Page 1 of Devon (Krsnik Clan #5)
WHEN RYAN OPENED HIS eyes, he didn’t wonder where he was. He knew.
He wasn’t home, or at least, not in the place he’d called home for the first eighteen years of his life.
He supposed that he should call Kendrick’s house his home, at least for now.
He rolled to his side and stared out the window.
The trees were green, and the birds were singing.
He didn’t know what time it was, but the sun wasn’t yet high in the sky, so it was probably early enough.
He needed to use the bathroom, but he didn’t want to wake up Kendrick and Jonas.
Jonas was a Krsnik, but Ryan wasn’t quite sure what that meant yet.
Did Jonas sleep during the day because he couldn’t be in the sunlight? That couldn’t be right.
He’d seen Jonas in the daylight.
Did he sleep during the night like most people, then? He’d still been awake when Ryan had fallen into bed, but that was probably because Ryan had been exhausted and in pain.
The only thing he’d wanted was to close his eyes, and he had no idea what time Kendrick and Jonas had gone to bed because he’d been out as soon as his head had touched his pillow.
He closed his eyes and listened.
The house was silent.
He could hear his own heartbeat, the sound of the house creaking, but that was it.
There were no signs of Jonas or Kendrick, so he definitely might wake them up if he left his bedroom to go to the bathroom.
His bedroom.
This was his bedroom, even though he’d only arrived yesterday.
It was the place where he would live for the foreseeable future.
It was exciting but also terrifying.
He had no idea what would happen.
What if Kendrick and Jonas decided they had enough of him in a few weeks or a month? What would he do then? He didn’t have anyone else.
He was only eighteen, and even though he’d had a job before, he’d just moved into a small village.
What was he supposed to do here?
He’d find something.
He didn’t actually think that Kendrick and Jonas would kick him out or even ask him to leave. Kendrick was nothing like their father. Even if he got fed up with Ryan, he would give him time to get his feet under him. He wouldn’t demand most of his paycheck.
Not that Ryan had a paycheck at the moment.
He wasn’t sure where to start, but he’d find a way. He was willing to do pretty much anything.
Something creaked louder.
Ryan sucked in a breath.
They were footsteps, which meant that someone was awake.
He and Kendrick hadn’t lived together in a long time, so he had no idea if it was his brother or Jonas.
Considering how small Jonas was, it was probably Kendrick. It was a relief because at least Ryan knew his brother.
Ryan didn’t have anything against Jonas.
In fact, he liked the Krsnik.
He was glad that Kendrick had ended up being someone’s mate because it meant that he’d have someone who would love him for the rest of his life.
After getting kicked out of their home at eighteen like Ryan had been, Kendrick deserved it.
He hadn’t gone into details when he’d picked up Ryan, but Ryan could tell that his life hadn’t been easy.
It was their father’s fault.
It was like he’d stopped being a father when they’d turned eighteen and had become a landlord instead.
Ryan would’ve understood asking for help to pay the bills and even rent, but that had been much more.
His father had asked for the impossible, and Ryan had faced the very real possibility that he’d end up on the streets.
That was what had happened to Kendrick.
He hadn’t been able to pay what their father had demanded of him and hadn’t had a big brother who’d picked him up as soon as he’d called.
He’d had to survive on his own, and Ryan couldn’t even imagine what he’d had to do.
He was glad he would never have to find out, and he’d always be grateful to Kendrick for that.
A soft knock on the door made him look in the direction. “Yes?”
The door opened.
Ryan sat up, biting his lower lip as he watched his brother walk into the room.
For now, it was just a guestroom.
Ryan had arrived yesterday, and he hadn’t had time to unpack.
He’d showered and gone straight to bed. His body still ached after what had happened before, and he kind of wished he could stay in bed for a bit longer. From Kendrick’s expression, he wasn’t sure he’d be allowed to.
“How did you sleep?”
Kendrick asked.
“Great.”
“That’s good.
How are you feeling? Any pain?”
“I feel like I was in a fight, which is normal, I guess.”
Ryan licked his lips.
“I hope this doesn’t happen often.”
“To me, it does.
I’m a hunter.”
Right.
“I don’t know anything about you except that and that you’re Jonas’s mate.”
Thankfully, Kendrick didn’t seem offended.
“We can fix that.
How about some breakfast?”
“Is Jonas awake yet?”
Ryan asked as he pushed away the sheet.
“No.
He’s a Krsnik, so he tends to sleep during the day.”
“Really? Because you picked me up during the day.”
“He makes exceptions.
To be honest, I tend to sleep during the day, too. Kudlaks don’t usually come out while the sun is out, so if I want to hunt them, I need to be awake at night.”
“So I messed up your schedule.”
“You didn’t mess up anything.
I’m awake sooner than I normally would be, but I’ll just request to be allowed to stay home for the next few days. I don’t think Clay and Rowan will mind. They have plenty of other hunters to choose from.”
Ryan swallowed.
He had so many questions, but he wasn’t sure he should ask them. Would his brother even answer if he did? He wanted to know about hunting and how Kendrick had ended up in that line of work. He wanted to know about Krsniks and Kudlaks. He wanted to know about the Kudlak who had attacked them yesterday. The man had been incredibly strong, so much so that even Ryan hadn’t been able to do anything against him. Of course, part of that was because Ryan had panicked and hadn’t thought to shift while he was being attacked, but still. He doubted it would’ve changed anything. The Kudlak had been too strong.
“Well, I’m going to get breakfast ready.
We should go and visit Clay and Rowan once we’re done eating. They knew you were coming, but they’ll want to talk to you.”
“Do you think they might reject me? For the clan, I mean.”
“No.
They’ll just want to welcome you and maybe talk about the attack. That damn Kudlak has been hunting Rowan since he realized that Rowan is the last member of one of the clans he decimated years ago.”
There was so much Ryan needed to find out about his new home.
He was curious about a lot of things but also wary. He didn’t know the clan. He only knew his brother, and while he knew he could trust Kendrick, it was hard to imagine himself living here.
That was probably normal.
He was only eighteen, and he’d always lived in the house his parents had raised him in. That was gone now. Both his father and his mother were part of his past, and he doubted he’d ever see them again.
He didn’t need them.
He had Kendrick, who was still looking at him with a smile on his lips.
“You’re sure I won’t bother you by staying here?”
Ryan asked.
He’d asked yesterday, too, and he hoped Kendrick’s answer hadn’t changed.
“You can stay for as long as you need.
This is your home, too. This room is yours. I’m just happy to have you back with me, Ryan.”
“Even though you’ve built yourself a life here? I mean, you have friends, a home, and Jonas.
You don’t need me.”
“You’re right.
I don’t need you, but that doesn’t mean I don’t want you. You’re my little brother. You’re the one thing I always regretted losing when I was forced to leave. I won’t abandon you. I won’t force you to pay rent. You’re safe here, Ryan.”
Ryan had to look away.
His throat felt tight, but he didn’t want to cry. He was grateful to Kendrick and happy he had a home, but he was grieving everything he’d lost. His relationship with his parents had never been great, but they were still his parents, and that house had been his home.
“Jonas will sleep a while longer, but don’t worry about bothering him.
He sleeps like the dead.”
“Thank you,”
Ryan whispered.
“I didn’t do anything you need to thank me for.
You’re family.”
That had meant nothing to Ryan’s parents, but clearly, the same couldn’t be said for Kendrick.
“DEVON, PLEASE.
I’M getting worried,”
Melissa said through the closed door of Devon’s bedroom.
Devon swallowed and stared out the window.
He didn’t want Melissa to worry. She might not be his mother, but she’d protected him when he needed it, and he would always be grateful for that. She was his family, even though they didn’t share blood.
That was why he couldn’t ignore her.
They’d promised that they would always be there for each other and for Haley, and Devon didn’t want to break that promise.
“I’m fine,”
he called out.
There was a moment of silence.
Devon didn’t think that Melissa had left. She wouldn’t when she still wanted answers from him. She was stubborn like that.
“It’s good to hear your voice,”
she said, and Devon could hear the smile in her voice.
“You don’t have to worry about me.”
“I’ll always worry about you and Haley.
It’s what a mother does.”
Devon didn’t tell her that she wasn’t his mother.
She might as well be. She was the only mother figure in his life, and she behaved like a parent to him. She made sure he ate and that he had everything he needed, even though he was eighteen and technically old enough to take care of himself. It was good to feel that someone cared, but that didn’t mean that Devon felt any better about the thought of staying with the clan.
“Well, I’m fine,”
he called out.
“You can go back to bed.
I promise I’ll eat something.”
Melissa was quiet.
Devon knew that she was hesitating, but she was a Kudlak. She was probably exhausted after staying up with Haley for most of the night. Kudlaks and Krsniks were night creatures, but Devon wasn’t one of them. He was a normal human, and his day had just begun.
He’d gotten used to living like Melissa and Haley, so he was surprised to be awake.
He hadn’t been sleeping well, which would explain why he couldn’t go back to sleep even though he should be resting.
He wasn’t sure he could.
Every time he closed his eyes, he saw Kendrick and felt the humiliation he’d felt when Kendrick had rejected him, and Jonas had stepped in. What had Devon been thinking?
He hadn’t been.
He’d been desperate. He’d wanted someone to love him, to feel normal for once, and he’d latched onto Kendrick. Even though there was a ten-year age difference between them, he’d thought they were a good match. Both he and Kendrick were human and were used to fighting to survive, and it had felt like a match made in heaven.
Devon had realized it wasn’t a match at all, but it felt like hell.
He clung to Kendrick until it was embarrassing, and he didn’t think he could ever face the man again. He wanted to die just at the thought.
Melissa sighed.
“I’m going back to bed.
I’ll check in on you later, though.”
“You don’t have to worry about me.”
“But I do.”
Devon listened to her footsteps fade as she walked down the hallway.
Melissa was worried about him, and that wouldn’t get any better if he left the village.
He couldn’t believe he was actually thinking of doing that.
When they’d arrived at the village, he’d thought for sure this would be a fresh start for the three of them. They were finally safe. Haley would be able to grow up in a normal place, with a roof over her head and food in her stomach. She wouldn’t have to worry about sleeping on the ground or being cold at night. None of them would ever have to worry about being attacked and hurt ever again.
Well, that wasn’t quite right.
The Kudlaks had attacked the village, but people were working on setting up magic defenses.
Besides, that didn’t change the fact that Melissa and Haley were safer here than they could ever have been living in abandoned buildings or on the streets.
Devon was, too, but he still needed to leave.
He needed a plan.
He wrapped his comforter tighter around his shoulders and forced himself to think practically.
No matter how desperately he wanted to leave right now so he would never have to see Kendrick and Jonas again, he couldn’t afford to.
He didn’t have any money.
He didn’t have a car.
He only had a few changes of clothes.
Clay and Rowan had given Melissa enough money to buy necessities for the three of them, but Devon couldn’t even think about taking that money from her. That meant he’d have to earn his own.
There was nothing for him to do in the village.
It was too small and had been abandoned until recently, and people were barely settling into their new homes.
No one was opening businesses yet.
They would eventually, but it would be too close to home.
Devon needed to put space between himself and Kendrick, which meant finding work in the closest town.
He could do that.
He didn’t have any skills, but he was young, so he hoped people would hire him anyway.
He wasn’t looking for a job that would last him a lifetime.
He’d be fine with working at a bar or a diner or something.
He could learn whatever he needed to know for the job.
Even though thinking about leaving the house and doing this was scary, he forced himself to get out of bed.
It was good that he’d woken up so early, even though he hadn’t known it at the time.
This way, he could get out of the house while Melissa was still sleeping.
He could talk to people in town who were on a normal human schedule and would be awake during the day.
If he found work, he would have to do the same, anyway.
Besides, once he left the village, he could live any way he wanted. He wouldn’t have to stay awake during the night and sleep during the day like he had after he met Melissa and Haley.
But to do that, he needed a job.
He’d showered the night before, so he threw on clean clothes and carefully made his way out of his bedroom.
The floor creaked a bit, and he paused several times, but he heard nothing but silence. Melissa and Haley were deeply asleep, as they should be.
The three of them hadn’t been able to sleep deeply for so long.
When they’d lived on the streets, one of them had always needed to be awake.
It was the only way to be safe and ensure that no one would sneak up on them while they were unconscious.
Melissa had tried to do everything herself, but even when Devon was younger, he’d refused to let her.
Keeping both her and Haley safe was as much his responsibility as it was Melissa’s.
They may not be related, but he cared for them as if they were. Leaving them would be hell. He wished he didn’t have to, but he didn’t see another way out of this.
Devon couldn’t stay in the village and face Kendrick every day.
He wasn’t sure what would be worse—having to see Kendrick or having to see Jonas. He’d humiliated himself with both of them. Kendrick had pitied him, and Jonas had been angry, so Devon was planning on staying away from both of them. Jonas was a Krsnik, and he could kick Devon’s ass without breaking a sweat. He probably wouldn’t hesitate to do so, either. He was fierce, especially when it came to his mate.
Devon swallowed and moved down the stairs.
He didn’t go to the kitchen to get breakfast. He wasn’t hungry. He hadn’t been eating much because his stomach still churned with uneasiness. He couldn’t stop thinking about what happened. He suspected that he wouldn’t stop thinking about it until he was far away from the village, but unfortunately, that would take time.
He slipped his shoes on and quietly opened the door.
He paused, but the house was quiet. Stepping out and closing the door felt like a massive step, but he told himself that he wasn’t taking that step yet. He was coming back.
For now.
RYAN ALMOST BEGGED Kendrick to allow him to stay home.
When Kendrick had mentioned that they needed to see Clay and Roland, Ryan hadn’t thought it would happen right away. He’d thought most of the village slept during the day and was awake at night, but after breakfast, Kendrick had gotten up and declared that the two clan leaders didn’t live far away and that they could walk there. Ryan had stared, trying to make sense of the words.
He understood why he needed to talk to the clan leaders.
He was here because they’d agreed he could be. If it wasn’t for them, Kendrick wouldn’t have been allowed to bring Ryan back with him, and Ryan didn’t even want to think about what would’ve happened then. He didn’t have to think about it. He’d left his parents, and he was safe and had a roof over his head. He had his brother back, something he hadn’t thought would happen.
When Kendrick had left when Ryan was eight, it was almost like he never existed.
Ryan had tried talking to his father about Kendrick, but he’d been dismissed, and Ryan’s mother had never liked her stepson, maybe because she was a shifter while Kendrick was human. But she’d never felt any maternal feelings toward him, and Ryan hadn’t understood that until years later. He’d thought things would be different for him. He was his mother’s son, and he’d hoped that would mean she wanted him around even after he turned eighteen.
Clearly, she didn’t.
But he didn’t have to think about that anymore.
His mother might not want him around, but Kendrick did. That was why Ryan was here. It was why he was headed to the clan leaders.
“What if they don’t want me to stay?” he asked.
“I don’t see why they wouldn’t.
I’ve worked with Clay for years. We might not be best friends, but he wouldn’t do that to me. Besides, neither of them wants to lose a hunter. They need me.”
But they didn’t need Ryan.
Did Ryan have anything to offer them? He wasn’t sure. He kept thinking about it as they walked, but they reached their destination way too soon.
Kendrick climbed the porch steps.
He knocked and turned to Ryan, frowning when he didn’t find him behind him. Ryan quickly joined his brother, but he was so nervous that he felt like he was about to jump out of his skin.
“Relax,”
Kendrick murmured.
“You’ll be fine.”
Ryan had to believe it.
He wanted to ask Kendrick to reassure him more, but the door opened, so they didn’t have the opportunity to talk any longer.
The man who opened the door was young—not as young as Ryan, but then, Ryan was only eighteen.
This guy had to be in his mid-twenties, and he smiled easily when he saw Kendrick. “Hey.”
The man was cute.
His brown hair was shaggy, and freckles dotted his nose and cheeks. He was shorter than Ryan, but his shoulders were broad, and the muscles in his arms flexed as he waved at Kendrick and Ryan to come in. Ryan noticed scars on the man’s throat, but he didn’t ask about them. It wasn’t his business.
“So this is your brother?”
the man asked.
Kendrick nodded.
“Yes, this is Ryan.
Ryan, this is Clay, one of our clan leaders.”
Ryan quickly held his hand out.
Kendrick had talked a bit about Clay and Rowan, so Ryan knew that Clay was human. He also knew that his mate was a Krsnik, like Jonas. That was why he wasn’t surprised when a second man appeared so silently that Ryan didn’t even hear him. One second, there was no one else, and the next, the man stood there, watching his mate with a fond smile.
Rowan was as tall as Ryan, but like Clay, he was broader and more muscled.
The most startling thing about him was his eyes, though. They were violet and so full of love as he watched his mate that Ryan had to look away.
“Rowan,”
Kendrick said as he stepped forward and hugged both Rowan and Clay.
“I didn’t expect to find you awake at this hour of the day.”
Rowan smiled, exposing fangs.
Ryan bit his lower lip so he wouldn’t say anything stupid. He didn’t know these people. He had to make a good impression.
“I wanted to meet your brother,”
Rowan said.
He turned to Ryan.
“Welcome to the clan.”
Ryan could only smile and nod.
He was afraid of what would come out of his mouth if he opened it, so he was happy to let Kendrick speak.
“We just wanted to touch base now that Ryan’s here,”
Kendrick said as he and Ryan followed the other two through the house.
Ryan wasn’t surprised when they ended up in the kitchen.
Clay waved at them to sit at the table, and Ryan quickly obeyed, making way too much noise with the chair. No one seemed to care or even notice.
“Everything went well?”
Clay asked.
“Well, beyond the attack on your way back.”
“Our father won’t come and look for Ryan if that’s what you’re asking,”
Kendrick said.
“He did the same to me.
He washed his hands of us as soon as we turned eighteen, and that’s not going to change. Ryan’s here to stay.”
Rowan turned his violet eyes in Ryan’s direction.
“How do you feel about that?”
he asked in a quiet tone.
Ryan’s mouth was dry.
“I’m grateful to you and Clay for allowing me to stay.
I’ll do whatever you need me to do.”
“We don’t need you to do anything.
You’re Kendrick’s brother. That makes you a clan member.”
“Thank you.
I appreciate the opportunity, and I’ll prove to you that I can be a productive clan member. I’m not sure how I’ll do that yet, but I’ll find a job, and I’ll contribute. You won’t have to worry about that.”
Thankfully, Rowan didn’t seem offended by Ryan’s babbling.
In fact, he smiled and glanced at Clay, who was grinning. There seemed to be an inside joke there, but Ryan didn’t know what it was, and frankly, he didn’t care. He had enough to worry about already.
“We do want all our clan members to contribute in some way, but you don’t have to rush,”
Clay said as he poured several cups of coffee.
“You just arrived.
You lost the only life you’ve known and your parents. Rowan and I are fine with you taking some time, especially after the attack. I’m sorry you had to go through that.”
Ryan was, too, but it wasn’t the fault of anyone in the room.
“I’m fine.”
He was glad when the other three started talking about things he wasn’t involved in.
He sipped on his coffee, relieved to be allowed to keep his mouth shut and listen. Clay and Rowan seemed like nice people. Clay was a smiler, and while Rowan was clearly the quiet one, they appeared to fit together well.
All in all, by the time he and Kendrick were ready to go, Ryan was happy he’d come—and even happier to be able to leave.
“So, what did you think?”
Kendrick asked as they climbed down the porch steps.
“They seem like nice people.”
“They are nice people.
Clay lost his family to the Kudlaks. I think that’s why he was so happy that I was able to help you. And Rowan, well. He lost his entire clan. They both know how it feels to lose people you love and family. They won’t kick you out, so you can stop worrying about that.”
“How did you know that was on my mind?”
“Because it’s what I would think if I were in your place.”
Kendrick cleared his throat.
“I know we haven’t talked in ten years, but I want to get to know you, Ryan.
You’re the only thing I missed from my old life, and I’m glad we have a second chance. I don’t want to miss this opportunity to get to know the adult you.”
Ryan didn’t quite feel like an adult, but he agreed with everything else.
“I want to get to know you, too.”
Kendrick grinned.
“It’s a good thing you’re living with me, then.”
They reached the path that would lead them to the center of the village and back home.
As they did so, someone burst out from between the trees. They clearly weren’t looking where they were going because they slammed right into Ryan’s arms, and Ryan had no other option than to wrap his arms around them so both of them could stay on their feet.
The man was shorter than Ryan, but with them being pressed so close together, it didn’t matter.
Ryan still got a good whiff of the man’s scent.
He’d only arrived at the village last night, but he already had his mate in his arms.
DEVON WAS GRATEFUL that this guy had caught him, at least until the guy refused to let him go when he tried stepping away.
He was glad he hadn’t fallen on his face, but he didn’t want things to be weird. He also didn’t want to be rude, though, so he didn’t push the guy away like he felt he should.
He looked up.
The guy was staring at him, which was slightly annoying. What wasn’t annoying was how cute he was. He was young, and the freckles on his nose made him look even younger. His brown eyes were wide as he stared at Devon until it made Devon uncomfortable.
“Thank you for that,”
Devon said.
“I’ll watch where I’m going better next time.”
The guy continued staring.
He reminded Devon of Kendrick, which was the last thing Devon needed. He was trying to get away from Kendrick, not to get a crush on someone who looked like him.
Someone cleared her throat, but before Devon could turn to see who it was, the man’s hands tightened on his arms.
He frowned and turned back, wondering what was happening. He wasn’t sure he actually wanted to know.
“You’re my mate,”
the man breathed out.
Devon gaped.
“What the fuck are you talking about?”
“You heard me.
You’re my mate.”
“I can’t be your mate.”
“Why not?”
The guy sniffed delicately.
“I can smell that you’re human, but I promise I’m not lying.”
“You could be.”
“Why would I?”
Devon didn’t know, and he didn’t care.
He didn’t want this—whatever it was.
He stepped away, and this time, the guy let him go.
When Devon turned to leave, though, he stopped him with a hand on his shoulder.
“I’m Ryan.”
Devon sucked in a breath and told himself not to snap.
He had no idea who Ryan was, and he was pretty sure he’d never seen him around. Maybe he was a new clan member. If that was the case, things would be awkward for a bit, but he was sure the guy would stop eventually.
“Devon, and please stop trying to convince me that I’m your mate.
I don’t have a mate.”
He wasn’t sure he deserved it after what had happened with Kendrick.
Even if he did, he didn’t think he could deal with having a mate right now.
He was leaving the clan and the village.
It would take him some time, but it was the best thing he could do for himself and for Kendrick. Having this guy tell people that they were mates would put a wrench in that plan, and Devon couldn’t allow that to happen.
“I’m not trying to convince you of anything,”
Ryan mumbled.
“It’s the truth.
You’re my mate.”
Someone cleared their throat again.
Devon turned, already glaring. He didn’t need spectators to whatever this mess was.
He stopped breathing when he saw Kendrick standing there, watching him and Ryan.
There was a frown on his face, no doubt because Devon was there. Kendrick hadn’t told Devon that he never wanted to see him again, but he hadn’t had to. Who would want to see Devon after what he’d done?
“Devon, this is my brother, Kendrick,”
Ryan said.
Devon croaked.
He wasn’t sure what he’d been trying to say, but no words came out of his mouth. If Ryan was right—if Devon really was his mate—Devon would scream.
He knew what shifters thought about mates.
They believed that fate chose the perfect mate for them. They believed that shifters met their mates when they most needed to.
What the fuck had Devon done to offend fate so badly?
He couldn’t be Kendrick’s brother’s mate.
There was just no way after what had happened with Kendrick. Devon needed to stay away from the man, and he was sure that Kendrick felt the same way about him. He wouldn’t want Devon anywhere near him, let alone his brother.
“Devon...”
Kendrick started.
Devon shook his head and stepped away.
“It’s okay.
You don’t have to say anything.”
“I want to say something.”
But maybe Devon didn’t want to hear it.
In fact, he definitely didn’t want to hear it. Whatever venom Kendrick was about to unleash on him, he didn’t need to know.
He already knew how Kendrick felt about him.
Devon was annoying and pushy. He’d made a fool of himself by thinking that Kendrick could ever feel anything for him. Even if Jonas hadn’t been Kendrick’s mate, Kendrick wouldn’t have chosen him. Devon couldn’t compare to Jonas, and he hadn’t been trying to. He’d been desperately looking for someone to love him, but that wasn’t going to happen, at least not in a romantic way.
Melissa and Haley cared about him.
The three of them had gone through hell together, and it had pulled them closer. But now that they had a normal life, Devon wouldn’t be surprised if, eventually, they drifted away. Haley was Melissa’s daughter, but Devon was no one to either of them. Haley would make friends and would forget about him. Melissa would be focused on her real daughter and building herself a life in the village.
Maybe that was why he’d been trying so hard to find someone else, someone who would want him for him.
He’d known he’d end up alone eventually, and he didn’t want that.
He’d failed.
“You don’t have to panic,”
Kendrick said gently.
“Everything’s fine.”
But everything wasn’t fine.
Devon had to go. He had to find a job, focus on making enough money to leave, and do just that. A mate hadn’t been in his plans, and it still wasn’t. Ryan had to be confused or wrong.
Devon shouldn’t be talking to Kendrick, though.
He turned his attention back to Ryan, who was frowning at both of them.
Ryan was cute, even when he didn’t look happy.
He and Devon seemed to be about the same age. Devon hadn’t known Kendrick had a brother, but it didn’t matter. Kendrick wouldn’t have told him about his brother. He didn’t like or know Devon. Devon was nothing to him.
“You’re wrong,”
Devon said.
His voice shook, and he had to resist the urge to run.
Ryan didn’t look like he was willing to admit that.
“I’m not.
You should feel the bond between us. I know you’re not a shifter, but still. It’s there.”
It might be, but Devon would do his best to ignore it.
He couldn’t afford this. He didn’t want to deal with any of it. He didn’t want to tell Ryan that he’d pursued his brother and had made a fool of himself. He didn’t want to tell anyone that he was planning on leaving.
He just needed to focus on his plan, do what was necessary, and ignore everything else.
Including Ryan.
For some reason, Ryan seemed to understand what Devon was thinking.
He raised his hands, and Devon quickly stepped away. Ryan looked hurt. Maybe he thought that Devon believed he was going to hurt him, but that wasn’t it. Devon didn’t want anyone to touch him, including Ryan, and it had nothing to do with thinking that Ryan would hurt him. He just couldn’t afford to break down.
“I promise you that I’m not lying,”
Ryan said.
“You are my mate.
I could smell it as soon as I was close enough to you. It doesn’t mean we have to get together right away or anything like that. I’m not going to pressure you. I just want a chance to talk to you.”
Devon shook his head.
“I’m sorry.
I can’t do this.”
“You can’t do what? Talk?”
“Any of this.
If I’m really your mate, I feel sorry for you. I know it won’t be easy, but you should forget me.”
It would be best for everyone.
Devon would be able to leave as soon as he could, and Ryan could find someone else to be with.
Devon tried to ignore the way that made him feel.
It didn’t matter if Ryan found someone else. In fact, it would be for the best. Ryan probably wouldn’t even try until Devon was out of his life, though, which meant that Devon needed to put distance between them.
“I’m sorry,”
he repeated before turning.
He heard Ryan call out for him, but he acted as if he didn’t. He rushed away, stumbling on tree roots and almost falling on his face a few times.
He didn’t care.
If he’d fallen, he would’ve welcomed the pain.
It was what he deserved after the pain he’d caused.