Page 32 of His Place in the World
Tyler looked away from Del and at something behind him, and Del suspected that something was Angus.“You’re a shifter’s mate?”Tyler asked.
“I am.”
“I didn’t know that was possible,” Tyler murmured.
His gaze strayed to Matt, and something in it took Del’s breath away.
Yes, Tyler was terrified of what was happening to him and of the people around him, but Del suspected that wasn’t why he clung to Matt the way he did.
But why did he, then?
* * * *
Angus was only vaguely aware of what was happening around him.He was poking through the information he’d cloned from Colbert’s phone, and while he kept an ear open on the meeting, he was busy.
Still, he wasn’t so busy that he didn’t notice when Tyler suddenly shifted.
Angus blinked, looking up.The last time he’d seen Tyler, he’d been clinging to Matt, and the two of them had been talking to Del.Del wasn’t the one standing in front of them now, though.He was slightly to the side, looking alarmed as Tyler pushed Matt behind himself, clearly trying to protect him from Ryland.
“Everyone stop,” Cam ordered.
Angus locked up the phone in his hand and pushed it into his pocket as he got to his feet.What was happening?He didn’t know Ryland all that well, but he doubted the man would attack anyone, least of all Tyler and Matt.
Ryland raised his hands and stepped away from the two of them.“I apologize.I’m not sure what made Tyler react this way, but I mean no harm to him or Matt.”
Angus stayed where he was, but Cam moved closer to the little group.Angus desperately wanted to go to his mate, but Del wasn’t actually in danger.Tyler was trying to protect Matt, not to attack anyone.
“Ryland suggested that maybe Tyler wanted to go with him,” Matt said.
He had a hand on Tyler’s shoulder.That wasn’t what caught Angus’s attention, though.No, what did was Tyler in his gargoyle form.It was impossible for him to look away.
Angus suspected most people in the room felt the same way.Tyler was still small, but his muscles looked like they’d doubled in size.His arms, chest, and stomach tightened as he moved and tried to keep Matt in place, his borrowed t-shirt slipping down his front in shreds.His skin had turned gray, and Angus suspected that it would feel hard and cold like stone if he touched it.
Then, there were the wings.
They were massive, and when Matt tried walking around Tyler, Tyler wrapped one of them around him.He used it to pull him back, but Matt didn’t appear angry.Exasperated, yes, but he seemed to understand why Tyler was behaving this way.
He put a hand on Tyler’s arm and gently pushed the wing away.
“Ryland wasn’t trying to hurt you or me, and he won’t take you away if it’s not what you want,” he promised.
“I just thought that since you said you were Pembroke’s best friend, you might want to stay in his room until he comes back,” Ryland explained.
Tyler stared at him.His ears had grown, too, and they were now pointed.The hardness and scariness of the gargoyle was an odd contrast with Tyler’s tiny figure.In his human form, Tyler wouldn’t have scared anyone.The difference between his two forms made him even scarier in his gargoyle form.
“I’m not going to take you away,” Ryland continued.
“You bought me,” Tyler said.
Even his voice had changed.It was deep and guttural, making Angus shiver.
“I did,” Ryland confirmed.“And I’d do it again if it was necessary.I didn’t buy you to hurt or use you, though.You reminded me of my brother, and I couldn’t leave you there.I’m glad I bought you and brought you here, and I wish you’d believe me when I say I only want what’s best for you.”
“I don’t want to go with you.”
It was clear from Tyler’s tone that he expected Ryland to protest, maybe because Ryland had bought him.In Tyler’s world, it meant Ryland was his master and made every single decision for him.
“Then you don’t have to,” Ryland said.“I’ll be more than happy to help the pack financially support you until you get your feet under you.You’re free now, Tyler.The fact that I bought you doesn’t mean anything.It’s not even legal.”
