Page 3 of Hansen

He lost track of the conversation as he thought about his mate hiding somewhere out there.He was startled when Olga and Eliza got to their feet to leave.It was later than he’d realized, but he hadn’t exactly been watching the clock.He wasn’t ready to leave yet, so he was glad that Davey seemed okay staying with him for a bit longer.There’d been something going on with him, and while Hansen had been curious, he hadn’t wanted to push.Maybe it was time to.

He hadn’t expected Davey to answer his questions, but Davey did, shocking him.He shocked him even more when he told him about his best friend and what had happened to him.Hansen had been in a lab, like all of them.He knew what the scientists and the doctors did to people, and he could understand why Davey was so frantic.He wanted to get his best friend out of whatever lab he was in.No one should be stuck in one of those places.They were hell on earth.

“Have you told anyone else about this?”he asked.

“Moore and Orion.”

“And what did they say?”It was clear that Davey felt guilty about what had happened, but he had no reason to.He might not listen to Hansen if he said that, but surely, he’d listen to his mate.

“You already know what they said,” Davey said with a glare.“You don’t have to ask.”

“Well, if you believed them, you wouldn’t be feeling guilty.If Evan was your best friend, he wouldn’t want you to be unhappy.”The same went for Hansen.He might be unhappy because he didn’t have a mate, but he would never begrudge his friends for finding theirs.

“But I’m supposed to focus on getting him back, not on building a life with my mate,” Davey argued.

“Let me ask you this.”Hansen turned to face Davey, tucking his leg under himself to be more comfortable.“How would you feel if your roles were reversed?If you’d been left behind while Evan was free?What would you do if, when he found you, he told you he’d met his mate and had built a life with them?Would you think he’d been wasting time instead of trying to find you, or would you be happy that he had support?”

“I’d be happy for him.”Davey sighed.“I know he’d be happy for me.It’s not like I can look for him twenty-four-seven.He’d understand that.”

“There you go.I realize it’s much harder to actually deal with this, but as long as Evan wasn’t an asshole, he wouldn’t want you to slowly kill yourself to find him.He certainly wouldn’t want you to ignore your mate.”

“I’m not.”

“I know.I’m sure Evan would be happy for you, and it’s not like you’re going to stop trying to find him.You’ve been through a lot.We all have, and we’re still dealing with all the consequences.Don’t make yourself unhappy just because you feel like you have to be.There’s no doubt what Evan’s gone through is horrible, but it doesn’t make whatyouwent through any less awful.”

Hansen squeaked when Davey unexpectedly pulled him into a hug.“Thank you,” Davey murmured.

“Just don’t hug me to death,” Hansen said, hugging Davey back.

They didn’t linger long after that.Davey was probably eager to get to his mate, and Hansen couldn’t blame him.He’d want the same if he had someone like Orion waiting for him at home.Hell, he wouldn’t care even if his mate was nothing like Orion.Orion was handsome and sweet, and he was exactly what Davey needed, but Hansen didn’t care what his mate looked like.He didn’t care about his mate’s name or what they did for a living.He just wanted to meet them.

Apparently, that was too much to ask for.

“You’re sure you’re steady enough to go home on your own?”Davey asked as they walked out of the bar.

“I’ll be fine.Go find your mate and cuddle him.”

“You’ll find someone eventually,” Davey promised.

Hansen glared at him.“Mymate.”

“Yes, I hope that someone will be your mate, but maybe think about the fact that not everyone meets theirs or that you could meet them in ten or twenty years.Do you really want to be alone all that time?”

Hansen didn’t, but what choice did he have?He wanted to wait for his mate.He didn’t expect his mate to do the same, but he didn’t think he could be with someone when he knew there would be no future with them.

He was still thinking about Davey’s words as he walked toward home.What would happen if he never met his mate?Would he be alone forever?Was it something he could deal with, or should he give up waiting?

He wasn’t ready to do that just yet.Maybe he’d wait a few more weeks or months before surrendering.He wasn’t in a hurry, even though sometimes, he was a bit lonely.

He just wished his mate would hurry up.

* * * *

“YOU’RE GOING TO COMEwith us,” the hunter ordered.

Orion looked like he wouldn’t have any of that.Evan didn’t blame him.If a hunter ordered him to do anything, he’d resist, too.Hell, hehadresisted, which is why he was bleeding.

“Why should I come with you?”Orion asked.

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