Page 9 of Midnight Hunt (Wolves of Midnight #4)

8

VIOLET

I woke up in a warm cocoon smelling of cloves and cinnamon.

The spicy scent was everywhere , so intense that I wondered if Griff had left his shirt behind last night. I hadn’t seen him take it off, though. Before falling asleep, he’d been wearing a white tee that hugged his chest and biceps, along with gray sweatpants that hugged, well, other things.

Wait.

Had I fallen asleep with him still in my bed?

Something abruptly shifted beneath me. Rather, someone . Long arms came up in a languid stretch, then lazily draped over my back. When I felt a large hand drift south to lightly cup my backside, my eyes sprang open.

I suddenly became painfully aware of my predicament. Our predicament. Griff was asleep in my bed, and I was lying on top of him. My cheek was pressed to his chest, and the rest of my body was perfectly aligned with his. Including my lower half, which meant that my pelvis was pressed to—

Oh, God. I could feel it. I could feel his dick . My core was right on top of it, my thighs slightly parted to accommodate him.

Just as I had that realization, his hand gripped my butt and ground me against him. Against his dick . Which was rock hard and growing larger by the second.

My body went wild at the intimate contact, exploding awake in excitement. In recognition .

Shocked by the eager response, I jerked my head up with a gasp. The second I did, Griff’s eyes flew open. Our gazes clashed, and we stared at each other in horror.

Knock knock knock .

“Vi, you up? Reid’s here.”

At my brother’s words, I burst into action as if I’d been set on fire. With an agile twist, I shoved Griff off the mattress. As he thudded to the floor, I jumped out of bed and frantically pointed at the bathroom. He got the message and quickly picked himself up to hurry out of sight.

Not a second too soon. Kolton cracked open my bedroom door to peer inside, and I whirled, squeaking like a rabid chipmunk, “Yeah, I’m up!”

Not suspicious at all .

Kolton stared at me for several long, torturous moments before calmly saying, “I know you’re in here, Griff. I suggest you leave before Nora lets Reid into the house. You have thirty seconds.”

Griff emerged from the bathroom and sauntered across my room, looking far too relaxed. When he reached the door, Kolton held it open for him.

“Morning, bro,” he casually said as he passed through.

“Morning, Griff,” my brother responded as if seeing his oldest best friend coming out of his sister’s room first thing in the morning was completely normal. I stood there gaping like a fish out of water until Kolton focused on me again and said, “I suggest you take a shower before coming down.”

With that, he silently closed the door, leaving me scrambling to scrub Griff’s scent off my body before my boyfriend arrived.

* * *

I didn’t know what was worse. The odd looks everyone kept giving me, or Sable’s lack of protest when Reid pulled me into a tight hug.

You could have woken me up, you know , I hissed at her while returning Reid’s hug and praying my quick shower had done the trick.

But it felt so good to be pressed up against him , she purred unapologetically. That morning wood was all for you .

No, it wasn’t , I growled, beyond pissed at her. You said so yourself. He’s a virile male in his prime. He wakes up like that every morning .

Maybe, but I felt how turned on you were when he rubbed you against his dick .

Barely able to suppress a frustrated scream, I pulled back from Reid to give him my best smile. “I can’t believe you’re here. You didn’t have to come.”

“I know, but I wanted to see for myself that you were okay,” he replied, returning my smile. “It’s just for today, though, unfortunately. Coach has us working on a new play, and we need a lot more practice before the next game.”

“I understand. Thanks for surprising me.” When I stood on tiptoe to kiss his lips, Sable didn’t stop me.

Before I could pull away, Reid captured the back of my head to deepen the kiss. As his tongue softly stroked mine, I became hyper-aware of our audience. Namely, the blond male I’d been accidentally cuddling with only minutes before. He’d taken a shower too, and I couldn’t help but wonder if he’d taken care of that wood at the same time.

Feeling guilty for having the thought, for even thinking about him while Reid was kissing me, I gently broke the kiss.

Oblivious to my reasons for pulling away, Reid glanced down to inspect my jean-clad legs. “Looks like you’re all healed.”

“Yeah. Good as new,” I said, noticing that Griff was looking anywhere but at us.

“Any leads on who the males are?”

He directed the question at Kolton, who replied, “Not yet. I contacted my influential members yesterday who spread the news of the attacks to the rest of the pack. They were warned to be on the lookout for anything suspicious and to take necessary precautions, but I haven’t heard anything yet. We’ll be organizing a hunting party soon to see if we can flush them out.”

“Good. I’d like to keep apprised of that.”

“Sure thing. You could join, if you’d like.”

“I just might,” Reid replied, focusing on me again. “If you’re okay with sharing me when I come visit.”

I nearly swallowed my tongue at the word sharing. Reid definitely hadn’t meant the word in the way my stupid brain was thinking, and I doubted very much he would ever be willing to share me , which made me feel even guiltier for how I’d woken up this morning.

“I’m okay with it,” I readily said. “But I plan to join the hunting party as well, so we’ll still see each other.”

Kolton made a noise in the back of his throat, and I immediately stiffened.

“Don’t say it,” I quietly warned him, already knowing what that sound meant.

“Vi . . .” he began.

“Don’t Vi me,” I snapped, whirling toward him. “I agreed not to wander off alone, but I didn’t agree to stay hidden away like a useless lump. I can help , and I want to find those slimy bastards probably more than anyone. So let me, Kolton. Please .”

Used to my impassioned outbursts, no one looked shocked that I’d challenged my pack alpha. Well, maybe no one except Reid. He shifted uncomfortably on his feet as Kolton and I became locked in a silent staredown.

When I refused to back down, Reid broke the silence to say, “I can watch over her, Kolton. She’ll have eyes on her at all times.”

Without looking away from me, my brother replied, “Thanks for the offer, Reid, but I already have someone doing that.”

My eyes narrowed to slits.

“I appreciate that, but she’s my girlfriend,” Reid bravely pushed back.

“Yes, but until she’s been claimed and mated, Vi is still a member of Midnight Pack,” Kolton said. “Therefore, she’s my responsibility.”

Ah, crap. That was definitely a jab. One that I’d expected Griff to make, not Kolton.

Feeling hot tears of embarrassment sting my eyes, I broke the staredown. An awkward tension settled over the group, and I suddenly wanted to crawl into my bed again.

“Well, that got heavy,” Griff’s voice cut through the tension. “I think we’re all a little hangry and could use some breakfast. How about I help you in the kitchen, Mrs. R?”

“Charlotte,” my mom corrected, smiling up at him as he offered her his arm. I watched them head toward the kitchen and couldn’t help but wish she’d smile at Reid that way. She barely acknowledged his existence, even during the daytime when her mind was at its sharpest.

“Are you going to marry my sister?” Mellie abruptly piped up, staring at Reid with big innocent eyes.

I stiffened and threw Reid an apologetic look.

He just laughed good-naturedly and told her, “Well, that’s up to your sister.”

Mellie turned that curiosity to me next. “If you marry Reid, will you have to leave us for good?”

At that, everything in me went cold. I tried to respond, but my throat sealed shut. Unable to breathe, I murmured a lame excuse about needing to grab something and hurried up the stairs.

The second I closed my bedroom door, I sank to the floor and hugged my knees to my chest, willing myself not to fall apart. But Melanie’s words continued to ring in my ears, filling me with more and more panic.

Leave us for good. Leave us for good .

Leave my pack. My family .

If I did end up marrying Reid, he would expect me to live with him. To join his pack. To become his alpha female one day.

Being with Reid meant that I would have to face my worst fear, a fear that I’d lived with every day for the past seven years. I hadn’t fully realized until this very moment what dating Reid would lead to, but that reality had finally caught up to me, and—

“Vi? It’s just me and Brielle. Open up, please.”

At the sound of Nora’s voice, I forced myself to stand and open the door. The moment I did, she and Brielle sandwiched me in a hug.

“You okay?” my sister-in-law asked, reaching back to close the door.

“Yeah, I just . . . I just panicked. My emotions have been kind of everywhere lately.” I gratefully clung to them both, drawing comfort from their scents and closeness.

“For good reason,” Brielle spoke up, then said in a soft whisper, “Did something happen between you and Griff? I heard him in your room last night and saw him coming out this morning.”

I groaned, feeling guiltier than ever. “Yes. I did something terrible.”

She pulled back to look at me, her green eyes wide like saucers. “How terrible?”

“I fell asleep with him in my bed last night.”

One of her dimples flashed as she pursed her lips in thought. “Well, that’s not so bad.”

“I woke up on top of him.”

Her mouth formed a large O. “Okay, yeah. That’s kind of bad.”

“Brie,” Nora lightly chastised her best friend, who gave her an apologetic look.

“No, she’s right,” I said. “It never should have happened, and I feel awful. What should I do? Do I tell Reid?”

Nora stared at me but in a non-judgmental way. It felt more like she was searching for something. After a long moment, she quietly said, “I think you should be honest with him.”

I closed my eyes with a groan that sounded more like a whine. “This sucks.”

They both gave me sympathy squeezes but didn’t offer further advice. Now wasn’t the time for one of our soul chats, not that I usually unburdened my feelings to them even then. Brielle was the feelsy one in our girl’s group.

We headed down a few minutes later to find Kolton, Reid, and Jagger in the front office, deep in conversation as they studied the silver trap that had almost taken my foot off. Feeling queasy the second I laid eyes on it, I immediately turned around and headed for the kitchen instead.

But the moment I entered and saw Griff in a frilly pink apron, sharing a laugh with my mother, I quickly backtracked again.

“Vi! Come and join us,” my mom said before I could escape. As Griff looked my way with a big grin still on his face, I froze like a deer in headlights, recalling how he’d pressed me against his dick less than an hour ago. Something heated flashed in his eyes, as if he was thinking of the memory too, and I quickly looked away.

“Um, I’m really not that great at cooking,” I replied to my mom, slowly stepping backward. “I should probably check my emails.”

“Nonsense,” she said, forcing me to halt once more. “You’ve just never had the patience for cooking. The boys were always better at following directions than you.”

Griff snickered, and I threw my best glare at him.

“You just need to slow down a bit,” my mom continued. “Here. Watch how Griff scrambles the eggs. He’s not trying to hurry the process by blasting the heat. Cooking is a process, one that can’t be rushed.”

She gestured me over, and I reluctantly joined her and Griff by the stove. When I was apparently too far away to properly see the pan that Griff had just poured the whisked eggs into, my mom came around my other side and nudged me closer. My arm bumped into Griff’s, and heat flushed up my neck. Another memory assaulted me, and I vividly recalled how it felt to be wrapped in his arms.

Sable made a happy little purring noise, and I ground my teeth together. Standing this close to him was torture, but I couldn’t scoot away, not when my mother was practically pushing me against him while she explained the art of making light, fluffy eggs.

Too hyper-aware of my arm brushing against his, I completely tuned out her words. By the time the eggs were finished, I still had no idea how to properly make them and was desperate for some fresh air. When Griff reached around me to accept the bowl my mom handed him, I jumped, nearly making the bowl fall to the floor.

“Sorry,” I blurted, stepping back the second Griff moved his arm. “I’m going to, um, set the table.”

I hastily began to gather plates and utensils before my mom could torture me some more, putting much-needed distance between me and Griff.

You’re being ridiculous , Sable remarked. It’s not like you had sex with him. A little pelvic rub is no big deal, especially with clothes on. You didn’t even orgasm .

Wanting to scream, I booked it out of the kitchen, almost dropping the plates in the process. When we all sat down to breakfast minutes later, my restlessness only worsened. Every time I glanced across the table, I’d find Griff’s gaze already on me. He’d immediately look away, but I knew he was thinking about what happened between us just as much as I was.

We needed to talk, but I was already dreading the conversation, along with the one I needed to have with Reid. He was currently answering all of Melanie’s incessant questions, still utterly oblivious to the tension between me and Griff. Guilt was my constant companion, made all the worse when I’d catch one of the others watching me.

They knew. They all knew. Well, maybe only half of them, but it sure felt like the whole table was silently judging me for cheating on my boyfriend. Even baby Luca was scrunching up his nose at me.

It’s because his father is forcing him to eat squished-up bananas , Sable said with a disgusted snort. And you didn’t cheat. You were asleep, and so was Griff. You’re not responsible for what your horny subconscious does .

Thanks, Sabs. I feel so much better , I sarcastically replied, absently playing with the fluffy eggs on my plate.

You’re welcome .

I made the mistake of rolling my eyes and once again found Griff’s gaze on me. Unable to bear another second of this torture, I set down my fork and prepared to excuse myself from the table.

Before I could, Griff said to the room, “I think we should play some football.” When everyone stopped what they were doing to stare at him, he added, “We could use a little fun after the stressful few days we’ve just had. Besides, we have an MVP guest in the house. So, what do you say? Who’s in?”

“I’m in,” Reid readily replied.

“Yeah, man,” Griff said and stuck out his fist. When Reid reached across the table to bump his knuckles, I wanted to crawl under the table in mortification.

“I’m in too,” Brielle replied, staring at the pair like she was watching a soap opera. She noticed my scowl and shrugged apologetically.

Jagger and Kolton volunteered next.

“Me too!” Melanie chimed in excitedly, even though she barely knew what football was.

“You have school, Mellie,” Kolton firmly told her.

“Pleeease?” she begged, sticking out her bottom lip and adding a little quiver.

“Sucker,” I muttered under my breath when I saw Kolton start to cave.

Sure enough, he replied, “Fine, but school right after. And no trying to weasel your way out of homework this time.”

“Deal!” she sang, smiling like a cherub, even as her eyes twinkled devilishly.

“How about you, Mrs. R?” Griff asked my mom.

“Oh, not me, thank you. But Miss Gabby and I could watch the babies if Nora wants to play.”

“Sure, I’ll play,” Nora said and slid her husband a sly look. “So long as Kolton and I aren’t on the same team.”

Kolton’s mouth curved into a wicked smirk. “Sure you’re up for the challenge, wife?”

“Are you?” she tossed back.

Griff barked a laugh, then focused back on me. “What do you say, Vi? We need one more player to even out the teams.”

“Are you sure my leg is healed enough for that?”

“Definitely. Besides, some fresh air and exercise will do you good. Doctor’s orders,” he said with a wink.

“Well, if you put it that way, count me in.”

Griff whooped and shot from his chair. “Meet you all out front in ten!”

He was out of the room in a flash, no doubt to rummage in the garage for a football. We rarely had time to play sports anymore, but letting off a little steam was just what I needed—even if it meant I’d have to carry around my guilt a while longer.

The eight of us who were playing met on the front lawn ten minutes later, each of us having changed first. I now wore a cropped running top and leggings, my hair up in a high ponytail. Griff had found a can of white spray paint and had drawn a makeshift field for us to play on. Mellie bounced up and down, simply excited to be hanging out with the adults like a big girl. We’d convinced her to leave Princess in the house so the stuffed unicorn wouldn’t get dirty, but she’d put on a blue Cinderella dress and tiara for the occasion.

“Okay, team captains,” Griff said to the group and tossed the football at Kolton. “I nominate Kol and Reid.”

My brother caught the football, only to toss it right back. “It was your idea to play, Griff. I think you should be a team captain.”

Griff caught the ball with a shrug, but I could tell he was pleased by my brother’s comment. “Okay, then, let’s pick teams. Reid, wanna choose first?”

“Sure,” Reid said, looking relaxed and in his element. He crossed his arms and scanned the group, narrowing his hazel eyes as if in serious deliberation. They landed on me, and he smiled. But, with a swift wink, he looked away and said, “Melanie.”

She squealed and clapped her hands, hurrying over to hug Reid’s leg. At the surprised look on his face, I snickered under my breath. He had no idea that he’d just unleashed a monster.

It was Griff’s turn to pick a teammate, and I waited for him to name Kolton. But when I glanced over at him, his eyes were on me.

Before I could prepare, he said loudly for all to hear, “I choose Vi.”