Page 14

Silas

Some Weeks Later

“Can you ensure that when Jup gets in, you relay all this information, Wilder? I need him up to speed, we’re cutting it fine with finalizing all the requirements for fashion week.”

Wilder’s little nose wrinkled while he nodded.

Silas didn’t share that he was going to kick Jupiter’s ass for the no show.

There was something going on with him. Silas tried not to dwell on the timing of the issues at the factory in Drinkwater.

The oppression of divergent workers affected them all, but Jupiter…

it hurt him the most. Only their parents, Booker and him, knew Jupiter’s back story, and therefore why he would be so badly affected. It was a closely guarded secret.

The sound of an angry voice filtered through Silas’s office door. His gaze shot to the door as he recognized who was growling. What the hell was wrong with Booker now?

A second later, the door burst open and Booker came in, looking fit to commit murder. Silas had seen him like this on more than one occasion, but it gave him a jolt because it never happened at work. What the fuck!

Booker came to an abrupt halt at the sight of Wilder.

Silas’s eyes narrowed on his brother. “Whatsup?”

“Wilder, get out,” Booker growled impatiently, a light in his eye that suggested arguing with him would not go well for anyone in the room.

Wilder gave Booker a wide-eyed stare before looking at Silas with worry.

This was not good. “If you wouldn’t mind leaving us, Wilder? We can finish up later.” Silas didn’t look away from Booker as he frowned.

“Erm… yeah… okay… but there’s a deadline of five pm to submit the electronic application if we want to secure the date we want for that venue,” Wilder stuttered, grabbing everything he’d brought with him.

He clutched them to his chest like a barrier as he moved around the desk and skirted past Booker like he would attack at any moment.

If Silas was right, then Wilder wasn’t wrong. Booker was furious.

“It’s fine, I’ll do it,” Silas muttered, needing Wilder to leave before Booker shifted. Again, the possibility of that happening at work had never happened before, making this even more stressful.

Silas wracked his brains as to what they had on their plate that could induce this kind of fury. Was it connected to the fiasco in Drinkwater?

Booker didn’t sit, choosing instead to pace to the window, revealing his agitation.

“If you’re sure,” Wilder said hesitantly, appearing reluctant to leave Silas alone with the angry bear.

“Yes. Go for now and maybe catch up with Ziggy? Ask where he filed the paperwork for Cresta.”

Booker snarled ominously, swinging back around, and there was the furious bear fighting to escape.

Up and out of his seat, Silas demanded, “Wilder, leave now!”

He was across the room before Wilder had the common sense to hightail it out of the office. “Breathe Booker, come on.” He placed his hands on Booker’s forearms, squeezing, then releasing, using a soothing tone to bring Booker down. “Slow your breathing, that’s it. Match mine,” he cajoled.

They stood facing each other for the longest time as he watched Booker struggle to get himself under control. When Booker finally nodded at Silas, he let go to give him a little room.

“What was that? Fuck Booker, that was close! Who got you so riled up that you were about to go scaring the natives with your big, hairy butt?” Silas went with humor, knowing it always worked best with his brother.

“When did other damn omegas offer to fuck omegas during their heat? When?” he ground out angrily.

What the hell was he talking about?

Silas frowned, his brows touching as he stared at Booker. “I’m lost? Who’s offering to fuck who? And why would that make you and your bear angry?”

They’d hardly had time to catch up since they’d been home, mainly because Silas hated keeping secrets from Booker and he wasn’t ready to talk about Ziggy and what they were doing in the office. Especially after…

Booker stomped around the office as Silas watched him with concern. “Ziggy and Frey!”

His heart absofuckinglutely rolled in his chest as his brain latched on to what Booker was implying. “Stop fucking pacing a minute and explain,” Silas insisted, too pissed to keep a hold on his own growing temper. “What is it with Ziggy and Frey?”

Booker spun to face him and angrily jabbed a finger at him. “Ziggy is fucking Frey.”

Silas felt the blood leave his head and a wave of dizziness swept over him, causing him to stagger back.

“You’re wrong,” he replied in utter disbelief.

There was no way Ziggy would put a rule in about fucking other people and being honest, then fuck Frey.

“Ziggy is no way offering or fucking Frey.” His lips curled into a snarl, the anger now matching Booker’s.

“Little you know!” Booker snapped furiously, clearly spoiling for a fight. “I’ve just heard them talking about it. Frey has his heat soon and Ziggy was talking about going on the internet… googling shit to find ways to make it fucking fun… to fuck Frey.”

As the words registered, Silas lost it and charged at Booker, gripping the front of his shirt, fisting it so tightly the material tore. He didn’t care. An image of Ziggy beneath him, flushed with kiss-swollen lips, dressed in silk, flashed in front of his eyes.

“What’s your fucking issue!” Booker exclaimed, tugging hard enough to bruise Silas’s fingers.

“You’ve got it all wrong,” Silas snarled, right in his face, unable to get himself under control at the devastation Booker’s words were wreaking.

Lies.

Lies.

It was all lies!

All he could hear were his own words circling inside his brain. Just sex. Just fucking. Nothing more. They ran amok through his mind, piling on top of the fury when he was the one who’d insisted on the barrier to protect himself.

How is that working out for you?

Fuck you! Silas screamed in his mind at his wolf side.

“I’ve got fuck all wrong. And if you don’t get your fucking hands off me, you’re gonna see my damn furry ass!”

Silas let go, incensed by the urge to throttle Booker, who staggered back, demanding, “What am I missing here?”

“Nothing!” Silas spat back, his heart hammering so hard it made his ears ring. Just sex.

“Yeah, right?” Booker twisted to the side, digging his fingers into the ripped seam of his shirt. “It sure fucking looks like it.”

Silas’s angry gaze landed on the torn shirt and heat flooded his cheeks at what he’d done because…

No.

No.

No fucking way did he have feelings for Ziggy.

His wolf actually shook its head.

“I’m sorry,” he said in a stiff, formal tone, struggling to hold on and not break apart.

Booker threw up his arms. “Right, whatever. But you better not be fucking interested in Frey!”

Silas shook as Booker stomped out of the office, leaving the door wide open, not looking back. He couldn’t get his legs to move, to walk the few steps and close the door so he could… what? Fall apart? Rant? Kick the fuck out of the furniture? Get to his phone and demand Ziggy explain himself?

What right did he have to do that? What, indeed?

“Is everything alright?” Wendy asked warily from the door, her expression holding a hint of fear.

Inhaling, Silas held the breath in his lungs and counted to five before he released it. He did it twice more before he felt able to speak without snapping. “Booker was upset. Everything is fine now. Could you close the door? Thank you.”

Silas forced himself to head towards his desk, leaving the office now, in his current mood, would not go well for anyone.

He had as much of a temper as Booker when riled.

He had always been the one with more control, which he’d learned from Dad.

Never show what is going on inside when it came to business.

This isn’t business.

Yes… yes, it is. Ziggy works for me, so it most fucking definitely is business.

You’re a damn fool.

It seemed he was, because he trusted Ziggy. Trust he’d given with no conscious thought. What the hell had he been thinking? And he was right back where he’d been the first time. The betrayal cut off the air to his lungs and made his chest ache like he had a ton weight on it.

Why the fuck hadn’t he been honest with me?

Why?