10. Griffin

TEN

Griffin tossed and turned, the intensity of the conversation he'd just had with Adeline lingering on his skin like a pleasant fragrance. When she was near him, he positively vibrated in a way that was different from the way he felt when his wolf was on high alert for danger. It fell into a similar category, but that wasn't all Griffin was ruminating about that night.

Carl. He was a problem that needed to be solved immediately. He was the alpha, but he didn't exactly have the best temperament for running a pack. Mari was right. Giving up the alpha status had meant giving it away to someone far less qualified. Griffin had relinquished the title a while ago, so that shouldn't be bothering him anymore … but alas, it was.

It wasn't just Carl's alpha style that irked him. Griffin was still a part of the pack and thus required permission from said alpha to get the girls onto the compound, a place swarming with wolf shifters where he could rest easy about their safety. But then there was the matter of seeking out that permission …

"For fuck's sake."

Griffin whipped the bedsheets off his body and leapt out of bed. His mind pumped like a runaway train, ready to fly off the hinges. His muscles went rigid, and his heart began to pound. It gave him the same feeling of empty dread and fiery panic he felt when the flashbacks returned, pulling him under into an infinite sea of memories.

He had morphed into the habit of moving his body or changing the setting when those feelings arose. He did so now, going to his private bathroom, flicking on the light, and twisting on the hot and cold water.

Griffin ran both hands under the water, trying to set his thinking straight. But something new had implanted itself into his mind, something insidious. He kept considering the idea that Carl, as alpha, had every right to try to take Adeline as his own.

The undeniable fact that Adeline was his fated mate would mean nothing. An alpha of a pack, no matter the creature, generally had the first choice of the women he chose to either bed or wed, or both. Adeline would obviously have a choice in the matter, but Griffin, as a lowly bodyguard and pack member, would not.

The idea filled the shifter with wrath he hadn't felt since his time spent overseas. He tried to drown it out with the temperature of the water, tossing some onto his face to disperse the thoughts. It didn't do too much, but the muffling was enough.

Griffin leaned against the marble counter, giving his image a solemn stare down. His eyes looked hazy, a pale blue ghost wandering the haunted rooms of his mind. His hair was longer than he usually kept it, curtaining his eyes when it wasn't pushed back with gel. His fingers curled around the counter, the rage rising, tempting him to split the material in half like a pathetic twig.

"One fucking thing at a time," he whispered to himself.

Griffin managed to let his anger die down and then returned to bed.

He considered going for a run in his wolf form in the wilderness that surrounded them. That often aided him in releasing some poisonous thoughts, but because of the late hour, he decided against it.

He didn't want to risk waking the house. Besides, what he really needed was a good night"s sleep. He forced himself back into bed, eventually falling into a restless but much-needed slumber.

Griffin awoke the next day to the delicious scent of bacon, eggs, pancakes, coffee, and sausages. His wolf senses forced his eyes open gently, the flavorful bouquet a welcoming change to the stale air of his solitude.

He tried to dampen the excitement he felt in his racing heart, but it was difficult to deny. Especially when his wolf heard the sound of Jodi, Deanne, and Adeline giggling, referring to them as his girls.

It was alarming but felt right. He rose and got dressed, his desire to see them all being jovial difficult to repress.

When he got to the bottom of the stairs, he glanced into the kitchen which connected to the expansive dining room. The pitter-patter of little feet and the echo of their laughter filled the house like a melody.

Deanne caught him standing at the bottom of the stairs, and his heart jolted at the sight of her smiling face. What was going on inside him?

"Aren't you hungry, Griffin?" she teased with what looked like a spattering of pancake mix on her face. "Stop lingering in the shadows. There's a feast."

Despite only being nine, Deanne had a maturity about her that was rather striking. He smiled back and followed her into the kitchen, where a beautiful sight nearly set his heart on fire.

Sunlight poured in from the window, sprinkling through the kitchen like small balls of stardust. Adeline stood at the stove in a silk, lavender-shaded robe, her silky hair cascading down the front of her shoulder in a messy ponytail. She was giggling with the girls, who were helping her place the bacon and sausages onto plates, filling the room with a brightness Griffin wasn't sure he'd ever encountered.

Adeline looked up at him as soon as he entered, and her emerald eyes glistened. He was sure he wasn't imagining it because the day before, she had appeared positively terrified of him. He was relieved to see their conversation the night before had lifted the fear that was etched on her face yesterday.

"Good morning," she said with a sweet smirk. "I really hope you're hungry."

"You better be!" Jodi called out, then bent over to hold her stomach, laughing.

"Yeah, Mom made all the sausages you have!" Deanne jumped in, bending over herself to laugh with her sister.

"Hey, you all said you were hungry," Adeline piped in, widening her eyes for dramatic effect. "You better eat it all or else."

"Or else you get to eat some cheese," Griffin said, leaning up against the counter with his own sly grin.

"Don't rile them up," Adeline said playfully. "They're already hyper enough."

Griffin realized at that moment that he was getting a small glimpse into their family dynamic, and it was incredibly touching and warm.

"What kind of cheese is there going to be?" Deanne asked.

"Get the table set first," Adeline chimed in, poking at her daughter. "Then you can ask Griffin all your questions."

Deanne rolled her eyes more like a teenager than a tween and set out the plates, forks, and knives while Jodi continued to tug at her mother's robe and ask her when she would be finished.

"I got it," Griffin said, helping Deanne carry the plates to the kitchen table.

"What kind of cheese is it?" Deanne reiterated as they set out the utensils.

Griffin found himself smiling. She really was a curious child with dazzling hazel eyes that appeared more like spotlights scanning the world around her. It was a good trait for a wolf shifter to have.

"Well, there are certain kinds of cheeses that Vermont is known for," Griffin began. "First, there's smoked cheddar. Have you ever had that before?"

Deanne shook her head, completely enraptured by what Griffin was saying.

"It's what it sounds like. It has literally been smoked. It tastes like BBQ. Do you like BBQ?"

Deanne looked at him with the scorn of a sage woman. He stifled the urge to chuckle.

"I know what BBQ is!" she said, smiling, then wrinkled her nose. "I don't know if I want my cheese that way, though …"

"Okay, breakfast is served. Jodi, sit your butt down for a second."

Adeline carried over two plates. One was piled high with pancakes, steam rising and twirling into the air. The other was topped with bacon and sausage. The aroma was fantastic, as was the sight of Adeline's sweet, smiling face as she placed them down on the table.

"Just need the eggs and coffee …"

"I'll get it," Griffin said, placing a hand on Adeline's lower back.

Their eyes darted up to meet one another. His touch affected her, and he could sense it. Griffin hadn't realized he was doing it; it had felt so natural. He hoped he hadn't crossed a line.

But she simply continued smiling, never pulling away from his touch.

"Thank you," she said.

Griffin got the scrambled eggs and poured him and Adeline some coffee. They sat next to each other at the kitchen table, talking about the festival as Deanne spouted off her questions. The girls were too excited about spending the day with their new friends.

The entire time, Griffin could feel Adeline's presence next to him. She wore a T-shirt under her robe along with pajama shorts. Both he and his wolf almost choked at the sight of peeping cleavage, curiosity nearly getting the better of him as he considered whether or not she was braless. He managed to bring himself back into the moment, though, before he got caught glancing down her shirt like a creep.

Once breakfast was finished, Adeline told the girls to brush their teeth and get dressed. Griffin was adamant about cleaning up.

"You made the breakfast, I'll do the dishes. Fair? Sit down and finish your coffee."

Adeline sighed, but she was still smiling. It was a magical sight.

"I appreciate it." She watched him clear the table, and Griffin could feel her eyes on him.

He stood at the sink after gathering all the pans from the stove and asked Adeline if there were any updates about the Tobias issue. He wanted to take advantage of their alone time, as he knew they weren't going to get very much that day.

When Adeline spoke, she sounded forlorn. Griffin worried he may have popped a fantasy-domestic-bliss bubble.

"Nothing new, unfortunately. I'm talking to a friend as a go-between, but they've made no progress on decrypting the bank information. I will let you know, though, if anything changes."

Griffin nodded as he loaded the dishes into the dishwasher. It was a task that one of his housekeepers usually did, but a part of him felt good having Adeline watch him do it. It was a strange but enticing feeling.

"Thank you. I want to know everything as it happens. In case there are any more threats."

Adeline nodded and then finished her coffee. She stood and placed it inside the dishwater, lingering there for a moment.

"I appreciate you and your sister doing all this for the girls. It"s really important to me that they aren't punished for my mistakes."

She trailed off, averting her eyes to the counter behind Griffin. He had the urge to take her by the waist, to comfort her, but he didn't. They had barely touched at that point, and he didn't want to scare her.

He couldn't bear the thought of her fearing him.

"I understand, Adeline. It is my job to take care of you and the girls. It doesn't matter where we are. I am going to do that."

She nodded, then gave him a sad smile. He wondered if he'd missed something.

"Thank you. I really do hope you enjoy today as well. I don't want it to be just about me and the kids."

Griffin smiled back at her, and the moment he opened his mouth to say something reassuring, a car horn blared.

"Mari is here," Deanne called out.

"I'm going to get dressed," Adeline said. "Can you watch the girls for a second?"

Griffin agreed, finishing with the dishes before he waited with the girls in the foyer while Adeline got ready. They then went outside to meet Mari, her husband, and their two daughters.

"Ready to go, brother?" Mari said with a wink.

Griffin bristled at her, loading the kids into the car with Adeline trailing behind.

"We will follow you. Don't drive too fast," he hissed at her before Adeline was within earshot.

Mari just chuckled.

It was certainly going to be an interesting day.