Page 9 of Griffen's Mate

Lexie stood and held out her hand to Sandra, who took it and eased off the sofa, with Nara and Sara following her. Sandra caught Griffen’s gaze. “We’re going to leave, but you and Pet need to talk. It’s been several months since you mated her, and a month since you found out she’s an alien. You need to talk this out, and we all think it’s time you do that.”

Nara and Sara both nodded at Pet and Griffen and walked toward the door. Sandra gave a chin lift to him and Pet before leaving too.

Ava, Faith, Kirby, and Remy stood too, but they didn’t leave.

“Sit. Talk. Move forward.” Ava smiled at Pet and then glared at him. “You need to move forward, not just for your relationship, but for us all. Griffen, you’re the omega, the pack needs you.”

His sister was right, and he hated it, because she was his little sister, he should be the one doling out advice. He was the pack’s omega, and he’d been neglecting his duties.

“I’m sorry. I’m so, so sorry.” Pet’s husky voice had Griffen turning his focus on her. “Please forgive me. I’m sorry more than I could ever voice in words.” She stared at him with her golden eyes, and his stomach sank and his heart felt like it was about to beat out of his chest. “I’m sorry that I deceived everyone, but most of all, I’m sorry I lied to you. I want to be your mate. I want you to trust me, but I know that after what I’ve done, you might never be able to trust me. I am sorry, but I’m learning. I want to be the mate you deserve. Please forgive me, or tell me what I need to do so you do forgive me.”

That was the longest Pet had talked for, or at least the longest that he’d heard her speak. Apparently, when she went to Faith’s and told her what, or who, she was, she’d spoken a lot then. Normally, Pet was a listener and gave short answers when she did talk.

Griffen knew he needed to move forward, and he’d been ready to before he found out Pet had lied to him and concealed what she was. Would he be able to truly believe in her though? Griffen knew she’d had a rough life. He had heard her nightmares. The state she was in when she was rescued showed anyone who’d seen her how bad she’d lived. Could he cast his pride aside? He sighed loudly. That was what this was really about, that Pet was his mate and he didn’t know she was an alien and he hadn’t been the first to know her secrets.

“I understand, or I’m trying to. I am slowly getting over you lying to me for months, but…” Standing, his gaze locked on hers, and he came and sat next to her on the sofa. He darted his eyes around the room, not at all surprised to see his sister and sister-in-laws had left. “No more lies or hiding things from me. I’ll move on if you promise me there will be no more secrets.”

Tears rolled down the light olive skin of her cheeks; she’d changed her skin color to match his. “I’ll try. I’d like to say I promise, but when you’ve lived as long as I have and seen all I have...I don’t know if something will come up or I’ll miss something important that I should have told you.” Hesitantly, she grabbed his hand and threaded her fingers through his. “I have things I need to tell Faith and you. I’m sure you have questions you want to ask, and I know Faith and others do too, they’re just waiting for us to sort out the mess I’ve gotten us into.”

She was right. Pet would have a lot of info, and they’d all been treating her with kid gloves, him especially. Maybe if he hadn’t held back for so long, she might have told him. He remembered her asking to see Faith, but she didn’t tell him why. Would he have believed her if she had revealed why she needed to see Faith? If he had worked on their relationship and not held back, maybe everything would have been different. Not all the blame should be heaped on Pet. They needed to learn to communicate.

“You’re right. We have a lot to work out, and I have a lot of questions.” Squeezing her hands, he brought them up and kissed them. Pet was his mate. She was a blessing. “First things first—you need a name. Faith said something to me and it’s stuck...you’re not their pet anymore. You can be what you want to be. I think you need a real name. One that they didn’t give you. You’re free now. You’re no one’s slave or pet.”

She blinked and then nodded. “You’re right. Let me think about it for a bit.”

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