Page 17 of Missing

"I was wondering why he looked so familiar," Harper murmured, turning back to Melody. I could tell that Orlando wasn't quite sure how to feel about her curiosity, his gaze lingering on her longer than necessary.

Griffin cleared his throat, drawing Orlando's attention back to the table. "What are you ordering?" he asked, scanning the menu with mild interest.

"Uh, the Chicken Alfredo," Orlando mumbled, quickly averting his eyes from Harper to focus on Griffin. I could sense his internal struggle, torn between his instinct to distrust her and his desire to get to know her better. It was an intriguing dance to witness.

While they discussed their meal choices, I watched Harper interact with Melody, her laughter tinkling through the air like wind chimes. Something was captivating about her—something that drew me in and begged me to learn more. My wolf stirred within me, urging me to claim her and protect her, even as my more rational side warned me to tread cautiously.

"Earth to Dante," Griffin said, snapping his fingers in front of my face, pulling me from my thoughts. "You gonna order something or what?"

"Uh, yeah," I muttered, hastily scanning the menu before settling on a steak sandwich. As the waitress took our orders and disappeared, I found my gaze drifting back to Harper.

"Stop staring," Orlando hissed under his breath, elbowing me in the ribs. "You're being creepy."

"Fuck off," I muttered, rubbing my side where he'd jabbed me. But he was right—I needed to keep my distance, at least for now.

Chapter 16

Harper Hillstrom

Isat there, picking at my fucking wrap like a heartbroken loser, trying to ignore the gaping hole in my chest. Melody glanced up from her own meal, her eyes full of concern. "So, our next lesson is on healing," she said, hoping to distract me from my misery.

"Great," I muttered, forcing a smile that I knew looked as fake as it felt. The loneliness clawed at me, making me feel hollow.

"Harper, are you sure you're okay?" Melody asked, not buying my pathetic attempt at cheeriness.

"Of course," I lied through my teeth. "Just excited about learning to heal and shit."

That's when it happened. Out of fucking nowhere, Griffin leaned over, his muscled arm stretching across the table, and touched my hand. His fingers grazed my skin, and it was like someone had shoved a live wire into my veins.

Heat exploded throughout my body, starting at my toes and rushing upward like a goddamn wildfire. My breath hitched, my heart raced, and for a moment, I could have sworn the world stopped spinning. It was pure, unadulterated desire, mixed with something else I couldn't quite put my finger on.

"What the fuck?" I gasped.

My heart hammered in my chest as the connection between us was severed. Griffin's eyes widened, and his voice came out low and fierce. "Stay the fuck away from me."

He snatched his hand back like I was a live wire, grabbing his tray and storming off without another word. The others followed him, casting wary glances in my direction as they left the cafeteria.

"Griffin!" I called after him, but he didn't slow down or look back. My heart ached at the sudden coldness, and I couldn't help but replay the moment of contact over and over again in my head. What the hell had just happened between us?

"Harper," Melody said gently, placing her hand on my shoulder. "Are you all right?"

"Melody, I don’t know what the fuck just happened?" I asked, my voice shaking as I stared at the empty space where Griffin had been sitting a moment before.

"I... I'm not sure either," she admitted, her brows knitting together in confusion. "That was... unexpected."

"Unexpected? He freaked out like I was poison or something!" I couldn't keep the frustration from seeping into my tone, the sting of his rejection still burning beneath my skin.

"Honestly I don’t either," Melody said, taking a deep breath. "But Griffin has this power where he can sense other people's abilities and emotions through touch. It's pretty rare, and he doesn't use it often, and I assumed it was the same as what you have, it’s normally called feelings, but they can differ from person to person."

"He touched me," I whispered, my hand subconsciously trailing over the spot where his fingers had grazed my skin. The memory of that electrifying heat still lingered, making it hard to focus on anything else.

"Yeah, he did," Melody confirmed, her eyes softening with sympathy. "I don't know why he chose to do it now, but whatever he felt must have been intense for him to react like that."

"Intense?" I scoffed, the anger churning inside me threatening to boil over. "He looked at me like I was some kind of monster."

"Harper, you're not a monster," Melody said firmly, reaching across the table to cover my hand with hers. "Griffin's reaction isn't a reflection of who you are. It's about him, not you."

"Easy for you to say," I muttered, my eyes darting towards the door Griffin had stormed out of. A part of me wanted to chase after him, and confront him about his actions, while another part feared what I would find if I did.

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