SILAS Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. I was completely screwed. Riley had finally fallen asleep, his eyes swollen and red after pouring his heart out. “If I found them, I’d rip their throats out,” he’d said, and I couldn’t shake the words from my head. All I could think about was that day. I was the kid. I was there when his mother was killed—by my parents. My hands trembled as I shoved them into my hair, pulling at the roots to stay grounded. Was this a coincidence? Or was fate just playing a sick joke, trying to screw me over? I glanced back at Riley, his body restless even in sleep. When he shifted and mumbled something incoherent, my chest tightened. My gut twisted so hard it felt like it was trying to crawl up my throat. I tore my gaze away, jaw clenching, and pushed myself to my feet. Barefoot and silent, I slipped out of the room. What the hell would he do if he knew? If he found out he was in the house of the people who killed his mother? Sleeping in the bed—hell, slee
SILAS The sound of the bulbs humming had me raising my head up. The lights flickered once, twice, and then died and then faint darkness filled the kitchen . Riley’s head snapped toward me, his hazel eyes glowing faintly in the dim light from the setting sun outside. “What just happened?” My hand reached for the flashlight off the counter and clicked it on, casting a beam of light around the kitchen. “Solar must’ve crapped out. Battery’s been running low for some days. I’ll need to head into town and get a replacement.” Riley shifted on the stool, his arms crossing over his chest. “I’ll come with you.” I shook my head before he could even finish the thought. “No. It’s late, and you need to sleep. I’ll be back before you know it.” “Silas—” “You’ve got Scout,” I cut in, already walking toward the couch to grab my jacket. “And it’s a quick trip. You stay here, get some rest. You’ve been through enough.” I heard the soft scrape of the stool as he stood, then felt his p
RILEYFuck. My head was pounding like a jackhammer, each pulse crashing against my skull. I groaned, trying to sit up, but every muscle in my body screamed in protest. What the hell happened? I forced my eyes open, blinking against the dim light. The smell hit me first—cigarettes, gasoline, and something else. Something human, but unfamiliar. I wasn’t home. I was in the back seat of a car—a moving car. Then it slammed into me. **Five hours ago.** A knock echoed through the quiet house. I froze mid-step, a chill running down my spine. Something felt off. “Silas, I know you’re in there. You can’t keep running from me.” The voice wasn’t Silas’s. It was deeper, older, and laced with a Southern drawl. Chicago? Maybe. But whoever it was, they didn’t belong here. My fingers hovered over the key. Every instinct I had screamed at me not to open that door. Scout barked, his sharp yelp cutting through the silence. Another heavy knock rattled the door. “I hear the dog. Open up, so
SILASThe piece of shit died before I made it out of town.I threw the door open and slammed it shut, my hand gripping the edge until my knuckles turned white. “Fuck!” The roar echoed into the night, my voice raw and frayed. I kicked the front tire hard enough to send a jolt straight up my leg, but the pain wasn’t enough. Not even close.Riley was gone. Taken.By him.Orin didn’t just hunt werewolves. He made a sport of it—stalking them, breaking them, killing them. And he’d gotten Riley. My gut twisted at the thought. I squeezed my eyes shut, fingers digging into my scalp as I yanked at my hair.He was already dead. He had to be.My chest burned, and it felt crushing, suffocating. The sharp bite of cold air did nothing to clear my head.I didn’t have time to fall apart.A faint glow appeared on the road ahead, headlights cutting through the dark. I pushed off the hood and stumbled forward, waving my arms, praying to whatever god gave a damn that this car would stop.The tires crunche
RILEYOrin—whatever the hell his name is—is insane.The words rang out of me, anger burning through the thought. I jerked against the chains, the metal rattling as I strained forward, glaring at the man’s back."You’re doing all this because your nephew likes men?" I spat, disbelief thick in my voice. The more I said it, the more absurd it sounded.Before I could even process it, Orin moved. Fast. Too fast. His hand cracked across my face, the sting of it immediate, the metallic taste of blood coating my tongue."Shut your filthy mouth, you animal!" he growled, his voice vibrating with a fury that sent a shiver down my spine. His eyes flashed red—bright, terrifyingly inhuman.I tried to back away, but the chains dug in, holding me there. My heart slammed against my ribs. "You’re not… normal," I whispered, every breath a struggle.But he smelled normal. Human.Orin exhaled slowly, his fingers raking through his salt-and-pepper hair, the lines around his eyes tightening as he grinned—a
SILAS"Yes! Yes, that’s it, my boy. Family—family always comes first." Orin’s grin stretched wide, his eyes gleaming with twisted happiness. I swallowed hard, my gaze shifting to Riley. The hollow look in his eyes—fuck. It was a gut punch. His lips parted, trembling, and his eyes shimmered with unshed tears. I couldn’t stand it. Christ, I couldn’t. "I do this, Uncle, and you never hold me here again. Right?" My voice was low, tight with barely contained rage. Orin clicked his tongue, his face lighting up like he’d won the damn lottery. "Yes, yes. Continue our legacy. Never look at a man again, and this will be the last time." He stepped closer, his breath hot against my skin. My fingers twitched. I sucked in a sharp breath and nodded. "Last time." Orin shoved the gun into my hand. I felt the weight of the metal settle in my palm. Cold. Heavy. I lifted my eyes to Riley, who looked at me like he didn’t know me. "Silas?" he whispered. My chest tightened painfully. His voice
RILEYThe water had gone cold at least fifteen minutes ago, but I stayed under it, hoping it could numb the anger burning under my skin. Silas knew what he was—what his family was—even after I’d told him how my mother died at the hands of werewolf hunters.I ran a hand over the back of my neck, my muscles tense. Was he telling the truth? He’d sworn his parents weren’t the ones who killed her. I couldn’t smell a lie. He had to be telling the truth...right?A knock on the door had me snapping out of my thoughts. “Riley.” His voice, low and muffled.I shut off the water and grabbed a towel, wrapping it around my waist. My heart thudded as I unlocked the door.There he was, standing in nothing but a pair of low-slung jeans, his chest bare and damp from his earlier shower. His dark hair clung to his neck, and those grey eyes locked onto me like they could see through me.I stepped aside without a word, heading for the bed where fresh clothes were laid out. The shirt was light blue, too big
SILASFive hours. Five long, silent hours. Riley hadn’t said a damn word since we left the hotel. He just sat there, staring out the window like the passing trees were the most fascinating thing in the world. Meanwhile, I was losing my mind. My fingers drummed against the steering wheel, the rhythm steady, controlled. Everything I wasn’t. I turned my eyes to him. “You good?” Nothing. He didn’t even blink, just kept staring straight ahead. Tension crawled up my spine, settling in my shoulders. I tightened my grip on the wheel. “You gonna talk to me or keep pretending I don’t exist?” Finally, he shifted, leaning back into the seat. His eyes were dark, his expression grim. “Did I hurt you?” I asked, softer this time. He sighed, dragging a hand through his hair, messing it up even more. “Considering you went at it all night…” His gaze flicked to mine. “Yeah, my ass hurts.” A grin pulled at my mouth. “No lube,” I said. “What did you expect?” His eyes narrowed, but there w
SILAS“Do you think he’s coming?” Ronan asked as I paced back and forth across the living room.“He’ll come,” I muttered for what had to be the hundredth time.Two days. It had been two days since Riley’s heat had passed, and we finally left the house to find Ronan missing. His scent lingered faintly in the pack’s territory, but I’d scoured every inch, every crack, every shadow, and there was no sign of him.And that was when the worry began to creep in.I couldn’t stop thinking about Liam—about how I’d caught him watching us that night. About the way he watched me. I’d wanted to prove him wrong, show him I didn’t need him or his mate bond. Not when I had Riley.But now, regret curled in my gut. What if I’d pushed him too far? What if my pettiness, my anger, had driven him to do something to hurt me? What if he had hurt Ronan?The sound of footsteps on the porch dragged me out of my thoughts. I rushed to the door and yanked it open, relief flooding me for a split second when I saw Ron
UNKNOWN POVI could’ve left. Should’ve, honestly. But I stayed. Watched them. Watched him.My wolf clawed beneath my skin, restless and desperate, demanding something I refused to give it. Silas. That man—a thorn in my side, a stain on my existence. A goddamn inconvenience.And yet, I couldn’t stop watching him. The tension, the chaos. It pulled me in like a sickness I didn’t want cured.“I want to reject you as my mate,” Riley said, and my brows shot up, surprised despite myself.It was unexpected. Beautiful, even. Riley, the ever-loyal shadow, the one who clung to Marcus like a parasite, willing to endure anything just to remain by his side. For him to say something like that? It was unthinkable.Marcus didn’t take it well. The shift was immediate—anger rippling through the air so thick it could suffocate. Anyone within reach of him could feel it, taste it, choke on it.The fight came fast as expected. Words sharp as claws, tearing into each other until there was nothing left but wo
SILASThe full moon hung high in the sky, bathing the forest in silver light. Tonight was the pack run, and while everyone else seemed eager, all I could think about was Ronan. Since I’d found him, he’d been calm to the point of indifference—aloof, even—but lately, cracks had started to show. When I asked him if something was wrong, he’d brush it off with a curt *I’m fine,* but I wasn’t so sure. “Silas,” Riley’s voice cut through the hum of chatter. He pushed past the gathered wolves,m until he stopped in front of me. I straightened, pushing off the tree I’d been leaning against. “Where’s Ronan?” Riley asked, glancing around the clearing. I clenched my jaw, feeling slightly frustrated. I’d asked him over and over to join the run, but his answer never changed. No. He hated how he looked when he shifted, and no matter what I said, he wouldn’t budge. Eventually, I’d had to respect his decision. I clenched my jaw and shook my head. “He’s not coming,” I said, trying to keep my
RILEY“I can’t believe Liam fucking escaped,” Marcus said, pacing across the room. His voice was loud, his movements jerky, but I stayed where I was—leaning against the wall, arms folded. Watching. He turned, his expression softening as his eyes landed on me. “You must be scared,” he murmured, stepping closer and resting a hand on my arm. But I wasn’t scared. Not about that, anyway. Liam’s escape was the least of my worries. The real problem was standing in front of me. I didn’t know how to tell him. How to make him understand that things weren’t the same anymore, that my heart didn’t belong to him now—it belonged to Silas. Marcus sighed, his jaw tightening. “I even asked him to stay, but he fucking refused. He’d rather risk being hunted than join a pack that could protect him.” I frowned, pulling away slightly. “Who?” “Silas,” Marcus said, his voice quiet but hard, his hand gripping my shoulder like he could pin me in place. “Make him stay, Riley. Him and Ronan. They ca
SILAS“Talk,” Marcus growled, his voice low and sharp. I stayed where I was, leaning back in my seat in a tree, arms folded as I kept my glare locked on the man tied to the tree. “I’d be dead either way,” the man said with a twisted grin, blood smearing his teeth. His words only seemed to irritate Marcus further. Marcus crouched, his massive frame closing the distance between them until their faces were inches apart. “You will m be dead either way if you don’t talk,” he said, his voice dropping to a lethal whisper. “And it’ll be the worst fucking way imaginable.” His hand shot out, gripping the man’s hair, yanking his head back hard enough to make him wince. “Why the fuck are you in my mountains? Why are you attacking us?” The man hesitated, his eyes darting between us like a cornered animal, before a weary sigh escaped his lips. “We were looking for you,” he said. The words had my entire body locking up. My muscles tensed as I straightened in my seat, my attention fully focus
RILEY“Riley, sleep. I’ll keep watch.” I shook my head, my focus locked on the stretch of darkness beyond the fire. My back stayed pressed to the tree, every muscle tense as I listened for the faintest sound. There was no way I was letting my guard down. Not with those rogues out there. “I’m good,” I said, dragging a hand over my face. Marcus didn’t say anything at first. Then I heard him move. He stepped closer, and before I could stop him, he draped a thick blanket over my shoulders. He didn’t stop there—he settled beside me, his body warm against mine. I didn’t push him away. But maybe I should have. Because when I glanced up, I saw them—Silas, sitting just beyond the fire. His blue eyes locked on us, watching, jaw clenched. His gaze was like a punch to my chest, and no matter how hard I tried to look away, I couldn’t. Marcus shifted closer, pressing his nose against my neck. His breath was warm on my skin, and sparks flickered to life under his touch. They used to
RILEYThe scream ripped from my throat before I could stop it, the sound tearing through the cold air. The wolf lunged toward me in a blur of brow fur.I’d been too focused on Silas—on checking to make sure he wasn’t hurt—to notice the other wolf stalking me.It came fast, too fast, and I barely managed to jump to the side in time. My boots sank into the snow, the ground dragging me down. I cursed as I stumbled back, a sharp pain shot through my ribs when I hit the frozen earth.Before I could recover, it charged again. But this time, I was ready. My claws shot out, deadly, and a low, guttural growl rolled from my chest as the wolf leapt at me. From where I lay, I thrust my arm upward, slamming my clawed hand into its neck. Warm blood spilled over my fingers, staining me and the snow red as the massive creature collapsed beside me.“Fuck,” I muttered, rolling its heavy body off me with a groan. My chest heaved as I laid flat on my back, the icy cold seeping through my clothes.For a m
SILAS“Can I at least put on my pants?” Riley asked, his brows knitting together as he reached for the jeans on the floor.I tightened my grip around his ankle, pulling him closer by the good leg, refusing to let him escape. “No. Let’s talk first.” My voice was stronger than I felt, even as my pulse hammered like a drum. Because somehow, as fucked up as this was—being stuck here, in this cave, with no one but him—I was grateful. Grateful for the fall, the attack, all of it. Grateful to finally have him. Alone.Our faces were so close now that I could feel the heat of his breath against my lips. His heart pounded fast and wild, mirroring mine, and for one brief second, I swore I saw the words forming in his mind.We can’t.But I didn’t want that. Christ, I didn’t want that. What I wanted—what I needed—was for him to look at me the way he used to. Like I was everything. Like I wasn’t just… there. Like Marcus had never come back to from the dead.But instead of meeting my gaze, his eyes
RILEYThe sun hadn’t even thought about rising when we were moving again, and just like yesterday, the tension hung between us like a loaded gun waiting for someone to pull the trigger. “I can’t smell anything. Are you sure this isn’t a dead lead?” Ronan’s voice cut through the quiet, low and gravelly, and it was the first time I’d heard him talk since we started the hunt. I bit the inside of my cheek because he wasn’t wrong. There was nothing. Just the faint scent of fox and deer buried under layers of snow, and even the occasional wild wolf wasn’t enough to set me on edge. If the rogues had passed through here, we would’ve known. Their foul stench should’ve been clinging to every frozen surface, lingering in the air like a warning. But there was nothing. “Two pack members were hit. They saw them,” Marcus said, his words clipped as he pushed forward, his shoulders tense and I could tell even he was feeling frustrated already. The snow only got deeper, more unforgiving, but he d