“Father,” I snapped.
Seth sank down, disappearing under the blanket but not before I saw his bright red face.
“By the code of conduct and laws of privacy,” I snarled, “you are not allowed to be transferred to someone's quarters without their permission. I could file charges against you.”
His eyebrow raised. “Try it.”
“What do you want?”
“You have not spoken to me, your mother, or your brothers. We are concerned.”
“I’m fine.”
“This,” my father said, gesturing, “is what happened in the past when you started to act out.”
A sharp stabbing sensation started in my chest and flooded my entire body. In the past, I’d made mistakes, but I had worked very hard to put them behind me. Still, they never were. At the slightest misstep, everyone assumed I was back to how I was.
“I was not ignoring you because of any issues, Father, I was—”
“He was taking care of me,” Seth interrupted, his deep voice like music to my ears. “He was taking care of me because I was sick. And for your information, he is amazing, and I don’t deserve him. I choose him, so stop threatening him with me.”
I blinked at the venom in his voice, though it made my soul sing. Father watched Seth with an unreadable gaze. When Seth opened his mouth, I shook my head. He closed his mouth and glared at my father.
“You don’t seem sick anymore with the activity I happened upon,” Father remarked.
Seth turned bright red, sagging back.
“Is that all you needed?” I asked, crushing Seth to my side. Tension radiated off him, and I worried he was going to have a panic attack. Seth didn’t like people seeing us being overly affectionate, and my father had caught us in a very intimate moment.
“Yes. Answer me or your mother’s pings next time,” he ordered. “I will contact you tomorrow to discuss your behavior.”
When he disappeared, I turned to Seth, who trembled. I said, “I didn’t think that would happen. I swear.”
Seth nodded, pale.
“Are you alright?”
“Did I mess everything up?”
I asked, “What? You didn’t mess anything up.”
“I yelled at your father.”
“I’m sure it was good for him. I often yell at him, and as my mate, you’re allowed to defend me.” When Seth didn’t speak, I tightened my hold. “I liked you protecting me.”
“I didn’t like him talking to you like that.”
My lips pursed. “In his defense, I have caused a lot of trouble.”
“I don’t care,” he said, voice hard.
I nuzzled him. “Thank you for loving me.”
Because I was still embarrassed about his father popping in on us, I’d slept in my room last night, and Kal had joined me. Not that changing rooms mattered, but it had made me feel better.
This morning, Kal had departed after a private conversation with his father. He hadn’t wanted to discuss it, and I didn’t pester him. He was allowed privacy.
I put Lucy onto my lap, and she purred in contentment, making biscuits on my thigh. Comfortable in my bulky sweater, I stretched out on the couch to read. It had been a few weeks since I’d read in Drakconese, and already some of the knowledge had disappeared. But I forged on. This was one of Kal’s favorite books, and I was determined to finish it.
