THE CLAIMING (The Chosen Series #1)

CONFRONTATION

"He's not a monster," I sob, Isla's words echoing in my head as I break again for the man lying there alone, his body motionless on the small cot. My gut wrenches for the lost childhood, the pain caused by others, but more importantly, the pain I caused. Griffin's life up until now has been nothing short of misery, and all I've done is fight him at every turn. My heart and head war with each other—one part tells me I don't want my decisions taken from me, not ready to be mated. But the other part...

Kneeling and taking my face in her hands, Isla wipes away my tears, smiling knowingly at me. "They never understood him, never understood us," she sighs, biting her bottom lip and embracing me. "They are sheltered, blind to the real evil beyond these fragile walls."

Reflecting on her sentiment, I can't help but agree. Until now, I'd thought I'd had a hard life. But after sharing his memories, I know I was blessed, loved by the people around me. Yes, painful things happened, but now I've witnessed pure hell. I know it would've broken me, but not him. He still fights for those he loves every day.

Why can't I remember? Was it real? The image of us in front of the Crann Fuinseoige, the innocence of our first kiss. Why can't I remember it?

As Isla lowers her hands, I see her resting them on my jacket pockets. She tilts her head and sniffs, her body tensing. "We need to go."

"Wait, what?" I hesitate; leaving is the last thing I want.

"Now, Ava."

"But—"

"Shay's returning, and the others—," she closes her eyes, concentrating, "they know we're no longer at the window."

Unsure of how she knows, I comply, standing as Isla releases me. She meticulously removes any evidence of our presence from the room, leaving only a purple Iris, hidden within Griffin's closed palm. Before exiting his cell, I lean down, taking in his scent and lightly kissing his lips. My Broken Wolf.

"Quickly," Isla scolds as I step through the door, Isla sealing the control panel behind me once I'm clear. As she resumes her seat, her eyes become unfocused again, Shay's footsteps approaching.

Shay frowns, wiping away a stray tear from Isla's cheek before lifting her and kissing her head, gesturing for me to follow. "No need to cry for me, Trouble; there's enough of this man-flesh to go around," he jokes, though his voice lacks its usual charm.

Climbing the stairs, he turns to me, "Bambi, I hope you got what you came for. I may not agree with everything he does, but this is too much. The way he allows himself to be treated is fucked."

Raising an eyebrow, I ask, surprised someone in this clan genuinely cares for Griffin and his sister.

Shay sighs, taking a deep breath. "You know his father was our old alpha, right?"

"Yes," I reply, watching him lower Isla into her chair then push her towards the barn entrance.

"And you know it's Griffin's rightful place to lead our pack, and why?"

"Yes, his best, no, I mean, his wolf," I respond as we stop at the door.

Shay nods, a frown appearing on his face. "Let me tell you, Bambi, the clan may not respect him, but they fear his wolf and use him to their advantage."

Confused, I grab Shay's arm as he turns to open the door, tugging him back. "What do you mean by that?"

Shay sighs and looks towards Isla. Softness covers his features before turning back to me. "His wolf is a killer by nature, Bambi. Let me just say that if there is someone threatening the pack, the clan leaders don't hesitate to call on Griffin."