Page 37 of Hansen

Evan laughed.He’d seen Hayes around, and he seemed like a nice guy.They hadn’t talked, but Evan knew that Hayes was close to a lot of the mutants.He’d thought Hayes had gone on the raid, but after what Rikar had said, he suspected that Hayes was at home with their daughter.

As he should be.If Rikar and Hayes had a daughter, it made sense that Hayes hadn’t gone on the raid.Evan wished the same could be said for Hansen.Instead, his mate was in danger, and Evan didn’t know what was happening to him.

“You’re losing focus again,” Orion said, his voice snapping Evan out of his thoughts.“Come on, Evan.I know you can do it.”

“Idon’t even know if I can do it,” Evan said, glancing at Rikar only to find that he was encased in roots up to his neck.Branches from the closest tree were also reaching for him, almost as if they wanted to pull him into the woods.It reminded Evan of a fantasy movie.It was creepy.

Hewas creepy.When he’d heard about the mutants having abilities, he’d hoped he wouldn’t get one.He’d known there was a good chance that he would, though, and when he’d realized that it had to do with plants, he’d been relieved.He couldn’t hurt anyone with plants, right?

Wrong.

“What the hell is going on here?”

Evan snapped his face in the direction from which the voice had come.His eyes widened at the sight of Hansen standing there, wearing a doctor’s white coat that left his legs and feet bare.He was standing next to Teddy, whose brows had shot up his forehead, and a bunch of other people who’d seen better days.

They weren’t who Evan focused on.He should probably feel guilty about that since they were clearly hurt, while Hansen didn’t seem to be, but all of his thoughts were on his mate.

Hansen was home.He was there, in front of Evan, whole and seemingly healthy.

Their bond sang between them as Evan took a step forward.Orion quickly stepped aside to let him pass, and as soon as he was free of interference, Evan ran forward.

Hansen smiled and opened his arms.Evan wished he could say that it was like a scene in a movie in which he threw himself into his mate’s arms, and they kissed and promised each other they would never be apart again.Instead, he tripped and almost fell on his face.

Luckily for him, Hansen wasn’t far.He lunged forward and grabbed Evan’s arm, pulling him forward.He looked at Evan with a frown, but Evan didn’t give him time to ask if he was okay.He wrapped his arms around Hansen’s neck and squeezed tightly, making Hansen squeak.

“Evan?”Hansen asked as he hugged Evan’s waist.

“You were in danger, and I didn’t know.You could’ve died, and I would’ve had no clue.I would have gone ahead with my life until someone came to find me and tell me something happened to you.”

“I’m fine,” Hansen promised.

Evan tilted his head up to glare at him.“This time.What about the next time there are more hunters than you expected?What about when one of the people in the cages attacks you, or when the guards fight back?”

“I understand why you’re scared, but the only solution I can think of is for me to stop going on raids, and I’m not sure I’m ready to do that.”

“Or we could bond.If we did, I would feel you.I would know if you were okay.”And Evan couldn’t think of a better reason to bond with his mate.He already knew he loved Hansen.He didn’t need a bond to be sure of that.No, he needed the bond to be sure that Hansen was okay.

* * * *

HANSEN HAD NO IDEAwhat was happening beyond the fact that Evan was freaking out.

“You want us to bond?”he asked.

Evan clung more tightly to Hansen.“Yes.We can do it right now.”

Hansen cupped the back of Evan’s head with a hand.“There’s no need for that.I’m fine, and I’m not going anywhere.”

“Are you saying you don’t want to bond with me?”

“I’m saying I don’t want to bond with you here in front of all these people.”

Evan stared for a moment longer before nodding.Hansen expected him to step away, but instead, he buried his face against Hansen’s chest.

Hansen hadn’t expected Evan to be here when he arrived.He shouldn’t have been.Evan wasn’t supposed to know that something had happened during the raid.He was supposed to be at the bakery, helping Orion and selling pastries.

Instead, both he and Orion were here.In fact, Orion had been standing in front of Evan when Hansen had arrived, his hands raised as if he was trying to control him.It didn’t make sense.

What made even less sense was whatever was happening with Rikar.

---