Page 20 of Redeemed Wolf (Grim Wilds #4)

Chapter 20

Carter

The last 12 hours had been a lot. No, that was an understatement. It was the kind of information overload that would make the average person fall apart, but somehow, I was managing to hold it all together. I knew, without a single doubt, that it was because of my connection to Silas. This tether he was talking about. Ever since I’d bitten him, it was there. Even when we weren’t together, I felt it give a solid tug from somewhere inside me, guiding me, coaxing me to return home.

Silas… he had always been my home.

His grip on my hips tightened, but it was nowhere near enough. I wanted him to show me that he needed me just as desperately as I needed him. I couldn’t be alone in this obsession.

When I tried to kiss him harder, he softened. So I gripped his short hair and tugged his head back, exposing his neck and the bite mark I’d left on him. I bent down and licked the flat of my tongue across it. The possessive growl that came out of me was nowhere near human. But that was exactly right, wasn’t it? I wasn’t fully human either, and I wasn’t the only one who wanted Silas.

I could feel the beast inside me beckoning, urging me to give in to my base instincts, the drive to claim, to mate. To fuck. It was a kind of relief to tumble down into the dark, to act first and worry about consequences later. There was no grief about my fake father here, no doubt about who I was and who I would become. There was only me, Silas… and our wolves.

Shoving Silas hard, he fell back on the bed, his eyes blazing green. “You in the mood to play, little wolf?” he asked with a teasing lilt.

“Only if you’re willing to play by my rules.” I climbed onto the bed, straddling his hips. “Are you?”

His grin turned lupine, and I swore his teeth were longer, sharper than they’d been only moments ago. “Always.”

I descended on him again, kissing him hard, my tongue plunging through his mouth and scraping along his canines. I bit down on his lip hard enough to taste blood, and he hissed but didn’t pull away. Silas’s fingers dug into the tender flesh of my ass, inching toward my entrance but never close enough.

I pulled back, snapping my teeth at him. “I want more,” I snarled. “I want you to fuck me hard, fill me, knot me, and when I’m screaming your name, I want you to bite me. I want to feel you everywhere .”

When he didn’t answer me with more than a smirk, I ground down on him, our erections separated by the towel. I could feel the dampness of his precum, and I hated that it was being wasted. Shuffling back off the bed, I ripped the towel off and swallowed him whole. He moaned loudly, his eyes fluttering closed, fingers lacing into my hair as though holding on for dear life. I swallowed once then hollowed my cheeks on the way back up, indulging in a brief taste of him, bitter and salty and sweet all in one, before I crawled back up.

Silas looked dazed as he blinked his eyes back open. I got up close and put my lips next to his ear. “Did you hear what I said?”

“Oh, I heard you alright. I just thought I would give you a second or two to see if you’d change your mind. But your time just ran out.” He slapped my ass cheek once then sat up fast, hoisting me up with him. Silas made tossing me around look easy as he flipped me over onto my stomach and stretched out on top of me, his weight pressing me down into the mattress.

He grabbed both arms and pinned them over my head in one hand. “Is this what you wanted?” he asked with a gravelly voice, wedging a knee between my legs to lever them wide apart.

“Yes,” I hissed over my shoulder at him.

He didn’t stretch me, didn’t ease me into it, just positioned himself at my entrance, coating the crown in slick before sheathing himself straight in. I cried out at the sudden intrusion, welcoming the sharp sting. It took all my loose wild thoughts and fraying emotions and wrapped them in tight, centering me in this moment.

We lay there like that for a moment, until our breathing calmed, our hearts beating in time.

“Do you know what I love about you?” he purred in my ear, gifting me with a slow roll of his hips.

I could barely think straight at the sensation of him moving inside me, the heat and friction licking at my core. “W-What?” I stuttered.

“I love that you are this immovable force, so strong and resilient. That even when you were lost, everything that makes you who you are remained. No matter how hard he tried to erase you, to mold you into his image, here you are, stronger than ever.” Another roll of his hips to punctuate his words. “You are good, kind, and so good at loving me even when you weren’t properly taught how. You are a wolf .”

Tears pricked at my eyes, even as the pleasure I felt crested, the two contrasting emotions threatening to tear me in two. How was it possible for him to know me so well when I was just getting to know the real me myself?

Silas’s arms tightened around me, making me feel safer than I ever had. “I wish I could see you right now,” I half laughed into the mattress.

And just like that, Silas pulled himself out, and before I could whine about the loss of him, he’d flipped me over and slid back in. We both groaned at the sensation, and the look of pure bliss on his face augmented my pleasure.

As he brushed away my tears, we stared deep into each other’s eyes. My lips pulled back slowly into a teasing grin. “I thought you said you were willing to play by my rules,” I sassed. “But I distinctly remember telling you to fuck me hard.”

“Is that still what you want?” he asked seriously, and I knew he would be more than willing to oblige. But the moment had changed into something new, something pure and bright and true, and I couldn’t bring myself to let it go.

“No,” I whispered, tipping my chin up to kiss him lightly. “This is perfect.”

Even if we’d chosen to start slow, as the friction and pressure built, it drove a new sense of desperation through us. I could feel the wolf beneath my skin, could almost see the details of him coming to life. The gray fur, bright eyes, teeth and claws and long wagging tail. It felt like a wall had been erected straight down my midline, and Silas was helping me take it down brick by brick—and I was wielding a sledgehammer.

I was a writhing, whining mess. I brought my knees higher, hooking them behind Silas’s back, my heels digging into his ass with each thrust. “Silas, it hurts,” I moaned. It wasn’t physical pain but lodged inside my chest where the tether was stretched taut. It felt like such a fragile thing, tenuous and threatening to snap as it strained for its other half.

Silas’s eyes were lit dayglow green, his canines long enough to prick at his bottom lip. “I know, baby. I’m going to make it better.”

I nodded, arching my neck in invitation.

His rhythm picked up, speeding us toward a climax. The heat condensed in my core, balls drawing up tight until I spilled between us, his name on my lips, not a scream like I’d promised but a whispered vow. Silas’s breath hitched, and I felt him explode inside me, hot and throbbing, thickening with his knot. Gripping the back of my neck, he lowered his mouth to my pulse point and bit down.

Somewhere distant inside me I could register the pain, but it came second to the relief that washed over me. The bond between us was no longer a mere thread, but a braided length of steel. I felt the way it wrapped itself around my heart, before extending to my bones, my blood, my brain.

How could I have ever thought that I was alone?

Though I knew it wasn’t necessary, I found my own gums aching, my teeth lengthening, as I felt him pull a mouthful of blood into his body. A piece of me would live on within him, and I wanted, needed , the same. As I bit down over the mark I’d left before, his groan vibrating through me, his knot pulsing a final time inside me. We would never be as connected as we were right this moment.

Even long after he’d slipped from my body, we remained connected. I drifted off to sleep in his arms as he laved the wound on my neck, a satisfied rumble in his chest. With each languid pass of his tongue, more of my past worked its way free. Until I felt almost whole…

It must’ve been hours later when a gentle knock on the door roused us. The dream I’d been having evaporated into the ether. Once upon a time, I might’ve called it a nightmare, but I found I was no longer afraid. Dr. Taylor could no longer hurt me.

I blinked in the gloom, surprised to find I could see better in the pre-dawn light than I would’ve expected. The knock came again, and I tried to sit up, but Silas’s arms tightened, keeping me where I was.

“What is it?” Silas called gruffly.

“Uh, sorry to interrupt,” a muffled voice said, “but Shan is calling a pack meeting. Thought you should be there.” I heard footsteps as the person walked away.

“Who was that?” I asked, rubbing my face a few times, trying to clear my head.

“Morgan. He’s Jude’s mate, so I guess that would make him your brother-in-law. He’s our only human, but he’s a little self-conscious about that, so try not to stare.”

I snorted, poking him in the ribs. “Just because I found my wolf, that doesn’t make me some kind of speciesist snob.” I thought over what Morgan had said. “I get the need for a meeting, but why would they want us there? Neither of us live here.”

Silas stilled for a moment at my words, before giving me a quick kiss and rolling out of bed. He walked over to the dresser, searching for clothes. “Shan is all about being fair and listening to everyone’s ideas. He’ll make a decision based on everyone’s needs, not just those of his own pack.”

“Shan sounds like a good leader,” I offered, catching the shirt he tossed my way.

“The best,” he said earnestly.

By the time we got to the kitchen, the place was packed with large, overwarm bodies. There were a few new faces I hadn’t had a chance to meet yet, including Morgan. Even if I hadn’t been a wolf capable of smelling the difference in his DNA, his human status would’ve been impossible to miss because of the thick-rimmed glasses he wore.

And then, of course, there was Jesse. My dad… He was staring at me with such hope I couldn’t possibly ignore. Silas didn’t need to ask, he could feel it through the tether. He gave my hand a squeeze and left us alone for a minute.

Jesse approached me slowly, cautiously, afraid to set me off again. “It’s okay,” I assured him, meeting him the rest of the way on steady legs. “I’m feeling a lot better now.”

His smile was tight but full of understanding. “I’m fresh out of a lab myself. Trust me when I say I understand.”

“I’m sorry,” I said.

“For what?”

“For anything that was done to you. To Isaac, to Amelia, to Andy, and everyone else Silas set free. It’s not right. If I’d known…” My voice trailed off, because there were no what-ifs. No promises to be made for past deeds. I didn’t know what I could’ve done to save anyone. I was just one man, and I’d been drugged and brainwashed on top of that.

“You were a victim too,” Jesse said, without judgment or pity. He reached for my hand, and I took it, the contact igniting a long-lost memory.

“There once was a princess with hair like spun gold…”

“You used to read to me,” I blurted. “Didn’t you?”

Jesse’s eyes lightened with surprise. “Yes. You remember?”

“Yeah. It’s… a good memory.” Sifting through my nightmares, it was nice to know that something good, peaceful, existed in my past. “Thank you for that.” I almost called him Dad, like the childhood version of me in my memory, but it was too soon. I didn’t know this man, not really, and the last man I’d called Dad had broken all trust. I wasn’t sure if I would ever be comfortable saying it again.

The door opened one last time, Tristan leading in the elderly woman I’d seen last night. There was something ethereal about her that sent goosebumps prickling across the back of my neck. She wore a loose nightgown that trailed down to the floor, her bare toes peeking out. Her silver hair was braided, hanging over one shoulder almost to her waist, her skin soft and wrinkled, but it was her eyes that drew my attention. They were a milky white, but though I would’ve assumed she was blind, the way Tristan was leading her, she turned her head, and I swore she looked right at me. My breath stuttered. I couldn’t look away.

She shuffled over to me, tilting her chin up to gaze at me. I couldn’t move, couldn’t speak. She lifted her hand and cupped my cheek tenderly. “I forgive you,” she said, her voice as elusive as the wind itself. A chill seemed to blow through the room, though there were no open windows or doors.

Before I could ask what for she forgave me for, she blinked, frowning, and seemed confused about why she was touching me. She jerked her hand back. “Oh… s-sorry,” she mumbled, staggering back a step, her balance tipping.

I reached to catch her, but Tristan was already there. “I’ve got her. Thanks.” He led her over to a padded chair and helped lower her into it.

There was only one chair left, so Silas sat down and pulled me onto his lap. We weren’t the only couple doubling up. Isaac smiled shyly at me from across the table. He seemed younger now, softer than how he’d looked yesterday, all teeth and claws and splattered blood. He was still too thin, ribs protruding, but I found it astounding how much healthier he looked. Whether it was intentional or just because he didn’t feel comfortable in clothes after so long, Isaac was shirtless, showing off his matching mating marks, one on either side of his neck. His smaller omega was curled up in his lap, mostly still asleep, while the older beta stood behind Isaac’s chair leaning against the wall, lazily running callused fingers through Isaac’s hair. The three of them seemed a good match, despite the age difference.

I was surprised to see Pacey was still here, and even more surprised when he moved to stand behind Silas, just off his right side. When I looked up at him in question, he just offered me a good-natured wink.

Mismatched ceramic mugs of coffee were passed around, all different shapes, sizes, and colors. It looked like someone had bought out the kitchen section of a second-hand store. Silas’s mug said: Shuh Da Fuh Cup. Mine said: #1 Dad. I laughed, loving the total randomness of it all. But taking my first sip of the strong brew, there was a strange bubbling sensation inside me, like my wolf was amused too for some reason, but as hard as it was to pinpoint, it felt like I was on the outside of an inside joke.

What’s so funny? I tried asking him, angling the thought inward. I’d never really intentionally tried to interact with the wolf in my head before, but I figured it was worth a shot. While I was pretty sure he’d heard me, he clearly wasn’t ready to let me in on the joke.

Once everyone had a warm drink in hand, Shan stood, and all the noisy chatter died down.

Their leader looked somber, his arms crossed over his chest. “I know it will come as no surprise to hear that danger is coming. It’s not the first time, and it probably won’t be the last. We knew going after the lab would be like waving a red flag in front of a bull, but we did it anyway. We made the decision with our eyes wide open. The risk was worth the gain.” He looked around the room, gaze pausing on Amelia, Isaac, and then finally, me. All attention was on him, the air rippling with an undercurrent of anxious tension. Shan sighed, his shoulders dropping a fraction. “I don’t think we can stay here.”

Several voices burst out at once, all arguments to what he’d said, but he held his hand up and waited for quiet. “I know. We’ve withstood everything before, but this is bigger than we can handle. We may have temporarily disabled them, but they know exactly where we are, and there is no doubt that they will come for us, armed to the teeth. The camp is not easily defended. Last time we lost Mary. I refuse to take the risk again.”

Shan opened up the floor to suggestions. And while there seemed to be some conflict over the where, the one thing everyone could agree on was that the children needed to be somewhere far, far away.

“We’ll take them,” Joe said, setting his hand around Jesse’s waist, sharing a look with his mate. “We’ve got the resources to keep them safe. We won’t let anything happen to them.”

Once that was decided, other ideas started to get thrown around. “Why don’t we just take to the woods?” Isaac asked.

Tristan shook his head. “Because they’ll just burn the entire forest to the ground to flush us out. Been there, done that.”

Vesta raised a hand. “I could perhaps concoct a spell that hides our presence from humans.”

Morgan, however, said, “But where would that leave me?”

Jude opened his mouth, probably to suggest Morgan could go with the kids, but the spunky human wasn’t hearing any of it. “Last time we were separated, look what happened! Forget it.” He huffed. “Besides, they had Carter brainwashed to work for them. What’s to say they don’t have other shifters under their employ . Blocking only humans won’t guarantee anything.”

While part of me wanted to be offended by his offhand mention of my trauma, I couldn’t discount his logic. We had to be prepared for anything.

Silas sighed, a ripple of resignation washing through the link. “We could go to Overlands,” he said quietly, as if hoping no one else could hear him.

The murmurs died down as we waited for someone to say it was a bad idea, but when no complaint came, Shan said, “It could work. Do you think your pack will go for it?”

Pacey snorted. “They have no say in it. If our Alpha makes it a command, they will obey.”

That statement had more than a few mouths turning down at the corners. Silas didn’t much care for the statement either, judging by the way his grip on me tightened, but he didn’t say anything further.

Just like that, a plan of action in place, the entire pack got to work. Joe and Jesse loaded the kids up in two vehicles—the one they’d arrived in, plus one they borrowed from the pack. There were plenty of tears from the younger kids, but Malachi put on a brave face, wrapping his arm around their shoulders. Andy remained stoic as Amelia crouched before him and promised him he would be safe. I noticed she made no such promises about herself.

The hardest farewell to watch was that of a young boy named Pax. Silent tears tracked down his face as he stood in front of Vesta. The elderly matriarch had knelt right there in the grass with the aid of her walking stick, and she took his face between her palms and rested her forehead on his. Neither of them said a word, but I could feel a world of communication pass between them.

Jesse hugged the others, one by one, before he came to stand before me, his hands clasped in front of him. “Please be careful,” he whispered.

“I will.” I could tell he wanted to hug me, and even though I wasn’t sure I was ready for it, it made me immeasurably sad to think of a father saying a final farewell to his children. So, I stepped up to him and tentatively opened my arms.

He kept it short, for my sake, but his eyes were glassy when he pulled back. “Thank you.” He wiped at his eyes and turned away before I could say another word.

The adults managed to keep their emotions under wraps until after they’d watched the vehicles disappear into the trees. The sun was fully up now, but there was still an unnatural chill to the air. I didn’t like the way it seemed to sink into my bones.

“All right, everybody. Let’s get a move on!” Shan clapped his hands, trying to instill some kind of energy into the others, but there was a pall over the group. Even though I didn’t have any children of my own, I felt it too. It took me a moment to put a name to it. Dread, unlike anything I’d felt before.

Something was coming.

“We need to move fast,” Tristan said, peeling his shirt off, “and we don’t have enough vehicles for everyone, so… I guess we’ll meet you there.” He slapped Silas’s shoulder and gave me a cheeky smile, before he dropped his pants and shifted seamlessly into a white wolf.

I stood there, gaping, as he loped into the woods with a light step. I was so busy watching him that I didn’t even see his mate shift. When I turned, there was a neatly folded stack of clothes and a lithe black panther. Dylan padded over and licked the back of my hand with his sandpaper tongue before he followed Tristan into the trees.

Even though I was logically aware that I wasn’t fully human, I still felt like I should’ve been afraid standing here surrounded by an entire pack of predators. I wasn’t, though. It felt almost like coming home.

Pure jealousy reared its head when I watched Isaac shift like it was second nature, sloughing off the years of captivity like it was nothing. He gave an excited yip, chasing his mates and nipping at their heels like it was some kind of game.

“Will I ever have control over my wolf like that?” I asked Silas as we watched the others disappear.

“Yes,” he said without hesitation. I took comfort in the certainty I felt coming off him. My wolf, too, seemed to believe it was true.

Silas leaned in and kissed the side of my head. “Come on, we’d better get on the road. I need to get there before the rest of them. Don’t want my pack thinking they’re being invaded.”

We climbed into the truck, Pacey helping Vesta into the back before climbing in beside her, and as we pulled down the road, I looked over my shoulder at the camp we were leaving behind. I hoped we could return one day. This was their home, and yet they hadn’t hesitated to give it up for me and my siblings.

It wasn’t a long drive once we got back to the highway. Through the blurred landscape, I swore I could see flashes of gray and white and black fur through the trees. The wolves might’ve been supernaturally fast, but the truck was faster.

Silas eased off the gas as we came to a town. It wasn’t very large, not even by Grim Wilds’ camp standards. The highway cut through the center of town, with smaller roads bisecting it, leading to residential areas. The main stretch was lined with businesses—a grocery store, a laundromat, a gas station, a pizza place. And while it was pretty plain, no decorations or statues or much personality of any kind, I couldn’t help but think that the place had potential.

“Sorry about this,” Silas said with a sigh as he pulled into a parking lot of a community center and turned off the engine. “You might want to cover your ears.” Then he set his palm on the middle of the steering wheel and laid on the horn. He held it for a good ten seconds, and my ears rang in the sudden silence afterward. “There, that should get their attention,” he said with a smirk as he hopped out.

I wasn’t sure quite what to expect, but soon enough, I saw movement from the house closest to the right. A gruff-looking alpha stepped out of his house, his upper lip curled in a sneer. “Look who decided to show up,” he snarled as he walked across the small strip of grass to the concrete parking pad. “I was starting to hope you’d abandoned us.”

“Watch your mouth, Samson,” Pacey snapped as he helped Vesta down from the truck, surprisingly gentle with her for such a big man. “That’s your Alpha you’re talking to.”

“Barely,” Samson growled back.

Silas plastered a tight smile on his face, but otherwise, didn’t show any sign that the man’s attitude bothered him. “Nice to be back. I have some news, so I need everyone in the gym.” He turned in a circle and raised his voice to address the others who had begun to trickle from their homes. “The Grim Wilds pack are on their way. I invited them, so I’ll remind everyone that they are to be treated as guests.”

“Oh goody,” Samson muttered. “Because they were such a joy the last time they were here.” He bumped Silas’s shoulder on the way into the building.

I saw a few more frowns, but more than that, I saw a lot of relieved expressions, mostly from omegas. A few welcomed Silas personally, and he addressed them each by name, asking after their children or mates. I wasn’t familiar with pack dynamics—after a life in a lab, I wouldn’t have been able to measure what was going on even if I could control my shift—so I turned to Pacey who was watching over Silas with a wary eye.

“What’s with them?” I asked as quietly as I could.

Pacey looked to see where my gaze was following Samson’s retreating back with a couple of his buddies. “The old Alpha chose to run things differently, and there are still a few who preferred things the old way. Change is hard.”

We stood outside until most of the town had gone inside. Shan and the others came down the street as a group, and I wondered if they had intentionally waited, watching from the trees to see how things would go down. I was surprised to see them dressed.

“Hope you don’t mind, we stopped by your place and borrowed some clothes.” Tristan smirked, plucking at a well-worn t-shirt.

Silas narrowed his eyes. “That’s my favorite shirt,” he griped.

“I’ll be careful with it—unless, of course, it can’t handle my massive muscles.” He flexed, and the soft fabric stretched dangerously taut.

Dylan flicked his ear. “Play nice,” he scolded.

Inside the small gymnasium, the air was hot and sticky with this many warm bodies crammed into the space. Silas grabbed a plastic crate from the office and turned it upside down to stand on it, lifting his head above the crowd. “Can I get everyone’s attention?”

I swore Samson and his group of shit-disturbers spoke louder just to make a point. Pacey stuck two fingers in his mouth and gave a shrill whistle. “Shut your yaps! Your Alpha is speaking,” he shouted.

While everyone settled, although grudgingly, I saw a few smirks from others at the alphas being taken down a peg.

Silas nodded to Pacey in thanks and turned to look over the crowd. “I have invited Shan and his pack to stay with us.”

“For how long?” someone shouted from the back.

A muscle ticked in Silas’s jaw, his eyes fiery, but otherwise, he was a picture of calm. “For as long as they need,” he said in an even tone.

Samson snorted, tilting his chin up in defiance. “You think you can just open our doors and let in the riffraff, while they eat our food, drain our resources?”

“I let you stay, don’t I?” Silas arched an eyebrow, clenching his hands at his sides to hide his claws, and my own palms pricked in reply.

Samson’s nostrils flared, no doubt picking up the change in the air. We could all feel it. Others shifted nervously, a few of them backing away from Samson to show they weren’t with him. He was treading on dangerous ground, but I knew he wouldn’t back down. He was the type of man to keep pushing, testing his boundaries. “You’re going to bring doom on us all,” he muttered.

Silas stepped down from the crate and walked slowly over to stand in front of Samson, far too close for the man to be comfortable. I saw the bob of his Adam’s apple as he gulped.

“They are our friends and allies, and they need our help. For no other reason than that, we will provide it.” Silas got impossibly closer, their bodies nearly touching. “Unless… you think you can do better? Are you saying you want to fight me for leadership?” He stared at Samson with the weight of his status as Alpha bearing down on him until he was forced to lower his eyes.

“No, Alpha,” Samson spat, resentment coming off him in waves.

Silas waited another moment before he stepped back and took his place on the crate again. “For too long, we were ruled by fear and anger—but that stops here. I refuse to let my pack fester in that cesspit of misery any longer. I refuse to be selfish and self-centered. That’s not what pack means. Pack means strength and unity, prosperity. It means family . And I for one, want to be someone my mother would’ve been proud of.” He paused, looking over the crowd of upturned faces. “And if you don’t agree with me, then get the fuck out! There’s the door.” He pointed at the exit behind him, his chest heaving. “Go home and pack your shit. This will be your only chance to leave. I won’t stop you. But if you stay, you will agree to follow my rules. And if you don’t… then I’ll fucking kill you.” He said it to the crowd, but he was staring straight at Samson as he said it.

Samson’s upper lip curled, and he elbowed the man beside him, gesturing with a jerk of his head to follow. A total of four alphas left. While Silas remained firm on the outside, glowering as if daring someone to stand against him, through the mating bond I felt his doubt. Considering we were potentially headed into a war, it might not have been ideal to lose strong fighters, but if anyone second-guessed if that was the right decision, they didn’t say anything. And as soon as the door closed on the last of them, I swore I heard a collective sigh of relief.

“Thank gods,” an omega whispered off to my right.

I was so incredibly proud of my mate for standing up to those bullies, for helping to make this town a better place.

Silas nodded once. “Good. Now for the rest of you, please show our guests some hospitality. They’ll need food, clothes, a place to stay. And be ready for anything. Anyone with kids, go and see Pacey and he’ll give you an address of somewhere safe.”

While the mood seemed overall light as the pack filtered back out, heading to their homes, Silas remained closed off. He shook a few hands and accepted congratulations on his mating. People came to introduce themselves to me, too many of them wanting to touch me in some way, but I remembered what Silas had said about touch having to do with scent, about claiming ownership. This pack—Silas’s pack—was claiming me in their own way. I belonged to them now, and the thought sent a ripple of warmth through me.

Shan and the others were led away with the promise of lunch. When I went to follow, though, Silas stopped me. He snaked an arm around my waist and dragged me in, burrowing his nose in the crook of my neck. “Come home with me,” he whispered raggedly.

“Okay.” I was curious to see where he lived, but more so, I wanted a chance to talk with him alone. The tether was writhing with a tangle of emotions, not all of them good.

Silas’s home was… well, adorable. It was an old log-cabin style, the wood floors golden and worn with generations of use. Embroidered curtains faded by the sun, throw cushions on a deep sofa, and the kitchen appliances an outdated olive green. The air smelled stale, since he hadn’t been here in months, but there were signs everywhere that it was his. Silas stood just inside the door, watching me as I took it all in.

I walked up to a framed picture hanging on the wall. A young boy who could only be Silas was grinning wide, wrapped in a woman’s arms. “Is this your mother? Her name was Kristen, right?” I asked, and he nodded shyly. “She’s beautiful.” The same copper hair, the same emerald eyes, though her smile seemed to contain a deep sadness.

When I turned back, Silas still hadn’t moved. “Why are you standing way over there?” I asked, my eyes darting to the door. “You’re not leaving, are you?”

“Only if you want me to,” he said, his face a careful mask.

“Why would I want you to leave? We just got here,” I asked, frowning as I closed the distance between us. When I got close, though, there was an uncomfortable buzzing through the mating link, and I stopped.

“I don’t even know why you love me,” he said, his gaze lowering to the floor, his shoulders drooping. “I wouldn’t blame you if you changed your mind after seeing me like that. Seeing the way they looked at me. This is why I wanted Shan to take me in. Here, I’m nothing but a failure, a villain, and you deserve better than that. You should be surrounded by your family.” He rubbed a hand over his face, looking dejected. “If you want, Vesta can sever the mating link. She’s done it before. You can move on from this.”

What the fuck was he talking about?

“You’re not a villain.” He wasn’t listening, though, already closing himself off. I put myself right in front of him, cornering him, giving him nowhere else to look but at me. “You’re not the bad guy!” I repeated forcefully. “These people need someone to guide them. They need someone who will make hard choices for their safety, instead of trying to win a popularity contest. Do you think anybody wanted to live with those assholes? No! Your pack was glad to see them go.”

Silas tried to shift away, but I cupped his face and drew him back, staring deep into his eyes. “I am proud to be your mate, and I choose to live with you, no matter where you are. You’re my family now.”

A single tear spilled over and dripped down his cheek. “I was trying to run away. I was scared to make changes, to piss people off, and it was so much easier to run off to live with Grim Wilds. But since I left, I’ve learned a lot about myself—and about others—and when I was standing up there in front of my pack, I got so angry . My whole life I’ve seen people being taken advantage of—my mother, the omegas in my pack, you and the other shifters at the lab. I needed to put my foot down. I’m sorry, I should’ve talked to you first.”

I chuckled, kissing away his tears. “No, you did exactly what I would’ve done, though perhaps with a few extra swears. You kept everyone safe.” I kissed him lightly. “I love you, Silas, and if anything, that little speech made me love you even more.”

Silas dropped his forehead to mine. “I love you so much.”

There was a faint shout in the distance, then another, and Silas leaned back and tilted his head, trying to make out the words. A long, low howl joined in the chorus, undulating with meaning I hadn’t learned to interpret. My wolf knew, though.

Danger , he said.

My skin crawled in warning. We were too late. “He’s here.”