Page 54 of The Protector’s Heart

“That’s good news,” she said.

“It’s the best damn news I’ve heard all day,” Malachi said.

Ren said, “By the way, I found that asshole’s finger on the floorboard.”

Mia made a gagging sound and Malachi chuckled. “I think Nila will be glad to hear that Jack didn’t eat it. Did you give it back to him?”

“Hell, no. He tried to hurt your mate. I stomped on it and then kicked it into the gutter.”

“Thanks, man.”

Ren chuckled and took another swig of beer.

The conversation switched to lighter topics, including the upcoming full moon. In a week, Malachi would have to leave Nila and Jack and go hunting. He wasn’t crazy about it, especially when he knew that she harbored bad memories from many full moons waiting for Damien to come back and knowing he’d been unfaithful to her.

When the tray of sandwiches was gone and beer bottles littered the top of the coffee table, Acksel sent the pack members home to rest, save for those protectors who were on schedule to patrol. Adam and Jeremiah began to clean up while Acksel and Brynn argued about her ability to help clean. In the end, Acksel won, because Brynn kept yawning and making his point.

“See you guys in the morning,” she groused.

“I think I can head home, right? I don’t need to stay here?” Mia asked.

“Don’t like my couch?” Acksel asked.

“It’s not that, I just want to sleep in my own bed. Mal?”

“I think its fine. Do you want me to run you home?”

“Nah, Adam said he’d drop me off on his way.”

Acksel watched Mia and the omegas clear the table and then he turned to Malachi and said, “What do you want to do about the full moon? I know I don’t have to tell you that my home is open for Nila and Jack that night. Brynn and Eveny would enjoy the company.”

“Thanks. I’ll take you up on that. I’d like to claim her and Jack.”

“I’ll have my dad and the elders make the arrangements, and you can do it before we go hunt.”

A weight lifted off his shoulders and he breathed a sigh of relief. “Thanks for everything, Acksel, I mean it. You’re a good alpha and a good friend. You went above and beyond tonight; I’m indebted to you.”

“I’m a great alpha,” he amended.

Malachi said goodnight to Mia in the kitchen and made Adam promise to get her home safely, and then he strode silently back to the guest bedroom. He really wished he’d been able to take Nila home tonight, but he’d needed to hear what had happened while he was gone. He was surprised that Ren had taken the fall for Nila, but in a way he also wasn’t surprised. Although Ren could be a tough son of a bitch, he was a good guy at heart. Someday Malachi would be able to repay the favor.

Jack and Nila were still asleep, and he stood at the bottom of the bed and watched them, Jack in the playpen, his favorite stuffed wolf tucked up under his chin, and Nila just as he’d left her, on her side with her hand under her cheek. Jack’s lips were parted and Malachi could see that his teeth had returned to normal and the claws were gone from his fingertips, too. Whatever stress had brought on the partial shifting, it didn’t linger. He knew Nila would be happy about that. Stripping, he stepped into the bathroom and took a quick shower to wash off the dried blood and sweat from the fight. He put on clean shorts from the duffel and slid under the covers, pulling Nila close. He inhaled her sweet scent and closed his eyes, thankful she and Jack were safe now.

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

Monday morning, Nila and Malachi dropped Jack off at the house of a widowed she-wolf named Olive. She lived next door to Doc, and was happy to take care of Jack while Nila worked. The daycare had contacted her on Sunday night and told her that Jack was no longer welcome due to his dangerous associations with wolves. She hadn’t been surprised. After dropping Jack off, Malachi took her to Doc’s and she accepted his job offer.

Malachi hung up her coat in the breakroom of the clinic. “I won’t need you to drive me to work every day once I start working for Doc. He lives close to your house.”

“I like doing it.”

“It makes Brynn late.”

“Acksel makes her late.”

She giggled. “I like driving with you, Mal, but it’s important to me to do some things on my own.”

“At least let me drive you through the winter. I don’t like your car.”

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