Alpha Brothers - the Lonely Brother (book 3)

Chapter 2

Chapter 2
Malcolm
I lied on the old mattress that I had made as my bed for the last four years, listening to the rain that hit the roof. I was surrounded by all the, what could now be called artefacts from the years gone by. I couldn't tell which was owned by my family or by the other families that had been in power over the years. But the junk was all the same. A few grand paintings here and there, all people I couldn't begin to recognise, three little coffee tables to hold china in the corridors and galleries, there was even an old grandfather clock that on restless sleeps would wake me up at every hour. But these belongings weren't just objects in the room for me. They were a barrier to the outside world. They kept me between the past and present and allowed me to live through the times that had brought us here in the attic of my family's home Faol Coillie. But unlike the objects, I had a broken heart, damaged soul and confused mind. And no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't be thrown out.
I groaned, tired of my own thoughts. I sat up and looked around, trying to decide what to do today.
I could often just lie there and watch as the world went by without me but the more the years went by, the less I was able to listen to myself think.
It was when Amy, my brother's mate came into our lives that I realized that it wouldn't be long till I wouldn't be able to stand it, and I would be forced to go back to my life and re-join my family. I don't think I would be ready for that.
I groaned again and stumbled to my feet. It was going to be one of those days where I couldn't stand my thoughts.
I found a shirt that I had hung on an old dusty chair and through it on before making my way to the stairs. The roof of the attic was quiet high but I still had to slightly duck my head to walk through. I found the steal spiral stair case and walked down to the little dark, musky room that it opened to. Instead of continuing through which lead out to the corridors to the house, I turned to the floor to ceiling painting of some relative that I didn't knowg. I tilted the painting and revealed a doorway to my secret way around the castle.
These narrow passage ways were between the walls and led to almost every room of the house. However only some had hidden grates so that I could listen and see my siblings talking. Though that mostly ever happened in the library. Which of course was where I was headed and which of course everyone was.
I had to walk along long narrow halls and turn three times before I came to the long grate that looked out to the family's library. It had a deep steal pattern so that it blended in to the castle wall. None of my family members could see me and if I stayed as quiet as a mouse that would often past me by, they wouldn't be able to hear me either.
None of them knew about the secret passage ways in the walls, I didn't even know until I came across it one day, not long after I had turned away from everything I once loved. It was even possible that my parents hadn't even known.
My only guess was when the house was built, these passageways were used for protection and safety during times of war and even possibly when my family wasn't in power, they used it has a way to find out secrets of the family who was so that they could win their castle back. That was just my theory anyway.
"Amy, I know you're working really hard on this wedding. But I don't want a big one," I smiled at the sound of my oldest brother, Callum's mate, Liv.
They had been together for almost three years now and they had gotten engaged about three months ago.  She was Amy's older sister which did make things awkward when we found out that Amy was my younger brother's mate. I smiled at the memory.
"That's because you've never had a big wedding," Amy groaned, clearly determined to change her sister's mine, "Look, your marrying Callum who is a werewolf king and the fricking lord of this land and whatever. My point is, you're kind of expected to have a big wedding."
"She kind of has a point, Liv," Graham, my youngest brother added.
"Yes, but on my wedding day, I will be Liv and Callum will be Callum. There will be no labels or anything," she told them.
I had always liked Liv from the moment I met her. Well, the moment I saw her through the grate, talking to my siblings. She had never loved Callum for his titled or money and probably loved him inspite of that.
"All I want is for Callum and I to be married in front of our friends and family at Faol Coillie, nothing more."
"Okay, you just described Sunday with an open bar."
"Oo, open bar!" Allie shouted making me snicker under my breath.
She and Graham were twins though you wouldn't believe it some days. Allie was the youngest in our little family but she had never let that hold her back. Unfortunately.
"You know that you're going to have to invite the Scottish council," Archie stated.
"The what?" Liv asked.
"The Scottish Council, the lords and ladies that rule over Scotland," There was a pause, "You didn't tell her?"
"Look, I'm marryin' her either way," Callum told him.
"Wait, what is he talking about?" Liv asked him.
I heard him scoff meaning that he hadn't planned on telling her anything.
"Okay, there's a slight possibility that we won't be able to get married."
"What?!" she yelled, "Callum?"
"It's because you're American," Graham unhelpfully added.
"What?"
"What the hell does that have to do with anything?" Amy snapped.
"Callum is one of the most important men in the county. He can't just go marry some American lass. She could be a spy," and once again, Graham was trying to help – if that – by not helping at all.
"But I've lived here for three years."
"Aye, that just means that you're a really good spy."
Oh shut up Graham, I wanted to growl.
"Either way, I'm goin' to marry you Liv," Callum told her, sounding like he had calmed her down a bit.
"I want it to be legal, not eighth grade legal."
I had to chuckle at that.
"And it will be. It's the tiniest possibility, but it's so tiny that there's no point freakin' out over it, okay."
"Okay," she muttered.
"Yeah, Liv and if they say no, Callum can always shift and kill them all," Archie added.
Sometimes he was just as pig headed as Graham.
"Wait, they know?" Amy asked.
"How do you think we keep our secret so well hidden?" he questioned her.
"I have a better question," she counter questioned, "Who's Callum's heir?"
I swallowed. It always made my heart ache when I knew that they were talking about me. It didn't matter if it was good – it often wasn't, I still had that ache.
"Malcolm is," Callum answer for her.
"So, does that mean that we only have to kill two people for you get the title?" Amy now asked.
I could imagine the looked on Archie's face. I could have seen it if I moved closer but it felt nice just to stand there with the wall against my back.
"Yes. It. Does."
The sound of my younger siblings groans made a smile spread on my lips as I guess what they were doing. Dating for three months and the honeymoon period was still going strong. But it never lasts. It never ever lasts.