Alpha Brothers - the King (book 1)

Chapter 15

Chapter 15
Callum
I woke to Liv's cheek brushing against my neck as she quietly purred. She was even more beautiful in the morning. Without her hair brushed and makeup on her face. I admired her as she slept, taking in her features. She had big eyes which I had already memorised their colour. Fair cheeks and a soft jawline. Her dirty blonde curls tangled in her sleep. Her lips seemed red against her fair complexion. But she was perfect.
Feeling the need to touch her, I placed my hand on her hip and ran it up and down her back. She stirred under my touch, moaning in her sleep. Feeling her body against mine and not being able to do anything was torture. Time to wake up.
I knelt her chin up to meet my lips. At first they didn't react. But soon she started to wake and started to kiss me back. Slow and long, we kissed. Her moans filled my mouth making my body react in ways I couldn't explain. I knew how much she wanted me. Sensed it, smelt it, felt it. I had to use all my strength not to have my way with her then and there.
"Mmm, what time is it?" She moaned.
I rolled and spied my alarm clock on my bedside table.
"Eight-forty-three," I told her making her moan again.
"Mmm, five more minutes," she groaned rolling onto her belly and burying her head in the pillow.
I chuckled, sliding on top of her. Her whole body froze as I pushed her hair away from her neck and started nibbling. Her body wiggled underneath me making the wolf inside of me stir. It screamed at me to claim her but I controlled myself.
I lifted myself off her allowing her to roll over.
"How did you sleep?" I asked her as my fingers traced over her features.
"I slept like a baby, actually," she said shocked.
"Why are you so surprised?"
She shrugged, "I haven't shared a bed with someone in a while."
Now I was surprised.
"How could any man not want to share a bed with you?" I asked.
She shrugged, starting to draw lazy circle against my collar bone. Her eyes frowned as her fingers found their way to my tattoo that painted my chest.
"I only sleep with guys that I can trust and there hasn't been many of them."
Feeling her pain rip through me, I leaned down and locked her lips to mine. I felt my body shift and before I knew it she was on top of me.
"I will try to be worthy of you, Liv," I declared.
She bowed her head as colour came to her fair cheeks. When she looked up again, she frowned and started to trace the wooden bed head. I shifted so that I was on my side as well.
The four post bed was at least a thousand years old. Every alpha king of Scotland and his mate had slept in it. The bed head itself was a carving. In the middle was two wolves facing each other with crowns above their heads, representing the king and queen. Underneath them, were carvings of little wolves representing the packs they ruled over. Ancient carving patterns covered the rest of the board reminding me of how old it was.
"Does that represent us?" She asked tracing the Queen Wolf.
I nodded, "Aye. Every king and queen has slept in this bed."
Her eyes widened, "please tell me they changed the mattress."
I tried to hide my chuckles but it didn't work.
"Aye, we do change the mattress."
She sighed in relief. Her face turned serious and even sad as she stared at the Queen wolf.
"So, I guess the Queen is normally a wolf huh?"
I felt myself pity her knowing that she was disappointed.
"Like I said before. Mates for us, isn't a certain thin'. Some wolves choose to find happiness with someone else."
"But not you," she said knowing that it was true.
"I didn't want anyone else. I wanted to marry my mate, love my mate, sleep in the thousand year old bed with my mate."
She only frowned, "what are you trying to say. You've never had a relationship before."
"That's not what I said," I said surely, "I was like my siblings. Partyin', shaggin' anythin', but then Ma and Pa died and I had my responsibilities. All I had to do was wait for you to come to me. And you did."
Again she bowed her head and blushed.
"So what's the whole, king thing?" She asked looking up again.
I sighed, trying to sort out the answer in my head.
"Okay, think you and me," I said raising my hand to show her the level.
She raised an eyebrow, "you and me?"
"Aye, you and me. Then straight underneath are my siblings," she nodded, "under that is my pack," she nodded again, "and under that is the packs over Scotland."
"So, is it only your family that can be the royal family?"
I shook my head, "no, the fight for the title could rather be in a fight to the death, or by my surrender."
She raised her eyebrows again, not believing me, "the fight to the death. Are you serious?"
I nodded.
"Wow. So what happens if you die of old age?"
"Then my children get the title."
"Not your siblings?"
I shook my head.
"But they wouldn't want the title anyway. And I base my decisions on their opinions as well."
She nodded, understanding.
"That's still not okay. Anyone could attack and kill you at any time."
I smiled at her worry.
"You don't need to worry. We've worked well with the other packs around here for years. Everyone is fine where they are."
"Well, what about your pack?"
"Well, the ones that aren't born into the pack often work here. It's so that my family and I can trust them. They normally live in the servant's hall or in the cabins in the forest. Other members live on the third floor or in the cabins as well. They normally go find other jobs off the estate or own farms on it."
She thought for a moment but then nodded.
"What about Hector?"
I froze at her question. His very name brought anger inside of me that I couldn't control.
"Let's not talk about him," I quickly said.
"You said that I could ask any questions."
I growled at myself realising that I had set myself up.
Sighing, I gave in, "okay, three years ago, Nathair Macangus, Hector's father, attacked my pack and the estate. My father had told me to take my siblings to the safe house while he and my mother fought them off with the pack. Before we even got to the Jeep, Graham said that he wouldn't leave without our parents. I didn't want to leave without them too, but -," I sighed, "My father had told me what he wanted. But somehow, the four of them had convinced me to turn back with them but it was too late. Most of the pack were dead and so were our parents," instantly, Liv's hand cupped my arm, "Malcolm lost control. Out of all of us, he had never been able to control his wolf and blacked out easily. He slaughtered all of them. Except for Nathair. He got away before any of us laid an eye on him."
"So where is he now?" She asked.
"Not long after, he stepped down as Alpha and Hector took over his pack. Last time I heard he was livin' in an underground safe house. He never leaves."
Liv's scoff surprised me, "good. I hope he stays there."
Her anger for him made me smile and love her more.
"What about your parents? How did they die?" I asked.
She bit her lip and dropped her head, not looking in my eyes.
"Well, they weren't murdered by a psycho Alpha or anything. They had a car crash coming back from date night. An idiot running a red light. All three of them died. I had only just left school, Amy was fifteen."
My heart broke for the nineteen year old. I should have been there for her. I knew that it would have been impossible but the wolf inside of me hated me for it. I had never realized how lucky I was. I had lost my parents when I was twenty-seven, Malcolm twenty-five, Archie twenty-four and the twins were just off from turning eighteen. Though losing them wasn't easy and taking over the estate, the pack and the responsibility of king even harder, I was never worried about where we were going to live or our financial problems.
"That must have been tough," I stated feeling like a fool for saying so.
She nodded, "it wasn't as heart breaking as your story but-."
She didn't finish. Feeling the all too common pain, I knelt up and kissed her again.
Pulling back, she asked, "what about Malcolm?"
I froze at her question. I looked away from her, not being able to look her in the eye.
"Before I tell you, I just need you to know that Malcolm isn't dangerous. The likelihood of you actually havin' a conversation with him is little, but I don't want you to think that he's a monster."
When I looked at her, she nodded, "I promise."
I sighed, "Bonnie. He met her a year after our parents died. She wasn't his mate but he wanted her to be. He marked her anyway and so did she. They were so happy," I remembered that we all were. Bonnie was a shy wolf but after everything we had been through, we were happy that at least one of us was.
"Anyway, Malcolm and Bonnie went out walkin' one day and Malcolm just snapped. I don't know what made him snap but he just did. He," I paused, taking a deep breath, "he killed her," Liv swallowed, "of course he was a mess afterwards, still is really. He disowned his wolf and basically turned away from his family. He's normally in the attic. I mean, the first time that any of us had seen him beside from glimpses of him was the night I found you."
She frowned, "the night you found me?"
I nodded, "I wasn't myself when I found you. You were my broken little mate and after all this time of searchin' for you, I was goin' to lose you. There was a point in the night where my siblings wanted me to leave you. It would have been only for a moment, but a moment was too long. I fought Graham and Archie in the hall and if Malcolm hadn't stepped in, I don't know what I would have done," in Liv's silence, I quickly added, "we're not dangerous, Liv. I never want you to think that."
She nodded and brushed my cheek.
"I would never think that of you. Or your siblings."