Chapter Three
S ullivan felt relief as soon as the coven house disappeared behind him. He’d barely given it a second glance as he drove away, knowing he needed to take advantage of the time he had.
He didn’t have to tell anyone when he left, and the leaders generally didn’t care who came and went, but Sullivan was sure they kept tabs on everyone. For as much power as they had, they didn’t trust anyone but each other, and Sullivan wondered if that was actually the case. He doubted that Linette, Fred, Deborah, and Clarence trusted Braden. Braden certainly didn’t trust them. Sullivan couldn’t help but wonder if the four who actually worked together trusted each other.
He would bet the answer to that question would be no.
That was what came with being power-hungry, evil people. They probably hated each other as much as they hated the rest of the coven.
But that wasn’t Sullivan’s problem, and hopefully, it never would be. He was fine with never being a coven leader. In fact, he felt sorry for Braden, who had no choice but to deal with all of this. Sullivan felt guilty because of the orders he had to obey, but he could only imagine how Braden felt when he tried going against what the other leaders wanted, only to be refused every single time. He had to feel as powerless as Sullivan, maybe even more so because, as a leader, he was supposed to have power.
He didn’t, not really. He didn’t even have the respect of the other leaders, and a lot of coven members also tended to avoid him. Even those who were on his side and wanted all of this to stop didn’t dare be seen with him. Sullivan knew that the other leaders kept an eye on him because he was close to Braden, which was why they tried not to be seen together, but Sullivan missed his friend. He hated leaving Braden and the others behind, but he wanted to update Chance and his pack on what was going on.
Even more than that, he wanted and needed some time away from the coven house. After what had happened to Trevor, it felt like ghosts inhabited the house. People hurried down the hallways, never spending a lot of time exposed in case one of the leaders saw them. The kitchen and living room were almost always empty, and when they weren’t, it didn’t last long. Even the meals had gotten weird, with most people taking their food back to their rooms.
Sullivan breathed easier the more space there was between him and the coven house. He was feeling lighter by the time he reached pack territory, and he grinned at the guard standing by the gate. The man recognized him and let him in, which was always a surprise to Sullivan. He didn’t feel like he belonged here, and technically, he didn’t. He was here as a pack ally, but he couldn’t help but wonder what it would be like to be a pack member.
His thoughts drifted to Matty. He was a pack member. From the little Sullivan knew, he hadn’t been one for long, but he’d looked like he was home the few times Sullivan had seen him. He’d certainly looked at home on Chance and Theo’s couch, shooting the shit with his friends and sneaking glances at Sullivan.
Sullivan smiled at the memory. He hadn’t been sure that Matty was interested in him, but the way Matty kept looking his way had made him wonder. He still did. There were more important things for him to focus on and worry about, but thinking of Matty felt like a break that Sullivan desperately needed.
Since Matty was a pack member, what would happen to them if they ever got together? There was no way Matty would ever move to the coven house, which Sullivan would understand. Hell, he’d probably try to change Matty’s mind if he offered to do that. The coven house wasn’t where Matty belonged, and it had nothing to do with him being a shifter instead of a mage. Honestly, Sullivan thought that the house should be destroyed once they were done with the leaders. He didn’t think it would ever recover from what had happened inside its walls.
What would happen to the coven if they destroyed it? They’d have to find another place to live, and without leaders, Sullivan wasn’t sure they could. They would have to find new leaders, too, but how were they supposed to do that? How would they choose the right people?
All these questions were moot until they got rid of the leaders they had, anyway. Sullivan should probably stop obsessing over it.
He parked in front of Chance and Theo’s house and decided to do just that. Right now, his focus had to be on getting rid of the leaders. Once that was done, he and the others could deal with whatever problems were left behind.
He got out of the car and noticed that someone else was parked there. The passenger door was open, and the driver was leaning into the car, only their ass poking out. Sullivan felt a bit guilty, but he couldn’t look away. It was an ass worth staring at—high, round, and calling for Sullivan’s hands or maybe his lips.
The driver straightened, and Sullivan quickly looked away so they wouldn’t catch him staring. He only glanced back when he heard the driver squeak.
It was Matty. Of course it was him.
Sullivan and Matty had never spoken, but it looked like that was about to change. “Hi.”
Matty stared at him for a moment as if he was trying to make sense of the word. “Hi?”
He made it sound like a question, and Sullivan found it impossible not to smile at him. “Matty, right? I’m Sullivan.”
“I know who you are, but I don’t know how you know who I am.”
“Theo told me the last time I was here. He told me a bit about his family and how you had each other’s backs while living on the streets.”
Matty nodded, thankfully not looking offended that Sullivan knew that kind of information about his past. “Good. Great.”
They stared at each other for a while. Matty’s cheeks were flushed, and he kept glancing from the car to Sullivan.
“Where are you going?” Sullivan asked because he was curious and because he didn’t want the conversation to be over yet.
“Uh, to get my sister. Our parents kicked her out.”
Sullivan sucked in a breath. “I’m sorry to hear that.”
Matty shrugged. “I think we both expected it, although I’d hoped they wouldn’t do it to her. They kicked me out when I turned eighteen.”
“And she just turned eighteen?”
“Yeah, today, in fact.”
“She’s lucky she has you to rely on.”
“I guess she is.” Matty cleared his throat. “I really should go. I need to find a mage to come with me because Chance won’t let me go alone, so I have to stop by Lester’s house first.”
Sullivan suddenly had what could either be the best or the worst idea he’d ever had. “I’m a mage.”
Matty cocked his head. “I’m aware.”
“What I meant is that I could come with you.” He understood why Chance wanted Matty to have a mage with him. If the coven found him and attacked him, he’d have a better possibility of getting out in one piece if he had a mage who could use magic to defend him, especially a mage who knew the coven as well as Sullivan did. Lester and his friends would have been good, too, but Sullivan was better.
“You don’t have to do that. I’m sure I can find someone else,” Matty quickly said.
“I wouldn’t have offered if I didn’t want to do it.”
“You’re here for a reason. I mean, I’m sure you have to see Chance or Theo or someone else.”
“I do, but I don’t have an appointment. Chance knows I’m coming around today, but he doesn’t know what time. If it makes you feel better, I’ll text him to let him know that I went with you.”
Matty shuffled his feet and looked from the car to the house. “That would be nice. You’re sure you want to do it, though?”
Sullivan was sure he wanted to spend more time with Matty and maybe even kiss him, but he didn’t think Matty would want to hear that. “I’m sure,” he promised. “Let’s go pick up your sister.”
* * * *
M atty was officially freaking out. He had no idea what was happening, but there was no way for him to say no to Sullivan without offending him, and that was the last thing I wanted to do.
He didn’t understand why Sullivan wanted to do this. Why had the man offered to come with him when Matty could easily have asked Lester or one of the other mages? He’d meant to do it yesterday, but after calling Sabrina and talking to her for hours, he’d completely forgotten. He hoped that even if Lester was busy, one of his friends would agree to come with him, and while he hadn’t been looking forward to spending four hours in a car with someone he barely knew, he was pretty sure that would have been better than spending those four hours in a car with Sullivan.
He barely knew Sullivan, too, but at least he didn’t want to climb Lester’s friends like trees. He wasn’t even sure how he was supposed to look Sullivan in the eyes, considering the kind of thoughts he had about him.
He watched as Sullivan slid into the passenger seat, his phone already out, probably to text Chance. Matty glanced back at the house, part of him hoping that Theo or Chance would come out to save him. He could imagine all too well what would happen if they didn’t—he’d make a fool of himself, and by the time he drove them back, Sullivan would be eager to return to the coven house and never come back.
If there was one thing Matty was good at, it was being awkward, and, unfortunately for him, it got worse when he was in the company of a person he liked.
He groaned and opened the driver’s door. There was no way around this. Chance had told him to take a mage with him, and he was. He couldn’t waste time because his sister only had today left at the house. She was turning eighteen, and instead of a birthday cake, their parents had given her an eviction notice.
Matty hated them.
He didn’t hate them for himself and what they’d done to him, but he did for what they were doing to Sabrina. He’d never wanted to see them again or to tell them what he thought of them before, but maybe today, he could make an exception. At the very least, he should tell them they were bad parents and even worse people. It would be so satisfying.
He was a bit hesitant as he turned on the engine and backed away from the house. He hadn’t driven in four years, and he was relieved to find that he remembered how to do it. It only took him half an hour to be comfortable again, and once he was, he relaxed. Sullivan hadn’t said anything yet. He was scrolling on his phone, and Matty was already reaching the end of his patience.
“Why did you want to come with me?” he asked.
Sullivan looked up from his phone. “You needed a mage.”
“And I told you that I would have brought Lester or one of his friends.”
“Had you actually talked to them about it?”
Matty gritted his teeth. He knew Sullivan didn’t mean to make him sound incompetent, but damn. “No. I forgot to call them yesterday.”
“What if they’d been busy? Something tells me that wouldn’t have been enough to stop you from getting your sister.”
“That something would be right. I would have left without a mage.”
“And you would have potentially put yourself in danger. I was right there, and I don’t have anything better to do with my day.”
Matty found that hard to believe. “Why were you in pack territory?”
“I wanted to talk to Chance to tell him what was happening at the coven house.”
“Good news?”
“Never when the coven leaders are involved. Things are getting worse, and we need to act.”
Matty didn’t know a lot about the situation beyond the fact that the coven was coming for them. He didn’t dare ask Chance, and he wouldn’t ask Theo because he didn’t want Theo to have to choose between his family and Chance. If anyone wanted Matty to know what was going on, they’d tell him.
But he was curious, and it seemed that Sullivan was willing to talk. They had hours of driving in front of them, so they might as well.
His phone vibrated, and since it was Theo, Matty knew he had to answer. He shot Sullivan an apologetic glance and stopped the car at a service station.
Sullivan was out of his seat before Matty could say anything. “I’ll get gas and grab snacks.”
Matty stared at his back. What the fuck was happening?
Theo had hung up, only to call back again immediately. This time, Matty managed to answer. “Holy shit. I’m on a four-hour drive with Sullivan.”
“That’s what Chance said, but I wasn’t sure, so I decided to call you. Why did you ask Sullivan, of all people?”
“You think I asked him? Hell, no. I wouldn’t even have talked to him if he hadn’t talked to me first. I was going to ask Lester or one of his friends, but Sullivan decided to volunteer.”
“You didn’t tell him you had other mage friends?”
“Of course I did. He said that they were probably busy and told me to drive. What the fuck am I going to do, Theo? I can’t be normal around him.”
“I don’t think you can ever be normal.”
Matty scowled even though Theo couldn’t see him. “Very funny.”
“I think it is. You need to relax, Matty. You’re in this now, and unless you want to dump Sullivan on the side of the road, there’s no getting out of it. You might as well relax and go along with it.”
“You really trust him? Because you know how I am. I might blurt out something that Sullivan shouldn’t know, and he could betray us and tell the coven leaders, and we’ll be in trouble.”
“I need you to breathe.”
Matty did just that, sucking in a breath, then another, until he felt his heart slow down. He didn’t need to have a panic attack at a service station.
“Good,” Theo continued. “Chance and I trust Sullivan. So does Lester, and he knows him better than us. I know you’re worried, but I really don’t think Sullivan is doing any of this to get to the pack.”
“Why would he insist on coming with me, then?”
“He probably wants to get to know you.”
That sounded too good to be true. “Why?”
“Why not? You’re a good-looking guy, and as far as I know, Sullivan is single. He seemed interested in you the last time we talked, and he couldn’t look away. I think that’s why he’s there with you.”
Matty had a hard time believing that someone like Sullivan could be interested in him. Why would he be? There was nothing exceptional about Matty. He was cute, but he was also full of problems, and he didn’t feel like Sullivan should want anything to do with that. “He was interested in me?”
“I told him you were single. I don’t think it’s a coincidence that the next time he saw you, he decided to go with you. Look, no one is saying that you have to start dating him. I understand that now maybe isn’t the right time, especially considering who Sullivan is. If you did want to date him, though, no one would have anything to say about it. Chance and I want you to be happy, and if that’s with Sullivan, that’s good enough for us.”
“Even though he’s an enemy?”
“He’s not. We’re on the same side, Matty. He might be a mage, but that doesn’t change the fact that he wants to take down the coven leaders.”
He was right, but then, Theo was always right. Even though he wasn’t Matty’s alpha anymore, he’d always be his brother. Matty trusted him, and he wanted to believe that Sullivan really was interested in him.
He glanced to the side and watched as Sullivan opened the gas station door and stepped aside to let a woman in. He was a handsome man, and from everything Matty had heard and seen from him, he was a good person. He was smiling at the baby the woman was carrying and wiggling his fingers to get the baby’s attention. Surely a bad man wouldn’t do that.
Maybe this was Matty’s chance to finally do what almost everyone else in his family had done already—find someone to share his life with.
* * * *
S ullivan’s phone kept vibrating in his pocket, but he ignored it as he paid and headed out of the gas station. He wasn’t sure he wanted to know who was trying to contact him so badly. If something had happened at the coven house, there was nothing he could do about it, anyway.
He didn’t want to go back yet. He would have to tonight, but in the meantime, he was free. It felt good not to have to watch his back and everything he did or said. It felt good to know that right now, no one was watching him and that he could spend most of the day with Matty. He hadn’t planned this, but he liked how his day was going. His many problems would still be there when he returned home tonight, but he could take a day off, right? Surely, the coven leaders wouldn’t manage to destroy the coven by the time he went back.
Part of him wished they would, if anything, because it meant he wouldn’t have to deal with them anymore, but he felt guilty even thinking about it. Most coven members were good people who were too afraid to do anything. They wanted to protect themselves and their families, and Sullivan didn’t blame them for that.
Chance would never threaten someone’s family to get them to do what he wanted. He wasn’t that kind of alpha, and if someone had a problem with him, they could talk to him. Sullivan had seen how Chance had dealt with that man who’d stood up to him the last time Sullivan had visited pack territory. If Franklin had been in front of the coven leaders instead of Chance, he would’ve been dead after a few sentences. They wouldn’t have allowed him to show the same disrespect he had for Chance.
Sullivan couldn’t help but wonder what had happened to Franklin. Had he and his family left pack territory, or had he accepted Chance’s authority? He’d seemed like the kind of person who didn’t like admitting they were wrong, even when it was obvious they were. If Sullivan had to guess, he’d left, although Sullivan couldn’t say it was with or without his family. He hoped for their sake that they were still members of Chance’s pack.
Matty was on the phone when Sullivan reached the car, but he quickly said goodbye to whoever he was talking to and hung up. Sullivan raised the bag full of snacks he’d bought, smiling at the way Matty’s cheeks flushed. It was almost as if he was embarrassed, and Sullivan wished he knew who he’d been talking to. Maybe his sister?
“I bought snacks. I don’t know what you like, so I got a bit of everything. I’m partial to salty snacks.”
“I like chocolate,” Matty murmured.
“Well, there’s plenty of that in there.” Sullivan had wanted to be sure there was something Matty would eat, and he was pleased with the choices he’d made.
He didn’t check his phone until the two of them were back on the road. Matty was silent, and since Sullivan didn’t want to bother him, he decided to find out who was so desperately trying to get in touch with him.
Turned out it was Chance.
Sullivan frowned as he opened the string of texts he’d exchanged with the alpha. He prayed nothing bad had happened and quickly scrolled up to check the first one he hadn’t read.
Theo just told me you’d decided to go with Matty. What are you up to?
That text was quickly followed by another. I’m not saying I don’t trust you, but this feels odd. Why would you want to go with Matty when you’ve never talked to him until today?
There were a few minutes between that text and the next one. Theo tells me you’re interested in Matty. I don’t have to tell you what will happen to you if you hurt him. He’s one of Theo’s brothers, and Theo takes protecting his family very seriously. I won’t put myself between you and Matty if this is what you both want, but be careful, Sullivan. We might be allies, but it has its limits.
It was clear that the limit of their alliance was hurting Theo’s family. Sullivan could understand that, and he had no plans of hurting Matty or anyone else. He just wanted to spend time with Matty.
He quickly typed an answer. I’m not planning on hurting him. For now, I just want to get to know him.
Chance’s answer was almost instantaneous. Why?
Sullivan shook his head. He hadn’t expected Chance to be so protective of his pack members, but maybe he should have. Chance might be a leader, but he was nothing like the coven leaders. He cared about his people and wanted them to be happy, and he was clearly ready to step in if he thought someone was hurting them. Sullivan felt lucky to be on Chance’s side and not fighting against him. He suspected the man would be scary in a fight, especially in a fight to protect his loved ones. Chance loved Theo, and Theo loved Matty as if he were his brother. That would be enough for Chance to spill Sullivan’s blood.
Because he’s cute, and he seems sweet. We haven’t talked much so far, but he needed a mage to go with him, and I don’t see a problem with me being that mage. Do you?
Sullivan watched the three dots move on his screen. It took Chance a moment to answer this time, and Sullivan waited patiently. He kept glancing at Matty, who was focused on the road and humming along with a song on the radio. He clearly had no idea that his alpha was giving Sullivan the shovel talk.
As long as you don’t have any ulterior motives, I don’t have a say in this. Matty is an adult and can make his own decisions, especially when it comes to relationships.
Chance was running ahead. There was no relationship between Matty and Sullivan, not yet, anyway. Sullivan wondered what a relationship between them would look like. He wasn’t sure it could exist in the world they lived in right now. Maybe once the coven had been dealt with? Sullivan wanted to hope, but he had no way of knowing if he’d even be alive by the time the coven leaders were gone.
He sighed. My only ulterior motive is that I didn’t want to go back to the coven house so soon. Living there is hell, and I really could do with a distraction. I promise I won’t hurt Matty and that I’ll keep an eye on him. I’ll protect him if anyone attacks him. He’s safe with me, Chance. I wouldn’t put our alliance in jeopardy for something like this, but even more than that, I don’t want to hurt Matty.
Sullivan found it odd to pour his heart out through texts, but he couldn’t exactly call Chance while Matty was sitting next to him. His attention might be on driving, but he had ears.
Fine. I’m letting it go, but remember that Theo and I will keep an eye on you. If Matty has anything bad to say about you, I’ll have to step in.
Sullivan took that as a win. He texted Chance a thumbs-up emoji, then finally put his phone away. It didn’t vibrate again, which he hoped meant that Chance was giving it a rest. Sullivan was glad that Matty had people looking out for him, but this felt like a lot. Of course, he only knew part of Matty’s story, but even that was enough to know that Matty was incredibly close to Theo, and, through him, to Chance. They were more than alpha and pack member.
They were family.
“Everything okay?” Matty suddenly asked.
Of course he’d noticed that Sullivan had been typing what felt like a novel on his phone. “Everything’s fine. Chance had a few questions.”
“Is he wondering where you are? I told Theo that you were coming with me, and he had questions.”
“Theo told him. He knows that I’m with you, and I’ll talk to him when we return to pack territory later today. I didn’t have important news, anyway.”
“So everything’s fine?”
“Everything is perfect.” That was partially a lie, but right now, it was easy to forget about the coven leader and how much blood they’d spilled and were still spilling. It was easy to focus on Matty and how cute he was, on the way his cheeks flushed every time he noticed Sullivan staring at him, and on the way he licked his lips as if he wanted to kiss Sullivan.
Sullivan hoped he did because he definitely wished he was kissing Matty right now.
* * * *
A s he drove, Matty couldn’t stop thinking about Theo’s words. Theo had said that Matty should give what was happening between him and Sullivan a chance, but Matty wasn’t sure there was anything happening between them. Sure, he thought Sullivan was handsome, and apparently, Sullivan thought the same of him, but that didn’t make a relationship.
It could be the beginning of one, though.
Matty wasn’t sure what he wanted. Yes, he wished he had someone to come home to at the end of the night, but could that person really be Sullivan? He was a mage and belonged to a coven that was actively trying to destroy the pack. He might be the pack’s ally, but what would happen once the coven leaders were gone? Would Sullivan want to leave the coven after he’d worked so hard to save it? There was no way Matty could leave the pack. It was his home, and after not having one for four long years, he wasn’t giving it up. It was where his family lived and where his sister would live, so Matty wasn’t going anywhere.
He felt like he was going a little nuts. This was a lot to put on a relationship that didn’t exist. Today was the first time he and Sullivan talked, and even though they liked the way the other looked, that might be all there was to it. Maybe they’d hate each other once this road trip was over.
Matty hoped that wouldn’t be the case.
“So, did you talk to your sister?” Sullivan asked suddenly.
“I texted her before leaving this morning.”
“Oh. I thought you were on the phone with her earlier.”
“No, that was Theo.”
For some reason, that made Sullivan smile. “Who immediately reported to Chance.”
“I guess he’s a bit protective of me.”
“It sounds like something he’s used to doing.”
Matty chewed on his lower lip. Sullivan knew what had happened to him, so there really was no reason not to give him details of what Matty’s life had been over the past four years. “I told you that my parents kicked me out when I was eighteen, and I ended up on the streets. That’s where I met Theo and the others. They took me in, and Theo was a good alpha. We didn’t have a home, but we were each other’s family, and we watched each other’s backs. He’s always been protective of all of us, and I don’t think that’s going to change just because he’s not our alpha anymore.”
“He’s your family.”
Matty was relieved that Sullivan understood. Not everyone did, and he’d heard several pack members talk to each other and wonder why it was so important for Theo to keep his friends in the pack. Apparently, some thought that only Theo should have become a pack member.
As if Theo would have allowed that.
“He is. He and the others are my brothers and sisters, and even though we all became pack members, we’re still a family unit.”
Sullivan nodded as if he really understood. “I wish I had something like that, but the coven has always been a hard place to live. Even before everything that happened recently with the dragon clan, we were never a family. We’re coven members because we happened to be born here in the coven, although there are exceptions, like Michelle.”
“She wanted to become a coven member?”
“I think that if she’d known what would happen, she would’ve said no, but she found us when she was sixteen and terrified. The leaders saw her as a way to make the coven more powerful. They promised her that the coven would always look out for her and that she just had to obey their orders, and they took her in. I don’t blame her for saying yes. I probably would have done the same if I’d been in her place.”
“But you never were.”
“Nope. Like I said earlier, I was born in the coven. My family has always belonged there, long before the current leaders were in charge. Things weren’t always the way they are now.”
“And you want them to go back to what they were before.”
Sullivan shrugged. “Not really. Things were different, but they weren’t good. The current leaders learned at the knees of their parents. From what I remember, even Braden’s parents weren’t great people. They were never as bad as the leaders we have now, and I don’t think they ever truly cared about the coven members beyond the power they could get from them, but yeah. The coven was always guided with an iron fist, and even though a lot of members care about each other, we’ve never been a family. I thought we might be if we managed to get rid of the leaders, but I’m not so sure anymore, not after I’ve seen the pack and how its members behave with each other.”
“Well, not every pack member loves everyone else as their family. There are plenty of them who would be first in line to kick me and the rest of my family out.”
“Chance and Theo won’t let them.”
There was absolute certainty in Sullivan’s voice, which was weird because he didn’t know the pack that well. It looked like he’d managed to read Chance and Theo perfectly, though. “They won’t,” Matty confirmed. He hesitated, then thought of Theo again. He’d told Matty to get to know Sullivan, which was what they were doing. What better way to get to know someone than by asking questions? “Is that something you think you might enjoy?”
“What?”
“Being part of something that’s more like a family.”
Matty had been where Sullivan was. He’d grown up with his parents and his sister, but he’d never really felt loved, except by Sabrina. He now knew that his parents probably hadn’t loved him, and he wasn’t surprised. It didn’t hurt him because he’d expected it. He had everything he could want now, though. He had more siblings than he knew what to do with, and while Chance wasn’t quite old enough to be his father, he’d taken on a protective role that fit a father figure. Matty wasn’t missing anything, but Sullivan hadn’t yet found a family.
“I don’t know if that’s ever going to happen,” Sullivan said, sounding wistful. “We do need to kick the leaders out, but I don’t know if the coven will survive that. It’s probably going to fracture without leadership, and I don’t know how we can choose new ones. They’ve always come from the same families, but I don’t think we should keep that system in place.”
“You could vote,” Matty offered.
“We could. I’ve been thinking about it, but most of the time, I tell myself that it’s pointless to do that now. It’s stressing me out, and we haven’t even gotten rid of the leaders. It can wait. Besides, Braden is a good leader. Even if we kill the other four, he’ll still be there.”
Matty’s stomach churned. He understood why Sullivan felt it was necessary to kill the leaders, but that didn’t mean he had to like it. The thought of killing people made him queasy, but the coven was too dangerous not to do anything. He suspected that if the coven leaders were allowed to leave, they’d eventually find a way to get revenge, and that was something no one wanted. They needed to deal with the coven and its leaders once and for all.
“Well, Chance has a reputation for welcoming strays,” he said, gently teasing. “The pack was always inclusive, but lately, it’s become even more so. Chance let me and my family in, as well as dragons and mages. I’m sure he wouldn’t mind one more mage if that’s what you want.”
Matty expected Sullivan to tease back or to say that he’d never leave the coven, but instead, he looked thoughtful. “You really think so?” he asked.
Matty swallowed at the thought of Sullivan being a pack member. He’d told himself to keep his distance from Sullivan because things couldn’t work between them since he wouldn’t leave the pack and Sullivan wouldn’t leave the coven, but it sounded like Sullivan might. “I do,” he croaked.
Shit. What was he going to do if Sullivan actually wanted to become a pack member? The thought terrified him as much as it excited him. Having Sullivan in the pack meant that Matty could have a real possibility with him.
He just wasn’t sure what to do with it.