Page 7 of Hansen

They both nodded and left, but Davey stayed where he was, and so did Hansen.Until Moore gave him orders, he wasn’t leaving Davey’s side.

Orion was standing up to his father, which was good to see.Hansen didn’t know him that well yet, but he knew Orion’s history, so he understood how monumental this was for him.Orion and Perseus had always deferred to their father up until they’d left after Orion was wounded.They’d been afraid of him, but Orion could take the asshole.He was taller and broader.He had less experience, but he wasn’t alone.He might not know that he was surrounded by allies—which made what he was doing even more impressive—but they were ready for whatever happened.

Perseus stepped forward as if he was about to intervene, but Moore grabbed his shoulder, stopping him.Perseus tried to pull away, but Moore shook his head and kept him where he was.“We’re close enough to intervene if we have to, but I think your brother needs to confront your father.”

Hansen didn’t like standing there and not doing anything any more than Perseus and Davey did, but he understood what Moore was saying.This was probably Orion’s only chance to do this.

“Where are your friends?”Orion asked.“How many are supposed to arrive?Will there be enough of them to beat me and my friends?”

Maybe hehadrealized that Hansen and the others were here because it sounded like he was telling them to expect reinforcements.It was smart, and Hansen didn’t think that Orion’s father realized it.

“We won’t allow you to take over the world,” the man snarled.“It belongs to humans, not these...these animals.”

“Want to know something?Turns out, I’m a wolf shifter’s mate.”

That had to burn, considering how much Orion’s father hated shifters.Both his sons had found their mates and were happy and safe.

Hansen was shocked when the man ran at Orion.He hadn’t expected it, but he thought that Orion had because he was ready for his father.He caught the man’s fist and swept his legs from under him.As soon as the asshole was on the ground, Orion was on top of him, twisting his arm behind him and pining him to the dirt.Davey sucked in a breath, but he stayed where he was, allowing his mate to finally free himself from his father and the hunters.

Hansen reached for Davey’s wrist and gave it a squeeze.“He’s fine,” he murmured.

“Orion is, but what about Evan?”

Chapter Two

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IT WASN’T THAT EVANhadn’t wanted to help Orion.If there had been anything he could do, he’d have done it.It had been best for him to stay out of Orion’s way, though.He wasn’t a fighter even when he was in his best shape, and he hadn’t been in years.The docs in the labs were careful to keep him alive, but that didn’t mean they wanted him to thrive or be strong enough to rebel.

The only thing Evan could do was watch Orion confront his father, and that was what he did.Orion was strong and knocked his father down, and it took everything Evan had not to start cheering.He might be scared, but watching a hunter get his ass handed to him was always a good thing, especially when it was by the good guys.

Orion let go of his father.Evan sucked in a breath because he could see that the asshole was still conscious, but Orion didn’t seem to care as he turned toward the van where Evan was huddled and raised his hands, maybe to show Evan he wouldn’t hurt him.

“Are you all right?”Orion asked.

Evan nodded.He couldn’t look away from Orion’s father.Why wasn’t he getting up?Had Orion hurt him so badly that he couldn’t, or was he biding his time until he could surprise Orion?Evan wouldn’t put it past him.

“You think you can come out of the van?”Orion asked, snagging Evan’s attention again.

Evan hesitated.“I don’t know.I’m scared.”He wasn’t getting anywhere near Orion’s father.That man was vicious.

“It’s all right to be scared.”

Evan almost snorted.Of course Orion thought it was all right to be scared.“You weren’t.”

“Oh, I was.I was terrified, Evan.”

“You didn’t look scared.”

“I knew what my father would do.I was prepared, and besides, I had to protect you.No matter how scared I was, I couldn’t listen to the fear.”

Evan almost moved forward when he noticed someone moving close to the van.It wasn’t Orion, and Orion’s father was still down.No, this was someone else, someone Evan didn’t know and probably couldn’t trust.He glanced around, not surprised to see there was more than one someone.Had more hunters arrived?Orion’s father had said they would, but Evan had thought he was bluffing.Maybe he hadn’t been.Maybe Evan and Orion were about to be carted off to the closest lab.Evan should be resigned because this was what his life had been for who knew how long, but for a moment, he’d thought things would finally change.

“These are my friends, so you don’t have to be afraid of them,” Orion said gently.“Remember I told you they would come for me?Well, they did, and they’ll help you, too.”

Not hunters, then.That was a good thing, although Evan still wasn’t sure he should trust Orion and his friends.Orion had saved him, but it was a byproduct of Orion kicking his father’s ass.It had nothing to do with Evan.

But Orion had been nice to him when he didn’t have to.He’d been worried that Evan was hurt, and when his father had tried forcing both of them out of the van, Orion had stood up for Evan and protected him.If there was one person Evan could trust, it had to be him, right?Besides, he was Davey’s mate.

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