Firefighter Griffin (Fire & Rescue Shifters 3)

“Lions don’t need pajamas or toothbrushes,” Danny said confidently. “Do they, Daddy?”

“They do if they want to keep their fangs, lad,” Griff rumbled before Reiner could speak. “Real lions don’t eat chocolate, but from the look of your face the same isn’t true of you.”

“I know an all-night store near my place,” Reiner said to Griff. For once, he didn’t sound arrogant. His expression was more vulnerable than she’d ever seen before, still half-dazed with wonder. “I could pick up the basics, just for tonight. And I’ll drop him back off by nine tomorrow morning. I swear on my family name.”

Hayley would have preferred it if Reiner had acted as though she had the final say, rather than Griff, but maybe that would have been one miracle too many. She nodded at Griff, very slightly.

“Very well.” He gave Reiner a stern—but not aggressive—look. “Don’t make me regret this.”

“Oh, Mr. Griff,” Danny said, turning back as Reiner started to lead him away. His brown eyes were wide and guileless. “Make sure Mommy isn’t lonely, okay? She’s never had to sleep without me there. She might get scared of the dark without a lion around.”

Hayley’s mouth hung open. So did Griff’s.

“And to think you told me I was incompetent in matters of romance,” Dai murmured as Danny skipped off. The dragon shifter clapped a hand on Griff’s shoulder, a broad smirk spreading across his face. “Congratulations, my friend. You’ve just been set up by a five-year-old.”

CHAPTER NINETEEN

Griff

“Are you really sure Danny’s still all right?” Hayley asked anxiously as they turned into her driveway.

“Aye, truly,” Griff replied, for the tenth time on the long, otherwise silent walk back to her house. He could feel the cub’s excitement through the pride-bond, like a small sparkling firework at the back of his mind. “He’s having a grand time. Probably the best Halloween of his entire life.”

Bitter jealousy gnawed at his bones. He was Danny’s alpha. He should be taking Danny on his first hunt. Griff would have given his right arm to be able to do that for him.

But would you give up your eagle? whispered a tiny, private thought, so deep even his animals couldn’t hear. For just the chance of being able to be a true alpha lion for Danny? Would you truly burn away half your heritage?

He still didn’t know if, at the bitter end, he’d be able to force himself to do it. If it was just the choice between that or death, he wouldn’t even have considered it. But if it was the choice between Ash’s fire, or Reiner taking Danny…

“I’m so sorry for spoiling your Halloween, Griff.” Hayley fumbled in her purse for her house keys. “I just wasn’t in the mood to stay at the party. I’ll be okay now, if you want to head back to rejoin your friends.”

“To tell the truth, I’m not really in the mood for a party myself.” Griff tried to muster a casual smile. “I think I’ll just head home too.”

No, rumbled his lion. Its eyes gleamed in his mind, hot and predatory. The pride is happy on the hunt, occupied elsewhere. Now it is time to stalk and claim our prize.

The moon is full and the winds are wild, his eagle murmured. It is not a night to be alone in the nest.

Griff clenched his jaw, trying to ignore his beasts’ whispers. He noticed that Hayley had hesitated at the open door, biting her lip as she stared into the dark corridor. “Something wrong?”

“The house is just so…quiet,” she said, softly. “So empty.”

Before Griff could respond, she squared her shoulders. Light blazed as she flicked the switch, turning on the hall lamp. She turned back to him with a wan, forced smile. “Just being silly. I haven’t spent a night on my own since Danny was born. It’ll, it’ll be nice to have some time to myself.”

Her bottom lip was trembling, ever so slightly. “Hayley,” Griff said gently. “Do you want me to stay?”

“No, no, no!” Her head swung in emphatic arcs of denial, even as every line of her body screamed yes! “I wouldn’t—that wouldn’t be fair to you. I couldn’t ask you to do that.”

“It’s no trouble.” Griff forestalled any further argument by stepping in and closing the door behind himself. “This way, if you wake up in the night and are at all worried about Danny, you can just ask me to check the pride-bond for you.”

Yes, purred his lion. We will be right at her back, all night…

No we won’t. Out loud, Griff said, “It’s not like I haven’t spent a night on your sofa before, after all.”

“Oh, you don’t have to sleep on the sofa!” He could tell just how relieved Hayley was by the way that she didn’t try to talk him out of staying. “You can sleep in my bed, if you want.”

Griff cleared his throat, fighting down a surge of lust at the idea. “Ah. Now that would be trouble.”

Hayley went a delightful shade of pink. “I meant, I can sleep in Danny’s! I’d fit into it better than you.”