Nathan flicked the kettle on and leaned against the worktop, arms crossed. He lowered his voice. “How’re you feeling about all this?” He gestured towards Seb’s bedroom.
Tim sighed. Out of anyone, Nathan would understand, and after their talk the other day, Tim wanted to confide in him. “Honestly? A little out of control.” Nathan paused, a tea bag hanging from his fingers over the waiting mug, and stared at him. “Not like that,” Tim hastened to add. “I’m not about to shift or anything.”
“Then what?”
How to put it into words that didn’t make him sound like a danger to Seb? “I feel overly protective, possessive. Objectively I know it’s because I like him and he’s in danger, and that all this pretend-boyfriend stuff is messing with my instincts.”
“But knowing all that doesn’t stop you feeling that way.”
“No.”
Nathan finished off his tea and glanced at Seb’s door from behind which came the faint sound of a zipper. “Listen, I know what it’s like to have your instincts take over. I know our situations are different, but if you need to talk or have any questions, call me. Anytime.”
“Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.”
Seb chose that moment to come out of his room, looking less than impressed. “Can you help me with my bag, please? Not sure I can manage it and the stairs.”
“Of course.” Tim eased past him and into his bedroom.
The smell hit him all at once—Seb’s scent, thicker and more potent the farther in he went—and he automatically took a big breath in. A low growl escaped him, making him jump.
Fuck!What the hell am I doing?
Snatching Seb’s bag off the bed, Tim turned and hurried back out.
He waited to one side as Seb said his goodbyes. Jared gave him a fierce hug, but when Nathan stepped up to do the same, Tim’s skin prickled with jealousy. Shaking out his shoulders in an effort to calm down, Tim glanced at the ceiling, focusing on the spider web in the far corner.
“Ready?” Seb touched his wrist and Tim barely suppressed a shiver.
“Yeah. Let’s go.”
“Do you think anyone’ll be waiting?” Seb shuffled in his seat, half-facing Tim as he drove. “At the flat, I mean.”
They were just about to turn down Seb’s street.
“I guess we’ll find out soon enough.” He indicated to turn right, and they drove down the road in silence; Seb stared out the passenger window, and Tim scanned the parked cars as they passed.
He didn’t see any of the P-Pack vehicles, but the shifters could easily be on foot. While Tim was in the car, it made it nigh on impossible to scent them. He would rather know if they had company before they got out of the car, but that wasn’t happening. Parking up in front of Seb’s building, he turned off the engine. “Wait here,” he said, and got out of the car.
The air held the faint scent of P-Pack shifters, but nothing strong enough to imply there were any close by. He opened the door and ducked his head back inside. “Come on, I’ll get your bag.”
Walking around the car to get Seb’s bag from the boot, Tim kept scanning the area. Just because there was no one waiting didn’t mean they couldn’t appear at any moment.
Barely resisting putting a hand on the small of Seb’s back, Tim ushered him up the steps to his front door. Faint scratches marred the red paint, and Seb stopped in front of it. The scent of P-Pack shifters was stronger there, lingering. They’d definitely been back since the night Seb fell down the stairs, but not in the last couple of days. Tim listened for any approaching cars or footsteps, but the road was quiet. “Okay?”
He did touch Seb then, resting his hand lightly on his shoulder.
Seb leaned heavily on his crutch and reached out to run his fingers over the scratches.
Tim gave his shoulder a gentle squeeze. “Seb?”
“Yeah, sorry. I’m fine.” He stood up and pulled his keys out of his pocket. “Just wondering why they did it.”
“I don’t know. They said they were just checking up on you, but….”
But Cam hadn’t believed that, and neither had Alec. Tim was inclined to agree with them.
