“Get them off! I don’t want this!”
“Oh,” Magnus said. “By the gods.”
“Sage! Stop it, I won’t hurt you. Just let me take you back to the truck so you don’t freeze to death. Or get hurt while your boyfriend beats up my boyfriend,” Ladon said from behind him.
“Ladon, start building a fire. Vaughan, go tell Ramsey where we’re at and get him over here,” Bennett said from the doorway.
“What do I look like? Fucking Davy Crocket? I have zero knowledge on how to start a fire, Bennett,” Ladon asked and Sage felt the hands leave his body.
“Promise me you won’t let them touch me again,” Sage whispered into Garridan’s ear.
“Jesus Christ, Ladon. It was just a way to get you to stop grabbing on to Sage. You were freaking him out,” Vaughan said.
“I was doing what Garridan, the beta of the clan, told me to do. I haven’t even shifted yet and even I want to obey every word he says. Fucking sue me. Your eyes are so pretty when they’re that blue color.” Sage was guessing Ladon said that last part to Magnus.
“No,” Garridan said, even as Sage felt him move across the room. “Ladon, separate from Magnus, now.”
“Sheesh, okay. Do I attempt to start a fire or not?”
Sage felt Garridan lay him on the bed. “Let go, baby.” Sage relaxed his arms and legs, thinking that Garridan intended to lay next to him, but he straightened and started across the room toward Magnus.
“Oh shit.” Bennett got in between them, not that it helped.
Ladon yelled and started over.
Vaughan rolled his eyes and started out of the door. “Going to get the Alpha,” he yelled even as the door closed behind him.
“You people are fucking crazy,” Caerwyn said and started over to the fireplace.
Garridan had a hand around Magnus’s throat and Magnus was grappling around trying to breathe. “Do you see now what kind of damage you did to my mate? It might seem harmless to you, but it wasn’t.”
“Stop hurting him!” Ladon pounded on Garridan’s chest.
Garridan ignored him. Magnus’ color started to change, turning from red to a dark purple.
“Dad!” Bennett yelled, getting right in his face. “You’re doing the same thing to Ladon.”
Ladon had started crying, which was the only reason Garridan released Magnus. Garridan met Bennett’s gaze even as he drew Ladon in for a hug.
Magnus started coughing, dragging in air as fast as he could, and he stumbled back.
Sage got off the bed, wrapping the blanket around him and went to the small kitchen, opening a cupboard, searching for a cup or something he could put water in. Magnus probably needed it. He opened the small refrigerator that wasn’t working and pulled out a new water bottle.
Man, the cabin needed an overhaul, especially if Magnus was going to stay there from time to time. He knew just the man to do the job too. His mate. It would be payback for the choking incident.
“Here. This will help. Believe me, the coolness will feel good on your throat.” Sage handed Magnus the water bottle and he took it. “The…um…vampires that raped me. One of them choked me while…anyway, I know how badly it hurts.”
Garridan growled low in his throat and Magnus took a step away from him. “He’s not doing that because of you. He always growls when I talk about it.”
Garridan let go of Ladon and said to Sage, “Come here.”
Sage narrowed his eyes at Garridan and stood right where he was.
“Oh, man. I think you should just do what he says. He looks really pissed off,” Magnus whispered.
Sage ignored him. “You left me.”
“I thought you would be okay.”
