“Oh really? Seemed there was lots of it today while you worked things out in your head when you didn’t share your plan with me what you decided to proclaim to the pack. So, is it only me who never gets any alone-time, but you can take it whenever you want to?”
“I am the Alpha of this pack. I don’t discuss my decisions with anyone.”
“So then I’m your mate, Cyrus, when it’s convenient, but the other times I can go screw myself. Is that it?”
“That kind of language is beneath you, princess. I don’t like it.”
She threw her hands up. Why was he focused on small details when he should be listening to what she said? “Are you paying attention to me? I’m angry with you.” She clearly had to spell this out for him as though he was a child. “You decided to risk your own life—to announce your intention to do so to the whole pack—without even informing me that you meant to do so first. And it has made me angry with you.”
“Your temper shows how human you still remain.” He shook his head. “I’m the Alpha of this pack. I don’t discuss pack business with anyone if I don’t want to. Things that relate to us, I’ll be happy to bring to your attention, but this is me as the Alpha. I don’t talk to you about it. Ever.”
She felt as though he had smacked her over the head. “I see.”
“No, I don’t think you do. I have to live many lives, and one of them now is being your mate. I don’t think it’ll come as a surprise to you to hear me say that it’s my favorite part, the best moments of every day, and sometimes being with you is going to mix with the rest of my life, my role as Alpha of this pack.” He took a deep breath, fatigue radiating from his pores. His scent smelled acidic. Why had she brought this up now?
Her temper had always been an unpredictable entity in her life. One second she’d be angry, the next she wasn’t. His scent had defused her. Not that she wasn’t correct, but they clearly couldn’t have this discussion while he was so exhausted.
“Fine. I understand. I won’t push this, for now. But you’re too smart to believe that a mate can be sidelined like that. You need me, and you know it.”
He sucked in his breath, and she turned around but then thought better of it. If she ran, he would chase, and she wasn’t in the mood for where that would end. They’d be right back in this situation. She closed her eyes. Her father had sometimes gotten really unreasonable with her mother. What had the woman who raised her done? She’d cooked him something, calmed him down, and then tried again. Sure enough, he’d ended up giving her what she’d wanted.
Betsy opened her eyes to regard Cyrus. “Sweetheart, I don’t really want to have to start managing you to make you be reasonable. Why are you acting so obstinate? Are you feeling guilty about something?”
He opened and closed his mouth, still not saying anything. Wow. Her simple question had silenced him. Finally, he spoke. “I guess. I’m feeling guilty, as you put it, that Kyra is dead, that I let the bar outings happen.”
“Right.” She nodded. “Those are all huge factors, I’m sure, but I’m asking you if you are feeling guilty in relation to me, outside of Kyra. Is something else making you feel that way, which is why you are acting like such a goat? What is it? Let’s talk about that instead of going around in circles and you saying things I don’t believe you actually mean.”
Cyrus growled, and she sighed. He was going to exasperate her before they ever got to the airplane. “You can growl and fuss if it helps. I don’t mind.”
“You were screaming at me a minute ago.”
She nodded. “And now I have my temper under control.”
“Just like that?”
And now he was going to focus on how and when she got angry? “This time. I can’t promise to always be able to do so, but tonight I can. Count yourself lucky. You’ve had a hard day. I don’t want to be the crazy mate who screams at you when you’re down.”
“Shit.”
“Now who’s using inappropriate language?” She wasn’t going to yell, but it didn’t mean she would forget everything he’d spewed at her.
“All right, I apologize. Yes, I’m feeling guilty.”
She shook her head. Weren’t women supposed to be complicated to deal with emotionally? Betsy needed a roadmap to navigate Cyrus. “About what?”
“Because you’re right, and I don’t like it.”
She stopped for a beat and bit her tongue. Her first instinct had been to snap at him. What did he mean he didn’t like it? Why would it bother him that she should be right? But she tried to breathe through that response. He’d told her she was right. Rather than make things worse, maybe she could try to figure out how to make them better.