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Banner was pacing a few feet to the side of where Adryan stood, growling low. I knew his focus was on my brother, as if he were waiting for the go-ahead to attack.
“What are you doing here?”
Adryan, in all his arrogant glory, had the nerve to laugh. I watched as a droplet of blood slid down the corner of his mouth, and he promptly lifted his hand and trailed a finger along it. He collected that bead and brought it back to his mouth, staring Banner in the eyes as he dragged his tongue over the blood-covered digit.
This had my almost completely shifted mate baring his canines and leaning his upper body forward.
“Stop, both of you. You’re acting like lunatics.”
“That’s my calling card, baby sister.”
I clenched my jaw at Adryan’s arrogant tone.
His humor faded, and his nostrils flared as I picked up on his anger and protectiveness. Banner must have been able to scent it because he growled in warning at Adryan.
“Watch it, vampire.”
Adryan kept his focus on me but lifted his hand and flipped Banner off.
I closed my eyes and exhaled. This was going from bad to worse.
“Did you actually think I’d let you go on a boat across the fucking world and be alone in some strange, obscure country, Luna?” Adryan cocked a black eyebrow. “You know me better than that.”
I knew I shouldn’t have been surprised at Adryan’s actions or words, but… I was. “I can handle myself,” I gritted out, my hands in tight fists at my sides. I was seething in newfound anger and annoyance. “The fact you are so controlling, that you can’t even let me breathe makes you even more unhinged than I initially thought.” And when he smirked, I felt my rage build.
I knew Adryan would have ripped out the throat of anyone who spoke to him the way I just had, but he just chuckled after the words left me.
He glanced at Banner. “She gets that fire from me, wolf.”
“Focus,” I snapped. “I mean it, Adryan. I want you to leave. I want to figure this out with Banner on my own.” I was so angry I could have attacked him myself, especially when he kept that smirk trained on me, as if I were a child he could swat away with my tantrum. “I can't believe you followed me,” I said again, low and more to myself this time.
I closed my eyes and breathed out through my nose to gather my control. I knew he meant well, but sneaking behind my back to watch me crossed a line, no matter his good intentions.
“I mean I guess I can believe you did it, but gods, Adryan?—”
“Luna,” he cut me off. “I hate that you’re pissed at me, but you have to know I’d never let anything happen to you.”
When Banner growled again, I opened my eyes and looked at my mate. For a second, we just stared at each other before I finally murmured, “Adryan, I need you to go. I want to speak with Banner alone.”
When my brother stayed silent, I looked at him. His eyes were narrowed and his jaw clenched. People didn’t tell him what to do. They were too afraid of how unhinged he was on a good day, let alone pissing him off on a bad one. But I didn’t care, not right now.
“He’s my mate, and you know what that means.”
It means he’s here to stay, and I have a new protector.
A long moment passed where we stared at each other in this stand-off that I refused to back down from. And thank goodness Banner didn’t instigate things or make it worse with his alpha, cocky tendencies.
Instead, my mate came to stand beside me. I knew he’d insert himself between me and my brother as some kind of human shield. But I was once again thankful he let me have control in this situation.
Adryan chuckled. I looked at Banner, seeing his teeth gritted in aggression, a warning to my brother.
“Ye donna even think about my mate let alone protecting her. She’s mine.” Banner slammed his fist against his chest. “She’s mine.” The last word came out in a deafening roar that had my ears ringing.
Adryan narrowed his eyes at Banner. “Watch it, fucker. She’s my little sister, and I’ll always watch over her.”
Banner was seconds away from lunging at Adryan, but my disgruntled sound had them both looking back at me. Adryan sighed with impatience as if I were still a little girl in his eyes.
“Adryan,” I finally said. “Please.” I softened my voice, a tone I’d used when I was younger to get my way. We were both stubborn, but he was even more. His arrogance and assertiveness, the fact he made sure to always get his way, made trying to show him that he was in the wrong could be the hardest thing in the world.
