"Geez, bro, take a chill pill," his Lycan, Drakon, echoed in Malzahar's mind. He brushed off the comment and kept reading through his messages.
"Oh, so you're ignoring me now? Fine, whatever. I was about to tell you that I sensed our mate the moment we crossed the border. But hey, if you don't want to know, that's cool," Drakon replied with a yawn before retreating.
"What? Come on, don't do that! Do you know where she is?" Malzahar called out but, Drakon only smirked and turned his back, closing his eyes to rest. "Arrogant bastard," Malzahar muttered, refocusing on his messages.
"Why's your face like that?" Solis asked, noticing his expression.
"Nothing, I'm just tired," he replied dismissively.
"How long until we get there?" he asked, his tone firm.
"We'll be there in five," Lilith answered professionally. He nodded, sinking back into his seat, but the uneasy feeling in his chest wouldn't go away. "Come on, Drakon, talk to me. Where is she?" he urged, but the Lycan was intent on keeping him in suspense.
"All right, what do you want in return?" he tried again, noticing Drakon perk up at the proposition. Drakon huffed, turning his head slightly but refusing to face him fully.
"I want a feast, a whole bear. Is it a deal?" Drakon challenged him with a sly grin.
"A whole bear? Really?" Malzahar replied, a mixture of disbelief and awareness in his tone.
"Are you in or out?" Drakon pressed, head tilted with pride.
"Do you always have to be a pain in the ass?" Malzahar shot back, but deep down, he knew he had no choice but to agree.
"Fine, I'll get back to you." With that, Drakon vanished. "Old cargo," Malzahar huffed in irritation.
The rest of the drive slipped by in a blur, his mind still occupied by the nagging feeling in his chest.
"We're here," Silos announced, immediately hopping out of the car and stretching. "Damn, that was a long drive!" He opened the trunk to grab the luggage. Malzahar, keen to avoid drawing attention from the crowd, made his way to the back entrance.
"They're going all out. Can I join them?" Silos took a shot, fully aware of the outcome.
"Sure, but be back in two hours—no more, no less," Malzahar replied as he took his luggage from Silos and stepped into the elevator.
"I'll go with him but will be back soon," Lilith said, watching Silos already bolting toward the party. Malzahar shook his head at his carefree friend. They stepped into the elevator, a comfortable silence enveloping them.
"I'm back," Drakon suddenly chimed in, giving Malzahar a slight headache.
"Where were you?" he asked, noticing Drakon yawning and stretching out.
"I was just a little tired. I went to look for our mate. I'll fill you in when I wake up." Drakon settled onto the floor, quickly starting to snore.
"You can join him; I don't need anything for now," Malzahar said softly. Lilith nodded, walking with him, and he opened the door, taking a deep breath. "I'm going to freshen up. Feel free to whip something up to eat." He gently tugged his luggage to his room while Lilith watched before closing the door.
"I'm waiting! Oops, your surprise is almost ready," she said with an excited smile, heading to the kitchen to cook. She took her time preparing his favorite dish, a big smile spreading across her face. "Finally, the day I've been waiting for," she murmured, her voice slightly husky.
Once she finished dishing the food, she waited eagerly, trying to catch up on some work for the pack. Being in command came with a lot of responsibility. She answered messages until the door swung open.
"Oh, just in time! I've got your food ready," she exclaimed, standing with a bright smile.
"Lilith, you didn't have to go to all that trouble. We just got back from an eight-hour journey; you need to rest," he sighed as he took a seat at the dining table.
"I know, but I can't let you go hungry while I'm here. Just eat something, and I'll freshen up quickly," she replied, her steps gentle as she moved toward the guest room. "The plan is in motion, just waiting to be executed," she thought in delight.
Malzahar was too hungry to turn down the meal, and it would feel disrespectful to refuse the food she had made without at least tasting it after such a long journey. He dug in, savoring each bite. What he didn't realize was that there was a hidden drug in the food. Little did he know, the meal was about to change the course of his life. He ran his fingers through his hair and took the plate back to the kitchen.
"How was the food?" Lilith suddenly asked, startling him. He turned around and wiped his hands.