He hissed. “Oh, Tane. I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to come in here. Honest. I didn’t.”
“Quiet.” I held up my hand. “It’s okay.” My mind was going a hundred miles a second. “I think I understand.”
“I needed to… I just couldn’t….” He stuttered.
He wasn’t all right. He was afraid. I remembered the mess in his room. The only person who would cause this was Malin. No one else in my household would cause Kirion stress. I had to make it right.
All I could think to say was, “I’m home now.”
“I’m sorry I intruded. I’ll leave.”
It was strange standing there talking in the dark. I reached over to an end table and turned on a lamp. Soft light poured over us. The first thing I noticed were Kirion’s bare feet. He wore jeans and a white button up. His bandaged hand lay cradled in his lap.
“First, a question.”
He looked up at me, worried.
“Are you all right?”
He gulped. Then nodded.
“Are you sure?”
“Yes.”
“He didn’t touch you?”
He frowned. “How did you…?”
“I’m sorry I left you alone here with him. I thought he’d be gone last night.” I sighed. “Everyone did. And then the storm hit.”
Kirion gulped hard again. “He didn’t touch me. I hid.”
This was the deal-breaker. I needed to confront Malin finally, once and for all, and tell him to leave. It had been a long time coming. I’d been too guilty to give him an ultimatum and kept putting it off for another day. This was the day. He could afford his own place. Two alphas in the same house who did not get along was a setup for disaster even if they were related.
I sighed. He would never forgive me.
But forgiveness was already a moot point. He had always blamed me for his unhappiness. He needed to leave and find his own way. Maybe that was the only way. Maybe I’d held on for too long and he’d stayed because he could. Because it was easy. Because I spoiled him.
Not anymore. This was my home. Malin needed his own alpha home.
“You won’t have to hide anymore. I promise. He’s going.”
Kirion blinked slowly. The silence grew heavy between us.
“I’m glad you’re all right.” I held out my hand to him. “Are you hungry?”
He nodded. Then took my hand and stood, gripping for balance. He was still shaky, poor guy.
“You were right to come in here. Malin is forbidden here.”
“I know. That’s why I did it. But I swear I never meant to intrude.”
“You didn’t.”
He looked up at me wonderingly. “But it’s your space.”
“It still is. And I’m glad it was a safe space for you. Come. Let’s eat.”
