Chapter 249 A Shirt and a Phone Call

Chapter 249: Chapter 249 A Shirt and a Phone Call

"Good." Alpha Killian gave a careless nod, but his silver eyes stayed on Eira.

She had said Sebastian had already used his second chance. The answer should have satisfied him. Instead, Alpha Killian still felt a quiet spark of jealousy under his ribs.

At least she was not planning to return to that man.

Mrs. Jones appeared in the doorway, wiping her hands on her apron.

The warm smell of roasted chicken and thyme followed her from the kitchen.

"Are you three finished talking shop?" she asked. "Dinner is ready, and it’s getting cold."

Eira smiled. "We’re finished."

Dinner was simple but comforting. Mrs. Jones served roasted chicken, buttered potatoes, and thick mushroom soup that tasted as if it had simmered all afternoon.

Susan ate quickly, thanked Mrs. Jones twice, and left first with her briefcase tucked under one arm.

When dinner was over, Eira walked Alpha Killian to the door.

"You should go home and sleep," she said. "You’ve been following me through the mountains for days. You look like you’re running on caffeine and spite."

Alpha Killian almost smiled.She was right.

As they reached the entryway, Eira noticed a flat package on the console table. A dark ribbon was tied around the box.

"Killian, wait."

He turned. Warm amber light fell across his face, softening the hard lines of his jaw.

Eira opened the package and lifted the lid.

Alpha Killian recognized the label immediately. It was the brand he always wore.

Two shirts lay inside, one larger than the other.

Eira handed him the larger one. "Seventeen and a half. This is the shirt I owed you. Remember?"

Alpha Killian looked at the shirt, then at her. A gift chosen for him was already more personal than he wanted to admit.

His gaze shifted to the second shirt.

"That one is mine," Eira explained.

Lila’s eyebrows shot up. "Oh?"

A teasing smile spread across her face. "Same brand. Same white shirt. Different sizes. That looks a lot like a couple’s set."

Eira blinked. "It isn’t."

"Of course not."

"Men’s shirts have a better cut," Eira said quickly. "And the fabric feels more substantial. I was curious, that’s all."

Lila nodded slowly. "Do you actually like it?"

"I’ll know after I wear it."

"Then ask Killian." Lila bumped her shoulder against Eira’s. "He is practically the brand’s favorite customer. When the company nearly went under, Sterling Group invested enough money to keep it alive."

Eira looked at Alpha Killian. "So it is basically your private wardrobe supplier?"

"Not exactly," he said.

His voice was calm, but his eyes remained on the shirt she had chosen for herself. The idea of Eira wearing the same brand as him pleased him far more than it should have.

Lila caught the look and hid a grin.

"No wonder it was so hard to find," Eira murmured.

Alpha Killian said nothing. Once they reached the driveway, he took out his phone and sent Eira the managing director’s private contact.

"You can order directly from them next time," he said.

Eira glanced at the message. "Thank you."

Her quiet gratitude warmed him more than it should have.

Before he could reply, his phone buzzed.

The name on the screen was Barry Wood.

"Sebastian’s mother has a brain tumor," Barry said without preamble. "She collapsed at home, and the scans revealed it. The Hales pulled some strings to get my father to review her case."

Barry’s father,Sherlock Wood, was one of the most respected neurosurgeons on the West Coast. If he agreed to take the case, Margaret Hale would have access to the best care available.

Barry continued carefully. "Before my parents make any decisions, I wanted to know where you stand."

Alpha Killian’s silver eyes shifted toward Eira.

She stood in the warm doorway, the second white shirt still resting in the open box in her hands.

After the call ended, Alpha Killian stood still, his phone still in his hand.

He debated whether to tell Eira about Margaret Hale.

The Hale family had already dragged Eira toward a courtroom. Whatever happened to Margaret now had nothing to do with her.

Eira had spent too long living in their shadow. She deserved a life that did not circle back to the Hales every time something went wrong.

In the end, Alpha Killian said nothing.

He drove home to Number One.

The house was dark when he stepped inside. Usually, the silence felt clean and private. Tonight, it felt empty. He set his keys in the tray by the door and glanced through the tall windows toward Number Nine.

A few lights were still on over there.

Alpha Killian looked away first.

He removed his shoes and jacket, but he kept hold of the shirt Eira had given him. He carried it upstairs, laid it carefully on the bathroom counter, and turned on the shower.

Steam soon covered the glass walls. Hot water ran over his shoulders, loosening the tension in his neck, but it did nothing for his thoughts.

He kept seeing Eira asleep on the flight home. Her head had rested against the seat, her cheeks warm from exhaustion, one hand curled loosely around the strap of her bag.

She had looked worn down to the bone.

And yet she had still remembered his shirt.

Alpha Killian closed his eyes. His breathing grew heavier.

He looked down, muttered a curse, and turned the water cold.