Garridan held his hand, not letting go. “Mate.”
Sage smiled. “That’s right. Although, my name is Sage.”
Garridan scowled as if he didn’t understand. Sage sat back down.
It had to be tough on Garridan, waking in a strange place and then finding out he had a mate the second he did. Garridan would need some help shuffling through all the confusion.
Sage tried to pull his hand away again, but Garridan held firm. Garridan pulled Sage forward and he lost his balance. The next thing he knew he was lying underneath him. Sage had been in a position similar to the one before and that memory came flashing back.
“Mate. Mate,” Garridan growled, his eyes changing to his dragon’s. When they did, Sage panicked.
Sage tried to buck Garridan off. He started to scream when Garridan’s face turned into one of the vampires who had hurt him. “No!” He struggled against the vampire’s hold, just as he had then, trying to get away, but the vampire was stronger than him.
“Don’t touch me!”
The vampire seemed confused, almost troubled by Sage’s reaction. His face turned into Garridan’s again and his mate’s green eyes changed back to his human’s and back again, as if he were trying to control them but couldn’t.
“Please, I can’t. Don’t make me. I can’t.” Sage’s chest tightened, restricting his breathing. Tears spilled onto his cheeks, blurring his vision.
One minute, Garridan was on him and the next he wasn’t. Sage moved from the bed after he was free. He went into a corner of the room and tried to make himself as invisible as possible. His knees came up to his chest and he wrapped his arms around his head.
He stayed that way until he heard Garridan roar, “Mine. My mate.”
Bennett pinned Garridan against the wall, an arm pressed on his neck, not cutting off his air completely, but still enough to keep him in place. Sage could tell Bennett was struggling just to hold him, which said more than anything could that he had been right earlier to assumethat Garridan was a very strong shifter and would only get stronger the more he healed. Sage had sensed it before and could physically see it as Garridan fought.
“Come back, Uncle Garridan. Come back to me now.”
“Mate.” Garridan never took his gaze off Sage. He struggled when Sage just sat on the floor, transfixed with fear. It wasn’t until Garridan cried out in pain that Sage got up from his spot.
Sage started across the room, hissing at Bennett. His instincts took over and all he could think about was the threat to his mate. “Don’t! Don’t hurt him. Just let him go.”
“I can’t, Sage. He’s feral.”
Garridan growled at Bennett.
Lucas was the one who defused the situation by putting a hand on Bennett’s arm. “Let him go.”
Bennett focused his gaze on Lucas. “No. I will not put you at risk. He’s too far gone.”
“Don’t say that.” Sage came closer and as he did, he could see Garridan’s muscles relax, one by one. His body sagged against Bennett’s hold.
“Let him go, Benny. I got this if he starts getting too aggressive,” Lucas said and put a hand on Bennett’s forearm.
Bennett eased his hold on Garridan, who blew out at him through his nostrils as if he were still in his dragon form and wanted to send a warning.
Garridan’s eyes changed the closer Sage came to him. “Mate.”
“Yes. I know. I feel it too. I…um…I have problems. I’ve been hurt really bad. I have flashbacks all the time.” Sage had no idea if Garridan could even comprehend what he was saying. He should’ve been able to, but really, it didn’t matter. Sage had to try to make him understand.
Garridan made a noise in the back of his throat at Sage’s words. Garridan’s gaze went to Bennett. His eyes narrowed as if he was the one who’d hurt Sage and he started to move from the wall.
“It wasn’t him. He didn’t hurt me.” Sage thought he should explain further, since Garridan seemed confused. “Vampires. The same ones that kept you prisoner for so long.”
Bennett gave Sage room as he closed the distance between them.
Garridan’s eyebrows came together in confusion. He scanned the room as if searching for an escape route.
“You’re safe now. We both are. It’s hard for me to remember that sometimes. We’re both safe. I promise.” Sage reached for Garridan, wanting to touch.
