The Alpha's Progeny [The Alpha's #3]

MALIK VLADIMIR

“We can’t let him take this wolf!” a wolf growled, stepping forward to present himself. “This wolf has transgressed with the us! That means that we must be the ones to punish him!”

“Alpha Marcellus should be the one to kill this kidnapper!”

“Alpha Malik is not going to punish this wolf. He’s going to take him back to their pack and let him live!”

“We can’t let the Apo to Chaos pack get away with this!”

The uproar was only broken up when baby Penelope started crying again, her shrill cry causing everyone to wince. Some pack members winced while others looked guilty for causing distress to the baby.

“I think that’s enough,” Marcellus growled, crossing his arms over his chest. “I will not stand here and have any of you speak to Malik that way. He is a welcomed guest of the Apo to Chaos pack and anyone who dares speak or mistreat him in this way, feel free to see yourself down to the dungeons.” At the Alpha’s warnings, no one dared speak so he took that as his opportunity to continue. “Everyone here should know better than to believe in these silly rumours. Malik has been visiting this pack since he was a child. All of you should know his character and should have realised straight away that even though this despicable wolf is from the Apo to Chaos pack, Malik has nothing to do with what happened today.”

“I’m honestly quite disappointed,” Anastasia murmured as she continued rocking the pup in her arms, effectively soothing her. “Such a terrible thing could have happened in front of our very eyes and here we are, arguing when instead, we should be discussing how to deal with the situation at hand.”

“Sorry, Stassie,” Malik apologised, disappointed that he was in the centre of all these problems.

“You don’t have anything to apologise for. It’s everyone else that has to apologise to you but we can deal with that later,” Anastasia was quick to deny. “And I understand that you would want to take this wolf back with you to be properly dealt with, I’d much rather we deal with this sooner, rather than later. Call me sadistic but I’ll enjoy watching the life drain out of him. At least that way, he’ll never be able to attempt something like this again.”

Malik had initially intended to take this criminal back to the Apo to Chaos pack where his father would be able to deal with him for such a horrendous crime, but seeing as he had no other option, it appeared that that would not be happening today. Not looking to give these wolves any more ammo, especially since he felt partially responsible as he had brought this warrior along with him, Malik turned to his pack member.

“Which one of you would like to do the honours?” Malik asked, turning to face Anastasia and Marcellus.

“I’ve got my hands full here,” Anastasia gestured to the now sleeping baby in her arms before glancing over at her mate.

“He’s your pack wolf,” Marcellus shrugged. “Despite what everyone here has vocalised, I’d prefer if you dealt with us. After all, he is one of your pack wolves.”

“Thank you, Mars,” he nodded respectfully at his uncle before turning his attention to the warrior that had literally stabbed him in the back.

His warriors often switched up when he stayed over at the Lupum Griseo pack but for the most part, most of them were reoccurring. Nathan was one that had joined him quite a few times now, sometimes with Jonathon and other times with a different warrior. Malik was quite fond of the wolf as he was good company to have on the road however, all of that was now erased by this one simple act. Not that there was anything simple about attempted kidnapping.

Aware that there were so many pairs of eyes on him, Malik slowly turned his head to stare down at the warrior who had begun grovelling at his feet.

“Please, Alpha! Don’t do this!” Nathan begged but Malik couldn’t bring himself to feel bad. Not after everything that had happened. “I’m so sorry! It was a mistake! This was a mistake! Please let me explain.”

“You don’t deserve to explain yourself. You did this to yourself,” Malik spoke the final words to the wolf before he reached down to tighten his fingers around his neck, squeezing softly at first and then tighter. He watched with steady eyes as the life drained out of the wolf underneath him. He kicked and scratched at Malik, but that was not enough to deter him. Instead, it pushed him harder to squeeze just a little tighter, finally ridding the world of an unworthy soul.

When the wolf finally closed his eyes, Malik released one last growl before dropping the lifeless body on the ground, uncaring of the strange disarray of limbs bent inhumanely. As far as he was concerned, the Lupum Griseo pack could do whatever they wanted with the body. There was no way he planned on taking it back to the Apo to Chaos pack, even if he was a pack member.

There was just something grim about driving several hours with a dead body in the boot. Not to mention it would be impossible to explain if they could pulled over by the human officers.

“Satisfied now?” Malik sneered at the wolves that were still staring at him, some curious and some that looked like they wanted to snap his neck in the same way he had done to Nathan.

Let them try, his wolf snorted. It’s not like they’ll be able to get anywhere near us.

When no one else dared to say anything to him, he turned to the Alpha and Luna duo.

“I’m sorry this happens, Mars, Stassie,” he apologised with a sigh, unable to ignore the guilt eating away at him.

“It’s not your fault, Malik,” Anastasia tried to correct him but he refused to listen. Not after something as serious as this had just happened. And to think if he had never come over to the pack, then Nathan would never had been given this opportunity.

“I know it’s not directly my fault but I am associated with it. I am deeply sorry that this has happened,” he apologised again, his lips pulling down into a deep frown. “It’s probably best I head home now. I’ll grab my stuff and be gone within the hour.”

“You don’t have to leave,” Marcellus frowned, clearly not happy with his rash decision.

“I know I don’t have to but it’s probably best I explain to dad what happened, and what we could do to stop something like this happening again,” Malik explained, purposely not mentioning that it was probably best if he put some distance between himself and the Lupum Griseo pack right now; giving them some time to calm down.

“Are you sure?” Anastasia asked, sporting the same disapproving expression as her mate.

“Positive,” Malik smiled and walked over to kiss both her and baby Penelope. Giving Marcellus a hug, he turned around in search of the one warrior who wasn’t a part of child kidnapping.

Or at least he hoped not.

-

Malik had hoped that he would be able to get some sleep on the way back to the pack. Instead, he could do nothing but think over everything that had happened this weekend.

And a whole fucking lot had happened!

Malik wasn’t usually one to swear but he had done exactly that several times over this past day. He couldn’t bring himself to be mad about it. Not when all that had transpired definitely warranted it!

Just in this weekend alone, someone had accused his dad of killing his mum and another wolf had alluded that the Apo to Chaos pack having a history of kidnapping. Immediately, the group of wolves had jumped at his throat, accusing him of taking Penelope.

I hate to say this but I think the old man is keeping things from us.

You think? Malik snorted at his wolf, but couldn’t bring himself to be mad at the creature. He, too, had been gaslighted by his dad into believing that everything was normal when they clearly weren’t.

But what could possibly be going on?

I have no idea.

Whatever it is, not for one second do I believe that dad killed mum, his wolf denied with a roll of his eyes. Everyone knows what happened to her. You should have shut his mouth before he finished speaking.

I would have if he wasn’t our mate’s father, Malik groaned, and then groaned again when he realised that he had left the pack without saying anything to Trinity.

The second point about the kidnapping, I don’t know how to explain.

Me neither, he sighed. I have a feeling that’s something only dad can answer.

I guess we’ll just have to ask him without him knowing that we’re asking him.

“Alpha Malik,” Jonathon called out to him in a quiet, wary tone. “We’re back.”

“Thank you, Jonathon. Get some rest,” he told the warrior before letting himself out of the car. Leaving behind his duffel to collect later, he headed into the pack house in search of his dad.

There were a lot of things that they needed to discuss but he needed to approach the situation in such a way that his dad wouldn’t suspect anything. The last thing he needed to do right now was to alert his dad that he had begun to suspect him.

“I thought you weren’t supposed to get back until Monday. Not that I’m complaining about your early return, obviously,” Orpheus hummed as he spied Malik letting himself into the office and closing the door behind him.

“Something happened at the Lupum Griseo pack,” Malik murmured as he dropped himself into one of the chair behind the desk.

“What happened?” Orpheus asked as he closed his laptop to give his son his complete attention. When Malik spied concern and confusion washing over his dad’s face, he found himself confused all over again.

“Nathan, one of the warriors that I took with me tried to kidnap Penelope.”

“Penelope?”

“Mars and Stassie’s new daughter,” Malik told him. “Anyway, Nathan kidnapped her not even a few hours after she had been born.”

“I can’t believe Nathan would do something like this. He’s one of us.”

“I guess it just shows that we didn’t really know him,” he shrugged. “Without going into the gruesome details, we were able to track him down, get Penelope down and then I killed him for the crime.”

“I know it’s harsh but you did the right think, Malik,” Orpheus nodded, his face a perfect mask. “Nathan deserved to suffer such a fate after his crime. Kidnapping, let alone child kidnapping is a very severe crime and deserves a severe punishment like you had delivered.”

“So, you think that I did the right thing?”

“Yes,” Orpheus nodded before concern clouded his face. “Why? Are you having second thoughts?”

“Something like that,” Malik murmured, gnawing on his bottom lip to keep up pretences. After all, his father knew him to be nothing but a worry wort. As long as he kept up the act, Orpheus would never suspect the actual gears that were turning in his head.

“You definitely did the right thing,” his dad tried to assure him. “If you didn’t kill him then one, you would be teaching Nathan as well as others like him that this sort of thing is fine. And two, it’s showing the Lupum Griseo pack that you’re not onboard with this at all. It will build up their faith and belief in you.”

“I guess that’s some sort of solace,” Malik murmured but things still didn’t feel right. And not just because he felt guilty about killing Nathan. “I thought it would be best if I left and not aggravate the situation further.”

“That was a good idea. Give them some time to cool down.”

Malik sighed and nodded in agreement. “Well, that’s all I had to say to you. I’m just going to head to my room,” he said as he got up from the chair, moving to leave the office. “Hey dad,” Malik found himself calling out to his dad just as he was about to leave the room, shooting the question over his shoulder.

“Yes, son?” Orpheus answered from where he was still sat behind the desk.

“How did you and mum meet?”

“As unconventional as it sounds, we met at a college bar,” Orpheus replied with a small smile and a distant look on his face, as if he was recollecting the first moment he had met his mate. If he wasn’t so suspicious of his dad, he probably would have told him about meeting his own mate yesterday along with all of the problems that had come along with it – or rather, with her family disapproving of him.

“I didn’t know you went to college.”

“I didn’t but your mum did.”

Malik hummed and turned around to leave, having a lot of food for thought but he stopped when his dad called out to him.

“I miss her too, Malik,” Orpheus sighed, sounding like he genuinely meant it. “Not a single moment passes without me missing your mother. I so wish she was still here with us today.”

“I do, too,” Malik smiled softly at his father before turning around to finally let himself out of the office.

Even though his dad’s answer was nothing short of perfect – probably more than perfect with that added last part – something just didn’t feel quite right.

-

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Layla Knight

15.08.2021