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.
“EVERYONE’S HERE,” NICK 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.
