by Hazel Gower
Griffen’s Mate
by
Hazel Gower
Griffen’s Mate
Copyright © 2018, Hazel Gower
ISBN: 9781949300109
Publisher: Beachwalk Press, Inc.
Electronic Publication: September 2018
Editor: Pamela Tyner
Cover: Sinfully Sweet Designs
eBooks are not transferable. No part of this book may be used or reproduced without written permission, except in the case of brief quotations in articles and reviews.
This book is a work of fiction and any resemblance to persons, living or dead, or places, events or locales is purely coincidental. The characters are productions of the author’s imagination and used fictitiously.
Back Cover Copy
Can the destroyer of worlds change her path?
Griffen has found his mate, but Pet isn’t what anyone expected. He found her near death and nursed her back to health. The pack doesn’t approve of their Omega’s mate. Griffen hopes, given a chance, his pack will fall for Pet just as he’s beginning to.
Pet had been a prisoner all her life, forced to use her visions to aid the demons in their fight to conquer Earth. Thanks to Griffen and his family she’s finally free, and she’s willing to give up her seer abilities to live a new life. The problem is no one but her mate is happy that she’s become part of the pack. Pet just wants to live her life, make friends, and have a family. The question is will she be accepted in Griffen’s pack and get everything she yearns for?
Content Warning: This book contains sexy shapeshifters fighting demons to save the world.
Dedication
To my fans, I hope you enjoy this next installment. Thanks for waiting for the next book.
Acknowledgements
Getting a book out takes a lot of work, so I always need to thank people for their help in getting it ready and out there for all of you.
A massive ‘thank you’ and ‘I love you’ to my amazing family, for being second while I focus on books and complete them. I’m so blessed to have you in my life and love you more than words can say.
Secondly, Jessica Henshall from Sinfully Sweet Designs, thanks so much for the amazing cover.
A huge shout out to my amazing editor, Pamela Tyner. You always push me to make my books shine. I can’t thank you enough.
A huge shout out to Elena M. Reyes for listening to me bounce ideas off you and helping me to keep my focus to finish the book. Thank you, I appreciate everything you did to help me.
I also want to thank all my readers for their support.
Lastly, thanks to everyone who helps promote my work. I really appreciate it.
Author’s Foreword
This book is set in Australia. In Australia the legal age to drink, vote, get married, and so on is eighteen. The characters speak English Australian, so if you see the word ‘arse’ instead of ‘ass’ it’s because that’s how we say it in Australia where the book is set. If you find a word you haven’t heard before, look it up or message me. I’d be happy to talk to you.
Prologue
The forest was vast, a never-ending sea of greens and browns. The water was a dark blue and only took up thirty percent of the world. The people of Enewu lived peacefully with their fellow species that occupied their world. The Enewu people were one with the forest, and when it started whispering the pain it was suffering at a new entity in their world the Enewu people consulted their seer. The seer told them their time was coming to an end. That beings called demons were breaking into their world and taking over it. She said some of them would fight, but in the end, it would be no use. The elders were shocked at the news and reluctant to believe it, but when the demons started being seen they knew the seer told only truths.
The seer became more valued than ever before, but when she told them that the foretold seer that had been prophesized for centuries would now become the destroyer of worlds, and not the savior she had been foretold to be, the once peaceful Enewu fought among themselves about what they should do. Most lost touch with the world around them and they split off into their own groups. The demons slowly destroyed the world. The Enewu people started disappearing and blamed each other. Wars begun between the groups until it became hard not to notice their dwindling numbers and what the demons had done to the Enewu. The nature and peace-loving Enewu came out and helped band together the last of their people.
They knew what had to be done. The Enewu’s time was at an end, but they could save other worlds. They could not let the destroyer of worlds be born. The cull began, but one woman hid away, keeping her pregnancy a secret, and when she was captured by the demons she brought them what they had been searching for from the start, and what the Enewu had been trying to stop…The Destroyer of Worlds.
Chapter 1
Pet
A little over a month ago
Hope. Today it was bright. Pet knew as soon as she was shaken awake that today was a day for change, and now she stared gleefully at the people that would change the world, and not just their own. She had struggled with all the different ways fate could make of now and had hoped outcome two and five didn’t happen. Three and one were outcomes that would be okay, just not for her. She wanted number four. If fate granted her number four, she would have a chance, and Faith would fulfill her destiny. If the number four outcome came to pass, the people around her and their family and friends would have the means to save not just their world but many others. But Pet knew number four would be a risk. It would change a lot, and not just for her, but for Faith and for the man of Pet’s dreams—the man who was her mate.
Everything was jumbled though, because her visions hadn’t turned out how they should have so far—she didn’t have the power that Faith did. Pet wasn’t supposed to have met one of the people before her, the one called Sandra, today...if her visions were what she went by. Ava had been who the vision had shown in number four, no one else, no Sandra. What had happened to change her visions so drastically?
Pet jumped up and down in excitement when she realized that the demons had changed fate. She grinned at Ava. This was good. This meant that visions one, two, three, and five wouldn’t happen. It could also mean she may not get to meet her mate.
An intense vision came upon her, and Pet knew she would be uncommunicative for a moment or two until she saw what she needed to. When she came out of the vision hope and happiness like nothing Pet had ever felt before flowed through her, and she prayed to fate that what she saw came true.
* * * *
Present day
Pet wrung the end of her dress. The quality fabric felt strange. She didn’t think she’d ever get used to it. It was smooth and so warm against her heated skin, things a month ago she’d never felt. It was all new to her. Well, she’d ‘seen’ it all before, but never had the privilege to experience or feel anything firsthand. She wiggled her toes and they sank further into the hot sand. She listened as her new friend Remy married her mate.
Today was the first day she’d been outside for longer than an hour. It was a day to celebrate firsts, and she was having many, like wearing the pretty dress and a bra. Pet would admit she wasn’t that fond of the bra. She was happier without it, but her other friends had said the dress needed a bra. The bra she wore matched the panties. All new. So many new things to get used to. She’d started wearing panties when she was rescued from the demons. They felt good against her skin. They were extra protection. It was nice to have any kind of extra protection. She’d never been safe with the demons.
She shivered at just the thought of her old life. It had her shaking, feeling like she was going to vomit, and becoming terrified. She closed her eyes for a moment to focus on staying in the same skin color and not fading into the background. When
she became a chameleon, the demons always punished her worse. She would kill herself if she ever ended up back in the hands of her torturers.
Large hands came to still her fidgeting ones, and her mate Griffen settled against her back, wrapping her in a safe haven. She opened her eyes and sighed with contentment. Griffen was her dream come true. A vision she never believed would come to pass. She didn’t deserve him. Not with all the chaos, destruction, and death she’d caused.
His head came down and his breath feathered over her ear, a body part she’d made sure had stayed hidden, and she’d made it known that she hated anything near them because it tingled. Her ears were the only major tell she wasn’t human, and they were highly sensitive. Her other traits she could hide.
“They’re almost done. Hold on a moment or two more, little one, and we can leave.”
She gave her head a slight shake and turned into him and whispered, “I don’t want to leave. Now that you’re with me, I’m safe.”
His lips against her head had a soothing warmth settling over her. “I’m glad you feel safe with me, but this is the first time you’ve been out around this many people. I don’t want to overtax you.”
Spinning in his embrace, Pet rested her head on his chest, listening to the beat of his heart. It was fast becoming her favorite sound. “I’m having fun out here. I know you’re worried. I can feel the tension flowing through you, but you have to let me out some time, and this right now is probably the safest.”
His forehead came down to rest on hers. “I can feel the pack’s hatred beating down on me. They know nothing of you. Most haven’t even met you. How do they know if you had anything to do with what happened to their loved ones? Demons kill, not you.”
She wished she believed what he was saying, but if it wasn’t for her a lot of demon attacks wouldn’t have happened. She had learned long ago not to lie to the demons, they hurt her the most when she did. She was just grateful she’d convinced the demons that if she lost her virginity, she’d lose her powers. She should have just dealt with the pain and lied. She should have killed herself. She had tried, but the demons brought her back to life any way they could.
Griffen turned and held her in his embrace. She should have let him go, set him free. She shouldn’t have let herself live when he mated her. He deserved better. He deserved his human mate. A secret. Another among the many she had.
She resisted the urge to change her skin and blend into the background and hide. She knew if she did anything like that it would give away her big secret. She needed that kept a secret, because she had a feeling they’d never let her near Faith, and that was something Pet knew she needed to do. She had to make sure the prophecy of Faith being the most powerful seer the world had ever known came true. She was already the most powerful seer of their world, but Pet intended to make her the most powerful seer of the worlds. To do that, Pet had to give her power.
* * * *
Griffen
The ceremony was over, and they were all eating and socializing. This was the longest Pet had been out of their house since they’d found her. Griffen watched her like the predator he was as she chatted with family. Or more like listened. She wasn’t one to say much. Pet’s voice was husky and sounded like she needed to drink a bottle of water before she should talk. After being with them for several months now she’d gained weight and looked a lot healthier, but her voice hadn’t changed.
Griffen noticed that she blended into the background very easy if he didn’t keep an eye on her. He was nervous about today, not only because she would be surrounded by pack members that hated her, but because she would be without him. At the house he was always close by to get to her quickly, or if he went out one of his sisters or brothers came around to be with her, but here there was a lot of space for her to wander and be without safety.
Pet didn’t talk much about her captivity, but from the little he’d been told and overheard her tell Remy and Ava, he knew it was bad, worse than what most people could imagine. He knew she was psychic like Faith, but she insisted that she wasn’t as strong or as powerful. However, from what he’d seen, she was.
There was something else about his mate that didn’t feel rig…no, that was different. Pet felt right through the mate bond, or she felt like the other mates’ bonds that he could feel with his omega abilities, but something was different that he couldn’t put his finger on.
At first, he thought it was because they weren’t intimate, or really had any physical touch at all since he bit her and made her his mate. After a couple of weeks, he noticed other things, like she always had her ears hidden, and sometimes he was sure her skin color looked four or five shades darker and then she’d lighten again. Her eyes did the same, which wasn’t anything new as he knew some people whose eyes changed with their moods, but hers changed to different colors altogether, like blue to black and green to brown, or they were gold, not just any gold, but a vibrant yellow gold. Pet was definitely different. So much so that it held him back from taking their relationship further.
His wolf was driving him insane. We touch mate. We mate her. She needs us. We need her. She good.
His wolf kept telling him she was good. He could feel all the hate pouring through the pack bonds for her. His wolf seemed to understand her more than the man did. When he was in his wolf form, Pet became more affectionate. She’d pet him for hours and happily slept with him in her bed. In his man form, she seemed more hesitant, or at least he thought she was. He didn’t know if it was himself making excuses not to get closer to her. His family, or most of his family, accepted Pet, but not many of the pack did, and he wondered if their feelings through the pack were affecting him, because it had been well over a month and he still hadn’t completed their mating.
Griffen’s skin itched, and he wanted to vomit; all the nasty vibes flowing through the pack of how they felt about Pet had his heart aching. He shook his head. If they only knew what she had endured, they might have a little compassion. Her name, or lack of, should give them a glimpse of what her life had to have been like. His sister Ava and sister-in-law Remy had been some of the few that were willing to give Pet a chance and form a friendship with her.
Everyone in his family said they accepted Pet, or Griffen thought they had until he now tapped into Kane’s feelings and found out why he hadn’t seen him, let alone talked to him, since he mated Pet. From what he could feel through the bonds, Kane was frustrated and annoyed with him for mating Pet. Griffen could feel a lot of upset aimed at him for mating Pet through the pack bonds. It was times like this that he hated being the omega of such a large, strong pack.
Logan, his sister Ava’s mate, came up next to him as the buffet food was brought out and patted him on the back. “I thought this was a celebration. Arden and Remy getting hitched, but damn, I can feel the animosity pouring off people toward Pet.” He looked around at everyone before catching Griffen’s gaze. “Look, how about you and I take her home before someone snaps?”
Griffen darted his gaze over to Pet who stood with Sara and Ava. His sister Ava hovered over Pet, waiting to protect her when one of the pack snapped. Ava’s huge belly stuck out, and it looked like she was about to fall forward, but her face was set in a firm line as she glared at the pack that shot dark looks their way.
“You’re right, but I’d like to see them try to get past Ava. Have you seen your mate?” Griffen jerked his head toward Ava as he and Logan moved so they were only a couple of steps away from the women.
Logan’s chuckle was deep and held no worry for his mate in it. “Oh, I know no one would mess with Ava. She may look like a soft breeze could knock her forward with her big belly, but damn, since she became pregnant, she’s super mother hen with mega strength.” He shook his head and a huge grin spread across his face. “I was against her fight training while she was pregnant, but she’s gotten stronger, and no one even gets close to that belly. My kids are well protected.” He cracked his knuckles. “But if anyone ever came close, they better be
ready to take me on, because I can tell you they wouldn’t walk away after dealing with me.”
Logan narrowed his gaze on a couple of the pack members who hadn’t taken their eyes off Ava, Sara, and Pet. Griffen was surprised to see that when they caught Logan looking at them, they turned away.
“Logan, what the hell? They’re all scared of you.” The quick flash of terror that shot through the pack bond as Logan caught the people’s gazes shocked Griffen. Logan was a human, or mostly—now that he had mated Griffen’s sister he was enhanced. “You’re human.”
Logan shrugged. “Being with your sister has given me so much extra strength, I can kick most of their arses now, especially if I use my gift. It helped that I was already awesome too.”
Rolling his eyes, Griffen looked at Ava as she cast her gaze at Logan and stuck her tongue out, blew a raspberry, and rolled her eyes too. She’d heard what Logan had said and raised her voice when she spoke to Sara and Pet. “My mate thinks he’s tough. Ha, poor thing, I won’t tell him that they’re all scared of me and are just pretending to be terrified of what he’ll do to them.”
Pet gave a husky giggle, and it was music to his ears as she rarely made a sound. Her voice was a raspy sound, so it made sense that her laughter would be husky like her voice. Pet didn’t speak often. Or at least to people. Griffen caught her talking to herself quite a bit, but he never understood what she said, it was like she spoke in another language.
Logan nudged Griffen and whispered, “How are you doing? I know at home Pet is hidden away so you don’t feel as much from the pack. Ava explained a little about you being an omega and that you feel things from the pack.” He wiggled his eyebrows up and down. “Can you feel me?”