Page 58 of Devoted

Everything made sense, but at the same time, nothing did.

Sam was my mate.

Sam was the man I’d seen on the street earlier that day.

Sam was my mate.

“Zeke?” he whispered my name again. “Are you really here, or is my brain playing tricks on me?”

The need to reassure him, to care for him, went beyond what was normal. It was etched deep in my soul, like it had been dormant for centuries, waiting for this moment.

Waiting for Sam.

My fated mate.

I cleared my throat. All of that would have to wait. Right now, my priority was Sam’s well-being. “Are you hurt?”

“No,” he said in a hushed tone, his eyes darting from me to the door. “Maybe you should speak quieter. They might hear us.”

I gave him a tight smile. “Whoever they are, you don’t need to worry about them now.”

No, with my finely tuned hearing, I knew Micah and the others were cleaning house—quite literally. The humans had been removed from the property by the twins, while the others were now tidying the mess they’d left behind.

My temper tried to rise, knowing someone else was exacting the vengeance that belonged to me, but it was strangely easy to douse.

I didn’t need vengeance; I needed to make sure Sam was okay.

“Come on.” I got to my feet before stepping back to give him space. Everything in me was screaming to extend a hand to help him up. Or to fully lift him into my arms and carry him to safety,but I wasn’t sure if it would trigger Sam’s OCD or anxiety more than it already was.

Sam got to his feet warily, holding on to the sides of the cupboard as he stepped out. Now that my fear was receding, I could properly take him in. I’d thought him beautiful earlier in the day, but up close?

He was breathtaking.

My admiration was rapidly replaced by anger as I noted the tiny details. The dark curls, wildly arranged like he’d been pulling at them. The paleness of his skin. His green eyes which had been shining earlier that day, now dull and frightened.

“It’s okay,” I said gently. I balled my hands into fists to stop myself reaching from him. “You’re safe with me, Sam.”

His throat bobbed as he swallowed. He hadn’t taken more than a step away from his refuge, ready to dart back in at any second. “You shouldn’t be here. They might hurt you.”

The idea of any human being capable of hurting me was laughable. Except Sam, I realised.

He wouldn’t be able to physically hurt me. Emotionally though, that was a different story.

“They won’t hurt me,” I said. “I won’t let them hurt you either.”

“They will,” Sam said, tugging at his hair with both hands. To my horror, I realised how much he was shaking. “They’ll hurt you. It’ll be my fault. You have to leave. It’s all my fault.Myfaultmyfaultmyfault.”

My eyes widened as Sam stumbled back against the cupboard. He was still mumbling those two words over and over.

My fault.

I moved instinctively as Sam began to sink to the floor. All the reasons why I shouldn’t touch him had flown out of the window in the face of his suffering. I knew nothing except theneed to comfort him, to reassure him. If it seemed to cause him more distress, I’d release him immediately.

But that wasn’t what happened.

As I gathered him into my arms, both of his arms went around my neck. His fingers were digging into my shoulders. I carried him to his bed and sat on the edge. Once there, I cradled him on my lap, quietly whispering reassurances.

“I’m here.”

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