Four
1118 Words
Grayson:
I was trying not to stare at them the entire night. At how happy Rip looks and the way she's letting Reggie hold her. She had made it clear that she hates being touched. The smile on her face gives me hope. I sneak peeks at Emily who is looking around like she's waiting for something to jump out and scare us. She never smiles. Not even when she told Holland to shut up when Reggie was proposing. I'm happy for them.
"Rip text me. She said I'm on Grayson duty," I looked at Emily who climbed into the passenger seat of my car. "She said people know about you now. You aren't to be left alone when outside of the pentacle,"
"So, she assigned you to me?" I asked her.
"No, I volunteered," she shrugged, looking out the window.
"You volunteered?" I smiled she turned to look at me.
"Maybe you should drive. I don't like being a car for too long without it moving,"
I started the car up and headed over to the hotel. I didn't want to drive home especially since my parents are now living together.
"Want to play a game?" I asked. Why the hell did I ask that?
"Yes," she answered to my surprise.
"It's called twenty-one questions,"
"Okay, loser gets slapped in the face,"
"How do we declare the loser?" I laughed.
"The one who doesn't answer a question or lies,"
"Okay, deal,"
"Go first, alpha Grayson,"
"How did you end up Rip's gamma?"
She turned to look at me. "To be the gamma of Rip, would require for her to be the alpha,"
"She's an alpha in her own way. Can't have that kind of power and devoted followers without being a leader,"
She nodded climbing out of the car.
The valet took my keys as I went around to meet her. I noticed the way she lowered her head when others looked our way. It's submissive. The kind of bow that people who were shamed use. I lifted her head so she could look at me. The passersby looked at us disapprovingly. This place filled with ignorant rich white supremacists. f**k them.
"Don't do that when you're with me. Don't do it ever, Emily. They're all beneath you. You are the Luna here," in her cold eyes something sparked when I took her hand and began to make my way to my room. Several flashing lights went off when she pulled close to me.
"She saved me. Not just physically. I was afraid of everything. She gave me ground and taught me to stand up for myself when it was required. I let her give me the mark," she lifted her t-shirt showing me her mark. It's the same Holland, Audrey, Ezra, and Stephen have. In the same exact spot.
"Your turn," I encouraged her when the elevator doors opened.
"Why didn't you reject me?" she asked when the hotel door shut behind us.
"I'd have no reason to. You're mine, for whatever reason you seem to belittle yourself won't change the fact that one day you will belong to me," I sighed taking a wine bottle out from the cooler box. "Why did you do that when we were out in the lobby, why did you lower your head like that?"
"I... It's a habit. My grandfather. When his mate died, he took my grandmother to give him an heir. She was a thoroughbred from South America. Her skin was darker than my own. She gave him my mother. Not what he wanted so he killed my grandmother and disgraced my mother. I had an older brother. They sold me to alpha Rufuz in order to gain their freedom. I was taught at an early age that I was not equal to the pale-skinned," she filled her glass and downed it. Then filled it again. "Why would you risk letting them see you touch me that way?"
"I'm not ashamed of you. You are the most beautiful girl I have ever seen. Given, I've never seen you smile. I bet it gets better. They should get used to it. I plan to show you off every chance I get,"
"What if I..."
"Ah, it's my turn," I said cutting her off. "What do you do for a living?"
"I'm an accountant. I work on wall street," I turned to look at her. "I handle most of your family's investments,"
"No, s**t?"
"None," she sighed. "Did you know about Miranda?"
"When?"
"Did you know that Melissa wasn't your mother?" I looked away. The slap came hard across my face. I turned to look at her. She knew I wasn't going to answer that or have a true answer for her. "That felt amazing,"
"Slapping me?" I glared at her.
"Yes. You could have told, Rip,"
"It wasn't my place to tell,"
"Miranda could have killed her or Riley,"
"My mother wouldn't have allowed that. It could have destroyed her mind anyway. Melissa. Melissa is the only woman I call mother," my turn to down my glass.
"You lost," she said getting up going over to the spare bed.
"What did you win?"
"The truth and I got to slap you. That's enough for me," she shrugged.
I put my hand where she had slapped me. She left a mark. I can feel the stinging areas swelling. The sound of her kicking her shoes off made me lookup. She covered herself with the giant black comforter. I stayed up a little longer drinking the rest of the bottle watching the lights outside.
My family has so many secrets, it's crazy to think that they will ever get passed them, but they're starting to. I was accepted into their lives despite the many years we had spent apart. s**t, we had never even met. Rip is two years younger than me. Yet, she has four years ahead of my intellect thanks to whatever the f**k Miranda had done to us.
They have left their mark on this world, both the supernatural and the human world. People love them. Respect them. They are considered idols worthy to be the alphas that they are, that they still have to become and me? Well, here I am with a mate my sister had to order to talk to me for the sake of both our sanities. She has done something solid for me. Shown me to what extent her compassion and love go out for her brothers. I always wondered what they would be like when I met them and they don't disappoint. I want to show them that I can really be one of them. Even if they don't expect it.
- Writer
