Page 23 of Stargazer

The motion was calm and unhurried, even when I knew it killed him and he was trying to hold in his panic and fear. Trying not to smother me.

“Is everything okay?” he finally asked when he was satisfied that I was physically unharmed. His large hand cupped my check lovingly. Another tender face hold.

I reached my hand up to touch his reassuringly.

“Everything is fine, Riv. There’s no need to worry. I’m sorry that our conversation got cut-off earlier, but we will continue it. I promise.”

He looked at me with unyielding softness and understanding. “It’s okay, Vee. We’ve got nothing but time,” he said gently.

I nodded. “Griffin’s going to be around for a while. He’s come earlier than the task force but will likely be leading it.”

I’d tell him about Griff’s declaration later, when we didn’t have an audience. Axel and Zander were standing in the doorway now too, the latter with his arms crossed and a menacing look directed towards the car and the hunter I knew was in it. I tried not to flinch at the animosity that seemed to be rolling off the Beta in waves. “Griff needs somewhere to stay so I’m going to take him back to my place and sort it all out with mum. We better head off. I’m sorry. I’ll catch up with you tomorrow, okay?”

I felt him visibly stiffen but he seemed to shake it off. He pulled me into him, a slightly protective grip on my waist as he gave me a goodbye kiss on the cheek.

“If you need me, I’ll be there in a heartbeat. Just give me a call.”

Griffin beeped impatiently, a glare levelled at River.

Zander replied with a not so friendly finger directed at him. I rolled my eyes with a sigh. This was going to be fun. The testosterone levels were getting suffocating already. And a quick glance at Sky confirmed she felt it too.

“I’ll be fine,” I promised, pulling away. “I’ll see you tomorrow. For the pack meeting.”

He nodded.

I tried to ignore the stares from my wolf friends as I rounded the waiting car and jumped into the passenger seat beside my other friend.

“Ready to go home?” He said ‘home’ pointedly. Like he was taking us to our place and making sure to claim that the pack house was not my home.

I didn’t bother correcting him or telling him otherwise. “Let’s go.”

The ten-minute drive to my house was essentially a tour of the town I grew up in.

When we drove through the town centre, Griff snuck glances in my direction. “So, who exactly do I need to punish for making you feel like shit with all their gossiping? I haven’t forgotten the hurt they caused you with their childish rumours.”

“Like I said, I’m still trying to protect the people of this town. No matter how much stupid gossip they spin.”

“Yeah, yeah. I know.” He flashed his teeth in a quick grin before he added, “but that doesn’t mean I can’t scare a soccer mum or two.”

“What is your fascination with soccer mums?” I shot back.

He shrugged, the gesture so normal. “I’ve never seen one. They seem like a myth.”

I didn’t bother to cover up the laugh that escaped me. But I did attempt to distract him by pointing out all my favourite spots.

He looked at everything with such foreign intrigue. I knew it was so different to the city he grew up in and although he pretended that he didn’t like my silly little town—that it was too small and mundane for someone like him—I saw the little flicker of pleasure in his grey eyes as he took it all in. The families and kids and smiling people that went about their business with comfort and friendly ease among each other—so unlike the harsher, solitary lifestyle of the city.

When we pulled up to my driveway and he took in the white weatherboard two-story house, old yet modest, with vines growing up the front facade, his only response was, “Cute.”

It reminded me so much of the day we met. When he’d said that about my name—a name he still never seemed to use.

But now, rather than annoy the crap out of me and cause offence and irritation, I knew him enough to know that it meant he liked it. Maybe even liked it a lot. And his feigned indifference was something that I now found disturbingly charming.

CHAPTER 10

VENUS

The introductions went weirdly well. Like better than I could have expected.

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