“So anyway, that’s pretty much it. Nick is finding all the kids and we’re taking care of them. It sucks, but we’re going to do everything we can to help. Nick wants to find shifter parents to adopt the kids, but they have to pass muster first. And he’s not making it easy on them. Not that Nick ever makes things easy on anyone.”
Sawyer grinned and leaned his head back onto the trunk. He closed his eyes and smiled. “Nick would march out here and demand you come talk to him. He would be so pissed and you’d probably just come talk to him to make him stop complaining about it. I don’t want to do that, though. I want you to come out when you’re ready. And, you know, if I need you, I hope you’ll help me again. I… it makes me feel better knowing you will. I hope you don’t mind.”
Sawyer yawned and smothered it with his hand. “Sorry. I’m so tired all the time. Anyway, I think I’ll just sit here for a while if you don’t mind. Let Draco nap. It was good talking to you, though.”
Another coughing sound was his only reply. Then nothing. Yellow Eyes was gone.
Draco
Astrange noise woke Draco, and he grumbled as he opened his eyes. He’d fallen asleep on Sawyer, sitting in the middle of the damn woods. But he felt better now. Sawyer’s voice had lulled him into a deeper sleep. He hadn’t listened in, knowing Sawyer wanted to actually talk to the new guardian and find out what was going on. But he’d not slept deeply, ready to jump to Sawyer’s defense if he needed to.
Thing was, Draco thought Sawyer was on the right track. Something about the mysterious creature from the woods called to Draco. And the guy had saved Sawyer’s life. If nothing else, Draco owed him for that. He wouldn’t survive without Sawyer. He couldn’t imagine taking a breath in a world without Sawyer in it.
He heard the sound again, a strange almost coughing sound. Yellow Eyes was trying to get his attention. Draco sat up and looked around, only then noticing that Sawyer had drifted to sleep. His head leaned to the side at an awkward and painful looking angle.
“I’ll take him inside now,” Draco said. “But he’ll be back tomorrow. Leave the bowl here and we’ll get it then. And, ya know, thanks for letting me know he needed me.”
Draco carefully lifted Sawyer into his arms, leaving the basket and blanket on the ground. He’d ask one of the mates to get it for him. He carried Sawyer back toward the house, trying to ignore all the eyes on him. Everyone could see that Sawyer was unwell. Of course, his stubborn mate hadn’t said a word, but he wasn’t blind. Sawyer slept all the time, and he was still losing weight. It was more noticeable now, since the attack. He wasn’t eating enough, that much Draco knew. Sawyer worried constantly about Mikey, and now about Nick as well. He constantly worried about everything, trying to find the solution to exactly who he was and what he was supposed to do. The worry was eating him alive.
Cecil met them at the back door and held it open. The butler— no, Draco thought, he needed to remember that Cecil was so much more than simply the butler— held the door open for them. His expression showed as much concern as Draco felt.
“I know—” Draco started to speak but his voice cracked. He leaned down and breathed in Sawyer’s scent for a moment before continuing. “I know you promised him you wouldn’t say anything. I get it. You’re keeping your promise to him. I just… is there anything I can do? Anything at all? I’d do it, for him.”
“I know,” Cecil replied. “I…cannot say more, but I will… seek answers.”
“Thanks, Cecil. Whatever you need. Whatever it takes.”
“Understood,” Cecil said softly. “I will be away from my duties for a few hours. Will you let Master Eduard know?”
“I will.”
Draco watched him go, then carried Sawyer upstairs and placed him in the center of their oversized bed. Sawyer grumbled and opened his eyes. He blinked at Draco in confusion for a moment. “Did I dream…?”
“No. You fell asleep.”
“So tired all the time.”
Draco ran his hand over Sawyer’s head, brushing his unruly bangs out of his eyes. He needed a haircut. “Rest. I’ll stay.”
“Need to go check on Mikey. Nick said—”
“I’ll text Nick and let him know to go a little later.”
“Okay,” Sawyer said. He closed his eyes again. Pearl jumped up onto the bed a moment later, having detoured in the kitchen for her water bowl. She gave him a look before curling up beside Sawyer.
“I know, girl,” Draco said softly. “He’s going to be okay, though. I’ll make sure of it.”
He watched them for a minute longer before going to find Eduard. He’d be in his office with his cousin, Victor. They were still working on transferring all of the accounts to Victor’s control. Eduard looked up when Draco entered the room. He immediately put his pen down and stood.
“What is it?”
“Nothing. No. That’s not true. Just…” Draco rarely lost his words but he couldn’t seem to find them. He settled for passing along Cecil’s message instead. “Cecil had to go out for a while. He asked me to let you know.”
Eduard’s brows shot up, and he reached for Draco’s hand. “He’s trying to figure out how to help Sawyer.”
“Yes.”
“Where is he?”
