Chapter Four

Davey had accepted that he wouldn’t be going on raids anytime soon, but that didn’t mean all of this was easy. No matter how many times he told himself that Evan would want him to be happy, he couldn’t ignore the little voice in the back of his head that whispered that he was an asshole for spending time with Orion and having a life while Evan was being tortured.

What was he supposed to do? He’d looked for his best friend for years. He would do anything to find him, even dying—and that was a possibility he wasn’t discarding just yet.

He’d give up anything for Evan, so why did he still feel like it wasn’t enough?

“You don’t look like the type to be doing this job,” Matthew said from the other side of the counter.

Davey glared at his fellow mutant. “And what do I look like I should be doing?”

Matthew wrinkled his nose. “Something where you don’t have to deal with customers. That scowl on your face is keeping people away.”

Davey pointedly looked around the bakery. There was a line by the counter and an even longer one outside the door.

Orion had opened his bakery about a week ago, and while the first day had been a little slow, that had changed quickly. Some people had come in because they were curious and wanted to gawk at the hunter baking cookies, while some had wanted to support a fellow tribe member.

Whatever the reason these people had, they’d come, and they’d bought Orion’s food as quickly as he could make it. He’d been working overtime, and even though Perseus and Teddy were already helping him, Davey had volunteered to do the same. It would be something to get him out of the house so he couldn’t obsess over Evan and the next raid Moore was planning.

“Was there something you wanted?” he asked Matthew.

Matthew pointed his finger at Davey. “There. That’s the problem.”

“ You’re the problem,” Davey snarked back. He couldn’t tell if Matthew was teasing or if he was trying to be helpful. Either way, Davey had no patience for that.

Matthew gave him a sweet smile. “Can I have six chocolate chip cookies?”

Davey eyed him. There was a line behind Matthew, so he needed to be fast and couldn’t afford to worry about what Matthew was up to. “What are you going to do with six cookies?”

“Eat them. What do you do with cookies?”

Davey grabbed a box and put it together. “Six cookies is a lot of sugar.”

“Don’t worry, grandpa. I won’t eat them all at once.”

“You’re not that much younger than me.”

“But I am younger than you.”

Whatever Matthew was doing, it had helped, even though Davey would never admit it. He felt more relaxed, and when he turned to the woman standing behind Matthew after handing Matthew his box, he gave her a more natural smile.

“I’ll see you later,” Matthew called out.

“I hope not,” Davey called back.

Matthew snickered, clearly showing he thought Davey was teasing.

Was he? Sometimes, he wasn’t sure. He liked spending time with the other mutants, and he knew that Moore considered them all a big family, but sometimes, he wondered if that was actually the case. Sure, they’d spent time in a lab, and they’d come out of it different, but that was all they had in common. Well, that and wanting revenge on the people who worked in the labs. Was that enough to make a family, though?

Davey didn’t know, and now wasn’t the right time to wonder.

The rest of the afternoon was spent much the same way. People kept coming in, whispering and pointing toward the back room where Orion was baking up a storm, and Davey tried to ignore the stares while he boxed cookies and cupcakes. He wanted to be offended on Orion’s behalf, but the gossip would be good for the bakery, and it wasn’t like Orion knew about any of it, anyway. He was in the kitchen, where he belonged, and he’d be happy when he saw how much stuff Davey had sold.

That was all Orion wanted. He’d told Davey about his dream of opening a bakery and how his father had ridiculed him for it, and Davey was glad that Orion could have his dream without having to think about what his father would do if he found out. Orion was safe from the hunters and his father, and Davey would ensure he continued being safe.

“This all looks delicious,” someone said.

Davey looked up to find Olga and her mate on the other side of the counter. For a moment, he tensed, convinced that Olga was here to tell him about his future, but she had an arm wrapped around her mate’s shoulders and seemed content.

“What can I get you?” he asked as sweetly as he could.

Olga arched a brow. “You know, you don’t sound like yourself.”

“I don’t care what I sound like. You want anything to eat, or are you here to bother me?”

“What do you think?”

Eliza sighed and gently slapped Olga’s shoulder. “Be nice.”

“I’m always nice,” Olga said, looking completely innocent.

That was a lie. Olga was a demon. Davey would know, since he’d been friends with her for years. Eliza had only met her recently, and while the two were mates, Davey had time on his side.

“I just wanted a cupcake,” Eliza said with a soft smile.

Davey couldn’t help but smile back. “Of course. Which one did you want?”

“Is there any that you recommend? I’m sure you know which one is the best.”

“I think they’re all great.”

Olga snorted. “That would be because your mate baked them.”

“He did, but I would tell him if they weren’t good.” Davey turned his attention back to Eliza. “I really like the coconut and pineapple one.”

“I’ll get that one, then.”

Davey eyed Olga. “Only one? I’m sure your mate would be happy to buy you more than one cupcake.”

Olga rolled her eyes. “What else do you want me to buy?”

Davey grinned at her. “How about half a dozen cupcakes and maybe some cookies?”

“Whatever you want.”

Davey was gleeful as he put together the order. If Olga wasn’t okay with this, she would’ve told him to fuck off, so he wasn’t too worried, and he liked selling Orion’s stuff. It was good, and people should eat more of it.

“How much longer are you working?” Olga asked.

Davey checked the time. “It’s about time to close. In fact, would you flip the sign at the door? I’ll take care of the last customers.”

Olga thankfully obeyed without arguing, and Davey handed the box over to Eliza. “There you go.”

Eliza’s smile was soft. “Would you want to come to dinner with us? Hansen is coming, too, and I fear he’ll feel like a third wheel.”

Davey playfully glared at her. “So you’re only inviting me because you don’t want Hansen to feel bad?”

“And because you’re a nice boy.”

“I’m not a boy,” Davey groaned.

“To me, you all are. You’re Jessup’s friend.”

And Eliza was Jessup’s mother. Davey always teased Jessup about Olga being his stepmother now that his mother had bonded with her, but he could see how happy Eliza was, and he suspected that was all that mattered to Jessup.

“I’ll go check with Orion to see if he needs anything, and I’ll let you know.”

Orion should have already been at home sleeping, but the bakery had just opened, so he tended to work until late during the day, even though he had to be here early in the morning. He was going to need more sleep eventually, but for now, he’d reassured Davey that he was fine and he could do this, and Davey believed him. It wasn’t his place to tell Orion what he should or shouldn’t do.

“Do you need anything else?” he asked as he leaned into the kitchen.

Orion was mixing something in a bowl. When he looked up, Davey smiled at the smudge of flour on his cheek. From Orion’s expression, it was clear he’d lost track of time and that he had no idea how late it was.

Davey stepped into the kitchen. “It’s six-thirty. The bakery’s closed.”

“Really?”

“Yeah. You’ve been working the entire day. You should probably take a break. You could come to dinner with Eliza, Olga, and Hansen. I’m going.”

Orion blinked like he didn’t quite understand what Davey was talking about. Davey had already noticed that when his mate was in the kitchen, he didn’t pay attention to anything but the food he was making. He was sure he’d find it infuriating over the years, but for now, it was endearing and adorable.

But then, everything about Orion was.

* * * *

Orion had once again gotten lost in his work. That wasn’t a surprise, since it happened pretty much every day, but it had gotten worse since the bakery had opened. He was doing everything he could to ensure it would be successful, which meant long hours of baking. He was starting to miss Davey and spending time with his brother, but he didn’t want Rikar to be disappointed, which was why he was so focused.

“You don’t have to come if you don’t want to,” Davey offered.

Right, he was talking about going to dinner with his friends. Normally, Orion would have said yes and jumped on the opportunity to spend more time with his mate, but tonight, he couldn’t. “I have dough rising that I’ll need to take care of in half an hour.”

Davey nodded as if he understood, and maybe he did. He knew how important this was to Orion, and he’d never said anything about the time and effort Orion was putting into the bakery. He was just there for him, supporting him and helping him in any way he could.

Perseus had offered to work with the customers before the bakery had opened, but Orion had known that wouldn’t be a good idea. Perseus would send them running—if they even came in after they saw his face through the window. Perseus had always been grumpy, and while his brother’s offer touched Orion, he’d told him to continue looking for something he actually wanted to do rather than something he felt he needed to do. Orion wasn’t against Perseus and Teddy helping him, but it wasn’t a permanent solution. For now, Teddy worked in the front with Davey, while Perseus helped in the kitchen when Orion needed him to. It worked well enough.

Davey chuckled. “I can see you’re still lost in your little world, so I’m going to go.”

“I can come with you,” Orion quickly said. “I just need more time.”

Davey squeezed Orion’s shoulder. “It’s fine. I thought I’d offer, but I suspected you’d be too busy. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

Orion nodded and leaned closer. Davey pressed a kiss against Orion’s jaw, then on the corner of his lips. Orion sighed in pleasure and smiled, turning more fully toward his mate so that Davey could kiss him better.

Orion didn’t like sex, but he loved kissing. He could spend hours doing this, and he hoped that, eventually, he’d get to do it. The rush of the bakery wouldn’t last forever, and once it was over, Orion was planning to dedicate as much time as he could to Davey.

“I’ll call you when I get home,” he promised.

“All right.”

Davey lingered for a few moments longer before disappearing through the door. Orion sucked in a breath, staring like an idiot.

He had work to do, and the sooner he finished it, the sooner he’d go home. He loved this place, but these days, it felt like the only place he spent time in. He knew it was only temporary and that he should be glad for all of this, and he was.

On the day he’d opened the bakery, he hadn’t been sure it was a good idea. He’d expected the place to stay empty, and while the first day had been a little slow—which seemed to confirm his fears—that hadn’t lasted.

It was as if most people had waited to see what would happen before deciding that Orion wasn’t a monster who would hack them to pieces and put them in his cupcakes. He was sure that some of the interest was because he’d been a hunter, but as long as he stayed in the kitchen, no one would try asking him questions. They’d have to get around Davey to do so, and Davey was fiercely protective of Orion.

Orion hummed as he went back to work. He liked that Davey was protective. All of his life, he’d only had Perseus, and while he didn’t actually need anyone to keep him safe, it felt good to have someone care so much about him. Perseus always had, and now Davey did, too. Orion had everything he could ever have wanted. He’d make the bakery work, no matter how many hours he had to put into it.

He wasn’t doing this alone. Davey had been there for Orion every step of the way, and while Orion knew that some of it was because he couldn’t go on raids, he also wanted to help.

It took Orion another hour and a half to be ready to leave. He finished baking everything he’d need for the early-morning rush, put it away, and cleaned the kitchen. By the time he was done, he was ready for his bed, which probably was why it took him a few moments to realize that someone was knocking on his back door.

He dropped the sponge he’d been using to scrub the counter and dried his hands on a towel. He went to the back door, wondering who it could be. Maybe Perseus or Teddy? Orion had seen them before lunch, and Perseus had mentioned that he might return later in the day. Beyond him and Teddy, only Davey and the delivery people used the back door.

Orion opened the door cautiously because it was too late for a delivery. He frowned when he saw a man he didn’t recognize standing in the back alley. “Can I help you?”

The man was hunched in on himself with his arms wrapped around his body. He was wearing a pair of sweatpants and a hoodie that was several sizes too large for him. The hood was up, hiding part of his face, but Orion could see dark blond hair that appeared dirty. The man seemed twitchy, and Orion tried to remember if he’d ever been told about any drug problems in the village.

“I’m really sorry about this,” the man said, looking up at Orion.

Orion sucked in a breath when he saw the bruise that extended from the man’s eye down to his chin. He opened the door wider, briefly wondering if the man was here to rob him and quickly dismissing that possibility. Even if he was, Orion could easily kick his ass.

As long as he didn’t have a gun, anyway.

“Who hurt you?” Orion said as he stepped into the alley.

The man shook his head. “I didn’t want to do this. He forced me.”

Orion reached for the man, but he scurried away.

“Good boy,” a voice drawled from behind him.

Orion froze. His eyes widened, and he looked behind the man, his heart racing when he saw his father standing there.

He hadn’t changed much, but then Orion hadn’t been away for long. The beer gut still hung above his father’s belt, and the t-shirt he wore under his plaid shirt was dirty. His jeans had seen better days, and his hair was dirty. He looked as bad as the other man, but he wasn’t bruised. He’d been the one doing the hurting, not the other way around.

Orion took a step back toward the bakery. He was taller and stronger than his father, but deep inside, he was still a little kid who was terrified of him. No matter how many times he told himself that he could kick his father’s ass, just thinking it made him want to apologize and beg for his father’s forgiveness.

Orion’s father grabbed the man around the throat from behind. The man made a squeaking sound and scrambled to keep up, grabbing the arm that Orion’s father had wrapped around him. His hood pushed back, revealing how painfully young the man looked.

“You’re going to come with us,” Orion’s father said.

Orion was already shaking his head. “I can’t leave.”

“Yes, you can, and you will, because otherwise, Evan will pay the price.” Orion’s father squeezed the man—Evan—closer to his chest. “Won’t you?”

It was clear that Evan’s eyes were wide with fear and shock as he stared at Orion. Orion didn’t miss the fact that he didn’t say anything. He didn’t even try to convince Orion to do what his father wanted. He appeared resigned, and that was what got Orion to step forward instead of running back to the bakery.

“Let him go,” he ordered.

* * * *

Surrounded by his friends, Davey was able to relax. The guilt still nipped at him, but it was easy to ignore when he was laughing over dinner and poking fun at Hansen.

“I can’t believe you started working in a bakery,” Hansen said.

“You wish you had a mate who would open a bakery.”

“I wish I had a mate, period,” Hansen complained. “It’s not fair. Why is everyone finding their mate, but I’m not?” He turned puppy eyes to Olga. “Have you seen anything? Is my mate coming?”

Eliza was leaning against Olga’s side, and Olga had her arm wrapped around her shoulders. They looked comfortable in the booth, with Hansen and Davey sitting in front of them. Seeing them like this made Davey want to call Orion and see if he was done working, but he didn’t want to bother him.

The bakery was Orion’s baby, and until it got a steady business, he was going to put everything into it. Davey had been aware of that from the beginning, and he was fine with it. He kind of wished it hadn’t happened so soon in their relationship, but they had time. He could wait a few months, maybe even longer, until he had his mate back. In the meantime, he’d do whatever Orion needed him to do.

“You know I won’t tell you,” Olga said.

Hansen pouted. “But I want to find my mate. Even Davey found his, and have you seen Orion? He’s gorgeous.”

Davey knocked his shoulder against Hansen’s. “Stop talking about my mate like that.”

“I have eyes, Davey. What am I supposed to do when I see him? Look away? That would be kind of weird, and I’m pretty sure Orion would want to know what’s up with me.”

“You’re so dramatic,” Olga teased Hansen.

“I just want to finally start something, you know? I’ve been hunting scientists and liberating people for years now, and I’ve never had anything for myself. I want that to change.”

“You could date,” Davey offered.

Hansen was already shaking his head. “Only my mate.”

Davey wished he could promise that Hansen would find his mate, but how could he? There were no guarantees when it came to mates. You met them when you least expected it, and Hansen would have to resign himself to that.

Eliza gently continued teasing Hansen, but Davey leaned toward Olga. “I’m not going to ask about my mate, obviously, but I was wondering if you’d seen anything about me,” he said in a whisper.

Olga tapped her fingertips onto the table. “What if I did?”

“I honestly don’t know if I want to find out what you saw. I guess I’m just asking if everything will be all right.” That was all he needed to know. Honestly, the thought of knowing his future kind of creeped him out. No one should have that kind of information, not even Olga. She’d always been cagey about it, and the more Davey thought about it, the more he understood.

“He’ll be fine,” Olga promised. “Eventually.”

Davey groaned. “That’s even worse than not knowing anything. Dammit, Olga.”

She laughed and squeezed Eliza closer, pressing a kiss against her temple. “Now that my work here is done, I’m taking Eliza home. Have a good rest of the night, boys.”

Davey watched them leave. He wondered if Orion would still be awake and if he should go to the house Orion shared with Perseus and Teddy when Hansen knocked their shoulders together.

“What’s up?” Davey asked.

“I should be the one asking you that. I’ve noticed you were a bit too quiet tonight. I mean, you’re always quiet, but since you found your mate, I thought you’d be happier. What’s going on in that head of yours?”

And just like that, Davey was thrown back to his guilt and his best friend. “I’m fine.”

“That’s what people who aren’t fine say.”

Davey glared. “I really am.”

“I’m not sure about that. Do you want to talk about it?”

Normally, Davey’s first instinct would be to say no. He’d never talked about Evan to anyone before.

But he’d told Moore about his best friend, then Orion. They knew about Evan and what had happened to him, which meant that if something happened to Davey, Evan wouldn’t be left alone.

Davey was surprised he hadn’t thought of that sooner. He’d been focused on rescuing Evan, but what would happen to Evan if Davey was out of commission? Who would free him and take care of him?

He eyed Hansen. Davey wouldn’t say they were best friends, but they were close. He suspected that, eventually, everyone would find out about Evan, anyway, so he supposed he might as well explain the situation.

He looked down at the table as he did so. “My best friend and I were captured together. I managed to escape after a while, but I couldn’t open his cage. He told me to go, and I did. When I came back to free him, I found out that he’d been transferred. I’ve been looking for him for years, but I have no idea where he is or even if he’s alive. I feel guilty about that because here I am, living the best life, having found my mate, and Evan is going through who knows what. I shouldn’t be happy when he’s being tortured.”

“Have you told anyone else about this?”

“Moore and Orion.”

Hansen arched a brow. “And what did they say?”

Davey glared at him. “You already know what they said. 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.”

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

“Let me ask you this.” Hansen tucked his leg under him and turned so he could face Davey. “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?”

Davey didn’t have to think. “I’d be happy for him.” He 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 what you went through any less awful.”

Instinctively, Davey pulled Hansen into his arms, grinning when Hansen squeaked. “Thank you.”

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

He sounded amused, so Davey wasn’t worried.

Davey knew it would take him time to accept that he was doing nothing wrong, but he felt lighter as he left the diner. He tried calling Orion, wondering if they could see each other tonight, but Orion didn’t answer. And when Davey walked in front of the bakery, he noticed the lights were still on inside. That probably meant that Orion was still baking, and Davey didn’t want to bother him, so he didn’t stop.

He’d see Orion tomorrow. He’d have to force him to take a lunch break, but he was positive he could do it. Orion seemed to find it impossible to tell him no, and Davey wasn’t above taking advantage of that, especially if it was to help his mate. If it wasn’t for him and Perseus, Orion would work himself into the ground. He wasn’t sleeping enough, and Davey had noticed he tended to skip meals because he was so focused on his work.

There would be no more of that. Davey had kept himself slightly distant from Orion because he’d felt guilty, and even though he still felt that way and suspected he would for a long time, he was done allowing that emotion to dictate his actions. Orion was his mate, and he needed him.

Davey would be there for him every step of the way.

* * * *

Orion hadn’t actually expected his father to let go of Evan. There was a reason his father had brought the man here, and Orion could take a good guess at what that reason was.

He’d wanted to use Evan to get to Orion.

He knew that Orion’s heart was soft and that he’d do anything to save Evan, even though he didn’t know him. He would have anyway, but with a name like his, Orion couldn’t help but think about Davey’s best friend. He wanted to help Evan because of that, too.

Besides, the man was clearly terrified and in pain. He stumbled back when Orion’s father pulled, wincing as his foot hit the ground. Orion kept an eye on him as his father dragged Evan back to the van. Orion hadn’t noticed before, but he could now see that Evan was limping.

What had Orion’s father done to the poor man? How long had he had him? Where had Evan come from, and who was he?

Those were all questions Orion was dying to ask, but now wasn’t the time. Maybe if they both made it out of this alive, he and Evan could have a chat.

“You’re going to come with us,” Orion’s father ordered.

“Why should I come with you?”

“Because without me, you don’t have anything. Come on. Get into the van.”

Orion crossed his arms over his chest and shook his head. “I’m not getting into that van, and I’m not going anywhere with you. Where the fuck were you when I was wounded and almost died? Perseus took care of me, just like he always does.” Orion needed to waste time.

“How did you get wounded? Were you helping one of these animals?” Orion’s father gave Evan a good shake. “You know the rules. If you’re wounded, you take care of yourself, or you die.”

There were no hospitals for the hunters. There weren’t doctors, nurses, or anyone who understood anything about anatomy and medicine. When a hunter was wounded, they were left alone to take care of themselves. If they died, they were weak. If they lived, they rejoined the ranks and were seen as strong and convinced of their ideology.

Orion had never understood that. Didn’t other hunters have family? He only had his father and his brother, but while his father wouldn’t raise a finger to help him, Perseus would die trying. He wouldn’t have allowed Orion to patch himself up on his own, even if Orion had been able to do it.

Orion’s father reached the van and opened the door with one hand. He pushed Evan inside with the other and turned to Orion.

Orion didn’t know what would happen if he climbed into the van, but it wouldn’t be good. Orion had no way of knowing why his father was here or how he’d found him, but everything was screaming at him not to go. It would be easy for Orion to turn and run back into the bakery or even to the main street.

But if Orion did that, Evan would probably die.

Orion couldn’t allow an innocent person to pay for something he did. He was putting himself in danger by going with his father, but he might also be able to save both himself and Evan, which was his main goal.

“Get in the van,” his father ordered.

Orion glanced back at the open bakery door. Unfortunately, he’d left his phone inside. He couldn’t text to tell Perseus or Davey what was happening. By the time one of them realized he was gone, it might already be too late.

“Now!” his father barked, making him jump.

Orion couldn’t continue wasting time. It would anger his father, which right now was the last thing he needed. An angry hunter was a dangerous hunter, even when he hadn’t trained in years. Orion’s father had experience, but more than that, he was vicious.

Orion raised his hands and slowly moved toward the van. He’d hoped someone would walk by, but it was getting late, and the village was silent around them.

“Move your ass,” his father demanded.

Orion couldn’t waste any more time. He climbed into the back of the van, not surprised to see that Evan had curled himself into a tight ball behind the passenger seat. Evan looked up, his eyes widening when he saw that Orion was following him into the van. He started shaking his head, then stopped when Orion’s father stepped into his field of vision.

“You two be good in here,” Orion’s father drawled before slamming the door shut.

Evan scrambled to get away from the passenger seat, probably because he didn’t want to be anywhere near Orion’s father. That put him closer to Orion, though, and it was clear he was afraid of him.

Orion sat down as close to the back door as he could. He couldn’t make himself look harmless because of how big he was, but maybe if he kept enough distance between him and Evan, Evan wouldn’t be so scared.

“Is he the one who gave you that bruise?” he asked softly.

Evan licked his lips and nodded. He hadn’t said anything except for his initial apology, and Orion didn’t want him to think that whatever would happen was his fault.

He nodded. “My father is going to hurt me. I don’t want you to think it’s your fault. It doesn’t matter that he used you to get me out of the bakery. You have nothing to do with this, and it’s all on his shoulders, all right?”

Evan hesitated before nodding again. The man looked like he’d been through hell, and Orion wished there was more he could do for him. He was pretty sure that Evan would freak out if he went anywhere near him, though.

His father finally climbed into the driver’s seat. Evan plastered his back against the side of the van. Orion couldn’t see his expression in the darkness, but he had to be terrified. Orion was, and he had at least an idea of what was about to happen. Evan wouldn’t know.

“We’re going to make a few stops,” Orion’s father said as he started driving. “You two are going to be good and not get anyone’s attention because if you do, I’ll kill both of you and come back for Perseus. Got it, Orion?”

Orion gritted his teeth. His father hurting Perseus was his worst fear, which was one of the reasons he was here. He wanted to save Evan, of course, but he also wanted his father to stay as far away from Perseus as possible. Hopefully, he and Evan would manage to talk a bit while his father was otherwise occupied.

Orion tried not to think too much about what his father was planning. He’d thought his father would be happy to have him out of his way, but of course, he’d also lost control over Perseus, who’d always been a good hunter. He’d also been better at hiding how much he hated their father, so maybe their father thought he could get him back in some way. If that was the case, Orion would laugh in his face.

Their father didn’t know that Perseus was bonded and that Orion had met his mate. He probably didn’t realize that a bunch of people would come after them and wouldn’t hesitate to kick his ass if he tried to stop them. Orion didn’t know how long it would take for someone to realize he was gone, but he was sure that Perseus would when he noticed Orion hadn’t come home. He might be distracted by Teddy, but he always checked in with Orion before going to bed. Orion had been slightly annoyed by it, but now, he was glad that Perseus was still checking in on him.

Orion just had to resist for a few hours, and then, he and Evan would be free. As soon as Perseus realized something had happened, he’d contact Rikar, and someone would come to get Orion and Evan. They didn’t even need to know where they were. A Nix would be able to locate them.

Orion glanced at his father. He was driving and not paying attention to what was happening in the back, sure that he had everything under control. He didn’t know anything about Orion’s new life, and Orion wanted to keep things that way.

His new family and his mate were his secret weapon, and he couldn’t wait for them to arrive.