“Hi,” Samantha said as she opened her front door and let me inside. “Hey,” I said as I shoved my hands in my jeans pockets and stood looking at her in the living room. “I never slept with Rosco,” she said suddenly and I sat down. “I didn’t think you did,” I said to her. “Then why are you mad at me?” she asked. “I’m not mad at you, I’m beyond pissed off with Rosco,” I said to her. “Okay, I just wanted to clear the air with you,” she said as she sat down opposite me. “Why?” I asked her. “I shouldn’t like you but I do. You’ve just been nice to me,” she said and couldn’t meet my eyes. “You like me?” I asked her and she gave a soft laugh. “Yes, but you also scare me,” she said and I could feel the honesty in her words. “You don’t ever have to be afraid of me,” I said to her and she looked up. “You’re scarier than Mac or Jett,” she said. “What happened with you and Rosco?” I asked her. “My parents had just left and I was alone, my sister was never here so I went to a party with
“Morning sweet cheeks,” Jett said loudly as he jumped out of the truck and opened the front door for Sam as she waited on the porch for us. “Morning,” she said as she frowned at Jett and climbed inside the truck. Things were a little awkward between us after that kiss because we’d both responded to it. If I hadn’t left last night I’m not sure what would’ve happened but I knew it was too soon. We didn’t talk on the way to school and I wasn’t sure what to say anyway. “Give us a minute,” I said as we parked in the parking lot and I turned to look at Mac and Jett. “No fornicating on school grounds,” Jett said as Mac smacked him behind his head and laughed as they climbed out. I smiled as I turned back and looked at Sam. She was looking down, toying with the fraying material of her backpack. She was nervous, I could tell and she wiped her hands on her jeans. “About last night…” I began to say as her eyes met mine. “It was a mistake right,” she said. “What? You think it was a mistake
The rest of what Damon had to tell me wasn’t good either. Almost all of the Enforcers in the clowder had been called out on assignment. Random attacks on different packs, lairs and clowders had increased. The Council had found evidence of hunters at work and the Enforcers were hunting them. “Who are you?” a man said and I turned around slowly to look at him. “Who are you?” I asked him. “This is my house so you’d better start talking before I call the cops,” he said. “I’m a friend of Sam’s,” I said to him and then stuck my hand out, “Griffin Woods.” “Friend or boyfriend?” he asked me. “Boyfriend,” I said to him. “And do you regularly spend the night with my daughter?” he asked. “I couldn’t leave her alone after last night,” I said to him. “Dad?” Samantha asked as she stood behind him. “Hey honey,” he said with a smile as he turned around and grabbed her in a hug. “What are you doing here?” she asked. “What do you mean? We live here,” he said as if they had gone away for the
“When am I meeting your parents?” she asked me about two weeks after our pizza night. Her father still looked me up and down when I picked her up but her mother was really nice to me and Samantha was happy. I was happy, even Mac and Jett noticed it and gave me endless shit that I was in love. The truth is, I was. “We can all go out to dinner,” I suggested. “Really dinner? Are you that ashamed to take me to your house?” she asked. “No, of course not. It’s just… complicated,” I said. “How is it complicated?” she asked me. “We just lead a different lifestyle and people can be judgmental,” I said to her not knowing how to explain it to her. “I lived in a house with no food and no heating until you came along, I think I’m the last person to judge,” she said and I smiled as I looked at her. “And what if I told you we weren’t like normal families?” I asked. “I’d say your secrets would be safe with me like mine have been with you and that I know who you are, deep down inside, and that
“Relax,” I said to Samantha as I parked the truck in front of the packhouse. We’d be having dinner in our private dining room with just the family, meaning, Archer, Kat, Mac, Connor, Sandra and Jett. “I’m suddenly very nervous, what if they don’t like me?” she asked and I laughed. “They’ll love you,” I said as I climbed out and then opened the door for her. She took my hand and I led her up the patio steps and into the packhouse. Damon had asked the clowder not to crowd the house that night since I’d be bringing a human to dinner. The house was quiet and empty and I smiled as Samantha looked around. “Wow,” she said as I led her up the stairs. “Everyone’s waiting in the dining room,” I said to her as I started off down the hall to our private quarters on the top floor. “I’m ready,” she said as she took a deep breath and I opened the dining room doors. “Hey everyone, this is Samantha,” I said as everyone’s heads turned to us and we were met with instant silence. “Hi,” Sam said fr
I didn’t hear from Sam for the rest of that weekend but I also didn’t reach out to her. She had heard everything, it was her move now. Even though it was unfair to even think about it she had a choice to make and I’d never given her any reason to doubt me.“There’s a party tonight,” Jett said as he sauntered into my bedroom after dinner.“Since when do we go to parties?” I asked him.“Since Beth told me all about how Travis’s parties work,” he said and grinned at me.“Beth talks to you?” I asked him.“Is it that hard to believe?” he asked me.“What does Beth say?” I asked.“Beth has a lot to say. The party starts out normally, then a girl gets chosen at the party, her drink is spiked and she’s taken downstairs by a group, always the same group, Travis being their leader, the girl’s undressed and raped, they all take turns and they videotape it all,” Jett said.“Doesn’t explain why they all keep quiet,” I said to him.“They take pictures which they show her afterward, it looks bad, lik
Nobody talked about the fire on Monday at school, but the whole atmosphere had shifted. Nobody looked at us in fear anymore and it seemed that for the time being that the preps had entered exile. Nobody greeted them and nobody paid them any attention. It was as if everyone knew what had happened at that party.“What did I miss?” Samantha asked me as she joined me at my locker.“The Travis Morris reign of terror is over,” Jett said and grinned.“How?” she asked with wide eyes.“We burned his barn down,” he said and laughed at the shock on Sam’s face.“Accidentally,” I said and Mac gave me a look.“Yeah, accidentally,” he said.The rest of the day and even the week was the same. Travis and Rosco had no more power at school, even the teachers treated them differently and for once high school became a safe haven once more. We tried harder too, went to class and stayed out of trouble.During the week I only saw Sam at school, for some reason her father didn’t approve of our relationship an
Eight years later ...I kept my eyes closed for a few more seconds as my mind cleared from the fog of sleep and turned on my side as I finally opened them. It was still early, almost five am. I swung my legs over the edge of the mattress and sat on the edge of the bed as I rubbed my hand over my face.I got up and pulled a pair of sweatpants on and pulled the hoodie over my head. Downstairs I made coffee for myself as the dull thud of my headache started throbbing in my temples. I drank to forget, I drank to sleep and not to dream, it worked mostly, but during the day, nothing could stop the memories.The kettle boiled and I was snapped back to reality. I hated how certain memories just popped up and took me back to a time when life was simpler, easier and a time when I used to be a good person.“I’m going out,” I said loudly, not expecting him to answer me, he never did.Every morning at five am I went out into the surrounding wilderness that was my backyard. I lived in a house on th
“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