Page 37 of Malcolm

Morgan smiled secretly. “Don’t worry about it. Now, tell us more about Veil City.”

Confused but happy that the subject had moved away from Malcolm, Eliza nodded. “Sure.”

Malcolm

His eyes popped open the minute he heard the door shut. He’d been shocked when he felt the magic slam into him. He blinked hard as a wave of dizziness hit him. Shaking his head, he pressed the bottom half of his hand against the place above his right temple.

Malcolm didn’t mean to scare Eliza when she woke up gasping, but she’d been talking in her sleep. Unfortunately, he had to learn the hard way of what happens when you mess with a sleeping witch. Rising from the bed, he walked across the floor into the bathroom. Releasing a wide yawn, he quickly hopped into the shower and brushed his teeth.

A few minutes later, he heard a knocking at the door, he quickly pulled on a pair of shorts and opened it. Agun stood there, holding a box. He looked as Awkward as Malcolm felt.

“Is there something you need?”

“Your uncle asked me to deliver this,” he said, holding out the box to him. “He said to wear this when you meet with the elders.”

“Why do I have to meet them in this?” he demanded. “I’m not returning to the pack; I just need to ask them a few questions.”

He looked from the box to Agun's face, who offered him an awkward smile before he thrust the box into his arms.

“Well, that’s none of my business, is it?” Agun said, taking a step back. “This disagreement with your uncle is something you two should work out.” With that, he gave a short nod before quickly leaving.

Malcolm watched him go before he looked down at the box in his arms. Removing the top, he frowned at what lay inside. A plaid, with the McLaren colors and the brooch, one that he’dthought would never be offered to him again. Something black stuck up in the corner. He lifted the plaid to find a cloak there, a bear-skinned cloak.

A memory of heavy rain and the hint of blood on a foggy night hit him. Was that the last time he’d worn it? He quickly closed the box once more.

How could his uncle be so bold as to send him his old cloak? He stared at the box, where it now sat on the bed. Turning away from it, he hated the part of him that yearned to be accepted again. He’d told the others so many times that he didn’t hate the idea of having hope for a future, and now when he was faced with a chance to take it back, he hesitated.

How could he be a leader to anyone when he’d erred so badly? If he were going to be honest with himself, he couldn’t completely lay blame at his father's feet.

If he had never taken action that night, Robert wouldn’t have been pushed to make a choice like the one he made. He hated this feeling of being unsure. He wanted to take Eliza and leave and never look back. The part of him that had meekly become Tiller's hunting dog still remained.

He shook his head; if he took the chance his uncle offered, he’d also have no choice but to claim Eliza. The minute an Alpha claimed his seat, he was expected to take a bride.

He glared at the box;reluctantly he would change and meet with Robert

With a curse he grabbed the box and pulled the top off. He’d wear the damn clothes, but that didn’t mean he’d meekly follow his uncle

“I’msurprised to see that you came looking for me this time around.” Robert said his words rough from where he sat behind the desk in the study. He licked his pointed finger before turning the page to the large tomb that sat before him.

He wore a thick sweater of a greyish color and a pair of slacks; like most werewolves on the land, he didn’t wear shoes, unlike Malcolm, who’d gotten accustomed to wearing them.

“After some thought, I felt it was needed,” Malcolm said, refusing to sit. Instead, he stood, arms crossed and back facing the bookshelf in the office. “I have a few questions about the teens who went missing.”

His uncle glanced up before returning his attention to his book, “And what question are those?”

“From what I first heard, I thought the teens were abducted from the human city, but when you took me to the campgrounds, I was surprised,” Malcolm said, narrowing on his uncle's movements that had slowed. “It’s a fact that our lands have stronger ward Magic than normal. As you said, opening a portal on these lands would be nearly impossible. So, either one of these two things happened, someone opened it from this side, or something is wrong with the Anti-barrier. You said it was redone two years ago, right?”

Robert cleared his throat, lifted his gaze, leaned back, and gathered his hands together. His gaze held weight as he looked Malcolm over. “Interesting.”

Malcolm's brow creased, “What is?”

“You’ve grown,” his uncle answered. “The boy who so recklessly put his life on the line would never have asked these questions.” He gave a short nod. “But it’s along the same line of my own thoughts.”

“Then you think it’s an inside job as well?” Malcolm asked, surprised. “Why didn’t you say anything?”

“I wanted to see if you would think the same,” Robert explained as he closed the book on his desk. “When I first came, I tried my best to weed out those who’d been using our people with little care for them. In my efforts, I discovered something.” He stood and walked over to the shelf. He reached up and grabbed a slim black book and held it out to Malcolm, “Read this.”

Malcolm took it and opened it. His eyes widened. “This is Father's writing.”

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