4. Gryphon

Chapter 4

Gryphon

O ne of Lily's soldiers escorts me to her office, and no matter what happens, I cannot lose focus.

I need to stay sharp.

This woman will sniff me out if she so much as suspects that my pack is planning to overthrow her, and I try to remember what Oliver said.

"It's either me or Lily…"

Oliver. It will always be Oliver.

But Lily has a way of getting under my skin, and she fucking terrifies me. I feel my balls receding whenever she looks at me with those cruel, black eyes, and this is going to be one of the most trying times of my life.

I am basically choosing between my Omega and my superior, but Oliver will always come out on top.

We're bonded. I gave him my bite, and nothing could ever come between that.

The change in head office is drastic from the moment I enter the foyer. Lily is in charge now, and it seems people have barely mourned the loss of the Beta governor.

No one even seems suspicious of Lily, and that's when I realize that most people working here are Alphas.

What happened to all the Betas?

Will they appoint a new Beta governor to replace Frederick?

After all, there always needs to be a Beta representative on the panel. It helps to create peace and order in our population.

The only designation that never gets to take a seat on the panel is the Omegas, and it seems unfair.

Someone with Oliver's best interests at heart should at least get a seat. That way, his needs may be met with less resistance and opposition.

We arrive at the door, and Lily's soldier knocks in my honor.

"Enter."

The sound of her icy voice seizes my muscles instantly, and now my throat closes up.

I won't be able to speak.

The soldier pushes through the door, and I am finally faced with the woman who rules us all.

Lily will be in charge while the Beta government looks to replace Frederick.

Well, I hope.

Left to her own devices, who knows what she will do.

"Gryphon…" she nods.

I nod back. "Governor."

She waves her manicured hand toward the seat in front of her desk. "Take a seat. There are things I wish to discuss."

So, I take my seat without protest, and now the soldier takes his place by the door.

Silence. Awful, awful silence.

And Lily's cold, X-ray stare.

She taps her long fingernails against the desk, eyeing me suspiciously, and the sweat leaks from my pores. As always, I am careful to never look at her directly in her black jewel eyes.

"So, Gryphon… I assume you have plenty of questions."

My heart threads, and I swallow, even though my mouth is bone dry.

My palms sweat, and I am a zebra in the open African Savannah, faced by a lion.

"No, Governor."

She raises an arched eyebrow. "Not one?"

There's no missing the smugness in her tone, and it's clear as day that she thinks she has won.

After all, she succeeded in removing Mila from our pack, and no one has yet challenged her about the sudden death of Governor Frederick.

It appears the whole world is as scared of Lily as I am.

Yet, I can't help but ball my fists slightly, and Lily notices.

Of course, she notices.

Nothing misses her keen eyes.

But she still prolongs this uncomfortable meeting. She knows I am scared and she is enjoying every moment of my shame.

Yet, I don't stop curling my fists, my first act of defiance.

She made Mila go away, and now my Omega hates me.

He blames me, but the real one at fault is sitting all smug across the desk from me, wearing a ridiculous suit of bright pink.

How I loathe that color.

Lily's plump mouth shifts with a slight smirk, and then she leans back, her cruel, black eyes pinned on me.

"You must have one question… are you at least not curious about Mila Stone?"

The name is like a whip to my soul, and my head snaps up, and now I look her straight in the eye.

The woman falters, and it looks like I caught her off guard.

"What did you do to her?"

My voice is a growl, and suddenly, the room blackens around me. My vision zeros in on the stupid flamingo, and she actually tenses.

A gun clicks behind me, and it seems even her soldier senses the threat.

Lily's face hardens, and she tries to throw her Alpha energy at me, but I hold up a wall of my own.

It's as if Mila's name has awoken the Alpha in me.

Our eyes lock, and for the first time since we met, we are equals.

The only difference is that Lily has no one waiting for her back at home. She has no one to fight for, no one to love, and that makes her weak.

It's love that gives us true strength.

Oliver thinks Lily has her eyes on him and I won't let her get her hands on him or Mila.

Wherever Mila is, I will get her back.

"Mila Stone has gone, Gryphon."

I rise to my feet, but Lily remains seated. The soldier points his gun, and she holds her hand out.

"Stay back. This Alpha is not a threat."

The soldier eyes me warily, and then he resumes his position by the door.

Not a threat, hey?

Maybe she can tell me what she did to Mila, and we will see...

"What did you do to her?"

Lily smirks. "Why? Have you finally developed feelings for that Beta, Gryphon? I am disappointed."

My jaw tics, but Lily merely watches me amused.

However, I can't help but notice how her aura has changed slightly. She's not as self-assured now that I have risen to my feet, and used my growl.

Her power over me is waning.

She sighs, closing her eyes for the briefest moment, then looks away.

My heart pounds.

Did I get the better of her?

That was the longest I have ever looked into her eyes, and I saw it for the tiniest moment. A scared little girl who just wants to be loved.

"I hate to tell you this, Gryphon… but Mila has gone. She left. I went to visit her after Frederick died to inform her of her superior's passing, and she looked all too eager to be relieved of her duty."

No. I don't believe that. I saw the way she used to look at Oliver.

Mila wouldn't just leave like that. Not unless she was forced to.

"Did you threaten her?"

She narrows her eyes. "No. She left of her own free will."

I lean over the desk. "Where did she leave to?"

Her eyes flash in warning. "That is classified."

It doesn't look as if she is going to tell me, and I will just have to find out for myself.

Lily still has her men watching our house, and we won't even be able to go and look for her.

The last I heard, she had gone home to take care of her sick father.

I don't even know what happened to the old man.

"Any more questions?" she asks.

I have to play my cards right now. Go back to her thinking I am still submissive.

"No. I have accepted that Mila Stone has gone and that my pack will not pursue her."

She rises, meeting my height. "Do I have your word, Gryphon?"

"Yes."

A lie, but for some reason, I have just gotten better at lying in her presence.

Whether she could see through my lie, I couldn't say, but Lily seemed pleased with my answer.

"You are free to go. My men are no longer required to guard your house. Your pack is free now."

I nod and head for the door.

The soldier doesn't even stop me, but I'm no fool.

Lily will be keeping tabs on my pack and my house in some way or other.

We just have to be careful.

Mila is safe. I don't know how I know, but she is closer than we realize, and I will bring her back.

We just have to be discreet when we do find her.

Lily will never find out. Because if she does…

I may have to fight her.