Boris looked up to see a tall, tight faced hunk. He quickly hotfooted in, into danger!
Inside the room was colder than it should've been. Maybe it was the stone walls. Or maybe it was just him, but now Boris definitely felt the chill as deep as in his bones.
Boris stood awkwardly, the skirt clinging damp against his thigh, part of his blouse slipping off one shoulder. The bruise on his hip from earlier, when the ladies had tried to beat him, throbbed. He tried not to think about how absurd he must look: clothes torn, eyeliner smudged, still smelling faintly of the herbs he used to treat the little girl.
After all, he hadn't expected this day to spiral into this.
Alpha Malakai set the child down gently on a wide sleeping couch since there wasn't a bed in the dressing room. But it was very big, it could only hold two people.
The girl yawned, curling instinctively into the covers like she knew this room better than any of them.
Boris dared to look at Malakai, just how doting and attentive he acted around the little girl. Was he really her uncle? As in, relative?
Anyway, he needed to know what he was doing here, first of all.
"Alpha Malakai…" he started, unsure if it was a greeting or a plea.
Malakai didn't look up. He took his bloody time removing the girl's yellow shoes, and tucking a corner of the blanket around her.
Then he stood.
Straight, sharp, and angry, his eyes locked on Boris like they were burning through every inch of fabric still clinging to his skin.
"Why are you here?"
His voice wasn't loud. But it didn't need to be.
Boris hesitated. His fingers twitched by his sides. What was he to say now? Was he asking his mate the question? No! Maybe he was asking because this selection trial was a females thing and he was a male, wearing a skirt.
"I…" Boris swallowed. "I am…..."
"Where were you last night?"
Boris blinked. Where was he?
"I beg your pardon?" His tone turned stiff and defensive. Of course. His pride being kicked up in the face of interrogation. "Do I need to report my every action to the Alpha? In what position am I to do that?"
To that, Malakai's jaw tightened. 'Oh, this is how it is? Getting all defensive after being asked a sensitive question, I see.' His breath drew in, slow and hot through his nose.
Skye stirred again, a snarl threading between his ribs. The wolf wanted to speak. Wanted to scream.
That was all Skye said, but somehow that was enough for Malakai to understand him. Their mate, this omega, was definitely guilty of something and he knows. He cheated!
"I will ask," Malakai said, each word clipped like a blade, "one more time."
His voice shook the walls.
"Where, and who were you with last night?"
Boris took a step back.
Was that it? Did he know? Was the stranger from last night… connected? Had someone seen him and told the Alpha? No. It couldn't be. It was dark in there.
"I…"
He was about to say more when the little girl's voice broke the air.
"Be nice to Auntie, Uncle."
Malakai's eyes flicked to her. His chest visibly rose and fell. Tension was battling inside him. He didn't mean to scare the little girl or the 'auntie.'
"He made me feel better," she mumbled sleepily. "He saved me."
Saved? Malakai paused. He stared at the child, and then at Boris. His jaw unclenched just enough.
"I will," he said, softly this time.
He crouched down, joining the girl on the bed and kissed the girl's forehead. Then he turned to Boris, "You stay."
Boris froze.
But he still nodded without meaning to, maybe out of fear. But his throat was too tight to answer.
Malakai lay beside the girl, his large body curved protectively around her. The room went still again. But before silence could settle, her tiny voice called out. "Uncle…"
"Yes?" Malakai's voice was a whisper now.
"Can Auntie lie with us too?"
Boris: "...."
Malakai: "...."