Page 84 of The Alpha

Polly was next to greet her. “Hello there. I’m Polly Van Cleet and this is Mary.” Her eyes were also fixated on Pari’s pink hair. “Well, will you look at that.”

Pari unconsciously ran her fingers through her short pink hair. “It’s his fault.” She tossed her head at him, and Melvale smiled.

“Yes, I’m afraid it is.” He reached for her hair, took a short lock between two fingers, and reveled in the softness of it.

“Wilfred, Irene, Grandma and Doc are all at the mercantile,” Cyrus said. “Would you like me to run and fetch them?”

Melvale let go of Pari’s hair. “No, we’ll head that way next. I’m showing Pari around and thought she’d like to meet you.”

Cyrus was the first to study him, then Pari. His eyes locked onto their joined hands, and he looked at Melvale again, eyes misting.

Melvale held up his free hand. “Don’t start, my friend, I don’t think I could take it.”

Cyrus nodded, smiled, and glanced at the others and back. “I speak for all of us when I say, congratulations. At last, your wait is over.”

Melvale gave Pari a sidelong glance and forced a smile. In truth, his journey had just begun. “Is Maida here, by chance?”

“No, we haven’t seen her since the lot of ye returned,” Paddy said. “But she’ll be along. Soon, is my guess.”

“Yes, she’ll need to feed,” he mused.

Pari looked up at him. “Feed?” She sniffed the air. “Is something baking?”

“Yes, I’ve got bread in the oven,” Polly said.

“Homemade bread?” Pari’s eyes lit up. “I haven’t had homemade bread in ages. My mom used to make it now and then.”

“Well, come into the kitchen, dear.” Mary said. “I was just about to take out it of the oven.”

Pari looked at Melvale again, as if asking if it was okay. Melvale and his other half smiled in satisfaction. “It’s safe, go on.” To Melvale’s utter delight, she smiled back, then followed Mary into the hotel’s kitchen, Polly right behind them.

“She’s beautiful, Melvale,” Paddy gushed. “Ye must be thrilled.”

He swallowed hard as he watched the kitchen door swing shut. “How much has Kwaku told you about what happened?”

“He said when all of you returned that you weren’t yourself,” Cyrus said. “But you seem fine to me.”

Melvale gave them a heartfelt look. “It thrills me to hear you say that. But the truth is, I’m not myself. I am… changed.”

“Because ye got yerself a pretty mate?” Paddy asked happily.

“No, my friend. Because I am a Muiraran Alpha. A rarity among my people.”

“A what?” Cyrus asked. “What does that even mean?”

Melvale sighed. “Suffice to say, I have within me the capacity to battle an army.” He sighed. “Or three.”

Cyrus and Paddy exchanged the same look of confusion. Paddy grinned. “So ye can kick butt, as Shona says. That’s great.”

Melvale gave them a weak smile. Best not to go into too many details. He didn’t want to terrify them. “Something like that, yes.”

“Speaking of kicking butt,” Paddy said. “I’m still the champion of this week’s checker games. What do ye think of that?”

Cyrus rolled his eyes and groaned. “Don’t encourage him, Melvale. He’s been rubbing it in all week.”

Melvale started for the kitchen door. Time to check on Pari. He sensed no fear from her, but he didn’t like being apart from her for long. “I’ll not say a word.”

“Good!” Cyrus said with a clap of his hands. “C’mon, Paddy. Let’s play! I’ll get you this time!”

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