Page 67 of Sweetheart

Instead of responding, his father pressed his lips together tight.

Levi lifted his father off the ground before shoving his back into the wall with enough force that the building shook.

“He was paying back the coven that performed the sacrifices,” Mason said.

Levi turned to him. “Sacrifices?”

Mason nodded. “While I was talking to the other boys upstairs, they brought up mates and about what Seb is trying to figure out.”

“Why mates hadn’t been found for—”

“Since my great-great-great something, a coven, and many others made sacrifices to some God or divinity to stop the paranormal community from finding mates. It was after something called the great hunt. The plan had been that the paranormals who’d lived through the hunt and gone into hiding would eventually become extinct without finding their mates.”

Behind him someone gasped.

Mason turned quickly.

Gavin had gone completely pale.

Levi must have noticed as well. He tossed Mason’s father to Axel before rushing over to Gavin. “Gavin, you okay, man?”

“I…” Gavin shook his head. “I…can’t…”

“Okay.” Levi wrapped an arm around his shoulder. “We have this. Go up to the house.”

Gavin seemed shocked and Mason wanted to offer the other man comfort. He didn’t know Gavin, at all, but the look on his face said something was wrong. “That book…”

“We’ll get it,” Levi said.

“Okay.” Gavin stumbled away and Levi turned toward Mason.

“Levi?” Mason said quietly.

Pulling him into his arms, Levi sighed deeply. “Gavin was alive during the great hunt. His entire family, species, was wiped out. One…one of the human mates betrayed them.”

“No!” Mason replied in shock.

“It’s…You know what that book looks like?” Levi asked.

“Yeah,” Mason said. “My father always had it with him. I saw it that one time, but I read about the coven and what they did. This was before my father was even alive.”

“It was a long time ago,” Levi said.

“There’s a mage in town? Did you know that?” Mason asked.

“Yes, we know. He contacted Axel when he chose to settle here.”

“We need to talk to him too. If my father was after him…” Mason didn’t know what to say about that. The man was obviously in some sort of trouble.

“Axel will take care of it.”

Mason looked over his shoulder where Axel was currently beating the hell out of his father to get answers. Mason leaned heavily against Levi. It had been a long fucking day. His body ached. He was tired. Mason just wanted everything over and done with.

“You can go inside as well,” Levi offered.

Mason turned his face into Levi’s shoulder. “I want to stay with you.” He might sound needy but fuck it, he was feeling needy. After all the events of the last twenty-four hours, the only person that Mason wanted to see or talk to was Levi.

How had everything changed so drastically?

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