The Prince’s Unwilling mate by Mutya

143 Ayla

Isabella and Rodrick were waiting for us at the front door. | can suddenly see where Griffin has his careful and

worrying nature from. Where Rodrick rushes up toand gathersin a bear hug that hasfeel like he is

breaking my ribs. Isabella smacks her mate telling him to be careful and then fuzzes overmaking sure | am

alright.

It’s a thirty-minute drive, Griffin surpriseswhen he suggests we go there in two separate cars. Again Rodrick

seems to want to speak up while Isabella stops him from doing so, agreeing with their son. Only when we get to

the car | finally get his plan.

“Close your eyes, Darling sleep for thirty minutes it will do you sgood,” He tellsas he gets into his truck.

He just gavean opportunity to rest a little more. A moment | needed so | do as he said and | curl up in the

passenger seat. Where the rumbling of the car engine “sings”to sleep instantly. Attentive as he is Griff

wakesup five minutes before we arrive at the food festival. Givingthe chance to feel less drowsy.

After parking he jumps out to open the door, something he has always done. Tonight it feels like a reminder of

how good life can be with him. How special and cherished he makesfeel every day. | ignore the little voice in

my head that | should be wearing his mark already. That | have

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1288 Vouchers no idea when | will be able to wear it because the thirty minutes of sleep in the car were far from

enough. And a part ofregrets agreeing with this plan.

Maybe Griffin was right, maybe this is all too much, too soon. Still, I can’t help but bask in the light of the setting

sun. Enjoy the wind on my skin and the buzz of the night that is alive with happy people. The air is pregnant with

the smell of various foods.

| am unsure if Rodrick does because he sees how tired | am. Or if just like his son, he is a gentleman. But he

suggests we get a table to sit down on every twe find something to eat. He spotted stables you can

reserve for a little money. While the lawn chairs won't be very comfortable this table at least givesa place to

sit down when | need to. And pausing in between all rounds being able to sit and take my teating will help

too.

ork

Two hours later we were on our way back, of course, | was the one who wanted to go hfirst. And at the end

of the night, | was swaying on my legs with how tired | was. During the car ride home, | could not sleep because

Griffin was clearly upset with me. Even if he said no when | asked him about it. The tick in his jaw, and his white

knuckles because he was gripping the steering wheel too hard was all | needed to know.

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This the didn’t just open the door forand he carriedto the car. Still not saying a word. We had gotten

into arguments before, when | was strong, when | felt safe. Now all that had happened toleftfeeling

vulnerable and raw.

“Please Griff, | can tell you are upset please tellhow | can make it up to you?” | begged not wanting to be so

terrible at communicating again that | would spiral.

Spiral into that dark place where | can’t believe he loves me. Where | am so sure he is going to find fault in who |

am and what | do that he will. leave me. The dark place where | want to spare myself from that pain so much

that | will find fault in everything he does just so he isn’t the one to find fault in me. The place where | was when

we just met. The place he healedfrom and the one place where | never want to go back to.

“I'm not upset with you Darling, can we please talk about this in our room when we're in our bed” He grits out

through his teeth.

Leavingwith no choice but to believe him and just wait. Trying to stop myself from spiraling into that dark

place.

And | manage to when we reach our chambers and Griffin struggles to open the door because he seems unable

or unwilling to letgo. | am still not in that dark place, all | am is anxious about what he will tell me. Being

anxious is far better than being there. He eventually manages to open the door and laysdown on the bed.

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143 Ayla

Taking off my sneakers, and getting a clean one of his shirts forto sleep in. All without saying a word.

“Please, | can’t stand this any longer | am so scared you don’t want to be withanymore” | cry and he comes

to an immediate standstill.

“Darling, all | ever wanted was to be with you, even before | knew you. You were all | ever imagined when | was

dreaming about my mate.” He makes his way to the bed and sits down next tobefore he continues.

“Remember how I said | loved that you're so petite. | still do but I loved it because it madefeel like the big

strong Alpha wolf that could protect you. It is stupid because you never needed it. It was just a feeling I loved”

He falls quiet just staring at his hands like he doesn’t know how

to go on.

The only comfort | can offer him is to put my hand on his thigh. What he just toldis nothing new, but there is

more to it, that much is clear. | just don’t know what to tell him either.

After two minutes in this awkward silence, he clears his throat and he

continues.

“And | failed it, when David kidnapped you, when it tookweeks to find out where he was. Then | stood on top

of your prison, sensing you but I couldn’t rescue you. | hate myself for it and now | couldn't keep you safe you

from almost collapsing from being so tired. | should have

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just kept my mouth shut about the food festival.” He starts crying, | have never seen him cry before.

| have seen him on the verge of tears before, the twhen he interruptedrejecting him to get the cookies

out of the oven. It was easy to forget that Griffin might have been traumatized too. He went through just as

much as | did. Now | am the one who wraps my arms around him. Griffin just slumps down againstsobbing in

my arms.

in between.

“Aren't you mad withor disappointed at me?” He asks in between sobs.

“I am not Griff, you were the one that madepull through, with all the love you showed me.” | start and then |

tell him all about what happened when | was in the coma.

How | had the choice to die, to just stay in the heavenly valley knowing | deserved to be there with the Moon

Goddes and how | had made my way back to him. Hoping it would comfort him so that we could start healing

together.

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144 Griffin