The man shook his head.“They don’t know about this.We decided to come and take justice into our own hands without telling them.”
Seth snorted, which sounded weird when he was a bear.It caught Ryan and the mage’s attention, and they both turned toward him.The mage leaned back, but Ryan took a step forward.Seth shook his head, and dammit, it hurt.
He was fine, and he didn’t need Ryan to fuss over him.He didn’t needanyoneto fuss over him, but he knew how this would end.Between Ryan and Theo, Seth would be lucky if he was allowed to leave the house anytime soon.
He shifted back to his human form.The mage quickly looked away, but Ryan stared.It was as if he was trying to memorize Seth’s body, and maybe he was—or maybe he was checking Seth for injuries.
Seth reached for what remained of his clothes.He hadn’t had the time to take them off when he’d shifted, and his hoodie and jeans were torn.Luckily, he didn’t need either of those things right now.What he did need was his phone, which he found in what was left of his jeans.
He glanced at the first mage as he unlocked his phone and pulled up Chance’s number.The man was still on the ground, whimpering as he held his chest.Seth grimaced when he saw blood seeping from between the mage’s fingers.He hadn’t realized that Ryan had hit him so hard.
Not that he cared.Both of these men had been trying to kill him and the people he loved.They deserved to die slowly and painfully.
Seth had to lean back against the tree as he found Chance’s number.He really wished the world would stop spinning, dammit.
“Hey,” Ryan said.
Seth blinked to see his boyfriend coming toward him.When had Ryan moved?
“I’ll call Chance,” Ryan said as he gently took the phone from Seth’s fingers.
Seth let it go.Maybe he should sit down.
A branch cracking made him snap his head up, only to see that the second mage was on his feet.Seth raised a hand as if it would be enough to stop the mage, but the man was already hobbling away from them.Ryan turned and swore, but he didn’t move to go after the mage.Instead, he put a hand on Seth’s shoulder and gently pushed him down.
“Sit.”
“I’m fine, but we need to catch him.”
“Do we?I don’t care what he does or what happens to him.”
“He’s going to go back to the coven.”
“Yeah, he will.”
“We can’t let him do that.”
“Letting him go isn’t going to change anything.He’s going to run back to the leaders, and if he’s lucky, they’ll kill him because he disappointed them.I’d rather focus on making sure you’re okay.”
Seth finally allowed his knees to buckle.“I’m fine,” he said with a groan.
Ryan arched a brow.“Yes, because you look fine.”
Seth wiggled his eyebrows.“I do, don’t I?”
He was pretty sure that the running mage could hear Ryan’s answering groan even from where he was.
* * * *
SETH HAD TO BE OKAYif he was joking, but Ryan wished he’d stop.Now wasn’t the moment to joke.Of course, it was better than Seth being unconscious, so maybe Ryan should take it as a win.
He quickly found Chance’s number on Seth’s phone and hit call.Part of him wanted to go after the mage who’d escaped to get revenge for what he’d done to Seth, but another part couldn’t stand to be away from his boyfriend.He needed to be here and make sure that Seth was okay.The other mage didn’t look like he was going to get up anytime soon, but what did Ryan know?Maybe the mage was faking it to escape or attack Ryan.
“Seth?”Chance asked when he answered.He didn’t sound alarmed yet, but that would change soon.
“Not Seth.We have a problem.”
Chance sucked in a breath.If Ryan was in his place, he’d be swearing up and down, but Chance didn’t.
