Christian and touched his forehead. His cheeks were flushed but his face was cold to the touch. “What did you do to him?”“Adrian gave him a sedative, he said it would calm him down.” Juniper was crying but Adara ignored her sobs.Adara focused her energy on Christian. She placed her hands on his chest and concentrated on his shallow breathing and the soft, slow beating of his heart. She felt the poison and her aura started glowing as she pulled the poison towards her.It felt like forever even though only ten minutes had passed and Adara could feel it leaving Christian’s system. His cheeks retu
Robert braced himself in the car as Malachi drove to the edge of town. He was going well over the speed limit and the Navigator skidded to a halt on the dirt road some few yards away from the warehouse.“Kiran!”By the time Robert opened his door Malachi was already running and it took him a few seconds to see Kiran stumbling out of the warehouse. Kiran slumped forward, hitting his head on a rock just as Malachi reached him.“Kiran …”Kiran’s eyelids fluttered but didn’t open as Malachi grabbed his shoulders and lightly shook him. His shirt was torn and covered in blood. Robert reached them and noticed the handcuffs around his wrists, the chain in the middle broken. He had no idea why, but he unlocked the cuffs from Kiran’s wrists and drew his gun.Robert walked carefully into the dark warehouse and rounded the corner with his gun raised in front of him. Adrian was on the floor, lying on his back, his face almost unrecognizable. He didn’t have to check for a pulse.He knew Adrian was
Kiran smiled weakly at her as she let go and pushed herself off of him. Malachi stood right next to him and pulled him into a sitting position and enveloped him in a bear hug. Malachi held onto him tightly, his love pushing from his aura onto Kiran as he rested his head on his father’s shoulder.“I agree with Adara, don’t ever do that to us again.” Malachi wiped tears from his eyes as he let Kiran go and he saw Robert wiping his face as well.“I’m not sorry about what I did.” Kiran looked Malachi in the eye and got up slowly from the couch.“I know.” Malachi had a sad smile on his face but relief was evident in his eyes.“I really thought you were a goner, Kiran.” Robert patted his back as Kiran pulled him in for a hug as well. He was truly part of the family now.Kiran turned and saw Juniper slumped forward in the seat, her arms behind her and handcuffs sporting around her wrists. “Kidnapping … again? Didn’t we agree that the last time was the last time?”Kiran winced as he moved, th
The pain in Juniper’s head was sudden and sharp. It felt like someone had split her skull open with an axe, a blinding pain she had never felt before. It lasted for all of five minutes before it ebbed away only to start again half an hour later.‘Kiran’s alive,’ she thought to herself. If Kiran was alive that meant that Adrian was dead and she was free.Juniper hadn’t thought twice before running out of the front door as fast as her legs could carry her. She had stopped just as she reached the dirt road and turned back towards the driveway. She walked back to the Jeep, watching the front door of the house intently.She grabbed her handbag and the phone and then ran until she reached Lowell Canyon Drive and slowed to a walk. She pulled her jacket closer around her body, wondering what the hell Adrian had given her to make her feel so weak.Every time a car drove past her she froze in fear that Kiran or Malachi had changed their minds and were coming for her. Kiran had let her go with a
She stood in the queue and booked a ticket to Honolulu, Hawaii. She didn’t know anyone there and that seemed like a good place to start over. She sat down close to the boarding gate and closed her eyes again.With the fence sending her the money, she didn’t need to go to Texas and beg a friend to let her sleep on their couch. She could head straight to Hawaii, drink a cocktail from a coconut shell and relax in the sun.She had a few hours before the flight left and mentally she replaced her wardrobe, found a little place near the beach and stretched out on a sun chair, listening to the waves and holding a cocktail in her hand.Her eyelids grew heavy and another stabbing pain made her breath freeze in her chest. This one wasn’t like the rest and she could feel the rupturing pain behind her eyelids, inside her brain and even through her skull.The darkness was infinite and Juniper turned in a circle slowly. Her heart was beating rapidly in her chest and she felt like she was suffocating
When Malachi became the Alpha of his pack, nobody had said he was ready. He had to be ready the moment Georgina had died. He’d been thinking of all things pack related for a few days and he knew without a doubt that Kiran was ready.Kiran was unbreakable, he was strong and the pack needed an Alpha that could be fearless in the moment of chaos. Malachi’s own guilt over the explosion at the den had brought these thoughts on.He didn’t want to be the Alpha anymore. He was lost in a sea of conflict and guilt and giving the reins over to Kiran would give them all a fresh start. Malachi felt lighter after having made his decision and he didn’t waste any more time. The line on the other end rang and Malachi gripped the pen on his desk again.“Whitcombe.” His voice was gruff and Malachi smiled.“Hello John.”“Malachi, how are you?” Malachi could hear the smile in John’s voice.“I’m good, how are you?”“It doesn’t help to complain but I know you didn’t call just to check up on me.” Even though
He fooled himself into believing that they could be friends and Malachi had no intention of getting involved with her. Mia didn’t give up though and every day she arrived promptly at lunch time with a basket in her arms.“Thank you for lunch.” Malachi wiped his mouth with the paper napkin and leaned back in his seat.“You need someone to look after you.” Mia winked at him and he pulled his mask back on. His stoic expression didn’t faze her one bit.“No, I don’t.”Mia smiled again and started gathering up the empty containers. Once she was done repacking her basket she sat down next to Malachi, their thighs touching. She leaned closer to him and closed her eyes.“Mia … we agreed to be friends.” Malachi had moved away from her and he saw an expression of hurt in her eyes.“I know … I’m sorry. Let me cook you dinner tonight to make it up to you, just as friends, I swear.”Malachi kept his eyes closed as he woke up but he was already cursing himself when he felt the familiar dull ache beh
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