Page 16 of Malcolm (The Sunburst Pack #1)

M ALCOLM SAT PERCHED ON a rocky outcropping two days later, scanning the vast expanse before him as the setting sun painted the sky in brilliant hues of orange and purple, casting long shadows across the rugged landscape of Sunburst Pack territory.

The breeze brushing across him carried the scents of sage and pine, mingling with the earthy aroma of the pack lands. It was a smell that usually brought him comfort, but today it did little to ease the tumult in his mind.

He inhaled deeply, trying to center himself after the chaos of recent events. The pack had been through so much in such a short time. His mind drifted back to the moment that had set everything in motion.

Nick’s return to the pack had been like a bolt of lightning, sudden and electrifying.

Malcolm remembered the emotions that had swept through him—hope that they might finally have a chance to overthrow Vincent, trepidation at the upheaval it would bring.

He could still see the determined set of Nick’s jaw as he rallied them to action.

“We have a chance to take back our pack,” Nick had said during one of their clandestine meetings. “To make it what it should be—a family, not a dictatorship.”

Malcolm’s lips quirked in a half smile as he remembered Larissa’s response. She had leaned forward. “And how exactly do you propose we do that, Nick? Vincent’s hold on the pack is ironclad.”

Even then, in the midst of planning a rebellion, Larissa’s quick mind and sharp tongue had captivated Malcolm.

He shook his head, trying to dispel the memory of her scent—a heady mix of wildflowers and something uniquely her —as she’d leaned across the table, pointing out weaknesses in their initial strategy.

The night of the rebellion came back to him in a rush of sensory memory.

The acrid smell of fear and aggression. The sound of snarls and yelps echoing through the night.

The taste of blood in his mouth as he’d fought alongside his packmates.

But most vivid of all was the image of Larissa, her wolf form a blur of sleek muscle and snapping jaws as she’d taken down one of Vincent’s most loyal enforcers.

They’d moved like one being that night, he and Larissa. No words needed, just a shared glance or a subtle shift in posture to communicate their next move.

His thoughts turned to the alpha competition. What had started as a fierce rivalry had evolved into something more complex, something that made his skin tingle and his inner wolf stir restlessly.

The memory of their kiss during patrol hit him like a physical blow.

Malcolm’s skin flushed hot despite the cooling evening air.

He could almost feel Larissa’s lips on his, taste the sweetness of her mouth.

The way she’d melted into him for those brief, perfect moments before reality had come crashing back in.

“Damn it,” Malcolm muttered, scrubbing a hand over his face. He shouldn’t be thinking about this.

Not with the final alpha challenge looming, not with everything that was at stake.

But try as he might, he couldn’t shake the memories. They kept coming, a flood of images and sensations that spanned years.

Their first shift as teenagers, awkward and uncertain in their new forms. Malcolm remembered looking up and seeing Larissa’s wolf for the first time—sleek and beautiful, with fur the color of rich earth and eyes glowing with an inner fire.

He’d been so stunned he’d tripped over his own paws, much to the amusement of the rest of the pack.

Countless training sessions where they’d pushed each other to be faster, stronger, better.

Racing through the forest, Larissa always just a step ahead, challenging him to keep up.

Pack gatherings where his attention had inevitably been drawn to her, watching the way she moved, the way she commanded attention without even trying.

Even their arguments and competitions took on a new light in Malcolm’s mind. Had he always been trying to impress her? To prove himself worthy of…what? Her respect? Her admiration?

“Oh, hell,” Malcolm breathed, the pieces finally falling into place.

He stood abruptly, unable to sit still. Pacing the outcropping, Malcolm’s mind raced as he grappled with the realization that swept over him.

Larissa had always been there, a constant, vital presence in his life. Challenging him, pushing him to be better, standing by his side through every trial and triumph.

She was his equal in every way—strong, smart, fiercely loyal to the pack.

He stopped at the edge of the outcropping, looking out over the territory that one of them would soon lead. The thought of winning the alpha position, of leading the pack without Larissa by his side…

He suddenly couldn’t imagine it.

“I love her,” he whispered, the words carried away by the breeze.

The shock of it nearly buckled his knees. Malcolm staggered back. How had he not seen it before? How had he been so blind to his own feelings?

Fear gripped him as he thought of Larissa’s recent coldness, the way she’d been avoiding him since Gregory’s revelation about their kiss.

Had he realized too late? Had he already lost her?

Malcolm’s mind raced, and he found himself torn between his ambition to become alpha and this newfound understanding of his feelings for Larissa. The two desires warred within him, his wolf howling in confusion and frustration.

But finally, a sense of clarity settled over him. He couldn’t change the past, couldn’t undo the competition between them. But he could fight for a future where they stood together.

With new determination in his step, Malcolm headed back toward the pack. He didn’t have all the answers, didn’t know how he was going to balance his feelings for Larissa with the reality of their situation. But he knew he had to try.

As he approached the main clearing, Malcolm spotted Larissa in the distance, deep in conversation with a group of pack members, her face serious as she listened to their concerns. Even from afar, the sight of her made his throat tighten with emotion.

Larissa must have sensed his presence because she glanced up. Something flickered in her gaze—warmth? Longing?—before she quickly looked away, her expression shuttering.

The rejection stung, but Malcolm refused to let it deter him. He knew Larissa, knew the walls she put up to protect herself.

“Hey!” The call came from his right, and he turned to see Anders jogging toward him. “Nick’s called a meeting to discuss final preparations for the alpha challenge. You coming?”

Malcolm nodded. “Yeah, I’ll be right there.”

As Anders headed off, Malcolm cast one last glance at Larissa. She still steadfastly avoided his gaze, but the tension in her shoulders, the way her hands clenched at her sides, gave away how hard she had to work to ignore him.

I’ll find a way to make this right , Malcolm vowed silently.

With that thought firmly in mind, Malcolm headed toward the meeting.

“E VERYONE’S HERE, ” N ICK SAID , his gaze sweeping over the gathered pack members. “Let’s get started.”

As Nick began outlining the details of the final alpha challenge, Malcolm found his attention divided. Part of him was focused on the words, knowing how crucial this information was. But another part, growing stronger by the minute, couldn’t ignore Larissa’s presence merely a few feet away.

She stood with her arms crossed, her face a mask of concentration as she listened to Nick. But Malcolm saw the tension in her stance, the slight furrow between her brows that appeared when she was deep in thought or worried about something.

“The final challenge—the diplomacy challenge—will test not your physical strength or even your tactical mind,” Nick was saying, his voice cutting through Malcolm’s distraction.

“It will test your ability to lead, to make difficult decisions under pressure. Because that’s what being alpha is really about. ”

This was what he’d been working toward for so long. The chance to lead his pack, to protect and guide them. It was everything he’d ever wanted.

Wasn’t it?

His gaze drifted back to Larissa, and warmth spread through him.

The realization he’d had on the outcropping was still fresh, still overwhelming in its intensity. How had he not seen it before? How had he not recognized the depth of his feelings for her?

“Malcolm?” Nick’s voice snapped him back to attention. “Any thoughts on the proposed challenge structure?”

Malcolm cleared his throat, grateful for years of practice in hiding his emotions.

“It sounds solid,” he said, his voice steady despite the turmoil in his mind.

“But I think we should consider adding an element of pack interaction. Being alpha isn’t just about making decisions, it’s about understanding and connecting with your pack members. ”

He saw Larissa’s head tilt slightly, a sign he recognized as surprise and interest. It gave him a small thrill, knowing he’d caught her attention.

Nick nodded thoughtfully. “Good point. Larissa, what do you think? How could we incorporate that?”

Larissa began to speak, outlining a possible addition to the challenge that would test their ability to mediate pack disputes, both within the pack and between the Sunburst Pack and outsiders.

Her mind was so quick, so insightful. It was one of the many things he lov—

The thought stopped him cold yet again.

Loved.

He loved her.

The realization hit him anew, just as powerful as it had been on the outcropping.

The meeting continued around him, but Malcolm was only half listening.

His mind was racing, trying to reconcile his newfound feelings with the reality of their situation.

They were competitors for the alpha position.

There could only be one winner.

So how could they possibly end up together?