Page 26 of Missing

Pulling on my uniform, I couldn't shake the image of Harper's face, her green eyes wide and frightened. Damn it, why did she have to run? I needed to find her, make her understand. But first, I needed backup.

Marching straight to Griffin's room, I used my fob card to gain entrance without bothering to knock. He stirred in his sleep, groaning as he sat up and rubbed at his piercing blue eyes.

"Griffin," I said urgently, my voice cracking with emotion. "Harper is my mate. I just smelled her when I was in wolf form."

"Fuck, Dante, you can't just barge in here like that," Griffin snapped, his initial irritation giving way to concern as he took in my frantic appearance.

"Griffin, did you not hear me? She is my mate!" I said as I slumped down onto the floor, "I told her and she ran away from me, she rejected me" I said looking at Griffin with tears in my eyes.

Chapter 23

Griffin Talesmen

The soft haze of sleep clings to my senses as I drift in and out of dreams, but one image remains constant – Harper's green eyes. Their depths seem to hold a universe of secrets, and I can't help but yearn to explore them all. I imagine the contours of her face, the curve of her lips, and how they would feel pressed against mine. My chest tightens with desire, and I find myself aching for her.

"Griffin!" Dante's voice shatters my dream world, sending shards of Harper's eyes scattering across my mind. I groan, struggling to sit up as I blink the sleep from my eyes. "What the fuck, Dante?"

"Harper is my mate," he blurts out, his brown eyes swimming with emotion. "I just smelled her when I was in wolf form."

"Fuck, Dante, you can't just barge in here like that." The irritation in my voice is palpable, and I'm about to give him a piece of my mind when I see the look on his face. Something's not right. He's never this distraught.

"Griffin, did you not hear me?" Dante slumps to the floor at the foot of my bed, desperation in his eyes. "She is my mate! I told her, and she ran away from me. She rejected me." A tear escapes his eye, and suddenly, the room feels heavy with emotions I don't know how to deal with.

My gut clenches at the thought of Harper rejecting Dante, and I can't help but wonder what that means for me.

"Alright, just... calm down for a second, Dante," I say, forcing myself to sit up and pushing my own confusion aside. "Tell me what happened."

Dante takes a shaky breath, his eyes still glistening with unshed tears. "I was out running, in wolf form, when I caught her scent. It was like nothing I've ever smelled before – intoxicating, all-consuming." He swallows hard as if the memory itself is overwhelming him.

"I followed it to the harbour, where she was sitting on the grass. She looked so peaceful, her hair shining in the morning light. When she saw me, she didn't even hesitate. She reached out her hand and touched me, right between the ears."

His voice cracks again, but he pushes through. "That's when I shifted back, Griffin. I couldn't help it. And I told her – I told her I was her mate."

I feel my heart lurch at the words, my chest tightening with an emotion I can't quite place. But I don't let it show.

"Then what happened?" I ask, my voice steady despite the storm brewing inside me.

"She... she freaked out," he says, his voice barely more than a whisper. "She got up and started running away from me, and then... she just vanished. Transported herself away, mid-run."

"Shit," I mutter under my breath, trying to process everything he's telling me. My mind races, if she is Dantes and mine... does that mean she is our central?

"Griffin, what do I do?" Dante asks, desperation clear in his eyes.

"Look, Dante," I say, running a hand through my hair. "I'm sure it's just a misunderstanding. Harper grew up in the human world, not knowing anything about supernaturals. She probably didn't realize that running away was such a big deal."

Dante's eyes flicker with hope as he searches my face for any sign of uncertainty. "You think so? Maybe she was just... overwhelmed?"

"Exactly," I nod reassuringly. "She might have needed some time to process everything."

"Should I go find her and explain?" he asks, his voice laced with anxiety.

I shake my head. "No, not yet. Let's message Melody first. She can help us arrange a time when all three of us can sit down calmly and talk about what happened."

"Melody..." Dante repeats, his brow furrowing. "Yeah, you're right,” he says bowing his head in submission a move I rarely see him do.

"Go wake up Orlando," I say, my voice firm but cautious. "We'll see what we can do. I think she's my mate too, but...I don't trust her yet."

Dante's eyes widen with disbelief, and he scoffs. "How the fuck can you not trust your mate?"

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