Kieran POV
I hear Tish yelling through Mae's door, but Mae turns her away. I can't stop the smile that is creeping across my lips. Mae turned Tish away as well. Maybe there is hope for us after all.
I quickly wipe the smile off my face when I hear Tish storming back down the hallway. She appears in the living room with her hands on her hips. She is still wearing nothing but her black bra and panty set, but I refuse to let my eyes roam over her body. I am here to impress one person and one person only, and that is Mae.
"Now look what you have done," Tish screams at me.
"What," I shrug my shoulders. "I didn't do anything."
"You made her think that she has to choose between us," Tish says with a stomp of her foot.
A chuckle rises up in my chest. "And you didn't?"
"I… I… I have to keep her safe," Tish says. Her face has fallen, and she looks miserable.
"Why can't I be the one to keep her safe?" I ask. "It is the purpose of having a mate. I am meant to keep her safe."
"But she can't keep you safe," Tish retorts. "She isn't made for your world. She is too delicate."
"So you have said," I roll my eyes at Tish. "But I think she is stronger than you give her credit for. She must be for the Moon Goddess to pair her with me."
"What are you trying to say," Tish puffs her chest out in anger. "Are you saying that you will hurt her, and that is why she needs to be strong?"
"Don't be stupid," I snap back at her. "You claim to know about our world, yet you don't understand the importance of a mate. I love her without even knowing her. She was made for me."
Tish storms across the room and slaps me across the face. A loud crack rings out in the silent apartment. My skin stings, but I refuse to show it. Tish is waving her hand in the air and making a hissing sound.
"What is your face made of?" She grumbles. "Steel?"
I choke on the laugh bubbling in my throat and quickly cover it with a well-placed cough. Or so I thought. Tish is holding her hand against her chest, glaring at me.
"This isn't funny," she snaps at me. "I think my hand is broken."
"And what did we learn?" I chastise her.
"Shut up," Tish spits in my direction.
She is holding her hand close to her chest, and I can see that it is swelling. She might be right. Tish may have broken her hand when she slapped me.
Getting up from the couch, I head into the kitchen and rifle through their freezer. There is no ice and a single bag of frozen peas. Out of curiosity, I open the fridge and see it is also void of anything of nutritional value. Rolling my eyes, I grab the peas and walk back over to Tish.
I hold out the bag of peas, and she looks up at me in confusion. "What are those for?"
"Your hand," I state obviously. "Where do you keep the Advil?"
"In the same cabinet as Mae's panic pills," Tish says through gritted teeth.
Tish grabs the peas from my hands and gently lays her hand on top of them. Goosebumps rise all over her skin, and she shivers from the cold.
Before leaving to find her medication, I cover her shoulders with a blanket. She mumbles a "thank you" under her breath as she wraps the blanket around her bare skin.
I search the cabinets for the Advil and a glass. When I find everything I need, I return to her with three pills and a glass of water.
Tish takes the pills from my hand and throws them down her throat before gulping down some water. I take a seat beside her, and we sit in silence for a long time.
"Let me see your hand," I say just to break the silence.
Tish turns away from me, refusing to let me see it. "It will be fine," she mumbles.
"You really should let me take a look," I continue as I reach across her and take her hand in my own. The palm of her hand is swollen, but nothing appears to be broken. I let out a sigh of relief. I don't think Tish having a broken hand would help my odds with Mae, even though it wasn't my fault.
"If you are an Alpha, why aren't you living in some big house somewhere, looking over your pack?" Tish asks.
"There are some things that I have to take care of before I take my position as Alpha," I answer her shortly.
"Like what kind of things," Tish presses me for information.
"None of your business," I growl at her, and she flinches a little in fear.
But Tish doesn't back down. "I am making it my business. Especially if you are going to be dragging Mae into it."
I run my hand down my face in frustration. "I don't want to get into this right now. It is personal, and Mae should hear it from me first, not you."
"So, you are in some sort of trouble," Tish sneers. "I knew it."
I roll my eyes. "I am not in trouble. My sister is the fucking Queen, for Goddess's sake."
A growing smile spreads across Tish's lips. "You are him!" She practically squeals. "The one that betrayed his sister, the Queen."
"Aw, fuck," I moan. "Listen, I am not that guy anymore. I have changed and am hunting down those against her."
"You are a real piece of work," Tish laughs. "Who would turn their back on their family for a chance at power? You really don't deserve Mae. She will never accept you now."
Panic rises in my chest. Tish is going to ruin my chances with Mae before I have a chance to explain myself.
"Please let me explain things to her," I beg of Tish. "She deserves to hear the truth from me."
"Why so you can lie?" Tish laughs. "No way."