Page 10 of Hansen

“I know,” he told Matthew before pushing him away from the hunter.Matthew was going to give the guy a heart attack if he continued poking at him.

By the time they were done, there were no hunters standing.Some of them were unconscious, but most had been gathered by the van so they could be taken away.The council would take care of them, although Hansen suspected that Orion’s father would be a different matter, but the man wasn’t his mess to deal with.

He frowned as he pushed one of the hunters toward Elsa, one of the Nix who would transport the hunters to wherever the council would be keeping them.Itwaskind of Hansen’s business, though, wasn’t it?He was Evan’s mate, and Evan was close to Davey, maybe as close as a brother.Orion was Davey’s mate, so even though they weren’t actually related, they kind of were family.More than that, Orion was Davey’s mate, and Davey was Hansen’s friend.That was why Hansen worried and why he cared.

He shook his head.He shouldn’t have started thinking about family before he talked to Evan.He didn’t know what would happen between them.Maybe Evan wouldn’t want him.Maybe he’d need time after everything that had happened to him.

Or maybe he’d be happy to meet Hansen, and Hansen would finally get his happy ever after.

* * * *

SAYING THAT EVAN WASoverwhelmed would be an understatement.He’d blown past overwhelmed last night when he’d arrived at the village.He was in freak out, screaming into his pillow territory now, and he had no idea how to deal with it.

He knew he could tell Davey and Orion that he needed some peace, and they’d do whatever they could to give it to him.He didn’t want to bother them, though, and he understood that meeting the leader of the village and the person who was apparently Davey’s boss was important.There was a lot that Evan needed to wrap his mind around, though, and he wasn’t sure that cramming all of this into his brain the day after he’d been rescued after years of captivity was the best idea.

Rikar was still talking and had a gentle smile on his face.Evan couldn’t help but smile back.Orion had promised that the village and the tribe would welcome him, but Evan hadn’t been sure he could believe him.Clearly, he should have because Rikar hadn’t even hesitated before welcoming Evan into his tribe.

“We can give you your own place,” Rikar said.

“That sounds like a bad idea right now.”

If Rikar was surprised by Evan’s words, he didn’t show it.“Whatever you need.We’re used to dealing with survivors and helping them get back on their feet.You won’t find a better place to do that than here.”

“I don’t know what I want right now.”

“Which is understandable,” Moore, Davey’s boss, said.

Davey had explained to Evan that by the time he’d managed to escape the lab, it had been too late for him.He’d already been altered in a way that would never change.Evan suspected the same went for him, but he’d decided not to think about it, and that was what he was doing.He’d have plenty of time later.Right now, he wanted to focus on settling down, spending time with Davey, and talking to his family.

Davey had been vague yesterday when Evan had asked about them, so Evan would need answers.He understood that all of this was as much of a shock for Davey as it had been for him.They both needed a little time to wrap their mind around everything.

“What he needs is time,” Davey declared.“He can stay with Orion and me for as long as he needs.”

“Of course,” Rikar said with a nod.“And if any of you need anything, you know where to find me.”

Evan did because Rikar was the leader and had made sure to explain which house was his, so Evan would know.

Evan was relieved when the two finally left.Davey and Orion walked them to the front door, but Evan stayed where he was.He closed his eyes and leaned back against the couch, taking a deep breath, then another.

Everything was weird.He kept expecting to wake up and find himself in his cage back in the lab.It wouldn’t be the first time he dreamed of being rescued, but it was the only time he’d actuallybeenrescued.He wasn’t in the lab anymore, and he was never going back.

He’d rather die.

He didn’t know how long it would take him to feel better about this entire situation, but he couldn’t wait.He wanted to leave the labs behind.He wanted to start living the life he’d been missing out on for so long.Davey hadn’t told him how long yet—he was probably scared that Evan would freak out when he found out—but he’d confirmed it had been a long time.

For now, Evan would stay with Davey and Orion in the village.Part of him wondered if he truly belonged here.From what Moore and Rikar had explained, this tribe was full of people who’d been rescued from labs, but even though Evan should feel like he was home, he wasn’t sure he was.He didn’t want to leave Davey so soon after finally finding him again, though.He just didn’t know if this was where he should settle down.

The problem was that the thought of going home terrified him.That was where he’d been taken, so what was to say that he wouldn’t be taken again?The village was a safe place.It was protected, and no hunter would come anywhere near Evan as long as he was here.Maybe he should stay.

And maybe he should stop obsessing over his future and give himself time to breathe.

“How are you doing?”Orion asked.

Evan opened his eyes to find him leaning against the doorframe, his massive arms crossed over his chest.Orion’s expression was gentle, as if he were afraid that Evan would break into pieces if he pushed.

Considering how Evan felt, he just might.

“I’m fine,” he reassured Orion.

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