Havenfall Harbor Book Two
Albany Walker
Copyright © 2021 by Albany Walker
All rights reserved. This book or parts thereof may not be reproduced in any form, stored in any retrieval system, or transmitted in any form by any means—electronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording, or otherwise—without prior written permission of the publisher, except as provided by United States of America copyright law.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events, locales, and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.
Cover Art done by Pixie Covers
Editing done by Elemental Editing & Proofreading
Proofreading done by Bookish Dreams Editing
Created with Vellum
Other Titles By Albany Walker
Completed Series Infinity Chronicles
Infinity Chronicles Book One
Infinity Chronicles Book Two
Infinity Chronicles Book three
Infinity Chronicles Book Four
Completed Series Monsters
Friends With the Monsters
Some Kind of Monster
Completed series Havenfall Harbor
Havenfall Harbor Book One
Havenfall Harbor Book Two
Standalone Books
Beautiful Deceit
Becoming His
Coming Soon
Amusement
Contents
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
About the Author
Also by Albany Walker
Chapter 1
Quinn
I look up from my desk and see Griffin stepping into my office. He pulls the door closed behind him. I try not to dwell on the fact that I somehow knew he was coming, even before it registered as a conscious thought. He’s dressed in a charcoal suit, and it’s fitted in all the right places, but it feels like a mask of civility.
Griffin is a vampire, a very powerful vampire. He’s also my boss, and the biggest kicker of all? He thinks I’m his blood singer. “When are you done?” His voice is deep yet soft, lacking the edge he uses when he actually decides to speak with other people.
I make a point of looking over at my computer. I have my schedule up in the corner, but I already know what’s on there. It’s more so I have an excuse to look away from him. “I still have a few more appointments. Are you already done for the day?” I find myself glancing back at him. He’s a hard man to ignore. It’s not just his looks, it’s his presence. Since the first time I met him, he’s occupied way more space in my head and in a room than what I would consider reasonable.
Griffin makes his way over to my desk, touching the corner with his fingers, and I note his ever present rings. “In case you hadn’t noticed, I don’t really do much around here.” He eventually takes a seat in one of my new chairs. The previous ones that inhabited the space disappeared a few days ago and were replaced with this much larger, sturdier pair. I never questioned the change, just like he’s never admitted to making the swap.
“That’s not true. I see you stalking around the halls trying to look scary all the time.” I fight the grin that wants to form on my lips as Griffin’s brows lift. I surprised him a little. “Plus, your phone is always going off, so clearly, you do something.”
“Trying to look scary?” he challenges as his heated gaze scans what he can see of my body. I used to think the saying He undressed me with his eyes was reserved for romance novels, but hell if Griffin doesn’t give the words life. I look away again, if only so I don’t lean forward just to be that much closer to him. Griffin has always been able to draw me in, even when I wasn’t sure I liked him.
“What about lunch?” he asks, changing the subject.
“I had lunch with Ally and Wes.” I glance over at the clock. “About two hours ago.”
Griffin lowers his eyelids just enough so he looks a little suspicious. “Strange that I always seem to miss your lunch.” He tilts his head to the side.
I jiggle my mouse under my hand. “Yes, strange,” I agree while pretending to work.
“It’s almost as if you’re avoiding being seen with me.”
I scoff, but I can’t make myself meet his gaze. It’s true—I do avoid being seen with him in the common areas. He’s very touchy, and I feel like everyone stares when he’s around.
“I think my appointment is here.” I look at the door, pretending I heard something.
Griffin chuckles, covering his mouth with his hand. It’s something I’ve noticed him doing quite a bit, but I don’t know if he thinks he’s doing it for my benefit or not. “You’re a terrible liar,” he admonishes me. I feign innocence, but I’m sure he sees right through that too. He gives the slightest shake of his head, as if he’s indulging me, then pushes up from the chair. “Make sure you call Evan or me before you leave.” This he says in a much more serious tone.
“I don’t need a bodyguard,” I reply quickly. It’s not the first time we’ve had this conversation. It’s not even the tenth.
“Until we learn who let Michelle out of the containment room, you’ll humor me,” he retorts, not leaving any room for argument. I let out a heavy sigh of defiance, but it’s not like it’s a hardship on me. I just feel bad that they think they need to come running every time I move. It’s going to get pretty damn boring, if it hasn’t already.
I stand as he prepares to leave, coming around the desk to meet him. “Where are you going?” Now that I know he’s leaving, I kind of want him to stay. Fickle, I know.
Griffin lifts one shoulder in a lazy shrug. His phone chooses that moment to go off, I hear it vibrate. His nostrils flare as he slides it out of his inner pocket. There’s no name on the screen, just a number, but that’s not unusual for his calls. “Yes?” he says as his greeting. I can’t make out the caller’s voice, it just sounds like mumbling to me. “I’ll be there in a minute,” he answers gruffly as he ends the call without a goodbye before tucking it into his pocket.
“Duty calls?” I pinch the lapel of his jacket between my finger and thumb and pull down a little. The material is soft and speaks of quality. I peer up at him when he doesn’t answer right away. His light eyes are trained on my face. I furrow my brow, wondering if something is wrong, since he’s looking at me as if he’s about to give me bad news.
I drop my hand. Griffin is very tactile, and it’s clear he’s rubbing off on me too. I didn’t even think twice about touching him. We’ve never really talked about boundaries, especially while we’re working.
Faster than I can track, Griffin grabs both of my hands and places my palms on his chest, holding my fingers so I’m touching more than just the lapels of his coat. “What’s wrong?” I examine him. If it wasn’t my touch, it was something else.
“I have to go,” he replies, but he’s still holding my hands against his chest.
�
��Okay, is everything all right?”
“Make sure you call Evan before you leave,” he orders instead of answering. Before I can ask another question, he swoops forward and plants a hard kiss on my lips. I barely have time to reciprocate before he’s gone. I spin on my heel, but I’m way too late. Griffin rarely moves that fast in front of me, if ever. Still a little shocked by his quick departure, I look around the empty room before I head back to my desk. I worry my bottom lip while I wake my computer. There was definitely something up with that phone call. I just don’t know what.
I don’t have too much time to dwell on Griffin’s shift in demeanor before there’s a knock on my doorframe. A young girl pokes her head in, her eyes darting around as if she’s looking for someone other than me.
I stand, ready to greet her. “Hey, Lynda?” I greet, guessing her name. My next appointment isn’t for a few minutes, and this is our first time meeting. The girl steps through the door, and I note her threadbare jeans and oversized T-shirt. It doesn’t look like a fashion statement, it looks like she just threw on whatever was handy. The shirt is so large, I’m not even sure it’s hers.
“Yeah, I’m early.” She glances down the hall again, as if she’s deciding whether or not to actually come in. Her tone is a little smoky, I bet she has a beautiful singing voice.
“I’m Quinn, have a seat.” I motion to the chairs in front of my desk, grabbing her file as I join her. I take the seat Griffin was in. I’ve noticed the kids tend to avoid this one anyway. I’m not certain, but I think it has something to do with his scent being on it. I catch a hint of his yummy aroma as I lower myself to the chair. He seems to be in my office more than his own lately. Half of the kids here look at him like he may start slitting throats any second, while the other half seem to have a little bit of hero worship going on.
Lynda lowers herself into the chair, perching on the edge like she’s prepared to run at any moment. I settle in deeper, hoping she’ll eventually relax too. Before I have a chance to say anything, she lets out a hefty sigh and turns her head to face the open door. That’s when I notice a guy standing in the hallway. “What are you doing?” Lynda half growls at him. He’s twice her size, but she doesn’t seem intimidated at all.
“I’m waitin’ in the hall,” he answers with a thick accent. I’d guess New York or New Jersey, not that I’m overly familiar with either. His dark hair is a little messy, but in a stylish sort of way. He looks almost sheepish, with his hands shoved deep into the front pockets of his jeans.
Lynda’s lips pinch, but she glances over at me. “I told him to wait downstairs, sorry.”
“Do you want him to go?” I plant my hands on the arms of the chair, more than ready to tell the young man that he needs to leave.
“Nah, he won’t be any trouble.” A little louder, she adds, “He’s a pain in the butt, but he means well.”
The guy lowers his head a little and steps to the left of the doorframe. I know he doesn’t go too far, though, because I can see the side of his arm as he props himself against the wall.
I lean a little closer to Lynda and keep my voice low when I ask, “Do you want me to close the door for privacy?” I know the boy in the hall would have heard me. He’s a supe, and I’m just starting to understand how keen their senses are.
Lynda uses her left hand to push her hair back from her face, running her fingers through the long, dark locks. “No point, he’s my mate. I got nothin’ to hide.” She lets out a soft chuckle. “Can’t believe I get halfway across the county and find my mate the first night I get here.” She doesn’t sound upset, but she doesn’t sound overly excited either. Considering I just found out I’m supposed to be Evan and Griffin’s mate, I understand just how overwhelming that can be, and she can’t be more than seventeen.
“Wow, you guys are young. Is that common?”
Lynda shrugs and peers at me from the side, as if she’s not sure how much she should tell me. Realizing that’s not a question I should be asking a student, I clear my throat and flip open her file. I note her arrival date is just a few weeks ago, and I scan over the information provided, which isn’t much.
She starts digging through her bag, and I use her distraction to take in her appearance again. The oversized shirt takes on a new light. I’d bet it’s his. I know the times I’ve worn Griffin’s, I’ve liked it. I force myself to get out of my head and focus on why I scheduled the appointment with her in the first place. “You arrived pretty recently, how are things going so far?” Considering she’s a senior and hasn’t been enrolled long, we may have a little catching up to do to get her prepared.
Lynda gives me a half-hearted shrug, not making eye contact with me. “It’s different, but in a good way…I guess.” She picks at the frayed fabric of her jeans after placing her bag on the ground near her feet.
“All your classes are going well?” She shrugs again. I close the file. It doesn’t give me anything useful, it’s just basic information—birthdate, height, weight, eye color, and the fact that she’s a shifter.
“Why am I here?” She finally regards me with a little interest, her eyes narrowed slightly in a shrewd stare. “I haven’t gotten into any trouble, and the stuff before, well…” She lets the sentence hang.
“You’re not in any trouble. I’ve been meeting with all the seniors and just checking in to see if there’s anything I can help with, like schedules or scholarship applications,” I inform her lightly. The way her brows rise makes me think she’s either surprised or suspicious.
“Scholarship applications, like for college?”
“Or vocational schools. Do you have a plan for what you would like to do when you graduate?”
She lets out a little snort and pushes her hair back. It’s the first time I get a good look at her heart-shaped face. She has a light smattering of freckles over the bridge of her nose and cheeks. “Before a few weeks ago, I would have been lucky to find a pack to take me in without expecting a tithe.”
I hear a growl come from the hall before I see the young man who arrived with Lynda charge into my office.
Evan
Taking the stairs two at a time, I make it up to the third floor quickly. Griff called a few minutes ago and informed me that he wouldn’t be available for a while. He didn’t give me much of a chance to ask what was going on before hanging up on me—he can be such a dick. I took it as an invitation to check on Quinn though. I’m not sure if Griff is still in his office, and I don’t like her all the way up here if he’s not.
There’s a kid leaning against the wall next to her door. His shoulders are a little hunched as he pushes his head closer to the office, like he’s gearing up to go inside or eavesdropping. I let my bear rise to the surface. It takes me a millisecond to assess the boy. He’s a bear, which takes me a little by surprise. There aren’t that many of us compared to the wolves. He’s not a polar, maybe a brown, but that doesn’t really matter. He’s strong, not a true alpha, but fairly powerful. Having all that information only tells me one thing—I don’t like him creeping around Quinn’s office.
He’s so focused on what’s happening in the room, the boy doesn’t even notice my approach. It also speaks to his inexperience. If I was half as imperceptive as he is, I wouldn’t have lived until my twelfth birthday. Just before I ask him what the hell he’s doing, the kid lets out a snarl and dashes into Quinn’s office.
I react on instinct. My bear takes over in a partial shift, leaving my arms covered in thick white fur and my fingers tipped with deadly claws. I spring forward and end up right behind him as he breaches the doorway.
I reach for the kid, locking my hands around his upper arms, but my eyes are already seeking out Quinn. A young girl jumps up from a chair and lets out a scream that would rival a banshee’s. Her hands come up as she covers her mouth, while her eyes are as big as saucers as she gapes at me and the boy, who isn’t going anywhere at this point, not unless he rips off his own arms to get away from me.
I track Quinn’s movements
as she rises, much slower than the girl, and takes a step toward me, which puts her closer to the bear in my grasp. I jerk the kid a little harder, and I feel my claws sink into the meaty parts of his upper arms. My bear makes a chuffing sound of approval.
“Evan!” Quinn exclaims with a hint of censure in her tone. The girl whips her head to the left to stare at Quinn as if she thinks she’s lost her damn mind. “He’s bleeding.” She takes another step closer. I look down at the shifter in my hold. Never once did I worry about him hurting me, since it’s clear I’m more powerful than him, but Quinn is human, fragile. She wouldn’t stand a chance against him or most of the kids at this school. I really don’t care if he’s bleeding.
“What the fuck are you doing?” My voice comes out garbled, which I’m sure has to do with the fact that I have canines that would rival a vampire’s fangs since I’m in my partially shifted form.
“He’s here for me.” The girl lowers her hands from her face, but her eyes still look like they’re about to burst out of her head.
“Is he bothering you?” I shake the boy a little, and I’m rewarded when the fresh scent of his blood fills the room.
“Evan Winters, let him go,” Quinn demands through clenched teeth, her hands planted on her hips.
I release the bear immediately—one of the joys of the mate bond is that my bear actually listens to her—but I make sure to place myself between him and Quinn. I feel her hand on my arm as she tries to push past me to get closer to the kid. I growl, and it sounds a lot more menacing than the young bear’s attempt.
Havenfall Harbor Book Two: Paranormal Ménage Romance MFM Page 1