He tapped his foot again and took a sip of coffee.He eyed his phone on the table, wondering if he should call.Would Seth even answer?
“Just call him,” Madeleine said with a sigh.“That way, you’ll be able to relax.”
It was all the permission Seth needed.He snatched up his phone and unlocked it, quickly pulling up Ryan’s number.He raised the phone to his ear and waited, ready to complain as soon as Seth answered.
Seth didn’t answer.The phone rang and rang until it went to voicemail.Ryan lowered his hand and stared at the phone.Should he try calling again?Would it make a difference?
“I can hear you thinking,” Madeleine complained.“I’m sure he’s fine, but if you’re that worried, maybe you should go find him.”
Ryan tapped his fingertips on the table.“Wouldn’t that be too much?”
“Too much for who?”
“I don’t want to send him running.”
“You haven’t yet, so I don’t think that there’s anything you can do or say that will send Seth running.Seriously, Ryan.Stop obsessing over what’s happening and go find out.”
She was right.Ryanshouldgo out there and find Seth, and if it was too much for Seth, well, they could talk about it and find a solution.That was what they did when they bickered.They took a breath and talked about it.Communication was key in a relationship, and Ryan wanted this one to work.
He got to his feet, grabbed his phone, finished his coffee, and dropped the cup into the sink for Madeleine to take care of.“I’ll be back later,” he said, pressing a kiss to her temple.
His sister scowled at him.“And you’re leaving me your dirty dishes.”
“I have to go.”
“You’re a dick.”
“Yeah, but I’m a dick—you know what?Never mind.That joke sounded better in my head.”
Madeleine snickered as Ryan left through the back door.Their parents knew he was going out with Seth, and he didn’t want them to worry when they saw him leaving the house alone before Seth could arrive.
Once he was outside, he paused and wondered where he was supposed to go.Seth was coming from home, so if anything had happened, he was probably still there or somewhere in that direction.If he wasn’t, Ryan would start looking for him elsewhere, but it was a good place to start.
He was still holding his phone.He texted Seth as he walked, but Seth didn’t see the message.He tried calling again, and Seth didn’t answer.
What the fuck was going on?
The sound of an explosion made Ryan jump.He looked around, trying to understand where it had come from.It hadn’t been very loud, but it was out of place.There shouldn’t be explosions in the forest.
There was a second one, a bit louder this time.It allowed him to locate where the sound was coming from, and he started running after pushing his phone into his pocket.He didn’t think Seth would answer anyway.If Ryan had to guess, his boyfriend was right in the middle of whatever was happening with the explosions.
Ryan was terrified.He could think of only a few explanations for the explosions, and none of them were good.It was possible that one of the mages who lived with the pack was casting spells over pack territory and had made a mistake.They were good people and good mages, but mistakes happened to everyone.Ryan hoped that was what he was about to walk in on because the alternative horrified him.
Luckily, he didn’t have to wonder for long.A third explosion rocked the ground under his feet.He ran faster, even though he was out of breath.If he survived this, he’d need to get into better shape.
The next explosion was louder and was accompanied by a roar.Ryan’s heart felt like it was about to beat out of his chest, but he pushed on, panting as he pumped his legs.
The bark of a tree just in front of him exploded, flying everywhere.A flash of pain burned his cheek, and he dropped to the ground, covering his head.The explosion was over almost before it happened.Ryan blinked up, looking at the tree.It was still standing, but bits of bark were still dropping to the ground.
Movement caught his attention.Something white moved in front of him.He swallowed when he realized it was Seth.
He’d shifted and was standing over the unconscious body of a woman.For a second, Ryan was confused.What was happening?Who was the woman, and why was Seth protecting her?Where the fuck were these explosions coming from?
He scrambled to his feet just in time to see someone he recognized step closer to Seth.
A mage.
Thatwas why Seth was late.It was why he’d shifted.Somehow, a mage from the coven had managed to find a way to bypass the protective spells around pack territory and sneak in, and he was attacking Seth.
