Return Of The Bad Boy Alpha

Magnus

I walk beside Naomi as we head towards the Archive. My parents, sister, and sister-in-law are walking with us along with Chance and Cedric, the wizard. Everyone is quiet as we approach the building. "Have you guys found a new keeper since Mrs. Helfer didn't make it?" Naomi asks, looking back at Pops.

"Not yet," Pops replies. "I have been doing some work when I can, though."

We reach the building, and Pops opens the door and leads us all downstairs to the vault. Pops opens the door, and the humongous iron door hisses as I help him pull it open. The air inside smells of mildew and dust. We walk into the vault, and Pops gasps and points at where the book is supposed to be.

"Where is the book?" Pops gasps.

"It was here the last time I came down here," I state and look at Naomi, "Right?"

She nods, "I know it was. I remember Magnus telling me about how it was acquired."

"We'll check the cameras," Pops sighs. "Naomi, your password should still work."

We leave the vault and head back upstairs to the office. Naomi sits behind the desk and types up something on the computer. She and Pops watch it closely while the rest of us stand outside the office. "This is almost as impressive as the one at the Palace," Cedric remarks.

"My mate kept it up well," I state.

"The young hot one in the office," Cedric gestures, and Kairos growls. He chuckles and holds his hands up, "Sorry, I have a thing for the nerdy girls."

"Well, she is spoken for," I grumble and fold my arms.

Cedric rolls his eyes, "Wolves," He chuckles. "You lot are so possessive."

'Damn right,' Kairos grumbles.

We wait a few more minutes until Pops and Naomi come out of the office. They both have grim expressions on their faces.

"What?" I ask.

"Max took the book," Pops says. "I keep trying to mind-link him, but he is blocking me," He looks at Charlotte, "Can you mind-link him?"

She nods, and her eyes glaze over. We all watch silently as Charlotte's face morph's into a concerning expression. "He isn't letting me through, and Jade can't even get to Lazlo. But he is in his office."

We all rushed out of the Archive toward the pack house. Naomi's sister Elena approached us with her son in her arms. Naomi's mother, Maureen, was also with her.

"Naomi," Maureen calls out. "I didn't know you were coming."

Naomi stops, "I came here to investigate what is going on." She looks at me and nods. 'Go on ahead. I'll be right there. I want to talk to Mom and Elena.

'Okay,' I mind-link her back. We continue to the office, and it is locked up pretty tight.

"Maximus, let us in," Pops bellows. "Maximus!"

"Max, honey," Mom tries by knocking on the door.

There is a vicious growl from the inside, "Go away!" An angry Max snarls.

"Max, baby, it's me," Charlotte tries.

There is no answer, and I look at Pops and then the door. "This is going to hurt," I sigh.

Pops, Chance, and I manage to barge through the heavy door. Max is standing in the middle of the office, glaring at all of us. A primal growl rumbles out of him.

"What the fuck?" He growls. It is out of character for him to curse like that. "I told you all that I am working," He snarls. He is holding the book in his hands, and it is glowing.

"We need the book, Maximus," Pops says to him.

"I can't do that, Father," My twin snarls back.

Pops steps towards my twin, "That book is the reason for all of the strange happenings in the pack, son. Just hand it over to me. Cedric here will help us-"

"NO!" Max screams. "I AM THE ALPHA. NOT YOU!" He yells. "I MAKE THE DECISIONS HERE. LIKE HIM," He points at Cedric. "I want him gone!"

Charlotte pushes forward. "Max, baby, why are you acting like this?" She reaches out to touch Max's cheek.

Max backhands her across the face hard enough for her to stumble back. "Maximus!" Pops yells while my mother and Phoebe console Charlotte.

"I am the Alpha!" My brother screams again and lunges at Pops. Max knocks our father to the ground while Chance and I try to restrain him. My brother growls and hisses while Chance and I struggle to hold him against the wall. "LET ME GO!" Cedric steps towards us calmly and looks Max in the eyes, "Hmm," He says and then begins to chant in what I think is Latin. Max stops struggling and begins to glow. "Let him go," Cedric tells us. Chance and I release my brother and watch his body convulse while the wizard continues chanting. Then a black cloud comes out of Max's mouth and makes a screeching noise before dissipating, and Max collapses to the ground.

"A Soul Sucker possessed him," Cedric explains. "It's like a demon, but it's created by a spell. He should be fine."

Max lets out a groan and looks up at us. He looks at Charlotte, who is hiding her face in Mom's shoulder. "Charlie?" He says to his mate. "Charlie, honey," Max slowly rises to his feet and reaches for her.

Charlotte flinches away from him, and Max lets out a whimper. A hand shape bruise is forming on her face.

"Charlotte, I am so sorry," Max pleads with her. "I am sorry for everything," He says as tears fall down his cheeks. "I wasn't in control."

Charlotte sniffles, "I am going to need a moment," She says and walks out of the office. "Charlotte," Max calls to her.

"Give her a moment, Max," Mom says and follows Charlotte out of the office.

"What the hell happened?" He holds his head and slumps into a chair in front of the desk.

"You were possessed by some magic demon," I respond and glance at Cedric.

Max narrows his eyes and looks at the wizard, "And you are, again?"

"Cedric Mercutio, I am the half-brother of Queen Moira," He replies to Max. "King Kerry asked me to come and assist you all in figuring out what is causing all the strange happenings," He explains and picks up the book off the floor. "Bram Abraxas wants this back," He sets it on the desk. Max eyes it, "What the hell is it?"

"I told you and Magnus about it," Pops speaks up. "Your great-grandfather fought some old sorcerer or wizard," Pops continues, "And took the book, and it's been down in our vault since."

"Seems the Abraxas family want their book back, so they are playing tricks on your pack," Cedric adds.

"Why are they just now wanting it? It's been there for a century." I wonder,

Cedric shrugs, "Hell if I know. I don't know much about them as they have been somewhat dormant. I can ask around. I am a member of the council after all," He explains. "How much will that cost us?" Pops snorts.

"I'll do it for free. Now getting the soul sucker out of him will cost you," Cedric gestures to Max.

"Of course," Pops grumbles.

"Anyways, I'll be going," Cedric pulls a card from his pocket. "If you need me, just call."

"You have a cellphone?" I laugh.

Cedric nods, "Doesn't everyone?" He laughs and then disappears.

"What a weirdo," Max snorts.

"I can still hear you," Cedric's disembodied voice echoes in the office.

"So, what now?" I ask.

"I need to go make it up to my mate," Max states, "And then the rest of the pack."

"You do what you need to, son," Pops tells him.

Max nods and rushes out of the office.

I look at the book and open it. The pages are blank as I thumb through. "It must be enchanted or something."

"Probably," Pops sighs. "Their kind don't like other species getting their secrets."

"So, what now?" I ask again.

"We wait for Cedric to get back with us," He shrugs. He picks up the book and walks to the safe in the corner of the office. "In the meantime, this will go in the safe."

Kairos becomes restless in my head while Pops is dealing with the book. 'I can't sense Ruby,' He whimpers.

'Naomi,' I call my mate through the mind-link only to be met with silence. "Shit!" I curse.

"I can't contact Elena," Chance speaks up.

"I can't contact Naomi," I respond and run out of the office and down the hall. I get outside and look towards where Naomi had been standing with her mother and sister. "Naomi!" I bellow out. 'Magnus, Naomi mind-links me back.

'Naomi, where are you?' I respond.

'I am on the north side of the territory by the old treehouse,' She replies.

I look at Chance, "Did Elena mind-link you?" And he nods.

"She said she is by the old treehouse,' He replies.

'It's a trap, Kairos chimes in.

"Kairos says it's a trap," I sigh.

Bryant runs towards us with his and Naomi's father, Allen. "Hey, have you guys seen my mom and my sisters?"

I shake my head, "No, I think they fell into another portal or something. Naomi said she is by the old treehouse."

"I can't contact Maureen," Allen says with distress. "My girls are missing too."

"Why don't you two wait here while Chance and I go to the old treehouse," I say to Bryant and Allen.

"No, my mate and my daughters need me," Allen snarls.

"Yeah," Bryant agrees with his father, "I am coming."

"Fine, then let's go," I say, stripping out of my clothes. They all follow suit, and we shift into our wolves and run towards the old treehouse.