Violet Undone - The Accidental Mate

Chapter Eight

"Looks like she..." Talon started to say before hearing the front door crash open with the arrival of Grand Alpha Henry. Everyone but me turned to watch as he sauntered his way toward his son.

Henry could see that it was Mathius in control and it took him a moment to realize he was holding someone in a bear hug. Who was he being protective of? Henry thought as he looked around at all the faces. "May I ask what is going on here? Alpha? Beta Talon?" the Grand Alpha scolded. No one answered and Henry cocked a well-groomed brow. "Well.." he said again.

"M-My Grand Alpha may I?" Amber asked quietly as she came up beside Mathius. Henry nodded and Amber started the retelling of the events. The Grand Alpha stood regally as he listened attentively. He chuckled a few times as Amber told him what I had said to Talon and then narrowed his eyes concerned when she got to the part about Mathius claiming me as his mate. "And now here we are at an impasse my Grand Alpha." Henry glanced down and looked between Mathius's arms. Then he quietly walked forward and placed his hands on his son's forearm. Mathius was a little reluctant but eventually unfolded his embrace and allowed Henry access to me.

"Violet my sweet niece. Are you okay?" he asked me softly. It took me a moment to register he had addressed me and it wasn't until I felt his gentle hand on my back that I let go of Mathius's shirt where I had been grasping it. I turned around slowly but still in my protective space. "Uncle Henry" I stuttered. Amber frowned at me for using his name and was about to speak up about it but Henry raised a hand to stop her. "Please my niece doesn't need correcting." He said calmly. Amber went wide-eyed but he didn't notice. His focus was more on me and calming me down. I opened my eyes to see him through the tears. "I'm sorry my Grand Alpha," I said in a sob. His face grimaced with pained concern as he reached out to hold me away from Mathius. " No, No sweet Violet no need to apologize. This is not your fault." He turned to look at both the males involved with a disapproving look. "My apologies Grand Alpha, I only meant to protect" Mathius spoke up. Henry nodded and said "Mathius, It has been a long time since I have seen you surface" Mathius just nodded. "Derek needed a time out after his outbursts lately." was all Mathius said as he looked towards me again and touched my bare arm gently.

"Beta Talon what do you have to say for yourself? I thought I had warned you about your pursuit of my niece?" Mathius smirked. and turned his attention back to me in Henry's arms now. I rested a cheek on his shoulder and looked up at Mathius standing beside us. He reached over and gently smoothed away the tears drying on my exposed cheek. Henry noticed out of the corner of his eye. Talon stood silent but gave a slight grimace when Mathius touched my face. "Gentlemen control yourselves." Then Henry lifted my head gently so I could look at him. "Violet I am so sorry for today. I should be the one protecting you in your family's stead seeing as they are not here." I shook my head at him "It is not your fault uncle." He stroked my head and then turned to Amber. "Amber dear are you okay?" Amber smiled nervously that he would take care in addressing her well-being also. "I am more scared for Vi than myself Grand Alpha," Amber stated quietly. Henry chuckled at her use of my name. Still eyeing Mathius to make sure he was calming down. His eyes weren't swirling anymore but were a vivid deep emerald green.

"Beta Talon you still haven't answered my question as to why you are here in my territory?" Talon turned towards one of his men who had a manila envelope in his hand. He signaled for the man to step up and hand the envelope to Henry. But Henry didn't move and looked to Mathius. Mathius nodded quietly and took the package from the guy. He opened the envelope and read the papers inside briefly. "They are papers for an arranged marriage proposal between this dick..." He stopped and pointed at Talon "And Violet." then looked down at me again. Henry sighed loudly and kissed the top of my head.

"Amber, can you please be so kind as to take care of Violet and escort her to my office for me?" Still, soft-spoken and calming Henry was being. I think it was so I wouldn't be any more upset than I already was. Amber stepped forward and brushed wet tendrils from my face "Come Vi. Ok? let's go somewhere quiet and away from this." I nodded as I let out a breath. I looked to Mathius then to Uncle Henry and then back to Mathius again. Turmoil from the sight of me was in his eyes, which was probably why Henry wasn't yelling at him. I wasn't sure what came over me but before I left their side I whispered "Thank you for protecting me...my alpha mate." Mathius smiled widely as Henry looked shocked briefly before chuckling. Then Amber was tugging at my waist trying to get me to move away towards the door. I turned my head and watched Talon's venomous face as I walked away with Amber until I couldn't see him anymore.

Amber walked slowly with me up the stairs toward Henry's office. I glanced at her with a satisfactory smile planted on my lips and brushed away the tears with the backs of my hands. I could see the sympathy and concern she had for me. "Thank you, Amber," I said still shaking. "Oh Vi, I was so terrified for you. Especially when Alpha Der...." She trailed off and shivered. "When Alpha Mathius..." I questioned after her. She gave a weak smiled and moved through Henry's office to a plush sofa along the far wall nestled in between the windows. She sat me down and went to get me some tissues. Then she sat down beside me before continuing. "Well that voice you heard that wasn't his but was his?" she said and I nodded for her to go on. "Well, you see it was his dominant speaking. The creature he is linked with." Amber explained, "You mean his gryphon's soul?" I asked. I did need to research what the difference was. "You know? I don't know. They never really talk about it. All I know is the man terrifies me ninety percent of the time. The other ten percent is when he is in a good joking mood." I mouthed the word Oh and took a tissue to blow my nose. "Well, he mentioned to me in the office that they were a moody breed that took their possessions and people very seriously?" I stated. Amber sat in thought for a moment then snapped her fingers and turned excitedly to look at the laptop on Derek's desk. "How about we look it up while we are waiting." Excitedly she got up off the sofa and sauntered over to pick up the laptop and bring it back to where I was sitting. "Ok let's see.." she said as she opened the lid and started it up. I didn't know if I should be researching this with her and on the alpha's laptop but it was a much-needed distraction from what was going on downstairs. I looked at the door with a worried look on my face. " Ok Got It!!" Amber said with an excited giggle. I was loving how she could bounce back so easily to being happy and giddy. "Amber. If you don't mind me asking but what kind of shifter are you? I mean what is your primal?" Well, that just lifted her right up she bounced with glee beside me. "I'm a unicorn." She giggled. I laughed with her because I hadn't expected her to say unicorn. I had always thought of them as peaceful and majestic creatures. But Amber seemed to be more fairy-like to me. " I know, I know you are thinking me more of a fae-type creature but unicorns are pure and light-hearted too." She bemused. She turned her attention back to the google search engine and typed in the word "griffin". I glanced over and started to correct her but when she brought up the page there in bold letters where the word Gryphon was.

"Wow, so it says here that gryphons are chimeric creatures having the body of a lion and the wings and head of the majestic eagle. Typically, referred to as divine guardians in nature..." she dropped off and gasped. Her eyes rounded as she turned to me. She started flailing her arms in a flurry of nervousness. I took the laptop from her before she ended up dumping the expensive piece of electronics on the floor.

"They have incredible strength, immense protective instincts, and zero tolerance for evil. Gryphons are extremely loyal and are known to have only one mate for life. If one dies the other will live out its life alone in solitude never searching for another mate." I stared in awe. And continued reading. "They are known as the Kings of all beasts" I kept reading. "So Mathius is a divine primal. No wonder why they kept his primal a secret."

I gasped and turned to Amber "Amber we can't tell anyone about this! Not even your friends or family or anyone. Promise me?" I grabbed her hands in a mine in desperation to get her to promise me. She nodded her head fervently " Oh yes not to anyone, I promised. Cross my celestial heart and hope to die" She said as she made a cross over her heart. "Um Vi, can I ask you a personal question? Amber batted her eyes and crossed her hands over her heart. "Ok," I said "Well I was wondering what your primal is? I know you have one it's very faint but I know it's there." She smiled genuinely at me "How? How do you know I have one?" Amber looked at me confused and then giggled "Because unicorns have the ability to see divine auras silly. Yours is like a galaxy." she whispered to me as she nodded. A galaxy? I thought about it. "What kind of primal would have a galaxy for an aura?" I asked out loud. "Well not a galaxy but it swirls around you like one." Amber corrected herself. I needed more answers.