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SILAS
FIVE MONTHS, TWENTY-SIX DAYS, AND THIRTEEN AND A HALF HOURS AGO
“ J AIME! Jaime, open up!”
Silas screeched to a halt, all four legs tangling and jumbling together as he tripped over himself and rolled, crashing through the forest undergrowth and tumbling into a tree.
GOBACKGOBACKGOBACK!
HE’S THERE!
WE FOUND HIM!
GO BACK!
Panting, he stood and shook the dirt and leaves from his coat.
He’d heard the shouting from a long way off, farther than sound usually carried through the thick vegetation. He’d been running the perimeter of his house while staying well out of earshot of the activities he very much did not want to overhear Jaime and Finn getting up to the night before.
When he’d left them after dinner, it’d been clear they’d both finally pulled their heads out of their asses and opened their eyes to how much they wanted each other.
Silas hadn’t been able to get out fast enough; the smell in the kitchen alone would haunt him.
GO BACK!
GO BACK!
GO BACK!
He turned and followed the sound of those shouts.
He knew that voice. He’d heard it a few days ago over the phone, yes, but it was more than that. In person, it struck him deeper, kicked him in the diaphragm right as he was about to take a breath, demanding his full attention.
The sound of those shouts yanked on a cord tied to his ribs and made his wolf whine and snarl and claw to be set free. Yet, it also soothed his aching and weary soul in a way he hadn’t known he’d needed.
That voice said, this way, to me, you know what direction you should run in now. No more wandering. To me! To me!
Spurned on by the overwhelming need to see the person that voice belonged to, to see him again, because it was so familiar it couldn’t be the first time they’d met , Silas ran faster than he’d ever run before.
Flashes of memory, fuzzy and distant, burst through his mind.
What should we read next?
I wish I could fly way up high to see everything!
His wolf spurred him on, aching to go faster.
Finally back at the house, he shoved through the door.
Upstairs. He’s upstairs, go! Go!
More than one person’s voice rang out, startled and angry.
Shifting out of his wolf form, Silas tripped up the stairs as he threw on a pair of pants and a sweatshirt, not even pausing to properly get his legs through the foot holes first.
Oursoursoursoursours.
He paced down the hall, drawn in by the sound of that voice like a homing pigeon. It was his . He knew that. Silas could forget his own name and still know he belonged to the speaker of that husky, low timbre.
The scent of crackling embers and toasted marshmallows clogged his throat. It conjured images of him as a boy, so much smaller than he was now, wandering through tall wooden shelves filled with books. An illustration of a red fox flashed through his mind, along with the sight of a small boy sitting cross-legged on a rainbow-colored carpet.
Silas rounded the corner of Finn’s bedroom door. Like something he’d forgotten, only to remember hours later, oh yes, that’s right, it’s you, his mate stood before him.
A stranger, yes, but also not.
The person Silas had been looking for his whole life.
What’s your name? Can we be friends?
Sure! I’m Sammy. What’s yours?
Words bubbled up on the tip of Silas’ tongue, ready to spill out.
Hi, my name is Silas and you’re my mate and I remember you, do you remember me? You were my very first friend. Do you still want to learn to fly? I know we don’t know each other yet but you smell like toasted marshmallows, they’re my favorite, so maybe I can chop us some wood and build you a warm fire and then I’ll give you everything you’ve ever wanted.
Before he could voice them, though, Jaime, standing next to Finn , hit Silas’ mate in the face.
Silas jolted forward. Mate is hurt!
Somehow, he had the wherewithal to know if he growled at Jaime, Finn would throw him through the wall and then feel really bad about it, so he held it back. Stepping in front of his mate to block him from the danger, Silas tipped his face up— he’s so short! Perfect for wrapping up to keep warm —to check and see if anything was broken.
His nose looked unhurt, straight, and dusted with freckles that disappeared into his strawberry blonde stubble, a shade lighter than his fox-colored hair. Shockingly green eyes narrowed at Silas when he tipped his face side to side, watching the flush from the hit bloom on his cheekbone.
He’s beautiful.
By the way his mate was looking at him, though, Silas knew one wrong move, and he'd also chuck him through the wall.
Only he didn’t look like he’d feel bad about it.
Hot.
Time seemed to stop while Silas fully took him in, the most gorgeous man he’d ever seen.
Matematematematemate.
Sammy.
Home.
Yes, he’d finally found his way home.