Chapter five: "Surprise" run in

MALACHI'S POV

It was a restless night of sleep. It was filled with intense thoughts of my mate, the woman who had seemed to have little interest in me, but I wasn't going to give up. I know she worked somewhere in the tiny town, so I explained what she looked like to a few of my wolves, and off they went, prepared to go to every business in town every day until they found her. Luckily for my anxious ass, it didn't take long. 

My beta called me, and I immediately answered the phone before the second ring. Fueled by anxiety and desperation to find my mate. 

"Hey, I found her.  She is at a cafe in the town center called Morning Java.  She is a barista, and I see what you mean about her scent.  She smells different than anything else I've ever come near before.  I'll stay here and keep an eye on her until you arrive." Morgan said, hearing my sigh of relief.

"Alright.  Thank you.  Make sure the others know, no reason to keep searching.  I don't want them anywhere near her." I was very serious, and everyone knew it.  No one messes with a lycan when it comes to their mate, but you definitely don't mess with an Alpha when it comes to his mate. And when the alpha is me, you shouldn't even test your luck. 

I am confident, tough, and a terrifying alpha, but as I stood outside of the cafe seeing her moving around serving customers and doing whatever else it was she was doing that I couldn't see, I became terrified. Morgan stood outside beside me, probably feeling my anxiety.

"Are you nervous?" Morgan asked me curiously, knowing the answer he would get versus the true answer I wouldn't tell him.  I was terrified.

"No, not really nervous about meeting her, more nervous on her reaction, to be honest.  Since last night she walked right past as if she barely noticed me.  That and I'm just obsessing over what she is, she isn't human, but she definitely isn't a lycan or vampire. I think that's what I am having the hardest time with." I replied, surprising Morgan with my much more honest answer. I wasn't a liar by any means, but I really did do my best not to reveal any emotions that went against my reputation as ruthless, cruel, and apathetic.  

"Hhmm, the big bad Malachi is nervous about a girl?  She must be something special to invoke something like that.  And yes, I am joking; she is your mate, so of course, you're going to be all messed up over it."  Morgan joked, "now go.  Before some human decides to start trying to flirt.  See ya." 

I took a deep breath and walked into the air-conditioned cafe. It was bustling since it was the only cafe in the small town. I was pretty confident that having an extremely attractive woman working at the counter helped the numbers after noticing a good chunk of the customers were men. I could hear them commenting on her and could smell their increased testosterone levels, indicating they were most likely somewhat aroused and very possibly in a mode of feeling threatened by the other males in the room.  

I walked over to the line drawing attention to myself, totally by accident, assuming it was probably my height and the way I carry myself.  Not to sound cocky, but I tended to demand attention without even asking for it.  I couldn't help myself as I watched her intently as she worked, her eyes constantly drifting up to meet mine.  The more she looked at me, the more intense my feelings got. The stronger feelings didn't bother me when I was around her, but as soon as I leave and get away from her scent, I think like a normal person again, for the most part, and then I'm annoyed at how obsessive she's making me.  She's making me crazy, and  I hate it.  

"You are a very pretty woman, you know that?" The man in front of me said, leaning onto the counter.  I could see her entire body tense up; the man was making her feel uncomfortable.  I was getting angry but waited to intervene; it was against what every cell in my body was telling me, but I couldn't risk scaring her away so that she couldn't see the angry part of me yet.

"So I've been told." She said dryly. I was actually feeling a bit impressed with her response.  

"Yeah, well, have you been told how undeniably sexy you are?" He reached out to grab her arm; she snatched up his hand and twisted it hearing the joints crackling.  "What the fuck? Let me go." I instantly knew if I ended up needing to intervene, she wouldn't be so easily scared.  Never in a million years would I have thought a woman like that would be what I mated with.  I truthfully expected a weakling. She seemed the opposite. 

"You touch me again, or even try, and I'll break your goddamn fingers." I forced myself not to smile as I watched her.  So calm and contained. 

"You're fucking crazy, man. What is wrong with you?" The man snapped at her. I was getting angry all over again with the name-calling.  He didn't know it, but I'd intervene if he called her something again.  I could hear the stretching and straining of his fingers as they became closer and closer to breaking.  Breaking a bone, no matter the bone, by your hands is hard, and she seemed to be close to doing it with ease. I was, in fact, beginning to get aroused by her toughness.

"What's wrong is you think you can say and do whatever you want to women. To me and get away with it.  You won't with me, and if you think I'm joking.  Do it again."  She got real close to him, bending and twisting his fingers more as she spoke and as he struggled.  

"Okay, okay, I'm sorry." He cried out, tears streaming down his face.  She let him go.  

"I have the right to refuse service...I think you should leave now." Her tone was very matter-of-fact, which angered the customer.

"You know what, you better hope I don't find you alone in a dark fucking ally, you whor..." At that moment, I grabbed the back of the man's head by his hair and shoved his face hard into the counter, interrupting whatever he was about to call her.  I didn't like the name-calling, but whore was definitely one of the worse ones to call a woman. 

"You shouldn't threaten women like that...especially not ones like her," I spoke just as dryly as River did.

"Jesus Christ, all of you are fucking crazy." I whipped the man around to face me, and I made my eyes blacken, and the man was suddenly no longer mad. Instead, he was terrified, exactly how I wanted him to feel. I released him, and the man took off out of the building like a bat out of hell.  A few customers applauded the whole thing so, River went ahead and took a bow.  I couldn't help give a slight smile.  She may not be mine yet, but I was proud of her because she was my mate.  It made me want to pull her close to me and tell her how grateful I was the moon Gods were so kind to mate me with her.

"I had it under control.  But thank you." She said sweetly and smiled, making my knees feel oddly weak. Her smile makes me want to melt, "what can I get you?"

"Well, since now probably isn't the best time to ask for your number.  I'll take a cup of black, large." I smirked, and the two of us were frozen in time as we stared into each other's eyes. Then, finally, she broke from it and nodded. I was annoyed by how weak she made me feel, but also she made me feel strong. The confusion of all these emotions was frustrating. The toughest lycan there ever was made weak by a woman who isn't even his yet. 

"I'm River, by the way." She offered up as she poured my cup of coffee.  

"Malachi," I replied, not seeing what she was doing behind the coffee machine.  She handed the hot cup of coffee to me, our fingers touched lightly, and a volt of electricity ran up my arm and through my body. By her reaction, she seemed to have felt it too.

"On the house." She stated, "have a great day."  She flashed me another beautiful smile before I left.

"Thank you," I nodded and walked out, unsure of what else to do. I got into my car a bit frustrated and noticed writing on my cup as I lifted it to my lips.  "We'll see" was written nicely in sharpy.  It may not be her phone number, but it at least wasn't a no. I couldn't help my smile, I felt like I was being played with, but I'll play.  It seemed as if there was a prize at the end of the game.

RIVER POV

His name was Malachi.  The tall, ridiculously sexy man with a Scottish accent defended me.  I normally hated people trying to defend me when I am perfectly capable of doing it myself.  But it didn't seem like he did it because he thought I was incapable, but more like a significant other defending their loved one's respect. I wasn't annoyed by it, I know he wanted my phone number, and after what Lilly and Brice had told me about him, I wasn't so sure I should.  I didn't want to cut off my choices completely. Perhaps they were wrong about who he is.  

"Hey, babe." Lilly greeted me, so I began to make her regular.  I noticed her facial expression get serious, and she sniffed the air, which was really weird to me, but she did it a lot. Then, Brice came up beside her.

"Hey, guys.  How's it going?" I asked while Lilly was scrutinizing me as I worked. She had this weird ability to tell when something is different with me. 

"He was here, wasn't he?" She asked, and when I turned to look at her, she had her hands on her hips and a raised eyebrow.  

"Who was here?" I played dumb, which was pointless because I knew she knew better.

"Malachi.  Listen, we warned you about him. He's bad news. I don't want you to get hurt, and with him...you will." Lilly said, sounding more serious than I'd ever heard her sound before. 

"Listen, Lil, you sound like you know a lot more about him than just things you've heard." I was now getting annoyed.  "So spill it."  Lilly and Brice shared a look which only annoyed me more.  "I thought we were all best friends, that's what you said, Lilly.  You too, Brice.  And now you're keeping secrets from me that are obviously a big deal."  They both stood there silent, and it got awkward, "I have work to do.  Here are your drinks.  We can talk again when you two decide you wanna tell me what's up." 

Lilly began to speak, but I held up my hand to stop her.  "Come on, River." Brice started, but I leaned around them to see the person behind them.

"Hey, how can I help you?" I asked the woman behind them, "I'm working.  You have time to think.  See ya later...Maybe."  I felt like I was the butt of some big joke between them and this Malachi guy.  I knew for sure they all knew each other in some capacity, and I was damned if I was going to be in the middle of some game or feud or something.  I've always hated secrets, and this seemed like it was a big one.

At this moment, I felt a bit annoyed that I didn't give him my number, but another part of me was telling myself it was a good thing, that I needed to be smarter.  

LILLY POV

I hated that I could smell Malachi all over the cafe, so near my dear friend.  The poor girl didn't know what Brice and I are or what Malachi is. I honestly don't think she knows what she is.  I sure as hell have no idea, I just know she isn't human.  

"Brice, maybe we should consider telling her," I said. He whipped his head to look at me like I was the dumbest person on the planet.

"What? Are you serious? Why?" He seemed a bit panicky at the idea.

"Yeah, I'm serious. She has to know at some point, and maybe after we tell her and show her what you and I are, we can explain to her about Malachi better.  And maybe we can keep her away from him." I was thinking through ideas of how to tell her, "besides, she isn't a human, that's pretty obvious. So just say we can think about it."  

"It's a bad idea.  But for you and for her, I'll think about it.  I'll give it real consideration." Brice replied, running his big hands through his thick messy hair, releasing a loud, overly dramatic sigh.

"I know where Malachi is...We should go talk to him.  Explain to him that she isn't something to go after.  She is a good person, and he doesn't need to kill her." I said, and Brice just stared at me in total disbelief.  It felt like I waited forever for a response from him and all he did was laugh at me.  "Listen, I'm going to talk to him with or without you.  Your choice."  

I got in my car and waited a few minutes to muster up enough courage to see Malachi. Just as I was about to back out of the driveway, Brice hurried out and got into the passenger's side. 

"We are going to die." He said matter-of-factly.  I smiled at him, and we drove toward Malachi's home.  "What are you going to say?"

"I have absolutely no idea." 

We were both frozen when we parked in front of his home, unable to move.  I just stared at the place, unsure of what to do next, feeling really damn stupid for this. Then, just as I was about to back up and leave, we were stopped by a large lycan tapping on my window.  

"I think you need to come inside and chat with the alpha Malachi."  I didn't know who this monster-sized lycan was, but I was totally taken by him.  In fact, he was just about all that I noticed, and as we walked inside, he seemed to be having a similar reaction.  I was suddenly worried that this werewolf, part of the evilest pack there ever was, was potentially my mate.

"I remember you two from the bar." Malachi greeted, and I stiffened up.  "Why are you here?"

"We are here to tell you to stay away from our friend River." I'm not sure where I mustered up the confidence and courage to speak out, but it worked.

"Is that so?" His emotionless expression and way of speaking made me more uneasy.

"Yes.  She knows nothing of our world, and if she doesn't know, she shouldn't." His smile though beautiful, made me feel more and more stressed.

"She isn't human." He said there was silence for a few moments before he walked right up to me and looked down upon me like I was an ant under a magnifying glass.  "I won't be going anywhere.  No matter what."

"Why?" I asked quietly, feeling much less confident.

"She's my mate, and I won't go anywhere without her."  My heart dropped, and my stomach twisted.  I felt dizzy and as if my feet were cement bricks.  If River is his mate, he really isn't going anywhere, and the war will be brought right to us.

*Author's note:This book contains violence, sexual scenes and talks about rape. Reader discretion is warned. I appreciate all of the support my reader's provide for me and my kids.  Please don't forget to give gems and votes and reviews please.  Every little bit helps!