Page 83 of Bind Me

Billie presses against me, her hand on my leg. “You are so sweet to take him in, but not surprising. You’ve loved animals for as long as I’ve known you.”

“Yep. Remember that time I brought home a baby lion?” I reply, smiling at her.

She bursts out laughing. “Yeah, and you wanted to keep it while there was a mother lion terrorizing the neighborhood, searching for her cub.”

I shrug, laughing. “I gave him back, but he was so adorable.”

She laughs and hugs me. “I missed you so much, you know that.”

“Me, too. All our long chats into the night, our snacking, and your obsession with cakes.”

Khaos laughs, a warm sound that fills the room. “That hasn’t changed,” he states. “We have our personal chef bake her new treats every week. Billie deserves the world.” He squeezes in on the couch alongside her, and I love how caring they are over her.

“So as a gryffin,” Chowder starts, glancing up at Eryx, drawing all our attention. “Do you lay eggs or give birth? How does it work for gryffins?”

Eryx bursts out laughing, his head thrown back. The sound is contagious, and soon, we’re all joining him, even Chowder, who seems pleased with himself.

“Why do you ask?” I say as Kaden and Tallis join us by the couch in front of the fireplace. Kaden sits on the edge of the couch, close to me, while Tallis stands behind Billie. Billie told me he’s a demon, and he would definitely be scary to encounter alone, but then all of her mates are slightly intimidating. Yet when I look at Kaden, he fits in perfectly alongside them because he’s just as terrifying and unpredictable.

“Who isn’t curious?” Chowder replies, staring up at Eryx. “Gryffins are part bird and lion, so…”

Eryx wipes his tear-filled eyes, still laughing. “Thing is, I can’t say I’ve experienced it personally, seeing as I’m a male. But my kind lay eggs in burrows, if that answers your question.”

Chowder turns to Billie, then back to Eryx. “So, your two babies came in eggs?”

Billie burst out laughing, shaking her head. “Definitely not,” she says. “They were a natural birth, thank goodness. I might have freaked out if I was laying eggs.”

As Tallis makes a joke about the eggs, Khaos approaches me, kneeling near me, and I feel Kaden leaning in closer to me, protective.

“Are you okay after your first transformation?” Khaos asks gently.

“It was a complete shock, to be honest,” I admit. “But I woke up back in my human form. I’m not too sure yet how to change into my wolf, but I feel her just beneath my skin.”

Khaos smiles, nodding in understanding. “Yes, I can sense her, too, and she’s strong. It might take a bit of time to learn to fully control her, which is why you were running in the woods earlier. She was scared and wanted to hide somewhere familiar. For transforming, the best I can recommend is to close your eyes and reach out to her. Talk to her in your mind and just ask her to come out. It sounds like she’s ready.”

“Thank you. I’ll have to try. I would hate for her to always take off toward a forest when I transform.”

Kaden rubs my back in small circles.

“Just remember, while you share a body with her, you are in charge, and she needs to know this.”

Khaos places a hand on mine, and instantly, I feel the vibration of my wolf inside me, recognizing another wolf shifter. I sense a rumble inside my chest, and I grin. Having a wolf side is so different from my mermaid side, which lies dormant until I transform. My primal side now is more vocal, making her presence known.

“Once, when I was injured,” Khaos begins, “my wolf took over and led me back home without me realizing it. You’re very fortunate to have yours as your protective backup. She will take care of you.”

I smile at the thought. “It’s already a bit strange to have a wolf and a mermaid side.”

“It’s beautiful,” Kaden says softly. “Unique and spectacular.”

“He’s right,” Khaos adds. “You have something not many shifters do—the ability to balance both power and grace. Your strength comes from embracing all that you are.”

Billie turns toward us. Chowder hops onto my lap, and the warmth of the fire creates a cozy atmosphere. If I lived closer, I could see myself doing weekly dinners or even game nights, just like Billie and I used to do back in South Africa.

“When do we meet the gryffin?” Chowder pipes up.

Eryx’s eyes light up with excitement when I glance his way.

“You want to see my gryffin? Of course!” he exclaims, clearly thrilled by the idea, his chest puffing out, chin high.

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