Page 25 of Midnight Hunt (Wolves of Midnight #4)
24
GRIFF
“Sure you’re up for this?” Kolton asked me as we watched the first guests start to arrive. Jagger was directing cars into parking spots along the private drive, and the females and children were still inside, so it was just Kolton and me on the wide porch.
“Not really,” I openly admitted, “but this Alpha Meeting needs to happen. I’m glad you didn’t postpone or cancel it.”
“It’s definitely casual compared to the last one,” Kolton said, clearly still uncertain about his decision to host the meeting at the Rivers family estate.
Alpha Meetings were usually few and far between, but it was an opportunity for the hosts to display their influence, power, and wealth. The estate alone was worth hundreds of millions, but he and Nora had decided against decorating for the occasion. We weren’t even offering food or beverages to our esteemed guests.
After what had just happened to me and Vi, it didn’t seem appropriate.
“I had to wear a suit and tie at the last meeting,” I responded to Kolton’s comment. “This meeting is much more my style.”
He grunted at that, sweeping a glance over my business casual attire. I was wearing dark gray pants and a white collared shirt with sleeves rolled up to the elbow. His apparel was similar to mine, and so was Jagger’s. “At least you’re wearing shoes.”
I barked a laugh. “They pinch my feet, but Vi would kill me if she caught me wearing flip-flops to this shindig.”
His gaze went to my right arm, to the spot where my snake tattoo should be. “How is she?”
Even though Vi was his sister, it didn’t feel strange to hear him ask me that question. They’d always been close, but she and I were closer, even as kids. If she needed to confide in someone, she usually went to me. Problem was, she had a tendency to bottle up her feelings and put up a brave front instead of talking things out. After the morning we’d just had together in my bed, though, I’d hoped to wake up and coax some of those feelings out of her. But she’d sneaked out of my room before I had a chance to.
With a quiet sigh, I answered Kolton, “Staying strong as always, but I’m worried. After visiting Randy’s family this afternoon to tell them the bad news, she went right back to work as if nothing had happened. She’s been through a lot lately, and I don’t think she’s taken the time to process any of it yet, including . . . including us.”
Kolton was silent for a long beat, then replied, “Although I was surprised that you two were intimate so soon after Reid broke up with her, I understand why. You’ve loved her for years and have always been there for her. After you started helping with her heat, I’d hoped you two would become a mated pair.”
I blinked, relieved to hear him say that. “Me too. I assumed she wasn’t interested in me that way, only to find out that she thought I wasn’t. She even thought I was ashamed to be helping her. That’s why she ended things between us last year, so I could move on and find a true mate.”
“Oh, Vi,” Kolton said, shaking his head. “I think she’s still holding on to what Arrow did to her. That, and she still blames herself for what happened afterward.”
I stared out at the cars quickly filling the private drive, the evening sky darkening by the minute. As if on cue, the tall lamps circling the roundabout and lining the narrow road flickered on, lighting up the growing dusk.
“I think you’re right,” I replied, then decided to take the plunge and say, “But after what that hunter said, all I can think about is claiming her. If they’re only kidnapping unclaimed hybrid females, then maybe they’ll leave her alone if I mark her.”
I held my breath, half-expecting my best friend to be angry at me for having such a thought. Vi was his little sister, and I was talking about biting her. Sex was one thing, but leaving my mark and scent on her was a whole other level.
But, to my surprise, all Kolton said was, “Claiming her is a smart idea. But are you sure she wants that?”
I blew out a pent-up breath, rubbing at the back of my neck before replying, “I don’t know. She seems to want me one minute, then pulls away the next. She even said she loved me. But after we slept together this morning—”
“Watch it,” Kolton rumbled in warning.
“After we slept for hours without touching each other,” I amended with a smirk, “she bolted.”
Kolton hummed softly in thought but didn’t say anything.
“The last thing I want to do is force her into something she doesn’t want,” I continued, even as my heart broke a little at the thought of her not wanting me.
“I know that feeling all too well,” Kolton wryly replied, reaching up to clap me on the shoulder. “Sounds like you’re doing a better job at being patient than I was with Nora, though.”
I snorted, remembering how determined he’d been to marry his soulmate before she was ready. At least Vi hadn’t hit me over the head with a serving tray. Yet.
“I’ll talk to Nora and see if she can get Vi to open up,” he added, giving my shoulder a squeeze before letting go. “Vi went several years without close female connections, but she’s getting better at confiding in them. There are just some things she can’t talk to us males about.”
Before I could reply, noises from inside the house interrupted our conversation. Knowing that Vi and Nora were about to join us, we dropped the subject for the time being. Mrs. Rivers and Brielle would be watching the children during the meeting, so they were staying inside. Kolton had almost decided against holding the meeting here so close to the children, but going anywhere else could leave them vulnerable. Even after learning that the hunters were packless rogues and wouldn’t be at the meeting, they were still a threat. Besides Vi, we still had one other unclaimed hybrid female in the family that needed our protection.
Melanie.
She was only seven, but I wouldn’t put anything past those sick bastards.
Until we dealt with the rogue males and found the missing females, we weren’t taking any chances. Hosting an Alpha Meeting was all the risk we could afford. But knowing that I’d have to see my brother tonight was testing the limits of my control. He had a way of getting under my skin like no one else could, and I was already on edge from everything that had happened this past week.
Only a year older than me, Mason had always resented my close friendship with the Rivers family, not to mention my hybrid abilities. Our entire lives, he’d tried to cut me down in order to rise up in the pack ranks. When that hadn’t worked, he’d gone after Vi. Even though I’d wanted to pursue her slowly at the time, I hadn’t been able to stomach the thought of him being intimate with her.
So, I’d pursued her as well, and she’d chosen me to help with her heat.
Mason had given up after that, deciding to leave Midnight Pack and branch off on his own. He was now the alpha of Moon Bay Pack, his territory just north of here in the Montreal, Canada area. It was small, but he’d gotten what he had always wanted.
To be number one.
I’d only spoken to him once since he’d left the pack, and recalling that conversation left a bitter taste in my mouth. If he decided to poke at me in a similar manner tonight, I doubted I would be able to keep my cool.
My thoughts were suddenly distracted by the front door opening. I turned just as Nora exited the house, and she smiled when I gave her an appreciative look. She was wearing a white cocktail dress, one with a high neckline and semi-transparent sleeves. As she gracefully moved across the porch, her flowy skirt swishing against her thighs, I glanced over at Kolton to find him practically drooling.
“Save it for the afterparty, man,” I joked, but he didn’t even hear me. When his wife was near enough, he drew her into a possessive hold, sliding one hand beneath her skirt to grip her thigh. She chuckled softly, and he swooped his head down to capture her lips. Unmindful of the growing audience out on the lawn, he kissed her like a starving man, brazenly lifting her leg to grind himself against her.
Used to their public displays of passion, I just shook my head. It was entirely real, but the PDA served as a message as well, one that clearly said Midnight Pack’s alphas were still in love and wholly united. They were a power couple, and to challenge that was to risk your life.
Noticing movement in my peripheral, I turned and saw Vi standing in the doorway. She was dressed in a flowy short cocktail dress as well, but it was a deep purple color, sleeveless, and plunged at the neckline. Her cleavage was on full display, and a swallow got stuck in my throat as I recalled burying my face in that very spot this morning, right after I’d come in my pants.
Feeling my cock start to harden, I brought my eyes back to her face. She looked breathtaking, her bangs perfectly in place and the rest of her dark tresses loosely curled. Her makeup was flawless, highlighting her already gorgeous features. But her eyes—they weren’t on me. They were locked on her brother and Nora, and I watched as the color slowly drained from her face.
Concerned, I stepped toward her, and her gaze immediately flew to mine. Her violet eyes were wide, and the look in them was unmistakable.
She was terrified.
The need to comfort her was instantaneous, and I reached out to take her hand. Before I could, she stepped from the doorway and swept past me with a little laugh. A forced one.
“Jeez, you two, get a room already,” she muttered, her high heels clicking across the porch and down the steps. “Guess I’ll go greet the guests since you’re obviously too busy sucking face.”
I watched her go, frustration a tight knot in my chest, then shoved aside my pride and went after her. It took everything in me not to whirl her around and demand she tell me what was bothering her. Because something definitely was, and it was killing me. Did she regret coming to my bedroom this morning? Did she regret us?
I needed to know, even if she said yes and tore out my heart.
But now was obviously not the time. Alphas from around the world were approaching us, many of them accompanied by their entourages. Several had mates but not all, and a few had come alone, but most had brought at least a few of their most dominant pack members. Jagger was already conversing with a mated pair from Alaska, and Vi was heading toward one of the alphas that had contacted us about a missing female a few days ago.
After a moment of hesitation, I decided to give her some space, choosing to converse with an alpha not too far away. We’d been doing this political dance for years, and Vi had done enough research on each alpha that we knew just how to speak to them. Many of them had been friends with Anthony and Charlotte Rivers during their rule of Midnight Pack, but we couldn’t forget that none of them had come to our aid last year.
Werewolves tended to stick close to home, and packs didn’t often mingle. Still, they’d failed us in our hour of need, forcing us to accept help from the most unlikely of sources—the royal vampire family. Without them, Kolton might not have found Nora and Luca in time. Midnight Pack could have fallen without our unexpected new allies, and we had every intention of calling on their help again if the werewolf community chose to turn their backs on us once more.
“Is it true that Violet was almost taken?” Alpha Abernathy from Washington state asked me. Word of the abductions had definitely spread, and as I used my heightened hearing to eavesdrop on a few other conversations, it was all anyone was talking about.
“Yes,” I confirmed, keeping an eye on Vi as I spoke. “Twice, actually, but they failed both times.”
The middle-aged male’s eyes widened, and he started questioning me about who “they” were.
“Alpha Rivers will be sharing the details on that soon, but I can at least assure you that no one involved in the kidnappings will be present tonight.”
He seemed relieved to hear that, but as more and more alphas arrived, the crowd’s restlessness increased. They wanted answers , and it was clear that we were the only ones who had them. At the realization, unease settled in my gut. We had answers, but we still didn’t know where the missing females were being kept. If no one else knew where they were, it meant that we probably wouldn’t find them anytime soon.
My eyes went to Vi again, a fresh wave of protectiveness surging through me. When I found her speaking to a tall male with dark hair, light brown skin, and twinkling hazel eyes, my mind emptied. Rudely excusing myself in the middle of a conversation, I strode toward her before I could check myself.
Whiskey, who’d been rather quiet today, encouraged me onward, growling, Don’t let him take your female again .
I won’t , I assured him. Not this time. Not without a fight.
“I really am sorry,” she was saying to him, her back to me as I approached. “You were right. You were right about everything. I shouldn’t have—”
Stiffening at the sound of my approach, she whirled rather abruptly. The second she saw it was me, the fear in her eyes dissipated. “Jeez, Griff. You scared the hell out of me.”
Her words were lightly spoken, but I knew they were just a front. She’d been terrified that I was a hunter about to snatch her away. Slowing, I watched her carefully, giving her ample time to pull away as I eased into her personal space and slid an arm around her. She immediately melted against me, and I grew weak with relief. Still, I stood tall, firmly pulling her back against my chest as I faced her ex-boyfriend.
“Reid,” I said by way of greeting, trying hard not to growl the word.
I was glad he’d ended their relationship, but he’d still hurt her. My protective instincts were demanding I seek retribution, and Whiskey settled back down, assured that I had this under control.
“Griff,” the quarterback greeted back, studying me and Vi a moment before adding, “Looks like you got what you wanted.”
“Looks like I did,” I replied, splaying my hand on Vi’s stomach.
At the possessive move, he shook his head with a small laugh. “Don’t worry, man. She’s all yours. She was only ever yours to begin with.”
Vi’s heart skipped a beat, but she didn’t comment.
The need to stake my claim started to fade, but I kept my hand right where it was all the same, feeling less on edge the longer she was pressed against me.
With an almost wistful smile, Reid stared at us for another beat, then said, “I should go. My uncle wanted to introduce me to some more alphas. He’ll be stepping down and initiating me into Lunar Falls Pack as the new alpha once this football season ends, so I have a lot to learn in a short period of time.”
“Oh, wow, Reid. I’m so happy for you,” Vi exclaimed, and I could tell she truly meant it.
“Thanks,” he replied, giving her one of his signature smiles.
As he turned to go, Vi suddenly pulled away from me. “Reid, wait.”
My instincts flared up again, and Whiskey sat up in a panic, but I forced myself not to react as she rushed forward to grab Reid’s hand.
“I-I really am sorry about what happened,” she said as he turned back to her. “I was hoping that maybe . . . that maybe we could still be friends?”
Now that’s our smart wee lass , Whiskey purred in contentment, settling back down again.
Reid stared at her, then smiled again and replied, “I would like that.”
With a relieved sigh, she hugged him. He hugged her back, and the urge to tackle him to the ground reared up. But the hug was over a second later, and with a little wave, Vi turned from Reid and came back to me.
Me .
I felt a sudden need to kiss her in front of everyone, to let every single male here know that Vi belonged to me .
Surprised by the possessive thought, especially when it wasn’t entirely true, I didn’t see the male with wavy dark blond hair approaching Vi until it was too late.
“Little Violet!” he sang, scooping her up to twirl her around.
Instead of trying to break free, Vi broke into a grin. “Mace! Fashionably late, as always.”
“You know it!” he said with a laugh, then stopped twirling to nuzzle her neck and groan, “God, have you always smelled this good? I should have eaten before coming here because I’m suddenly starving .”
At that, my vision turned red. It was like a switch in my brain flipped, flooding my entire being with rage.
Bellowing a roar, I pulled Vi from my brother’s arms and shoved him. Hard . Hard enough to send him crashing to the ground and rolling across the lawn.
“Griff!” Vi cried, but I could barely hear her over the pounding in my ears. I lunged for him again, only for a powerful pair of arms to hold me back.
“ Stand down ,” a familiar voice barked, but I continued to lunge for Mason, out of my mind with fury.
“He touched her!” I thundered, yanking my arms free of Kolton’s hold, only for another pair of arms to join in. Even though I knew I couldn’t overpower Kolton and Jagger combined, I still fought, my control in shambles at my feet. “Vi is mine. MINE.”
“GRIFFIN!” a female voice shouted, with such desperation that I paused. “Griff, please . Please don’t do this!”
When her words ended in a sob, the red haze disappeared. I blinked to find Vi standing before me, her face streaked with mascara.
Just like that, all of my anger left me.
“Vi,” I rasped, reaching for her. Kolton and Jagger let go of my arms, and I quickly gathered her against me. She pressed her face to my chest, her tears soaking through my shirt in seconds. I held her tightly, trembling with the need to carry her far, far away from here.
No one said a word for several long moments. The air was deathly quiet, and I realized too late the sin I’d just committed.
But I suddenly didn’t care.
Mason never should have touched her like that.
If he ever did it again, I’d kill him.