Page 57 of Starting a New Life

“He came back downstairs,” Jasper said, a small smile on his face. “Has he been eating?”

“I brought him lunch, but he didn’t touch it. Said he wasn’t hungry.”

An unhappy growl slipped out. I thought he was fucking lying. He was skin and bones. Of course he had to be hungry. Even if he wasn’t, he needed the food.

“That’s entirely possible,” Jasper reasoned. “If I’m correct, he hasn’t been eating right for quite a while.”

I thought back to our conversation this morning. “He’s been on the run for six months.”

Jasper nodded, running a hand through his hair, his expression softening. “That tracks. If he’s not been eating regular meals for half a year, you need to start slow, Gray.”

“I didn’t do anything.”

Jasper laughed. “You growled at me because you’re unhappy he didn’t eat enough for your liking.”

He was my mate. Of course, I wanted him to eat enough. It was obvious he’d been starving, obvious he’d endured things no one should have to endure. That he’d seen things… I shuddered, remembering the expression in his eyes when he’d met mine: the distrust, the longing peeking through, but hidden behind layers and layers of fear. He’d looked haunted. Still did. Even now, sitting outside all alone, he had his shoulders pulled up in tension.

“Small portions,” Jasper explained. “Small portions for a human. If you give him shifter portions and he tries to eat it all, he’s gonna make himself sick. But why am I telling you this? You already know. He’s not the first one to arrive malnourished.”

No, but he was the first one who was also my mate.

Not that I told him.

I didn’t want people to find out yet. Oh, they’d be happy. Elated. Fucking ecstatic—and they’d terrify Nix to death.

“I’d really like to examine him, though,” Jasper said when I didn’t say anything. “Make sure he’s okay and that there are no underlying issues. You talked to him last night and this morning. Do you think I have a chance?”

I pursed my lips as my wolf protested in my chest, not quite liking that he wanted to examine our mate. At the same time, he had enough sense to know it was a pack member looking out for what was ours.

“I don’t know,” I answered truthfully. “He had very bad experiences with shifters and has every reason not to trust us.”

Jasper nodded. “In that case… I’ll just try talking to him and see if it goes anywhere. If you don’t mind, that is. You looked like you were about to go over yourself.”

I wished.

“No. I have a meeting with Rhett and the others in command about the intruder situation.” Because things had changed.

My wolf growled, fangs bared.

Maim, he demanded. And this time, I was fully on his side. The next time they dared step foot on my land would be the last time any of them ever set foot anywhere.

“So, we’re allowed to go after them? Even if they leave our territory?”

I nodded.

“Within reason,” Rhett added. His wolf was as mad as mine, but he was better at hiding it.

“Yes, of course. However, if it’s only one of you and three of them, don’t risk it. But if we have an advantage, we take those fuckers out.”

My wolf snarled in my chest, his anger palpable.

“Okay.” Angelo grinned, but cocked his head at me. “What about the mage?”

“What about Nix?”

“Will he help?”

I swallowed, my body locking up. “No,” I growled. I didn’t want him anywhere near that fight. He didn’t need to be there, didn’t need to put himself in harm’s way. They wanted to enslave him. To keep him as property. I wouldn’t… I couldn’t…