Page 28 of Kendrick

Jonas grinned at him. “Oh, I am. Krsnik are born to kill Kudlaks. It’s our destiny, and we’ve evolved to be the perfect hunters. I’m an anomaly because I never wanted to hurt anyone, not even after Kudlaks destroyed my clan, but it doesn’t mean I wouldn’t win in a fight, especially against a human.”

“My mother is a tiger shifter,” Ryan murmured.

Jonas glanced at Kendrick. He was still facing his father, but Jonas had noticed someone standing inside the house behind the man. It was probably Ryan’s mother, but she wasn’t making any moves to come outside, not even to say goodbye to her son. “If she shifts and attacks, we’ll deal with it, but it doesn’t look like she will. I don’t think the two of you are close, are you?”

Ryan sniffed and shrugged, causing Jonas’s hand to fall. “I guess we were close when I was a kid, but after Kendrick left, everything changed.Ichanged. I was angry, and I took it out on her because I couldn’t take it out on my father. I guess after a while, she decided I wasn’t worth the trouble. As soon I was old enough to take care of myself, she took a step back.”

“She never tried to stop your father from being an asshole to you?”

“Not really. I don’t blame her since I was an asshole to her, and I don’t think she would attack us, but you never know.”

“Oh,Iblame her. It doesn’t matter what you said to her. You’re still her son, and she should have stood up for you. I’m sorry she didn’t, but I want you to know that you’re not alone anymore.”

Ryan blinked and stared down at his feet. “You’d do that for me?”

“You’re my mate’s little brother.” Jonas hesitated, but since he and Ryan were going to be in each other’s lives for a long time, he might as well be honest. “You remind me of my brother. I lost him when I was very young, but I won’t ever have the opportunity to see him again like you and Kendrick have. You should make the most of that because not everyone is as lucky as you.”

“I’m sorry.”

“It’s fine, or rather, it’s been a long time. I’m still grieving, and I think I always will, but I’ve made my peace with what happened, and I’m not unhappy.”

Movement on the porch caught Jonas’s attention. He moved faster than any human could and placed himself between Kendrick and his father, who was coming down the porch steps. Kendrick didn’t look scared or even intimidated, but that wasn’t what worried Jonas. No, what worried him was the possibility that Kendrick and Ryan’s father would do something stupid.

The man stumbled back and glared at Jonas. “Who the fuck are you?”

Jonas crossed his arms over his chest and glared right back. “Your son’s mate.”

That gave the asshole pause. He looked from Jonas to Kendrick, then back to Jonas again. “Of course you’re gay.”

“What I am doesn’t matter,” Kendrick snapped. “And you can only dream of finding what I have with Jonas.”

He put a hand on Jonas’s back, and Jonas relaxed against it. When Kendrick took his hand and pulled him away, he didn’t resist. He didn’t actually want to get into a fight with the asshole. He just wanted all of this to be over and go home. If it meant kicking Kendrick’s father’s ass, he would. If it meant throwing Ryan and his stuff into the car, he’d do that, too.

“We’re going,” Kendrick said. “You won’t ever see us again, so make sure you take a good look before we leave.” He leanedcloser to Jonas. “Come on. Our priority is Ryan, and he doesn’t look like he’s doing great.”

He really didn’t. He was shaky and pale, and his eyes were wide. Jonas was a bit worried, so he hurried over to Ryan’s side, just in case.

Kendrick started grabbing the bags Ryan had piled up at the end of the driveway. While Jonas guided Ryan to the car, Kendrick moved all the bags to the trunk, and by the time both of them were done, it was time to leave.

Jonas turned toward Kendrick and Ryan’s father. He still stood there, and now that he wasn’t at the front door, Jonas could see Ryan’s mother. She was a pretty woman, but it looked like life had beaten her down—or maybe that had been Kendrick and Ryan’s father. Her dark hair was pulled back, exposing her pale skin and how hollow her cheeks were. For a moment, Jonas wondered if Ryan’s father made her pay for her food, too. He wouldn’t be surprised because it looked like she wasn’t eating well.

“Let’s go,” Kendrick said as he slid into the driver’s seat.

Jonas wanted to go with him right away, but there was one thing he needed to do first.

He marched past Kendrick’s father, ignoring the man’s indignant screaming, and went straight to Ryan’s mother. She was a tiger shifter, but she still cowered back into the house as if she thought Jonas was going to hurt her.

He had no plans of doing anything like that. This woman wasn’t Kendrick’s mother, but that didn’t mean Jonas didn’t care. It also didn’t mean he couldn’t see that she was probably being abused, if not physically, then emotionally.

He leaned forward and grabbed a pen from a nearby table. He made sure to block the view Kendrick and Ryan’s father had of what he was doing as he quickly wrote his phone number on the woman’s arm. She whimpered as he did so, and Jonas could hearKendrick and Ryan’s father coming toward them, so he moved fast.

“If you ever need help, call me,” he murmured. “I’ll come get you.”

She didn’t say anything. She just stared at him with wide eyes that reminded him of Ryan. When a hand landed on his shoulder, he flicked it off and turned to face Kendrick and Ryan’s father.

Jonas was kind of short, but he knew there was something unsettling about him and every other Krsnik. Even when humans didn’t know what they were, they still cowered, and Kendrick and Ryan’s father wasn’t any different. He took a step back, even though it was clear he’d been gearing up for a fight.

“I’m going,” he said. “The two of you were horrible parents, and I’m glad Kendrick and Ryan won’t ever have to see you again. Please, don’t have more kids.”

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