Page 58 of Unforgivable Fate
“No.” She shot up from the bed and wiped at her cheek, at a tear that had fallen from her watery eyes. She spun on him, eyes still damp, but there was fire behind them too. “You’re scared and you’re running away because that’s what you’ve always done in the past but it’s different now. This isn’t some random pit-stop on your journey. This is your home, Griffin. This is our home.”
“I don’t want you to get hurt.”
“When we bonded, you promised that you would never hurt me, remember? Well, you’re hurting me. Right here and right now, you’re hurting me. You’re pushing me away, threatening to leave me behind. You just said you had to prove to him that I don’t matter to you, Griffin.”
“Of course you matter to me, but if he realizes that, it will make you a target.” He stood back up too, trying to reach for her but she pulled back, out of his reach and he felt it like a punch to the gut. “Nova, please.”
“You are not leaving me, Griffin Clary. Do you hear me? You are my mate. We’re bonded. If you leave, that hurts me and not just because the bond might not survive the distance. I can’t lose you. I can’t let you go. Not when I’m only just beginning to realize that I’m in love with you and we have our entire future together to plan.”
Griffin stopped breathing. He barely blinked. He was certain he’d heard her wrong but the vulnerability on her beautiful face made his heart beat fast and then faster still. Was it possible? Did she really mean it? She hadn’t told him that she loved him before now and maybe she was only saying it to keep him here. But as soon as his brain proposed that idea his heart shot it down. Because Nova didn’t say things she didn’t mean and if she was telling him now, it wasn’t some ploy to win the argument, it was because those words were the only thing left to say.
He swallowed hard, “You… love me?”
Nova’s bottom lip trembled and she wiped at her cheeks again where more tears had broken free, “Yes, you idiot. I love you. Do you think I’d have thrown myself in front of you when Tyrell came at you if I didn’t? I love you and you damn well better love me enough to stay and figure out another way to beat him or else he’s not the threat you’re going to have to worry about. I promise you that.”
“I do love you. I do. Nova, sweetheart, I’ve loved you since the moment I met you.”
“That’s impossible.” She snorted but he stepped closer to her and she didn’t back away this time.
“It’s not impossible. Not with us. Not when you realize that fate put us together because we’re perfect for each other. I love you with everything that I am or ever will be. You’re my other half, Nova.”
“And you’re mine, so you can’t leave me.”
He winced, knowing it was an argument that he’d just lost but needing to give it one last shot anyway, “You could come with me. We could go and…”
“I’m not leaving my family behind and neither are you. They’re your family too now. You told me this was all you ever wanted, a place to call home, a pack that accepted you, your fated mate and a family. You can’t leave it behind just because someone threatened us. You ran in the past because you had nothing to stay for but this time, you do.”
“I can’t ask Leo to start a war with Tyrell’s pack over my family bullshit.”
“You’re not asking.” Nova reached up and touched his cheek tenderly, “We’re family. We have each other’s backs and we fight for each other. We’ll fight side-by-side with you if need be.”
“Nova I…” He shook his head, completely overwhelmed by the offer.
He’d never had anyone fight for him, certainly not with him. His mother had been his sole source of support in his childhood after Maddox had murdered the rest of their family but she herself had been a broken mess after the loss of her mate. She hadn’t been able to protect him any more than he could protect her.
He’d convinced himself over the years of being on his own that he didn’t need anyone to protect him, that he was fine on his own. He had always been able to make it work for him. He gave back what he could to the packs he came across and then he moved on. In the back of his mind he’d always known that if Tyrell was looking for him that it was safer if he kept moving.
But then he’d come to Noir and he had let himself put down roots.
He loved Nova. They were mates. They’d sealed the bond and would be married officially sometime soon. She was right that he couldn’t just leave her behind. Breaking the mate bond would hurt her and that was the opposite of what he wanted to do. He wanted to protect her and keep her safe so she was right.
He couldn’t run anymore.
He had to stay and fight.
If Tyrell came for him, or anyone that he loved, he would have to take him down, once and for all.
He was a strong wolf. He knew that. He had Alpha blood in his veins. He could handle himself. But he knew Tyrell enough to know that he was not only bigger, older and stronger but that he wouldn’t fight fair. If Griffin had any chance at all of beating him, he’d have to do it by ignoring the rules he’d spent his entire life vowing to live by. He would have to play dirty. He would have to resort to trickery. And he wasn’t comfortable asking the DeLuca’s to do the same for him.
“You’re family.” Nova spoke again, holding his face. “We aren’t going to let him hurt you.”
He shook his head, “I appreciate that. I do. But we both know that if Tyrell comes for me, the only way I’m going to be able to stop him is to kill him and I don’t want that blood on your hands.”
“If it means protecting my mate, I’ll bathe in his blood.” Nova’s eyes were fierce and fiery and Griffin’s heart melted at her support.
“No. You can’t be involved. I won’t be the reason you have any more nightmares about my family.”
“Griffin, I’m not a little girl anymore.” She frowned, “If Tyrell needs to die to save you and to keep our family protected, then that’s what we do.”