“Stay,” Franklin murmured into Reed’s hair.“Tonight.Stay with me.”
Reed’s throat was too tight to speak, so he just nodded against Franklin’s chest.
They should probably move to the bedroom, and they should definitely clean up, but neither of them seemed willing to break the moment.Reed felt Franklin’s breathing even out and the tension drain from his mate’s body as sleep started to claim him.He was surprised that Franklin was falling asleep, but it was good.Franklin needed the rest.
For the first time since the accident that had changed his life, Reed felt like he might actually deserve this.Maybe he could have something good that wasn’t tainted by his past.
It wouldn’t last.Tomorrow would come, and with it, all the complications they’d avoided talking about tonight—Garrett’s recovery, Leah still missing, and the question of what this meant for their bond.But for now, curled up on Franklin’s couch with his mate’s arms around him, Reed let himself have this and believe that maybe, just maybe, he could be happy.
Franklin’s breathing had deepened into sleep, but his arm stayed tight around Reed, even unconscious.Reed pressed a soft kiss to Franklin’s collarbone and let his own eyes close.
Tomorrow, they’d face the world.Tonight, they had this, and for Reed, that was more than enough.
Chapter Seven
Afew days later, Garrettwasn’t getting better.If anything, he was getting worse.
Franklin watched his brother through the window in the door at the clinic.Garrett was still here, in his own private room.There was no other choice since he kept shifting into different animals.The first time he’d shifted into a lion, Franklin had been delighted, thinking that maybe he was getting his brother back.Shifting in a bed in the clinic wasn’t a great idea considering how big Garrett’s lion was, but it had felt like progress.
Until Garrett had shifted into a bear.After the bear, it had been a horse, and the room had definitely been too small for that.Reed had had to intervene and use his ability.He’d stopped Garrett from being able to shift, and while Franklin hated that, he’d also been relieved.He didn’t know if shifting that quickly into so many animals hurt his brother, but he wasn’t willing to risk it.Knowing that Reed could stop him helped Franklin feel better, but he couldn’t help but wonder what would come next.
Would Reed have to stay with Garrett forever?Would he have to keep an eye on him just in case Garrett started shifting?For now, Garrett didn’t seem to be all there.According to what the healers had said, he’d retreated into his mind, possibly in an attempt to avoid the pain the scientists and the guards had been inflicting on him.He hadn’t been like that when Reed had last seen him six months ago, but Reed was positive that eventually, he’d get better.
Franklin wanted to believe that, but he couldn’t ignore what was in front of him.Garrett was terrified.When Franklin visited and talked to him about their past and their family, he didn’t react.He also didn’t try to escape or scream, but that didn’t mean he understood who Franklin was.
But he did recognize Reed.That was something.Franklin was glad that if it wasn’t him, it was his mate.No matter what Reed had done, it was clear that it had brought them together and that Garrett trusted him.He was possibly the only person Garrett trusted right now.It wasn’t personal, and Franklin wasn’t taking it as such.He was just glad that his brother had someone.
“You can go in,” one of the nurses said.
Franklin startled.He hadn’t heard her coming close.
He turned to her, plastering a smile on his face.“Thank you.I’m aware I can.”
Her expression was understanding.“But you’re not sure you should.I get it.This isn’t easy.”
She had experience with this.Everyone in the clinic did.They were taking care of other prisoners from the facility along with Garrett, and some of them were in worse shape than he was.Luckily, the mutants had gotten their hands on every bit of information in the computers and in the files the scientists had been keeping.It was the first thing they’d secured once they’d gotten into the facility, which was a good thing because several of the scientists had died.
