Chapter Seven
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MATTHEW KEPT AN EYE on Alan, even though they were perfectly safe.
Really, there was no safer place than where they were today, at a birthday party surrounded by part of the tribe and most of the mutants.
There was no need for Matthew to be so anxious, but he found out that when it came to Alan, it was hard not to feel that way.
Maybe it was because of the way they’d met, or maybe it was just his instinct being strong because they’d only recently met and bonded, and had done so in difficult circumstances.
Either way, he felt better when he could see his mate, and thankfully, the same seemed to go for Alan.
He always stuck close, and he looked up from his conversations every so often to smile at Matthew.
Matthew still couldn’t believe how lucky he’d been.
If things had gone even slightly differently, he wouldn’t have met Alan.
Hell, he could have lost him before even knowing who he was.
The thought was enough to give him nightmares, and it did, sometimes.
When he was particularly anxious and tired, he dreamed that he and Franklin had been too late and that Victor had got to Alan before they could.
Once, he’d dreamed that the car Alan had been driving had slammed harder against the tree and had exploded.
Not knowing what would happen next made Matthew nervous.
The hunters had been strangely quiet recently, and he couldn’t help but wonder why.
Were they planning something? Did that something involve the labs, or were they working for themselves?
Hunters were a complicated group of people to deal with because of how different every family and group was, and sometimes, Matthew wondered if the tribe could actually do this.
They didn’t have a choice. No one else was doing anything. The council had sent a team of enforcers, but it wasn’t enough. How was a team supposed to take down so many hunters?
Then, there were the labs. They needed to be shut down quickly.
Hell, if Matthew had his way, he’d set those places on fire.
Maybe he could hint at it the next time they had a meeting.
He doubted Moore would allow it, but he might be willing to close an eye and look the other way during the next raid.
“You don’t look happy enough to be at a birthday party,” Olga said as she came closer.
Matthew eyed her. “You wouldn’t happen to know what’s going to happen with the labs and all of that, would you?”
“Even if I did, would I tell you?”
She wouldn’t. Matthew could only imagine what it was like to be in her place, knowing part of the future and being unable to talk about it.
He was sure that sometimes, she wanted to scream the information she had from the rooftops, but she’d once told Matthew that she was afraid that if she did, something would change.
She wanted to use her ability for good and to help, and she did so as much as she could, but it was more complicated than anyone knew.
She was still finding out new ways her ability worked and ways in which it didn’t.
“I can see that you and your mate will be okay, though.” She frowned. “Well, unless something changes. You know how this works.”
“I just wish we could do more. It feels like lately, all we’ve been doing is hanging around and waiting.”
“Waiting isn’t always a bad thing. It gives you time to spend with your mate, doesn’t it?”
At the mention of Alan, Matthew had to smile. “It does.”
“I take it that things are going well with him?”
“Couldn’t be better.”
Alan had insisted on moving in with Matthew right away.
He didn’t want to continue staying with Rikar and Hayes since there was no need for him to, and going back to his apartment permanently was out of the question.
That was why they’d already gone a few times to pack up his things and bring the essentials to Matthew’s house.
There was more stuff to pack and move, but Alan was living with Matthew, and Matthew couldn’t have been happier.
He noticed Franklin hovering by the wall when he turned to check in on Alan.
Franklin was alone, watching the people around him and looking a little sad.
Most of the mutants had nothing against him, but Matthew could guess he was still a little bit of an outsider, not only because he wasn’t a mutant.
A lot of tribe members didn’t trust him.
Matthew didn’t blame them for that, considering what a lot of them had gone through, but it made him sad because Franklin didn’t deserve it.
He was still trying to find his siblings, without success.
It had to be destroying him from the inside.
Franklin took a sip of his beer, and his gaze caught with Matthew’s. Matthew took the opportunity to wave him over. Franklin only hesitated for a moment before making his way toward Matthew and Olga.
Olga was watching with a smile, and when Franklin reached them, it widened. “Franklin,” she said.
“Olga,” Franklin said as he nodded at her. “I hope you’re having fun.”
“Who wouldn’t? What about you? Are you having fun?”
“I’m grateful to have been invited. I didn’t expect it.”
“Oh, there are many things you don’t expect.”
Franklin blinked. He looked like he wasn’t sure what to make of Olga’s words. Matthew understood why.
Matthew bumped his shoulder against Olga’s. “Don’t do that. It’s creepy as hell when people don’t know what you can do.”
“Well, I’m sure you’ll fill him in. I see my mate, and she needs a drink.”
Olga left laughing. Franklin looked even more confused than before, which was the state of mind a lot of people found themselves in when they spent time with Olga. “She can see the future,” Matthew explained. “It’s her ability.”
“How does that work?”
“I don’t know exactly, and I don’t think she does, either.
She never tells us what she sees, though.
She might tease you when she knows that something good’s coming, though.
” And what she’d said to Franklin had sounded like teasing.
Franklin probably didn’t realize it because he didn’t know her, but Matthew did.
“Does that mean she knows something about my future?”
“I think she knows something about everyone’s future. She won’t tell you, though, so don’t even ask.” Matthew paused. “She also won’t tell you anything about your siblings, even if she does know something about them. She’d be too scared of messing things up and making them worse.”
Franklin looked like he disliked that, but he nodded and took a sip of his beer. Matthew’s heart hurt for the man. He’d lost his mother and his siblings were who knew where, and there was nothing he could do to find them that he hadn’t already done.
At least he was with them now. They might never find Franklin’s brother and sister, but the possibility that they might was higher now that Franklin wasn’t doing this on his own. He also wouldn’t have to go back to working for the labs.
Franklin’s gaze flickered to something behind Matthew. Before Matthew could turn around to see what it was, a hand slipped around his waist and squeezed. He smiled because even without looking, he knew who it was. He’d recognize his mate’s scent and his touch anywhere.
Alan leaned into Matthew’s side. Matthew wrapped an arm around his mate’s shoulders and pulled him close to kiss his temple.
When he looked back at Franklin, there was a wistfulness in his gaze. He quickly smiled when he realized that Matthew was watching him. “Hey, Alan,” he said.
“What are the two of you talking about all so seriously?” Alan asked.
“You know, the usual,” Matthew said. “Olga.”
Alan snorted. “Oh, I see. Was she all cryptic and shit when she talked to you, Franklin?”
“A little. It makes me curious about what the future holds.”
Matthew was curious about what the future held, too, but unlike Franklin, he had some certainty.
He knew that Alan was in his life to stay. He knew that no matter what happened, they’d always have each other.
He hoped that Franklin would eventually find that, too.