Page 33 of Hansen

“People can’t shimmer in the village,” Evan pointed out.

Rikar shook his head.“That’s not exactly true.There are designated spots, including this one.”

Evan frowned and looked around.He couldn’t see anything different, but they wouldn’t be here if Rikar was lying.

“We didn’t want the villagers to be alarmed at people shimmering in and out during raids, so we designated a few spots in the village to be private shimmering areas,” Rikar explained.“This spot is one of those.Now, we just need to wait.”

Evan raked a hand through his hair.“How can we do that?We don’t know what’s going on.We don’t know if someone was hurt.How do you expect me to wait until someone comes back?”

“We don’t have a choice,” Orion murmured.“I know how hard it is.It’s not the first time Davey’s been on a raid, and I have to stay back.They’ll be fine, though.”

Evan wrapped his arms around himself.“You can’t know that.You can’t know anything for sure.Hansen could be hurt, or worse, and I wouldn’t know.”

“Davey is fine,” Orion offered.

Davey and Orion were bonded, which meant that Orion could feel Davey.He’d be panicking if something had happened to Davey, and strangely, knowing that did help Evan relax.

But he couldn’t help but wonder about Hansen.If something happened to him, Evan wouldn’t know.He wouldn’t be able to feel it.He’d still be here, waiting and hoping.

How was Evan supposed to deal with that knowledge?

He looked down at his feet.He’d been relieved to find out that his ability would be useless to hurt people, but now, he wished things were different.Hewantedto hurt people.He wanted to hurt the hunters who were attacking his mate.

But the only thing he could do was wait.

* * * *

HANSEN DIDN’T STRAYfar from his new friend, the guard.He had no idea why the man was helping him and the other mutants beyond what the guard had said, but he didn’t trust him.Maybe the guardwashere to find his siblings, but Hansen had no way of knowing who these siblings were and why they could be there.

He’d assumed they’d be in a cage, but he might be wrong.Maybe this guy’s siblings were doctors.Maybe they worked in this facility.Maybe the guard was lying.Whatever was happening, Hansen would make sure the man didn’t hurt anyone.

“This would be easier if we could talk,” the guard said as he stepped over a fallen hunter.He’d taken his gun out again, but he hadn’t used it yet.

He showed the guard his teeth.He wasn’t trying to be intimidating—okay, maybe he was trying to be abitintimidating—but he wanted the guard to know he was listening.

The man didn’t look impressed.“Yeah, I can do that, too.”He grinned at Hansen.It wasn’t a nice smile.“But I get it.You don’t trust me.I’m a shifter, too, just so you know.”

Hansen pressed his nose against the man’s leg, only for the man to push him away.

“I’m wearing one of those sprays, just in case.I didn’t want anyone to realize I was a shifter.You know what they do to us in this place.”

Hansen did, so he understood why the man would have used one of those sprays, but he still had dozens of questions.He couldn’t ask them in this form, but he would as soon as the fight was over.

Hansen noticed Olga fighting with two hunters.When she punched one of them so hard that he stumbled back and hit Hansen’s side, Hansen twisted his upper body and grabbed the man’s wrist.The man screamed, so Hansen gave him a good shake.Blood spurted in his mouth, so as soon as he dropped the hunter’s wrist, he spluttered and rubbed his muzzle with his paw.

“Aren’t you wishing that you could shoot them instead of biting them?”the guard asked as he raised his gun.Hansen glared at him.The guard didn’t seem intimidated because he grinned and added, “I’m Franklin.”

Hansen hadn’t expected to get a name, and he couldn’t give one back, so he just blinked.Franklin rolled his eyes and turned.Hansen watched as he shot one of the hunters who had been fighting Davey.

Impressive.

As much as Hansen wanted to focus on Franklin, he couldn’t.He tried to stay as close to the man as he could as they fought, but he lost sight of him a few times.He half expected Franklin to be gone by the time the last hunter fell to the floor, screaming, but the man was still there.

It was as if everyone still standing in the room turned to Franklin.He quickly raised his hands and dropped his gun, kicking it away so he couldn’t pick it up again.

“I know you can’t smell it, but I’m a shifter.I’m here because I’m looking for my siblings.”

Hansen hoped he wasn’t lying because if he was, it wouldn’t end well for him.

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