Chapter 6

• Maleah’s p.o.v.
• “Maleah drew the map of our Pack territory that is hanging in the Alpha office, she had heard me tell your Mom the kind of map I wanted.” He explains and all three of them stare at me for a moment. “How old were you when you drew that?” Alpha Dax asks and I tell him that I was ten when I started with it. “Dad got me the pictures I needed for inspiration and he made sure I had the right size paper to draw it on. To make those details come out in the right way I had to take my time and sometimes I made it on a separate paper first, just to get it right.
• Once I knew I would be able to finish it before his birthday I started to give your parents their drawing on their birthdays and when it was Alpha Max’s birthday I had another challenge. I mean, it wasn’t like I could just pick it up and walk over to the Pack-house with it.” I say and I hear everyone laughing. “Dad and I wrapped it together and he took it to the Pack-house at night to make sure no one saw us walking around with it.
• After Luna Elyse’s birthday Alpha Max started to ask the others what I might draw for him, because the drawing I gave to Luna Elyse is with both of them in it. We had a lot of fun just tossing ideas around and one day I found your Father asleep in the chair behind his desk, I made some outlines in one of my sketch books before I woke him up.” I smile at Alpha Max and he chuckles at the memory.
• “I never confirmed or denied that would become his present, but I know your Father feared I would make him the laughing stock on his birthday. Fortune and I have laughed our asses off a lot in the days leading up to his birthday, everyone could tell he was getting more and more nervous the closer we got to his birthday. I believe only Luna Elyse knew why he was so nervous and even though I have no proof of it I think she teased him with it.” I say and Alpha Max is nodding his head profusely.
• “We weren’t there because of our training with the Council of Elders, but we have heard a few stories throughout the years. I just don’t remember Dad telling us how he got that drawing.” Alpha Dillon says as he looks at me. “There was a big party for the Pack-members and quite a few Alphas were invited as well, I think that was the main reason he feared my present.” I say teasingly.
• “Dad warned me once all the invited Packs were present and Luna Elyse drew everyone’s attention towards Alpha Max, she told them that he was going to receive his last present. Dad had gotten the drawing from its hiding place and Alpha Max went pale from the sheer size of the present.” I stop talking to allow everyone to laugh at Alpha Max’s expense and once everyone has settled down a bit I continue with my story.
• “I saw some relief on his face when I said it was something he had asked for himself, but he told me he never asked me to draw him something. He was correct about that because he never asked me directly to draw a map of the Pack territory. I asked Dad to stand next to Alpha Max before I started to remove the wrapping from the frame, I wanted everyone to see what I drew for him.
• Your Dad was just staring at the drawing for a few moments while all the Alphas were mumbling in awe, it took him a while before he could say anything. To say he was surprised is an understatement and it was the topic of every conversation during the night.” I say as I look at Alpha Max, he was so stunned by my drawing ability and the accuracy in which I had drawn the territory.
• “I can imagine it was the main topic. We got home a few days later and when we walked into the office it was the first thing that caught our attention, the only thing Dad ever told us was that it was a gift from a very special girl. I think special girl is an understatement when it comes to you, Maleah.” Alpha Dominic says and I know I am blushing in a few different colors of red.
• I ask Luna Elyse why they never told their Sons that I made the drawing, “Yeah, right.” Levi’s Father says. “And have those boys chasing after you to get themselves a drawing of their own.” I think he is over exaggerating, but looking at the other males in the room I think he was spot on back then. I already know I am going to draw Mack, the cold look in his eyes this morning makes others fear him and even though I didn’t get the feeling it was personal it still gave me the chills.
• Fortune has been popping to the front of my mind only twice tonight and I know she is on our next assignment already, “Someone has to.” She states and I ask her what she will do if we ever find a male that is suited for us as a Mate, as usual when I ask her that question she is stunned to silence. Dad and I wish the others goodnight and I am glad I didn’t have to explain if I had more than one ability or not.
• “Maleah.” I hear Mack call out my name and a shiver runs down my spine. “Besides the ability to hide your scent and your Lycan, is there any other abilities you have?” He asks and I turn around as I point out he forgot about my aura. “I never told anyone I shifted and I wasn’t allowed to train, so who knows what else there is.” I state and I can tell he is thinking about my answer, but he just nods his head before Dad and I leave the Alpha floor.
• The next few days I spend talking to my friends about my new project and Arial asks me about the contract I have everyone signing, but when I explain to her why I never asked her to sign it she nods her head. Dad and I make a few changes to the interior of the house and the room my Mother used to sleep in becomes my home office, just in case I ever need or want to get away from the hectic routine that is my life.
• I have seen Mack and Levi near the house a few times, but not once did they approach me and even though I am not looking for a Mate I feel a bit disappointed I didn’t get a change to get to know Mack. The night before I have to leave for Albarr Dad and I have dinner at the Pack-house and I enjoy talking to Luna Elyse about my project, I even get a chance to talk with my Alphas.
• Just as I am getting up from my seat my phone buzzes and I take it out of my bag to see who send me a message, I growl softly when I see my Mother’s name pop up. Alpha Bradley and I would like to invite you to his Pack for dinner tomorrow, we need to discuss you moving here and my Luna Ceremony. I stare at the message and wonder what the hell was unclear about my response to her trying to move my stuff without talking to me about it or the transfer she tried to force onto me.
• “Maleah, make sure you never meet them on their turf. Alpha Bradley will make sure you never leave again, he will make sure you stay within the territory one way or the other.” I hear Levi say behind me and I tell him I have no intention of ever going there on my own, “I know I can handle myself, but I am not a complete idiot and if she invites me to her Luna Ceremony I will attend. However, I will not go there alone nor will I stop a project or assignment for her.” I answer him.
• Mack’s p.o.v.
• The moment Levi mentions Alpha Bradley Commander is front and center in my mind, we both don’t like how Alpha Bradley and his new Mate tried to have Maleah transferred to his Pack behind her back. I am not sure why they want Maleah to transfer to his Pack, but I know it isn’t something good. Commander has been watching her all through dinner, but neither one of us could sense her Lycan and not even Dillon was able to pick her up even though he was sitting next to her.
• “Good luck with your boutique.” I say as she passes me and I think I surprised her, I actually listened to her entire conversation. “Thank you, Mack. Let’s hope everything goes the way I planned it and the re-opening will be a success.” She says as she looks up at me, I am 6”5 and I tower over almost everyone I meet.
• Maleah turns around towards my Father and I burst into laughter when she asks, “What the hell did you feed him?” Dad looks at me before he looks back at Maleah and he leans forward to whisper into her ear, “I always forced him to eat his veggies.” She starts giggling but when she sees the look on my face she starts laughing her ass off and Commander softly growls at her.
• Maleah looks straight into my eyes and I know she is looking at Commander instead of me, “You better behave yourself or I will allow Fortune to put you in your place.” She says and I gulp as I feel her Lycan coming forward. I finally understand why Fortune stayed hidden, anyone would have been able to sense her and no one would have mistaken her for a Wolf.
• Commander pushes forward a little more and says to Maleah, “I apologize for growling, Mack just really hated eating veggies as a kid. Maybe he will tell you why one day, but I wouldn’t hold my breath.” He says and I groan in my head as he introduces himself to Maleah, before he retreats to the back of my head. “If you ever want to talk about it I am willing to listen, I would love to hear why someone could hate veggies that much.” She says teasingly.
• “Goodnight, Mack and Commander.” She says as she walks out of the dining room, but before she leaves the Alpha floor I ask her to keep me posted on her Mother and she knows exactly what I mean by that. “Give me your number and I will inform you if she becomes too much of a nuisance.” Maleah responds and we exchange numbers as Diego wishes the others goodnight.
• It takes a while before anyone breaks the silence, I know she loves her career, but do you think she would have made a good Assassin if she was trained properly?” Dad asks and for a moment I have to think about his question, “I think she would have been the best Assassin this Pack has ever had if she was trained, without any training she has been able to hide Fortune’s presence from everyone and she can hide her scent.
• She would be a great asset to our Assassin team, I doubt anyone would be able to catch her if she went after a target and she probably wouldn’t leave a trail at the scene. I believe it is safe to say she would be better than me and a part of me is actually glad she never chose that career.” I answer Dad and for a split second I wonder if she would have been better than the Angel of Death.
• Dad and I talk about Maleah’s Mother and her insistence for Maleah to move to Alpha Bradley’s Pack as we walk back to our Quarters on the Assassin floor. Diego lived on this floor until he met his Mate, he moved into his parents’ home and has been living there ever since. I never thought about moving out of the Pack-house, but I understand that as a parent Diego put his Daughter first and I think it has been a good thing she wasn’t raised here.
• Well, maybe not completely. I believe it has been good for her career, but not for the way she grew up and I will never point this out to Diego. He will probably blame himself for the rest of his life and I truly believe he is an amazing Father, he always talks about her with so much love in his eyes. I never really followed Maleah’s career, but I might just start to see what she has accomplished over the years and if there is something there that would be of interest to Alpha Bradley.
• After I get ready for the night I lay down on my bed and stare up at the ceiling. I let my mind wander back to the first time I met Alpha Bradley, not one of my fondest memories. Dad had been training me as an Assassin ever since I shifted for the first time and I was surprised to find out the amount of information there was in my Father’s head, he knows so much about so many different Wolves and Lycans.
• I accompanied Dad and Alpha Max to a meeting with a few other Alphas and Alpha Bradley was one of them, he looked pretty normal at first glance. He had taken his Son with him, but that guy had given me the creeps with the way he was looking at every female in the room and some of the other Alphas had asked Alpha Bradley to talk to his Son. That is when I saw another side to Alpha Bradley, he made it clear that females were nothing but sex-slaves and incubators to him.
• He even told an Alpha that he would forcefully mark a female to make sure he would have an heir and I truly believe he did that to his Son’s Mother, but we never found any proof of it or I would have taken him out myself. The meeting was a strained one with them constantly making rude remarks and when Alpha Bradley asked Alpha Max how his Mate was doing all hell broke loose.