Page 5 of Hansen (Mutants #7)

EVAN THOUGHT HE WAS putting up a good front.

At the very least, no one had called him out on the fact that he was freaking out on the inside since he’d arrived at the village.

Not even Davey had noticed, which felt like a victory.

It shouldn’t.

Davey would want Evan to talk to him about how he felt, especially since he was so overwhelmed.

Evan couldn’t do that.

They’d talked a bit, so Evan knew that his best friend had blamed himself for not being able to rescue him. Now that he was free, he wanted Davey to focus on his own life.

Davey had a home here.

He had friends and a mate, and now, he had Evan.

He deserved to be happy, and Evan wanted him to be.

What Davey didn’t deserve was to shoulder all of Evan’s problems. Evan wasn’t sure he was up to dealing with them on his own, but he’d been trying.

He looked up and plastered a smile on his face when the bakery door opened. It was a miracle that his smile didn’t fall when Davey stepped in.

“Let me guess,”

Evan said before Davey could ask how he was. “You’re here to see Orion?”

Davey’s cheeks flushed. It looked good on him, and Evan wanted to keep the smile on his friend’s face. “If he’s not busy.”

Evan gestured toward the back door. “You know where to find him.”

Davey rushed toward the door, but he paused before stepping through. “How are you doing?”

Dammit. Evan thought he’d gotten away with it. “What do you think? I couldn’t be happier.”

Evan was certainly happier than he’d been when he was stuck in a cage.

He was still living with Orion and Davey, but he knew that he just had to ask if he wanted his own place.

He had Davey back.

He even had a job, and he loved helping Orion at the bakery.

He’d had dreams before he was kidnapped, but now, the only thing he wanted to focus on was peace. Working at the bakery was peaceful, and he needed more of that in his life.

Davey didn’t look convinced, and Evan was already dreading the conversation that was coming.

Thankfully for him, Orion had heard his mate, and he was as impatient as Davey.

“Are you coming in or what?”

he called out.

Davey looked torn, so Evan strode toward him and pushed him through the door. “Spend time with your mate.”

“You were always bossy,”

Davey grumbled.

“That’s because I know what’s best for you.”

“Do you also know what’s best for you?”

That was a heavy question that Evan didn’t know how to answer. “I’ll figure it out. Go.”

Davey obeyed, leaving Evan alone.

Evan glanced around the shop, but it was empty of customers for now. The lunch rush hour was long gone, and while some people would come around to grab something for dinner, the busiest part of the day was over.

He grabbed cleaning products and walked around the counter to clean up the small tables. His thoughts were running, though, and he couldn’t stop them.

Evan was settling in at the village.

He spent most of his time either here at the bakery or in the house that Davey and Orion shared, but he’d met people, and he could see himself having a future here.

There was also Hansen to consider.

All in all, Evan didn’t have much to go back to.

His old life was just that—old. It didn’t belong to him anymore. He wasn’t even sure what was left of it.

That would be easy to find out.

He could pick up his phone right now and call his family.

He could tell them that he was alive and well, that he was safe, and that he was coming to see them.

He could tell them that Davey was okay, too, which, apparently, Davey hadn’t done.

Evan still had a hard time wrapping his mind around it.

Davey had confessed that after he’d escaped, he’d never gone home.

He’d never reached out to their families and had never told them that he was safe.

They all probably thought that Davey and Evan were dead, considering how long it had been, and Evan still couldn’t quite believe it.

He understood why Davey hadn’t contacted them. He didn’t have to ask because he knew Davey.

Davey felt guilty.

He’d been too late to save Evan, and knowing him, he thought that Evan’s family would blame him.

He was blaming himself, after all.

But Evan was back.

His parents didn’t have to continue believing that he was dead.

He wanted to give them that peace of mind, but part of him was also terrified.

He was scared of what had been done to him in the lab.

He still wasn’t sure whether or not he was a mutant, but he wasn’t the man he’d been when he’d been kidnapped. As far as he knew, he might be dangerous to his family, which was one of the reasons he’d felt it was better to keep his distance for now.

It was hell.

He wanted to hug his mother.

He wanted to hear his father tease him.

He wanted his life to go back to normal, but it never would.

He had a new normal now, and he wasn’t used to it yet, but he would be eventually. He just didn’t think he’d feel complete until he had his family back.

Loud laughter made him jump.

He turned toward the back door on instinct, then looked away again instantly when he realized he could see Davey and Orion through the small window in the door.

They weren’t doing anything they shouldn’t be doing at work, but it still felt like Evan was invading their personal space.

From what Evan had seen, Davey had to be sitting on one of the counters. Orion was pressed against him, and Davey’s arms were around Orion’s neck.

They were happy. They looked like they belonged together, and they did.

Could Evan and Hansen have that? They were mates, too, but Evan felt broken.

He wasn’t sure he’d ever be able to give Hansen what he deserved.

He didn’t think that would be enough to send Hansen running, but just because they were mates didn’t mean the man had to stay.

Hansen would.

He and Evan had been talking on the phone and texting, and Evan felt that he was starting to know his mate.

Everything Hansen did and said was centered around Evan.

He wanted Evan to be happy and feel safe, so much so that sometimes, it was overwhelming.

Hansen didn’t hover as badly as Davey, but Evan was sure that the instinct to do it was there.

Evan hadn’t pulled back because he knew that wasn’t what Hansen wanted. He really was the perfect man for Evan, but Evan didn’t know what to do with that.

More laughter from the kitchen made him roll his eyes.

These two needed to get a room before they started fucking in between the pastries.

He put down his cleaning supplies and went to knock on the door.

He didn’t wait to push it open, grinning when he caught Davey and Orion still kissing.

Davey’s eyes widened, and he scrambled off the counter.

Sometimes, Evan wished he could read his best friend’s mind because he was ridiculous.

“Why don’t you two go home early?”

he suggested.

Davey frowned. “I don’t think Orion wants to close the shop just yet.”

“Who said anything about closing the shop? I’ll stay until close.”

“You don’t need to do that,”

Orion said.

Great, he was frowning, too. This wasn’t what Evan had been going for. “I know I don’t need to do it. I’m offering. You two haven’t had time alone since I arrived in town, so you should take advantage of the empty house.”

Orion’s cheeks flushed. “There’s no need for you to do that.”

“Maybe not, but I want to do it. Besides, don’t you want to give me more responsibilities? I need to show you that hiring me was a good idea.”

“I already know it was.”

Orion glanced at Davey. “But we could go home.”

“Please do. No one wants to watch you make out over the croissants.”

Davey laughed and moved closer to Evan. Once, he would’ve pulled him into his arms. Now, he patted Evan’s shoulder as if he was afraid Evan would break if he tried anything more intense.

“Fine. We’ll go home, but you have to promise that you’ll call if you need anything.”

“Yes, Mom. I promise.”

Evan hoped he wouldn’t need to. He had to start standing on his own two feet and stop letting people protect him. That included Davey, but Evan would have a fight on his hands if he pushed his best friend right now.

“I’ll be fine,”

he promised.

He hoped he wasn’t lying.

HANSEN WAS HAPPY.

IT had been a long time since he’d felt like this.

Hell, there’d been a time when he hadn’t thought he could ever be happy again, right after he’d escaped from the lab he’d been locked in.

His entire life had changed.

He had changed.

He’d tried so hard to go back to his old life, but it had been impossible because he wasn’t the same person as he’d been when he was taken.

When he’d finally realized that, he’d thought that his life was over.

That was when he’d found the other mutants.

Working with Moore and the others had given him a new purpose, and, slowly, it had given him his new life.

Evan felt like the last piece of the puzzle, and Hansen couldn’t wait to see what their life would be like once Evan managed to settle down.

He didn’t care how long it took.

He just cared that he had everything he could want.

He’d finally met his mate.

It felt incredible and like it couldn’t be true, but it was.

He wouldn’t have to hound Olga so she could tell him when it would happen because it had.

He reached the bakery and pushed the door open, already smiling because he knew he’d find Evan behind the counter.

He hadn’t been surprised when Evan had started working with Orion.

He was starting to get to know his mate, and he understood that Evan needed to get out of the house.

Staying there all day, every day, would drive anyone nuts, but especially someone who was trying to forget bad memories.

It was better for Evan to have something to do and people to talk to, and the bakery was perfect for that.

Evan was stacking the boxes he and Orion used to pack pastries, but he stopped when he heard the door.

He turned, and when his first reaction was to smile, Hansen felt like his heart might be about to beat out of his chest.

“We didn’t make plans, did we?”

Evan asked.

“We’ve never made plans, so no.”

“Are you saying that I’m a bad mate because I haven’t taken you out yet?”

“I wouldn’t say bad.”

Evan grinned, but there was something lurking in his eyes. Hansen opened his mouth to ask what was going on, even though he suspected that Evan was just overwhelmed and still thinking about everything. He didn’t get the opportunity to ask because the door opened behind him, and two women came in with a small army of children.

Evan’s eyes widened at the sight, and he looked like he was about to run. Hansen didn’t blame him. He wouldn’t want to deal with one kid, let alone a dozen.

“Do you still have cupcakes?”

one of the women asked. Her hair was ruffled, and there was a streak of something on her cheek. She looked like he was about to collapse.

“Please tell me you still have cupcakes,”

the other woman said. “Janice insisted that she could bake the birthday cake, but it was a disaster, and we need something to celebrate with.”

The first woman—probably Janice, considering the way she glared at the second woman—held out a candle. “There. Even one cupcake would be fine.”

“I want a cupcake, too,”

one of the girls said.

“Me, too!”

a boy added.

A third child was poking at a potted plant in the corner, while a boy started crying after the girl next to him pulled his hair.

Evan and Hansen looked at each other. Hansen had no idea what to do, and Evan was clearly lost. “You should ask Orion for help,”

Hansen suggested.

“He’s not here. He went home early with Davey.”

The crying was getting louder, and Janice looked like she was about to punch the other mother or run out the door. Something needed to be done.

Hansen sucked in a breath. He had no idea what he was doing, but he wouldn’t let Evan face all of this on his own. It might only be a bunch of children, but as far as Hansen was concerned, they were more terrifying than hunters.

He forced himself to smile and turned toward the two mothers. “I’ll go check in the back if we have cupcakes.”

Janice dropped the candle into Hansen’s hands. Thankfully, now that she knew Hansen and Evan were going to try, she turned her attention to the crying boy.

Hansen rushed into the back room, pausing only long enough to tell the child poking at the plant to be careful.

He almost cried in relief when he opened the fridge and found a tray of cupcakes.

He didn’t know if Orion had gotten them ready for tomorrow, but he didn’t think Orion would mind if they used them tonight. Hansen would text him to let him know what had happened, just in case.

He grabbed the tray and rejoined Evan.

The potted plant was missing a leaf now, and Janice was scolding the child.

The crier had stopped crying and was in the other mother’s arms, sniffling, but his smile quickly returned when he saw the cupcakes.

Hansen put the tray down on the counter and stuck the candle into one of them.

He turned to Evan because he had no idea how much they were supposed to ask for all these cupcakes.

How much would that cost?

“You’re not lighting the candle?”

Janice asked.

“We can provide the cupcakes, but you’ll have to take them home to eat them,”

Hansen quickly said before Evan could offer to have the party at the bakery.

Janice scowled, and when she opened her mouth, Hansen was pretty sure she was about to demand they be allowed to stay.

Evan looked on the edge of tears, and Hansen couldn’t allow that to happen.

It was his job to protect his mate, even from an angry mother.

“That’ll be fifty dollars,”

he quickly said, ignoring Evan when he made a strangled sound.

Hansen didn’t look at his mate.

He stared at Janice until she finally took out her phone, but he had no idea how to take the payment.

Thankfully, Evan was moving again, and by the time Hansen was done packing the cupcakes into one of the boxes Evan kept behind the counter, Janice was ready to go.

Hansen followed the two mothers and their hordes of children to the door, locking it as soon as the last kid was out.

He was pretty sure he saw Janice scowl again, but he didn’t care.

She and the small demons were out, and they weren’t coming back in.

Hansen had been at the bakery for only a handful of minutes, yet it had felt like an eternity.

He sighed in relief and turned to Evan, a smile already on his lips.

The smile vanished when he realized he couldn’t see Evan.

“Evan?”

he called out.

A hand appeared over the top of the counter. Evan waved, and Hansen rushed to his side, wondering why his mate had curled up on the floor and was hugging his knees. Had something about the situation reminded him of the labs?

“Hey,”

Hansen said softly as he crouched next to Evan and put a hand on his knee.

“What would I have done if you hadn’t been here?”

Evan asked.

“Whatever you could.”

“I froze. I didn’t know what to say.”

“You didn’t have to because I was there to help.”

“What about the next time someone decides to have a party in the bakery? What am I supposed to do?”

“You can either tell them to leave, or you can tell Orion, and he’ll do the same.”

Evan’s eyes were damp. “I don’t want to have to rely on you or Orion. I want to be able to do these things myself.”

“You will, eventually. No one expects you to be fine, Evan. We know what you went through, and we understand.”

“When will it stop? It’s not fair.”

Hansen agreed, but life, in general, wasn’t fair. They had to deal with whatever was handed to them, even though, in Evan’s case, it was harder than what most people would ever go through.

“I don’t think it’ll ever stop, but I can promise you that whether or not it does, I’ll be with you. I’ll do everything I can to help you.”

To Hansen’s surprise, Evan giggled. “You realize you made her pay way too much, right?”

“I have no idea how much cupcakes cost. Besides, she paid the fifty dollars, didn’t she?”

“Because she didn’t have a choice with all those kids.”

Hansen shrugged. “Next time, they’ll plan better.”

Hansen was glad to see a smile back on Evan’s face, and if he had to ask a rude woman to pay way too much for cupcakes to see him smile again, he’d do it again and again.

He’d do pretty much anything for his mate.

EVAN WANTED TO STAND on his own two feet, but at the same time, it felt good to have someone take charge and take care of him. For so long, he’d been alone and had to survive on his own. It wouldn’t make him weak to allow Hansen to help him, would it?

Evan wasn’t sure he had the strength to rebuild his life on his own. He wasn’t even sure he wanted to do it. Hansen was his mate, and that meant something, even though Evan didn’t know where things between them would go.

He liked Hansen, and he liked him even more after what had happened tonight. Evan had panicked when the two women and children came in, but Hansen had made everything all right. He’d found a solution while Evan had been freaking out, and even though he’d sold the cupcakes Orion had prepared for tomorrow, a sale was a sale.

“So, what’s next?”

Hansen asked.

“We don’t have any more cupcakes to sell.”

Hansen laughed. “I’ll apologize to Orion. Do you have to stay open much longer?”

Evan hoped not. He was sitting on the floor behind the counter, for fuck’s sake. It wasn’t sanitary, and after the day he’d had, he felt the need to take a shower and snuggle in bed.

He took his phone out of his pocket and checked the time. “I can close,”

he said as he started getting to his feet.

Hansen gently pushed him back down. “Or you could guide me through closing, and I could do it for you.”

“It’s not your job.”

“Good thing I’m not doing it to get paid, then. Let me do this for you, Evan.”

Evan almost asked him why, but he knew.

Ever since they’d found out they were mates, Hansen had been showing up for Evan, even when Evan didn’t feel like seeing anyone.

He’d texted and called, had given Evan time and space when he needed it, but had been a steady presence that reminded Evan that he wasn’t alone.

Evan knew he wasn’t, of course.

He’d always have Davey, who’d looked for him for years and hadn’t allowed himself to be happy until he’d found him.

They were still close, but things were different.

Davey had Orion now, and Evan had Hansen.

Evan wasn’t in love with Hansen yet, but it would be so easy to fall for the man.

Seeing how much he already cared would be enough.

He didn’t expect anything from Evan, even though he should.

Right now, their relationship was unbalanced, and Evan wasn’t sure he could fix it before he fixed himself.

He didn’t want to push Hansen away, and he didn’t want to hurt him by asking him to wait for too long.

Hansen booped Evan’s nose with his finger. “What’s going on in your head?”

“Things I probably shouldn’t be thinking about at this hour of the day while sitting on the floor.”

“Then don’t think about them. Tell me what to do and rest.”

“Fine, but I’m not doing it from the floor.”

With a chuckle, Hansen straightened up and offered Evan’s hand.

Evan took it and allowed his mate to help him to his feet and guide him to one of the small tables by the window.

He didn’t argue when Hansen pushed him into one of the chairs, and for a moment, they stared at each other.

This man was Evan’s mate.

If Evan played his cards right, Hansen would be in his life until one of them died.

If Evan allowed himself to live, he could be the happiest he’d ever been, even before he’d been taken.

He hated that it had taken him being kidnapped and tortured to find his mate, but maybe finding Hansen was a way for fate to ask for his forgiveness—for both their forgiveness.

Hansen had been in a lab, too.

That was probably why he knew what Evan needed. He’d been through what Evan was going through now. He knew how it felt. He could take care of Evan in a way that no one else could.

Evan cleared his throat and started explaining what to do before he did something stupid like kissing Hansen.

He wanted to kiss his mate, but was now the best moment to do it? Was there a best moment to do it at all? Evan didn’t know, but he still felt slightly panicked, and he knew it would be better to give himself time to relax.

He didn’t want their first kiss to happen when he was about to cry.

He wanted to enjoy it and to know it was the beginning of something.

“There’s not a lot to do,”

he said. “I took care of the cleanup earlier, so we just have to lock up the place.”

He gave Hansen instructions, and Hansen followed them as if he was paid to do it.

It was clear that this was important to him because he put a lot of effort into it, which earned him another point in Evan’s heart.

Even though Evan had always known that mates existed, he’d never believed in love at first sight.

He supposed he still didn’t because he hadn’t fallen in love with Hansen the first time he’d seen him, but he was developing feelings much faster than he thought possible.

Maybe he should have expected it, considering who Hansen was to him.

He wasn’t just another guy.

He was Evan’s mate, and both Evan and his wolf wanted more.

Would it be right to start something with Hansen when Evan’s life was still a mess? Evan wanted to think it would be, but there was something weighing on him that he felt he should take care of before things got messier with his mate.

“You should probably let Davey know that you’re okay,”

Hansen said as he cleaned the table.

Evan blanked. “Why?”

“I’m sure you remember how much he frets. Orion might have managed to distract him for a bit, but with the bakery closing, he’ll start wondering if everything’s fine.”

Hansen was right, and realizing that was startling.

Once, Evan had been the one person who knew Davey best.

They’d been inseparable.

They’d been childhood friends, attached at the hip since they were six and had met in first grade.

But they hadn’t spent time with each other in years.

Evan had been utterly alone, but he was glad that Davey hadn’t been there.