Page 32 of My Guardian Gryphon

Miles was the book hoarder out of the two Blackmoor brothers. Eli preferred artwork and had filled the castle with hundreds of classic pieces. Both had been collecting since the castle was built. Between them, they probably had one of the most varied collections left in North America after the Riots.

The door thudded shut behind me and I directed my attention to Rose. “You will not be cruel to Gretchen. Whatever lashes you feel the need to inflict, direct them at me.”

One of her eyebrows rose slightly, but nothing else in her expression changed.

I marched past her and up the stairs. She followed a few paces behind me, and Miles brought up the rear.

Halfway down the hall, I pulled open Miles’ office door and allowed Rose to enter ahead of me. I might not be in her good graces right now. I might be pissed as hell that we were going to have this useless conversation, but I still respected her. She was a fair and strategic leader. She’d lost everything in her war to protect the House of Lamidae. I could sympathize. I’d heard her say on more than one occasion that her goal was to protect the Sisters, fulfill the prophecy, and give the supernaturals trapped on Earth a chance to return to Veil after all these thousands of years.

For that alone, she deserved my respect.

Even my loyalty.

But for once in my life, my head and my heart were torn.

“Rose, what a surprise. What can I do for you?” Diana’s crisp cool tones carried through the doorway—Miles and Eli’s mate had a way of speaking that radiated a confidence and strength that rivaled Rose’s.

“We are here to speak with Gretchen. Would you give us the room?”

A growl rumbled in Miles’ chest. “Diana can stay if she wishes. She’s just as much a part of this as I am.”

“Very well. I was merely thinking of Gretchen. The room is already quite crowded.”

I stepped inside and moved past everyone, using my body to block Rose’s view of Gretchen where she sat in the window seat next to Diana. I mouthed a thank you to Diana who responded with the slightest nod before standing and stepping forward just slightly.

“We should all give Alek and Gretchen a moment before whatever this is begins.” The Drakonae queen gave a small gesture toward the door and waited. Miles moved first, his heavy footsteps retreated to the hallway. I didn’t turn, but I could feel the churning, angry magick emanating from Rose—pissed that Diana was ordering her out of the room.

“There’s nothing Alek and Gretchen need to discuss privately. This entire state of affairs came from them having privacy in your library without my knowledge.”

“And their current state of affairs will not change with a few more minutes to speak with each other.” Diana bit out her words like a whip lashing on soft flesh.

I kept my eyes trained on Gretchen, whose small body was tucked into the corner of the window seat, out of reach, her gaze trained on something outside the window. Not even once had she turned to acknowledge any of us entering the room.

Setting the coffee cup of hot chocolate close enough to Gretchen’s hand to pick up when she so chose, I took the space on the window seat Diana had occupied a few moments earlier. Rose flashed me an irritated glance around Diana’s round body. The heartbeats of her triplets beat loud and strong. I focused on the curved belly one of her hands rubbed slowly in a circular motion.

“Very well,” Rose said, a polite smile plastered across her face while adamant displeasure echoed deeply in the tone of her voice. Rose walked to join Miles in the hallway.

Diana followed, stopping to flash me a proud smirk before closing the door behind them all, leaving Gretchen and me in an awkward silence.

“I’m sorry,” I said, keeping my voice low. The others could hear from the hallway, but it at least gave the illusion that I was trying to keep my words between the two of us.

She didn’t move. Her breathing continued at the same pace. Her cheek remained pressed against the glass of the window like a small child enthralled with…something, anything. It just wasn’t me, and by the gods, I wanted her enthralled with me. I wanted to touch her. Touch her and feel my magick swell and ignite between us. It was unlike anything I’d ever experienced before and reminded me of the things my father said he used to feel when he was near my mother.

Possessive, protective, and painfully aware when she was unhappy.

“I wish things could be different, Gretchen. Sometimes Fate is unkind.”

She jerked her head and looked right at me. Her broken yet fierce gaze gored me through and through. “Fuck Fate. You walked out.”

Her words held so much anger and pain and hopelessness. Had I done that to her? I wanted the spunky fun-loving woman who always needed to know everything about everything back.

“Gretchen, I only did that to make it easier on both of us. We shouldn’t have kissed. We can’t be together. I was wrong to lead you to think otherwise by returning your affection.”

“So you have no affection for me?” Her voice was weaker, thinner this time.

“I didn’t say that.”

“Take your hot chocolate, and come back when you actually have something concrete to say, Alek.”

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