Chapter 28
28
H e could have killed Irene. Melvale approached Markhel who quickly ducked through the kitchen door into the dining room. “Brother,” he said and turned to Melvale. “What are you doing here?”
Melvale caught the scold in his voice. “I wanted to show Pari the library. I…” he sighed as his shoulders slumped. “I have no excuse. I shouldn’t have come.”
“You should have called for me. I’d have brought you.”
“You and a host of guards, you mean.” He grabbed the nearest chair and sat. “I am at a loss as to what to do, Markhel. I… I’m not sure how to win her.”
Markhel put a hand on his shoulder, then took a chair and placed it in front of him. “Pari must accept who and what you are first.”
“Her mate?”
“No. Simply you. Alpha and all. Then she must fall in love with you.”
Melvale laughed. “You slay me, brother.”
“Let us hope not,” Markhel said in all seriousness.
Melvale’s face fell. “You… wouldn’t really, would you?”
“No, but my heart…”
Melvale gave him a sage nod in understanding. Now that Markhel had a mate and had taken up his official position as the King’s Ranger, his heart might well act on its own.
He ran a hand down his face. “I hadn’t thought of that. But your heart didn’t respond when I … oh, wait, you weren’t here when Irene hit me over the head with her ladle.”
Markhel jumped to his feet. “She what?!”
Maida ran out the kitchen door. “What’s wrong?” She went straight to Markhel and wrapped her arms around him. “Are you all right?”
He drew in a deep breath as he held her to him. “I am fine, little one. Melvale told me something… shocking.”
“That’s putting it mildly, I suppose,” Melvale lamented. Poor Irene. But he didn’t attack her, didn’t roar or try to bite her or lunge at the others. Hmmm, that was good.
“What’s going on out here?” Irene asked as she entered the dining room. “Maida, get back in this kitchen.”
“She sensed my distress,” Markhel said. “It is good she came to me.” He smiled at Maida, bent to her and kissed her hair. “I am fine. Return to your task. Spend time with your friends.”
Maida stood on tiptoe prompting Markhel to bend closer. She kissed him on the cheek then hurried back to the kitchen.
Irene remained and eyed them. Melvale sighed. “We need to tell you some things.”
“No kidding,” she said. “Shall I fetch Wilfred and the others?”
“No,” Markhel said. “Maida needs to feed. We will tell you which things you can relay to the others, then if you wish, we will meet later and tell you more. All of you.”
Irene glanced between them. “Hmm, well, okay. What is it? Why did Melvale’s eyes turn blue?”
“I already mentioned why,” Melvale said. “I’m a Muiraran Alpha. I… I will eventually rule over all the races here.” He glanced at Markhel and back. “Including the human race.”
Irene’s eyes rounded to saucers. “WHAT?!” Her jaw dropped, and she openly gawked at him. “How is that possible. You’re… you’re… well, you.” She walked up to him and poked him in the chest. “You oversized marshmallow. How are you going to do that?”
Melvale smiled in amusement at her new description of him. Ever since she heard how he cried when he saw Captain Kolbeck propose to Princess Raina, she’d been using it. Kitty informed him of it while he was locked up in a containment cell. She filled him in on things about their assignment he couldn’t recall, and a few things that had happened since their return. Then Kwaku arrived, told him they needed his help to find his mate, and made him drink one of his draughts. The rest he could remember bits and pieces. Except a few times when his Alpha half took over. Those were a blank.
“Stop stalling and tell me,” Irene huffed.
Melvale shook himself. He should be paying attention, not rehashing what had already transpired. “I have… well, the power to do it. Once I get control of it, that is.”
Irene gaped at him anew. “Tell me he’s kidding.” She turned to Markhel. “Tell me!”
Markhel heaved a sigh. “He is telling the truth.”
She scrunched up her face and stood in front of Markhel now. “You mean to tell me he can command you and make you do things?”
“Yes, though I will be capable of doing the same thing.”
“What! You too?!”
Markhel shrugged. “I am his Beta. His second in command.”
Irene stepped back. “I… what… wait a minute. Alpha, Beta, what are you, a wolf pack?”
“No,” Melvale said. “ You are my pack. You and all the other races.”
Irene frowned. “What if I don’t want to be?”
“It does not matter what anyone wants,” Markhel said. “An Alpha does not rise up among our people unless he is needed.”
Irene’s frown deepened. “Why would he be?”
The brothers exchanged a look. “It means the races must unite to fight a common enemy.” Melvale said. “And we have only one.” He looked at Markhel, who gave him a nod to continue. “The Dissans.”
Irene’s face twisted up in confusion. “Who are they?”
“More like what are they,” Melvale said. “Nasty, giant reptilian creatures who do nothing but consume. They destroy anyone or anything that gets in their way, and they are relentless hunters.”
“They kill without thought,” Markhel added. “And feed on their victims.”
Irene’s eyes widened. “Well, that’s not very neighborly of them, is it?”
Melvale was about to comment when he spied Pari standing near the kitchen door. He immediately moved toward her. “Pari…”
She backed up and hit the wall with wide eyes. “What you just said about humans… is… is it true?”
“Oh, stab me, you heard?”
She stared at him, then Markhel, and nodded. “Is it?”
Melvale’s hearts quaked. It was an odd sensation, and for the first time in a very long time, he sensed he was backed into a corner he might not be able to get out of.
He looked her in the eyes. “Yes.”
She sidestepped and scurried around him to Irene. “Are you human?”
“Yes.” Irene narrowed her eyes at Melvale. “You mean to tell me you didn’t bother telling this youngun about all this?”
Melvale ignored her, cocked his head to one side and gave Pari the most tender look he could muster. “It’s true, my little Pari.”
“Don’t call me that.” She took a step back as her breathing picked up.
“No,” Markhel said. “Do not get upset with him, please.” He took a step forward.
Melvale didn’t realized he’d moved until he was standing in front of his brother. “Do not touch her.” The threat in his voice was clear as a bell. This, of course, only served to make Pari step away further. He watched her, fighting the urge to take her in his arms and go. “Pari…”
“What are you, really?” she asked.
He sighed. “Brother, my eyes…”
“They are mixed.” Markhel gave him a heartfelt look. “You should take Pari and return to your quarters.”
“No,” Pari said. “I… I don’t think I want to go with him.”
Melvale sank into a chair and put his head in his hands. “I will not force you to go with me, Pari. But I wish you would.”
“He will not do well without you by his side,” Markhel pointed out.
Polly and Mary entered the dining room. “Irene, where’s the extra flour… oh.” Mary snapped her mouth shut. “Are we interrupting something?”
Melvale ignored her and focused on Pari. “Please, will you accompany back to my quarters?”
Pari put a hand to her chest and looked at him, eyes full of suspicion. “What was that part you said about commanding… no. Controlling humans? You would bend humans to your will?”
Melvale sighed. “Pari, I can explain.”
“Good, because I’m not going anywhere with you until you do. You’re not going to, like, take over the world or anything are you? Make slaves out of us?”
He closed his eyes with a sigh. “No, Kitten, I…”
“Don’t call me that either,” she blurted. “I… I’m not sure of what you are.”
A half-hearted laugh escaped him. “That makes two of us.” He took a deep breath, surprised the Alpha side of him wasn’t fighting to make an appearance. But since he was the one that upset her, why would he? Time to use a different tactic. “I will explain everything once we’ve returned to my quarters.” He left the chair, closed the distance between them, and offered her his hand. “Come, Kahtala Miah.”
Her eyes widened slightly. “Your eyes are turning blue.”
“Fast too,” Irene commented and peered up at him.
“Brother,” Melvale said with a hint of alarm.
“Do you have control?” Markhel asked him.
He took a deep breath, then another. “I believe so.”
“What do you mean control?” Pari’s head swung to one, then the other and back again. “They’re bluer.” She took a step back.
Melvale’s eyes fixated on her, and he moved without thinking. “Oh, stab me, can’t you just behave…”
“What?” Pari snapped. “I’m not a child.”
“I wasn’t talking to you,” Melvale sang. He swallowed hard and tried to remain perfectly calm. “Pari…” came out gravelly and he bit the inside of his cheek to have something to focus on. If he lost control and the Alpha side of him took over, he was likely to toss Pari over his shoulder and march them all the way back to his quarters. That approach wasn’t going to go over very well if his guess was right.
“Brother, are you still here?”
Melvale slowly looked at him. “Y-yes.”
Markhel stepped toward him. “Your eyes are very blue.
Melvale faced him. “I am Alpha.” His voice was guttural now.
Pari’s eyes went wide. “Holy moly…”
His head snapped to her. “Kahtala Miah.”
She backed up a step, her jaw dropping as the words came out of their own accord. “Bondrah Miah…”
Markhel watched with interest. “She is the one person he cannot force with his power. Yet she responds. Interesting.”
“What does that mean?” Irene asked as she watched in fascination.
Markhel smiled. “She has met Alpha Melvale before. He has managed to begin a bonding of sorts.”
“And that’s good, right?” Polly asked.
“Yes, very good.”
Maida entered the dining room and stopped up short when she saw Melvale. “Oh my.”
Melvale saw her, recognized her, and his Alpha did too. “Mate of my Beta.”
“Melvale,” Markhel said, voice laced with warning.
He looked at him but said nothing. Instead, he gave his attention back to Pari. “Come, Kahtala Miah.”
Pari’s eyes filled with indecision.
Melvale stepped toward her. “Come.” His voice had softened, and she took a tentative step forward.
When she had closed the distance between them, he cocked his head and studied her. He had to be gentle with her. She was so fragile he could smell it. “I will never harm you,” he said. “You must know that.”
“Maybe not,” she said in a small voice. “But what about everybody else?”
Before he could think, he said, “You are my heart, what do you wish me to do?” And before she could respond to that, he was going down on one knee before her.