Page 19

Whiplash rocked Bryan, lurching his stomach violently, and suddenly he was back in the den, back in his own body, and he was wailing at the top of his lungs, tears streaming down his face. Gan slumped backwards, pale and sweaty, his body trembling. Nugai held Bryan's head between his palms, locking eyes with him.

"Look at me," he said. "Gather yourself. You've been touched by Gan's memories, you're feeling the weight of all of them at once. Gather yourself."

All of that loss and despair was towing Bryan's heart like an anchor to the bottom of the ocean. All of it felt as real and vivid as if he'd experienced it firsthand. He could see the faces of those who'd died—so many people over Gan's lifetime. He really was as old as he said he was, and had lost so many friends and family. And he knew Nugai and Munok's loss, too. He saw it all.

"It's too much," Gan muttered, rubbing his temples. "Munok, it's too much. Seeing it all again..."

"He had to know, Gan," Munok said.

Bryan sobbed and grabbed Nugai's wrists, pulling his hands away from his face. He collapsed against the Alpha and found himself clutching him tightly. Surprised, Nugai gently held him and whispered a soothing incantation.

"I'm sorry," Bryan said, recovering his breath and his voice. He wanted to smash his knuckles raw and tear the clothes from his body. He trembled violently as the images flashed through his mind, over and over again. He'd always been afraid of the Direlings coming and killing his family, murdering Lukas. He'd had nightmares about it. But all the things he'd feared might happen had already been done tothem. Innocent families slaughtered. And people he knew were amongst those complicit—including his own father.

Slowly, he managed to gather himself. He may have felt the memories like they were his own, but they weren't. He wasn't the one who'd experienced these horrors first hand.

He moved out of Nugai's arms and went to Gan's side. The Alpha looked at him, pain shimmering in his eyes. Bryan no longer saw a stranger sitting in front of him. He didn't fear him, nor did he question him. He felt a pull inside of his chest, like a magnetic force drawing him to the Alpha, and he knew without explanation that it was the power of the mate bond. He wrapped his arms around Gan's shoulders and held him close, wanting to comfort him in his touch.

A part of Gan had merged with his consciousness, and Bryan finally understood that something inexplicable had carried them together.