Chapter 548 Chapter 548
Opening the cage, Blaise went in and looked down at him. He’d been out almost four hours now and she was ready to jab him just to roust him. Squatting, she checked his pulse. It was steady and strong. Guess trying to drain all his blood was tiring.
She was about to leave when she noticed his hair. The dark black locks had white streaks throughout it now. Standing up, she put her hands on her hips and moved her gaze down over his body. Did he look bulkier now? His bear was closer than it had ever been. She looked at the wire surrounding them, her eyes widened. His bear better not make a full appearance, there was no way this cage would contain him.
Griffin moaned and shifted. His eyes opened slowly.
She blinked, her eyebrows raising, his eye color had also changed. Instead of blue, they were now closer to grey.
“Guess I botched it,” his voice was hoarse.
Crossing her arms over her chest, she glared at him. “You were bleeding out on the floor when I got in there.”
He opened his eyes wider and then touched his neck, “did you sew me up?”
She nodded. “No. Cauterized it.”
His gaze flicked to her. “It doesn’t hurt much for a burn.”
Frowning, she reached down, grasped his head, and jerked it to the side. She scoffed, “seems like your animal is helping with the healing.” The burn was barely visible.
He shifted so she would release his head and sat up. “What do you mean?”
“It’s mostly healed.” She waved her hand above his head, “your hair has white in it now too and your eyes aren’t blue anymore.”
“What?” He stood up and teetered.
“Whoa. Park it until you get some food into you.”
He dropped down onto the cot. The metal frame creaked.
“I feel,” he flexed his hand and stared at it, “different.”
Blaise backed toward the door. “I don’t doubt it. Do us both a favor and try to get in touch with your bear. If you do have the ability to shift.” She stepped out and closed the wire door. “This,” she motioned to it, “won’t contain a bear.”
He gave her a gobsmacked look and then shook it off. “How do I do that? Get in touch with—” he looked down at his chest, “my bear?”
Blaise stood there for a minute, trying to remember how. She did it all the time but couldn’t remember how it had happened that first time. “Uh, close your eyes, focus, if he’s there, you—” she frowned, “you should feel a presence.”
“And then I just talk to it,” he frowned, “him?”
“Talk, think,” she shrugged. “Drink that juice,” she pointed to the cup on the floor, “I’ll get some food.”
“I’m starving.”
When he looked at her, a shiver moved over her. Was it the different eye color, or was it something else? “You have to eat often. It helps control your animal.”
“Okay,” he nodded, a look of focus on his face, “this is,” he smirked, “I never imagined this would be happening to me.”
“I guess the pills work.”
“Yeah.” She stood there for a second, trying to decide if she was imagining things or not. “Do, uh,” she flicked her hand in the direction, “do your clothes feel tighter?”
He frowned and then reached his arm out as he looked down at his slacks. “I thought it was all in my head.”
Rubbing her hand over her forehead, she huffed out a breath. “No. Your animal is a whole other size than the man was.”
“So, I’ll stay this way?”
Nodding slowly, she stepped back, “probably. I don’t know much about chemically controlling the change. I’ll get that food.” She spun on her heel and went into the kitchen.
Opening the freezer, she pulled out a pack of bacon and then a second one. Keeping him full would help. Slicing the plastic open, she peeled it back and dropped it into the pan. Turning the burner to medium, she opened the cupboard that was filled with boxes of protein bars. Grabbing a handful, she went back out. “These will help until that’s cooked,” she opened the cage and held them out.
Griffin stood up. He didn’t look very steady on his feet, then again, he was driving a larger body now. It was going to take some time to learn how to move. She watched him inhale slowly.
“Bacon.” It wasn’t a question. A look of focus appeared on his face, “something else. Flowers and spices,” he smirked, “how can I smell that trapped in this wintery hideaway?” He moved over to get the bars.
She cleared her throat and dropped them into his hand. “Could be shampoo or something.” She went back into the kitchen fast. The flower, spicy smell was probably her. She lifted her arm and sniffed it. Her animal had a flowery smell? Surely that wasn’t right. Glancing at the pan on the stove, she went back out. “I’m going to check the weather.”
He paused with the half-eaten bar to his mouth and looked at the window. “They’ll come for me when the storm lets up.” They’re probably halfway here by now.
“Let us worry about that. You talk to your animal and communicate that he needs to stay put.” She went out the door so fast, that the cold took her breath away. She welcomed it. The snow was blowing, making it difficult to see more than a few feet. He was right. The storm was the only reason Tomas’ people hadn’t found them. Shit. Pulling her phone out, she quickly hit Kenzo’s number. She didn’t wait for greetings.
“Boss. He’s awake, and his animal was very close.”
“How do you know that?”
She turned, so her back was to the wind. “Uh, he’s bulkier, his hair has streaks now, his eyes are a different color, and,” she glanced at the door, “the burn is almost healed.”
“Well,” there was a pause, “that could complicate things. Do you think he’ll shift?”
“I don’t know. If he does, I have tranqs, but my biggest concern is that Tomas will find us once this storm clears.”
“We’re working on that. Gideon is in place at the base of the mountain now. He’ll give you a heads up if anyone is sniffing around.”
“Okay, good. That erases some tension.” It didn’t really. The mate issue wasn’t going to go away, no matter what.
“Hang on. Illias is going to patch Calum in on the call.”
Blaise nodded. Calum Dante would have a plan. From what others told her, he always did.
“Blaise. Kenzo filled me in about the information your prisoner has shared. I talked to Dev about it and we all agree that your…”
“Griffin.” She said out of nowhere, “his name is Griffin.”
“Right. Griffin’s tracker needs to be fried. They’re going to come for him if he knows as much as you say.”
She nodded. “It’s a game changer. The information he wrote down is locations, names, codes, pipelines that transport…”
“Fry the tracker.”
She looked at the door. “How?”
“Do you have your taser in your gear?” Kenzo asked.
“Yeah…”
“Not strong enough,” Calum interrupted.
Blaise spun around, “I think Raymond has a cattle prod here…”
“Cattle prod?”
Calum chuckled at her boss’ tone. “If it’s not a lightweight one it could do it. You’ll have to apply some pressure right over it.”
“This one looks like it could stop a full-grown bear that’s having a bad day. How—how do I do that without killing him?” Normally killing someone didn’t phase her, but Griffin, he was different. Was it because he was as much a victim as so many others, he was important to the Alliance, or was it because he was her mate? She didn’t have time to figure this out.
“One good zap right on top of it should do it.” Calum interrupted her thoughts.
“Okay.” She had to burn the guy, now shock him. This was not a fun assignment.
“You need to be ready to move, Blaise. If they find him, they’re not going to send an announcement.”
Blaise nodded. “Got it.” She wiped the snow off her face. “Wish me luck. Finding out he can shift after I’ve electrocuted him, isn’t going to be a fun time.” She jolted, “I left food on the stove. I have to go.”
“Message after you do that, and Blaise, maybe have the tranqs ready when you do.”
“Will do, boss.” She hung up and went back inside.
“I guess the storm hasn’t stopped.”
She glanced at him and wiped the snow from her head and face. “No. But that’s good for us.” Stomping the snow off her boots, she went into the kitchen. Feed him. Electrocute him. Tranq him. Worst assignment ever.