I woke to sunlight filtering through the still open curtains and I could feel the chill in the air. I had left my bedroom door open in case Sierra needed anything during the night. I had hoped she would need something but after we said goodnight she didn’t venture out of her room again.Her door was wide open and her bed made when I walked out of my room and headed downstairs. I found her in the kitchen making breakfast and singing along with the radio as Kane sat and watched her every move.“Morning,” I said and she spun around.“Hey, did I wake you?” she asked and put the music softer.“Not at all, can’t remember the last time I slept this late,” I said.“It’s seven thirty, you call this late?”“I’m usually up at five,” I said.“To do what?” she asked me.“Go for a jog, start my day,” I said as she pulled a face.“Only crazy people jog,” she said as she handed me a cup of coffee.“Thanks,” I said and sat down at the counter as she finished breakfast.“What does your day entail? You’
Sierra felt the air shift at the same time I did and I smiled. We had finished making the soup and Sierra had surprised me by baking bread. We had just scooped them all into containers and placed them in the fridge when Octavia appeared.“You summoned me Griffin,” Octavia said as she appeared in the kitchen doorway.“Thank you for coming Octavia,” I said and looked at Sierra.“Nice to see you again Sierra,” Octavia said.“It is?” she asked.“I was about to make coffee,” I said and Octavia nodded.“Why is my presence needed? You don’t look half dead this time,” she said.“I recently found out that Sierra is a nymph, but nobody knows enough about them, we were hoping that you could help,” I said to her.“Aren’t you two cute, ‘we’,” she chuckled.I finished the coffee and we all sat down in the living room as Octavia made herself comfortable. We sat in silence for a few minutes as Octavia sat deep in thought. I knew better than to disturb her, she’d start talking when she was ready.“Wha
“Griffin?” Sierra’s voice woke me and I sat up straight in my bed.She was standing the doorway with the blanket wrapped tightly around her. Her breath came out in big white puffs and I could feel the cold in the air. The house was pitch black, I stood up and walked towards her.“The power must have gone out,” I said as I touched her face. She was ice cold.“I’m sorry, I couldn’t sleep anymore, it’s too cold,” she said.“You should’ve woken me earlier, I don’t feel the cold like you do,” I said to her.I pulled the comforter from my bed and wrapped that around her as well. She followed me downstairs where I got the fire started and I told her to sit right in front of it. I quickly made her a cup of tea and lit some candles so she could see better.“I’ll be right back, don’t move,” I said to her.Five minutes later I came back downstairs pulling my mattress behind me and placing it in front of the fireplace. I went back upstairs to get blankets and pillows. Sierra was sitting on the ma
“Sierra,” I grumbled as my hand traced over her stomach and down her side.“What?” she whispered.“Why aren’t you wearing any clothes?” I asked her my hand moving over her thigh.“Body heat remember,” she said and goosebumps raised over her skin where I was touching her.“You’re killing me,” I said under my breath as she pressed her ass against me and moved slightly.“Someone’s not complaining,” she said.“If you don’t stop moving against me like that…” I said as she did it again and laughed softly.I flipped her over onto her back and pressed my knees in between her legs as I hovered on top of her. I could see her clearly and she placed her hands over her breasts to cover herself up. I pinned her hands on either side of her head and kissed her.She kissed me back and wriggled her hands loose, they instantly went to my boxers pushing them down. I pressed myself against her and I could feel she was just as aroused as I was. No words were needed because she pulled me closer yet again an
“Clowder members, warriors, Enforcers, this day will be marked as one of great sorrow. We all felt the bond snap when Alpha Damon died. As next in line I vow to avenge his death, I won’t stop until the ones responsible are dead,” I said.“Alpha Griffin, we should talk in private first,” Connor said as he looked at me.“I won’t be taking the Alpha seat and I hand my seat over to Connor, who has served you a multitude of years, both as Beta and as stand-in Alpha,” I said as Connor pushed me back and glared at me.“Griffin, no,” he said.“Carry on with your normal duties, we will hold the funeral ceremony once I have retrieved my father’s body,” I said.The downstairs area cleared after a few minutes. The clowder was grieving, as was I. Connor followed me through to Damon’s office and I sat down on the couch, I couldn’t take his seat behind the desk. It didn’t feel right.“What the fuck are you doing?” Connor asked me loudly.“I won’t take over as Alpha knowing full well that I won’t sur
“Hello Samantha,” I said as I stood in front of her cell in the dungeon.She lifted her head but I felt nothing as I looked at her. She had lost weight, dark circles were visible under her eyes, her hair was dirty and matted against her head and she smelled. Her father wasn’t any better off but I had kept them each at one end of the cells, far away from each other.“Griffin?” she asked questioningly as she pushed herself up and stumbled holding on to the bars of her cell.“I hope you’ve found your accommodations suitable,” I said.“Griffin, I can explain,” she said as she looked at me.“Please do,” I said as I pulled up a chair and sat down.“I didn’t have a choice, my father…” she began and coughed violently as she took a deep breath.“Your father abandoned you! I saved you!” I yelled at her.“He was out making the world a better place!” she yelled back.“I have to commend you though, you had me completely fooled, I would’ve done anything for you,” I said to her.“It wasn’t all a lie
I opened the bedroom door just as Sierra stepped out of the dressing room. She looked me up and down and I looked down at my jeans and boots and sat down on the bed.“Where are you going?” I asked her.“Griffin,” she said and narrowed her eyes at me.“I’m kidding! Give me ten minutes,” I said to her as I headed to the bathroom and put the shower on.I showered and pulled on dress pants and shoes with a shirt and a jacket. Sierra crossed her arms over her chest and pointed her finger towards the dressing room. I sighed and grabbed a tie, she stood next to me and smiled as I put it on.“Better?” I asked her.“Slightly,” she said and laughed as I kissed her neck.“Stop trying to seduce me, we have a reservation,” I said to her and hurried out of the dressing room as she tried to slap me on the back.“Now I understand your mother’s need for a taser,” she said and laughed at the horrified look on my face.I took her hand and kissed it lightly before leading her out of our room. I hadn't be
I was busy working in the office when my phone pinged with an incoming text. For the past week I had been trying to ignore the nightmares. I would dream of Damon being tortured and executed and my dreams were probably worse than what they actually did to him.I couldn’t shake the nagging feeling though that I was missing something. I was still angry over his execution but my hands were cut off, there was literally nothing I could do. Damon had contacted the Council and gone in to see them on his own.Connor and Jett only realized what was happening after Damon had arrived in New York. He had struck a deal with Chester and given the Alpha command to Connor and Jett that they weren’t allowed to contact me before everything was done.The official report I received stated that Damon had pled guilty to waging war with the Hastings pack without lodging the claim with the Council. He had taken full responsibility as the Alpha of the clowder and punishments for Enforcers were always worse tha
“Wake up Samantha,” I said as I sat on one of the chairs that I had pulled up close to the bed.“Griffin?” she asked questioningly as she rubbed her eyes and sat up groggily, “what’s going on?”“Why did you do it?” I asked her.“Do what?”“Why did you betray me?” I asked.“I didn’t, what are you talking about?” she asked me.“You knew that attack was happening, you gave your father information about me, about my family,” I said.“Griffin….” she said.“Where is it?” I asked her.“Where’s what?” she asked me looking somewhat afraid now.“Your hunter’s mark,” I said and her eyes widened just a fraction. It was so sudden that I almost missed it.“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” she said as her eyes darted to the door.“You smell different, I didn’t want to believe it at first, but Kane was right, I can smell it now,” I said to her.She darted up from the bed and pulled the door open to find Kane standing there growling at her. I stood up as she backed away and pushed her back tow
I found Kane sitting near the jetty looking out over the lake. He seemed lost in thought and he hadn’t been in the house all day. I had brought his dinner with me because now I was worried. It wasn’t like Kane to act like this.“What’s up with you, big guy?” I asked him as I placed the container down in front of him.“Nothing,” he said and gobbled his food up.“What are you doing out here?” I asked him.“Waiting,” he said.“Waiting for what?” I asked.“Something,” he said.“I’m starting to worry about you, Kane,” I said and he looked at me.“I don’t know how to explain it. Something’s off, I don’t know what, something’s not right with Samantha,” he said.“What do you mean?”“Her scent’s different, she smells like them,” he said.“Them who?”“Hunters,” he said and looked back towards the lake.“I pulled her from a warehouse crawling with them,” I said.“No, her scent’s changed Griffin, how can you not smell it? She’s been here for a whole day and she still smells different,” he said.I
Samantha had fainted in my arms and I was now sitting on the couch watching her sleep after I had gotten us out of that building and safely through the portal. I still couldn’t believe that I was looking at her.The sun would rise soon yet I wasn’t as tired as I should be. I guess the shock of finding her was enough to keep me wide awake. She lay there peacefully while an inner turmoil waged war inside me. Kane had returned an hour ago and so far he’d only been staring at her intently.“Is this real?” Kane asked me after a moment.“I don’t know,” I said to him.She stirred slightly and I sat watching her wake up. It was like I knew every stretch of her muscles, every groan as her senses awakened, the way her eyelids flickered lightly before opening, the smile tugging on the sides of her lips.“Griff…. Griffin?” she said questioningly as she sat up blinking a few times.“All these years I thought you were dead,” I said to her.“I can’t believe you’re here,” she whispered looking at me
I kept my eyes closed for a few more seconds as my mind cleared from the fog of sleep and I swung my legs over the edge of the bed as I rubbed my face with my hands. The air was chilly but it didn’t bother me. I looked at the clock and saw that it was almost five am.I got dressed in sweatpants and a hoodie and made my way downstairs to the kitchen. I made coffee for myself and swallowed the aftertaste of scotch away. There was a dull headache thumping at the back of my head and I wondered how much I drank last night.Kane didn’t stir from his spot as I finished my coffee and slapped him on his ribs. He growled at me but said nothing, it wasn’t really unusual, he liked to ignore me. I left the front door open and started jogging to the other side of the house and into the trees.I didn’t really feel like jogging but I knew that I had to get the alcohol out of my system otherwise I’d be useless for the rest of the day and I had plenty to do. The run cleared my head and by the time I go
I don’t know how long I sat on the ground with Sierra’s body clasped against mine, willing her to live, trying to warm up her ice cold skin. Kane had left at one point and when he returned it was with Jett following him.“Griffin,” he whispered.I couldn’t look at him, I couldn’t even breathe properly. My head snapped up as Jett’s hands touched her and I wanted to rip his arms off for daring to come close to her. His hand landed on my shoulder instead but I couldn’t focus on his voice.“Shit Griff,” he said and I looked up as I saw tears in his eyes.“She’s gone,” I whispered.“I know Griff, I’m sorry brother, I’m so sorry,” he said.“Just leave me alone,” I said and lowered my head to hers again.“Griff you need to come home, bring her home so we can lay her to rest properly,” he said. He reached out for her again and I pulled her back against me.“Don’t touch her,” I said and he stood up and took a step backwards with his hands in the air.I stood up with his help and kept her close
I woke up on the floor of my bedroom, alone. It was dark and quiet and I groaned as I rolled onto my back. Sierra’s scent was fading and the choking feeling of pain gripped me again. She had left me, she had really left me. How had I missed our wedding?She would never forgive me or take me back now, all this for my revenge. It could’ve waited, I could’ve killed them later, after the wedding but like every other time in my life, that bloodlust took over and I just had to kill them.“Kane,” I murmured.“I’m here,” he said sounding dejected.“She left,” I said.We could both feel her pain, it would continue until I accepted her rejection. She was heartbroken and it was killing me slowly. Chester’s words were also still with me, Samantha’s abortion, locked in a cage for three years. She had wanted to tell me everything.I had killed her out of rage when she was forced to betray me. I didn’t want to believe him but I did. She had betrayed me but not that first time, only after being subje
“How did you figure it out?” Chester asked me.He was strapped to the stainless steel table and he knew that death would come for him soon, he just didn’t realize what I was going to do to him before he died.“Someone sent me a text, telling me where to find that original agreement that you kept in your safe,” I said to him.“Who?” he asked me.“I don’t know Chester, I don’t really care, once I had that agreement, the rest was fairly easy,” I told him.“It would’ve gone the same way, your father just beat you to it,” he said.“That was the biggest mistake of your life, you should’ve known I’d come after you for this,” I said.“That’s why I had Rosco, he was supposed to shoot you in the head,” he said.“Why do you want me dead so badly?” I asked him.“It all started with that hunter treaty, I gave them information and they took out my enemies too, you messed all that up,” he said to me.“How? You won that case, you got the treaty,” I said to him.“Samantha Cartwright, her father was li
I took a knife from the block in the kitchen and walked slowly upstairs and stopped at the first guest room. Kevin and Phil were sharing the double bed with a pillow placed between them. Phil was snoring and they were both lying on their backs.I walked right up to Kevin, one floorboard creaking but they didn’t even move in their sleep. I watched him for a few minutes as he lay there peacefully, not knowing that they willingly came with me to their deaths.I slit his throat quietly and had my over his mouth and nose to minimize the noises he’d make as he struggled for air. He never even opened his eyes, the cut had severed the arteries and not just nicked them.I removed my hand when I heard his heart stop and I stuck the knife deep into his chest, leaving it there. Kane was already on the bed when I closed the door behind me and took a shower to wash the blood off. Some of it had sprayed onto my face and my hand was covered as well.I slept peacefully that night and I was awake but s
“Kane,” I spoke in his mind the moment I ported back into the house, “computer room.”“Is that an order, Alpha?” he asked me and yawned.“Trust me, you want in on this,” I said to him.Kane didn’t answer me but I knew he’d meet me. He was loyal when it mattered and only gave me shit about things that didn’t matter. When it came down to it, Kane always had my back and I wanted him with me when I did this.“I’m here, what’s the emergency,” he asked me.“The Council has asked for our protection and we’re going to take them to a safe location,” I said to him.“You woke me up for babysitting duty?” he growled at me.“We’re babysitting the men responsible for Damon’s death,” I said to him.“What the fuck Griffin…. oh, I get it,” he said as realization dawned on him.“I’m not an idiot, Kane,” I said to him.“Debatable, how did you manage this one?” he asked me.“Seems Grant was murdered in his office and now they’re running scared,” I said.“And who killed Grant?” he asked me flicking his ta