Alan would be extremely frustrated if he was in Dante’s place.Getting answers out of Moore was like pulling teeth.
“We have someone who can see the future,” Moore explained.“One of us can fly, while another can explode things with his mind.He doesn’t need explosives.He just has to think hard enough about exploding you, and you’ll be nothing more than a memory.We’re dangerous.”
He didn’t have to say anything else.It was clear to everyone in the room that Moore was warning Dante and his team.If they tried anything, the mutants wouldn’t let it go.They’d defend themselves and the people they loved.They were more than capable of doing so, and things wouldn’t go well for Dante’s team if they didn’t remember that.
Dante inclined his head.“I understand.Again, we’re not here to fight you.We’re here to help, and our focus will be on the labs and the hunters.We weren’t given any order when it comes to you and your people, so you don’t have anything to fear from us.”
“I’ll believe it when I see it,” Moore said.“In the meantime, I hope you’ll remember how easily we can hurt you.I also want to tell you that we consider ourselves a family.That means that if you hurt one of us, you’re hurting all of us, and we’ll act accordingly.”
Damn.Alan was glad he was on Moore’s good side.
Chapter Four
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MATTHEW LANDED ON HISback.The air whooshed out of his lungs, but he didn’t let that stop him.He scrambled back to his feet, then stood in front of Franklin, waiting for him to attack again.
Franklin shook his head.“It’s not fun when you’re distracted.”
“I’m not distracted.”
“You’re so distracted that you didn’t even see me coming.”
He was right.When Matthew had agreed to train with Franklin, he hadn’t realized it would be so hard for him to focus.Instead of thinking about how to get the upper hand, he kept thinking about Alan.
How was he supposed not to?Alan was in every one of Matthew’s thoughts.He was Matthew’s mate.Of course Matthew was thinking about him.
“I get it,” Franklin said as he lowered his arms and stepped closer.
“Do you?You haven’t found your mate yet.”
“It doesn’t mean I don’t understand what it’s like to be distracted.I know how it feels to have all of your thoughts focused on one person, or two, in my case.I get it.You have to be careful, though.”
Matthew wiped the sweat off his forehead with his forearm.“You’re annoyed because I’m not paying attention.”
“That, too.If we’re going to train, we need to do it seriously.I won’t let anyone in those labs or a hunter get the upper hand because I was too distracted.”
He was right, and knowing that made Matthew feel guilty.He needed to train.If he was going to go on more raids—and he was, even with the enforcers now helping—he needed to keep his focus on what was happening.He couldn’t afford for the hunters or whoever he’d find in front of him to have the upper hand.He had every intention of coming home to Alan, and he wouldn’t be able to do that if he got distracted and lost a fight.
Except that he wasn’t sure he’d be coming home to Alan.He and Alan hadn’t talked yet, but even though right now, Alan couldn’t go home, things wouldn’t be that way forever.Alan had talked to the enforcers.He’d told them about Victor and what he’d heard, and Dante had promised to contact the council and tell them about it.For now, Alan was still stuck at the village, but what would happen when he wasn’t?
He’d go home.He had to miss his place, his things, and his family.Being with the tribe meant that he was safe, but this wasn’t Alan’s real life.Eventually, he’d want to go back to it, and where would that leave Matthew?
Alan probably wouldn’t stay at the village, but Matthew couldn’t leave it.This wasn’t only where his family lived and where he had a home.He was a mutant.He didn’t belong in the outside world anymore.He wasn’t dangerous, but he wouldn’t hide who he was, which meant staying with people who already knew.Going out there would be too dangerous for him.If the wrong people found out what he could do, he’d be in trouble.
He was already in trouble.It was a different kind of trouble, but trouble nonetheless.This relationship stuff was more complicated than he’d expected, and he wasn’t sure how to deal with it.Part of him had thought that if he ever met his mate, everything would be easy and smooth.
He’d been wrong.
Something hit his arm.It wasn’t hard, but he still turned to glare at Franklin.The man stood in front of him, a little scowl on his face, still holding the towel he’d used against Matthew.
Matthew sighed.“You’re right.I’m sorry.”
Franklin nodded, then hesitated.“I know we’re not exactly friends, but if you need to talk about what’s on your mind, I’m willing to listen.”
Matthew wasn’t sure he’d call them friends yet, either, but he liked Franklin, and he wanted the man to feel like he had something here at the village.Matthew wasn’t sure what Franklin would do once he found his siblings, but hopefully, he’d be sticking around for a while.Hell, depending on what had happened to his brother and his sister, they might decide to stay at the village permanently.Some people were wary of Franklin because of what he’d done to find his siblings, but not Matthew.
Matthew understood that Franklin was willing to do whatever it took to find the people he loved.He’d lost people when he was in the labs.He’d had to watch them be hurt and die, and that wasn’t something he would get over anytime soon.It might not be the same because he hadn’t been related to them, but he hadn’t loved them any less.
