Alpha Brothers - the Lonely Brother (book 3)

Chapter 19

Chapter 19
Malcolm
Tarna and I, walked hand in hand down the gallery to the library. I had only been back with my family for two days and already I had fallen back into the same routine. And like I had guessed, that's where they were. Minus Allie.
I frowned when I spotted Liv, Amy and even Graham on the floor looking at magazines. Archie was on the lounge watching what seemed to be a movie on his phone awhile Callum looked to be doing paperwork. But if I knew my brother, he was only pretending.
"What on earth are you doin'?" I asked before I could stop myself.
"We're tryin' to sort out Liv's life," Amy said, acting like it had ruined her plans for the day though I'm sure it was her idea.
Liv scoffed and rolled her eyes but didn't say anything.
"And what about you?" I asked Graham.
"Well, it was rather do this all get my bullocks cut off so I chose this," he frowned, "now that I think about it. Either way I lose them."
"Our little brother is scared of his feminine side," Callum snickered.
His eyes flicked back to the paper work before they frowned and looked back up. I followed his gaze to Tarna's healed neck, smiling at the golden outline of my mark. I thought he would do something, at least say something. But all he did was smile and go back to his paper work.
"I'm not afraid of it," Graham said, defensive, "I just don't want to cross the line. I mean I know where the line is. Why should I cross it?"
"To find the true Graham," Archie suggested, holding his crooked grin.
"Oh ha, ha, Graham's gay, very funny. If I'm so gay, then why did I -," he stopped, staring straight at Tarna's neck. Unlike Callum, he didn't try to hide it, "oh my God. Could you bite her harder?"
Oh Graham, you were never the subtle type were you, I wanted to sigh as Tarna chuckled in her hands.
"Thank you for that, Graham," I said, "people in China didn't hear you."
"Are you kiddin'? We should put an ad over the world. Malcolm Patterson has opened himself up to someone," Archie corrected.
"Not what I was hopin' for Archie," I told him making him shrug and smile.
Just as I took a step towards the lounge, a voice stopped me, "oh my god,"
I turned to see an anger filled Allie, staring at me with those daggers she calls eyes. And like Tarna did, she jumped to the wrong conclusion to why I had marked her.
"Allie -."
"Go to hell!" She yelled, bolting out of the room.
"Allie -!"
"Wait Malcolm," Tarna said pulling on my arm, "I'll go."

Tarna
I found Allie by the stairs. She wasn't crying, just hunched over, staring into nothing.
She heard me coming before I could say anything.
"I guess you're here to tell me that I over reacted," she guessed as I sat down next to her.
I frowned, "why would I say that?"
She shrugged, "because you love my brother, you know, stupid stuff like that."
I guess she had a point.
"Allie, I only met you yesterday. I have no right to tell you how to live your life, especially how to deal with your brothers," she rolled her eyes, clearing not believing me, "I don't agree with what Malcolm did. I mean, I've accepted it, well, not accepted it because I wasn't -," when Allie gave a get to the point look, I summed up, "Malcolm's tryin'."
She gave a bitter chuckle, "right, tryin'? Is that what you call it? Look, I don't want to ruin your idea of my brother but you don't think it's weird that he wanted to mark you last night instead of markin' the first time you shagged each other."
I knew what she was implying because I had already gone their last night. That he marked me only so that he didn't seem like a total arse to his family.
"I thought that too," I admitted, "but -."
"And you still let him mark you," she snapped.
My eyes narrowed, annoyed that she thought I was so weak. That I was so desperate for a pack and family that I would actually let a lad that only half loved me to become a part of me.
"I'm not stupid, I have my own mind," she rolled her eyes, not believing me, "I know that you think your brother is -."
"A selfish bastard," she finished.
Okay, fair enough.
"You can see what he did however you want to see it but..." I sighed, "but I don't know a lot of lads that would fight every urge inside of them so that he wouldn't get hurt again. You think that's selfish, Malcolm thinks it was cowardly, I think it's pretty amazin',"
I waited for an eye roll but she didn't do anything. Just stared at her little spot as guilt washed over her face. She was silent, biting her lip.
"I guess," she started, "I've spent so long hatin' him. I have never really, understood, why he did anythin'."
"But you're such a big part of his life. Or were anyway."
"So he told you how I use to give him things to make him feel better," she guessed.
"No, I saw it. It was one of the memories."
She nodded, understanding.
"I know what you must think of me," she stated, "I'm some sort of brat, right?"
"No," I said, "you're old enough to make your own choices."
She opened her mouth to speak but stopped before anything came out. Her face instantly softened and even a smile appeared.
"Your the first person that's ever said that to me," she admitted with a little laugh, "you'll fit in just fine."

Malcolm
I sighed and rubbed my temples, annoyed that I had ruined what was supposed to be a perfect day. The others continued with what they were doing, not wanting to disturbed the peace.
I couldn't even begin to imagine what Tarna must be doing right now. Trying to fight off a wolf with anger management issues. But she wanted to do it so it's her fault if she gets ripped apart. Nice Malcolm, I groaned to myself, fantastic attitude.
I looked up and met Callum's worried eyes. I sighed and made my way over to him.
"Help me, Callum," I begged him, "I don't know what to do."
"You know, you once asked me if I was sure," he stated, taking me back to the dining room all those years ago.
Liv had just found out about our secret and I had asked Callum weather she was worth it. He of course said that she was.
Now he was asking me the same. I knew the answer, deep in my heart. Of course she was. She was my mate and I loved her more than anything.
I nodded, "aye, she is worth it."
He shrugged, "then you don't need my help. You've already done the hard part."
"But Allie -."
"Will get use to the idea of you around," he buttered in, "just give it time."
"If I give her time, I'll be dead by the time she does forgive me."
"Well least you won't have to worry about her then," Graham unhelpfully added.
I sighed, biting back any insult I had for him.
"She'll come round, Malcolm," Callum reassured me.
"How do you know?"
"I did."
I turned at the sound of my brother's voice behind me. He was no longer on his phone, instead listening to our conversation.
Guilt consumed me as I remembered how I abandoned my brother.
"Archie -."
"It's true isn't it," he buttered in, "I mean, I thought I would hate you for years."
"I know your tryin' to make me feel better. But that's not -."
"What I'm tryin' to say," Archie buttered in again, standing and walking over to me, "don't lose hope."
I frowned, "it's like you don't know me. Hope and Malcolm don't go in the same sentence."
He shrugged, "well if that doesn't work, you can always buy her a new dress."
"No," Liv said sternly behind me.
I turned and spotted her warning face.
"Allie, can't be brought."
In unison, the four of us chuckled under our breath.
"Liv, is not that she can be brought," Callum started.
"But she chooses it," Archie finished.
"Aye, I mean, who wants to have a meanin'ful I'm sorry talk when you can get knew clothes instead?" Graham asked.
"It's an act," she said making us snicker again, "Amy, your Allie's friend. You agree."
Amy's silence only continued our chuckles.
"Well, Allie's not really a deep talkin' person. She would rather have the shirt -."
"I can't believe your agreeing with them,"
"What? It's true. And I honestly don't feel like being spanked tonight."
"Hey!" Archie yelled, "You begged me for that last night."
"Well, I'm sorry," Amy said turning to face him, "that was before I woke up with a stinging ass. Even the chick in fifty shade of grey gets lotion put on hers!"
Their arguing came to a sudden stop as the sexual tension grew. One second Amy was on the floor and Archie was behind me, the next they were both bolting for the door. Ahh, the honeymoon period.
"Well, that image is forever planted in my mind," Callum said, dropping his pen, finally giving up on paper work, "What are you workin' on down there?"
"Flower arrangements," Liv answered, not looking up from the magazine, "Hey, how do you feel about lilies?"
He shrugged, "Fine, their flowers."
"I'll take that as a yes then," she said with a fulfilled smile making Callum chuckle.
Finally the war instead of me won out, and I bolted for the door. I couldn't leave it like this. I couldn't be apart of my family again knowing full well that not all my siblings wanted me there.
Spotting Allie and Tarna at the stairs, I call out, "Allie!"
Both their heads turned in my direction. Allie stood and I took in a breath, expecting a punch. What she did would forever surprise me.
I didn't even know what to do with Allie's arms wrapped around me. It took me back to all those fond memories I had of her. The little girl with the warmest heart which had now turned cold. My eyes landed on Tarna who was trying to hide her smile. She mouthed your welcome making me chuckle under my breath. I had never felt so lucky.
Remembering how to use my arms, I wrapped them around her, holding her tight.
"I'm so sorry," I whispered against her head.
"You're not forgiven," She mumbled against my chest, "But I understand."
My eyes landed on Tarna again who looked happier than I was. I let out a breath that I hadn't realized I was holding, tightening my grip.
"I think I can live with that."