003: Meet Griffin

×Griffin×

I knew the day she was returning to Grimsborrow a week before it was even confirmed. My wolf had imprinted on her, so I know more than I need too. He craves her presence, her scent, an obsession I call it. Everything about Anastasia Gastillo is the light of his day. And unfortunately, mine too.

I hate her. Believe me, I hate everything about that bitchy self centered shrewd.

Dell growled, ‘don’t talk about our mate that way.’

See what I mean? I hate her, I have since she crumbled. But Dell, the second he took in her scent in third grade, he had left his imprint. You’re confused aren’t you? Let me explain it further. I’m half demon. My mother was an beta, a powerful one, she was sick when she had me. My father happens to be the alpha of the Grimsborrow pack. Talon is his name.

Shit, I didn’t introduce myself. I’m Griffin Masters, the alpha’s son. Delinquent and bad boy. I’m the guy your mother warns you to stay way from and she has every right too. I’ve been to juvie six times, and let’s say my favorite hobby isn’t exactly legal. But anyways, back to my demon side. Somehow during the month of my birth, I ended up with a demon blood. My mother told me how it happened, and made me swear to never tell anyone. Especially my father. The blood was of a very dangerous demon, and it blended with my wolf genes. Making me a hybrid. My father hates that side of me. He can’t say I’m not his kid because I am. DNA and all.

But I’m also half demon. That demon side is Dell. He consumed whatever wolf I was supposed to have, and gave it to me at the early age of three. We’ve been close ever since. He’s the reason I know so much about a certain blonde female with the fashion sense of a goddess.

At first, I didn’t mind him imprinting on a Gastillo. They're literally what the devil looks like if he decided to have a family.

I didn’t mind, because it was her. She was the only one in her family who didn’t do awful shit. Or so I thought.

Anastasia used to be my flower. We never spoke more than a few words to each other but I know everything about her. I watched her everyday at school. And sometimes, I even followed her to her home. Making sure she got there safely. She was a beautiful flower, blossoming under the ray of the sun. Until high school, when that flower died and she became exactly like her family. A cold, bitchy-

Another growl from Dell, and I rolled my eyes under the helmet.

In Dell’s eyes, Anastasia can do no wrong. He would go to many lengths to keep her happy. He adores her, and because he does, I do too. Not to his extent because God forbid I ever ignore how horrible she has been. I can’t forget what she did. Dell on the other hand, he can overlook her worst behavior.

It takes one look at her for the ruthless, merciless beast inside of me to turn into a primal and exceedingly possessive protector. He only hears mate. Must protect mate. Must have mate. I’ve been fighting the urge to mark her.

‘You’re a bitch for keeping our mate free from us,’ he grumbles. I slow the speed of my motorcycle as the school building comes into my gaze.

I’m not a bitch, I just have no intention of binding myself to a-

‘Watch it.’

-pretty princess for the rest of my life. It’s miserable enough, why add her to it?

‘She could be our princess.’

And just like that, I’ve lost him. He drones on about her and how she could be ours. Filling my mind with sweet thoughts that are nothing like the Anastasia I know. Those sweet thoughts, as predicted, shift to more perverse ones. And soon I’m forced to shun him or risk an erection on my first day back.

I might be a delinquent, but it is too fucking early for me to get in trouble. Especially now that it’s senior year, dad is expecting so much of me. The engine of the bike ends its purr, and I chucked the helmet off my head. I’m met with the cool sunny breeze of a Monday morning. I maneuver off, and shift the gears into park.

On a day like this, the school should be flooded with students but the external half is empty.

Oh shit…

‘She’s here. And she smells nice, and different.’

“No shit, she has amnesia.” The school sent out a message to every student. Offering a sappy story about the tragic murder of the Gastillo family. I remember thinking my mate had died. Unfortunately-

‘Take that back.’

Unfortunately! She happened to be the only one to survive. The one day I wasn’t stalking her like Dell constantly requested, and she loses her whole family. I should leave her more often. It’s not like she is even aware of my existence.

‘Liar. Remember that night…’

No. I don’t want to remember. Dell can be annoying. Especially when our mate is involved. He becomes something else. It’s all Anastasia this and Anastasia that. I swear if he could separate himself from me and go to her, he would do it. He would do it in a heartbeat.

‘Damn right I would.’

Fucking asshole. And here I thought we were buddies.

I snicker and head for the doors, catching a patch of very very light blonde, almost white hair atop the head of a female. Her body is cladded in black leather shorts, and large red t-shirt. Not in the dress code for sure, but she happens to be my favorite person in the whole fucking world. Well, my second favorite.

“Maxy!” I holler, not caring that I could be late for class. She whips around with a frown that eases up the second our gazes lock. Her arms go up.

“Griffy!”

I cringe, and accept the hug she throws my way. “never call me that.”

“Then you should stop calling me maxy.” She snorts, and shakes her head from one side to the other. She knows I won’t. It pisses her off, and I like her angry.

‘You won’t treat our mate this way, but you’d treat some beta like a fucking-’

We’re just friends. It’s not my fault you’re an over sensitive bitch.

‘I will eat your FUCKING intestines!’

I dryly chuckle, that’s a complication that comes with Dell. Yes, he can infact eat parts of me. And yes, he can possess my mind and take full control. But as I mentioned, we’re very close.

I love you too buddy.

He sighed.

Max didn’t ask why I chuckled, she knows. I only trust three people in this world. And that’s her, Dell and-

“oh my lord. My favorite bitches are early to school for once!” max jumps with small glee, I almost think it’s- she has her moments anyways. I’m just as excited to be reunited with my pals.

“Lucia.” she breaks into a fit of giggles, I know she happy to see us too. We should really get to class, it’s nine on the dot. But we take a detour chatting about our vacations, and what we all did.

Max was in juvie, same as me, we only spent a week there for vandalizing an important artifact. Bunch of pussies. Who gets upset over some old shit? It’s not like I stole king tut’s body.

Lucia on the other hand, went to camp for ‘wayword’ teens. My whole plan of staying out of trouble goes out the window as our conversations grow more interesting. We ended up going to class by twelve.

Late.

And I know my father will be getting a phone call. As the alpha’s kid, everyone expects you to be serious and ready to take over the pack and it’s duties. No one asked me what I wanted. I don’t get a fucking choice.

My brows furrowed, and I stepped out of the chemistry class having more questions to add to my plate. Who puts chemistry on a Monday? The new schedule is so fucking annoying. I shoved my fingers into my jacket, and waited at the entrance for Lucia and Max. My phone buzzes lightly as students fill the hall.

I cackled, so it begins.

‘What begins?’

Didn’t you figure it out? I’m not the only one who hates Anastasia.

Before he can say anything, I continue, reaching my point.

People want payback for the last three years of her shitty attitude. And who else to kick off the hate train that those leeches who claimed they were her friends? She isn’t the girl she was. She’s forgotten. People would be to scared to even look Anastasia in the eyes (Dell made a pleased noise from the memory) but not this one. She’s different. She’s ….easy to target.

Dell growled, he growled so fucking loud my ear drums nearly bled. I heard the ringing bouncing around, and cursed. What the fuck? He gets so fucking upset when people want to do bad shit to Anastasia. Like for fuck sakes the girl was a clear monster. She used to be great in my eyes. I’m not dumb enough to still think she is.

The girl strutted across the hall, heading over to the brightly sparkled and tagged locker with my mate’s name on it. Dell’s possessiveness was flaring, and I looked away to prevent him from getting even more infuriated. This semester, I have plans. It’s my final year and I’m going to do all I can to avoid being seen as a good alpha. If my dad continues seeing me as a failure, he’ll had the pack over to his prodigy. I can leave the town and head on my own.

But not just that. Anastasia did something to me last semester, I want to get her back for it.

‘You wouldn’t dare!’ my beast bellows.

Nah fuck his shit. I will dare. Ya hear me Dell. Fuck you, and fuck that prissy blood for taking the one thing I had and ruining it. Hell will freeze over before I let her off easy. She will pay somehow. I know it.

I thumbed the message from my father and groaned. Dell had suddenly gone quiet. The sweet honey coating scent of our mate filled the hall. I didn’t want to look, but I did. She smells fucking amazing, how could I not get a look at her?

It took all the self control I could muster, not to drop my jaw at the sight of Anastasia. Blonde hair leaning on one side of her shoulder. Her lip highlighted by very faint lipgloss that shined under the light. Her face lacked it’s full make up, but fuck me if she wasn’t beautiful I’m her almost natural look. And her outfit….

Life would be so much better if I wasn’t attracted to her. If that night had never happened. But it did.

Her hips sway with every step, it’s almost too good to be subconscious. She was fully aware of the eyes glued to her, and discomfort radiated off her gorgeous skin. Brown eyes blew wide they nearly popped from their sockets when she saw the commotion going on in locker.

And the fun begins.

The rest is a bit of a blur, from her shirt getting ripped and old milk being splashed all over her. I bit my inner cheek. Anastasia is lactose intolerant. That shit can actually kill her.

‘You know this and you’re still standing.’

Despite Dell’s worry, I stayed glued on the spot. I have never seen her cry until now. And it is sickening, how happy it makes me. It’s good to see her hurt. She ran right into my view, heading for the main double doors. Our eyes locked, and I thumbed the camera app on my phone. Wanting to mark this moment with a picture.

Her tears increases, streams of it run down her puffing cheeks. Somehow, she still looks beautiful.

What’s more satisfying, is how she has no clue why people hate her. She’s going to find out soon.

Dell’s silence means nothing good, but I pay him no mind. I instead read the message my father had sent, demanding that I go straight to the pack house immediately after school. I’m inclined to typing the words fuck and you, back to him but out of respect I don’t.

“What the hell happened?” Max whispers, walking alongside Lucia until they stood in front of me.

“Anastasia got some early dessert.”

This makes Max laugh, raising her right palm to high five me. Lucia on the other hand, isn’t so pleased. She gives me a knowing and disapproving look. I gulp from it. She can see right through me sometimes it’s scary.

“I want a bit of the action. She bullied Ava in our second year. That bitch will get what’s coming to her.”

I nod, liking the fire that sparks in Max’s eyes.

“I want none of that. The girl just lost her entire family. The least people can do is give her time to recuperate.” Lucia scolds. I sigh, and so does Max.

“Miss out on the fun if you want. Who knows when she’ll get her memory back? She could be back to making us cry before we even graduate.”

Right. She has an amnesia gap. That means her memory isn’t completely gone. This is the only chance we’ll get for some payback. I intend to use it.

The rest of the day goes neatly, and soon school is coming to an end, and students are filing out of the building. I ride my bike to the pack house, feeling uneasy. My father and I don’t get along. We used to be fine when mom was still alive. Now though, I can’t stand him and he hates me.

Blames me for so much.

Who needs a father anyway?

The pack house was empty when I got there. It’s an early season, people should be returning from their breaks. I let a breath of relief. The silence is much appreciated. I went straight for my room upstairs, far away from every other room. I slipped my jacket off my shoulders, rolling it onto the floor of my bedroom.

I shuffled through my drawer, finding the empty pill bottle.

“Fuck!”

‘We need more.’ Dell says. He sounds upset, I know he is but he still cares for me. We all know what happens when I don’t take my pills. I curse once more, gripping my wallet and bounding down the steps. Dad doesn’t know I’m back. I’ll just get my medication, come back, and he can give me his lecture about this and that.

My feet carry me along the street, the sun was setting. Darkness would follow soon. I need to do this quick, and swift. But who?

‘Is she okay?’

I made a U turn, seeing Anastasia walking very slowly and almost zombie like. She was out of it. Her elbow bumped into the stiff night pole. She winced but other than that she appeared unaffected. Anastasia kept walking, dried tears covered her cheeks. My stomach churned, and Dell moaned in pain from her being hurt. Being a demon, Dell’s connection to Anastasia goes far deeper than anything we wolves feel from the link created by the goddess of the moon. It hurts him to be away from her, but I won’t inconvenience myself. If I ever decide to mark her, it’ll be when she’s not full of shit.

‘Well, I might not have a mate for a while.’

Dell joked to lightened his mood. I felt for him. My eyes caught a man, big and burly, rough around every edge following Anastasia. He wasn’t subtle about it but no one paid him any mind.

I felt my left eye turn red. I need pills anyways. I allowed Dell to lead me towards the man as he followed Ana. The thing, he smells inhumane. Not wolf. Not a demon.

Something far worse. What the fuck does he want with her?

Dell moved my right arm, smacking over the man’s mouth. I yanked him into the park nearby, out of the public eye. Dell scanned the area, checking if Anastasia was safe. No one else followed her. She walked like a robot on autopilot. The man thrashed and I barely felt it.

Dell was focused on Anastasia, sending his aura to guide her back to that Victorian contraption.

I reeled my thoughts back to the man. Flashing him a vicious grin, my fangs unsheathed. He trembled, gods I love the smell of a fearful rat. I tightened the grip on his mouth, whispering the incantation until his body lit up like the fourth July fire works. Symbols wrote themselves all over his face, and my wrist burned. Another ink appeared as the man faded into a dust of black smoke. I watched the light as it rolled out of his eyes.

Soon a bottle was all that was left of him. I picked it up, and rose to my feet. This should last me a month.

She good?

‘Something isn’t right.’ Dell gave me a response in a worried tone.

That can only spew trouble for me.