Black.
Or maybe not so black because though he couldn’t see or move, he could hear. And he could smell. The interlopers were breathing hard, but they didn’t seem to be attacking. And she was breathing as well. Quiet, but strong. As if she were asleep.
He fought to make his body move, but it was like a dead weight. Nothing did as he willed, so he had to use his mind. The forces that drove him poured into his thoughts. No longer pushing his body, they helped him think as long as he protected her.
“What the fuck?” one of the men was saying. “I thought you said he was dying?”
“That’s what she said,” the other huffed, and he finally recognized the voice. It was Simon, his alpha. “She said come fast. She sounded panicked.”
“He doesn’t look dead to me,” the other one groused, and in that tone, he remembered the person. This was Vic, Simon’s beta. He was a hybrid and both men were his friends. Or so they claimed.
Why then had they attacked?
“How is she?” Simon asked.
“Fine. Coming around, I think. Do we tie her up?”
Ryan growled at that. In his mind, he bared his teeth and he tore out Vic’s throat for even suggesting it. But his body didn’t move, though there was a sound. A deep, throaty sound that he knew he’d made.
“He’s not out,” Vic said. “Ryan, can you hear me? We’re not here to hurt you.”
“Or her,” Simon stressed. “We’re not going to touch her.”
A moment’s pause, then Vic spoke again, his voice slightly more relaxed. “Is that what happened? Did we interrupt—”
“I don’t know. I thought she was hurting him. Look at her. I thought—”
“Not all hybrids are insane, you know,” Vic said. He should know. He was one of the sane ones.
“But most are. And if Ryan was hurt—”
Vic snorted. “Don’t think that was the problem.” Then Ryan felt someone nudge his foot. “Come on, Ryan. We know you’re awake.”
“Stay away from him,” she said. His mate. “Stay back.” Her words were slurred but everyone heard her.
“We’re not here to hurt him,” Simon stressed. “We’re here to help.”
“He’ll hurt you,” she said, her words getting clearer. “He’s not rational right now. Give him time.”
A pause then Simon spoke. “Why not? What did you do to him?”
She blew out a breath. “I saved his life.”
Which is when Ryan at last got some muscle control back. It came to his face first as his lip curled, exposing his teeth. Then he lifted his head. His arms and legs were still useless, but his face wasn’t. Let them see his teeth. And he would see exactly where everyone stood.
Simon was crouched over Frankie. Vic remained standing, his gun out and his gaze trained hard on Ryan. He was the one who spoke.
“Keep it together, man. We aren’t here to hurt you or her.”
Simon kept his focus on Frankie. “What did you do to him?”
“Only way.”
“What was the only way?” Simon hadn’t raised his tone one decibel, but there was threat in his voice and Ryan reacted to it. His arm twitched. It wasn’t much, but he was coming back.
“Easy, big guy,” Vic said. Then he looked at Simon. “He’s protecting her.”
Simon didn’t relent. “We need to know now. What did you do to him?”
