the ground, forgetting there was anyone else in the room, but the sound of a throat clearing broke the heated fog he found himself encaged in.
“As much as I am sure we’d love the floor show, I don’t think you’ll be happy about us seeing it, Dec,” Kyle said dryly.
Fuck! He’d almost lost his head and taken his mate in front of others. Not to mention how exhausted Sean was! Shame clawed at his belly at letting his cock allow him to forget what Sean just went through.
Declan growled when Sean attempted to move away from him. He didn’t want anyone else seeing the hard bulge he could feel against his thigh. Instead of releasing Sean, he levered to his feet and carried him around to the other side of his desk where he placed him in his seat, ensuring the surface blocked Sean’s groin. “I will send Victor to the house to locate the talisman if it is even still there.”
Maximus gave a sigh of relief and Kyle nodded. “I’ll go with him.”
“No. You stay here and make sure he doesn’t go anywhere,” Declan said. “I am going to take my mate upstairs for now.”
Kyle nodded and resumed his casual leaning stance against the wall. Declan looked at Sean. “Do you feel up to walking?”
Sean nodded. “I’m fine.”
Declan held out his hand. “Then let’s go.”
They left Declan’s office and headed to their bedroom. Declan encouraged Sean to sit on the bed so he could remove his shoes, but Sean stopped him. “I want to go back down there as soon as they get back with the talisman.”
Declan didn’t argue with Sean. He moved to sit beside Sean on the edge of the bed and looked at Sean. “What happened downstairs, Sean? I know my being angry at the witch scared you, but you must know by now I would never hurt you.”
He didn’t answer right away and Declan would call Amanda the moment he could. He didn’t have any idea how he’d managed to get Sean to calm down, only relying on instincts to comfort Sean. Sean and the others wouldn’t be the only ones attending the sessions either. If something like that were to happen again, he wanted to be more prepared in the future on what to do because he’d rather cut off his own arm than to cause Sean more harm.
“When y-you got angry,” Sean began, “and seeing the br-bruises and blood on Maximus, it reminded me so much of what he used to do to us, to me. I felt like I was back there and he was there, hur-hurting one of the cubs. I beg-begged him to stop, but he wouldn’t listen. And he-he kil-killed him.”
Declan swore and gathered Sean close. “I’m so sorry, Sean. I didn’t even think. What you must think of me. I never should have brought you in there.”
Sean leaned into Declan. “It’s not your fault and I wanted to be there. I know I never went to school, but I’m not dumb and I’m not a kid either.”
“I know you aren’t,” Declan replied. “I don’t think of you as a kid and I know you aren’t dumb. You’ve had to grow up so fast and witness things most people would have lost their mind over years ago. You’re brave and smart and your heart is so amazingly big even after everything. But there are times when you shouldn’t have to see things. Especially if it triggers the attack you had.”
Sean lifted his head enough to see Declan’s face. “I didn’t know I would do that.”
“Sometimes we can’t control our reactions to things. A mind can be fragile and the smallest situation can cause ours to act out. Tomorrow I will arrange your first session with Amanda. She is a human, but she is the mate of one of my streak members.”
Declan rubbed Sean’s shoulder. “Why don’t you lay down and try to rest? It will probably be at least an hour before they get back from looking around the house.”
“You won’t forget to wake me, will you?” Sean asked.
“I promise I’ll come get you. Now, let’s get you into bed.” Declan helped Sean remove his shoes and then pulled the covers back, holding them up as Sean climbed beneath them. He laid the blanket over Sean, kissed Sean on his forehead and brushed a strand of hair back from his cheek. “I won’t be far, baby.”
Sean nodded and curled onto his side, closing his eyes. Declan left the bedroom