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“What you are? What the hell does that mean? More mysteries, I guess. ”
“Kevin, this is my home, and the people you saw downstairs are all part of my…family. We call it a pack. ”
“A pack?” Kevin said blankly. “Like wolves?”
“Yes, exactly like wolves,” he said eagerly, his dark eyes lighting up. “Wolves feel more comfortable together in a close family unit. Wolves have rankings within the pack. Their leader is the alpha. ” He regarded Kevin steadily, maybe checking for his reaction to this drivel. Kevin tried to keep his face blank. He was finally getting some information, no matter how crazy, and he wanted to learn everything he could.
“I’m the alpha of this pack, Kevin. Richard is my beta, or my second in command. ”
“Okay,” Kevin said slowly. “And what does that make Tucker?”
“Tucker is my mate. Tucker is related to our pack too, even though his grandparents took him from us when he was only a baby. When we found him again, and explained things to him, he agreed to come here with us and meet everyone, including his father, who’d been searching for him for years. Of course
, I wanted him to stay, and I tried my best to convince him. His father did too. In the end, he made his decision, and I think I can safely say he doesn’t regret it. ”
“And if he’d decided not to stay? Would you have taken away his clothes and cuffed him to a bed like you did me?”
“Tucker’s situation was different, and I’m not sure what would have happened if he’d decided he didn’t want to stay once he’d seen the compound and knew…all he knew about us. I guess I’m only just realizing what a chance I took with him. I told him before he came that he could leave here if he didn’t want to stay, but I know now I wasn’t telling him the complete truth of the matter. I let my own emotions cloud my judgment. I would have let him go, because I wouldn’t have broken my promise to him, but the others wouldn’t have felt the same way and might have gone after him. No, I took a terrible risk with him, and I’m so relieved it turned out for the best. I’m afraid my luck has run out though, with you, Kevin. ”
Kevin felt an icicle of fear spear down his spine. He shifted uncomfortably. “Your luck or mine?”
Gavin glanced up, startled. “No, I didn’t mean it that way. We’d never hurt you, Kevin, any more than we already have. I promise you. What I meant was, we can’t just let you leave. You’ve been a good friend to Tucker over the years, and I owe you honesty at least. You have to be assimilated into our pack, Kevin. I’m afraid that’s the best possible scenario for you now. ”
We can’t let you leave. Those words terrified him, but he couldn’t let that show. He stood up and walked to the window, gazing out, trying to calm his nerves. A few people were walking around outside, looking purposeful, as if they were doing some nightly chore. Everything looked so fucking normal. Except that nothing was normal about any of this. Clenching his fists so hard he could feel his nails biting into his palms, he took a couple of steadying breaths. He had to keep his wits about him. Try to play along until he could find a way out. He knew Gavin was waiting for some kind of response.
“Assimilated? What does that mean?” he asked sharply.
“It means you’ll be staying here with us, and you’ll become one of us. You’ll have to let your parents and friends know about it eventually, of course, once you’ve settled in a bit. You’ll have a good life here though, and I think you’ll be happy one day. I hope so anyway. ”
Good life? As a prisoner?Was he serious? Before Kevin could even figure out a response to this, he heard a noise at the door. It was Tucker, holding Kevin’s dinner tray in his hands, and he looked furious. “So much for your promise to let me be with you when you explained things to him. Are all your promises lies then? Are any of you people even able to tell the truth?”
Gavin crossed over to him and tried to take him in his arms, but Tucker pulled away in anger. He went over to put the tray down on the bed and stood beside Kevin protectively, his body vibrating with emotion. Gavin followed him and turned him to look at him.
“You misunderstood, Tucker. I haven’t exactly explained things yet. I was just telling him he has to stay with us. I thought maybe we should explain things a little at a time. ”
Tucker rolled his eyes. “Because that will make any of this acceptable to him? Don’t be ridiculous. ”
“Tucker, I’ve been speaking with Marco and Zack. Both of them were quite clear that they’d never go along with just letting him go back to Florida. There’s too much at stake. He’ll have to join the pack. I should have waited for you, but I saw an opportunity and…” He sighed. “And I’m sorry. ” Again, he tried to take Tucker in his arms and again, Tucker shied away from him.
“No. ” He turned back to Kevin and took his hand in his. “I’m sorry I got you into this. I know you came here out of concern for me, and I promise you I never meant for any of this to happen. I should have called you sooner. I should have reassured you more often. ”
Gavin tried again to put an arm around him and this time Tucker let him, even leaning against him a little. “You were sick for a long time, honey. It’s not your fault. ”
“Sick? What was wrong with him?” Kevin asked, narrowing his eyes. “Did you do something to him?”
“No. ” Both Tucker and Gavin spoke at the same time. Tucker put a hand on Gavin’s chest and turned to face Kevin. “Right after our ceremony, something happened. I was…attacked by some of the same killers who were operating in Florida. It’s hard to explain, but I will explain it all to you, Kevin. I promise. It’s just that it’s going to be hard for you to believe. It was for me at first. There’s just so much…I mean it goes against everything we ever believed about the world…about everything…” His voice trailed off, and he seemed completely at a loss.
Kevin looked back and forth between them. “Okay, if this is supposed to reassure me—”
Gavin spoke up. “We’re not trying to scare you, Kevin, but Tucker’s right. All of this will be difficult for you to believe. I’m no good at explaining this. When I told Tucker the first time, he passed out. ”
“Okay, what exactly is about to happen? I demand to know the truth. I’m not understanding any of this, and you’re freaking me out. ”
Tucker opened his mouth to speak, but Gavin cut in. “There are only two ways to proceed from this point, Kevin. Neither is a great option, but it’s all we have. We thought about trying some drugs on you that would wipe away your memories, but that method is risky in that it’s unpredictable. It could wipe away all your memories. The risk is too great, in my opinion, and we don’t want to risk harming your mental faculties. The other thing we can do, and the thing we’ve decided on is to join you to someone in the pack. You’d become their mate, like their husband, and stay here with us. Once you’ve settled, you’d be free to come and go as you pleased, so long as your mate agreed. You’d be like Tucker, in a way. Fully a member of our pack. ”
“Your pack? Mate someone? I can’t even fathom what you’re talking about. ” He shuddered and gazed over at Tucker then down at himself. “Do I have it on me, Tucker? I feel like I got the crazy all over me, and I need to wash it off. ”
Tucker allowed a surprised chuckle to slip out. Even Gavin smiled a little. “I know it sounds outrageous, Kevin. You don’t understand fully yet, and I can’t explain it more right now. It would be too much to for you to take in. The day after tomorrow’s the full moon. Maybe afterward…”
