Chapter Five #3
“We could still hurt you and your people,” Maureen said.
“You could, and I don’t want that to happen.
I don’t want anyone else to die or be hurt because of you.
If you even think about attacking my pack, we’ll attack first, and we’ll win.
We might lose people in the process, but everyone is ready to defend their home.
We will destroy your coven if you even think about attacking us. ”
It was tempting to think that Chance should just do what he was saying and destroy the coven before they had the possibility to attack them, but Seth understood.
Even though a lot of the mages had moved in with the pack, some of the people who’d stayed behind were still there because they didn’t have a choice.
The pack couldn’t attack people who were just trying to survive.
As long as the coven left them alone, things would be fine.
Would the coven leave them alone?
Something told Seth that this wasn’t over, even though the leaders were finally silent. They might not be able to do anything now, but they would as soon as they could, and the pack would have to suffer the consequences. Seth wasn’t looking forward to it, but at least for now, they were safe.
“Do you understand?” Chance said. “Do not test me and my people. We’ve lived in peace until now, but we won’t hesitate. We saw what you did to the dragon clan. We won’t allow you to do the same to our pack.”
Raymond looked like he’d swallowed a toad.
Eldora was still holding his arm, but Maureen was staring at Chance as if she was trying to find a way to get out of agreeing with his conditions.
There wasn’t. Chance had laid down the law, and even though the coven leaders weren’t part of his pack, they had to know that it would be better for them to go along with him.
They wouldn’t like what would happen if they didn’t.
Maureen eventually nodded. “We’ll stay away from your pack.”
Chance’s smile appeared genuine, as if he was talking with a friend.
“Good. And leave my people alone. That includes the mages who now live with us. I won’t tolerate you attacking or threatening any of them, including Ryan.
He and his family are pack members, and I will act accordingly if you even think about doing anything to them. ”
Chance turned and nodded at James. James kept an eye on the three leaders and the other two mages as Chance walked away.
Seth scrambled to follow, grabbing Ryan’s hand as he did so and pulling him along.
He wasn’t about to leave Ryan with the leaders.
He’d said his piece, and now, he needed to stay as far away from them as possible.
“That was incredible,” Ryan murmured when they were far enough away that the leaders wouldn’t hear them unless they used a spell.
James snorted. “It was stupid. What were you thinking, talking to them that way?”
Ryan’s back tensed. “I was thinking that I lived under their spells my entire life. I was thinking that I could finally tell them what I thought of them.”
“You could have gotten us killed.”
“I didn’t.”
“You know how easy it would have been for them to attack us?”
“You think I don’t? Do I have to remind you that I lived with them almost my entire life?”
“Children,” Chance said, sounding both fond and exasperated.
“There’s no need to fight. The meeting’s over, and even though I have no doubt that we’ll see the coven again in the future, I believe that for now, we’re safe.
I don’t think they have the manpower or that they’re stupid enough to attack us.
You can stop fighting over what happened today. ”
James looked like he wanted to argue, but he eventually shrugged and opened the car door. He slid into the driver’s seat, but Seth hesitated. He’d arrived with Chance and James. He should go home with them, right?
Chance turned to him and Ryan. “Thank you for your support, Seth.”
“I can’t believe you were only going to come with James.”
Chance arched a brow. “Was I?”
“If I hadn’t insisted on coming along, yeah.”
Chance shook his head. “I’m touched by how much you care, but I’ve been the alpha for years, and my father for even longer.
He taught me well, including how to protect myself.
” He raised his hand and waved at something behind Seth and Ryan.
Seth turned, swearing when he saw three of the mages who lived with the pack standing in front of the coffee shop.
Chance leaned closer. “There was no need for you to worry, but thank you for coming with us.”
Seth groaned. “I’m an idiot.”
“You’re not. You’re someone who cares, and that’s what the pack needs. Even if you only did this for your brother, I’m still grateful.” He looked at Ryan. “Now, why don’t you and Ryan drive back together? I’m sure the two of you want to spend time alone.”
“You’re going to tell my brother about this, aren’t you?”
“I will. I’ll also tell him that you’re with Ryan, though, so you should have a few hours of peace. If you’re lucky, he might even leave you alone until tomorrow.”
But there was no doubt in Seth’s mind that he would have to give his brother an explanation. Theo was going to be so pissed.
Seth would try not to think about it until he absolutely had to.
* * * *
RYAN DIDN’T WANT TO go home. He knew that his family would be able to see that something had happened in his behavior, and he wasn’t up to explaining that he’d confronted the three leaders and had told them to fuck off.
He didn’t want to scare them, but more than that, he was tired and didn’t want to talk about any of what had happened.
“Want me to drive?” Seth asked.
Ryan blinked at him. “Would you? I didn’t think this would affect me as much as it did.”
“I’m not surprised it did. Come on. Give me the keys.”
Ryan was happy to obey. He slid into the passenger seat and leaned against the window, his thoughts going back to what he’d told the leaders.
He would never have had the courage to tell them any of that before.
What had changed? Was it just that he knew him and his family were safe and felt free to be honest?
Having Seth there had helped, too. Ryan had known that whatever happened, Seth would step in and protect him.
Chance and James would have, too, but Seth’s presence had given Ryan the boost he’d needed to pour out everything he felt about the coven and the way it was led.
“You’re shaking,” Seth murmured, his voice low and steady as he reached over to grip Ryan’s hand. The warmth of his palm was grounding after what had happened.
“I’m fine,” Ryan reassured Seth, even though he wasn’t sure he was. He would be eventually.
“You’re not fine,” Seth said, his tone soft and gentle. “But that’s okay. You don’t have to be. Not with me.”
Ryan sucked in a breath. The way their hands fit together—how right it felt—made his chest tighten. He wasn’t used to someone seeing through his walls and caring enough to notice the cracks. The only people who could were his family, but this was different.
“Let’s go home,” Seth said after a beat, his thumb brushing over Ryan’s knuckles.
“I don’t want to.”
“How about we go to my home, then? You can spend as much time as you want there.”
“I have groceries in the trunk.”
“We’ll put everything in the fridge, and you can take it to your parents tomorrow.”
They’d have questions and would be able to guess that something had happened, but Ryan would worry about that tomorrow. “All right.”
Ryan was relieved to have the time it took Seth to drive them back to pack territory to think.
What was done was done, and even though Ryan was both proud of himself and freaking out over it, there was no changing it.
There was also no reason to think that not doing it would have changed anything.
The coven leaders hated anyone who stood up against them, which included the mages who’d left the coven.
They’d have wanted revenge on Ryan even if he hadn’t told them to fuck off.
Talking to them the way he had had just moved him to the top of their to-kill list, but he’d already been on it.
*
BY THE TIME SETH PARKED the car in front of his house, Ryan felt better.
He enjoyed the domesticity of them bringing in the groceries and putting away what needed to be refrigerated.
It was almost as if they lived together, which was something Ryan was surprised to realize he wanted.
It was too soon, though, wasn’t it? He and Seth had barely gotten together.
Ryan shouldn’t already be thinking about living with Seth, but he could imagine what it would be like, and he desperately wanted it.
“Living room is there,” Seth said, pointing his finger. “I’ll get you something to drink.”
Ryan wandered into the room, looking around for signs of Seth and Thomas.
Standing in the quiet of the living room, Ryan felt the last remains of fear drain from him.
The space was warm and lived-in, the scent of pine and leather wrapping around him like a blanket and reminding him of Seth.
He’d been there for Ryan. He’d supported him.
“You should stay the night,” Seth said, his voice breaking the silence.
Ryan hesitated, his gaze flicking to Seth’s face. He wanted to say yes because he wasn’t ready to talk to his parents, but Seth didn’t live alone. “Thomas?”
“He’s out for now,” Seth said quickly, a hint of pink rising to his cheeks. “It’s just us.”
The words lingered in the air. Ryan’s heart raced, even though Seth hadn’t said or even implied anything.
Seth stepped closer, his free hand rising to brush a strand of hair from Ryan’s face. The touch was tentative, but Ryan’s breath hitched. “You’re safe here,” Seth murmured.
Ryan’s eyes fluttered shut. Safe. It was a word he wasn’t used to. He’d never been truly safe when he’d lived with the coven. None of them had been.