Chapter 89

Chapter 89
I had thought having Toby here with me would make the work easier. I mean, it was easier since I got to come home to the open arms of my mate and, of course, the sex. 

But I wish it were easier.

Work has gotten so demanding that we barely see each other except at night. By then Toby had already retired for bed, and most times I am too exhausted to do anything but kiss him goodnight before falling asleep, and in the morning, I am already up and gone.

Although I have gotten reports that Toby has been going around the pack, probably trying to familiarize himself with his new pack, I wish I could do better. I still have no idea in what way I could get him to work with me, but I didn’t want to be choosy or impose.

And since he was still discovering the pack for himself, it was better to let him be. However, it didn’t help that I had been hearing some rumors flying around that I couldn’t even wrap my head around, and his mood seemed to just plummet by the time I was back.

“Are you sure nothing is wrong?” I asked as we settled down for the night. We were tucked inside the blanket, and my face was practically crushed to his, but I couldn’t complain. The dreams I used to have were being fulfilled in front of me.

“There is nothing wrong, Maddie; you are just overthinking it.” He told me, and I closed my eyes as I felt his lips on my forehead for a kiss.

I wanted to bring up all of the rumors I was hearing, but he hadn’t mentioned anything about it, and I decided to just leave it be. “I noticed you have rather become a tourist in the pack; what do you think?” I murmured sleepily in his chest.

“I think your father did, and now you are doing a good job. It is so easy to see how we were lacking in the rogue pack, but I think…”

“Go on; I can sense some hesitation in your voice, and I think you still have a lot to say.” I urged him on.

“I think you need to work more on engaging the people. I noticed a lot of able-bodied people just walking around, and I still think they will do more good if they are fixed in places that need them.”

“Hmm.” I nodded; he made some solid points, but I was too sleepy to start going over it. “Can we go over this tomorrow? My brain can barely keep up with everything.”

"Alright, love, sleep well.” He pressed another kiss to my forehead and tucked me in, and I was fast asleep.

The next day, I was up as usual, and after we took a shower together, I went to my office to get a start on the day’s job.

The low murmur of voices in the hallway was distracting, especially as I needed absolute silence to focus on the work in front of me. But then a voice cut through the noise.

“I demand to see my mate!” The annoying male voice was disrupting what little peace I had to work on the things I had to, and my pen hovered on the paper. Except if his mate happened to be one of the people on this floor, then he shouldn’t be here.

I waited for the peace to be restored, but the shuffling of feet and the increased murmurs didn’t look like they were going away anytime soon, and I sighed, rubbing my temple. ‘Ryan, please take care of the disturbance outside and come to my office afterwards.’ I told my brother through the mind link.

I noticed a pause before his reply came. ‘I think that will be a problem…He is demanding to see you.’

“To see me?” His reply got my full attention, and I straightened up. I had no appointment today; neither have I been informed of this impromptu meeting, so it has to be a mistake.

Before I could dwell on that thought, the voice rose again, as if in response to my internal argument, the arrogance dripping in each word he spoke.

“I demand to see the alpha!” I exhaled sharply, my brows knitting together in a frown. From his voice and demands, I knew he was going to be an insufferable person, and that was the last thing I wanted to deal with right now.

“What is going on?” I asked as the door opened to reveal my brother.

“I am not sure if you are aware, but this young man at the door is claiming that you are his mate. Apparently he is the son of one Alpha Nicodemus.” Ryan explained, and my eyes widened as my brain recognized the name, but I tried to play it off. It was better not to conclude when he could come for another reason.

“Alright, let him in and come see me when he is through.”

“Are you sure?” Ryan asked with a flicker of what I could detect as concern. He had suddenly decided to start enhancing the difference between him and his twin because he somehow believed that was what was preventing him from getting a mate.

So right now, he was growing out his hair, the brown strands now past his neck, and he was currently clean-shaven, and I couldn’t get past the diamond stud on his ear that shone as it caught the light.

The change was a bit dramatic because your mate would always know you, but he was hellbent on his ways, and I wasn’t going to be the one to discourage him.

“It is fine; just let him in.” The door shut with a click as he went out, and I arranged my dress, not because I cared how he was going to see me but because I didn’t want to appear shabby meeting someone new. I had just finished fixing my hair in place when the door burst open and he strode inside, his foot pounding on the floor with each step he took.

“Maddie.” My eyebrow twitched at the casual tone he had used to address me, the irritation growing as I noticed the manner in which he had pulled the chair and sat down.

“It is alpha to you, Malcolm, and what do I owe this impromptu visit?” The man was tall, his body a mix of lanky and well-built. His hair was chopped low at the back and long in front as if he didn’t know what to do with it. His lips were in a thin line that I couldn’t tell if he was just angry or had been blessed with tiny lips.

He was one of Alpha Nicodemus' sons, a man known for his brutal training. His father was one that still had an archaic view about the world and has never come to accept that a female would be the alpha.

“I believe you are aware of the promise your father made, and I have come to fulfill it.”

“You must be mistaken, Malcolm. No agreement was signed, and I didn’t agree to it, so it is null.”

“Playing hard to get? Cute, I like it. But we all know how this ends.” His lips widened in a smile that managed to make me even angrier. “I understand that my visit is a little impromptu and you may not be prepared for it, so I will give you today to prepare your mind. Meanwhile, I need a place to sleep. Have one of your slaves make my bed.”

Malcolm strode out of the office after his little speech, and I was left wondering if this had all been a bad dream that would soon go away.

I had wished he had even kept his mouth shut while he enjoyed his tour around my pack with hopes that his senses would return back. No, he had decided to go round the pack, telling all that could listen that he was my betrothed, and he was causing an uproar everywhere he went.

“I heard a rumor.” Toby began as we lay down to rest the following night.

“What rumor? I asked him, even though I already knew the one he was talking about.

“Your father betrothed you to the son of an alpha, and now he has come to claim you.

I shuddered at the word claim, like I was a property or land. “There is nothing to claim here, nothing was promised. Malcolm was just trying to be a dick and tomorrow I will send him out from the pack.” I had managed to be a good host and given him enough time to get his shit together but that ends now.

”It is fine; I want to fight him, and then we can all put all of this behind us.”

“Fight him?” I sat up, looking at Toby. “There is no need to do all that, love. He is just someone confused, and I will straighten that up tomorrow.”

“I want to fight him because I think that is the only way I can assure your pack that I am worthy enough.” Toby said with conviction, his eyes fixed on the ceiling.

“Where is all this coming from?” I asked as I reached for his hands, but he invaded it, and I swallowed rather painfully. “You don’t need to prove anything to anyone. You are my mate, and that is enough for me. The pack will just have to adjust to that.”

“I know, but have you heard the whispers?” He argued, his eyes meeting mine. “No matter what you do, it is only going to keep coming, but if I prove it to them that I am worthy, they will take it seriously.”

“Are you sure?” I breathed out after I gave it a thought. He does have a point, but I never wanted him to prove himself to anyone because he was enough for me.

“Yes, now let us sleep. You can come up with a date tomorrow.” 

I came up with a date, and Malcolm was only too happy to oblige. He was all excited and happy like an adult on coke, and I could only laugh at his foolishness. He may be the only man that looked so happy to go to his grave.

But I had passed by the training room one day, and he was sparring with a pack member, and I was captivated. His moves were so fluid, his attack had such deadly precision that was difficult to master, and it should be since he has been taught by one of the toughest alphas.

It was no rumor that Alpha Nicodemus ruled his children with an iron fist, and he only acknowledged those that managed to scale through.

Shit!

I have been wrong all along; he wasn’t all brawn and no brain; he was all, and for the first time, I was scared for my mate. I knew Toby could hold himself up very well; he was, after all, the head warrior, but I hoped my foolishness wasn’t going to cost us anything.