Terror up and sat her in his lap as he petted her. No one said anything as William silently fell apart. He could feel Sage watching him. All of them were watching him. He wiped his eyes and then nodded. “Okay.”
Sage stood, pulling William to his feet and leading him toward the house. “Put Terror down.”
William set Terror down and then followed behind Sage. Once they were in the kitchen, Sage turned and faced William. “I didn’t want this for you. You have to know that. I had to mate you in order to save you from the fire burning inside of you.”
That didn’t help William one bit. Sage was standing there telling him that he was forced to mate William. He just told him that he didn’t want him to be a part of his secret little club. William should have known. It had all seemed too good to be true, being mated to Sage.
William staggered back and then ran from the kitchen and up the steps, throwing himself on the pile of blankets in his and Sage’s bedroom.
Would he ever fit in anywhere? This had all been a mistake. Sage never really wanted him. William knew he should have left when Sage had gotten moody with him a few days ago. Now he had fucked around and fell in love with the rebel.
He could feel his heart breaking in two as he lay there.
And worst of all, he was going to become the very creature that had haunted his dreams since he was a child.
* * * *
“He’s going to screw it up,” Patrick said from around the circle as he leaned back. “I’m surprised he doesn’t have a boot permanently sticking out of his mouth.”
“Ease up, Pat,” Jeremiah said. “I’ve never seen him this way before. I think William is exactly what he needs.”
84
Lynn Hagen
Patrick wasn’t too sure about that. Sage was one hell of man to try and rein in. He wasn’t sure William had it in him. Not that he had anything against the short man, but Patrick had grown up with Sage.
He had witnessed his angry outbursts and moody ways. It wasn’t a pretty sight.
He was willing to bet his sweet ass that Sage was going to fuck this up. “Twenty says he’s in there right now saying all the wrong things.”
“You got it.” Monterey chuckled. “I say William is the one to turn him around.”
“I’m in,” Mercy said. “I say William will walk away.”
“Twenty on Sage fucking it up,” Isaac said.
“You’re all dickheads,” Jeremiah said. “Count me in. William will turn him around.”
Patrick snickered as he rubbed his hands together. “Good. I need a new pair of shoes.” He glanced toward the house, praying he was wrong and that William was exactly what Sage needed. As much crap as he talked, Patrick wanted his friend to be happy.
* * * *
Sage looked up the stairs, wondering if he should go up. What had he said wrong? Didn’t William want to be mated to him? It was too late to change his mind now. The bonding was complete and couldn’t be reversed.
Sage cursed as he walked back through the kitchen and out the back door. He stood there looking over the backyard at his friends around the fire laughing. He felt as though he were caught in the undertow of this mating thing.
It wasn’t supposed to be hard. He had flirted with his mate all day, winking at him, trying his best to let William know he wasn’t forgotten with all the chaos of getting the house in repair. Hell, all Sage had wanted was to go lie down and rest after his shift. He was Sage’s Mystery
85
surprised he had made it through the day without falling over from exhaustion.
Had he come on too strong?
Sage wasn’t sure about anything right now. All he knew was that William made him happy, something that had been sorely lacking in his life. He made it easy for Sage to love him. The man had all that Sage ever needed in a person, in a partner, in a mate. The small man was priceless to him.
He swung back around, storming into the house and up the stairs.
He was going to find out what was eating at his mate. There was no way he
Sage stood, pulling William to his feet and leading him toward the house. “Put Terror down.”
William set Terror down and then followed behind Sage. Once they were in the kitchen, Sage turned and faced William. “I didn’t want this for you. You have to know that. I had to mate you in order to save you from the fire burning inside of you.”
That didn’t help William one bit. Sage was standing there telling him that he was forced to mate William. He just told him that he didn’t want him to be a part of his secret little club. William should have known. It had all seemed too good to be true, being mated to Sage.
William staggered back and then ran from the kitchen and up the steps, throwing himself on the pile of blankets in his and Sage’s bedroom.
Would he ever fit in anywhere? This had all been a mistake. Sage never really wanted him. William knew he should have left when Sage had gotten moody with him a few days ago. Now he had fucked around and fell in love with the rebel.
He could feel his heart breaking in two as he lay there.
And worst of all, he was going to become the very creature that had haunted his dreams since he was a child.
* * * *
“He’s going to screw it up,” Patrick said from around the circle as he leaned back. “I’m surprised he doesn’t have a boot permanently sticking out of his mouth.”
“Ease up, Pat,” Jeremiah said. “I’ve never seen him this way before. I think William is exactly what he needs.”
84
Lynn Hagen
Patrick wasn’t too sure about that. Sage was one hell of man to try and rein in. He wasn’t sure William had it in him. Not that he had anything against the short man, but Patrick had grown up with Sage.
He had witnessed his angry outbursts and moody ways. It wasn’t a pretty sight.
He was willing to bet his sweet ass that Sage was going to fuck this up. “Twenty says he’s in there right now saying all the wrong things.”
“You got it.” Monterey chuckled. “I say William is the one to turn him around.”
“I’m in,” Mercy said. “I say William will walk away.”
“Twenty on Sage fucking it up,” Isaac said.
“You’re all dickheads,” Jeremiah said. “Count me in. William will turn him around.”
Patrick snickered as he rubbed his hands together. “Good. I need a new pair of shoes.” He glanced toward the house, praying he was wrong and that William was exactly what Sage needed. As much crap as he talked, Patrick wanted his friend to be happy.
* * * *
Sage looked up the stairs, wondering if he should go up. What had he said wrong? Didn’t William want to be mated to him? It was too late to change his mind now. The bonding was complete and couldn’t be reversed.
Sage cursed as he walked back through the kitchen and out the back door. He stood there looking over the backyard at his friends around the fire laughing. He felt as though he were caught in the undertow of this mating thing.
It wasn’t supposed to be hard. He had flirted with his mate all day, winking at him, trying his best to let William know he wasn’t forgotten with all the chaos of getting the house in repair. Hell, all Sage had wanted was to go lie down and rest after his shift. He was Sage’s Mystery
85
surprised he had made it through the day without falling over from exhaustion.
Had he come on too strong?
Sage wasn’t sure about anything right now. All he knew was that William made him happy, something that had been sorely lacking in his life. He made it easy for Sage to love him. The man had all that Sage ever needed in a person, in a partner, in a mate. The small man was priceless to him.
He swung back around, storming into the house and up the stairs.
He was going to find out what was eating at his mate. There was no way he
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