"Brother." Jeremy greeted calmly, completely unfazed by Alaric's dark glare.
Alaric glared at him, then glanced at Sofia, who had clearly noticed the tense silence between the brothers. Alaric quickly looked away from her.
"Go to your room, Sofia," Alaric commanded. His voice wasn't harsh, but the authority behind it made the air feel heavy.
Sofia didn't argue. She saw the way Alaric's jaw was set, his body wound tight like a spring ready to snap. She glanced at Jeremy, who was watching Alaric with a mocking, fearless glint in his eyes, before she turned and hurried back up the stairs.
As she reached the landing, she paused, hidden by the shadows of the railing, and looked down. Alaric didn't turn around until he heard her door close upstairs. Only then did he move, stepping closer to Jeremy until they were inches apart. The height difference was small, but Alaric's Alpha presence made him look like a giant.
