Chapter 12
Soleil
Griffin lay in the middle of the bed, his arm tossed over his eyes while his chest rose and fell with rapid pumps. I shuffled across the bedroom, stretching out my neck. By the fourth time I made him release on my tongue, a pinch began at the side.
I fiddled with the edge of his shirt I’d pulled on as a smile spread across my face. He was mine and this was my life now.
Him, this house, even his kin—
She was still locked where I left her!
I bolted out of the room, through the house until I reached the kitchen. With a quick twist, the door was unlocked and swinging open. She lay on the ground on a pile of blankets. She shot upright, blinking quickly.
“You’re free,” I announced, moving out of the way so she could leave.
She stared at me with her mouth dropped.
“You’re fucking psychotic!” I flinched at her shout. Discomfort swirled to life, and I moved out of her way as she stormed past me. “Where’s Griffin?”
I watched her, taking my time to follow her. Would he be angry with me?
“What’s with the yelling?” Griffin stepped into the living room in a robe, and they almost collided. His kin backed away, turning her body to face me as I approached. Her face was turning an interesting red.
“Griffin. She’s crazy,” Tali snapped, grabbing his arm. Mate just stared, blinking sluggishly.
“You need to leave this psychotic bit—”
“Tali,” he snapped, showing the first sign of anger. “Don’t speak about her like that.”
She gasped and jerked back, her expression looking like he’d physically harmed her. She tossed her arms in the air.
“Are you serious?” she spat, shaking her head. “Whatever. I’m done with this.”
Mate didn’t say anything, but his mouth thinned—his displeasure obvious. Tali whirled, giving him her back and flashing me a look as she marched past. Griffin rubbed his face and didn’t say a word, but the way the fur over his eyes furrowed . . .
Them fighting was wrong; panic speared through my stomach. I didn’t want Mate to be sad.
“I don’t want this.” I shook my head, sidestepping to intercept his kin from leaving. Tali turned her glare on me.
I tugged off his shirt I wore.
“Why are you getting naked?” She muttered, shaking her head. “Griffin, she’s fucking crazy—”
I shifted, dropping onto my four paws.
“Wh-wh-what . . .”
She screamed, throwing her hands up, as she took off at a sprint. In a smooth glide, Griffin jumped over the couch to block her path.
“Now, Tali,” he murmured, hands raised in front of him. Her eyes continued flicking to the door, and her muscles tensed. “Don’t,” Griffin breathed. “I’ll explain.”
Her wide eyes hadn’t moved from me; the tang of her fear was on the back of my tongue. I approached slowly and rubbed my head against her hand. She gasped, turning it into a fist.
“She’s not going to hurt you,” Griffin insisted, his tone harsh. “Please let me explain what happened.”
The silence that ensued was filled by my purr.
It took her a few moments, but eventually, she turned her head to look at me. Her face was pale, and her lips thin, but I continued to stare at her.
This had to work to make her understand that I didn’t know what I did was wrong. But I could learn. I just didn’t want her to turn her back on Griffin. Her mouth opened and closed. She looked over at him, then back at me.
“Fine,” she breathed, eyes wide as she opened her shaking hand and slid it over my head. I purred and lowered, pushing against her side. “Tell me.”
***
I rubbed my palms on the bottom of the dress, pacing from one end of the living room to the other. After watching so much media, I understood meeting a human’s progenitor—parent—was important, and if she didn’t like me . . . I gritted my teeth.
I would kill her. No. No, I wouldn’t kill her. I stopped the uncharitable thought in its place.
Griffin approached where I stood by the door.
“You’ll be fine,” Tali assured me again.
It hadn’t taken her but a day to pass through her fear. I fascinated her, and half the questions she asked, I had no answers to. Beasts were simple creatures.
The doorbell rang. Griffin stepped in front of me and clasped my face, angling it up.
“Everything will be okay,” he murmured and leaned down to kiss my forehead. Tali stayed at my side as he retreated, but she hadn’t stopped staring at me, so I turned to meet her gaze.
“You’re an odd one, but I like you for him.” She frowned and peeked over toward where Mate disappeared. “He’s always been erratic and unsettled, but . . . he’s different now.”
It sounded like a good thing, but I wasn’t too sure.
The low hum of a feminine voice echoed closer along with the thrum echoing off the wood floor. With each encroaching step, my throat became tighter and tighter.
Shifters never kept a long-term relationship with progen—parents. This was a human thing, and it felt terribly important.
Tali was still talking, reassurances spilling from her lips.
A small woman with a shock of white hair haloing her head entered the living room.
Her eyes met mine, their shape forming into crescents.
I cleared my throat. My hands felt clammy, so I wiped them on my skirt.
She looked up at Griffin who crossed his arms, hovering to the side.
He kept looking at me, and I didn’t miss the smile on his mother’s face.
Her care was splashed there for me to see.
I expected a swell of anger. She was another woman he cared for, but my possessiveness simmered. She strode in my direction, coming at me with quick steps. My breath stuck in my throat, panic encroaching. What do I—Her arms wrapped around me, pressing me to her plush bosom.
She smoothed her hand down my back, warmth leeching from her palm through the thin cloth.
“I’ve worried he would never settle down,” she murmured against my ear. “We’re so happy to have you join our family.”
A soft swell rose in my chest. She pulled back, and all I could do was blink at her.
Mate’s mother was . . . pleasant.
“Now let’s get you fed.” She tsked, stepping back and sweeping her eyes down my form. “You’re skin and bones.” When she hooked her arm into mine, I had no choice but to follow.
I gawked back at Griffin, but he shrugged, a small smile playing on his mouth.
She forced me to sit at the dining chair, and Griffin sat beside me.
He stretched his arm over the smooth, cold surface.
His mother opened drawers and small doors, moving around quickly as she collected things until she had a pot on the stove simmering with water.
Tali shuffled into the kitchen. She’d stayed in the guest bedroom because it was too late for her to drive after Griffin had explained everything. Then she stayed another night because she’d gone shopping for me while Mate and I stayed on the couch, finishing a show. It wasn’t awful.
Tali yawned and leaned a hip on the kitchen table. “Did you guys see the mountain lion massacre all over the news?”
I knew what she was talking about because Griffin had showed me the footage the police had.
“It wasn’t a mountain lion.” I sniffed, offended. I’d slaughtered those attackers that tried to harm Mate. When I opened my mouth to elaborate on how I’d saved Griffin, he gripped my jaw and turned my attention to him. “What—”
Griffin kissed me, cutting off my words and wrecking my thoughts. He raked his teeth across my lips.
“Don’t,” he murmured, the word so soft from his silky voice.
“Griffin,” his mother chastised. “Let the girl speak.”
He pressed my hand on my thigh. I clamped my mouth shut, receiving the message. He wanted me silent about what happened. Settling my hand over his, I squeezed.
“I was going to say mountain lions are frightening.” I hummed, nodding seriously.
The silence settled with his parent frowning.
“They def are!” Tali chirped, and she skillfully distracted the conversation. While his family—our family—talked, Griffin’s hand cupped the back of my neck and leaned over to kiss my temple.
“Good, kitten.”