Alpha Brothers - the Lonely Brother (book 3)

Chapter 29

Chapter 29
Malcolm
"Are you nervous?" I asked Tarna, as her head rested in the crook of my arm as I played with her hair.
She shrugged, "I'm tryin' not to be. I don't want to get heart broken."
I nodded understanding.
"Hey Malcolm, can I ask you a question?"
I narrowed my eyes at her, knowing every time that she asked that, it ended up with a difficult question I never knew how to answer it.
"Aye," I said not sure.
"If you were in my position, if your parents had given you up, what would you be feelin'?"
I shrugged, not really knowing the answer, "don't think I'm the right person to answer that."
"Why not?"
"I guess because I would do anythin' to see my parents again."
"I'm sorry," she said, taking my hand in hers, giving it a good squeeze.
"It's okay," I reassured her, "but I would want to meet them."
"But I guess that's the difference between my parents and yours."
I frowned, "what's that?"
"Your parents loved you till the day they died. Hell, they sacrificed their life for you, for all of you. Not many people can say that about their parents."
"Our child will though," I stated before I could stop myself.
A smile spread across her face, "do you think so?"
I nodded, "I'll do anythin' for you and our baby."
She giggled, nudging me with her head.
We sighed, becoming silent. After a few moments, Tarna sat up with a groan.
"Come on, we're doin' this, aren't we?" She said, struggling to get out of bed.
I chuckled at her, "we doin' this, aren't we? You couldn't have put it any other way?"
She groaned again, "Just hold that thought while I'll go pee."
I chuckled again, finding her misery funny. Deciding it was time to get up as well, I pushed the doona off me and stumbled over to my cupboard. Finding a pair of jeans and picking out my maroon dress shirt I through them on the bed.
I was dressed by the time Tarna finally emerged from the bathroom looking more comfortable than she did before.
First her eyes landed on mine with a smile before they flicked down to the baby blanket that sat on the bed stool. I watched her with careful eyes as she picked it up and brought it to her nose.
"I need to know, Malcolm," she told me, "I need to know why they gave me up."
I nodded, "we will, Little Wolf, I promise."

Tarna
"I can't believe you're going," Amy stated as we gathered at the back of the house where the Jeeps were kept.
"Does this mean you're changin' packs?" Graham asked.
"Whoa," I stopped feeling like they were getting ahead of themselves, "they might not even be a part of the Le Pack."
"Low pack Tarna," Malcolm corrected.
"Whatever, I'm not gettin' my hopes up," I told them, more to myself.
They nodded.
"Tarna, we better get goin'," Malcolm said nudging my arm.
I nodded, following him around to the other side of the Jeep. Malcolm helped me in and fixed the seat belt till it fitted around my big belly.
"Good?" he asked.
I nodded, sighing trying to make myself relaxed. After a few seconds, Malcolm was in the Jeep and turning the key to start.
Malcolm and I didn't say anything for the first fifteen minutes of the drive. I was too busy trying to contain my wondering thoughts trying to keep my promise and not get my hopes up. But I couldn't.
I couldn't pretend that I hadn't thought about this moment. Aye, I had never planned on tracking my birth parents down but that didn't mean that I hadn't dreamed about the day I had. Granted the situation would have been different.
It would have been when I was sixteen so that not many years had gone by without having them in my life. My wolf would had caught their scent and found them in their pack. We would spend our time crying and talking about why they had left me in the forest. I had one thought that it was to save me from a growing war between two packs and the only way to save the pack was to abandon me. Of course that was one of my more dramatic fantasies. I guess as I grew up, the fantasies stopped and reality set in.
Malcolm's words from yesterday played in my head. Well, have you ever wondered why your parents abandoned you? What if they were young and couldn't take care of a baby? I guess the thought had crossed my mind once or twice over the years. So did, why was I abandoned in the forest and not put in an orphanage? Could I see it from their perspective? Maybe. All I knew was that I wouldn't give up my Little Wolf Cub even if my life was on the line. So why did they?
"It's goin' to be okay, Tarna," Malcolm reassured me after a while, keeping his eyes on the road.
"Will it?" I asked, not being able to stop myself.
He nodded, "Of course. It can't hurt you either way."
"I think it can. But, aye. If we can't find them, then I go on livin' my life the way I have. If we do find them, then I get the parents that I've always wanted. Or they won't want to see us."
"We'll make them see us, I promise you that."
I nodded believing him.
After a couple of hours, Malcolm pulled off to the side of the road and stopped. I frowned not sure why.
"I'm afraid we have to walk the rest of the way," he stated, climbing out of the car.
"What?" I asked following him and taking the baby blanket I had brought with me.
"We're enterin' another pack's boundary," he told me as we met at the front of the Jeep, "we can't be seen as a threat."
I nodded understanding. I still had slight scars from the last time I was trespassing on another alpha's land.
"I'm goin' to be doin' all the talkin', okay?" Malcolm told me.
"Fine by me. You have more experience with alphas than I do."
He chuckled, wrapping an arm around my shoulder as we walked along the tared road. Tall thin trees stood on either side of us making it feel like we were the only two people in the world. I could hear the soft chirps of birds high up in the branch, singing us their own little song.
I was starting to feel puffed when a man came out of the trees from nowhere. Instantly Malcolm pushed me behind him, feeling the threat as much as I did. I clawed at his shirt as if trying to keep him in front of me. It was only now that I was realizing that I was so dependent on my wolf in protecting me from harm. And I didn't have my wolf and I didn't have any other source of protection besides from Malcolm to protect our Little Wolf Cub.
"State your names," the man ordered, from where he stood a few feet away from us.
"My name is Cuddy Macrae," Malcolm lied but I didn't dare correct him, "And this is my mate, Tarna. We want to see your Alpha."
"What business have you?" he asked.
"It's private."
I could have almost hit Malcolm for not telling him. This guy could shift and kill us both. Just tell him whatever he wants to hear
"You're not goin' anywhere near my alpha if you don't tell me what you want. We don't like rogues around here."
"We're not rogues. We are apart of the Patterson Pack, four hours from here."
"The King's Pack?" he asked.
"Aye, we are."
"What are you doin' so far from home?"
"Like I said, we came to see your alpha," Malcolm reminded him.
The man didn't seem too convinced. He was unsure of us and very specious about our reason for being here.
"Does your business have anythin' to do with the King?" he asked, clearly worried if Callum was about to create war.
That thought made me want to laugh.
"No, this is personal," Malcolm told him.
He nodded and gestured to follow him.
"Come with me," he told us, "I'll take you to him."
Malcolm nodded before taking my hand and following the man down the road. I suddenly began to feel nervous for a whole new reason. What if this Alpha tortures us for trespassin'? Why didn't we take Callum with us or at least Archie? With the Alpha King or his beta with us I would feel a lot safer.
After ten minutes, we turned down a forest path that soon opened up to a clearing that held a C shaped house. The house had a veranda and steps leading up to two grand double doors. I didn't have to be told to know that, that was where the alpha was. Other doors were spread out along the walls, probably where other members of the pack live.
The people that were outside, stopped doing what they were doing when they noticed us, their eyes like sharp knives digging into my skin. Malcolm let go of my hand only to wrap it around my shoulder, hugging me tight to him. I could hear his small growls, a threat to anyone that had planned to attack.
"Wait here," the man told us, stopping when we had reached the centre, surrounded by the three sections of the house.
The man continued up the steps and into the double doors. More people started to gather on the veranda, clearly smelling fresh meat.
"Stay close to me, okay," Malcolm whispered, quiet enough so that only we could hear, "Do exactly as I say and do not leave my side?"
I nodded, the thought of leaving him never crossing my mind.
In less than five minutes, the man from before came out followed by a broad shouldered man that had a stern face and looked like he had never smiled in his life. He leaned against the railing, not moving from the protection of his castle.
"State your names," he ordered from us.
I instantly felt the urge to do as he commanded even though he wasn't my alpha though I was sure that Malcolm didn't. But he answered anyway.
"My name is Cuddy Macrae and this is my mate Tarna," Malcolm stated again, using the same lie as before, "We came here in search of someone."
"Who?" he asked.
"We don't have any names," Malcolm admitted, "Just that twenty-seven years ago, they left somethin' in the forest."
"What?" he asked, his eyes narrowing.
"A baby girl."
There was a murmur from the growing crowd of wolves that surrounded us. The Alpha stood very still and very quiet and my mind started to wonder. Was this man my father? I can't believe I didn't even think about it. What if my father was the alpha of this pack?
"Considerin' your ages, I assume that it wasn't your child and you're not here for revenge," the Alpha stated.
"No, Sir," Malcolm said.
"Then what proof have you?"
Malcolm frowned, "Excuse me?"
"What proof have you that the woman that clings to you is a member of my pack?" He asked.
I frowned, not sure why there was such anger behind his words and why his eyes had turned cold and hard.
Malcolm slightly broke apart from me and carefully took the baby blanket that was clutched in my hand in his.
"This baby blanket is all my mate has of her parents. Do you recognise it at all?"
At Malcolm's question, the Alpha rolled his eyes.
"That is not proof. Of course I do not recognise it and even if I did, many children have the very same blanket."
"Okay, fine," Malcolm said, clearly frustrated with his lack of being open minded, "She has a birthmark on her ankle. It's the same as your Pack's symbol. An eagle, correct?"
It only seemed to frustrate the alpha more. Dread started to sink in as I feared that this person was my father but he didn't want anything to do with me.
"Does your mate have a tongue?" he asked, rudely.
"Of course," Malcolm said through his teeth.
"Then maybe she might use it, instead of hidin' behind you."
Malcolm's head instantly dropped as his grip tightened around me. He clearly didn't want me to be the centre of all eyes, more importantly the Alpha's eyes.
Finding my tongue, I asked, "What do you want me to say?"
"What are you doin' here?" he asked.
I frowned. Didn't we just tell you?
"I came to find my parents," I told him again.
"Why, after all this time?" he asked.
I shrugged, "I didn't know where to start. I didn't know anythin' about them then –."
"But you're sure that they're apart of my pack?"
I swallowed and nodded, "Aye, I am."
The Alpha bowed his head, leaning his whole body against the railing, contemplating what we had told him. It felt like a lifetime before he looked at us again.
"See the thing is, I don't believe you," he stated.
I frowned.
"What, why not?" Malcolm yelled, taking a step forward.
"Well, for one seein' you so kindly asked. You lied about who you were," he stated making Malcolm swallow, "You so proudly present yourself like any alpha would though that is not what gave you away. Your brother resembles your father the most but so do you, Malcolm Patterson. And I can sense your uncontrollable wolf that stirs instead of you," my head instantly looked up and started to feel worried when fear and guilt spread over Malcolm's face, "Do you honestly think I would believe the word of a man that would ripped apart an innocent?"
And as Malcolm swallowed, I realized why he had used the name of a member of the pack. No alpha would listen to a man that couldn't control his own wolf.
"Now, my second reason," the Alpha continued, "I do not believe you're here to find your parents. I believe your here to take your place as alpha?"
I frowned, not understanding what he was saying.
"No, that's not true!" I yelled.
"I must ask you to leave unless you want to be ripped to shreds," he told us.
That's when I realized that I didn't want to. We had come all this way and I was not leaving without answers.
"No, you must hear us out!" I said taking a step forward.
"Tarna," Malcolm stopped me, taking my arm and pulling me around to face him, "Please, I can't protect you without loosin' control."
I couldn't get caught up in his fear or in the fact that the space between us and the other members of the pack was shrinking.
I pulled out of Malcolm's grip and turned to the alpha.
"Please, I just want to meet my parents!" I begged, clutching the baby blanket, my last piece of my parents.
"Tarna!" I heard Malcolm yell behind me but I ignored him.
"You better listen to your mate," the Alpha told me.
But I was stubborn and wasn't going to be sent packing now.
I jumped when I felt someone take my hands and just as I went to throw a punch I realized that it was Malcolm.
"Tarna, we have to leave now," he said, trying to pull me.
It was only then that I noticed the glowing eyes of the people that surrounded us and their growing fangs. I knew the threat they made to us, to our baby. But I couldn't leave now.
"Please!" I yelled.
"Enough!"
My head shot to the right, frowning when I spotted an old woman, probably sixty or even seventy on the veranda with her arms up. Everyone stopped at her order and the alpha seemed furious by it.
"Back off, now!" she growled through her teeth.
Instantly, the bodies around us, started to back away, leaving us alone.
"Erica, you have no business here," the Alpha growled at her.
"To hell I do if you're goin' to kill a pregnant woman and her mate for bein' a threat to your crown. Come on Darlin's," she said, waving us forward.
Both Malcolm and I gave each other uncertain looks before Malcolm took my hand and led me over to the stairs.
"Don't mind him," she told us, pointing to the Alpha, "He's always in a murderous mood. Now, would you like tea, cookies?"
At the thought of cookies, I nodded, forgetting all about being almost ripped to shreds.
Malcolm, however had not and clung me to his side, giving everyone one a threatening look that we walked past.
Erica stopped at a door and opened it for us. Malcolm went through first, clearly acting his protective fatherly role.
The room was quite big, with a bed, a small kitchen off to the side, a door that probably led to a bathroom and a table with four chairs around it in the middle of the room. It was no luxury room like at Faol Coillie but I'm sure it was good enough for her.
She gestured us to sit which I hadn't realized I had been longer for since we had started walking. Malcolm pulled out a chair for me which I welcomely took.
"So," she started, walking over to the small kitchen, "How far along are you?"
I frowned, thinking about it.
"Fifteen, sixteen weeks," I said.
"You're big for just fifteen weeks. I guess Patterson's breed big."
I couldn't help but chuckle knowing it was probably true. Callum, Malcolm and Archie were all over six ft and Graham was just under. Allie was probably my height at five ft.
"You were a big babe come to think of it."
My head shot towards her, surprised.
"Y-you saw me, as a baby I mean?" I asked.
She scoffed, "saw you? I helped deliver you."
I had to blink twice to even get the thought in my head. Does that mean, she knew my parents?
"So, did you know my parents?" I asked as she took a seat at the table and sat down a plate of cookies. As much as they looked delicious, I couldn't bring myself to eat.
"Aye, I did. Sad business that."
I frowned, "What do you mean?"
"Well, your father was Alpha of this pack. His name was Lachlan, Lachlan Low to be precise."
"So who was the Alpha out there?" Malcolm asked, clearly now adding him onto who I need to kill list.
"Erskine Low, Lachlan's younger brother. You came here to find your parents, correct?" she asked me.
I nodded.
"Well, there's somethin' you should know. Your father was married by the time he met your mother, Grace. Grace was Lachlan's mate so of course, no matter how much he tried, he couldn't stay away from her. Their relationship was really doomed from the start," my heart had begun to race as my mind started to connect the dots that I didn't want to know. I didn't even notice that Malcolm had taken my hand in his, my anchor to stay in this world.
"They came to me when your mother fell pregnant. I don't know how long their relationship had been goin' on for, too long probably."
"What do you mean?" Malcolm asked.
"Lachlan's wife, Caillic, horrible woman if I've ever lied eyes upon one. I don't know how Lachlan stood her honestly. Anyway, Lachlan had kept your Ma a secret as long as he could, I think he even told Caillic that Grace was a lost lass that he had taken under his care. But Caillic wasn't stupid nor was Lachlan. There was only so long that they could go on for."
I didn't know how long I could listen to it. I wasn't stupid and I feared how this story would end.
"It was a week before you were due. Lachlan had it out with Caillic, told her that it was over and that he had found his mate, even told her about you. Caillic didn't like that. She...had him killed."
I kept waiting for my world to come crashing down at any moment. But it stayed where it was.
"Your Ma was next. She ran into the forest and sent word for me to follow her. I did of course. And like planned, she had a beautiful baby girl that's now sittin' in front of me," I had to bite my lip to stop the tears, knowing how this story ended, "Your Ma was heartbroken. She and your father had planned to run away leavin' the pack in the hands of Erskine, to start a new life. But she had lost her mate and lost a part of herself. I tried to stop her, I tried to get her help, but...she was lost. The day she gave you up was the day she killed herself."
And there it went. My whole world. I had tried not to get my hopes up, I really did. But I had. I had allowed myself to believe that a future with my parents was possible. And now that it wasn't, I wanted it more than ever.
Before I could stopped myself, I burst into tears.
"Oh my darlin'," Malcolm said, pulling me into his arms.
I cried into his shoulder, clinging to his body as he held me tight. My cries turned into whales as a hole grew inside of me and took away all my hope.
"Shh, Little Wolf, shh," he told me, rocking me back and forth.
I couldn't control them. Not matter how much I told myself to get a grip, I couldn't. I was crying over souls I never ever knew. And yet, I felt like I had lost an arm or a leg.
"I've got you," he told me, clutching the back of my head, "Oh my Darlin', I've got you."