Mala thought a lot about what Aston had told her in his office, about his curse and what he wanted from her, to be his Luna. Had not seen that one coming at all. There was barely a moment of quiet when she didn’t think about it. Wondered how many in the pack knew the complete truth about their Alpha? She doubted many at all.
Definitely the entire Alpha Unit, they had all been looking at her over the past few days. It seemed they too, were waiting on her answer or her reaction to their Alpha’s imparted news.
Mala was currently sitting in the pack house dining room having breakfast with Ben, Bella, and little Benny junior. It had been four days since he’d told her about this Mate Bond with Carmel and the curse.
How Carmel was going to be a threat to herself, if and when she found out about her and Aston sleeping together. Though Mala was of the opinion that if she came at them, she and Suki were going to duel her, rip that woman’s head off for the death of their Luna. Would take great satisfaction in having a piece of that bitch, for the hideous nature of her and all she had done to her Alpha and his Luna.
That thought intrigued her as she sat and ate breakfast. Aston had never exacted revenge on Carmel for Roberta’s death. He’d not done a damned thing about it at all. It made her more than curious now. Mala had offered herself to take his brother out to make Carmel feel the same pain. The pain of one losing your Mate.
Knew now or suspected why he’d said ‘No.’ Carmel was also suffering her own mate’s wolfs curse. Tricky witch, got her own back for being forced to do something she clearly didn’t want to do.
Though Mala was also curious about how Carmel knew he was with another prior to that, she’d not been in the same pack to see it. How did she know? Made her wonder if that she-wolf, felt when he was with another in some way. Seeing as she was still so clearly attached to him, still wanted him.
Stupid woman, she should never have rejected him in the first place. Looked around the dining room at the pack Aston had created from nothing, for himself, by himself no help from anyone. He had a full warrior pack, all loyal to him, all willing to fight and die not just for him, but for each other, to protect each other.
This pack was likely much stronger than her and his brother’s pack. Wondered if Carmel had killed Roberta out of sheer jealously that she was with Aston, for being Mated to him when Carmel was not. Or spite after knowing he had created a better, stronger pack, or was it her need to extract revenge; after her curse backfired and she to now had to suffer. Stupid woman clearly hadn’t thought about witches and the magic or power that they held. Likely now blamed Aston for that too.
“Morning Mala.” It was Aston's voice. She looked up at him and he leaned right down and kissed her softly on the mouth, in front of all here in the dining room, blinked up at him. She had not expected him to do that. He’d been giving her complete space for the last four days.
She had barely seen him at all, to be honest. Training had resumed and things around the pack were back to normal. No one here seemed at all concerned about her or Suki for that matter. Seemed the ones that had seen them lose control had simply thought it normal to react so violently to one from their past touching them and trying to reclaim them.
“Morning Al…Aston.” She corrected herself.
Saw him smile at her use of his name and not rank. “I’ll join you this morning.” He stated and then went off to get food and come and sit next to her, saw both Ben and Bella smirk right at her.
She could also hear a lot of chatter in the dining room right now, about what everyone thought was going on between her and their Alpha. Aston didn’t seem to mind or care at all, just smiled at her and let them discuss it openly.
His whole Unit turned up a few minutes later and got food, sat down at the table as well, all of them smiled at her “Mala.” They all stated, in unison.
Sent a shiver down her spine as she realised that’s how they had once addressed Roberta, all at once, just like that. Found the packs Gamma’s watchful eyes on her and even knew why, he was trying to figure out what she was feeling, nearly huffed out loud, was not at all used to this kind of direct attention, dealt with them all the time, trained with them all the time.
But until now, had never been under their watchful gazes, saw him smirk at her before turning his attention to his breakfast and then started chatting away with the rest at the table. He knew, she knew what he was doing.
“Aston, this is all a bit weird.” She murmured.
“Only if you let it be Mala.” He commented “It’s not weird for me. I like you a lot, I intend to date you and we’ll simply go from there Mala.” He announced his plans almost as if he was trying to tell the whole dining room, which would spread quickly through the rest of the pack, what was about to happen between them. “I’m comfortable with this, are you not?”
She looked right at him for a moment and bit her lip a little, saw him chuckle and then leaned over and his lips touched her ear softly “I like it when you get all nervous around me. I can see you like me and more than a little.”
Heard Ben snort and turned to glare at him “Shut it.” she shot at him, and he burst out laughing, didn’t seem to care about her yelling at him. Thought it was highly amusing, her reaction to their Alpha’s interest in her.
Ben knew, hell it was likely Aston knew himself, that she’d never been in any kind of relationship at all. She and Ben, it had just been sex, when one or the other had an itch to scratch. But she knew that was not what Aston wanted from her, it wasn’t going to be just sex with him, it was everything else as well.
The sex she knew was good. Better than good, it had been damn hot, but a relationship? to date the Alpha? She didn’t even know how that would go, what was expected of her. What to expect from him either, and found that it was more than making her nervous. Then there was that whole curse thing as well. What if they dated and it worked out and she more than came to like him, what if she wanted to be with him.
She would have to suffer through the brutality of his beast. If and when she went into heat, she didn’t know if she was strong enough to handle that. Like Roberta had been. Needed to really think about that. Though Aston had told her she could take years to consider it, that was also interesting to her.
Perhaps it was better to just date him. “Aston, can I talk to you after breakfast? I have some questions; I’d like to ask you.”
“Of course, you can Mala.” He nodded and smiled right at her.
They walked all the way to his office after breakfast, Simon she noted strolled along behind them, even came into the office and closed the door behind them all, looked at Simon questioningly.
“We have no secrets, Mala. Simon is my Beta and my closest friend as well, he needs to be not only aware of what is going on, but on the same page as both of us. You can of course sit and talk to him if I am not here as well.
That gained her attention. “When is he here when you are not?” she asked with a snort of amusement.
They both chuckled “fair point.” Aston nodded as she sat down.
She sat pretty much where she had done the last time she was in this office, with him and Simon. Aston sat across from her, and Simon sank down in the chair next to him and made himself comfortable.
“Firstly, can I ask why you didn’t let myself or Ben lead a team of warriors to retaliate on Carmel, after the Luna’s death?” she had her theory and wanted to know if it was correct.
“Yes,” he nodded “The answer is simple enough. If Carmel is still alive and so is Raymond, she has to suffer the brutality of his wolf.”
“So that’s also why you wouldn’t let me kill him at the warrior challenge?”
“Correct, if he dies. Though she would feel it, she would remain the Luna, but would no longer have to suffer her own curse. Would be free and clear of it. Perhaps she did this in the hope I would retaliate in kind, setting her free unwittingly. That is the very reason I never sent you after her. The curse affects myself and Raymond, it’s not on her specifically. So, if I let you kill her, that would not be fair to any other she-wolf he mates himself off to in the future.”
“So, punishing her, is not by extracting revenge; on her or her mate?”
“Exactly, as much as I wanted to, and I did Mala. Don’t think I didn’t struggle with the decision to not hunt one of them down for Roberta’s death, I did, a lot. Killing Raymond would only release Carmel from the curse’s effects. And with killing Carmel could hurt some innocent down the line. I’m not about to put some unsuspecting innocent she-wolf in the path of Raymond’s end of the curse. It’s not who I am.”
Mala nodded “So you don’t think that he would tell them about the curse then?”
“No, I don’t. No alpha wants people knowing things like that about them, or being rejected for it. I’m also willing to bet some part of him way down deep, enjoys what happens during her heat. He can be a very vicious man. I did tell you he enjoys beating his wolves. He likely enjoys the sheer brutality of the situation, likely not the hurting of his Mate at all, but the raw animalistic side that is brought out in him, probably likes that.”
Mala sighed “That’s not exactly nice.”
“I never said he was nice.”
“What happened at that warrior challenge Aston. You gave him something, I saw you do it. Then I know you went and talked to him later that night.” She’d not liked it then. Simon knew this and had told her to stay out of it.
“I did.” He nodded “In the envelope was the picture of Roberta and the shell casing. To prove to him that it was Carmel who killed my Mate. The meeting we had.” He shrugged "Was brother to brother, not Alpha to Alpha. He did actually apologise for Carmel’s actions. Couldn’t believe that after all the years, that had passed she would still do something like that. Told me he would go back and demand an explanation and deal with her. Then he asked me why I was at this year’s warrior challenge, it was out of character for me, he knew I hated them. He was the one to always participate. I never went.”
“Did you tell him.”
“Oh yes I did.” He smiled “That I went solely to put you, Mala. In the area with him. That if he or she came to my Pack, I was going to unleash you on him and his Luna.”
Heard Simon snort “He didn’t like that at all.”
Mala frowned now “Why he doesn’t know me?”
“Yes, he does. Was there at the arena when you were wolf-less.” Aston smiled right at her “Never missed one, he saw you in action back then. Now he knows you have a wolf and will be even more deadly.”
“Mm, a good thing then.”
“A very good thing, I told him what rank you were now, did not surprise him much. Expected as much I think from one like you. Also knew your real name and the Lucas bloodline.” Aston nodded “Though it was not those words that made him think twice.” He turned and looked at Simon.
“What? I just made one little comment.” He shrugged. “Not my fault, fear ebbed off him after I said it.” but there was a full smirk on Simon’s face.
“Hmm,” was all Aston said before turning back to Mala “Do you want to know what the Pack Beta said to my brother.”
Mala did, she was curious as to how a Beta could make an Alpha feel fear. “Might as well get all the information while I’m here.”
Aston waved his hand at Simon “Go on Beta.”
Saw Simon smile “Mala will be the next Luna.” He looked right at her.
Mala frowned at him “What? Roberta was barely passed.”
“It was a spur of the moment comment is all Mala.” Simon nodded “But it got that mans undivided attention, he knew what you were supposed to be who your Mate was. You were supposed to be a full Warrior Luna. With Aston by your side here leading this pack with him, that’s exactly what you would be.”
Mala shook her head at him “So you weren’t thinking about it then?”
“No.” Aston shook his head. “Not at all, Titan and I were still grieving the loss of our Mates, did not even consider it till a few years later. Something Ben said not long after he found Bella, actually.”
Shook her head “Trust Ben to say something.”
“Devious he is.” Aston smiled at her. “Though I did note he didn’t bring it up until after he was Mated off. Wasn’t going to lose you himself I suppose.” Shook his head “I was watching you train one day and he walked right passed me, stated with a full smirk on his face, ‘She should be a Luna by now, don’t you think.’ And I looked at you and agreed with his comment. Still took a few more of his hints for me to get the message though.”
Heard Simon chuckle “The best one I heard was after a pack run, Suki was still out, chasing a rabbit or something, and you know Titan never releases back to Aston till all his wolves had shifted back. Ben was leaning on a tree with myself, saw him look right at Titan, and state ‘Hey Titan, don’t you just want to bury yourself in Suki.”
Mala heard Suki snort with some amusement herself at Bens words or repeated words. Mala herself, raised an eyebrow at him.
“Not the best one I heard.” Aston laughed softly “Told me you had stamina in spades, were up for anything and very bendy.” You had just shifted back from Suki after wolf training, and I was looking right at you all naked. Shot one hell of an image into my brain I can tell you.”
Mala shook her head “So Ben has been encouraging you for years now?”
“Yes.” Aston nodded “Bit by bit, I really started looking at you, like really looking, like I’d not done before. I guess just like all the others that come here for you did. With lust, and one day I found myself just watching you without being prompted to, I was interested and more than a little bit, but…”
“But?”
“Because of my curse, I left it alone. Until Hudson turned up here, and strolled into my office and declared to my face, he was here to claim you and take you back as his Luna. Even Titan snarled inside of me at the thought of him with you. We did not like it.”
She frowned at him now.
“It was the push I needed to out myself to you. To tell you I was more than interested. Titan is also more than interested in Suki. Is of the same opinion we should claim you for ourselves. Though he too has concerns. As to how you and Suki would react to that curse.”
“I bet.” She murmured “Especially after the other day.”
“Hmm, it’s why we’ve had that chat already, not waited like I did with Roberta. We want you to think about it carefully. How you think you and Suki might respond to something like that. I don’t really want to end up dead from Suki killing us, I also don’t think you’d do well, with hurting us or killing us either.”
“Probably not.” Mala agreed, this was her home and she loved it here. He’d always been good to her, to the whole pack, always.
“Does Suki have any opinion at all about everything she’s heard, at this point in time.” Aston asked her, he tried to make it sound casual, but didn’t quite pull it off, she realised as she heard the slightest tremor in his voice at the end.
Mala asked Suki that very question and simply got huffed at, she didn’t leave or stalk off to the back of her mind, still sat and looked at their Alpha “Doesn’t appear to want to discuss it at this point.” She answered honestly.
“Fair enough.”
They both knew wolves only mated once Marked and Mated to each other, it was unlikely Suki and Titan would get that option unless Suki agreed to claim him herself, and it would have to be a decision on both their parts, she could not Mark a chosen Mate without her wolfs agreement. They would have to both want to be the Luna to the Pack, both want to be Marked and Mated to Aston and Titan.
“She hasn’t said anything much, but hasn’t snarled or vetoed it either. Might be considering it, can be closed off sometimes when in deep thought.”
“As most wolves can.” Aston nodded. “Leave her be, she’ll let you know what she thinks or wants when she is ready.”