Tristan surprised me by chuckling, seemingly genuinely amused rather than offended.
“I heard other Alphas were rushing to form alliances with your pack,” he said, looking entirely too pleased with himself. ‘I thought, why not try my luck as well? Alpha Alaric is clearly a man of vision. Silverblood Pack can offer border defense and warrior training in exchange.”
I sucked in a sharp breath, hearing the deadly warning beneath his polite words. What the hell was happening? For years, even mentioning Tristan’s name in our household had been taboo. Now he was sitting in our living room, coolly discussing alliances? I wished my parents were here–they’d know how to handle this delicate diplomatic dance without risking an explosion.
A sudden coughing fit seized me as my thoughts spiraled.
Kieran gently patted my back. “Do you need water?”
I shook my head. “No. I’m fine.”
He leaned closer, his breath warm against my ear. “If you don’t want to be here, you can go to your room.”
“No, I can’t leave my brother alone with him,” I whispered back. “Why didn’t you tell me he was coming?”
Kieran’s expression clouded with confusion. “I didn’t tell you last night?”
“When?”
“When you were lying on your bed.”
I stared at him, horror dawning as I pieced together what must have happened. “You carried me to my bed?” I whispered frantically. “Wait! You carried me all the way to my room?”
“Of course. Who else would do that for you?” Kieran shrugged, as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
“Thank you. You did well.” I let out an awkward laugh, imagining Kieran carrying my dead–weight body up the stairs while I was too drunk to remember a thing.
“I won’t accept your thanks so easily,” he replied, a hint of hurt in his voice. “You need to have a drink with me, and then we’ll talk.” The jealousy in his tone was unmistakable–clearly, he was still bothered that I’d shared drinks with Eldreth but
not him.
I thought about our friendship, the closeness we’d developed over the years. “I’ll have a drink with you tomorrow.
Satisfied?”
Kieran started to nod, but his gaze shifted past me. I turned my head to find every pair of eyes in the room fixated on us.
Had we been speaking too loudly? I wondered, heat rising to my cheeks.
My eyes inadvertently met Tristan’s. The calm mask he’d worn since arriving had slipped, revealing something dark and dangerous lurking beneath. For a split second, his eyes seemed to flash with that blood–red glow I’d seen in the forest, before he quickly composed himself.
1/2
Chapter 142
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