Queen of the Beasts *Sample*

Chapter 19

"I'm so excited to hear this wild tale." Griffin grunted with a heavy note of sarcasm. "The only family resemblance I see between you and Oliver is the desire to attack me."

My eyes snapped down to his wounded leg once more, narrowing in on the damage I had caused. I had been jealous and thoughtless and it made me sick to think that I had behaved in such a way.

We were now in my room and Agatha had been sent out, leaving me to face the brute of my mate's rage alone. But it was only fair. I was not ignorant to my own actions, though part of me wished I was. I had left him. He had found me and been nothing but kind while I had been hostile and unappreciative in the beginning. I had snarled and growled at him and he had always tolerated with a sense of enthusiasm and optimism. Then, when he assumed things were finally starting to straighten themselves out I had taken off to be with a group of rogues, rogues that had been taunting his guards for ages.

"I don't know where to start." I whispered, slowly settling myself down on one of the chairs near my vanity. I was highly aware of the fact that Griffin remained standing with a healthy amount of distance between us.

"How about the fact that a clan of rabid wolves somehow taught you how to speak?" he snapped.

I couldn't help but flinch at his words. That was my family that he was speaking about. But then I gradually raised my eyes to his and I forced myself to recall the first time I had truly seen him.

I had been in the underground cells then and he had brought Selene with him. And I had been cowering and growling, but he hadn't batted an eye. My neck had been ringed with a silver collar, providing me with immense pain and labelling me as a threat, but he hadn't cared. Selene told him that I was no good, but he didn't listen. Those optimistic blue yes had shone in the dark and his dimples had come out full force, he had been so thrilled to see me, to know that I was his that he hadn't cared about any of the red flags. The formal clothing he had had on then and now did nothing to conceal the youthful and carefree spirit that was underneath. I had immediately wanted him, though I knew I shouldn't have. He had been beautifully unguarded and I had fallen for him in a second.

He might've been angry now but he was the same man that had coaxed me over to the bars to get my collar off. He was the same man who had run soothing fingers over my face when I had been terrified. And he had been the one who was the most delighted when I finally shifted into my human form.

"My father told me that Oliver had died many years ago." I began, dropping my eyes down to my hands. Though much time had passed it still caused me great pain to speak about. I could easily recall falling to my knees and sobbing in the middle of our home and I could still hear my mother's screams of denial when my father bluntly told us the news. "He said that Oliver had been killed by the royal guards but he never explained why or how."

"That's absurd, Oliver is one of my best men and he applied to be a part of my army like any other officer." Griffin countered, already looking highly offended. "Did your father think that we just roam around and murder those we swear to protect?"

"I can't tell you what really happened, only what I know." I whispered, blinking away the tears. "But what I thought I knew no longer seems to be all that valid anymore because Oliver is..." I trailed off, still unable to believe that my brother was actually alive, terrified that if I said such a thing it would no longer be true.

"So your father lied about your brother being alive or he truly didn't know." Griffin summarized. I grit my teeth when I thought of the likely option. "Carry on." His words were harsh and indifferent, but I could see the twinge of sympathy that touched his face. As tough as he was he didn't seem to be tough enough to shamelessly watch me break.