Nick’s gaze flicked to his mate’s face, then away at once. It wasn’t the redness around a blossoming bruise on Todd’s cheek or the dried sweat crusting across his scraped temple that bothered Nick. Those had been acquired when they rushed into the meeting room. It was the ring of dark splotches, purple and blue combined with deep red, along Todd’s neck that made Nick’s stomach turn and an invisible vise clench around his chest.
“Hey, no. You’re not doing that.” Todd slid onto the cot beside Nick and took hold of his chin, cupping it in one hand. He forced Nick to look directly at him. “You had no control over what the pyrahni did to you or made you do. You know that. As well as I do. You are notresponsible for this.” Todd brushed his fingers lightly against the marks on Nick’s throat.