“I can admit that was a bad idea,” Harmon said.
“You could have hurt yourself.”
“I’m already hurt.”Harmon gestured at his arm.“At least it’s not bleeding anymore.”
Rex eyed the wound.He had no idea what he was looking at since he wasn’t a healer, but the fact that it had stopped bleeding was good, right?
He glanced around.Harmon needed a healer and more blood, but for now, it didn’t look like either was available.The healers were scrambling to help people in worse shape than Harmon, and the person from whom Rex had gotten the blood earlier was nowhere to be seen.
“You can go if you want,” Harmon said.“I promise I won’t try getting up again.”
Rex wasn’t sure he could believe him.Even if he did, he didn’t want to leave Harmon alone.
He dropped down and sat next to the other vampire.Harmon blinked at him, clearly not having expected that.Rex hadn’t, either.He was supposed to help people, and there were plenty of them who needed him, but he didn’t want anything to happen to Harmon.The fight was over, but that didn’t mean that Harmon couldn’t get himself into more trouble.Merrick would never forgive Rex if that happened.
“What are you doing?”Harmon asked.
“I thought it was obvious.I’m sitting with you.“
“Why?I just told you that I won’t try getting up again.You don’t believe me?”
“I don’t know if I do, but even if I did, I wouldn’t risk Merrick’s wrath.”It was an excuse, but it was a good enough excuse.Harmon knew Merrick.He’d believe that this was why Rex was sitting with him.
Harmon stared at Rex for a moment.Rex expected him to call him out on his bullshit, but instead, Harmon nodded and leaned back against the tree.Rex had sat closer than he would have with anyone else, and Harmon’s body pressed heavily against his shoulder.
That was okay with Rex.
They stayed silent for a moment.Rex wasn’t sure what had made him sit down beyond the fact that Merrick considered Harmon his brother and that Harmon was hot, even all bloody and weak.It wasn’t like Rex would try to seduce him or anything like that.He just wanted to comfort Harmon.
They both watched the people around them.Alpin and Merrick had finally stopped fussing over each other, and Merrick was talking to Tyrian, who was nodding at whatever Merrick was saying.Alpin wasn’t far.He might be done fussing over Merrick, but only because his focus was on someone else now.Magda looked like she would be running away screaming if she weren’t bleeding from her left thigh.
“So Tyrian turned all of you,” Harmon eventually said.
Rex blinked.He knew that the man he considered his father had a reputation amongst vampires.Hell, they all did.Vampires usually lived in covens with their maker and the other people their maker had turned.Rex and the rest of his family hadn’t lived together in a long time before they’d moved in with the pack, though.They saw each other as often as they could, but they were fine spending years away from each other.
Not anymore.All of them, except for Rex, had found love within the pack.Rex doubted they would disband anytime soon.He was the only one who didn’t have someone keeping him there.
He’d thought about leaving before, but he’d known he wouldn’t go anywhere until he was sure that his family was safe.That meant he still couldn’t go.They had to find out what the clan would do before he could.
He hadn’t told anyone he was thinking about it.Their family had changed.They’d want him to stick around, but he wasn’t sure there was anything for him within the pack.
It wasn’t like he hated the wolves or anything like that.He’d always found the rivalry between wolf shifters and vampires ridiculous.They were people, all of them, and while some might not get along, others did.No, he just felt like he didn’t have a place within the pack.All of his siblings had settled down with a pack member, but not him.Not that Kieran would kick him out.He was a good alpha and a good person, and he considered Rex a pack member as much as every other member of Rex’s family.Rex just wasn’t sure this was the right place for him.
“Merrick likes you,” Harmon said.
Rex blinked.They’d been talking about Tyrian, so he wasn’t sure where this was coming from.“I don’t think Merrick likes anyone beyond you and Alpin.”
“That’s not true.He likes your family, even though he’ll never admit it.Getting him to talk about his feelings is like pulling teeth when he’s in his dragon form—almost impossible to do and extremely dangerous.”
Rex laughed.“That’s an apt description.”
“But he’s still a softie inside, especially for the people he loves.Just look at him with Alpin.The way they care about each other is obvious.”
“It doesn’t mean Merrick cares about any of us beyond Alpin, though.”
Harmon patted Rex’s thigh, startling him.“Yeah, it does.You don’t know him like I do, but I’m telling you, you matter to him.”
“So do you.”Rex really should do something.He didn’t mind sitting here with Harmon, but Harmon needed more blood and someone to look at his wound.Rex didn’t think Merrick would appreciate it if Rex didn’t try to do more.Sitting here and keeping Harmon company didn’t count.
