“You’d better get the practice in. You never know, you may have a little one of your own in the very near future.”
The thought of Alfie swollen with his child had Malachi’s wolf howling with joy, and he was equally as entranced by the image his mind was conjuring. With those followed images of him and Alfie creating said baby.
“Okay, brother, calm down. Your hormones are about to choke me,” Malek teased as they walked into his home.
“Fuck off,” Malachi retorted.
Malek immediately went upstairs towards the room opposite his and Axel’s, and scooped up his son before he could even begin crying.
“Daddy is here. I know you probably want your papa, but I guess you’re stuck with me,” Malek crooned at Mase.
“So, have you thought about how you’re going to explain everything to him?” Malek asked as he moved Mason to the changing table. Damn, wolf noses and baby poop were not compatible in the least. “Well?” Malek turned to face him, supporting his son with a palm on his belly.
“Not really.” Malachi sighed, then looked towards the master suite where his mate’s scent was coming from. He’d even kind of tuned out his mate’s voice to give him a bit of privacy since Alfie had made it clear he didn’t want him or Malek hearing what he was talking about.
Malachi finally looked back at Malek to find him rocking Mason.
“You got any ideas?”
“Ideas on what?” Malek’s brow furrowed as he looked up at him, but when he looked at his son again, he was all smiles.
“Ideas on how to tell Alfie.” Theduhin Malachi’s voice was very evident.
“Mason, tell your uncle, ‘I have no idea. Your daddy saw my wolf so I really didn’t have to explain… much.’”
“Mase, tell your papa he’s not very helpful now, is he?” Chi rolled his eyes at his brother’s answer. Or maybe he should saylackof an answer.
“Calm down, Chi. I’m sure it’ll be fine. He’s related to Axel, so I’m sure he’ll be open-minded. Or at the very least, he won’t run away screaming,” Malek added, still babbling nonsensically to his son.
“Well, that’s very helpful,” Chi replied, then began pacing.
“Stop worrying, everything will be fine,” Malek said. His brother stood and handed Mason to him. “Hold your nephew while I make him a bottle. Might help you calm down.”
Malachi knew the only reason he’d just been handed his nephew was because his brother had heard what he had—that his mate was clearly crying.
Malek walked over to the little set-up with feeding bottles and formula. He began mixing up the formula, and Chi watched his every move.
“I should go check on him,” Malachi said. He walked up to Malek and tried handing Mason off, but his brother didn’t even turn round from what he was doing.
“No, you should wait for him to finish with Axel, and I’m sure once you guys figure stuff out, he’ll share whatever it is he’s feeling.”
“He’s crying,” Malachi whispered. It felt like someone was squeezing his heart in his chest when he heard his mate sobbing. His wolf was trying to claw its way out, but Malek was smart handing him Mason because no matter what, his wolf would never lose control with a pup in his arms.
“I know, and I’m sure he wants his brother more than he wants some stranger barging in on him right now,” Malek pointed out.
“I’m not a stranger. I’m hismate.” He practically growled the words out.
“Malachi.” The warning note in his brother’s voice pulled him back.
“I’m fine,” he said, gritting his teeth.
The tension in the air must have disturbed his nephew because Mason started whimpering, so Malachi had no other choice except to rock and croon to the little guy to soothe him, and that distracted him somewhat.
“I didn’t mean stranger like that, and you know it. I just meant to him, right now, Axel is the most familiar person in his life. Here.”
“You’re right, I know you’re right, even though my wolf doesn’t get it,” Malachi said, resigned. He had to wait, and hopefully, he would become Alfie’s number one person.
“Trust me, Chi, I get it.” Malek’s voice was sympathetic. “My wolf was going to lose it when I smelled Axel’s blood while papa was cutting him open to bring Mason into the world.”
