Chapter 26 Kyran's Cards

Chapter 26 Kyran's Cards
I stepped slowly out of the infirmary, my breath catching in my throat.

I could hear Alpha Karl's words ringing in my head. I could see Knox's eyes as he looked at me. Valerian died the night after Eros returned. Not before. Did he... lose his mind with rage and kill my brother?

All strength left my knees, and I fell to the floor, tears slowly running down my cheeks.

I knew just how powerful Eros was, and I have seen a glimpse of how soft he could get. Was this a recipe for disaster? Did his lack of control of both his extremes make him a killer?

I swallowed hard as I pushed to my feet again, then went downstairs. The murmurs followed me everywhere, but now it wasn't just about the kiss. It was about how I had caused Alpha Eros's disappearance. It was about how I was some monster.

I pushed further, letting the noise fall behind me as I pushed myself to the private gym that the princes of Rosendale used.

I wasn't sure where Kyran and Karl would be, but I would check everywhere.

I opened the gym, my chest heaving hard, my blood pumping loudly in my ears.

Alpha Kyran was all alone in the gym. He was wearing a black tank top, his hair caught back in a man bun, his hands covered with gloves as he ran on the treadmill. 

He didn't turn or even spare me a glance.

I pushed away the fear and the knowledge of all the things he could do to me, then closed the door behind me and stepped in.

"Alpha," I said, my voice breathy from fear.

He didn't stop.

"I need to talk to you. I beg of you."

He still didn't stop.

I closed my eyes for a brief second. "I know what Eros did the last time he disappeared. I know he killed Valerian. Is... Is he going to kill me too? Or Knox?"

For a long moment, only the sound of the treadmill filled the gym area. I swallowed hard, thinking of something else to say, but before I could, he suddenly stopped, then turned to me.

My breath caught in my throat as he slowly got down from the treadmill, then grabbed a clean towel from the rack.

"What do you want to talk about?"

I swallowed hard. "I... I want to find Eros. Before he does something else or..."

"Something like killing Valerian? Are you scared for your life?"

His gaze was piercing, yet calm. Despite Alpha Karl's loud strength and Eros's unmistakeable power, the man I feared the most was probably Alpha Kyran. 

His gaze was chilling, the sort that immediately disarmed you. And unlike Alpha Karl, he wasn't the type to warn before striking.

"Yes," I said, my voice low. "But I am scared for him too. What if something happened to him? What if he is in danger?"

Alpha Kyran let his eyes dart between both of mine for a long, silent moment, before he turned away. He took a bottle of water and took a sip, then carefully dropped it back.

He took a seat, then leaned back, his hands resting back to carry his weight, his eyes laced with amusement. Like he knew something we didn't.

"So you want to find him before he kills you. To achieve what exactly? Don't you think it would be better to wait patiently? Maybe enjoy your time with your lover."

"Alpha Kyran."

"Because if Eros decides to hunt you down... nothing will stop him. And I... am going to do absolutely nothing to help you."

I bit down hard to stop my tears. "Is that what he did to Valerian?"

Alpha Kyran met my eyes, then gave a small shrug. "What if it was?"

He slowly stood up, covering the distance between us slowly. I managed to stand my ground, as he towered above me, his deep scent filling my nostrils.

I looked up to his light red eyes, my fingers clenched hard.

"What if it was Eros? What if Eros got so angry, disappeared, then returned deep in the night while sweet, innocent Valerian was asleep, then strangled him to death? What if he did it with a smile on his face?"

"Alpha."

"What would an omega masking an alpha scent be able to do?"

My eyes widened, and my heart sank straight to my feet.

His eyes darted across both of mine, and he broke into a smile, the most I have ever seen him wear.

"I don't think you thought this over, Skylar North. You dressed yourself up and walked into a battle you will never win. You walked into a den of bloodthirsty alphas, and you are playing push and pull with the worst of them all. How dare you be scared for your life?"

I took a step back, unable to breathe. "How?"

He gave a small laugh, and all of a sudden, his hand caught my shirt, pulling me right back to him.

I could barely breathe, my body shaky with tears, my chest heaving hard.

"Look at you. Scared. Helpless. You came in here to find your brother's killer... and then what, sweetheart? What would you do?"

Tears ran down my cheeks fast, as he let me go. I didn't have enough strength in my legs to keep me stable, and I just went straight to the floor.

"Eros doesn't know yet. And don't worry, you might not lose your life. But that ultimately isn't my decision."

I looked up, my lips quivering. "Why didn't you tell him?"

"Because the only thing stopping him from associating with an omega is your gender. Why would I remove that obstacle?"

"Alpha."

"Play with Knox all you want," he said, leaning to my height, his right hand dangling lazily off his thigh. "That is the line, however. Eros... he isn't yours to tango with."

He leaned away, then climbed the treadmill again. "There will be a break in a month's time." He met my eyes. "I hope you are wise enough to know what to do."