Saving Grace

Chapter Seven

"She isn't leaving! Not until she is better!" Grace would never be able to mistake the voice that belonged to him. Even muffled behind the large doors it sent a thrill down her spine. Not that she would ever care to admit it to herself.

"Or what Brandon? You're going to lock her in her room? She will hate you forever." Thomas replied.

"You would do the same if this was Lily wanting to leave." Brandon replied.

A deafening silence ensued for a moment as Grace continued to press her ear against the crack in the side of the door, trying to figure out what he meant by his words.

"You're right. But Lily is a werewolf and feels the bond. Grace is human. She must leave and you must follow. Look out for her. Ask her on a date. Not just watch her from a distance- even female wolves find that creepy." Thomas chuckled.

"If she leaves, I cannot follow. You know I can't." Brandon said, his voice cracking from emotion.

Grace rested her hand on the door, an overwhelming urge to comfort him coming over her.

"Then you choose your old pack over her." Thomas replied.

"No. Never. But Hunt is on the lookout for anything or anyone who is attached to me. You know what he will do if he finds out that she..."

"So your plan was to keep her here against her will until you get your revenge. I won't allow it, Brandon. If the humans find out, there is more at stake. She goes home." Thomas pleaded with his friend.

Grace sat back for a moment. Hunt... she was sure she hadn't heard his name before. The way they both talked about him she was sure she never wanted to meet him.

The fact that Brandon had full intention of keeping her locked here scared her to no end. She had heard of humans venturing out into the forests never to be seen again, but had thought they were tales meant to scare. Now she was not so sure.

"Who are we spying on?" came whisper from over her shoulder.

Spinning around, her hand flying to her mouth so no noise would escape, Grace laid eyes on Amy. Who had crept and sat down next to her and was currently looking between her and the door.

Pressing a finger to her lips, her eyes pleading, she pressed her ear once more against the door.

If they hadn't noticed her heart rate, which had jumped through the roof at her scare, then she was sure she would be able to get away with a little more snooping.

Amy nodded, pretending to zip her lips with her finger, before concentrating herself on what was being said behind the door without moving an inch. Werewolf hearing, Grace realised.

"And Hunt? What lengths will he go to?" Grace recognized Thomas's voice. She realized with a sinking feeling that she had missed a lot of their conversation.

"There is nothing he will not do. You have to be prepared." Brandon replied, he was still mad, Grace realised.

"You need to tell Grace." Thomas said.

At the mention of her name she felt Amy stiffen beside her. Looking over her shoulder their eyes met, and she was relieved to see that she looked as confused as her.

"I will not put her in that sort of danger." Brandon replied sharply.

"You're not thinking this through!" Thomas replied.

Both she and Amy flinched as they heard a crash from inside. Something had been thrown at the wall. Or at the Alpha.

"Brandon calm down!" Thomas shouted.

"Haven't thought this through? It's all I have been able to think about since I saw her having the life beaten out of her in that alley way. Since I picked her up off of the floor, broken, and came to you for help. For help! Now you want me to send her away? To where anything can happen to her and Hunt can get to her? All I can think about when I close my eyes is her unconscious on that floor. I thought she was dying! I won't see that again. I can't see that again."

Grace leaned back, away from the door. Shock pulsating through her. No one had ever said anything like that about her before. He cared about her. In some weird werewolf way.

Looking to Amy for reassurance, she was shocked and surprised to see her sitting there with a huge grin on her face.

Perhaps she was as crazy as the rest of them. 

Another crash resounded through the room. Quickly, Grace put her ear back onto the crack.

"Grace is my mate! She isn't leaving!" Brandon shouted.

Mate? She was sure she had heard right. Though her mind was telling her it was absolutely impossible, she was human after all but her heart was saying something completely different.

It was as though hearing those words had given her permission to think about how she was feeling. Truly feeling. The tingles whenever he was near her. The way his voice soothed her aching soul. The way his arms had felt as though they could protect her from anything.

She knew she didn't love him. But she could.

He wanted to lock her in her room. The realisation that he was ok with doing that shattered whatever picture she had stared to paint in her mind.

She had to get away from the door. From him. Just for a moment to clear her mind. Standing, began to walk as fast as she could back down the hall.

Amy caught up with her in a few large strides. Her hand reaching out silently to stop her. Her grin falling from her lips as she saw the turmoil playing out in her eyes.

Letting her hand drop, she pointed to a left turning down the hall.

Nodding in thanks, Grace continued on. Holding the wall for support, she hobbled down the hall, relieved to see a side door that lead out to a clear grassy area next to the edge of the forest.

She heard the door to the office slam open. A shouting match ensuing between Amy and him. Her mate.