Maybe it's the big brother kicking in--well, he's never been a big brother to anyone, not really. Well, maybe in title, but he'd only met Cailen once. And then, only very briefly.
But suddenly Alistair feels a little protective. And though he knows well that Annie is perfectly capable of taking care of herself, he can't stop the words from stumbling out. Especially not after what her sister just went through.
"Don't let him treat you poorly," he says. "You deserve a better man than someone who can't treat you like the girl you are."