Page 48 of Claimed By the Alpha Pack

A hand lands on my shoulder and it’s Conrad, and he’s herding me out of the room. “What’s the meaning of this?” I turn on him the minute we are far enough away from the others.

Raising both of his brows, he just stares at me. The stare reminds me of when dad used to get angry at me for overlooking a detail. “I’m not sure how you’re going to fix this, but you need to. Her wolf threw Ethans. Wrap your head around that one. She threw him.” He stresses the last line, and it’s like a punch in the gut.

Throwing my hands into the air, I pace the hallway, trying to parse a logical answer. “I didn’t know the submission was that important. I felt like it was almost degrading to do it to her again.” Running my hands down my face, I sigh, shaking my head.

“Hopefully it’s not too late to fix it.” Conrad walks away and back into the kitchen.

I watch his retreating back and stand there trying to put together a plan of action. Maybe I’ll take Grace out to dinner, then woo her and try to fix what I fucked up. So many thoughts run through my head I don’t notice that Ethan joins me in the hallway.

“Griff.” He steps into my path, stopping my pacing.

“What?” My voice is a growl. It’s not his fault, but my petty jealousy over the fact she’s taken to him more irritates me.

The glow of his wolfs eyes is not lost on me as I watch him study me. “You can still fix this. Mom says that you just have to reclaim her when she’s fully submitted.” He tilts his head off to the side as if to say he fixed the issue.

“Easier said than done. There’s also the matter of who she’s going to publicly marry.” Crossing my arms over my chest, I stare at him. We both know who she’s going to choose.

“We’ve already spoken about that.” He rests a hand on my shoulder and smiles.

“What do you mean, you’ve already spoken about it?” I knock his hand off my shoulder and spin to pin him to the wall. I know I’m playing with fire, but I honestly don’t care.

“Mom and I spoke to Grace about it weeks ago, before she was turned. For appearance’s sake, it would be best for her to marry you. No one in their right mind gives me a second look. I’m unstable. Conrad is always with Barrett, so most of the population thinks they are a couple.” Ethan’s logic and forethought astounds me. When did he become the planner?

“Oh…” I release him and back away. “Sorry, I’m pissed at myself. I fucked up and now I have an issue with Grace accepting me as her Alpha.”

“Yeah, it did not thrill her with having to be pinned over the food aggression. Mom explained to her its normal to resource guard as a new wolf.” He shrugs his shoulders and looks back towards the kitchen. “The Dr. is here looking her wounds over after eating and shifting. He said it may have sped up her healing enough that the sutures can come out.”

Double blinking, I look down the hallway towards the kitchen again. “It usually does accelerate our healing. Why would he think she’s different?” Ethan’s choice of words throws me off and I stare at him, puzzled.

“Turned wolves sometimes don’t get all the benefits of the shift that born wolves do.” Ethan’s face falls as the faint glow in his eyes pulses, then fades away.

We turn together and head down the hall back into the kitchen. Grace is sitting on Barrett’s lap, arms wrapped around his neck, turned, facing away from the doctor. I was about to ask why Conrad wasn’t holding her until the doctor pulled the first stitch free and her eyes blazed to life. It’s now I understand she wouldn’t hurt our little Omega, knowing he’s not as strong as the rest of us.

“She’s doing really good,” Mom says with her hands clasped in front of her.

“Smart idea sitting her with Barrett.” Leaning forward, I kiss my mom’s cheek, grateful she is looking over my mate.

“She did that all on her own. Instinct wise, she knew she wouldn’t hurt him accidentally.” Mom beams and then walks back over to Grace and brushes her hair out of her face.

“I’ve never seen a turned wolf heal this quickly. You are quite extraordinary.” The doctor bows and leaves out the side door.

Grace slips from Barrett’s lap, letting what’s left of the robe pool around her ankles as she turns to look at her side. Using her left hand, she lifts her right breast out of the way as she twists to get a better look. “I look horrible with these scars.” Tears rim her eyelids, threatening to break.

Ethan shoves me forward and I take the hint, moving to Grace and scooping her up in a big hug. “You know what I see when I look at you.”

Shaking her head no, she uses the back of her hand to wipe the tears away. “I look horrible, Griff. My entire body is littered with scars.” Grace turns her face away from me and my heart is shattering in my chest, listening to her.

Reaching into my pants pocket, I pull out the box I’ve been carrying for weeks, waiting for the right moment. “I see a beautiful, caring, and selfless woman before me. I see a fantastic mother and a miracle worker. You turned Ethan from a raging beast almost lost to his wolf back to the brother I missed so much.” I motion to Ethan and smile. “Conrad and Barrett aren’t afraid to show affection to each other because you accept them as they are.” I drop to one knee and open the ring box facing her. The diamond and moonstone ring glitters in the light. “I see a woman I would like to call my wife for the rest of my days.”

Grace’s hands fly to her face as she stares at me, shocked that I just proposed. “Will you marry me, Grace Michaels?”

The room is so silent you could hear a pin drop. My heart is thundering in my chest. This is the second time in my life I can honestly say I know what fear is.

“What do you say Grace? Marry Griff in a big public ceremony and chase off half the female population in one stroke of a pen?” Ethan’s jovial tone snaps Grace out of her shock and she nods.

“Yes, I’ll marry you.” She dives into my arms, and we fall backwards onto the floor, laughing.

Conrad and Ethan help us stand up and I slip the ring onto her finger. Grace tackles me again and kisses me silly. She’s giggling and crying tears of joy, which is a vast change from her wolf attacking me earlier.

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