Hybrid Alpha’s Prettiest Obsession

beneath me

Malakai

Mina blinked, her hand freezing mid-air as she held onto the coat with all her might. “Tito, stop it.”

But he wasn’t having it. “Don’t tell me to stop! After everything this bastard’s done to us, to you, you think I’ll just lie here and accept his pity?” He tried to sit up straighter, but the pain shot through him, making him wince and nearly collapse back to the ground. Even so, his glare never left me. “You think I’ve forgotten? You think I’ve forgotten how he locked us up, threw us in that pit like we were animals?”

I felt a smirk tug at my lips. "I see you’re still bitter, Tito." I couldn’t resist. "You’re still alive, aren’t you? I must not be that bad."

“You’re a monster, Malakai,” Tito spat. “You always have been. You’ve made sure we’ll never forget.”

Mina shot me a worried look before quickly turning her attention back to her brother. She knew what I was capable of. “Tito, please. We don’t have time for this. We need to get you somewhere safe.”

Tito’s laugh was harsh, and almost manic.

I winced. He has really been in pain when I wasn't the one who caused his pain. I may control the entire Viper Elites but there were the Council, the Generals, the Elders and other f*****g powerful wolves that made up this f****d up country. If he was angry at me, his anger was misplaced.

There was Wulfgar too…

“Are you mad, Mina? He’s the reason we’re in this mess to begin with!” He grimaced as he tried to shift, his hand pressing to his side where the blood was still seeping through his shirt. He paused, eyes widening in some sort of sick revelation. “Wait, don't tell me you've f****d him.”

Poor Mina’s eyes widened but she couldn't refute his accusation. I rolled my eyes. He was really mouthy for a small brat. I crouched down beside them, making sure to keep my tone calm, almost mocking his state. For some reason, I couldn't stand him insulting his elder sister who gave up her life to protect him.

She couldn't even tell him off.

“You're in no position to argue. If I wanted you dead, I wouldn’t bother talking.” I glanced at Mina, who looked torn between helping her brother and dealing with his outburst. “You want to get him out of here, don't you?”

Mina hesitated for a moment before nodding slowly. “Yes.”

“Then listen to me. Take my hands.” I said quietly, keeping my gaze on her. I meant she should take my help. “He won’t survive out here without help.” I didn't really care about the brat one bit. “And whether he likes it or not, that’s what I’m offering. You can either let his pride kill him, or you can take the damn coat and do what’s necessary.”

“Why are you doing this?” she whispered, staring at my stretched out hand for my so-called help.

I exhaled sharply. “Because you’ll die if you stay here.” It was a simple truth. No pity, no kindness—just facts. It may look like the chaos had died down, but it was my presence that scared them away. However, they won't be gone for too long. And she knew it. Mina stared at me for a long moment, as if trying to find some hidden agenda in my words. Of course I had a hidden agenda.

But there was nothing left to say. The rogues were not stupid. Once they got used to my presence, they would reinforce and have us surrounded. I cracked my neck, wanting the thrill of a kill. This moment of peace wouldn’t last long.

And I was looking forward to it.

They just didn't need to know of my dark intentions. To my reply, her jaw tightened, and she looked back at Tito, who was shaking his head, furious.

“I’m not wearing anything that came from him, Mina,” Tito growled, shifting away from me. “Don’t you dare.”

I fumed. But it wasn't in my place to be angry at him. I was right because Mina was never angry at him. Instead, her face softened as she reached out to touch his arm gently.

“Tito, please. We can sort all of this out later. Right now, we need to keep you alive.” She looked back at me, her eyes filled with an emotion I couldn’t quite place—whether it was desperation or something else. “Just… let us get through this.”

But she was the one really hurt. Not this brat. Yet I raised an eyebrow, standing back up. “That’s what I’ve been saying.”

Tito clenched his teeth, glaring at both of us like he was about to explode. “Don’t think for a second I’m forgiving you for anything. You’re still the reason we’re stuck in this bloody nightmare.”

Yes, I was and I wasn't ashamed of it. If only they knew the plans of the Elders and the Council. It was to f*****g finish them off. In a way, I save their unworthy lives.

However, the halflings…

They didn't deserve such a life. Death was better. A pang of guilt sifted through me, and I shrugged. “Fair enough. But like I said, you’re alive.”

Mina wrapped the coat around her brother despite his protests, and I turned away, already feeling the repercussions of what was ahead. My claws elongated, noticing the presence of rogues gathering behind us.

It was always like that. We were not done sieving the entire world of humans and Halflings… why rogues?

Oh, they were more than rogues. There was the pack politics, and the ever-present threat looming over us. Whatever Tito thought of me didn’t change what I had to do next.

“You should want revenge now.” Tito suddenly whispered to his sister.

Unfortunately, I had supernatural hearing.

“I know.” Mina whispered back. “I am using him to get us out of this mess. I promise I will discard him after this.” She finished, glaring at me from the corner of her eyes. It would be impossible to use me and get out of it alive, her enraged glare told me. For we had both signed our names in blood. I wanted to say something—anything—but the words didn’t come.

Instead, I watched as Tito shifted under her weight with a grimace, his face was getting paler and slick with sweat. He was one stubborn halfling. And they didn't heal as much as we did.

“What about you?” I asked Mina who was wincing with every movement. It was taking them forever to stand up because she had refused to take my hand. Or rather, her brother stopped her.

“You came too late, you know.” he grumbled weakly, trying to sit up with her help.

Mina shot him a warning glare, brushing her hand over his forehead. “Shut up, Tito. You're still breathing, aren’t you?”

The corner of Tito’s mouth twitched, but he said no more. He was in worse shape, though—his breathing was getting shallower, and each inhale edged with pain. But his eyes stayed sharp, flickering between me and Mina like he knew more than he let on.

He hated me. Nevertheless, I stopped Mina. “Stop. At this rate, the Rogues would go into defense formation.” My ears perked as I heard their growls from the distance. I knelt beside them, my coat brushing the dirt as I assessed the wound at Tito’s side. It wasn’t deep enough to kill him, but without treatment, the blood loss would.

I was used to our natural healing form already. This was complicated. I turned to Mina, assessing her back in the same manner. It was deep and oozing blood at an alarming rate.

“The rogues are already regrouping.” I said quietly, glancing toward the exit. “You’ll follow the guards,” I told her in a low yet firm voice that left no room for argument. “They’ll get you both to safety. But you keep your head down, Mina. You stay quiet, and you don’t make this harder than it already is.”

She gave a slow, reluctant nod, her fingers tightening around Tito’s limp hand. I stood, turning back toward the growling increasingly getting nearer to the Pit. This wasn’t over. But for now, I had bought us a little time. And maybe, just maybe, that would be enough to keep everything from falling apart.

I glanced over my shoulder one last time, watching as Mina huddled closer to Tito beneath my coat. “What are you doing?” I narrowed my eyes, trying to ignore the part of me that admired her stubbornness.

“Tito doesn't want your help.” She replied with doey eyes that practically cried for help. “I have accepted your coat, but I am not accepting this.” she jerked her head towards my outstretched hands.

I implied she took it so that I could help her up. “I’m not asking, Mina. Either you take my hands or you both die here.”

“But my brother…” she glanced down at Tito who had fallen unconscious while she was refusing. Immediately she saw he was out, she nodded, and her shoulders sagged in defeat.

Wise choice.

“Fine,” she whispered in a broken voice.

Without waiting for permission, I leaned down and lifted Tito into my arms. He grunted in pain but didn’t have the strength to fight me. Mina scrambled to her feet, wincing as her back gushed out more blood, and followed close behind, limping slightly. I gritted my teeth. She was the one I wanted to carry. Not this brat. I could feel her watching me, her eyes burning holes into my back.

“I won’t let him die,” she muttered suddenly, as if saying it out loud would make it true.

“I know,” I replied, glancing over my shoulder.

Her face was streaked with tears and her eyes wild with exhaustion and something deeper—something I didn’t want to name. She was opening up, held together only by her brother’s survival. Despite everything, she still stood. Torn, and battered, but here with me. And for some reason, I found myself hoping she’d stay that way.

Suddenly, Tito’s thick voice brought me back to reality. “You’ll regret trusting him, Mina. Mark my words. Wolves like him never change.”

I didn’t bother. Let him think whatever he wanted. It wouldn’t matter in the end.