I suppose you could argue that disappointment was better than anger, but somehow, I could just feel that Griffin’s disappointment was going to be worse than his anger.
“Now, what was the favor you wanted to ask of me?”
After hearing that he was disappointed in me, I felt foolish for even asking. In fact, I just felt embarrassed. How could I have ever been so naive to think I’d get away from him? Everyone had warned me that he wouldn’t let me go, wouldn’t give up so easily, and I’d just ignored them. ‘d been too blinded by the possibility of a life without werewolves and mates.
Pull yourself together, Clark.
Despite how much I wanted to just curl up into a ball and hide my face in the corner, I managed to swallow down my embarrassment and speak. “I was wondering,” I said, not meeting his eyes, “If I could possibly just text my mother from your phone to let her know I’m okay.”
Griffin was silent but his eyes narrowed.
“I know you’re disappointed in me right now,” I said, “But I’m with you…for good now. I didn’t get the chance to tell her
I’m leaving. I just don’t want her to worry when I don’t come home.”
Griffin remained silent and after a few moments, I wondered if he just wasn’t going to answer me. But then he sighed and pulled out his phone. “Here,” he said, “Text your mother. Tell her you won’t be able to see or speak to her for a while.” (?
“Thank you,” I breathed, grabbing his phone before he could change his mind. Fortunately, I had my mother’s new number memorized and it only took me a few seconds to type out a similar version to what I’d been trying to send before my phone shattered.
I handed the phone back to Griffin when I was done and he pocketed it.
“Driver,” he suddenly said, and he tapped on the back of the driver’s seat with his hand. The driver didn’t respond but I watched as a privacy partition ~ something I hadn’t seen before ~ separated the backseats that Griffin and I were in from the front seats.
I could no longer see or hear the driver anymore, so it didn’t take a genius to figure out that Griffin wanted privacy with me. For what?
“Come here, little fox.” I didn’t have a lot of time to dwell on it as Griffin reached out and tugged me into his side.
The move happened too quickly for me to even think about squirming away, but even as he tucked me into his side, I didn’t try to get away. He was warm and being pressed into his side fel
“You have no idea how much I’ve missed you,” Griffin sighed, digging his nose into my hair and inhaling my scent. “I didn’t get nearly enough time to look at you before, to touch you. That’ll change.” As if to make his point, one of his hands ran up and down my arm while the other played with my hair.
“Do you know how it felt when I came back to an empty room and you were no longer there?” Griffin asked. There was a hard edge to his voice but also sadness too. I could hear in his voice that my absence had affected him deeply.
The thought of upsetting Griffin – of disappointing him – felt like a heavy weight on my chest. It was uncomfortable. Now that I was here with him, I could no longer pretend that leaving hadn’t affected him. I’d told myself that he had probably just moved on, but that wasn’t reality. This was reality.
“I’m sorry,” I blurted out, “I’m sorry I left. I’m sorry I disappointed you.”
Griffin’s hand stopped playing with my hair for a second and I could tell Thad surprised him with my apology.
“It’s okay, little fox,” he said, “You’re my mate, I will always forgive you.”
That weight on my chest seemed to lessen ~ was it really that easy to earn his forgiveness?
Man, he’s more even-tempered and patient than I realized.
“But once we get back to the castle,” he suddenly added, “I’m still going to have to punish you.”
Okay, I definitely spoke too soon.
“Adapt or perish, now as ever, is nature’s inexorable imperative.” HG Wells
Punishment?
He’s going to punish me?
Griffin had said it so casually, like he was telling me about the weather or asking me my favorite food.
“Punishment?” I echoed, craning my n*eck to look up at him. Tucked into his side, it strained my n*eck to make eye contact with him but I managed.
A slow smirk spread across his face. My reaction didn’t seem to surprise him at all, and if anything, he just looked amused.
What a sadist. He enjoys freaking me out like this.
“Yes, little fox,” he said, and his tone was almost mocking, “If I don’t punish you, how will you learn your lesson?”
Oh, God. He’s actually serious, he’s not just joking. “I don’t understand…how would you punish me?” I asked. I couldn’t possibly imagine what Griffin’s “punishment” would entail. Was he planning to lock me up in the dungeon or something?
Or was this more of a time-out-sit-in-the-comer sort of deal? Both options didn’t seem appealing, and the very thought of a “punishment” made me feel like a misbehaving child. Maybe that was the point. (?
“We’ll discuss it once we get back to the castle,” he said, and he went back to playing with my hair, “For now, I’m just happy you’re in my arms again. But we’ve got a long night and a long flight ahead of us. You should probably get some sleep.”
For a brief moment, my mind flashed to the airport. Of course, we’d be taking a flight back to Canada! Maybe I could escape at the airport. There would be people there, people who would never let some random man drag a kicking, screaming girl onto a flight.
As if he could sense what I was thinking, one of Griffin’s hands came up to cup my jaw and turn my attention back to him.
“I already know that clever little mind of yours is trying to hatch a second escape plan, little fox,” he said with narrowed eyes, “But I’m going to stop you right here. Don’t even try.”
“What?” I feigned disbelief, “I was not thinking about trying to escape. I was thinking about what snacks I’d get at the airport. That’s all.”
Iwas a terrible liar and the unimpressed look on Griffin’s face proved it. I wasn’t fooling him. He sighed, his eyes roaming over my face. There was some sort of emotion on his face ~ sadness or guilt, I wasn’t sure which. “I wish it didn’t have to come to this,” he said, “But I knew it would. Even with my private jet, I can’t take any chances with you.”
I was too confused by his statement to notice how he rummaged around his pocket or moved his other hand to hold my jaw still.
And then I felt it.
He moved quickly, far too quickly for me to shove him away or fight back. Suddenly, there was a sharp pin-prick in my n*eck. (=
Instinctively, I tried to move my head away, but Griffin held me steady with one hand.
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