Chapter 10
AMRI
K eeping his body angled away from me, Malik sits back down on the bench, and his long hair sweeps in front of his face, hiding his expression. Okay. Message received. I slip my hands into my pockets, fingering the stone. I should just leave.
Keep your mouth shut. Don’t say anything. Just go. I ignore myself, blurting out, “What ingredient? For what?”
Surprisingly, Malik answers. “The stamen of the Queen of the Night. We need it to make a new key. For my … collar. We used all we had for the first key, and we used that on?—”
“Rian.” He nods, and I say, “Is that the only ingredient you’re missing?” He nods again, and I clasp my hands in front of me. “I’ll see if I can locate some. How much do you need, and does it need to be fresh, or can it be dried?”
His eyes widen, as if surprised I’m so readily helping him. Well, he’s just going to have to get used to it. He quickly flattens his expression. “We don’t need much. Half a teaspoon will do. And it’s more potent if it’s fresh, but dried will work.”
“Okay. ”
Silence fills the space between us, and once again, I find myself blurting out, “The Council will intervene.”
“Maybe.” While his tone is dejected, there’s a hint of anger under it, and I take comfort in that. The moment he loses his anger is the moment we lose him.
I take a step towards him without even thinking about it. I clench my thighs to stop myself from joining him on the bench. A bee buzzes around me, the sound overly loud in the silence.
Malik sighs, his broad shoulders sagging even more as he says, “Why are you still here, Amri?” My entire body heats at the sound of my name in his rumbling voice, but I don’t have an answer for him.
He sighs again. The gold of his earrings glints between the strands of his black hair, and I notice one is missing and there’s dried blood in his hair around that ear.
He says, “Please, just leave.”
“Malik, I?—”
“Leave!”
His alpha-command crashes into me. My head dips in submission. I curl my hands into fists as I take three steps back. Before I take another, I dig my toes in, holding my ground. With great effort that has a headache pinching at my right temple, I lift my gaze.
Malik still isn’t looking at me.
I snap. “You can’t even offer me the decency of looking at me as you use that voice? I didn’t think you were a coward, Malik.”
I regret the words as soon as they slip past my lips, and my nails dig into my palms, but he still doesn’t look at me as he says, “You don’t know me.”
I crack my neck, trying to find relief from the tension in my spine. I force a smile to lift my lips as I cock out a hip and say, “I think you’d be surprised, Malik.”
With eyes still glued to the bench, he says, “I guess. You correctly labeled me as a coward.”
I roll my eyes. “Let me clarify. Your actions were cowardly. You are not a coward. Not by a long shot.”
He huffs a chuckle filled with sarcasm, and finally, his head whips up and around, his brilliant green eyes clashing with mine.
And … and there’s a smile on his face. Stars.
I’ve never understood the meaning of ‘weak in the knees’ until right this moment.
Malik’s smile—even this angry one—aimed at me is the most potent weapon in his arsenal, I’m sure of it, because I’m ready to commit all kinds of atrocities to get him to do it again and again and again.
With that snarky smile still in place, he says, “You just proved my earlier statement. You. Don’t. Know. Me.”
I tilt my head, aiming a smile back at him as I respond, “If you say so, but here I thought you are very thoughtful towards everyone around you.” His smile slips, and my heart gives a little lurch at its absence, but I press on.
“And you’re kind.” I take another step towards him.
“Resilient.” Another small step. “Smart. Attentive.” His eyes harden to just shy of a scowl, but he holds my gaze as I say, "I have watched your brothers for a year, and I’ve gotten to know you through them.
I have watched them fight and persevere to find a way to free you.
They are good males. You know this. And good males don’t fight that hard for someone who doesn’t deserve it.
You are compassionate to the point of self-sacrifice.
” With a sad sigh, I shrug. “Which makes me a bad match for you, so good call on that.”
His brows furrow in a full frown, but I go on.
“You know how wolverines are … or maybe you don’t.
We are solitary predators. We hunt and scavenge alone.
We ar e prickly in nature. We are clever, but to the point of being labeled tricksters, and I’m certainly not above a bit of chicanery to get what I want.
We are often selfish and defensive and?—”
Malik growls, and his heat hits me a second before his hand wraps around my neck.
My body flares to life, and heat pools in my center, but then I’m nearly jerked off my feet as Malik yanks me behind him.
I stumble but keep my feet, spinning to find his broad back filling my view.
His panther ears flick through the long strands of his hair, and his claws glint in the sunlight where he’s holding his arms slightly away from his body, ready to pounce.
I lift my face, scenting the air. My hackles rise. I was so distracted by Malik I didn’t even notice someone was coming our way. My claws slide out, and fur begins to spread over my skin as a voice calls out. “Malik!”
His shoulders bunch, and the fact that he doesn’t relax tells me what I need to know about the approaching shifter. Malik growls again, his voice humming low and deep. “Hide.”
“Stay. Fight.” I’m not surprised by my beast’s proclivity to violence, it’s our nature, our instinct.
But I am shocked that she wants to fight with Malik.
I wasn’t lying when I told him wolverines are solitary creatures.
We don’t have family units. We don’t form packs or prides or coalitions or pods.
I was born into the Aries clan, but the rarity of my species paired with my natural strength made me a perfect candidate for the Enforcer program.
And I never looked back. I’m very good at my job, and more importantly, I love that I get to do it alone .
Mentally, I frown. But not at the expense of shifters like Malik. If the Council continues to sit on their hands in the face of blatant abuse, I will walk away. Proudly .
As the scent of the approaching shifter gets stronger, I stare at Malik’s back. I’ve always been willing to fight for Malik and his brothers, but the more I think about it, the more excited I get at the prospect of fighting with him.
“Imagine the carnage we could inflict.” I chuckle at my beast’s inner glee.
Malik barks quietly, “Amri!”
Oh, right. No one can know I’m here … well, no one else.
Reluctantly, and to the disappointed grumblings of my wolverine, I shove my hand in my pocket and activate the stone. It grows warm as my body and scent fade. Malik’s shoulders lower, and his panther ears and claws retract. So this shifter isn’t a threat?
Wait. Was Malik only tensed and armed with his beast to protect me? I’ve never needed protecting in my entire life, but the idea of this alpha shielding me with his impressive body has me feeling a certain way. Maybe there is hope for us after all?
The approaching shifter calls out again, “Malik?”
Malik peeks over his shoulder, I guess to check that I have indeed hidden as he commanded.
I roll my eyes because he can’t see me. Such an alpha.
He focuses back on the arched opening in the hedge wall just as a female shifter walks past. She almost doesn’t notice Malik, but stops short, whips her head around, then hurries inside.
I don’t miss how her gaze travels down his body before snapping to his face.
Her tail springs out, flicking behind her, as if just being this close to Malik calls to her beast.
“I don’t like her.” Yeah, I’m with my wolverine on this one. But jealousy is not a good color on me, so I do my best to shake it off.
The female clasps her hands in front of her, making herself smaller. She has the audacity to bat her long lashes at him, and a pretty blush stains her cheeks as she says, “I’m sorry, Malik. I know you probably came out here to be alone, but?—”
Malik waves off her words, shaking his head. “It’s okay, Nadia.”
Her blush deepens. “I did try. My plan was to pretend to get lost out here to give you as much time as possible, but then I really did get turned around, and then I started to worry that I was taking too long and Leonora would?—”
“Where is she?” Malik’s voice is flat, and while I’m secretly glad he’s not rushing to coddle this meek little shifter, I hate how empty he sounds. How alone.
The shifter drops her gaze, and her attention snags on his crotch, her eyes going round at the obvious outline of his erect cock.
But she quickly dips her head, curling her shoulders.
I find myself wondering if Malik finds that kind of submission appealing.
He is an alpha. But after our little chat, I’m cautious to presume anything about him.
Besides, even though he rejected it, the Fates wouldn’t have put that bond between us if Malik dislikes a strong female.
“Though he can throw us around if he wants.” My beast smirks, wagging her thick tail in my mind.
“Stop distracting me.”
She huffs. “You were the one trying to decide what kind of female Malik wants even though the answer is obvious …” She does a little spin, sits back on her hind legs, and holds out her front paws as if to say ‘us’.
I chuckle at her as I refocus on Malik and the little shifter, Nadia.
I think I missed her answer to Malik’s question because she’s rambling again.
Malik listens patiently where I just want to tell her to get to the point.
But I guess listening to Nadia go on and on about …
what is she even talking about? Pie? A restaurant on Earth that sells excellent pi e?
Who the fuck cares? But yeah, I guess listening to Nadia digress about pie is better than answering Leonora’s summons.
Wait. Did that female just offer to bring Malik a tasty dessert?
My beast’s body puffs up and stiffens as she stares at Nadia through my eyes in an act of aggression as she shouts in my head, “I’m going to bite all her fingers off. Try giving my mate a pie without fingers!”
Before she charges, forces a shift, and scent marks Malik as hers, I mentally smack her on the nose, wrinkling my own at the sting. She shakes her head with an annoyed sneeze but backs down.
Malik slides his hands in his pant’s pockets in a clear sign of closing himself off, which helps calm my beast a little more. His voice is still flat, but his words are kind as he says, “Thank you, Nadia, but you know that would get us both in trouble. And besides, I’m …”
I roll on my toes, straining for him to finish that sentence. He’s … what? Taken. I want him to tell that shifter that he’s not available because he has a mate. Me! But that’s not true. And that’s probably not what he was going to say. I need to get out of this weird headspace and focus, damn it.
Nadia nods, her brown hair swaying around her pretty face as she says, “You’re right. Of course. I’m sorry. I just thought?—”
Malik, with hands still in his pockets, leans forward, dipping his head as he says, “It is very kind of you to think of me. Thank you, but I should really go.”
Nadia zips her lips and steps to the side, full on bowing as Malik strides past her, not sparing a glance back at me.
And then he’s gone. Nadia sighs, staggering to the bench and flops down dramatically.
She presses a hand to her chest as she whispers to herself, “I can’t believe I just did that!
I mean, he turned me down, but only because he was protecting me.
If Leonora found out how I feel about …” She snaps her mouth shut, head turning side to side as if afraid someone heard her.
Well, I heard her, and while I kinda want to scratch her eyes out, I also feel sorry for her.
Unrequited love is a heavy burden to carry.
But is it unrequited? Would Malik choose her if he was free to do so? I shake my head and storm towards the archway. I need to untangle myself from all these messy feelings. I have a job to do. Everything else can come later.
My beast barks, rolling over with a smirk. “Yeah, we can come later.”
And now I’m thinking of getting myself off while picturing Malik dancing just for me … slowly stripping until he’s completely bare before me and …
I’m jogging as I burst from the gardens, heading for the perimeter of Leonora’s territory. I’ll go check in with my contact on the Council, then I’ll indulge myself with an orgasm or two. That should take some of the edge off and help me focus.
Right?