Chapter 30: Griffin

30

GRIFFIN

F inding Kali's parent's house was easy. In this shithole of a town, the well-kept lawn and freshly painted walls stand out a mile. I park outside the gates, debating whether to go to the door and knock.

I've no idea what I'm going to say to them. Maybe…

Hi, I'm Griffin.

I rutted your precious daughter into the dirt, and then snuck out of her bed in the middle of night.

Then I failed to protect her, and she almost got murdered by serial killers.

Now she's missing, and I want you to help me find her, even though she insists she's okay and has asked me to leave her alone.

By the way, my beast might actually know where she is, but because he's a psycho, he won't tell me a thing.

I sound like a stalker. Or worse.

Her parents would be right to rip me to shreds, right on their front porch. I should leave, but I can't bring myself to drive away. This could be the only way I can find her, if my beast refuses to help me.

If they'll even talk to me.

I'm pacing by my truck, trying to decide how much to explain about how I know Kali, when the porch light turns on, and a petite, dark-haired woman appears in the doorway. She folds her arms across her chest and stares at me, waiting. Not unfriendly, just cautious.

Suddenly nervous, I unlatch the gate and then close it behind me before I walk up the path.

She watches my every move as I get closer, taking me in from head to toe, with an assessing gaze.

"Evening, Ma'am." I take off my hat and hold it in my hands, twisting it, round and round.

Her lips are pressed into a thin line, and I'm expecting her to tell me to clear off until she gives me a wry smile.

"I take it this is about our Kali. I suppose you better come in then." She turns, leaving the door open for me to follow. "Jim, come downstairs. There's someone here looking for Kali."

Feeling like a teenager about to pick up a date for the first time, I follow her sheepishly inside. Adrenaline is still buzzing through my veins after my earlier discovery, so I'm already on edge. Shaking out my hands to get rid of some energy, I step across the threshold and wait in the hall as loud footsteps sound overhead.

"She doesn't live here anymore." Her astute gaze fixes on my grazed knuckles, which I hide by folding my hands together. "But you know that already, don't you?" The resemblance is striking. Apart from the hair colour, Kali's mother is her carbon copy besides some fine lines around her eyes.

Nodding, I try to look honest and trustworthy enough for them to share her location. "Yes, I met Kali when I moved to Sutton just recently. I'm the new ranger there."

Scratching the back of my neck, I shift uncomfortably.

"Things were left badly between us before she went missing. My fault. And I know she's still recovering, but I wanted to apologise in person, if I can find her." I figure honesty is the best policy here. Chances are, she's been cursing me to her mother, anyway. "She thinks we're mates."

Thud, thud, thud.

"And what do you think?" Kali's mum asks, curiosity sparkling in her eyes.

"This is all new to me. I only realised I wasn't alone when I met Kali. But I do know that whatever we are, I don't want to have messed it up for good."

When the house practically shakes, curiosity gets the better of me, and I turn away from my conversation with Kali's mum to check out her father, who's making his way down the stairs.

Big is not an adequate word to describe the man in front of me. When he reaches the bottom step, the spacious hallway suddenly feels cramped.

"Griffin," I say quickly, extending my hand to the mountain of a man currently looking down his nose at me, like he's trying to decide whether to swat me like a fly.

"Jim, and this is my wife, Carol." Jim's meaty hand wraps around mine, and as he shakes it, feeling like my arm is going to pop out of its socket. "So, this is the guy."

I freeze, my gaze travelling from Jim to Carol, who nods along with her husband, a grim set to her face, and then back to Jim again. He gives nothing away, just stares at me. Shit. Kali definitely told them about me.

"Let's hear what he has to say for himself," Carol says, resting a hand on her husband's arm, and then giving me a reassuring smile.

I feel like there's a second half of that sentence that she's not saying. Maybe along the lines of, let's hear what he has to say for himself before you pound him into the ground.

Reluctantly, Jim waves his arm in the direction of the living room before picking up a walking stick that's resting against the wall in the hall and then using it to help him lumber across the room awkwardly.

Carol lifts some piles of laundry off the couch and gestures for me to sit.

Jim settles his considerable frame into a large armchair and waits.

Clearing my throat, I lean forward, resting my elbows on my knees. I may as well just come clean.

"I screwed up. I don't know what Kali told you, but I need to find her and apologise. Even if she refuses to give me a second chance, I need her to know how much I regret hurting her. And I have to see with my own eyes that she's okay after the attack."

Jim and Carol exchange another look before Carol sits beside me, her fingers playing with the faded apron she's still wearing.

"She didn't tell us anything." Her eyes glisten, and I feel like absolute shit for dumping my problems on them, when they've just been through hell. But then Carol reaches out and grabs my hand. "Kali's used to being on her own. This town has worn her down, but she's gotten some of her spark back lately, and I'm glad she's left to start a new life. Especially, if she's found the one. She could do with someone in her corner."

Carol smiles fondly at Jim, and I can feel the love between them. She's proud of her daughter for picking herself up and dusting herself off. I am too.

"Was it the curse?" Jim's deep voice booms out, veering the conversation into darker territory. "Because if you believe that stupid prophecy and treat my daughter badly because of it…" Jim's chest heaves as he struggles for control, so Carol rests a calming hand on his knee as he looks away.

Bristling, I grit my teeth. "I don't know anything about the curse, and I couldn't give a fuck about some stupid folklore. Excuse the language." Shit . I tip my head to Carol in apology before continuing in a more even tone. "Your daughter is special to me. Meeting her was just unexpected and overwhelming, but incredible. If she'll let me, I plan to make sure she knows that. Forever."

Jim narrows his eyes, trying to decide whether I'm full of crap or not. His gaze drops briefly to my shoes, and I notice the dried drop of red on the toe of my boot when I spot Jim looking at it. The corner of his mouth turns up when he takes a quick sniff.

"Anyone who kicks the shit out of Eddie Thompson is okay with me." Finally, the big man smiles at me, which has Carol rolling her eyes. "What?" He looks at his wife. "You know that if I did it, I'd lose my job." Then turns to me. "I bet it felt good."

Surprised by this turn of events, I don't want to sound too enthusiastic about resorting to violence. I want Carol to like me, not only Kali's apparently blood-thirsty father.

"You can trust me when I say that he deserved it. I was restrained considering what he said, and he was breathing when I left him."

Jim chuckles, giving me another once over, before his features darken again. "If you ever hurt Kali again, I'm going to hunt you down. I might not be fast anymore, or able to do what I want to Eddie and Jed with their Daddy owning the town, but I can protect her from you . And you bet I'd enjoy doing it, too. I've a lot of frustration to work out."

Nodding, I hold Jim's stare. "I'd expect nothing less, Sir."

Jim sits back, satisfied. "We don't know where she is, though." He growls, low and menacing. "Jed was here asking the same question, claiming he wanted to check in on her."

That fucker. I obviously didn't make my point strongly enough the last time I saw him. I won't make that mistake again.

"I, eh, can't explain it, but I keep getting flashes of an old, weathered grey cabin. In a clearing. It looks like it might be backing onto some cliffs. It's all a bit hazy."

I expect her parents to laugh at me, or look at me like I've lost my marbles, but instead, Carol considers my words carefully.

"The hunting cabin, maybe? Jim, what do you think?"

He nods, pensive. "Could be." Grabbing a piece of paper, he draws out a rough sketch. "I can't make it that far into the forest anymore, but Kali used to love going there because it's so remote. John showed it to her, told her to go there when she needed a break from this place.

Clinging to the paper like it's my lifeline, I smile gratefully.

"Thank you. Thank you so much. If I find her, I'll let you know." On my feet already, I'm desperate to get going and check this place out. Maybe this is where she's hiding. Before leaving, I turn to Kali's parents and ask, "You believe me? That I can see something?"

Carol nods and reaches for Jim's hand, twining their fingers together.

Jim pulls her hands to his mouth and places a kiss on the back of her knuckles.

"The bond is a powerful thing when yielded correctly," Carol says. "There's magic in it. Nothing would surprise me when it comes to bringing two mates back together."

Jim says nothing, just watches me as I pocket the paper and turn to leave. He doesn't need to say more. His intimidating size and protective gaze do the talking for him.

I don't want to give this man a reason to come looking for me, because if he's pissed off with me, I've done something stupid. And that'll mean I've ruined my chances with Kali.

"Hopefully, we'll see you soon. I have a good feeling about you two," Carol says with a kind smile as she lets me out. "But a word of advice, let your beast run before you see her. You need to calm him down, or you'll do something reckless."

Leaving Kali's house, I feel a weight lift from me.

My beast has been keeping secrets from me. He knows where Kali is, and she's not recuperating in luxury at a friend's house. She's in an old, dark cabin, god only knows where. But maybe I know that because of the bond, and not any other reason.

Ditching my truck in town feels like a bad idea, so I drive further down the road and pull into a narrow logging trail until I'm certain I can't be seen from the road. Scanning my surroundings, as soon as I'm happy the coast is clear, I sprint to the woods and don't fight my beast when he forces me to shift.

The pain is horrific and it's a strange feeling, being a passenger in your own body. It's like I'm watching from behind him as his large, black paws pound into the earth, begrudgingly taking me where I want to go.

He's letting me in on his secret, which means Kali's parents were right. Me finding her was inevitable, so he's decided to take control of the situation. I feel equal parts excited to see her yet concerned about why he's changed his tune so quickly.

I watch the forest fly by, enjoying his perspective. The strength of the scents we pick up as we fly by. The sharpness of his vision, and how he can pinpoint the tiniest noise from so far away is fascinating. If we can learn to live together, this could be pretty great.

As he runs, I start to enjoy myself, admiring his strength and determination. I can feel his fierce protectiveness of Kali, his desire, and somehow, I know he'll never hurt her intentionally.

Maybe I can sort this out and bring Kali home before they figure out that I've been lying to all their faces. And before Jed works out where Kali is.