The Mating Project Read online

  Maria jumped to her feet, not caring about the shouts of the crowd, and she was at the cage before the gong had even sounded to signal the end of the fight.

  All her attention was focused on Malachi. He was too still, too quiet. Please, please, God, he has to be all right.

  The time it took for Cole to unlock that damn cage seemed to take forever, and the minute he did, she sprinted through, Silas right behind her.

  She slipped on the bloody ground and fell to her knees, and someone shouted for a medic and someone else kept screaming Malachi's name. The noise stopped when she buried her face in his fur, and she realized that it had been her screaming. The faintest heartbeat gave her hope, and Silas's hand joined hers clasped in Malachi's fur as they both urged him to hang on, to breathe.

  "Please don't leave me. Please,s Malachi, breathe, stay with us."

  ****

  Through the pain filled haze two familiar voices invaded his brain, and Malachi smiled. They were arguing again, it seemed.

  "He should be better by now. Are you sure this damn quack knows what he's doing?"

  "Maria, baby, be reasonable. Your father has paid for the best damn shifter doctor there is. You know what he said. It takes time. Malachi will heal. He's strong, and he's got a lot to live for. Besides if he doesn’t get better I'll kill him myself."

  Maria's cat's growl vibrated the bed, and Malachi's grin deepened as he propped one eye open. Well, the only eye he could pop open. The other one was tightly swollen shut and refused to cooperate, no matter how hard he tried.

  He was just in time to see his princess sucker-punch Silas in the belly.

  "And how is that helpful, you dumbass human?"

  Silas wheezed in answer, and Malachi winced for him. Maria packed a hell of a punch. Silas's eyes widened when he realized Malachi was awake, and Silas's eyes filled with tears. Something in his expression must have alerted Maria, for she turned, screeched, and then launched herself on top of Malachi.

  His pain-filled grunt as his body protested made all the color drain out of her face, and she burst into tears.

  "Oh, no, I'm sorry. I didn't think. Where does it hurt? Silas, call that useless quack. Where the hell is he? I—"

  Princess, you're giving me a headache. Stop shouting. Silas, man, shut her up.

  His thoughts stopped her mid flow, and Silas pulled her into a hug and kissed her. Maria clung to him, and when Silas finally let her go, Maria looked delightfully pink cheeked and tousled.

  Always happy to follow those sorts of orders, Malachi.

  Silas winked at him, but Malachi could feel the man's relief seeping from him, and he held out his hands. Both Silas and Maria grabbed one each and held fast, and Malachi shut his eyes again.

  Dumbass. Maria is right. It' s a good name for you. Might call you that in future.

  Maria giggled, and peace settled over Malachi.

  You might regret calling me that when you're fully recovered, wolf boy.

  Oh, I'm counting on it, human.

  Stop it, you two. Jesus, how old are you? Five? Who needs kids with you two around?

  Maria sounded annoyed, even in his head, and he squeezed her hand. She leant in to drop a kiss on his nose, and a new scent invaded his nose, one that made his heart beat faster and filled his soul with joy. Did she know, he wondered? Had Silas told her? Had anyone?

  The gentle denial for him alone was followed by their mutual joy.

  We'll tell her together when you're better. Now, sleep, man, and get well. Our girl is a handful at the best of times, and I'm told she'll only get worse.

  Malachi closed his eyes and let sleep claim him. He couldn't wait.

  I love you both.

  We love you, too, right, little cat?

  Naturally. See, complete dumbass.

  Epilogue

  Three months later

  Malachi stared at the piece of paper and shut his eyes. Finally the day had come. The missive written on official council paper and signed in blood by all the remaining originals proclaimed Malachi's re-instatement. As the original wolf shifter he was expected to take up his position on the council, and Cole had appointed him the new head of the Mating Project, with Silas as his assistant. The human couldn’t take on the role of head of the project, but everyone knew Silas was the driving force and the brain behind it now.

  Cole Jackson and his team had worked tirelessly on the information provided by Malachi, and most of the underground cells had been eradicated. In the process, many a traumatized female had been rescued, and the true scale of the problem was only just becoming apparent.

  Malachi felt sick to the stomach, every time he allowed himself to think too much on the fact that his own father had been involved in these activities. Every fiber in his being still railed at him to stay away from the council, but, as Maria and Silas had pointed out to him on more than one occasion, he had a duty to fulfill.

  One that had become even more important due to Maria's pregnancy. Their baby would need protecting. Early scans had shown the little girl to be a wolf, which would put her in direct scrutiny of the council's laws once she came of age.

  Silas, Cole, Maria's father, and an increasing number of other council members, originals, and pure bloods were campaigning hard to overthrow the practices put in place by the old Mating Project. Genetics were still matched to achieve the best results, but the aim was to let nature take its course.

  It would take time, but, he hoped, the ancient ways would make a full comeback and with it fertility rates would increase.

  A door opened and shut, and with it came the scent of a tired Silas. He stomped down the stairs, yanked open the fridge door, and pulled out two beer bottles. Malachi took one off him and feasted his eyes on Silas's ruffled appearance.

  He was one lucky wolf to be mated to not only Maria, but this man, too.

  Silas took a long draught of the beer, shut his eyes, and sighed.

  "Man, I tell you, our girl and pregnancy do not mix."

  He ran a hand through his messy hair and winced when he touched a fresh scratch at the side of his face.

  "I only suggested she might need a lie down. She screeched at me. 'I'm pregnant, not fucking ill, and I'll decide when I need to rest. Stop mollycoddling me!' Jesus, I'd thought she'd kill me. Next time you tell her. At least you can shift, too, and have at it."

  Malachi grinned, and Silas scowled at him.

  "And have it turn into a full-blown brawl? I don't think so. I knew she wouldn't really hurt you. Where is she now?"

  "Sleeping, I think, thank God." Silas rubbed a hand over his eyes and yawned. "I was mighty tempted to join her, but the mood she's in it would be like cuddling up to ... well, a hormonal cougar. More than my life is worth."

  Malachi shrugged his shoulders.

  "She's just a pussy cat."

  Silas punched him on the shoulder. "Says the wolf boy, who was too much of a pussy himself to make sure she followed doctor's orders." He grinned at Malachi's growl in answer and then sobered when his gaze fell on the piece of paper on the kitchen work top. He whistled through his teeth.

  "They took their damn fucking time about that." Silas glanced at him, and the quiet understanding in his lover's eyes settled Malachi's churning gut. "You're going to accept, right? I mean either one is fine with me and Maria, you know that, but—"

  "Yes, I'm going to fucking accept." Malachi interrupted Silas and slammed his beer bottle down on the counter. "It's the least I can do. You were both right. I need to take my place, stand up for my pack, and for what I believe in. Change can only happen from the inside out. What's the old saying? If you can't beat them, join them? Well, I'm gonna fucking beat them and help Cole to convince the stuffy old bastards they've got it all wrong. Besides, if my involvement stops one young female from being forced to mate against her will in future, than that's worth the headache, right?"

  "Right, and I'll be right behind you, you know that, man."

  Malachi pulled Silas over for a kiss
, and they broke apart and grinned when a precious and familiar scent surrounded them.

  "I told you, I'm pregnant, not ill, so if you two think you can make out without me, you've got another think coming."

  They turned to find a deliciously disheveled Maria glaring up at them. Hands on hips, her eyes flashed to her cougar's, and Malachi could almost see her cat flicking her tail impatiently.

  "Well, don't just stand there. You keep droning on at me that I have to follow doctor's orders. So follow them already. You're supposed to keep me happy with lots of mind-blowing orgasms, and I can't fucking sleep, so you better…"

  The rest of her words were lost in her screech when Malachi picked her up and kissed her. Silas, too, claimed her when Malachi let her come up for air, and the fight went out of their little cat.

  "Oh, we have every intention of following doctor's orders. Get ready to scream for us, princess."

  The End

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