“Help? What the hell could I possibly help you with?” He laughed to cover his anger. How could she expect anything remotely resembling help from him after all he had been through? Granted, it wasn’t her that dropped the preverbal axe on his head, but she did nothing to defend him or stand by him. No one did.
“Vincent.” She dropped her hands to her sides in defeat.
“What about him?” Malcom held back the growl, she damn well better not be there to ask him to help that asshole.
“I’m not sure what to do. I don’t know how to help him. I’m losing my brother and I need you to help me save him.” She pleaded with him, but could already feel the outburst boiling beneath his surface.
“That’s a tall order Steph. One that I have no interest in trying to fill.” He snapped at her and turned away. Stephanie had always been able to pull the strings of his heart, to say that she had an effect on him was an understatement, but he couldn’t do this for her. Not this, not for him.
“Why not?” She challenged him even though she already knew what his answer would be.
“Hmm…why don’t I want to help the bastard who put me in exile? Tough question!” At this point Malcom’s muscles were tightening in his body, beating back the shift that wanted to occur. “He took everything from me. Like I give a shit if he is falling apart now?”
“Look, you have to help, it is your duty!” Her voice rose a bit as she approached him.
“Duty? My duty? I have no duty, no to you, that pack, and especially not to Vincent!” When Malcom turned on her, he growled and she jumped back. She was unsure of herself around him, so much had happened to change him. She couldn’t be sure that he was the same Malcom she once knew.
“It’s gotten worse. He is losing hold of reality. The vamps are coming down on us stronger and Vincent just sends out men, our families, off to be slaughtered.” She lowered her voice and tried to remain calm, hoping he would follow suit. “We can’t survive much longer like this!”
“And I should give two quick fucks why?”
“Because you aren’t like him, you care about us, about our people.” She hoped her words were still true, she knew that they once were.
“Correction, I used to care. I no longer do. You want me to hop up and protect the same bastards who so easily tossed me away and then hunted me down as an animal marked for prey. Do you know how many of them I was forced to kill, and how few of them showed even an ounce of remorse for what they were doing? Your brother put a target on my head, even after he took EVERYTHING away from me, it wasn’t enough!” Malcom’s size was increasing and his breathing had become uneven as his wolf clawed away at his insides, he wanted to break free to run and erase all the pain that Stephanie had brought back to him.
“Malcom, I…” She stepped closer to him intending to provide comfort.
“Don’t Steph, it’s not worth it. You shouldn’t be here. Your brother probably has someone tailing you, which means it’s time for me to pack up and move out.” He huffed as he pushed his wolf back down and forced himself to remain levelheaded. He had to get away from this woman. It was more than just the anger, she did things to him, aroused another side of himself that he wasn’t ready to face.
“So that’s it? You won’t even consider helping us.” Stephanie had to try again; as long as he would listen, she had to try.
“Go home Stephanie.” He turned to her, “go back to your brother.” The look in his eyes told her that her time was up. Malcom would never hurt her but he wouldn’t take much more. There was too much hurt and pain there, and because of who her family was, he laid blame on her shoulders as well. She would never be able to repay him for all that he had given up for them, nor would she ever be able to take away all the pain that her brother had caused him.
Chapter 2
Mulai dari awal
