26. Chapter 26
Chapter twenty-six
~Kitari~
I jerked upright to find Koum prodding me awake with his toe.
The light outside was brightening, and Bryce Bryce Gunner was lying curled up with his back to the far wall, eyes closed, breathing lightly.
“Jursin wants to see you,” Koum said, prodding me again.
I slapped his foot away. “I am guarding the human,” I said.
“He wants you now.”
“Then he can come here and talk to me himself,” I snapped. I was not in the mood for a repeat of our last encounter. The promise I had made hovered over my head like a dark cloud. Now my father had held up his end, no doubt he wanted to discuss mine.
Koum was unimpressed. “Shall I tell him that?”
“Why not? You seem to enjoy telling him things.” I glared up at him, remaining where I sat.
“You may think I am petty, but I do not do these things out of spite for you. I do not want to see you hurt. I was thinking of the safety of our people. And yours. Something you should do more often.”
I stared up at him. I knew he was right, but it did not help. I climbed to my feet and glanced over at Bryce Bryce Gunner again. His lips were parted, and the early light illuminated his face, picking out the dark specks on his nose and cheeks.
I sighed. Another encounter with Jursin was inevitable; I needed to see my father about Bryce Bryce Gunner’s release. With our agreement as leverage, perhaps I could convince him to allow me to accompany Bryce Bryce Gunner back to his people.
Leaving him felt wrong, but, if I was quick, I might be back before he woke.
“Do not touch him,” I snarled. “I will be back.”
***
My father stood on the balcony of his private chambers, dressed in long golden robes, and with a set expression. I knew that face, it meant he had made up his mind and would not be moved.
“I do not want you spending any more time with that human.”
When I had entered the building, I resolved to remain level-headed and composed. That resolve evaporated in an instant. “Why?”
“You have other duties to attend to now.”
“He is my prisoner. I do not trust anyone else to keep him safe.”
“That is not your concern.”
“I gave him my word that I would keep him safe.”
“Then you should not have done that. You will learn not to make promises you cannot keep. Now you must go to the archives.”
He turned, dismissing me. But I would not be dismissed.
“I will do so once Bryce Bryce Gunner has been released. I want to be the one to take him back to his people. Then I will go to the archives.”
“No.”
“Then who else will do it? He trusts me, the release will go smoothly if I am the one to go.”
“No one will do it, because the human is not being released.”
“We had an agreement.”
“I agreed for Clay to speak with him. I did not agree to let him go.”
“But—“
“That is what you said, and in return I will have your cooperation.”
“Bryce Bryce Gunner is not dangerous. If we are not hostile towards the humans, they will not be hostile to us.”
“He has seen our home, he knows our location. He can lead the others here.”
“He will not.”
“I cannot take the chance. Even if he is not, that does not mean that the other humans are the same. They have already seriously injured one of our own.”
“They must have been provoked in some way.”
“Why are you defending these humans? Our hunters were scouting the area, looking for any trace of you. They did nothing to provoke the humans apart from being near them on our own planet.”
“Because they fear us. If we could just communicate with them we could—“
Jursin slammed his hand against the table. “Why must you constantly question me? Just do as I say for once and stay away from that human.”
My father stared at me.
“What is the real reason?” I asked.
“You are an unmated alpha, and he is an unmated omega. I do not think I have to spell it out for you.”
“I would prefer it if you did,” I said.
“Do not be petulant, Kitari. I will not have my son involved with a human. They are nothing but bad news, omega or not. We already have one and look at all the trouble it has caused. Clay’s presence alone chaos amongst the high alphas, and the loss of our Third. We need no more of that.”
“Bryce Bryce Gunner had nothing to do with that. You will keep him imprisoned just to keep him away from me. That is not fair, he has done nothing wrong.”
“He and his people have invaded our home. I need no other reason. If you are unable to make wise choices, then I will make them for you.”
He wished to keep Bryce Bryce Gunner away from me, and the easiest way to do that was to keep him locked away.
“I am not a child, you cannot control who I choose—“
“I can, and I will. He will stay locked up for the rest of his life if I say so.”
“I cannot allow that.”
Anger flashed across his face, and for a moment I was a child again.
“You? What makes you think you have any say in anything at all? It is your fault he is here in the first place. He will remain in his cell until I decide otherwise, and you will stay away from him. Or moons help me—for once in your life act with wisdom. It’s time you grew up and took some responsibility, and thought of more than just yourself for once.”
“But I am thinking of more than myself. He must be returned. He can tell them this was a misunderstanding and they can leave. If not, the humans will stay here and there will only be more conflict. If you would just—“
“I will not have a repeat of what happened, you have no idea what went on aboard that ship.”
“From what I have heard, neither did you.”
His mouth opened. For a moment, he looked more shocked than angry, and I instantly regretted it.
“Do not speak to me like that! I am your leader, your First, your father - you will do as you are told! Keep away from the human, Do you understand?”
“Father—“
“Do you understand?!” he shouted.
“Perfectly.”
I stormed out.