“Just give Ryan a chance,” Theo added.
“Iamgiving him a chance.I wouldn’t have agreed to see him again if I weren’t.”
Theo’s smile was delighted.“So you’re seeing him again?”
“That’s what I just said, isn’t it?”
“Good.”
“I don’t know if anything’s going to come out of it.”
“Even if it doesn’t, at least you tried.You opened up for someone.You’ve been alone for too long, Seth.”
“You only think that because you have Chance, and you want everyone to have someone like him.”
“Well, yes.Why wouldn’t I want my brother to have the kind of happiness I have with Chance?”
“I don’t feel like I can never have it.”
“You can.”Theo sounded sure of himself.“Maybe not with Ryan, but at least you’re trying.”
“It feels like if things aren’t going to work with him, I shouldn’t even try.”Because Seth was terrified.Ryan had the power to hurt him in a way other people didn’t.It might be early days, but Seth could already tell.Ryan was the only person Seth had opened up to beyond his little family, and that meant something to him.
“Opening up to people is always scary,” Theo said as he patted Seth’s arm and seemingly read his mind.“When I first met Chance, I had no idea if I was doing the right thing.I was scared for myself and for you.I stood to hurt a lot of people if I was making the wrong decision by trusting him.”
“But it was the right decision.”And Theo getting with Chance meant that their little family was safe and had a home.Theo had taken a leap of faith.Seth wasn’t sure he could do the same, but maybe he could at least try.He might get hurt, but he also might not, and for the first time, he thought that maybe it was worth a try.
“Are you going to see him today?”Theo asked.
“None of your business.”
“I’m your alpha mate,” Theo argued.
“Maybe, but right now, you’re my nosy big brother.You can be my alpha mate when it doesn’t involve my private life.”
“I still want to know how it goes.”
“Again, that’s your big brother side.What are you going to do if it doesn’t go well?Kick him out of the pack?”
“Maybe.”
“Chance gave you too much power.”
“Because he knows I’ll use it wisely.”
That much was true.As much as Theo liked to joke and was overprotective, he would never kick Ryan out just because things didn’t go well between him and Seth.
Well, Seth was almost a hundred percent sure of that.He didn’t think Ryan would ever hurt him on purpose, anyway.That didn’t mean they wouldn’t hurt each other, but it was none of Theo’s business.
“If anything happens with Ryan, you won’t have anything to do with it,” Seth warned him.“So stop being overprotective.I’m fine, and things haven’t gotten that far yet.”
“I know.I just like seeing you happy, and you’ve been smiling more since you’ve met him.”
That startled Seth.Had he?He hadn’t realized it.“Well, I’m not going to be smiling if you do something stupid like giving him the shovel talk.”
Theo raised his hands.“Fine.I’ll keep my nose out of it.Just remember that you can talk to me if you need to.”
“As long as you promise not to kick Ryan out, I’ll consider it.”
