Page 26 of Malachi

“Like what you see?” Malachi couldn’t help teasing.

“I… I wasn’t… you… naked.” Alfie finally stop stuttering to glare at him. “It’s not my fault I get all tongue twisted when I see a hot, naked guy… seriously, have you seen you?”

That had Malachi bursting out in full-on laughter. “Thanks, love. I’m glad you approve since you’re the only one who’s going to see me like this from now on.”

Alfie swallowed and licked his lips. His eyes held Malachi’s for a long while, almost like he was trying to read the truth in the man’s words.

He could have sworn his mate whispered, “Promise?” but when he asked Alfie what he said, his mate snapped at him. “I said, ‘could you get on with it already.’”

Alfie’s cheeks got even redder than when he’d been caught staring at Chi’s dick yet again, and Malachi grinned. Even though his mate was pissy, it meant he’d actually said, “Promise,” and that meant… well, it meant everything. Chi didn’t waste any more time, he let the shift come over him and allowed his wolf to come out to meet their mate.

Seventeen

Alfie

From the moment Malachi began taking his clothes off, Alfie’s brain short-circuited. There was a voice in his head screaming, ‘Take it off, take it off, take it off.’ He was getting scenes from Magic Mike playing in his head over and over. Only of Malachi, in place of Channing Tatum.

He tried—hereallytried—not to look, but who could blame him when all that sculpted perfection was on display? He was only human.

When all the muscle disappeared and a large wolf took its place, Alfie instinctively took a step back when he saw the predator standing in front of him, but then the wolf sat on its haunches and simply stared at him.

“Hey there,” Alfie said, and took a tentative step forward. “So, this is a real thing, huh? Men who turn into wolves.”

The wolf tilted his head to the side like he was listening to what was being said.

“Do you understand what I’m saying?” Alfie asked, and took another step forward. Malachi—or he guessed wolf Malachi—bobbed his head in a move Alfie took to be a yes.

“Are you going to take a chunk out of me?” Alfie asked as he took another step forward. For some reason the wolf was calling to him.

He knew he should be screaming and running in the other direction, but well, apparently, fairy tales were real… and if Malachi could turn into a wolf, that meant the rest of what Axel said was true too, that Chi was his mate—his person.

Before he’d sworn off men after Rupert, he’d still wished he could just find someone who was all his.

Maybe he should have wished for a million dollars too.

Malachi shook his head, at least, that was what it looked like.

“Did I say that out loud?” Alfie asked. The wolf Malachi kind of nodded again.

Even though he should have been embarrassed, he really wasn’t, and he wasn’t scared anymore either. Alfie realised everything was true, and that meant Malachi was his, and who didn’t want someone who had literally searched the world for you?

Alfie lowered himself to the floor and sat cross-legged in front of wolf Malachi. “So, Axel was right, huh? This whole mate thing is real?”

Wolf Malachi lowered himself so his head was on Alfie’s leg. “I’ll take that as a yes.” Alfie tentatively reached out and petted wolf Malachi’s head, and the wolf let out a pleased chuff.

“So you’re all mine?” Alfie whispered, but Chi tilted his head to the side. Clearly, he’d heard what Alfie had said.

“Does that mean you’re never going to hurt me?” Alfie asked, his voice coming out all small, but he couldn’t help it.

Chi moved closer so more of his head was on Alfie, and Alfie began stroking his mate’s—he tried the word out in his head—gorgeous fur. He was a light grey with chestnut-reds woven through, and the hair was really soft.

“You’re like a really big dog,” Alfie said as he ran his hand through Chi’s fur.

Wolf Malachi released a growl, and his head came up so Alfie was looking at his wolf eyes. Alfie wasn’t sure what he was expecting, but it certainly wasn’t for the wolf Malachi to have the same eyes as the man.

So, he didn’t like the dog comment it seemed.

He should have felt stupid talking to a wolf, but weirdly, he didn’t. He got that Malachi understood what he was saying.