Page 161 of The Alpha

Melvale had to smile. “And less awkward.”

Kwaku chuckled. “You will swing from one to de oder side of you for a time. Dat is normal I tink. But do not try to lock your Alpha up again. You will do more harm dan good.”

He bowed, and Melvale drew in a deep breath. “This is… hard to get used to.”

“The Creator chose you, my son,” Zerbe reminded him. “Trust in His judgement. It will get easier.”

Melvale nodded and hoped he was right. He’d carried Pari off once already during their day in the park. He had to concentrate on getting to know her. “I apologize if I’ve jeopardized anything.”

“Nonsense,” Kwaku said. “But do as your fadar says. We will help you stay balanced.”

Melvale nodded as the door to the meeting room opened, and two guards hauled Peter Oswald inside and straight to the table.

They released him and took two steps back. Zerbe clasped his hands behind him and walked to the other side of the round table, never taking his eyes off him.

Melvale eyed their prisoner. His tie was loosened, his glasses slightly askew on his face. He looked like he hadn’t slept in days, and Melvale heard the man’s stomach growl. “Show me this portal.”

Peter nodded, looked at the map, and pointed. “There. In the Black River Forest in Wisconsin.”

Melvale peered at the map. “Mark it.”

Peter glanced at the table, spotted a pencil, and drew a circle in the middle of the forest. “That’s the general area. But the portal can’t be seen except on full moons. Even then, it’s camouflaged.”

“How convenient,” Zerbe said.

“So, this portal takes you to the year 2022, no matter when you enter it?” Melvale asked.

Peter stared at him, slack jawed. Probably because he was speaking in his normal voice again. “Y-yeah.” He looked at the map. “We went through in the middle of the night, hiked to the nearest town and started buying what we needed. We had two years to prepare.” He gulped and waited, never taking his eyes off Melvale’s.

Melvale bent to him. “You spent two years waiting and preparing to take her?”

No one needed to tell him his eyes had gone bright blue again. His fangs descended, claws appeared. “You took her from her home…”

“To get you!” Peter shouted. He cringed and turned away. “Are you going to kill me now?”

Melvale seethed but could sense some good in the man, just as Kwaku said. “Not yet, worm.” He looked at his father. “Judge him.”

“As you wish, Alpha.” Zerbe bowed, then closed his eyes.

“Wh-what’s he doing?” Peter whined.

Melvale smiled. “Looking into your heart.”

Peter sucked in a breath. “W-why?”

“To see if you should be allowed to live,” Kwaku stated.

Zerbe opened his eyes. “We can use him. He still knows much.”

Melvale bent to Peter. “Do you?”

Sweat trickled down one temple “Oh, sure, anything you want!”

Melvale straightened. “Why me?”

Peter looked at the three, then the guards behind him. “Dr. Charles… he… discovered you in Hawaii. You’re a… a purebred.”

Melvale’s eyebrows shot up as he glanced at the others. “Muiraran?”

---