POV OF MAEVE
Lance collapsed to the ground, gulping for air. Immediately, I rushed over to his side, helping him to his feet as I checked his neck. Dark bruises were already beginning to form. I could sense Griffon behind me, and he was freaking out in his mind.
"Lance," I whimper, feeling horrible and embarassed that had happened. My best friend gives me a forced smile and refuses to look at the man behind me. I don't even want to look at him right now, to be honest. "Let's get you upstairs, I'll take care of this." My fingers skim over the bruises on his neck. Lance flinches.
"Maeve," Griffon growls lowly, but I don't bother looking at him. Don't you dare go upstairs with him. I scoff out loud, typical Griffon- threatening me through our mindlink. I was done. Furious. On the verge of having a breakdown.
I grab Lance's hand and begin leading him up the stairs. I'm stopped short when Griffon grabs Lance's hand out of mine and pushes him away. I can see it in his eyes- he can't calm down- but I'm too upset to even care.
He knew Lance was my best friend! And he hurt him like that! I glared as viciously as I could at Griffon, swinging my fist towards his chest. He barely reacted, and I grabbed Lance, yanking him up the stares and ignoring Griffon. Of course I could hear him screaming after me and growling- and following us upstairs.
We reached my bedroom and I let Lance enter first. Before Griffon could grab me, I swurved into my room and locked the door on his face. He bashed on the door viciously.
You are in so much trouble when I get my hands on you. Griffon snarled into my mind; only making me angrier.
"Go downstairs Griffon. I don't want to see or even hear you right now." I screamed at the door, feeling bad that Lance would have to witness a fight. "Actually, you know what? Go grab me a luggage, Griffon. I'm leaving."
Griffon stopped making any noise. I could barely hear his shallow breathing behind the door.
"Evie," He whispered my nickname, "Don't do this, please." And I almost didn't. He sounded so helpless that my heart nearly broke. I put up a wall, blocking Griffon from entering my mind.
"I can get my luggage myself than," I spoke confidently, turning back to Lance. He was sitting on my bed and had his head lowered. "I'm sorry Lance, he's normally not like this." I walk over to Lance and lift his head up, examining his neck.
I coughed out a sob, half because of the bruises on his neck; half because I had made up my mind. I was leaving tonight. When I was less angry about this happening and Griffon apologized to Lance- maybe I'd come back. But I needed to get out of here.
"He's not good for you, Maeve." Lance mumbled as I gently ran my fingers over the shape of a thumb. "He's not worth it, you deserve so much more."
I frowned at Lance, "He's better than this. Sometimes I don't deserve him and sometimes he doesn't deserve me. But Griffon makes me happy," My lips curve up into a smile, "He's always made me happy. Although he's a big aggressive, possessive asshole a lot of the time- he protects me and cares about me."
Lance scowls, then nods his head. "As long as he makes you happy. But if he ever lays a finger on you, or hurts you in anyway possible, I'm coming to get you and you will never see him again. I don't want you getting hurt, Baby Mae,"
I smile up at my best friend, "I trust you will, Lance." I pat his knee, "Do you want ice? I can get you some." His bruises probably would take a day or two to heal since he was human- maybe even longer than that.
There are three raps at the door and I get up. I know it is not Griffon because I would feel him. Swinging open the door, I'm greeted by a scowling Aunt Summer.
"Can you explain to me why Griffon told me to give this to you?" She holds up an empty luggage, her jaw clenched. I anxiously look back at Lance, who is looking around my room, and step outside, closing the door behind me.
"He hurt Lance, Aunt Summer." I told her, "I'm mad at him,"
She frowned at me, handing me the luggage, "That's no reason to tell him you're leaving. You know he thinks you're moving out for good? I just saw my baby boy almost start crying."
I watch her intently, guilt flooding my senses. Crying? Aunt Summer drops the bag in front of me and shakes her head.
"He's your mate, Maeve," She scolds me, obviously pissed. "My son doesn't cry. I want you to speak to him now!" She uses her alpha voice on me in her last sentence, and I can feel the heavy weight on my shoulders as I try to fight it off. Eventually it wraps over me, and I lower my head in shame.
"Yes, Luna." I am forced to say before I walk off to find Griffon. Aunt Summer wasn't like this, using her alpha voice on people. With tears in my eyes I go to find Griffon. When I do find him, he's in his house- his duvet wrapped tightly around his whole body and he lays still on his bed, facing away from me.
I enter the room, still under the Alpha's order. "Griff," I mumble, getting closer.
He doesn't turn to look at me, "Your things are in the bag near the door," He coldly says, but I can hear the vulnerability in his voice. And to be honest, I'm pissed.
"So you want me to leave? No more chasing after me? Because I swear to god, Griffon if I leave right now I'm not coming back." I suddenly barked at him, surprised with my own words. That couldn't be the truth- was it?
"No I don't want you to leave, hell no! You're mine!" Griffon jumps up off the bed, "I saw the way you looked at him Maeve. I can tell you love him and I want you to be happy. If being with Lance makes you happy," He growls lowly under his breath, "You deserve the best."
"And you'd hand me over to him just like that?"
Griffon shook his head, "I was going to kill him, actually." He casually said, and my jaw opened wide.
"Griff, of course I love Lance. He's a great guy, my best friend and he always helps me out when I need him. I do, I love him."
Griffon's jaw clenched. His breathing grew rapid, "Do you love him more than me?"
Stepping closer to him, I knew my arms around his neck, "Can I tell you a secret, you big wanker?"
Griffon wrapped his arms around me too, tightly holding me to him. "Even if you decide you want to leave with him Maeve, I think I'm going to end up killing him in the long run. You're made for me, I'll do anything to make sure you're mine."
I rolled my eyes, "Don't be a big possessive oaf."
"I'm serious." He mumbled into my shoulder. "I love you much more than he will ever."
"Griffon," I pushed away from him, "Lance..."
I watched Griffon's eyes go wide, "Did he knock you up? Is that why you're leaving with him?"
My eyes almost popped out of my head. "Where did you get that idea from? What the hell?" I looked down at my stomach. Did I look pregnant?
"I don't get what he has that I don't! Why else would you want him and not me?" Griffon ran his fingers through his hair, "I can get you pregnant too! Would you stay with me if I got you pregnant?"
I raised my hands up in the air, "Griffon! Stop, you're freaking me out!" He grabbed my hips and tossed me down on the bed.
"Please don't leave me," He whispered, standing in between my legs. He looked down at me hungrily, and I pushed him back with my foot.
"Stop it! Lance is gay!" He's GAY! So shut up!" I screamed out at him, delivering a hard kick right into his stomach, "I love him as a friend! Don't you even dare try to get me pregnant, Griff."
Griffon grabbed both my feet and stared down at me. "Gay?"
"Yes, I've been trying to tell you." I rolled my eyes and crawled off the bed. "But you hurt him, Griff. I understand you were jealous but I'm still mad."
Griffon grabbed my face, smashing his lips down onto mine. "I thought you were in love with him, Evie,"
I pushed him away, "I'm not in love with him. I love him like a brother. You need to apologize to Lance for hurting him." He tried to kiss me again, but I pushed him away.
"I will, I promise." Griffon said again, trying to kiss me again. When I rejected him again, it was easy to tell he was getting mad.
Frowning, I pushed him away again. "No, Griffon. For hurting Lance I'm punishing you. No kisses for a week."
Griffon grabbed me tightly. "Stop it. That's not even funny."
"Too bad, Griffon. And if you don't apologize to him I'm not even going to touch you."
Griffon pouted and grabbed my wrists, pinning me to the bed. "Well we don't need to kiss to-"
I shoved him away again, "We're not doing anything, Griffon. One week. No sexual anything. You're in trouble."
Griffon lowered his head, "It's better than you leaving."
"Yes," I responded, "It is."
Men are stupid. None of them ever drop their pride just to say a simple sorry. But I guess my threat was working, because I've been avoiding Griffon like the plague all day and it was easy to tell he was going insane. When Lance, Syd and I were all in my bedroom at one point, Griffon came in.
The tension in the air was awkward. Sydney had found out what happened and was mad. What was even better was that she had actually made out with Grayson, five minutes before- and found out Griffon was his so-called best friend.
"Um," Griffon said under his breath, not knowing exactly what to do. I stood up, rolling my eyes and walked outside the door. I could feel him following behind me. He reached out to touch me, and I bounced away from him.
He growled and shoved his hands into his pockets. "I came to apologize to him."
Nodding, I smiled at him and didn't say a word. Looking into my bedroom, I waved at Lance, "Come here,"
Syd narrowed her eyes at us and watched Lance get to his feet. He had a confused face on and to be honest looked a bit afraid. He stepped outside and stayed behind me, probably to block off Griffon from reaching him.
There was silence. I looked at Griffon, waiting for him to speak.
"Are you going to leave?" Griffon questioned, raising his eyebrows.
"Why would I leave? I want to hear this." I countered him, grinning like a mad man.
Griffon gave me an annoyed look, "No. I'm not going to do it if you're here."
"Why not?" I pouted, rocking on my toes. Lance stayed behind me silently. I didn't blame him for not saying a word, and I highly doubted he wanted to be alone with Griffon. "Is it your pride? You can't show you're weak in front of me?" I giggled innocently.
"It's not my pride, Maeve. It's none of your business."
I crossed my arms, refusing to move. "Do I have to make it into two weeks?"
"Make what into two- oh, no please Maeve, no!" He reached for me and I stepped backwards before he was close enough. Desperate, Griffon stepped towards me again, extended arms. Lance, being the protective idiot he was, took this as a threat and jumped in front of me.
It was easy to tell Griffon was pissed.
"Move," He snarled at Lance, narrowing his eyes. Lance didn't buldge even though I'm sure he was terrified. I'd be too, if Griffon was giving me that look.
"No." Lance replied, his voice trembling slightly.
Scowling at Griffon, I grabbed Lance's shoulder. "Don't you think you've done enough today, Griff?"
He grew angrier. "It's been four and a half hours and I'm done! Maeve I want to touch you! I need to touch you, and kiss you! I can barely control myself, this is torture!" Desperation seeped into his words.
"'Cause you're weak, Griffon. You haven't even apologized yet. I'm still not even sure if I'm going to stay here tonight. You know there is a apartment building in town I can stay in,"
"I won't let you!" Griffon roared, pushing Lance out of the way, "You're mine!" He leaped for me and I jumped out of his way. His expression was dark as night and his eyes were crazy with need. I knew at that exact moment I was completely, totally, absolutely fucked.
This alpha was needing. And seething. The sickest part was I had a feeling Griffon's wolf wasn't far from coming out and it wouldn't hesitate to take me. Because my twenty days were nearly up anyway.