Alan understood how lucky he’d been.It wasn’t only because he could’ve died in the crash or after it if Victor had managed to get to him.He’d found a safe place to spend the night.He knew without having to ask that these people would protect him if Victor suddenly appeared outside the door.
Alan glanced at Matthew.Even if no one else did, Matthew definitely would.He would protect Alan because Alan was his mate.
Alan still had no idea how to feel about that.
That was a problem for later, once he was done explaining the main one.Hopefully, the tribe wouldn’t kick him out after he was done talking.He was bringing danger to their doorstep.They might hate Victor for what he was doing once Alan told them, but it didn’t mean they’d want to be involved in protecting him.It wouldn’t mean they’d want to try to stop Victor.The village was hidden in the forest so well that Alan didn’t think Victor or the people he worked with had ever heard about it.
“You’re safe with us,” Matthew suddenly said, startling Alan out of his thoughts.
He turned to look at his mate.Matthew looked eager, but he still wasn’t coming close.Alan wanted him to, as much as he was okay with Matthew keeping his distance.It would be incredibly hard to focus if Matthew were close.
He was Alan’s mate, so of course it made sense that Matthew was Alan’s type.He appeared to be in his early to mid-thirties—around Alan’s age—although Alan knew that with shifters, looks didn’t mean much when it came to age.Matthew could be twenty just like he could be sixty, but it didn’t matter because he looked in his thirties.
Which was a stark contrast with his white hair.Alan had thought it was blond yesterday in the dark, but today, he could see that wasn’t the case.Matthew’s short hair wasn’t blond.It was completely white.Alan wanted to ask how and if Matthew dyed it, but he didn’t dare.
Matthew was taller than Alan, which wasn’t hard since Alan was only five feet nine.He was slender and looked strong, and Alan could think of nothing better than to snuggle into his arms.Instead, he was sitting in an armchair, watching him.
Alan hated his life right now.
He wanted to find Victor and shake him.He wanted to demand an explanation and to ask why Victor had done it.He wanted Victor to pay for what he’d done, but he also wanted to believe he’d misunderstood the situation.
He hadn’t.Whatever Victor was up to, he was hurting people.He was doing it for money, which made it even worse.Alan wanted to stop him, and he couldn’t do that on his own.That meant he’d have to accept the help the people who’d found him yesterday were offering.He didn’t know if he was safe with them, but they hadn’t hurt him, and Matthew was his mate.He wouldn’t allow anyone to hurt Alan, not even people he cared about.Besides, Alan didn’t want to believe that his mate, a man who was supposedly perfect for him, would hang around people who would hurt him.If Matthew was here, it meant Alan was safe.
He had to be.
* * * *
ALAN WAS LOST IN HISthoughts.Matthew didn’t blame him.Considering what had happened to him yesterday—and Matthew guessed he didn’t even know the half of it—it wasn’t a surprise.Matthew would have wanted a little respite if he’d been in Alan’s place, too.
The problem was that they didn’t know what happened to Alan.They didn’t know if he was still in danger or if the tribe was now that he was there.That was why they needed Alan to explain what was going on, but he wasn’t talking.
Matthew exchanged a glance with Franklin.Franklin tilted his chin in Alan’s direction, but Matthew wasn’t sure that getting involved would be a good idea.He’d been keeping his distance from his mate because he didn’t know if Alan would be comfortable with him getting closer.Something had to change.Rikar was ready to spring into action if whatever Alan told them made it necessary.He just needed more information.
Matthew cleared his throat.It startled Alan out of his thoughts, and he blinked around the room, looking slightly confused.“I’ll tell you what happened, but I’m not sure why you want to know.It’s not your problem.”
“That’s where you’re wrong,” Matthew told him.“You’re my mate.That makes itmyproblem, and since I’m part of this tribe, it makes it the tribe’s problem, too.”
Alan grimaced.“I don’t want to get anyone in trouble or put anyone in danger.”
“We’re doing so willingly,” Rikar explained gently.“Matthew’s right.Through him, you’re now one of our tribe members.It doesn’t mean you have to move in with the tribe or anything like that, but it does mean that we’ll protect you.”
“Why?”Alan asked, sounding confused.
“Because you getting hurt would hurt Matthew, and Matthew is one of us.Now, you don’t have to tell us everything, but I need to know if someone is coming for you.It’s the only way I can protect my people.”
Alan hesitated, then shook his head.“I don’t think he even knows about the village.”
“Who is he?”
Alan sucked in a breath.“My boss, Victor Hudson.”
The name was familiar, but Matthew couldn’t quite place it.It wasn’t a surprise since he didn’t keep up with the news.He had plenty of things to worry about without doing that, too.
“The activist?”Hayes asked.
Matthew was glad for his presence there.He wasn’t only showing Alan that he had support.He was the tribe leader’s mate.Hayes had never wanted any kind of authority, but he was bonded to Rikar, and that meant something to the tribe.It meant something to Matthew, too.He was glad that one of the people in charge of the tribe was a friend.
Alan nodded.“That’s him.”
