Chapter 6 Warming up to Griffin but only slightly

The following morning was similar to the last. Abby presented me with a hot cup of coffee and was flipping through Griffin's file. She pointed at one of the females with him and informed me that it was his sister, Lisa that had been killed.

"It's crazy that so many famous people are not human. My subject Erza is the son of a Vegas Casino owner that's a real-life demon. He's got a way to get me so hot and bothered it's disturbing," she said with a grin. I sighed and took a sip of coffee before mentioning that I saw her getting plowed by Jordan. Abby's demeanor changed to an ashamed woman. I shook my head at her.

"Brian asked me to see if you'd see him one time. If you do, he said I could release my subjects occasionally," I said softly and she frowned.

"You can let them out without his stupid permission. I let mine out quite a lot," she informed me and I started to get pissed so I told her what Darya had told me but didn't mention her having an egg. Abby didn't say much about anything I had said so I assumed she already knew.

"You already knew?" I asked curiously in disappointment. She sighed and shrugged.

"I had my suspicions. I think Jordan and Brian both have been doing some shady things but who am I supposed to report it to? The higher-ups will argue that they aren't doing anything to humans so what does it matter? You know what I mean," she said earnestly. I nodded in understanding even though it was wrong on all levels. I rummaged through the dresser for a casual change of clothes and told Abby I was going to shower. I would have told her what Enzo mentioned about me being Griffin's mate but I didn't need her spilling that information to Jordan during their pillow talk. Pausing under the spray of the shower I lifted my silver necklace with my wedding ring and rubbed at it.

"Help me out, Tom. I'm so lost and confused. I need guidance," I mumbled sourly to myself. I cleaned up rather quickly and dressed in jean shorts and a plain t-shirt. I exited the bathroom with a towel wrapped around my hair.

"If you're doing exercise time I'd just brush your air and let it air dry. The desert just absorbs the water. It's great really," Abby offered and I thanked her as I pulled off the damp towel. I brushed out my hair and tucked the wet brush into my back pocket as I grabbed Griffin's file and got prepared to leave. Abby asked me to hold up and after grabbing herself a pair of sunglasses hooked my arm and pulled me out the door. I'd forgotten all about Brian's request and was shocked by Abby bringing it up.

"Tell Brian that I'd appreciate it more if he had the balls to ask me out himself," she mumbled and I nodded. We'd arrived at my steel door.

"Later, Abby gator," I teased and Abby laughed.

"After a while, Rockfordile," she replied respectively. I entered my subject's room to see them all dressed differently and clean. It was showering day for them as well. I glanced over at Griffin to see he was wearing basketball shorts and a red t-shirt. His hair was damp and falling into his gold eyes. I looked away when he turned towards me and hurried quickly to my small desk. I reread the schedule and made sure that I was correct on the activity schedule for the day. I noticed that Enzo was to receive blood in the afternoon and was curious about how. The thought disappeared from my mind as the pair of soldiers that had been present during the blood draws came into the room. My keen eye caught Malia's eyes following one of the men who looked to have some native American blood in him. The soldiers both raised their weapons. One was listening to an earpiece.

"Open, now," he ordered and trained his rifle between the subjects. Tristan was behaving aggressively and was low growling in his present human form. He was dressed in sweatpants and a plain white t-shirt that was damp. His ginger hair was still wet and I figured they must have just thrown clothes onto him.

After everyone had lined up they escorted the group to an outdoor area that was surrounded by razor wire. Half was covered with desert camo ghillie netting for shade. I took out my brush and started letting the air dry my long hair. I took a seat on a bench as the others started circling the perimeter. Malia was chatting with the soldier she'd been eyeing earlier and Enzo had lit a cigar and was blowing a thick cloud of smoke. It curled into the air around him. Scotty was running around chasing something and being silly. I noticed Griffin glancing off into the distance. He turned towards me and grinned devilishly. I smiled back as I looked away and towards the ground to see a lizard scampering by. It must have been what Scotty had been chasing around. The odd dog-human came up to me panting. I patted his sable-haired head and he closed his eyes and smiled before scampering off once again. I was minding my own business when the ginger asshole jumped out at me knocking me hard to the sandy ground, and knocking my glass off my face. He'd shifted into his red wolf and was chomping his jaws at me as I pushed against his chest to keep him out of my face. The last thing I expected was one of the soldiers to begin firing at him. His red sticky blood dripped all over me and I was certain some had gotten into my mouth due to my face being covered with his blood. I was wheezing and on my back having the dead wolf covering my chest. I watched Enzo and Griffin lift the dead weight off of me and I inhaled deeply and winced.

"Broken rib," I murmured and the soldiers helped me up. Griffin stood right in front of me and lifted my face with his fingers under my chin. His goldeneyes were shining very bright as he examined my face. I was surprised by him asking in Italian if I'd ingested any of the rogue's blood. I swallowed uncomfortably and felt a burning sensation in my gut. I shrugged a little and he cursed.

"If you did, you're going to become a lovely rogue chestnut she-wolf. The change is going to be extremely painful for you because you're human. You need to come to my cell and I will help you if you start to feel off. Bring several bags of ice when it starts," he told me worriedly as he handed me my eyeglasses. I nodded in shock, not wanting to become a wolf. Stupid ginger lumberjack bastard. My brow was furrowed and Enzo grinned slightly at me.

"It was inevitable because Griffin's your soulmate. Oh, it's hard to always be right," he said with exuberance. I rolled my eyes and let the soldier Malia was eyeing earlier escort me to the medical bay. He was eyeing me cautiously with his brown eyes and stopped me before entering the building.

"Malia tells me that you are different from the others and have a good heart. She told me I can trust you." I eyed him oddly and told him certainly.

He grinned slightly and changed right before my eyes into Jordan, then Brian.

"I'm Sani Hatahle and Malia's my mate," he said with a raised hand. I shook it and told him it was nice to meet him.

"There are a lot of us cryptids working undercover to take information to the leadership of our kind. They want to know what the humans are wanting with us," he added and I nodded with a smile.

"I will help you and your mate, the big alpha will help with your coming changes." I was shaking my head and saying I wasn't even sure I'd been infected. He grinned slightly causing tiny wrinkles to appear near his brown eyes. He handed me a towel he used to dry off his sweat to clean my bloody face. It wasn't any grosser than the blood so I thanked him as I wiped most of it off my skin.

"I can sense a shift in your aura so it's very likely that you were infected whether you're ready for the change or not, doctor," he said firmly. I cringed internally and gritted my teeth as we entered the medical bay. Jordan Bryce was there and perked up seeing me being led to an examination table.

"What a surprise to see you in my area, Emma. I haven't gotten the chance to give you my condolences for Tom's passing. Things must be so lonely for a sweet, attractive, and healthy woman like yourself," he said with an air of creepiness. He told the soldier he could head back and I grabbed Sani's arm and asked him to please stay with me. Thankfully he nodded his head and told Jordan that he was to stay and help with my ribcage and then escort me back.

"So why are you here, what happened to your ribcage, sweetheart," he asked me and I explained that I think I've got a broken or fractured rib from being attacked by one of my subjects.

Jordan nodded and became very curious about whether I'd been injured in any way.

"Did you receive any nicks or scratches? Perhaps a bite," he asked curiously? I shook my head and said only my ribcage had been injured so he suggested an x-ray.

"Then you'll know what you need to do since you're very knowledgeable," he added and waved for me to follow after him. I avoided looking directly at him since I'd seen his bare gluteus maximus up close and personal. All I could picture was him thrusting into Abby which for me was revolting. I stood still as he clicked the film.

"I'm certain that you already know what your injuries are, this is only to confirm it," he added and told me to take a seat while I waited for the x-ray. I took a seat and Jordan offered me a shot of morphine which I refused. It was painful but I'd make do.

"I'll take some high dose ibuprofen and will take it easy," I told him honestly and he nodded as he handed me 600mg ibuprofen.

"Take that bottle, two pills every six hours," he said firmly. He left again and came back with a sheet of film that he clamped to the light panel. I stood slowly and examined my bones. Jordan was rubbing his chin.

"Doesn't appear that any damage was done. You probably just got the wind knocked out of you and deep bruising. You're going to be fine, doctor. Have a good day," he told me quickly and I looked up to see a lovely scaled woman with long green hair and big dark eyes, wearing just a lab coat.

"She's an ocean nymph," Sani said to me. I was open-mouthed watching her as I prepared to leave.

"Can you take me to a private lab where I can run a few tests on myself because I was certain I had two broken ribs but am already feeling a hundred percent better," I mumbled softly and Sani laughed and told me the werewolf blood was healing me to prepare for my complete change. I looked up at him and furrowed my brow. He escorted me out of Jordan's section and to another area that had been taped off. Sani slid his key card into a lock in a room that was located in a separate area from all the others.