Chapter 579 Chapter 579
Griffin couldn’t believe he’d done it. His entire life he’d waited to speak however he wanted, to Aiden especially and he’d finally done it.
The door opened behind him, he turned to see Blair and Calum coming out, with big grins on their faces. The call must have gone well after he left for some air. Both smiled at him as they went down the steps. Genuine grins, not stiff, polite ones. How often had anyone ever smiled at him—without malice intent? Never that he could recall.
Blaise and Kobie came outside, “we’re going for a quick run before we all head out.” Kobie informed him.
Blaise paused and glanced back at the house.
“I’ll stay with him.” Noah came walking across the yard.
“Thanks.” Blaise glanced briefly at Griffin and then ran down the steps to catch up to Kobie.
Griffin motioned to the path everyone was taking, “you can go, I don’t…”
“No.” Noah kicked the snow off the step, “you’re not going to be left alone at this point,” he looked over at his shoulder in the direction they went, “and I’m good.” He shrugged and turned back to him, “sometimes it’s better if I don’t let my cat out,” he tapped the side of his head, “if things are bad up here, it’s best if I stay on two feet.”
Griffin crossed his arms over his chest, sighed at their bulkiness, and jammed his hands in his pockets instead, “I don’t know how any of that works,” he rolled his eyes, “my inside animal and I still aren’t communicating well.”
Noah smirked, then sobered quickly, “you know, the collar,” he tugged at the collar of his jacket, “when you’re in it for so long, your animal is—” he scowled at the ground, “unsure if they can trust coming out or not.”
Griffin nodded but didn’t actually understand. “But you shift now.”
Noah nodded slowly, “I do, not even completely sometimes, just,” he motioned to his arms, “parts of me like you do.” His gaze connected with him, and Griffin could see the anxiety in the man’s eyes. “But if I’m having internal struggles,” Noah snorted, “which is every minute of every day really, its best if I stay in this form. My cat has never yet taken complete control, and I’m afraid to see what happens if he does.”
Griffin blew out a loud breath, “oddly that makes me feel better.” He sent him an apologetic look, “that I don’t shift. I have enough issues controlling the part that does happen.”
“It will get better with time,” he turned his head suddenly just as a large black jaguar came out of the trees, “or so I’m told.”
Griffin could only look at the animal; with his predatory movement, he knew without question it was Calum. Before he could process that, a huge white tiger came bounding out of the trees and lept over him. Griffin smirked; it could only be Blair. Right on his tail was a gorgeous black tiger, and he’d be lying if he said he wasn’t in awe of being this close to ‘free’ shifters in their animal forms.
Noah leaned on the railing and pointed, “there were some rabbits in the field by the machinery this morning.”
Blaise came out of the trees as the others bolted in another direction.
“Rabbits,” Noah said.
Blaise turned and took off after them.
“That was,” he had no words to describe it.
“Yeah, I’d say you get used to it, but I don’t know if you ever do.” He jerked his chin toward the direction they had gone, “most of them have known and been around shifters since birth, so this is just normal to them.”
“I don’t think it will ever feel normal.” He rubbed his hand over his head, “I can’t even get used to having this upsized body.”
Noah blew out a breath, “yeah at least I didn’t have to contend with that.” He looked at him for a second longer, “how’s your shoulder?”
Griffin rolled it slowly and couldn’t help but grimace, “a little better.”
“At least your bear is helping with the healing; otherwise, you’d still be in a sling.”
“I think the pros outweigh the cons.” Griffin smiled, “but I’m still assessing the situation fully.”
“The strength must be nice.”
Griffin chuckled, “I could have used it over the years.”
“Hey, thanks.” He gave him a serious look.
“For?”
“Calling him, stirring it all up so we can get moving again.”
Griffin could see the haunting look back in Noah’s eyes, “is that what you do when it gets to be too much? Go out and hunt down Aiden’s sins?”
“Something like that.” Noah pulled out his phone he looked at it. “Gage and Kelsey will be back over here shortly.
“Are they part of the teams?” Griffin grinned, “Kelsey is a fireball and Gage is a very big man.”
Noah smiled, “I don’t know if the teams could handle Kelsey.” He shook his head, “they’re not; with Blair and I going out so much, they stay here and watch over all three places,” he shrugged, “and Gage is one of Devin’s seconds, along with Calum, so I guess having one in the action all the time means the other one has to stay where it’s safe just in case.”
“Seconds?” Griffin hadn’t heard that before.
Noah nodded, “when Devin is King, they’ll basically be his personal bodyguards or something similar.”
“That’s interesting, they’re not the same clan.”
“I think that’s the idea; having it be different clans assures that one big event doesn’t take it all down,” He lifted his hands and let them drop, “I’m still learning all the bits that go with this life.”
“You’re miles ahead of me there. I’m still working on the fact that I’m a bear. I haven’t even considered the hierarchy and monarchy parts.”
Noah rolled his head from side to side, making Griffin wonder if he was lying about needing to go for a run and had just hung back with him so no one else had to. “When you figure it out, let me know.”