The lost mate

Chapter 146: The chaos

A few minutes ago

Malcom leant back on the bench in his cell. He tried to keep calm, but no wolf liked being in a cage. He didn’t deserve this. Visions of this morning kept popping up; nobody had the right to interrupt his mating.

"How are you feeling?" Damien asked when he arrived to meet him in the cell.

"Why am I here ? I did nothing wrong. She is mine."

"She is okay; in case you were wondering."

Malcom dropped his eyes to the floor. His feelings switched to embarrassment.

"She belongs to me." Malcom looked up. "I make no apologies."

" Are you sure? She was in heat. Anyone could be mistaken." Damien asked.

"We locked eyes, and I knew she was mine," Malcom said. "I had to have her completely. I wanted to mate with her and mark her right then and there. I couldn’t think about anything else."

"Well...she apparently doesn’t agree," Damien said.

"Why not?" Malcom asked.

"Alpha Jackson is here to take her away."

Malcom cursed.

"You shouldn’t have interrupted. I was about to mark her."

Damien crossed his arms, his expression serious as he regarded Malcom through the iron bars of the cell. "I had to interrupt," he said calmly, though a flicker of sympathy flashed in his eyes. "There are some who think you overstepped, that you took advantage of her while she was vulnerable."

Malcom’s fists clenched, frustration simmering beneath his calm exterior. "She wasn’t vulnerable. She was my mate. And the moment we locked eyes, that was it." His voice dropped, a hint of pleading in his tone. "You know what that’s like, Damien. Nothing else mattered."

Damien sighed, rubbing his temples. "I know the bond, Malcom. You must know something about her. She tried to seduce me once, years ago. And last night, she came here for me again, to trap me. Only, you got to her first."

Malcom’s jaw clenched. He had known Jessica had her flaws—he’d heard whispers, and he wasn’t blind to her reputation.

Damien’s words hardened, a faint smirk playing at his lips. "Funny, isn’t it? This is how I ended up with Anne all those years ago. A night filled with mistake." His gaze turned serious, locking onto Malcom’s. "Are you sure you want a mate with her ?"

Malcom’s face darkened, his wolf pushing forward with a fierce snarl. "She’s my mate, Damien. There’s no changing that. The bond has been made, and I’ll see it through." His eyes flicked towards the door where Jessica had just left. "But that doesn’t mean she won’t face consequences. I’ll make sure she understands all her past mistakes. She’s mine to claim and mine to discipline."

Damien raised his hands in mock surrender, nodding slowly. "If that’s what you want, I won’t stand in your way. You’re free to make your own choices." He turned, his expression thoughtful as he added,Stop Jackson before he causes more chaos, and claim her for good."

Damien released Malcom, and Malcom ran outside.

****************************************************

Jackson pried apart Malcom from Jessica.

Jackson’s face contorted with rage as he turned back to face Malcom. "I’m not finished with you, Malcom," he sneered, his fists clenched tightly. "Jessica may be your mate, but she’s still my daughter. You don’t get to call the shots here."

Malcom’s eyes flashed with anger, his wolf clawing beneath the surface. "Step aside, Jackson," he growled, barely holding himself back. "I’ve let you push this long enough. She’s mine, and you don’t get to keep her under your thumb."

Jackson laughed darkly. "You really think you’re stronger than me? You’re delusional." Without another word, he shifted into his hybrid form—a towering, monstrous wolf with muscles rippling under his thick, silver fur, his eyes blazing with fury.

Malcom barely took a breath before he, too, shifted, his body morphing into a powerful, menacing hybrid, his own dark fur bristling as he faced Jackson, teeth bared in a vicious snarl. They circled each other; both of them braced for the brutal clash to come. Tension electrified the air as their wolves took over, instincts primed for a fierce battle for dominance.

Then, like a bolt of lightning, Jackson lunged, his claws slicing through the air as he aimed for Malcom’s throat. Malcom sidestepped, his reflexes quick and sharp, and countered with a brutal swipe that raked across Jackson’s shoulder, leaving a deep, crimson trail in his wake.

The two wolves fought with raw, savage power, teeth snapping, claws slashing, and snarls echoing through the clearing. Each time Jackson landed a blow, Malcom retaliated with equal force, neither willing to back down. They were a storm of fangs and claws, a blur of shadows and blood as they fought for dominance, their fury fueling each strike.

Jessica watched in horror, frozen in place as the two wolves clashed in a violent frenzy. Her heart pounded as she saw her father stumble, blood matting his fur, but he continued to attack, fueled by his pride and anger.

But Malcom was relentless, his movements becoming faster and more precise, his strength fueled by the fierce determination to protect Jessica and claim his mate without further interference. In one swift, brutal move, he sank his claws into Jackson’s side, forcing him down. Jackson tried to rise, but Malcom pinned him, his gaze dark and resolute as he pressed down, his claws digging deeper.

Jackson let out a strangled snarl, his body convulsing as he struggled against Malcom’s grip. But the fight had taken its toll, and he was too weak to break free. With a final, desperate gasp, he slumped to the ground, his body going still as his eyes glazed over, lifeless.

"Dad!" Jessica’s scream tore through the clearing as she rushed forward, falling to her knees besides Jackson’s fallen form. Her hands shook as she reached out, touching his chest as if willing him to wake up and draw another breath. "No... no, this can’t be happening."

Everyone looked on in horror at the chaos unfolding.