I'm the Alpha's Crush

Chapter 5

Five hours earlier...

As the end of the workday approached, Malcolm had his feet up on his desk, staring out the window and stewing.

It was a relief when his phone buzzed on his desktop blotter.

Picking it up, he scanned over the message from Will:

"Hey, we're going out to the bar – you in?"

Sitting up with a sigh, Malcolm typed, "Who's 'we'?"

"Me, Aiden, and anyone else I can con into coming. Josie's visiting her folks with Noah, and I get to live the bachelor life for the next forty-eight hours!"

Malcolm eyed the greenery outside of his office window, feeling the telltale itch beneath his suit.

I need to go for a run.

But, looking down at his phone, he reasoned that he could make an appearance and then duck out early.

Quickly typing, he sent back one word:

"Sure."

Silencing the engine, Malcolm lowered the kickstand and dismounted,

The bike, a Honda 350, had started out as a project back in high school, back when he had to scrape together the money to buy it. As he rebuilt it, it quickly became his baby.

These days, he could easily afford any motorcycle on the market, but he kept the Honda out of pure nostalgic affection.

Taking off his helmet, he eyed the machine with fondness as he raked a hand through his hair.

Inside the bar, flickering neon hung on the walls and the scent of stale beer hung in the air. The growing Friday night crowd was a mix of human and lycanthrope, and Malcolm nodded greetings to his packmates as he searched for Will and Aiden.

He found them in the back corner, standing at one of the bar's three pool tables.

Hanging his helmet from a chair at the table they'd claimed, Malcolm turned, "So, you order yet?"

Aiden nodded, "We've got a pitcher coming."

"If you want anything fancy, you'll have to order for yourself." Will added. "Also, lose the jacket – you look like an asshole."

Rolling his eyes, Malcolm shrugged out of his leather jacket and laid it on the back of his chair.

Aiden chuckled, "It's such a mystery why Josie left you at home."

"Well," Will shrugged, "her old man's just as fond of me now as he was when we first met."

"Still hates you?" Malcolm asked.

"With a fiery passion. Never forgave me for 'taking his little girl away'."

"You'd think he would have calmed down after you gave him a grandson."

Will shook his head, "Somehow made it worse. I mean, he loves Noah, absolutely adores him, but he also now has proof that I've defiled his princess."

Aiden grinned, "Didn't she defile you?"

"Goddamn right she did," Will smirked, "but we are never telling him that."

As the night wore on, people came and went, pitchers of beer were emptied, and Malcolm never quite found the moment to step out.