Finally, Alaric looked away briefly before answering quietly. "I couldn't control myself around you anymore." He inhaled deeply. "I was jealous you mated first with Nate. I still am."
The room went still.
Aire blinked faintly.
Alaric laughed once under his breath, but no amusement touched it. "There." He nodded slightly. "There's your answer."
Aire stared at him silently.
Alaric dragged a hand through his dark hair slowly. "You wanted honesty."
He looked back toward her fully now. "I adore you too selfishly to share you with another man… and too selflessly to force you to stay only mine."
The words settled heavily into the room.
Xander looked away briefly toward the fire while Nate's jaw tightened instinctively. For once, he agreed with Alaric, because he also wanted to chop their heads off.
Aire's heartbeat stumbled softly. She blinked at the intensity of his words, and the honesty in them.
Alaric continued anyway. "So I stayed away."
