“I know.”
“Will you let me ask you a personal question?”
“I’m ready.” I needed to hear his opinion. I trusted him.
“Are you attracted to him?’
“What?”
“It’s an easy enough question. Are you attracted to Kirion?”
I couldn’t get him out of my mind. That was the truth. But hearing it spoken of out loud was another matter. I couldn’t lie. Not to Danon. Not to myself.
“Yes.”
“Yes, you’re attracted?”
“It’s not real, though, right? It’s just because he’s an omega who’s dependent on me for everything. It can’t be real.”
Danon replied with one simple statement that sent my mind reeling. “You’re an alpha. You have needs. Why not?”
13
Kirion
Iwatched Tane leave. My bedroom window faced the front drive. His limo left in the now driving rain. It hadn’t let up since last night. The limo’s headlights flashed gold on the wet pavement.
We’d had lunch together. He’d checked my bandage. Then promised he’d be back by dinner. It was strange that he wanted me to know that. I didn’t have needs unmet. I wasn’t going to starve or run away or get into any other trouble. But something inside me enjoyed it that he wanted me to know his schedule. As if I might worry. As if he cared.
One thing did have my nerves wracked. I’d found out this morning that the bad weather had delayed Malin’s trip. He was still around, though I hadn’t seen him all day.
It felt creepy that he’d been in my room. I didn’t tell Tane, though. I knew he would confront his son and I didn’t want to get into more trouble with Malin.
It was odd that I was nervous that Tane wasn’t home. I was used to being alone. Back at the palace, I learned to like it. I wouldn’t see Rohan or palace guests for days at a time and that was a relief. If Rohan wanted to hide me in his shame of me, fine. I preferred talking to myself. With my designation, I didn’t trust people. Being alone meant no drama, no self-deprecation and infinite peace. But I was also a restless wreck even back then. I learned to use the facilities at night. Gym. Pool. Bowling alley. Few knew we actually had that third one.
Rain pounded the balcony windows and the roof. The computer was boring. I grew tired of watching TV. It was late afternoon. Tane had been gone for two hours. I needed activity.
I looked at my bandaged hand. Swimming was out which sucked because it was one of my favorites. Maybe the gym? But if Malin was anywhere other than his rooms, he’d be there for sure. He was pretty buff. The garden was out because of the weather. That left the game room which had everything, including a black velvet pool table and skee ball.
Malin had his own game room. I figured maybe the main one would be safest.
I took the chair from under my doorknob and crept out into the hall listening for any sounds. It was late enough in the day that the cleaning staff had probably already left. Elias and the cooks were the only ones left.
From the third-floor hallway I heard nothing. If I could scurry silently down to the first floor in my bare feet, everything would be fine. I flicked off my slippers and ventured out.
I rounded the landing on the second floor as if I’d been living here for years. By the time my feet hit the tile of the first floor, I stopped holding my breath. I’d made it. There was staff down here. The rooms spread before me wide open with few spaces for anyone to sneak up on me. I was safe.
As I walked past the dining room’s French doors, the rain coming at a slant. I could barely see down past the patios to the garden, but from what I could see a hard wind was blowing the stalks and flowers everywhere. I’d been closed off, denying my emotions, but now that I saw that wind, I realized that scene depicted my life. Chaos.
I felt sorry for myself for about two seconds, then sucked it up. I had landed in the best possible position I could have asked for.
Putting my shoulders back, I strode with renewed confidence through the smaller living room and toward the back west side of the house to the huge game room. I pulled back on the handles of the double doors, favoring my right hand, and stepped inside.
And froze.
The man at the end of the pool table turned. His eyebrows rose. He smiled, showing teeth.
“There you are, mutt.”
