Chapter 583 Chapter 583
They’d driven straight through after picking a random location on the list they were given. Blaise checked that Griffin was still sleeping and then stepped outside. It was early, but she knew that the teams would either be on route to safe houses or getting things ready. It had taken her a day to work up the nerve to make this call, so she needed to get it done before it drove her crazy.
Opening Illias’ message, she tapped on the number and then jabbed the phone symbol when the call screen came up.
On the third ring, someone answered, and her nerves had her talking before they got a hello out. “Sorry to call you so early, Prince…”
“My son is out for a run right now.”
Son? It was the king. “Oh,” come on words, “it’s Blaise—sir, Blaise Morgan.”
“Maybe I can help you, Blaise.”
“Uh, yeah, you would probably have the answer I’m looking for.”
“I will try to.”
One-on-one, he didn’t seem like the same man on the group call. “I’m calling about Griffin Ballard, sir.” She closed her eyes at the use of his last name, of course, he knew who he was; everyone did now.
“Is he all right?”
Her eyes popped open, “Yeah, he’s fine. He’s still asleep.”
“Thank you for keeping him safe, Blaise, as you know he’s a very important man right now. The operations taking place later are all thanks to him, bringing us closer to ending all of it.”
She nodded, “that’s kind of why I’m calling, sir.” How did she word this? “After, you know, when we shut down Tomas for good because we will…”
“Yes, we will.” He agreed.
“Yeah, so after we do that, what’s in store for Griffin? I mean, I know he has a clan, but he doesn’t know them and,” she was rambling, dammit, “and even if at some point they can be contacted, the fact that he’s,” she frowned, “a bear,” did that sound right? She hoped so, “they may not be so accepting, especially because the other half of him is Tomas DNA—”
“You’re worried he will be rejected from a clan?”
She nodded again, “clans can be like that, sir,” she scowled at the ground, “I’m living proof that being different isn’t accepted.”
“Mmm.”
“So-so, what happens with Griffin?” She’d never stuttered and mumbled so much in her life before.
“I don’t have a definitive answer for that right now, Blaise, he may want to try his clan ties, or simply disappear and attempt to have some sort of normal life. I can’t say for sure.”
Disappear? She looked at the door. Would he do that? “So-so, he’s free to make his own decisions then.”
“Of course, as soon as we realized he wasn’t a participant in what his family did—” he paused, “did you think he was a prisoner?”
Blaise shrugged, “to be honest, sir, I haven’t been sure about much lately, which is why I’m asking, so I can be clear.” She liked clear and decisive, none of this second, third and fourth guessing things.
“Blaise, don’t take this the wrong way, I don’t know you very well, I wish I did know the team members better—”
“I get it, you’re a very busy man.”
“Yes. It seems like you’ve grown quite fond of Mister Ballard, which is to your credit that you can look past his previous situation…”
“Sir,” she bit her lip and then decided she was all in, she needed answers, and if this was the only way to get them, “he’s my mate.” There was a pause and she tensed.
“That’s interesting.” Was what the man that led the entire collective of clans—around the planet said to her confession.
“It is?” This was not what she thought would happen.
“Yes. I was talking to the research team recently, and they were hypothesizing about mixed DNA and if there was even one drop of shifter blood, would it still be enough for mating to occur? Of course, we didn’t have any instances to back it up.”
“I’m not following.” She wasn’t going to be some kind of science experiment.
“With your mixed DNA and his, we now have the answer. It was suspected to be possible after Deacon Parrish and Gia Marin were mates, but the human factor was in question—we have many being freed that aren’t of one bloodline…”
Blaise hadn’t known that. Deacon and Gia? What was that about? “This is not the conversation I thought I’d have, sir.”
Shepard Addison chuckled. The King chuckled at her. “I suppose it’s not, yet I think you’ve answered your own question, Blaise, as to where Griffin belongs or what happens to him when we shut down Tomas.”
She scowled at the ground. “I did?”
“If he wants to be part of the Alliance, he needs a connection within, whether it’s a clan or mate.”
“I didn’t think that I’d ever—”
“That you’d have one because of your mixed blood? I’m sure that is a surprise then.”
“Surprise is putting it mildly.” She felt like someone had decked her in the brain about eight times.
“I supposed you have some decisions to make now.” He cleared his throat, “this could take years to clean up, the various factions helping Aiden Tomas’ organization, you and Griffin will both be valuable assets with that.”
Blaise stood there looking in front of her but saw nothing. Years? She hadn’t thought of that. It made sense, there was no quick and easy way to shut it down with how far spread it was worldwide. She cleared her throat when she realized she hadn’t replied to him. “You know I’ll do whatever needs doing to get them all, sir, and,” she glanced at the door, “Griffin is very committed to helping.”
“Everyone appreciates that. I will have to let you go, I have a few more calls to make before the teams get set up for the operations. “Are you at a secure location?”
She looked around, “we are, but I might move us every few days just to be safe.”
“Wise plan.”
“Thank you, sir, for taking the time to speak to me.”
“I wish I could with more. I’ll talk to you soon, Blaise, about a new project we’re working on, but I can’t share the details right now.”
“Oh. Okay. Thank you for considering me.” She had no idea for what, but even to be acknowledged by the King was a big deal to her.
“I’ll be on the call later during the operations. I’ll talk to you then.”
She nodded, “yes, sir.” The line went quiet.
Blaise looked at the phone. She had no idea what had just happened. Jamming it back in her pocket, she went inside and closed the door quietly. She stood there looking at Griffin, after watching the rise and fall of his chest for a few minutes, she relaxed. He was still asleep. She wasn’t sure of the scope of his hearing, but the thin walls of this little cabin probably wouldn’t be much of a challenge for him.
Slipping her boots off, she went over and sat in the chair by the fireplace. The King spoke like mixed DNA was no big deal, her kind or Griffin’s. She shook her head; too bad everyone didn’t think like that. She needed to ask Deacon what was up with him, because she didn’t know what the King was talking about.
Her cat was prancing inside her; Blaise settled her thoughts so she could try to figure out why. As she sat in the dark, trying to translate what her animal wanted, she realized Griffin was awake now and looking at her.