Page 58 of Shadow City: Silver Wolf

I'd been thereby myself for all of thirty minutes, and I was already restless. I flopped around on the couch, trying to get comfortable, but nothing helped.

Footsteps pounded on the back porch and the door opened once more. Between the rhythm of the feet and thetugthat took hold, I already knew who it was…and I hated it.

Despite him not being the massive creep he’d appeared to be the other day, I still wasn’t thrilled that fate had chosenhimof all people. He’d left with Luna last night, so what did that say about our connection? Something had to be wrong, and I had to be misreading the situation.

The problem was after tossing and turning all night, I was pretty damn sure I knew what this overwhelming, horrifying connection was.

Griffin had to be my fated mate.

Which didn’t make any sense and shouldn’t be possible. In fact, I hated that the thought had even crossed my mind, and yet…it resonated with my soul.

Of course, he’d show up now, after Luna must have left. The anger inside me at what they might have done put me in a combative mood.

When he stepped into the living room, I somehow prevented myself from getting up and running toward him. He looked freshwith his hair gelled to the side and his maroon shirt fitting him like a second skin. He placed his hands in his jeans pockets as he scanned me from head to toe.

My body warmed.

"Hey, you," he drawled as he sauntered over to me. "A little birdie told me that you were staying home today."

"I know that little birdie wouldn't be Killian." It had to be one of the guards. "He's pissed at you."

"Oh?" He looked amused. "How come?"

I sat up, surprised at his cavalier attitude. "Because I told him that we kissed."

He shrugged and sat next to me, throwing his arm over my shoulders. "I’m thinking there is more to the story between you and Killian."

"Are you trying to be funny?" I scooted away from him, needing him not to touch me. I lost my mind that way. "As far as you know, he and I are dating." I wanted to see how he reacted to my words.

He smirked. "I don't think that you really are. I would even go as far as to say you two view each other more like siblings than anything."

"What?" I said in a way too high-pitched voice. "I don't have to explain anything to you." Shit, why would he say that? Were we not convincing? "Besides, it's not just Killian that's part of this equation. Speaking of which, how isLuna?"

"Probably hungover as hell." He laughed. "Her dad was not pleased. He called me, apologizing profusely when she got home."

"Well, I'm sure she made up for the inconvenience she caused you many times over." I crossed my arms and turned my head, cheeks burning, refusing to meet his eyes. I didn't want to see what was reflecting back at me.

"What are you talking about?" He sounded bewildered. "When I left here, I dropped her off at her house and immediately left."

My heart leaped with joy, and I told it to sit the hell down. I wasn’t going to fall for the innocent-playboy act. I stood, needing to get away from him, but he grabbed my waist and brought me down beside him, thetugpulling us together.

"I asked you a question," he rasped.

"She's your girlfriend." I inhaled sharply, trying to keep my act together. I wanted to explore things with him—I couldn’t help but want to be with my fated mate—but not while he was with someone else. "It's fine. But you shouldn't be here with me alone."

"Why the hell would you think she's my girlfriend?" he asked as he cupped my face and turned me to look at him.

I expected to see malice, contempt, or something, but instead, I found concern. His eyes were tender, and the cocky man I’d met that day in the coffee shop appeared to be gone.

"Because she told me that, during those weeks when you were gone, you'd been spending them with her." That conversation had devastated me, even though I didn't like to admit it. "That she'd been able to get you to settle down sooner than she expected."

"Are you fucking serious?" he snarled. "She's such a bitch. Killian had her pegged all along."

"So you aren't together?" I wanted to take that back because the answer was way too important to me. But there it was, hanging out there for him to answer and potentially to break me.

He smiled. "No, but she did have part of that right." He leaned so his lips hovered over mine. "For the first time ever, I do want to settle down."

My heart raced, and butterflies took flight in my stomach. "That's funny, after all I've heard about you."

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