Gerald -
"I've made up my mind." Malik said as he stood up from where he'd been sat at his desk.
"About?" I already know, though.
"The Styles Pack. They've broken the law, and for no good reason. I'm going to declare war on the Pack and I'll see that you get your territory back." Exactly as planned.
"I'll write a message to the Pack and you can go and collect the remaining members of your pack. Bring them all back here and we can work together to create a strategy."
"Thank you, Alpha Malik. I knew you would do the right thing." Compliment, smile.
"Oh, and seeing and how your Alpha is dead and you were the Beta, I believe it's time for you to take place as the Alpha of the HalfMoon pack."
Even better.
********
Harry -
"Lou! Lou! Louis Tomlinson!"
My Beta appears in the doorway moments later, a mischievous smile on his face.
"Yes, Alpha?"
"Don't call me Alpha like that, for the last time! Now, where is it?" I cross my arms over my chest and stare down at my shorter-than-me Beta.
"Where's what?" He asks innocently, as if he didn't already know what I'm talking about.
"The thing." I growl and stand over the shorter man.
"Oh, you mean the little band of metal with diamonds-" I clamp my hand over his mouth, shutting him up and covering half his face. Didn't know his head was so small. Or maybe my hand is just big?
"Yes. Now where'd you hide it?" I ask, quietly, hoping Lily isn't anywhere around to hear us.
"Mmffpgm." I remove my hand from my Beta's face and give him a warning glare before he answers. Again.
"You left it sitting right on top of your desk. I put it in your desk drawer, so that in case Lily walked in, she wouldn't see a little box lined with velvet and a little ring sitting it in." He smiles proudly and turns to walk away, but is stopped by me grabbing his arm and pulling him back in.
"Hey! I did it for you, what's the big-"
"Will you shut up?" I snap, letting go of his arm.
"Thanks." I playfully punch his arm and by doing that, push him out of the office.
"Your welcome!" He shouts loudly for all to hear. At least he didn't say-
"Next time you have a little problem, just call me again!" Never mind.
I go back over and open the desk drawer and find that Louis really did hide the little ring box inside it. I grab the box out and open it slowly, just looking at the ring once again.
A simple gold band with several small diamonds wrapping around half the ring. It's simple, but beautiful. Just like Lily.
"What're you looking at?" Her voice literally makes me jump and I hurriedly hide the ring back in the box and slam the drawer shut, looking up to see Lily walking into the room.
"You nearly scared the crap out of me! Don't do that." I let out a relieved sigh. She didn't see it.
"Don't do what? Walk into your office so I can see my mate?" She smiles and sits on my desk.
"Why does no one get the concept of sitting in chairs?" I ask, rolling my eyes.
"It's overrated." Is her simple, beautiful reply.
"Mm. You look pretty today."
"Harry, come on. I don't even have any makeup on." She laughs lightly and runs her hands through her hair.
"Exactly. It's all the real you." I move closer so I'm standing next to the desk and she wraps her legs around my waist, pulling me closer.
"I guess you'd know all about the real me." She smirks and looks up at me with her long eyelashes and big blue eyes.
"And only me." I tell her as I wrap my arms around her and slowly lay her down on the desk, and in leaning over her.
"For yours eyes only." She whispers.
"Mm hmm. Now-"
"Harry, let me up." She says quickly and pushes me away, and sits up, her hands gripping the desk sides so tightly her knuckles turn white.
"What's wrong?" I can't feel her pain.
"Nothing. I think it just kicked a little extra hard." She says, with a bit of relief behind her voice.
"She." I correct her.
"It could very well be a boy, you know." She smiles.
"Nope. Girl."
"Boy."
"Girl." She rolls her eyes and wraps her arms around my neck.
"Whatever. I'm hungry." She pouts and I can't help but laugh.
"And you want me to do what?"
"Make me something to eat." She continues pouting. And I smirk and reach down to mess around with my belt.
"Harry! No! That's not what I mean!" She shouts playfully and shoves me away, and I double over laughing.
"Okay, okay. Just trying to help you out, you know. But, whatever."
*******
I stand in the lamp-lit room, watching Lily lay her head I her pillow before I pull my shirt over my head and toss it to the floor. A habit Lily hasn't been able to force me to break.
There's something about watching my mate lay down and fall asleep. It satisfies a primal need to see my mate safe and comfortable. We're all animals in a way, and all animals have their needs. Mine is to see my family safe. Knowing that they trust me enough to never doubt that they are safe. I can only hope that Lily feels that way, same with Dylan.
But the pack also rely on me in that way. They trust me to keep them safe. And again, I can only hope they do trust me that well.
But doubt is an enemy that you can't kill. It's a thought, it's an idea. And you cannot destroy an idea. And maybe it's just me that doubts myself. Therefore, perhaps I am my worst enemy.
But I strip down to my boxers and climb into bed beside my beautiful mate, turning into my side to stare at her as she sleeps quietly.
She's so beautiful. How did I ever get so lucky that I can call her mine?
The bite mark on her neck screams to anyone who sees that she's mine, and I honestly still can't believe that I have the right to lay that kind of claim over her. I don't deserve to.
All I know is that she is mine. And I am hers. And nothing in this world can ever change that.
___________________________
Brace yourselves for the next chapter.
That's all I'm saying.
But I have warned everyone.
Oh, and hi! How is everyone? Good, I hope!