Page 26 of Midnight Hunt (Wolves of Midnight #4)

25

VIOLET

I’d seen Griff mad at his brother before, but not like this.

Something was wrong.

He was shaking, holding me so tightly that I could barely breathe. He almost seemed feral , which didn’t make sense. This was Griff. Griff didn’t lose control like that.

But he had. He’d completely flipped out.

At an Alpha Meeting , no less. Physical altercations weren’t allowed at these meetings. If anyone broke the rule, they were automatically banned from all future events.

Even so, it wasn’t the repercussions that had brought me to tears. Not even his anger. It was the panic I’d seen in his eyes, the fear . He’d been frantic when his brother had snatched me up. He was still frantic, his arms like a steel wall of protection around me, keeping everyone and everything away. Almost as if . . .

He’s terrified that someone will take you away from him like the hunters almost did , Sable finished the thought for me.

Yeah. That. It was a feeling I knew all too well, a feeling that I’d been struggling with long before the hunters came into the picture.

“Griff, it’s okay,” I spoke to him in soothing tones, sliding my hands around him to rub comforting circles on his back. “He’s not going to take me. No one is.”

He shuddered against me, his heart continuing to loudly thunder. “You’re mine. You’re mine ,” he said, the words muffled against my hair.

“Okay. Okay, I’m yours. But we’re safe here. You can let go.”

“Mine,” he repeated, his heartbeats gradually slowing.

“Yours,” I assured him, coaxing him to loosen his grip. When he did, I shifted in his arms to face the deathly silent crowd.

Normally not a self-conscious person, the mix of curious and critical looks made me feel naked, and I heard more than one person try to catch a whiff of my scent.

They were searching for answers too, most of them familiar enough with Griff to know that he wasn’t one to make a scene. A violent one, at least. And especially not at an Alpha Meeting where violence was a huge breach of trust.

I could see them forming conclusions, all of them wrong. Even if they could smell that we’d had sex recently, Griff and I weren’t newly mated. He hadn’t even claimed me. If he had, most here would at least understand the reasoning behind his outburst, but once they figured out that wasn’t the case, they’d banish him from the meeting. For life . His reputation would be ruined, and they might even question his place as Kolton’s third in command.

I couldn’t let that happen. I had to protect him. So, before I could think better of it, I said loudly for all to hear, “Griff isn’t to blame for this. He was only trying to keep me safe. We just got back from being hunted by rogue males, and the trauma of that is still fresh on our minds.”

No one spoke for several long moments, and I thought for sure my words had fallen on deaf ears. Just as I was about to lose hope, Alpha Abernathy said, “Rogues? Are they the ones who’ve been kidnapping females?”

I flicked a glance at Kolton. When all he did was slowly nod, relief filled me. Bolstered by his approval, I stood taller and answered, “Yes. There are several of them, but we don’t know how many or where they’re keeping the females. We do know that they’re only targeting unclaimed hybrid females and that they plan to use them for breeding.”

“ Breeding? ” a female alpha from Germany gasped.

Just like that, the attention shifted from Griff’s indiscretion to the troubling news. Shouts erupted from the crowd, several expressing their outrage. Not every pack had female hybrids, but kidnapping any female from her pack to be used for breeding was something every pack leader feared.

As Kolton stepped forward to address the crowd’s concerns in more detail, Nora came to stand beside me and Griff. Griff’s arms tightened around me again, then relaxed when he realized it was her.

Leaning over, I quietly murmured in her ear, “Do you think they’ll kick him out?”

“I don’t know,” she whispered back, then added, “But it might be a good idea for him to excuse himself. Just for a little while until we get things sorted out.”

I immediately hated the idea, even as I agreed with her.

Before I could say anything, Griff said, “I’ll take a walk. I have my new phone if anyone needs to reach me.”

As he let go of me, I immediately missed his warmth. Turning around, I grabbed his hand before he could leave and softly said, “Griff, wait. I’m . . . I’m sorry.”

I didn’t know what I was apologizing for specifically, only that I was sorry. About everything . He wouldn’t be in this situation right now if it wasn’t for me.

Watching a fresh tear track down my cheek, he reached up and gently wiped it away. “Do me a favor, Vi,” he quietly replied, remorse heavy in his voice. “Don’t let him touch you again.”

Knowing who he was referring to, I nodded, then reluctantly let go of his hand so he could turn and walk away. As I watched him leave, Nora slid an arm around me, and I gratefully accepted her comfort.

“You okay?” she continued to whisper as Kolton finished telling our guests what we knew about the rogues.

No. I was definitely not okay and neither was Griff, but now wasn’t the time to pour my heart out. Our guests had already seen me cry, and I couldn’t afford to reveal any more weaknesses. Mason was looking at me far too intently, his brown eyes so similar to Griff’s that I couldn’t hold his gaze.

I was an alpha female, and before Nora had joined the pack last year, it had been up to me to keep things running smoothly. I’d spent the past seven years supporting Kolton and making sure other packs only saw his strengths. Which meant that I’d had to be strong as well, even when I’d wanted to break into a million pieces.

“I’ll be fine,” I quickly reassured Nora, adding a smile when she gave me a skeptical look. Later , the look said, and I nodded in agreement, almost relieved that she hadn’t believed me.

Because it was getting harder to stay strong. If I kept going like this, something was going to give, and I was pretty sure that something would be my sanity.

The meeting went on for hours, each alpha wishing to weigh in on how best to find the missing females and confront the rogues responsible. Almost all of them wanted justice, their reactions promising compared to the last Alpha Meeting. Apparently, the thought of females being used for the sole purpose of breeding angered even the most neutral pack leaders.

But as the evening wore on, my restlessness increased. Griff hadn’t returned, and I was beginning to worry. I couldn’t text him, though. I’d left my new phone in the house. Knowing that I’d messed things up even more between us by assuring him I was his only added to my misery.

No matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t seem to stop messing up. I’d done and said things this past week that I couldn’t take back, and our friendship was going to suffer because of it. Griff was going to suffer.

How could I do that to him? Why was I so freaking selfish?

Lost in my own self-deprecating thoughts, I almost didn’t notice the crowd beginning to disperse, a sure sign that the meeting had ended. It had concluded in our favor, and no one had brought up Griff’s indiscretion. I should feel relieved, but the only thing I continued to feel was an incessant restlessness. An itch just beneath my skin that I couldn’t scratch.

“You okay?” Nora asked again, noticing that I couldn’t seem to hold still.

“Yeah, I’m just gonna take a little walk to clear my head,” I replied. When she gave me another dubious look, I added, “I won’t go far, promise. Just to the front gates and back.”

Not waiting for a response, I turned and strode across the lawn at a fast walk. Cars were pulling through the roundabout and leaving the way they’d arrived, but I didn’t pause to wave goodbye, too focused on walking along the narrow road. But the longer I walked, the stronger the itch became, making my face break out in a cold sweat.

What the hell?

My confusion vanished a few steps later when a familiar sensation pulsed through me. It was so strong that I doubled over, nearly twisting my ankle in the process.

Struggling to breathe through the pulsing wave, I waited for it to pass before biting out a curse.

You’ve gone into heat , Sable needlessly told me, and I sharply swore again.

It was too soon. My last heat had only been three months ago.

Another wave hit, forcing me to accept that I was indeed going into heat—and fast . Heat flushed through my body, making me uncomfortable in my dress. A trembling had already begun in my arms and legs, and I came to an abrupt halt, knowing that I had to make a decision while I could still stand.

Call for Griff , Sable urged me, and the heat flared in response to his name.

As it settled between my legs, I squeezed my eyes shut with a groan. It would be so easy, so easy to call for him. He would come without hesitation, and that was the problem. I couldn’t do this to him again. I wouldn’t .

Waiting for the second wave to pass, I straightened, my mind made up. But as I turned to head back toward the garage, a silver Rolls-Royce stopped beside me.

“Hey, little Violet. You all right?”

Biting back another curse, I made a split-second decision. One that I’d probably regret, but I was desperate, and I tended to do stupid things when I was desperate.

“I need a ride,” I replied to Griff’s brother, trying to walk normally as I rounded his car and pulled open the passenger side door. The second I slid inside and shut the door, Mason groaned loudly and tightened his grip on the steering wheel.

“That better not be what I think it is, Vi.”

“It is. Just go, okay? You owe me after what you pulled earlier, and I promise you won’t have to endure it for long. I have a place not too far from here where I can take care of it.”

“By yourself? ” he asked incredulously.

“Mace, just go! ” I all but shouted, fisting my hands as I felt another wave hit me.

“ Hell , Vi, that’s strong,” he groaned again but thankfully stepped on the gas. As he pulled through the gates and left the estate behind, he asked, “How come you’re not calling for your famous quarterback boyfriend to help you?”

“What, are you keeping tabs on me now?”

“No, but I watch sports, and you made the news more than once.”

“It’s . . . We broke up.”

“Ah,” he said, then added, “Guess that explains why you’re having sex with my brother again.”

Despite the pulsating pain eating away at me, I turned my head to glare at him. “If you knew, then why in the hell did you greet me that way earlier?”

“Ah, Vi, don’t be mad at me. You know I like to get a rise out of my baby bro. I didn’t know he’d almost lost you to those bastard rogues only a day ago.”

“Yeah, well, what you did was still mean and spiteful. You’re an alpha and have your own pack now, so I don’t understand why you keep trying to knock him down.”

A muscle feathered in his jaw. “It’s complicated between us.”

Snorting, I faced forward again. “Well, it’s complicated between me and Griff too. Which is why I’m taking care of my heat alone.”

Mason was silent for a beat, then had the audacity to say, “You don’t have to, you know. I help a few of the unmated females in my pack with their heat and will gladly help you with yours.”

“Mason O’Neal, you did not just say that!” I snapped, shooting him another withering glare. At the same time, my core heated, uncaring who was offering to help. All it cared about was getting attention , and an alpha male was willing to do just that. Frustrated with my skanky libido, I said, “Pull over and let me out.”

“Okay, jeez! I take it back! Forget I said anything.”

With a huff, I grumbled, “I refuse to be a consolation prize in your pointless brotherly feud.”

“I know. You made that perfectly clear seven years ago. But Griff’s the one who attacked me . There’s no love lost on his end either.”

“Are you that dense, Mace? He used to look up to you before you started picking stupid fights all the time.”

“That’s funny. I’ve only ever seen him look up to his idol —no offense to your brother.”

“That’s because you’re blind .”

“Well, guess that makes two of us.”

I flicked him another glare. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

“It means that my brother is in love with you and has been for a very long time, but here you are, running away from him.”

“I’m not . . .” Sudden horror gripped me. I looked down at the snake tattoo on my arm, just as a fresh wave of pain streaked through me. Only this time, it was different, like I’d stuck my finger in a light socket. “Mother of—!”

A string of curses belted from me, and I curled forward, clutching my stomach as nausea roiled in my gut.

“What’s wrong? Vi! ” Mason stomped on the brakes, and I hit my head on the dash. “Screw this. I’m taking you back.”

“No, don’t!” I cried, trying and failing to hold back tears. “He’s . . . I can’t. I can’t do this to him again. He deserves better .”

“Vi, I can’t afford to make an enemy of your brother. If something happens to you on my watch, he’ll challenge me, and we all know how that will turn out.”

“Oh, get over yourself, Mason,” I sobbed, continuing to clutch my stomach in agony. “We can’t help it if we’re hybrids. Griff wasn’t trying to steal your place in the pack. The sooner you accept that, the sooner you can move on with your life.”

“And what about you, huh?” he quickly retorted. “Maybe you should let go of my brother so you can move on with your life.”

“I’m trying! ” I screamed, shaking so badly that my teeth clacked together.

Loudly cursing, Mason threw the car into park and reached over to unbuckle my seatbelt.

“What are you doing?” I asked, stiffening when he started to rub my back. “ Mason .”

“Trying to comfort you, okay? I know I’m not Griff, but he’s not here right now, so—”

His words were drowned out by the sudden squealing of brakes. When he swore again, I tried to straighten, but the pain was too much, and a whimper burst from me.

A second later, something ripped the driver side door clean off its hinges and yanked Mason out. Another second, and I heard a fleshy thwack , followed by an agonized groan. When I caught a flash of bright blond hair in the darkness, I started to move but not before Griff managed to punch his brother several more times.

“Griff,” I moaned, practically falling out of the car in my haste to reach him. “Griff, wait .”

He continued to hit Mason, his blazing yellow eyes filled with so much fury that my heart stopped.

He was going to kill him. He was going to kill his brother. And that wrecked me. That broke my heart into a billion little pieces, because it was happening. My nightmare was becoming reality.

I was destroying him. I’d caused this to happen. Me .

And I couldn’t take it, not for one more second. So I broke. I broke and broke and broke, falling to my knees with a howl. It tore from my lungs, a wail of endless pain.

It was happening. I was tearing apart yet another family.

Griff would never be the same after this. He’d never forgive me, not this time, and I’d lose him forever.

It was happening. My worst nightmare was unfolding before my eyes, and there was nothing I could do to stop it.

Utterly broken and defeated, I curled up on the ground and finally let the darkness have me. There was no point in staying strong anymore. No point in fighting.

I’d ruined the life of the most important person in the world to me.

I didn’t deserve to live anymore, and so I gave up. I finally did what I should have done seven years ago and—

“Violet! Come back to me. I’m right here. I’ve got you, baby. I’ve got you.”

Arms lifted me. Cradled me. Rocked me. Held me so tenderly that another keening howl fled my lungs.

“No. No, Griff, don’t. Leave me. Please .”

“Never. I’m not letting you push me away again, Vi. Not this time.”

“It’s all . . . It’s all my fault. I did this. You . . . You killed him, because of me .”

“Mace? I didn’t kill him, Vi. I wanted to, but I couldn’t. I heard your cries, and I stopped. Look at me, baby. He’s alive. Nothing is your fault.”

“ Everything is my fault,” I sobbed, struggling to breathe as another hot wave pulsed through me. It hurt, but at least I didn’t feel like I was being electrocuted anymore. The magic inside the snake tattoo must have settled down now that Griff was here.

But it was a reminder of yet another of my failures. Just one more reason why I didn’t deserve him.

“Leave me,” I tried again, flinching when I felt his hand cup my hot, tear-stained cheek. “You deserve . . . You deserve better.”

“Let me decide what I do and don’t deserve,” he tightly replied.

“I’m worthless.”

He sucked in a sharp breath through his teeth. “Violet Jane Rivers, you take that back.” When I didn’t say anything, he pressed his forehead to mine and quietly groaned, “You’re breaking my heart, Vi.”

“I know,” I whispered back. “That’s why I need you to let me go.”