Page 5 of Malcolm


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“Hey, guys.”As their packmate Conall stuck his head into the room, Larissa glanced away from Malcolm.

What was that conversation about?Malcolm wondered.And more to the point, why had he participated in it?Flirting with Larissa had no place in his plans.

And she sure as hell wasn’t why he’d loaded up his truck bed with furniture and boxes.

For that matter, as much as he cared about Nick and Sarah, they weren’t the reason for his presence here either—not entirely, anyway.

Malcolm’s fingers flexed.This was more than just helping friends move; it was about solidifying his place, his future leadership.

“Come help me get this sofa,” Conall’s twin, Quinton, called from down the hall, and Conall bounded away.

“Let’s keep this pace,” Malcolm suggested to Larissa as he headed back to his truck for the next load.

“Race you,” Larissa said.

“Game on,” he accepted with a half grin, knowing that despite everything, Larissa would push him to be better.To be a true alpha.

They darted back and forth, carrying boxes labeled with scribbled contents and pieces of furniture that held memories and promises.Sweat beaded on Malcolm’s forehead, his muscles rippling under the strain—but each item they placed inside the house was a step closer to reuniting the pack, to healing old wounds.

It made him feel…alive.

Still, he needed to talk to Nick about his plans.

“Finish unloading the truck,” he instructed Larissa absently before heading to the kitchen, where he’d last seen Nick.

“I’m not your—” she began, her voice fading out as he made his way through the house.

“Hey, Nick,” he said.“I want to talk to you about the pack.”

Nick, who had been arranging kitchenware with meticulous attention, paused and looked up.“Sure.We’re all in this together.”

“Exactly,” Malcolm agreed, nodding.“We can’t afford any weak links.The Sunburst Pack has to stand united if we’re going to survive.And that starts with strong leadership.”

From behind him, a voice drew his attention.“Strong leadership, or just a strong leader?”

Malcolm turned.Larissa now stood in the doorway.

“Because leadership is more than just strength,” she continued, stepping closer.The movement was fluid, like a predator closing in, her gaze never leaving Malcolm’s.“After all, we’ve had a strong leader.He nearly destroyed us.”

“So what do you suggest?”he asked.

“I think that perhaps it’s time the Sunburst Pack considered a woman as alpha.”

Nick snorted, and Larissa shot a glare at him.“You think it’s laughable?”

Raising his hands in a motion of surrender, Nick headed toward the door Larissa had just vacated.“Not at all.But what I do think is that…” He waved one hand back and forth, pointing between Larissa and Malcolm.“…I’m staying the hell out of this discussion.”

With that, he slipped out of the room, his deep chuckle fading away down the hall.

Malcolm frowned at Larissa.

A woman as alpha?

The thought had never crossed his mind before.

“An interesting proposition,” he said, his voice betraying none of his internal conflict.“But is the pack ready for such a change?”

“Change is what we need,” Larissa shot back.“Fresh perspectives, new ideas.”