Page 38 of Hansen

He was standing there, looking entirely at ease, even though his body was encased in what looked like roots.Hansen knew what he was seeing, but part of him wondered if he was dreaming.Maybe he’d been hit upside the head during the raid?

He held Evan close as he stared.Those were definitely roots.They came from the ground and wrapped around Rikar’s legs and body up to his neck.If Hansen wasn’t mistaken, though, the roots were slithering back into the ground.They were slow-moving, but theyweremoving, and soon enough, Rikar’s shoulders and upper chest were free.

“What the hell happened here?”Hansen asked.

“Your mate happened,” Matthew answered.“What about the raid?Olga called me, but no one came to pick me up.Unless that’s why you’re here?”

Hansen shook his head.He tried stepping away from Evan, but Evan clung to him harder.Hansen didn’t have it in him to make his mate cry or worry more than he already was, so he decided they could continue hugging as he explained.“Things weren’t great for a while, but we managed.We’re starting to shimmer back the people who need medical attention.”

“Thank God,” Matthew said, his shoulders relaxed.“I’ll call the healers.”

“Yeah, you probably should.These are the worst ones, but there will be more people coming.We also have a bunch of hunters to stick in jail.”

“I’ll call Olga or Moore and see what they want me to do.”

“Davey?”Orion asked, looking like he might start crying if Hansen had bad news for him.

“The last time I saw him, he was poking at one of the doctors from the facility.He’s fine.”

Orion’s shoulders slumped.“Thank you.”

“I didn’t do anything.He kept himself safe.”

“Thank you for telling me.I can feel he’s all right, but I’m not used to any of this.”

Orion could feel that Davey was fine because they’d bonded.Evan, on the other hand, had no idea how Hansen was because the bond between them wasn’t complete yet.That was why he’d mentioned bonding as soon as Hansen had arrived.It was why he’d wanted to do it right away.He was afraid he’d lose Hansen and wouldn’t know that something had happened to him.

Hansen’s heart broke a bit.He never wanted his mate to worry, but considering what he did for a living, it would happen.Hell, Evan would probably worry about him even if he went to the grocery store.He’d lost so much in his life, and while Hansen thought that he was strong enough to survive losing a lot more, he didn’t want his mate to have to go through anything else.He wanted to give Evan everything he could want, including the bond between them.

“Davey was great, like always,” Hansen reassured Orion.“I saw him drown at least one hunter.”

Orion blinked as if he didn’t know what to make of that.Hansen wasn’t sure what to make of it, either.It never got any less weird.

“So, is anyone going to tell me what’s up with Rikar?”he asked.

The roots had finally retreated back into the ground.Rikar was stretching his arms and poking at the ground with his toes.Maybe he was trying to get the roots to come out again.Hansen didn’t understand why anyone would want that, but Rikar had always been a little strange.

“That would be me,” Evan muttered before finally leaning away.He didn’t let go of Hansen, though.He clung to him like a barnacle, and Hansen was pretty sure that if he could get away with it, Evan would climb into his arms.

“You?”Hansen asked because he didn’t understand.

“I figured out what my ability is.”

It took Hansen a moment to understand what Evan was saying.“Roots?”

Evan waved his hand.“Plants in general.Just ask the potted plant at the bakery.The place is going to become a jungle if I’m allowed to touch it.”

Evan’s voice was light, even though there was a hint of nervousness in his tone.Hansen knew how afraid Evan had been that his ability would hurt people, so he was glad to find out that wouldn’t be the case.Sure, Evan could still hurt someone while controlling plants, but it would be much easier to deal with than Teddy’s ability, for example.Evan would’ve been crushed if he’d been able to make people explode.

Hansen kissed Evan’s cheek.“Plants, huh?”

“I guess.It could’ve been worse.”

“So you’re fine with it?”

Evan grimaced.“I wouldn’t say that.I can only accept it, right?There’s no way for me to turn off this ability.Trust me.I tried.”

Hansen never wanted Evan to feel like he was wrong or like he should do something different.He’d had no say in this new ability or in the way it was forced into him.None of them had.The only thing all of the mutants could do was accept what had been done to them and that they were different now.It was easier for some and harder for others, but in the end, whatever had been done to them in those labs had made them the people they were today.

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