Chapter 15
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
I’d never met someone’s parents before. In fact, Griffin had been all my firsts in every way that mattered. With the way my luck was going, his mom wouldn’t like me, which would put even more of a strain on our relationship.
As if we didn’t have enough to deal with.
Are you okay? Griffin asked, emanating confusion. Your emotions were steady the entire time in the building, but now that we ’ re leaving, you seem like a hot mess.
Thanks. I could count on him to be honest. That makes me feel so much better.
We stepped outside, and the assortment of shifting colors made me almost dizzy. The air around me changed constantly, reminding me of the aurora borealis but surrounding me.
A Mercedes SUV waited for Killian at the curb, and the driver rolled down the window, waving him inside. “Let’s go.”
“Nope.” Griffin shook his head. “I already took care of his transportation. Thanks, though.”
The driver scoffed but took off, not even bothering to say goodbye.
It was time to get a hold on Griffin’s reign before he couldn’t take it back. Dick had been working hard against him for them to treat him so disrespectfully.
Killian turned toward us and lowered his voice so only Griffin and I could hear. “Are you sure I shouldn’t stay?”
“Honestly, I’m not.” Griffin pulled at his bottom lip.
I was. “You can’t. That will give them even more ammunition to make Griffin look bad tomorrow.” I was so damn tired of the broken link—something had to be done. “You two should try to connect like Bart and I did.”
“What do you mean?” Killian asked, his forehead lined with confusion.
“Bart submitted to me back at the house, but he retained his position as alpha of his pack. I’m guessing that the two of you can do the same since Griffin is ultimately the alpha of both Shadow City and Shadow Ridge.”
Griffin was stronger than Killian, but neither man had embraced their role in their pack until the past few weeks. “It’ll give you both an edge since clearly, your two packs have been at odds. If you can coordinate with each other through the link, that will give us an advantage over Dick. He won’t expect a full pack alliance.” Most likely, over time, the Shadow Ridge alphas had resented the wolves who were tucked safely behind the tall city walls. As the respect was lost, the relationship between the two packs had deteriorated more and more. At least, that was what I’d gathered during my time here when I’d overheard the grumblings in the coffee shop and from the glimpses I’d caught of Dick’s interaction with Griffin, Killian, Sierra, and his own daughter, Luna.
“But we’re equals,” Griffin said uncomfortably.
“Dude.” Killian arched an eyebrow. “We both know that’s not true.”
Their friendship had been forged after their fathers’ and strengthened by neither one wanting to step into their rightful place in their pack. “And because of your friendship, uniting the packs once more would make both packs stronger,” I told Killian, then linked with Griffin. You are stronger than him—you were just sheltered more, and he wasn ’ t. In the past few weeks, you ’ ve grown and started to own your strength, but if you don ’ t take your place among your people, Dick will steal it from you.
Another Mercedes pulled up, but this time, Lars was in the driver’s seat. “Here I am, sir, ready to take your friend home.”
“One minute,” Killian said, then averted his eyes to the ground. I watched his body shake—he obviously didn’t want to submit. He was strong in his own right, so for him to willingly stand down, even for his best friend, went against every instinct.
A second later, Killian shifted his body toward me. His voice popped into my head. You both are my alphas now. Don ’ t make me regret it. He straightened, and his eyes glowed as his wolf recognized Griffin and me.
My throat closed as yet another warm spot filled my chest. I didn ’ t mean for you to submit to me. I hoped he didn’t think I was trying to manipulate him into that bond.
He patted my arm and spun around, climbing into the car. I know, but I never would ’ ve been willing to submit to Griffin until you came into the picture. It makes sense that I submit to both of you, as I consider you both my true alphas.
As soon as the door shut, Lars hit the gas, and the car lurched forward. Griffin and I stood there, watching the vehicle disappear from our sight, heading back toward the gate.
We better go before the council members come out. Griffin walked across the street, not bothering to look both ways. Granted, we would’ve heard any vehicles coming, but it unnerved me. I’d grown up near a human town where we deliberately looked both ways before crossing the street as part of blending in. But in a strictly supernatural hub, I guessed no one had to pretend to be human. It would take some getting used to.
Following him, I hurried and crossed the street, unable to prevent myself from checking for cars. Some habits would take longer to break.
Wings flapped overhead, and I tilted my head as a familiar rose scent filled the air. Rosemary’s mahogany hair flew behind her as she descended and landed next to me. Her twilight-colored irises darkened. “What the hell is going on?”
Honestly, I wasn’t sure, so I needed Griffin to help explain things. “Why don’t you get in the car? We’re trying to get out of here before your mom, Azbogah, Dick, Matthew, Alex, and Erin leave.”
“Oh, great,” Rosemary groaned as she climbed into the back seat. She sat on the floorboard, hiding so no one would see her if they came out the door. “If those people are the only members involved and they’re here, that can’t be anything good.”
“No.” Griffin shut the door and started the car. The composure he’d been maintaining slipped away, revealing his worry. “The crystals almost lost power.”
“Impossible.” Rosemary crossed her arms and pursed her lips. “That can’t happen. The guards would have contacted the witches when the power began to flicker.”
“The guards weren’t there.” Griffin ran his hands through his perfectly gelled hair, causing it to stick up. “And Dick somehow has the council believing that it’s my fault.” He backed out of the parking spot and turned toward the heart of the city. As we pulled away, the group inside stepped from the building.
We’d left in the nick of time.
Their conversation baffled me. I didn’t understand a word of what they were saying, other than the power flickering. “What are the crystals, and how are they important?” I asked. Magic circulating in the air could be powerful, but it was also short-lived, so I didn’t understand how a witch could leave if their magic fueled the grid. I hadn’t realized how large this city was.
“Crystals.” Rosemary blew out her breath. “Varying types of gemstones in different sizes that stabilize the witches’ spell to make it last longer and hold the protective shield in place.”
“Well, if that’s the case, how did the witches not know they were weakening?” Surely they couldn’t blame Griffin for that. They should have the replenishments scheduled and not wait for someone to randomly call and ask the witches responsible to come recharge the crystals.
“It’s not that simple.” Griffin turned back onto the main road and glanced in the rearview mirror. “You can get up now if you want. None of them will be able to see you.”
“All this is ridiculous,” Rosemary grumbled as she lifted her body into one of the seats.
Griffin chuckled. “Who would’ve thought you’d become friends with my fated mate and we’d have to keep you hidden?”
“If you would’ve told me that three months ago, I would’ve thought you were insane.” Rosemary rolled her eyes. “Not saying that I don’t actually think that.”
I almost felt like I was listening to Killian and Sierra talk to one another. Rosemary usually stayed on point. “Why didn’t the witches know that the barrier was weakening?”
“Because the barrier keeps the city hidden from human eyes, there isn’t an exact science to tell how long the spell will last. It depends on how many humans are in the outer towns at any given time.” Griffin pulled onto the road that ran parallel to the buzzing metropolis. Even from where I sat in the passenger seat, I could easily see the divide among the races: the angels flew around the city sky in groups; the paler-skinned vampires with their overly sweet smell congregated on the side of the street; shifters were gathered, hanging out in front of a place called Shifters’ Dive. Some hairy men who had to be bear shifters were laughing loudly while sipping foaming glasses of what appeared to be beer.
The herbal scent that Griffin had informed me signified witches hovered around a group perusing the wares at a stand that showcased crystals, herbs, and all things needed for spells.
I noticed that whenever two groups of supernaturals passed, neither acknowledged the other’s presence, as if the other people didn’t exist.
It unsettled me. The lack of regard would mean horrible things in the future if it didn’t get taken care of.
I tore my eyes from the beautiful buildings and focused on what had to be fixed first. “So...I’m still not following.”
“The more humans who visit, the more magic must be used to keep up the illusion. If there aren’t as many humans nearby, the spell will last longer.” Rosemary broke the facts down for me. “So we have guards stationed at each gate that leaves Shadow City. The building containing the crystals is guarded by wolves because they had to step in for your ancestors. Someone is always on duty in case something happens or the city is infiltrated, but mainly to keep an eye on the levels. The spell has a signature they’re trained to identify, and if it begins to fade, they are to alert Erin that someone needs to come refresh it.”
“There are also other magical artifacts in a warehouse near the crystal building that have to be protected.” Griffin cleared his throat. “We aren’t privy to what, but the witches swear that if the items were to be stolen, there would be severe consequences.”
“See, that’s my whole point.” I felt like a broken record. “The witches don’t feel obligated to tell you what’s at stake because they see themselves as a separate community. We need to bridge the gap and learn to work together.”
“I see your point, but change won’t happen overnight.” Rosemary sighed. “This is how things have been for centuries.”
Dick blamed Griffin, but why? “Why were the guards called off? And how?”
“I have no clue.” Griffin tapped a finger on the steering wheel. “I didn’t approve anything that would have directed them to leave their stations.”
Obviously, the how was the leverage Dick had against Griffin, so we had to figure out what the hell it was. “Rosemary, your mom was there. Do you think you could find out from her what Dick told everyone?”
“Yeah, I should be able to do that.” Rosemary sighed.
“And are all the guards wolves?” The question kept popping into my brain. “I mean, there are other races, too. Wouldn’t they want to protect the city as well?”
“There are vampire guards who protect the vampire side of Shadow City and the bridge that connects the city to Shadow Terrace, which is on the opposite bank of the river from Shadow Ridge. The vampire gate is also how Shadow City vampires get their blood supply, since humans don’t live here,” Griffin answered, his voice tight. “And there are Shadow City police, but the force is small and made up mostly of shifters who aren’t wolves so that the wolf shifter representatives don’t have undue influence in case someone needs to be taken down. There aren’t a lot of them, but they protect the artifact warehouse and have a few people on patrol.”
That made sense and was great for checks and balances. If wolves protected everything, all Griffin would have to do would be to use his alpha will, and he’d gain access to anything he wanted.
We pulled up to a large golden building with a sign outside that declared it the Elite Wolves’ Den with a wolf pawprint underneath. The building had to be forty stories high. Griffin pulled into an attached garage and scanned his badge to open a gate for the lower parking level.
“This is my stop.” Rosemary opened the door and climbed out. “I’ll get to the council meeting early. Meet me at the coffee stand inside the council building, and try not to act suspicious. I’ll tell you everything I know then.” The door shut, and she took off so fast that she blurred.
She obviously didn’t want to be seen.
Do you think you should ’ ve told her that you two are related? Griffin’s shoulders relaxed now that we were alone.
That had been the plan. She left before I could.
Well, you’ll have plenty of time in the future. He pulled into a slot closest to the glass cubicle enclosing the elevator. Mom is ecstatic to meet you, but she ’ s out with one of her friends right now. Apparently, they’re having a girls’ night, but she said she ’ d come home early and ride with us to the council meeting.
I wished I felt the same way about meeting her, but at least that had bought me a little time. Maybe a good night’s sleep would put me in a more confident frame of mind.
He slid his badge against another buzzer, and the cubicle door clicked. He held it open and waved me inside. Once I stepped into the building, I sighed with relief. Inside the building we’d just left and here, the beautiful city lights vanished as if there was something blocking it out on the glass, and I felt more at peace. The lights were gorgeous but overwhelming, much like a nightlight that never turned off and grew so bright that you felt blinded.
Griffin hit the elevator call button, and the silver doors slid open. Once we were inside, he pressed his badge to a sensor and then hit the top floor. Within seconds, the doors slid open again, and my jaw dropped. I’d expected to walk out into a hallway. I wasn’t prepared for the doors to open into Griffin’s home.
Dark platinum tile floors greeted me with interior walls the color of stratus clouds and all-glass outer walls that overlooked a breathtaking view of the city. White leather couches were placed perpendicular to one another in the living room area with a white coffee table sitting in the center.
One section of the floor-to-ceiling windows had a sliding glass door that led outside to a covered balcony, where the same flooring continued. Two large gold chandeliers hung above several black lounge chairs, and a bar with a black-stone counter sat in one corner.
It was strange to see all the nice furniture outside, but inside the city, there was no horrible weather or wind because of the protection of the dome.
I hadn’t realized how wealthy Griffin was. I felt stupid. No wonder Luna had been desperate to get her claws into him. A low growl threatened to escape me from just that simple thought.
Every direction I turned, everything looked almost identical. The same color scheme and style.
Griffin took my hand and tugged me toward the hallway in the middle of the room that led to another section of the apartment. I know you deserve the tour, but right now, I need some alone time with you.
That was something I wouldn’t argue against. We walked past multiple closed doors until he stopped at the last one on the left. He opened the door, and once again, the gray color scheme stared back at me.
The room was about the same size as his bedroom in Shadow Ridge and featured a king bed against the center of the right wall. Instead of a headboard, pewter squares started at the top of the bed and climbed toward the ceiling. Crisp white sheets that had to have been ironed peeped over the top of a dark gray comforter. The wall overlooking the city was all glass.
Griffin grabbed the edge of the silver-dust-colored curtains and closed them so the view was hidden. “In case anyone flies by.” His eyes glowed as he spun in my direction and raced toward me.
His lips crashed onto mine, and his tongue slipped into my mouth. His taste overloaded my senses, and my body heated immediately. Last time, he’d dominated me, teased me, but this time, I needed him hard and fast.
I shoved him onto the bed and straddled him, peeling off my shirt. I didn’t know what had come over me, but with all the threats we’d just endured, I needed to connect with him in a way that only I ever could going forward. Maybe it was the insinuation of how many girls he’d slept with that fired my urgency, but I needed every single one of them erased from his mind.
My hands grabbed the edges of his shirt, and I yanked it over his head. His hands wrapped around me, unfastening my bra. As soon as he flung it to the floor, his tongue flicked against one nipple, making my skin ignite.
He rolled me onto my back and stood, unfastening my jeans and dragging them and my panties off me. Damn it, your scent is driving me wild , he told me, and growled.
I pushed up and yanked his pants and boxers down so hard that the button flew off. My eyes took in every inch of him as I slid up on the bed, spreading my legs wide for him. I was primed and ready, and I didn’t want to wait anymore.
With eagerness, he climbed in between my legs and slammed inside me. He knew exactly how I wanted him. He thrust inside me over and over, but I wanted something more…something different. I want to be on top.
I ’ ll never complain about that. He chuckled as he flopped on his back, ready for me to lead.
Turning so my back faced him, I slipped him inside me. We’d never done this position before, and he hit inside me at a different angle. I began riding him, and he groaned animalistically, which urged me to move faster. That sound was so damn sexy, and I needed to hear it more.
My legs began to burn from kneeling, but the pressure was building, and I ignored the ache.
He sat up behind me and slipped his hand around my front, rubbing the sensitive spot between my legs that was bringing me closer to the edge. My body moved faster, and he increased the pressure to where it hurt and felt incredible all at the same time.
Within minutes, we both fell over the edge and climaxed together, our cries of pleasure mingling. Fully sated, I turned and lay against his chest as my breathing slowed and my eyes grew heavy.
Right as my mind began growing foggy, the ding of the elevator sounded, followed by a female voice calling out, “Griffin, I decided to come home after all!” Heels tapped on the floor as they approached.
My blood ran cold as realization settled over me.
I was naked in Griffin’s room, and his mom was home and heading this way.