minutes, Malcolm stepped between his eldest cub and the wheelbarrow. “Speak your piece, son. Nothing good comes from holding it inside.”
Riley stopped working, keeping his back to Malcolm as he spoke. “Ever since he showed up, you’ve been acting different.”
“And that he would be who, Luke?” Malcolm was a bit surprised at Riley’s venomous tone. He’d never heard him speak with such unkindness before. It wasn’t like him, and Malcolm couldn’t figure out if Luke was the sole reason behind his anger. His mate had been nothing but sweet and kind toward his sons.
He just didn’t get it.
Riley stood there steaming as he turned around, glaring at Malcolm. He could tell his son had a burr in his ass, but he wasn’t about to let him think he could disrespect Malcolm. “Stand down or you and I will have some heavy problems, son.”
Riley dropped the pitchfork, his eyes blazing. “He steals into the back of your truck with a baby and is carrying a gun in a diaper bag. How do you know he didn’t steal that cub? How do you know his tribe isn’t after him because he kidnapped the little boy? What do you really know about him, Pa?”
Riley spoke his piece. When his lips thinned and no other words were spat, Malcolm knew Riley was finished with his tirade.
“Because he’s my mate, son. You’ll understand what that means when you find yours. I trust Luke. I trust what he tells me.”
“Why?” Riley shot at him. “Just because he’s your mate doesn’t mean he wouldn’t lie to you! You’re a fool for believing every word he tells you!”
Malcolm had Riley pinned to the floor in seconds, his son’s eyes wide as he stared up at Malcolm’s grim face. Their eyes stayed locked as Malcolm reined in his anger. He knew Riley was feeling jealous, and as the oldest, he felt compelled to look out for his family. But Malcolm was not going to tolerate his son speaking to him in that manner.
Narrowing his eyes, Malcolm spoke with a calmness that belied the raging storm inside of him. His bear was close to the surface, ready to teach his son some respect. Now Malcolm knew where Luke’s insecure questions from earlier had come from.
He tried hard not to strangle the boy for whatever he might have said or done to make Luke feel the way he had. This was his chance at happiness, and after everything he had gone through in his life, he deserved a piece of it.
Even if things were straining around his home, Malcolm was going to enjoy what little bit of happiness fate had given him.
“Listen to me, Riley Lakeland, and listen close. I love you with every breath I take, but I won’t have you talking to me like a whelp. If you can’t speak your mind respectfully, then you and I have really big problems.”
Riley’s eyes shimmered with tears Malcolm knew he was fighting not to release. He leaned back, holding his hand out. Riley took it as Malcolm pulled him to his feet. Riley dusted himself off, and Malcolm knew he was also taking that time to compose himself.
“I worry about you, Pa.”
And that was the root of the problem.
“Son, do you honestly think anyone could lead me around by my nose and I would follow blindly?”
Riley shrugged as he cleared his throat. “Luke seems to be.”
Malcolm sighed as he cupped his hand behind Riley’s neck and pulled him close. “I love all of my boys, and I love my mate and new son, but no one pulls one over on me.”
Riley nodded his head into Malcolm’s chest, reminding him of when his son was a cub. In some ways, he still was. Riley had never been in love and wouldn’t understand what Malcolm was feeling until he found his mate.
He prayed Riley found his mate soon.
His eldest deserved to feel what Malcolm was feeling inside. To know the joy of having your other half there at your side and knowing no one else in the world would ever take their place.
Riley deserved to be loved.
“You’ll figure it all out one day, Riley.”
Riley kicked at the hay as he
Riley stopped working, keeping his back to Malcolm as he spoke. “Ever since he showed up, you’ve been acting different.”
“And that he would be who, Luke?” Malcolm was a bit surprised at Riley’s venomous tone. He’d never heard him speak with such unkindness before. It wasn’t like him, and Malcolm couldn’t figure out if Luke was the sole reason behind his anger. His mate had been nothing but sweet and kind toward his sons.
He just didn’t get it.
Riley stood there steaming as he turned around, glaring at Malcolm. He could tell his son had a burr in his ass, but he wasn’t about to let him think he could disrespect Malcolm. “Stand down or you and I will have some heavy problems, son.”
Riley dropped the pitchfork, his eyes blazing. “He steals into the back of your truck with a baby and is carrying a gun in a diaper bag. How do you know he didn’t steal that cub? How do you know his tribe isn’t after him because he kidnapped the little boy? What do you really know about him, Pa?”
Riley spoke his piece. When his lips thinned and no other words were spat, Malcolm knew Riley was finished with his tirade.
“Because he’s my mate, son. You’ll understand what that means when you find yours. I trust Luke. I trust what he tells me.”
“Why?” Riley shot at him. “Just because he’s your mate doesn’t mean he wouldn’t lie to you! You’re a fool for believing every word he tells you!”
Malcolm had Riley pinned to the floor in seconds, his son’s eyes wide as he stared up at Malcolm’s grim face. Their eyes stayed locked as Malcolm reined in his anger. He knew Riley was feeling jealous, and as the oldest, he felt compelled to look out for his family. But Malcolm was not going to tolerate his son speaking to him in that manner.
Narrowing his eyes, Malcolm spoke with a calmness that belied the raging storm inside of him. His bear was close to the surface, ready to teach his son some respect. Now Malcolm knew where Luke’s insecure questions from earlier had come from.
He tried hard not to strangle the boy for whatever he might have said or done to make Luke feel the way he had. This was his chance at happiness, and after everything he had gone through in his life, he deserved a piece of it.
Even if things were straining around his home, Malcolm was going to enjoy what little bit of happiness fate had given him.
“Listen to me, Riley Lakeland, and listen close. I love you with every breath I take, but I won’t have you talking to me like a whelp. If you can’t speak your mind respectfully, then you and I have really big problems.”
Riley’s eyes shimmered with tears Malcolm knew he was fighting not to release. He leaned back, holding his hand out. Riley took it as Malcolm pulled him to his feet. Riley dusted himself off, and Malcolm knew he was also taking that time to compose himself.
“I worry about you, Pa.”
And that was the root of the problem.
“Son, do you honestly think anyone could lead me around by my nose and I would follow blindly?”
Riley shrugged as he cleared his throat. “Luke seems to be.”
Malcolm sighed as he cupped his hand behind Riley’s neck and pulled him close. “I love all of my boys, and I love my mate and new son, but no one pulls one over on me.”
Riley nodded his head into Malcolm’s chest, reminding him of when his son was a cub. In some ways, he still was. Riley had never been in love and wouldn’t understand what Malcolm was feeling until he found his mate.
He prayed Riley found his mate soon.
His eldest deserved to feel what Malcolm was feeling inside. To know the joy of having your other half there at your side and knowing no one else in the world would ever take their place.
Riley deserved to be loved.
“You’ll figure it all out one day, Riley.”
Riley kicked at the hay as he
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