Did Ryan care?Not really.He couldn’t think only of himself, though.It could put his family in danger, and that was the last thing he wanted.At the same time, it was one of the reasons he’d left the coven.He’d wanted to be able to live his life without anyone ordering him around, and that included relationships.Why should anyone care if he wanted to kiss the alpha mate’s brother?He knew that people would, but did it actually matter?
But Seth needed to be as careful as Ryan was, if not more.Dating a mage might make things more complicated for his brother-in-law, and Ryan didn’t think that was something Seth wanted to happen.
He huffed.He hated this.Why couldn’t they be two guys who wanted to get to know each other?
Maybe Ryan could forget who they were for the next half-hour.Maybe they both could.
* * * *
SETH WASN’T SURE WHAThe’d had in mind when he’d decided to talk to Ryan.He was still thinking about his brother’s speech and how he shouldn’t allow their parents to ruin his life.Theo was right—he often was, even though Seth would never admit it.
Seth had only been twelve when he’d left home, and he was twenty now.His parents had influenced a massive part of his life, but he was still young.Surely there was a way for him to get over what they’d done so he could be happy?It didn’t even have to be with Ryan, although Seth couldn’t say he’d mind if it was.
He liked the mage.He liked that Ryan had been strong but calm when Tim and Christian had confronted him and that he hadn’t reacted with anger or violence.He also hadn’t run straight to Chance, even though most people would have.It was obvious that he was trying not to cause trouble, but as far as Seth was concerned, he wasn’t the one doing that.Idiot pack members were.
“So, friends,” Ryan eventually said.
They were out of sight of the house now, which Seth suspected was on purpose.Ryan’s mother and the woman who’d opened the door had seemed nice, but it was clear that Ryan didn’t want them to hear their conversation.
Thinking about it made Seth’s stomach churn.Was Ryan hiding something from the people he lived with?Seth wasn’t even sure who they were.He’d guessed they were Ryan’s family, but he didn’t know for sure, except for Ryan’s mother.
“We can be friends,” he said.He might be attracted to Ryan, but it didn’t mean that Ryan was attracted to him.Even if he was, it didn’t mean anything had to happen between them.Seth didn’t know who the woman who’d opened the door was, but it was clear she was close to Ryan.They lived together, after all, and Seth had seen a little girl with them during the pack meeting.He hoped he hadn’t been thirsting over a married man, but he’d deal with it if he had.
Ryan’s smile was sweet.“I’m not sure I know how to be a friend.Friendship wasn’t exactly encouraged by the coven leaders.”
“Well, that makes two of us.I didn’t learn to make friends while I was living on the streets.”
Ryan frowned.“Is that what happened to you?”
“Yeah.Let’s just say that mine and Theo’s parents weren’t exactly good people.”
“I’m sorry.”
“You have nothing to be sorry about.”
“It doesn’t mean I can’t be sorry.I’m sure you feel sorry about what happened with the coven.”
That much was true.“Were you born there?”
Ryan nodded.“My sister and I both were.Our parents, too.Our family’s lived with the coven for generations.”
“And now, you live with the pack.”
“We do.It’s a bit weird, but it can’t be worse than living with the coven.”
“Are you sure about that?You met Tim and Christian, after all.”
“They can’t be worse than the coven leaders.”Ryan paused.“It wasn’t always like that.Things were different when we had other leaders.I can’t say it’s ever been a walk in the park, but we weren’t forced to attack innocent people for power and money.Things changed when the coven leaders did.”
“It couldn’t have been easy for you to leave.”
“It wasn’t, but we didn’t have a choice after my sister’s husband died.”
Seth had many questions, but he didn’t want Ryan to feel like he was overstepping.He also didn’t want to bring up bad memories.“I’m sorry to hear that.”
Ryan nodded.“He was a friend.More than that, he was my niece’s father and my sister’s husband, and losing him was a blow to our family.The coven leaders didn’t care, though.They felt they hadn’t done anything wrong.They’d given orders, and he’d followed them.He died doing what he was supposed to do, or at least, that’s how they see things.”
“It’s not howyousee things, though.”
