Sly as a Fox {Book One}

Chapter 34

Chapter 34

A/N: The picture above is where the ice cream parlor Willow and the gang went to is located (Old Port district in Portland, Maine).

Adulthood

noun

-being fully grown or developed

-being in the stage of full maturity and therefore having all attributes and responsibilities that come with it

"Griffin?" I asked incredulously, pushing my wallet back into my pocket.

He walked over to me with his mouth hanging open, a girl around his age holding his hand as he dragged her forwards. "Hey..." He trailed off as his eyes moved across my claw marks. I had only seen him a few days prior and now here I stood covered with scars all over my face.

I reached up to my cheek, feeling self-conscious, "I can explain—"

He shook his head, the action eerily similar to Blithe, "No, no, Blithe told me about everything, I just...can't believe it." His brown eyes continued to look me up and down.

My cheeks were filled with heat and I knew I was blushing from embarrassment. "Yeah, well, I'm just glad you're still talking to me." I could only imagine the things he had heard about me from his father, so for the boy to even look in my direction felt like an accomplishment. I heard footsteps behind me and I knew my friends had come to see who I was talking to. "These are my best friends, Serena and Kyle." I turned back to them, "Guys, this is Griffin. Blithe's brother."

Griffin, finally growing accustomed to seeing my scars, smiled shyly up at the much taller Panteras - being only a few inches taller than me himself - and said politely, "It's nice to meet you." He waved to his right towards the young girl beside him, "This is my mate, Emma."

Based off of her scent, she was also a Lupo and I could sense the uneasiness she was feeling by being in the presence of a Volpe; specifically, the Volpe that crashed the Alpha ceremony she more than likely attended a few days ago. Her honey brown eyes were weary as she looked up at me, shorter than me but not by much, "Hello."

Because she was so young, I smiled warmly down at her to try and make her calm and less afraid of me, "It's nice to meet you, Emma. I'm mated to Griffin's brother, so I guess that makes us sister-in-laws, doesn't it?" Her smile was timid as she nodded, but I was satisfied that I had at least gotten that far with the girl. I looked back to Griffin, "Does your dad know you're out here by yourself after school?"

He shook his head and drew his full lips into a hard line, "No, but Blithe does."

I looked to him then, my gaze hard, "What?"

Griffin threw a thumb over his shoulder to the entrance of the shop, "He picked us up from school and drove us here. He parked down the street to wait for us." His big brown eyes blinked at me innocently.

Holding back a whine, I looked at the door with longing. I knew we had just seen each other the day before. I knew I shouldn't be feeling this attached to him this early in our relationship. I knew it was dangerous and I knew it was stupid. But I couldn't help myself when I heard my mate was just outside where I currently stood. It was like a magnet was pulling me towards him, though I had just learned of his presence a second ago. My stomach coiled in on itself and my blood pulsed with excitement.

I turned to look at Serena, "Can you get our stuff when it's ready? I'll just be a sec." My mind made up, I started to jog to the door.

She grabbed my arm before I could escape and warned me, "Be careful." Her light blue eyes were unusually stern at me, but I couldn't help myself.