Malachi POV.Goddess, she looks amazing. She has changed so much, but those eyes have haunted me since the day everything went to shit. The day she rejected me. Four years ago today.“She looks amazing. I can only imagine how Celeste looks.” Hyde says as we walk towards the training ground.It is taking everything in me to not turn around and run to her. Take her in my arms and beg for forgiveness.“She does, she really does Hyde. Give it time. We hurt her. She won’t forgive us so easily. Dahlia has always been stubborn.” I tell him when he whimpers before he grunts.“She will come round when she is ready.” He says, and I nod as we enter the training grounds. The wolves are in lines and ready to train. I set my bag down and strip my t-shirt off and give out instructions.I walk around the warriors that are sparring as I feel eyes on me. I turn and see Dahlia standing with the four unknown males beside her.Her critical eye watching everything, every move. One of the alphas points and
Dahlia POV.“I take it that he is the ex-mate?” Brent asks me from across the dining hall table and I nod my head at him.“Would you ever forgive him?” Dex asks and I think, would I? Should I?“He knew who I was to him, but still got another pregnant. Come to think of it, I haven’t seen Sapphire. From what I remember, she was always hanging off him.” I say as I reach for the food in front of me.“Still, I agree with you for what you did, Lia. But we all know you still hold some place for him in your heart. Maybe talk to him and find out why we never told you,” Johnny says, bringing his drink to his lips.“I know why he didn’t tell me. But he could have when I turned 18. But he didn’t. He stayed away from me. Malachi is 6 years older than I am. So you know it’s pack law that you can’t claim your mate until they reach 18, especially if there is an age gap. He didn’t wait. I can’t blame him for that. What I can blame him for is not telling me when I turned 18,” I say, bringing my food to
Malachi POV.I stand there watching as Dahlia and Harrison walk hand in hand towards the ice cream counter.“She has always loved pups.” Sadia’s voice draws me to look at her, and she has an amused look on her face.“Yeah, she has. She has a heart of gold.” I say when I hear a scoff, I turn to look at the male with the blonde hair with a shit-eating grin on his face.“Yeah, she does. Shame you didn’t see that sooner.” He shrugs when the others look at me as well. They think they can intimidate me. How wrong of them to even think they can.“If you have something to say, just say it. No point in beating around the bush.” I say, looking at him when he chuckles before he places his hands flat on top of the table as he stands. He is tall, but not as tall as the others and definitely not as tall as me.“For a warrior, you are rather tall and broad. If I didn’t know any different, I would say you had alpha blood. We haven’t been introduced. I’m Alpha Lucius Santo of the Crescent moon Pack.”
Dahlia POV.Not all of the pack members have seen me. Only the ones closest to the packhouse. But then again, we have over 25,000 members in total.My parents have organised a celebration for me. To honour my return, I did tell them it wasn’t necessary, but one look from my mom had me shut up.So here I am, sitting by a huge bonfire with a soda in my hand. Looking into the raging flames of the bonfire.“See anything interesting in the flames?” I sigh as I lean back and shake my head slowly. It is strange being back home. I don’t know why I was scared to get it over with. Ok, who am I kidding? I was shitting myself. Mom can be damn scary at times, even more so than dad.“Oh nothing, just thinking.” I say as I think about what is excepted of me. I ran from the pressure of the title but now, instead of running from it. I had turned and ran towards it.“Now, that is a lie. Tell me, little one, what weighs so heavy on your mind that you are ignoring the celebration?” I look at him, Alpha T
Dahlia POV.I run in my wolf form, needing to process the emotions I am feeling. Malachi’s emotions. That is the problem with this gift. I take on their emotions like they are my own. My chest feels painful as we push ourselves harder, running at speed to outrun what we are feeling.We come to the lake, the full moon’s silver light dancing on the surface. Growling and snarling, feeling angry and sad that we weren’t here to offer support or comfort. To be there for him and his pup, even though he wasn’t there for me.Laying down on the cool grass, we breathe and concentrate on what we feel, not what Malachi feels. Calming down, I pick up the familiar scent on the breeze.Lifting my head, I see her, Aura. The wolf of my mom as she trots closer. We stand as she rubs her head against ours.“Daughter, why did you run?” She asks as she moves closer to us and sits beside us.“His emotions are strong. He feels guilt and sadness for his pup. It was too much for us,” Celeste tells her and Aura
Malachi POV.Sleep is evading me. I can’t get the way Dahlia seemed so pained before she ran away. Did she feel my emotions? Does she pity me?“She felt everything Mal, she felt how we did. She knows the truth now. Give her time, she will come round. I saw it too, pity. I don’t like it Mal. She shouldn’t pity us, not after what we did to her.” Hyde grumbles and I know he feels as guilty as I do for what happed four years ago. I mean, how could he not? He nearly marked Sapphire.“I don’t want her pity, Hyde, I just want her. She was ours until we both fucked it up.” I say as I roll over and climb out of bed and head towards the window, looking out over the pack.“It maybe too late for that Mal. I’m sorry to be honest with you, but I know deep down it is too late for us. It will be difficult to get her to forgive us for what we did. But I think that ship has sailed. She doesn’t see us like that, not anymore.” He mumbles, feeling his regret bleed into me.“Dahlia was never one to beat ar
Dahlia POV.I didn’t sleep well last night. I bypassed the rest of the celebration and headed to my old room to bed. I tossed and turned most of the night and gave up on sleep in the end and made my way to the gym.I punch the punching bag, over and over, before landing kicks. Sweat drips from my nose and trickles down my back and chest. I spin and throw my arm out as hard as I can against the midsection of the poor abused bag.Closing my eyes, I feel the emotions from last night and all the pent-up feelings of being back home. With a scream, I throw my fist forward. The bag flies across the gym, leaving sand in its wake. I stand there panting, my feet parted and chest heaves.I move towards another one and begin again. This is the fifth bag I have used since being down here. I keep going, remembering my training.“Let it out, never hold on to it. To hold on to the pain will cloud your judgement.” The words of Alpha Reynolds are loud in my head. I snarl as I hit harder and faster than
Dahlia POV.After the pack run, the celebration truly begins. Wolves chatting, drinking and remembering their families with fun stories. This is how it should be.Before today, the celebration was always sombre, but now it is different.“That is because of you, Alpha Dahlia.” I spin around and see Alpha Reynolds standing there. I move towards him and hug him without thinking. He hugs me back, chuckling as he kisses my hair.“So, I bet you never thought you would see me so soon after you all left?” he says and I smile up at him, backing away slightly.“Aww, did you miss us that much?” I say as he rolls his eyes and his Beta Lionel, chuckles and I move to him and hug him, too.“Hardly. I was in the area and thought I would call in on my favourite student. Is that a crime?” he asks, tilting his head to the side, watching me closely. Why do I shiver every time this man looks at me the way he is doing right now?“Of course it isn’t. Just don’t let the others hear you say that it would caus