Chapter 31

Alaric’s POV

I didn’t want to get violent. Not in front of Meadow. 

But my younger brother had a way of pushing me to do things I didn’t want to do like breaking his already crooked nose for the third time in two years.

I didn’t feel it. I never did—but the way Nolan’s head had snapped to the side before his body had hit the ground, too fucking drunk to even get back up, the way he cursed loudly, curling into himself and cupping his bloody nose, told me everything I needed to know.

“Shut up, Nolan,” I muttered. He groaned in response.

Out of all the things I already had going on in my life, my brother was the last person I wanted to see. We weren’t close, but every now and then, he’d pop in just to bother me or try to insert himself back into my life by using our mother as an excuse.

Though I knew that the only thing driving him was his guilt.

“Alaric…” I heard Meadow gasp softly.

My shoulders tensed as I turned t