Chapter 254: We need to talk

Killian's POV

I was in my office when the door was pushed open. Beta Elijah made way as Klaus stepped in.

I tried to act casual in case he came here for something else. Of course, I decided we were going to tell him, but I imagined better circumstances. I even thought we'd be going to his pack to make it more formal.

"The way you barge into my pack leaves me wondering if it's truly mine." My voice was as neutral as possible

Klaus said nothing. He was walked forward, his gaze assessing. The usual smile was missing from his face. He ignored my teasing, and right now, he was looking at me like I stole his millions. All of these pointed to one thing.

He knew.

"There is a familiar scent here." He said, eyes staring at me like he was expecting a confession.

Definitely knew.

"What are you talking about?" I still tried to act oblivious, just in case.

"You know? Like family."

I tensed up.

Our gaze met this time, and I swear, I could feel something crack in the air.

"Where is she?" He asked, voice deathly calm.

There was no point pretending anymore. His tone, his stance—hell, even the quiet way his jaw flexed—told me everything I needed to know.

"She?" I echoed, leaning back against my desk. "You'll have to be more specific, Klaus." I knew this was the wrong time to be sarcastic, but I couldn't help it.

He didn't take the bait. His eyes darkened, that Alpha aura of his rolling off him like a stormfront. Elijah shifted uncomfortably by the door. Even he could feel it—the clash of dominance that made the air too heavy to breathe.

Klaus took a slow step forward. "Don't play with me Killian. My patience is running out."

He was not lying. I could tell from the way his jaws were clenched, fists balled, the heavy uncontrolled breathing. He wasn't happy about the discovery at all, and he was about to lose that perfect composure he always had.

"Klaus," my voice lowered. I knew he wasn't just feeling angry. But also hurt and betrayed. I didn't have a younger sister, but I had cousins I was protective of, so I understood where he was coming from. It didn't help that I had a reputation with women.

"I just want to know one thing," his voice didn't raise a notch, but I could not say the same for the storm in those eyes, or the aura from his wolf. "Did you..." A heavy sigh, like even the thought of it was a taboo. "Did you touch my sister?"

From the door, Elijah gave me that look that says 'I told you so'.

I stared at Klaus, not wanting to lie to my friend, but also not knowing how to tell him the truth. So I did something in between. "We didn't have sex."

He closed his eyes. I could still the struggle to control his temper. To keep himself from snapping.

"What is that supposed to mean?" His voice carried a weight now. "What did you do with her?"

"We didn't go all the way... We are mat..." I didn't finish confessing that truth when I felt his fist on my jaw, and I would be lying if I said the pain didn't send my brain ringing.

"How could you?" His eyes flashed with hurt, voice vibrating with rage. "You know Adeline is my sister and she's off limits. What's your plan? Use her as one of your conquest and dump her after?"

I shook my head. "No, no. I..." He punched me again, and I didn't know how to react.

"I know how you are with women and sex!" Another hit. I could not even fight back because I knew I deserved it. "Adeline is still so young, so innocent, and you are taking advantage of her. Hell, I thought she was in school."

Every word hit harder than his fists. I could feel blood pooling in my mouth, the metallic taste coating my tongue, but I didn't wipe it away. I let him vent. Let him hit me again.

"I will never take advantage of her," I said, shaking my head slowly. "She—"

"That day I called you, I heard a voice..." Fuck, fuck, fuck! "Was that..."

I looked away, feeling that guilt rise up again. Now he would feel like I played him for a fool.

When he hit me again, I fell back against my chair so hard, that I felt a bone crack somewhere in my right elbow.

Elijah rushed over, but I held out a hand for him to stay put.

"Klaus, I swear, I am not taking advantage of her." He grabbed the front of my shirt and pulled me closer, eyes burning with fury that only a brother's love could summon. "Adeline is my mate." I confessed finally, feeling like a weight was dropped off my shoulder, but the guilt didn't go.

Klaus who looked like he was about to attack me again froze midway, staring in absolute disbelief.

Then, as if he wanted to confirm that his ears were not playing tricks on him, he asked; "What the fuck did you just say?"

I met his glare head-on. "She is my mate. She's my fated mate. I tried to stay away, I tried to resist, but I just couldn't. You have a mate. You know how it feels."

It was like dropping a bomb. The world around us went still. Klaus looked like something had been drained away from him, and I would give anything to know what he was thinking.

Of course, I didn't need his permission to be with my mate, but his approval mattered to me. And I knew it mattered even more to Adeline.

"Fuck!" He snapped, running his hands through his hair. "How long has this been going on?"

I didn't look him in the face when I answered. " "Just about two months." Maybe a tiny bit more.

He cursed under his breath, sounding clearly betrayed. "And you didn't think to let me know?"

He let go of my shirt like it burned him. I slumped back into the chair, elbow screaming, blood dripping from my lip to my shirt.

"Two months," he repeated, voice hollow. "Where is she?"

"Klaus, man, please listen..."

"Where is Adeline?"

The door slowly creaked open before I could answer. I already knew that she was close by, as I could feel her presence and smell her. Klaus probably could too.

When she entered, we turned to her.

Klaus froze as he took sight of her. As if he hadn't believed it before, until now that he'd seen her for himself. It wasn't exactly helping that she was barefoot and wearing one of my shirts, smelling like me.

"You were supposed to be in school." His voice had dropped, the anger now replaced with disappointment as he sized her up.

"He's my mate, Klaus." Her voice was soft, laced with guilt, but carrying a hint of determination. "And you can't make me leave him."

They both stood, staring at each other. Adeline was tiny compared to him, but she didn't look like she was backing down soon. Stubbornness and defiance definitely runned in the family.

I wanted to go between them, to protect my mate. But I knew Klaus would never hurt her.

Until;

He suddenly grabbed her right arm. "You are coming with me, young lady. We need to talk. Now!" He glanced at me for a second, his frown deepening. "Alone."