Return Of The Bad Boy Alpha

Magnus

"Thank you for dinner," She says to me before darting into the Archive building and then slamming the door and locking it.

I stood staring at the door with a frustrated wolf growling in my head. Kairos was angry that I didn't kill Josh Rogers earlier for hurting our mate. I am not one to outright kill someone. Naomi wasn't hurt seriously, but I saw how she looked at me a minute ago when

we kissed.

'That fucker traumatized her,' Kairos snarled.

'I'm sorry, buddy. He will get severely punished,' I say to Kairos, but he growls and retreats to his corner. I get back on my bike and take off back to the packhouse. Pops is standing out in front, smoking a cigarette. He flicks it away as I walk towards him. "What's wrong?" He asks.

I guess my face is etched with anger and frustration. Anger that my mate was hurt tonight and frustration that it caused her to retreat again. "I was getting somewhere with Naomi and then that fucker," I yell and ball up my fist, "Had to ruin it."

Pops puts a hand on my shoulder. "I'm sorry that happened, son. Mr. Rogers is locked up. I'll have him executed tomorrow. Assaulting a ranking pack member is a serious offense."

I shake my head. "Please don't kill him, Pops. What he did is serious, but I don't think it warrants the death penalty."

"But he caused your mate trauma," Pops argued.

"I know," I sigh. "I'm not saying don't punish him. Just don't kill him. Send him to No Man's Land or something like that."

"Okay, son, I won't execute him," Pops grabs my shoulder. "Don't give up on Naomi. She will come around."

"I'm never giving up on her, Pops." I smile slightly.

He nods. "That's my boy," He pats my chest. "I am going to bed now," He says, and I laugh.

"It's eight pm," I say to him.

"And I am old. Two more days of this alpha stuff, and it will all be Max's problem," He laughs. "Are you sure that you are fine with Max being the sole alpha here?"

"Of course. Max will kill it as alpha." I say to Pops. "Anyways, goodnight Old Man."

"Goodnight, Magnus."

I walk into the house and wander for a moment before finding my friends and brother in the common room watching a comedy. Chance and Elena are cuddled on the couch with Max and Charlotte while Bryant sits with his mate. They all look so content. I sit on one of the armchairs with a huff.

"Bad night?" Chance asks me.

"No, actually, it was mostly good," I tell him. "Until Josh Rogers ruined it."

"Dad and I beat the s**t out of that asshole," Bryant chimes in. "No one touches my little sister like that. Tell me we get to kill him tomorrow."

I sigh. "No, Bry. I asked Pops not to kill him."

"What?" Bryant folds his arms.

"He is still getting punished," I tell my friend. "I just don't think he needs to die. Naomi is fine."

"I can't believe someone would try to fight for Naomi," Elena chimes in.

"Why wouldn't anyone fight for her?" I ask Elena.

"It's Naomi. She's so bitter and boring," Elena sneers, and Bryant glares at her. "I mean, I love her, but it's hard to believe she is my twin sometimes."

I ignore Elena's words and look at Bryant. "Do you have any hints that may help me win over Naomi?"

"She likes horror movies and anything related to Halloween," He replies.

"Really?" I laugh.

"And, of course, she loves history," Elena adds. "Her favorite is medieval stuff."

I had noticed the Halloween decorations in Naomi's apartment despite it being May. "Hmm, thanks," I say to Bryant and Elena. I watch Elena snuggling against Chance while rubbing her large belly. Kairos flashes images of Naomi heavy with my pup growing within her, and I can't help but smile. "What has you smiling?" Chance asks.

"I'm just imagining life with my mate," I reply to him.

Elena snorts. "Good luck getting Naomi out of the library."

"Archive," I correct Elena, and she rolls her eyes. I turn my attention to the movie on the TV. Everyone becomes engrossed in the film until Elena screams out. "Elena!" Chance exclaims.

"I think Arlo is coming," She cries as my friend bolts to his feet.

Chance grabs the side of his head as Elena keeps screaming. "What do I do?"

"Get her to the hospital, you i***t," Bryant snorts.

"What?" Chance kneels in front of Elena. "Are you sure you are in labor? We still have a few weeks."

Elena digs her nails into his arm. "GET ME TO THE HOSPITAL!"

I stand up and calmly walk over to Chance's side. "Carefully, pick up your mate and get her to the hospital," I tell him.

He takes a deep breath and carefully picks up Elena, and rushes out of the room with her. "We should go with them," Bryant suggests. "I have to call my parents."

"I'll go and get Marco from them," Bryant's mate, Krista, says to him.

They both walk out, and I am left with just my brother and his mate. I sit on the couch beside him. "We'll go after the movie," Max says. "There is no need for us all to crowd the hospital." "That sounds like a plan," I say to him.

"So, how did it go with Naomi besides the Josh incident?" He asks.

I sigh. "You heard about that?"

"Mag, the whole pack heard about it." Max snorts. "Dad and I had to keep Phoebe from going to the Cells and killing Josh."

"I wanted to kill him, Max. Kairos is mad that I didn't. And I asked Pops not to execute him. But what do you think?"

Max sighed. "He committed a serious offense, but since Naomi isn't seriously hurt, then I agree with you."

I nod. "You are going to kick a*s as Alpha, Max."

"I sort of wish you were going to be Alpha with me," He sighs. "I'm scared."

"It's alright to be scared, brother. I am scared to be leading the Elite Force. I am scared that I will never win, my mate, ecetera," I breathe out.

Charlotte smiles at me. "Naomi will come around, Magnus."

"You think so?"

"Well, I don't know Naomi very well, but I think if you do your best to understand her, then she will accept you. Don't overwhelm her or try to change her. Naomi is fine just as she is," Charlotte explains.

"Thank you, Charlotte," I say to my sister-in-law. I watch the rest of the movie with them before we decide to go to the hospital. The scent of syrup catches my attention as we approach the maternity ward of the pack hospital. We walk into the waiting room, and Naomi is there with my sister and Greyson. Naomi's father is sitting with Bryant and his mate. Chance's father Frank is sitting with my parents.

I sit across from Naomi. "Hi," I say to her, and she nods.

"Hello, Magnus," Phoebe says to me.

Naomi gets up and goes to sit with her father and brother. I take a deep breath and run my hand down my face. I hear whispering and see Allen saying something, Naomi. She glances at me and looks away.

"No, Dad," She protests.

I get up from my seat and walk out of the waiting room. Having my mate ignore me is too much. I lean against the wall and hear Elena screaming from a room down the hall. The scent of maple syrup becomes overwhelming. I look down to see Naomi standing in front of me. Wordlessly, she wraps her arms around my waist and leans against my chest. I wrap my arms around her.

Elena's screaming stops, and I hear a baby cry. "Sounds like your nephew just entered the world," I say to Naomi.

She sighs. "Yeah."

Naomi's mother, Maureen, runs down the hall towards us with a giant smile on her face. "He is here, Arlo Ray is here, Naomi," She exclaims.

"That's good to hear, Mom," Naomi pulls away from me, and I whimper.

Maureen smiles at me before looking at Naomi. "It is. So when are you two going to give me more grandpups?"

"Mom!" Naomi squeals.

Maureen laughs and runs into the waiting room. I can't help but laugh at my mortified mate. "So when are we going to give your Mom more grandpups?" Naomi narrows her eyes at me. "What?"

I laugh again. "I'm kidding, babe. I was just trying to lighten the mood."

"Oh," Naomi chews her lip and walks into the waiting room. I follow her and stand near her.

Her mother, Maureen, is telling everyone about Arlo. "He weighed in at 8lbs even." "Ouch," Phoebe blurts out.

Moments later, Chance walks into the waiting room with a blue bundle in his arms. His mother, Olive, is beside him. "Hello everyone, meet my son Arlo Ray Ryland." He smiles. We all gather around to view the newest member of our pack. "Congratulations, Chance," Pops says to him. "You and Elena have been blessed with a beautiful, healthy son.

Little Arlo is passed around the room for several minutes. Eventually, Naomi holds her nephew and looks at him with so much love. I sit beside her as the pup coos at her. "You are good at this."

"I'm happy for my sister and Chance," She says to me. She smiles at the pup and passes him to me.

I look down at Arlo and smile. "Hey, little guy, I am your Uncle Magnus." I look over at Chance. "He is so lucky that he got his looks from Elena."

Chance glares at me, "Give me back, my son," He snatches Arlo from me. "And he has my eyes," Chance laughs. "I better get him back to Elena before she kills me." He carries the baby out of the waiting room.

I sit beside Naomi in silence for a moment. She stands up and stretches. "I am going to go see Elena really quick, and then I am going home." She glances at me and walks out of the room. Kairos whimpers in my head. 'Make a move.'

'Like what? Smash her against a wall and trigger a flashback?' I complain to my wolf.

'Do something!' Kairos retorts.

I sit in the waiting room a little longer until the scent of syrup gets stronger. I intercept Naomi as she is rushing down the hall away from her sister's room. "Can we hang out tomorrow?" I ask her.

She freezes and sighs. "I have work to do, Magnus."

"I'll help you. I just want to be near you," I tell her.

"Working at the Archive is complicated," She blurts out and tries to brush past me.

I grab her arm. "Please, Naomi. I really want to spend time with you. I'll do anything."

She scoffs. "Fine, you can help me sort books. Be at the Archive early."

"Can I kiss you?" I ask her, and she rolls her eyes.

"If you must," She responds, and I press my lips to hers.

The sparks from the kiss cause her to moan with pleasure. Her arms wrap around my neck as she leans into me. We hold the kiss for what feels like a few minutes until someone clearing their throat interrupts us. "Working on my next grandchild, I see," I hear Delta Allen say to us.

"Dad," Naomi pulls away from me. "Why is everyone obsessed with me having pups? Gods," She groans. "Mom was all over me about that."

"It's the natural course of life, Naomi," Allen responds to her. "You found your mate, so eventually, you'll settle down and have pups with him."

Naomi huffs. "I am still not sure about him, Dad." She throws up her hands. "I am done discussing this. Bye." She storms away from us without saying anything to me.

I feel dejected as I watch her walk away. "I'm sorry you heard that, Magnus," Allen says to me.

I don't say a word and walk down the hall following the scent of syrup. I get outside and silently follow Naomi back to the Archive. I watch her enter and then wait for the lights in her apartment to come on. I contemplate going up there but decide against it. Kairos protests in my head as I skulk back to the packhouse. I could only hope that tomorrow would be a better day with my mate.