“He died because the coven leaders are thirsty for power and willing to do anything to get it.They never cared about him.They sacrificed him to get what they wanted.I couldn’t allow them to do that to the rest of my family.Besides, Alyssa is still so young.I never wanted her to grow up in fear, and I know her father wouldn’t have wanted that, either.When we were approached and it was suggested we leave the coven, we were scared, but we agreed it was the best thing we could do for our family.”
“And now you’re here.”
Ryan nodded.“We are.And trust me, even with what happened the other day, we’re safer than we ever could be with the coven.”
Seth hoped Ryan was right and that Tim and Christian were the only idiots who would attack Ryan.He knew people, though.He’d seen how they were when he’d lived on the streets.“Well, if anyone ever bothers you again, please come and tell me,” he said.
“Oh?And what will you do?Protect me?”
Seth felt like his cheeks were on fire.“If I can.I didn’t do a bad job the other day, did I?”
“No, you didn’t.”
Ryan stopped walking.They were between the trees, so Seth was pretty sure that no one would be able to see them from the house, even if they peeked through the windows.He and Ryan hadn’t done anything that called for privacy for now, but maybe they would.
Seth still didn’t know who the woman who lived with Ryan was, but considering what Ryan had just told him, he guessed it was his sister.He wanted to know for sure before he did anything stupid, but he wasn’t sure how to ask without making a fool of himself.
“I’ll never be able to thank you enough for what you did for me the other day,” Ryan said.
“I know you could have defended yourself,” Seth said.“I’m curious to know why you didn’t.”
“The only way I could’ve done it was by using magic, and that’s what the pack is afraid of.I’m pretty sure I would’ve made things worse if I’d used my magic.”
“For Tim and Christian, definitely.”
“For me and my family.I can’t afford to do anything that could get us kicked out of the pack.”
“I realize you don’t know Chance, but he wouldn’t do that.”
“He might not want to do it, but he could be pressured into it.I don’t want to put him in that position.I don’t want to do anything that would jeopardize me and my family’s place with the pack.”
“You care for them a lot.”
Ryan blinked.“Well, yes.They’re my family.”
“Your parents, your sister, and your niece, right?”There.That should be enough for Seth to find out if the woman who lived with Ryan was his sister.Ryan hadn’t mentioned anyone else, but there could still be someone.
Ryan nodded.“Yeah.You should meet Alyssa.She’s great.”
“I’m sure we can arrange that.”
“My mom would love to have you over for dinner, so probably.Don’t feel obligated to say yes, though.”
“I don’t.I want to get to know you and your family.”
“Yeah?”
This was where Seth needed to make a choice.His pack knew what had happened to him when he was twelve, and Chance probably did, too, but they were the only ones.Seth hadn’t even trusted Chance enough to tell him.Theo no doubt had, and that was fine with Seth.He didn’t enjoy talking about it, and he didn’t trust people enough to tell them.
But maybe he could trust Ryan.He had to if he wanted anything to happen between them.He wasn’t sure they would become anything more than friends, but he hoped they would.He was tired of being alone.
He wanted to get this out of the way before anything happened.Maybe once Ryan realized how fucked up Seth was, he’d change his mind, or maybe he’d decide to stay and try anyway.It was Seth’s biggest secret.
He wasn’t ashamed of what had happened.He didn’t have a reason to be.He hated that his parents had done all of that and that they still influenced him to this day.If he and Ryan were going to be anything, Ryan needed to know why Seth did some of the things he did.
God, this relationship thing was hard.It might even be too hard for Seth to want to continue with it, but he’d made Theo a promise.He’d told his brother that he would try.
So, he would.
