Chapter 37 Mal
Mal
PAST
I walk into the kitchen and find Indy and Vae facing off against each other.
For a moment, I almost turn and walk right out of there. I do not want to get in the middle of this, but I spot the crimson spots on Vae’s cheeks, and I remember well how dangerous she can be.
“Vae? What’s going on?”
“I want her out of this house.”
I shake my head. There is no way I can do that.
“What happened? You two are my most favourite people in the whole world outside of the pack. I don't want you to fight.”
“I’m not your maid!” Vae hisses.
“Of course, not.” But she does do everything for us. The towels just magically appear, my bed linens wash themselves, my meals are always made according to the diet, weighed to exactly what I need to consume.
“Vae, calm down. You can’t yell at Indy like that.”
Vae recoils.
“Let’s just say you’re sorry and make up.”
She shakes her head. “She thinks I’m going to move out.”
I pause, hesitating. “Well, you will one day when we choose an omega, won’t you?
” It’s a question that’s been on my mind when it’s just me and my thoughts in the middle of the night.
I don’t mean to ask it. I wish I could take it back, but that’s what everyone says.
It’s what should happen. I hate the idea; I despise the idea. Losing Vae is unthinkable.
Vae’s face goes white.
I panic, but she bolts for the backdoor and disappears, even though I call for her.
I think about choosing an omega, and I don’t know why I said that. It’s not like we’re ready. It will be years yet. If we ever do.
PRESENT
I lean over my beautiful omega and kiss her softly. Her eyes flutter open, and she smiles. I want to see that smile on her face every time she wakes up.
“We’re heading out now.”
She sits up, bleary-eyed. “I’ll get your stuff.”
I push her back down onto the bed that stinks of us. “No need. I’ve got everything. Deacon’s got everything. We’ve eaten. Just get some more sleep, and we’ll be back in a couple of hours. I just wanted to say goodbye.”
“I need to go to the shop,” she protests.
“Raynor is going to wake you up in an hour.”
She lies back, clearly exhausted, but a happy exhaustion. She watches me with one eye as I grab my jacket and quietly leave the nest.
Deacon has his bag over his shoulder; he hands me a cup of coffee, and we walk out to the truck. It’s early; the sun has just risen, but when we walk into the arena, the coaching staff greets us with huge smiles.
I throw myself into the day, enjoying the easy conversations with the rest of the team. When it comes time to leave, the coach is standing down the hallway, his arms crossed over his chest.
He looks at me and gives me a nod.
I’m not sure why, but that silent approval sends waves of pride and happiness through me. Have I always been striving for it? Either way, I’m happy when I meet Deacon out at the car.
To my surprise, he grabs me and pins me to the side before leaning in and giving me a chaste kiss. It should be innocent, but it’s intimate, deadly. It reveals a vulnerability that I know he keeps hidden.
“Hey!”
I turn and grin. “Henry!”
He doesn’t stop but slams into my chest, hugging me hard.
“What’s this for?”
I look to Deacon for help, but he just winks at me.
“You got me on the ice. I’m helping to teach the kids in the afternoons, but they saw me skate. I showed them all my training, and I have an interview with the Scorpions!” Henry almost shouts.
The news hits hard, and I pick him up, swinging us around happily. “I knew you could do it!”
He steps back as soon as I let him down, but before he can escape, Deacon has enfolded him in a hug.
Henry’s eyes get wide. He goes still before his arms inch up, hugging my prickly alpha tight.
“Congratulations.”
“You spoke to them for me, didn’t you?” Henry says hoarsely.
Deacon steps back and winks as he turns away. “I just pointed their attention in the right direction.”
Henry stands there, almost trembling. “I don’t know what to say-”
“Don’t say anything; you did all the work; we just made sure they saw you,” I wave him off. “Go enjoy the sweet rewards.”
He lifts his arm, looking over his shoulder as someone calls his name.
“Who’s that?” I tease.
“One of the kids I coach has an uncle.”
I laugh. “Oh! An uncle?”
Henry swats at me. “It’s not like that.”
“Isn’t it?”
“He loves hockey,” Henry says, watching the alpha who is scowling and looking mildly furious.
“Yeah, he sure does love hockey.”
I snicker, but Deacon pulls me away.
“We have to go play with our omega now. We’ll catch up soon!”
Henry smiles and waves as we drive away.
My anticipation grows and grows until we get to her shop. I stand outside the window looking at the massive line. Her cakes look amazing. There are two girls in there helping serve now and a baker out the back who helps with keeping up with what they run out of.
Vae’s face is flushed red, but her eyes are alight with happiness.
I put a hand out and catch Deacon’s arm. “Wait.”
“Wait?”
“I want to organise a surprise for her.”
“A surprise?”
“A date.”
Deacon stops trying to enter the store and turns more fully to me.
“There’s a boat…”
I’m so careful with her as I walk her down the pier and onto the boat we’ve hired for the night. It’s a cool night but not freezing or uncomfortable.
The guy waiting on us hands Raynor the keys. “You’re right on time. I’ll be back in the morning.”
Vae’s listening hard, uncertain, but I stroke my hand down her side and then lift her up off her feet, carrying her the rest of the way.
I set her down and remove her blindfold.
I planned it out perfectly. The only thing she will see is a world of stars brighter than they’ve ever been before.
“What?” she takes a step forward, unable to help herself.
“We commandeered a pirate ship for you to sail amongst the stars for a night.”
Her head whips around, and she finally notices the boat we’re standing on.
It’s not the old pirate ship we dreamed of as kids but an expensive yacht with all the amenities.
There’s low lights burning, lots of faux fur blankets, flowers, and cakes, of course, to go with her favourite wine and hot chocolate.
“What is this?”
“Be officially our pack omega. I want your bond on me. I know we said we’d give you time and that we’d wait but-”
“I didn’t need time or have to wait,” she says in confusion.
“What?” It’s the only word I can think of saying.
“I was waiting for you to be ready.”
Raynor chuckles in the background, and I want to hit him. All it will take is a stupid comment like ‘I told you so,’ and I will toss him overboard. I hope he can swim.
“You were waiting? For us?”
I feel so stupid, but when she turns to me, and there’s a sky of stars behind her, I can’t find it in me to care. I won’t wait another night.
I turn back to Deacon, wondering why he hasn’t said anything yet.
He’s standing with his hands in his pockets, just watching her with a soft smile.
“Why?” she asks him in an almost whine.
“We pushed you into a lot of things you probably weren’t ready for. Your heat pushed you into being with us. I just wanted you to be sure.”
Her lips part; she stares at him. A shiver runs through her body, but she turns her back to us so she’s facing the stars.
“Where are we sailing?”
Deacon takes her hand. “Wherever you want to go?”
She turns so she can see me.
“Nowhere…just give me my bonds.”
We sail the yacht to the middle of the lake and anchor it. I turn to her as soon as it’s all set up.
Her dress is tied at one shoulder. I reach for it and watch as the material pools on the floor of the boat. Now, the only thing she’s clothed in is moonlight.
“Vae,” I whisper. “You are so beautiful.”
She smiles.
I strip out of my clothes and tug her to the seat with all the faux fur, pull her down on me, and kiss her shoulder.
“I want this to be forever.”
“It will be,” she whispers back.
My hands grab her ass and drag her closer to me, pulling her so that my cock presses up between her legs, surrounded by her dripping heat.
I push slowly into her, without ever taking my eyes from her face. She stares back at me, gasping and moaning as she rides me. We’re silent, but our conversation is happening soul to soul, heart to heart.
I urge her with my fingers pressed hard into her hips to move faster and drop my mouth to the spot I’ve chosen just over her right breast. That honeycomb candy saturates my senses, it’s on her skin, in her touch, but I gladly drown in it, ravenous and insatiable.
I kiss and nuzzle the spot I’ve chosen, marking her, rubbing her scent all over my face.
My hands glide up, roaming her body, mapping out every curve, every dip and hollow.
I catch her hips, and when she raises, I slam her down and lift my hips, knotting us together as I sink my teeth deep.
She cries. I think I do. I know I’m crying because I can taste the salt of my tears. I can feel her inside me, her love, the strength of it. She’s the brightest star, and I will never be lost with this bond inside me.
I remove my teeth, licking at the spot until I look up at her.
She cups my face.
“I love you, Malcolm Evans, and I always will.”