Alaric’s jaw tightened. He wasn’t joking. He’d always looked out for her, especially after stepping in to protect her from the man who had crossed a line. But this was different. This was Kaldrek, an alpha. Someone Alaric knew wouldn’t hurt her. Yet the tension between them still crackled, heavy and unspoken. Evelyne felt it. She gently rested her hand on Kaldrek’s knee, a quiet signal, a plea for him to ease up.
“Alaric,” she began, but he cut her off.
“You two are…” He hesitated as if the words physically pained him. “Together?”
She opened her mouth, then shut it. Were they together? She turned to Kaldrek, hoping for an answer.
“Will it be a problem if we are?” Kaldrek asked, his tone threatening.
Alaric’s nostrils flared. “She’s not even a wolf.”
Ouch.Right for the throat. But the truth of it settled like lead in her stomach. She couldn’t ever be Kaldrek’s wife or his mate, especially once she returned home. This type of relationship was forbidden and wrong.
“And neither are you, last I checked.” Kaldrek’s smirkwas downright cruel.
“What does that have to do with—”
“If you’re going to challenge me on the intimate details of my life, perhaps you should think about where your intentions have been lately.” Kaldrek’s gaze flicked toward Heidara.
Silence.
Alaric flushed red. His gaze snapped back to Evelyne.
“Howintimate?”
Evelyne swallowed hard, feeling like her father was interrogating her. Her face heated, and her heart slammed against her ribs. Why did she even care what Alaric thought?
She inhaled and lifted her chin. “What I choose to do intimately with a man is not your concern. You and I are no longer betrothed.”
“Evelyne!” Alaric shouted, stepping toward her, but Kaldrek was up instantly, a deadly snarl tearing from his throat.
Evelyne threw out a hand to stop him. “Alaric, please.”
Alaric let out a bitter laugh. “Do you even realize what they’ll say about you, Evelyne? That you’ve ruined yourself. And for what? For someone who means nothing in our world?”
Her vision burned. Kaldrek wasn’t nothing. Not to her. She didn’t have the words for what he meant yet, but Alaric’s cruelty lit something in her. Before she could think, her fist flew, landing hard against his jaw.
Alaric stumbled back, clutching his face as stunned silence fell. The entire pack turned. Heidara’s mouth hung open.
Holden let out a low whistle. “Shit. Little viper does bite.”
Kaldrek grinned wickedly. But Evelyne’s heart pounded. Gods, what had she done?
She stepped forward, guilt creeping in. “Alaric, I’m so sorry. I don’t know whyI—”
Alaric threw up a hand, stopping her. He didn’t say a word. He just turned and walked off into the tunnel.
The walls seemed to press in around them, the air heavy with awkward tension. Then Heidara cleared her throat. “I’ll check on him. But first, you two…” She looked between Evelyne and Kaldrek, wrinkling her nose. “I’m just glad he found out, honestly. That smell rubs off on you. No mating bond needed.”
Holden and Kaldrek howled with laughter.
Evelyne groaned.
***
Once the group had settled and the stress faded, Evelyne shifted the conversation. “Are we really not going to talk about the walls being covered in veins that reeked of rot and metal? Or are we all just pretending that didn’t happen?”
Holden huffed, running a hand through his hair. “Oh, we’re talking about it. We’re just avoiding the part where it might come back and try to strangle us in our sleep.”
