20. Silas
Chapter 20
Silas
T he metronome of Silas’ giant paws hitting the snow-covered ground tied him to the present.
Thud
This way.
Thud
To Mate.
Thud
To Sammy.
His steps weren’t alone, though.
The steady beat of three others joined him; their gait kept pace with him as they flew up the valley pass. He could feel them flanking him on either side, as well as through their shared pack bond.
The connection was clearer and stronger than it’d ever been.
A third link had also joined Finn and Sheppard in his mind; quieter and more muffled than the other two, but there.
Will.
He thundered along next to Finn on Silas’ right, while Sheppard joined him on the left. Later, Silas would have space to consider how much it meant that the doctor had dropped everything to join them in finding Sammy. Later, he’d be able to fully appreciate how much Finn loved him, that he’d leave his mate amid their panic, trusting Buck to keep a watchful eye.
He still couldn’t describe exactly how he knew where Sammy was, just that he knew he needed to get to his parents’ house now.
Right now.
Silas hadn’t been able to push the truck any faster than a crawl once they got halfway up the mountain road, tires churning in the snow, so they’d taken it as far as he could stand before they’d shifted.
Four legs would carry them faster.
Instead of following the road, they’d cut up and over the pass into the valley that cradled his childhood home so they’d end up approaching from the opposite direction.
Thud
Go!
Thud
To Mate!
Thud
GO!
Fear rushed down the mate bond.
Hear me! Find me! Home! Accompanied it; Sammy’s desperation tasted like a greasy penny in his mouth.
Silas hated that he wasn’t there already, hated that he didn’t know what was happening, and yet he craved the messages—allowed them to flood his veins, pushing him faster and faster at the reminder that Sammy was awake and aware enough to call for him.
He released a piercing howl. I’m coming for you , he cried, flying up the pass. Alongside him, the others joined in unison. Together, their song was a warning. A battle cry.
The alpha’s mate had been stolen, and blood would spill for it.
Silas scented the smoke before he saw it. His bones grew heavy with dread when a faint orange glow appeared on the horizon, lighting the way to Sammy.
GOGOGOGOGO.
He couldn’t think about what that orange haze meant. Couldn’t imagine the worst, couldn’t let the fear slow him down. He just needed to keep going.
To Sammy.
To Sammy.
To Sammy.
They tore into the trees that sheltered his parents’ cabin, a place that had always been filled with peace, safety, and love. Terror gripped his heart in a vise when the fire came into view, and he whined at the sight of his childhood home up in flames, stark against the snow-laden ground.
Had his parents escaped?
Were they trapped inside?
Was Sammy trapped with them?
Silas’ feet faltered at the thought of arriving too late; imagining nearly everyone he loved clawing and scraping at those flaming walls, unable to get out because he hadn’t been there to protect them.
Memories of his dad teaching him how to split logs right there on the porch flashed through his mind.
The lullabies his mom had sung to him after he’d woken from a bad dream filled his ears, drowning out the roaring fire.
He remembered one early spring morning not long after they’d moved in, he and Finn had plopped on the living room floor to watch cartoons. Silas was startled when Finn spontaneously shifted into a lanky four-legged wolf pup for the first time, finally comfortable enough in his own skin to let the wolf take over. He’d also shifted, and they’d tore through the house together, growling and yipping, until his mom shooed them out the door where they splashed in the river for the rest of the morning.
Silas thought of Sammy—soft and warm underneath him, smelling of dark chocolate and coal fire while the wind whooshed down the chimney, and how they’d fallen asleep in each other’s arms afterward.
His heart stuttered as those joyful memories blazed and smoldered, disintegrating in a heaping pile along with the rubble.
But through the smoke choking him, he caught a hint of something else. Something that beckoned him forward—a call that was even more important and precious than the memories he watched burn.
Toasted marshmallows.
Family.
Pack.
They were alive. His family was alive, and they needed him.
Bolstered, Silas led the four of them around the house, their tight formation cleaved apart by the roaring fire, splitting into pairs as they closed in.
What did they look like, emerging from the flames on either side like hounds out of hell?
His heart soared when he finally, finally, caught sight of Sammy, standing tall and whole. His parents were there too. The bright glow of the cabin lit up the anger and grief written on all three of their faces.
Each of them was an irreplaceable tether in his soul, and finding them alive and unharmed was a balm to his senses.
Matematemate.
Yes, we found Sammy.
Silas sprinted for them, but his momentary relief bled into sheer panic when he realized who was behind them.
Fully in his wolf form, Cain stood large, ready to pounce on three of the people Silas loved most in this world.
Except they were still facing the fire. Too shocked to turn around, they remained unaware of the horror behind them.
Cain is here! Someone shot down the bond.
Cain!
Cain!
Cain!
Like a warning siren, his uncle’s name bounced around in Silas’ head, focusing him, sharpening his panic into anger, alive and hungry. His senses honed in on one singular task—ensure Cain could never hurt the ones he loved ever again.
Protect mate.
Protect pack.
Protectprotectprotectprotect.
There were other shifters with the encroaching alpha, but at the sight of the Silver Rapids pack they ran, tail tucked between their legs.
Pathetic.
They were nearly there when Cain leaped.
Silas’ heart dropped out of his ribs. Like it was happening in slow motion, Cain’s jaws opened, aimed right at his dad’s exposed and vulnerable throat. In one last desperate move, unaware his pack had fled and left him unguarded, Cain made to rip apart Silas’ whole world.
His rage could have rent the ground beneath his feet.
With a roar, he let go of all restraint and lunged, his powerful hind legs propelling him forward, cutting off the attack.
Go for his throat!
GOGOGOGO!
PROTECTPROTECTPROTECT!
Silas had feared his uncle his whole life.
He’d built him up to be the larger-than-life villain who could take away everything Silas loved with one swipe of his paw. He’d eked out his corner of safety and happiness in Silver Rapids, despite the looming threat of discovery and retaliation, living his life constantly vigilant of who and what his uncle could take from him.
And yet, with the four of them bearing down on Cain, Silas realized for the first time how much stronger he was than his wretched uncle. Not only in size or physical ability—but in all the ways that mattered more.
Cain’s strength came from threats, bribes, and coercion, whereas Silas’ came from love, trust, and loyalty. In the end, it’d left Cain alone and defenseless, while Silas had brothers he’d fight and die alongside.
Go for the throat!
Flank him, cut off his retreat.
Pin him down.
Now! Do it now!
Silas listened.
The voices weren’t that of his friends, but of his pack. The four of them weren’t speaking to each other—their wolves were.
He trusted it, trusted them, and slipped deeper into his wild subconscious than he’d ever been before.
His thoughts became bits and fragments of feelings, sharp and present and now . Alongside his pack, Silas cut Cain down with a coordinated ease that felt like a trick.
If he’d had other shifters standing with him it would have been harder—they may not have all made it through alive. Alone though, Silas’ initial bite was devastating.
Blocking the attack meant for his father, Silas latched on, jaws shredding flesh, tendon, and muscle as he ripped out Cain’s throat.
The sound would’ve been horrible to human ears.
Now, though, the heavy splat of blood gushing out sang through Silas’ veins. Still, his uncle would have healed from the wound if they’d stepped away, shown mercy, and given him a reprieve.
They didn’t.
Not now, with their wolves in control and Silas’ childhood home burning behind him, the bitter taste of terror from finding his mate stolen still fresh in his blood.
PROTECT!
PROTECT!
PROTECT!
Cain lashed out with teeth and claws as the other three closed in, flanking him, pinning him down for Silas’ death blow. The hot tang of blood flooded his mouth when he closed his jaws around the Salt Creek Alpha’s neck a second time.
Then, there was only pulling.
Twisting.
Tearing.
A wet squelch , and Cain’s head was no longer attached to his body.
No final words.
No regretful pauses.
Only swift, efficient death, in the wake of a lifetime of destruction.
Silas flung the decapitated head into the burning remnants of his childhood home, so those yellow eyes could never take from him again.
He wasn’t sure how long he stood panting over his uncle’s lifeless body, still deep in his wolf’s mind, watching—waiting to make sure he wouldn’t rise again.
“Silas, it’s alright. It will be alright,” a gentle voice said, sounding very far away. He had to protect it. Had to protect them. He snarled down at the blood-soaked snow.
Protect family.
Protect pack.
Protect mate.
“Silas,” someone else said, their voice similarly muffled. “Son, come away from there. He’s dead—it’s done. I’m so sorry you had to do that.”
That voice was also his to protect.
Protect.
Protect.
Protect.
“ I know, ” a third voice said, closer, the sound becoming clearer the more they spoke. “I understand. You protected us, but now it’s time to come back.”
He whined. That voice was the most important one to protect.
“Silas,” it said. He said. “Silas, look at me.”
His wolf obeyed, finally lifting his eyes from the red all around.
The boy with the pretty fox-colored hair returned his gaze.
The man who smelled like toasted marshmallows and crackling embers.
His mate, who loved him.
Sammy.
Holding out a hand, Sammy approached. “There you are,” he said again. “You were so brave. You got here so quickly. You protected us.”
Silas sniffed the air. Whose coat was he wearing? His wolf grumbled that his mate smelled like another.
Silas bumped his forehead into Sammy’s outstretched palm. “Thank you,” Sammy whispered. “Thank you for finding me.”
I’ll always find you, he thought, wishing he could speak the words aloud.
His wolf grumbled again.
Blinking, Silas realized his wolf was waiting for something. Waiting for him.
Thank you, he thought. Thank you for finding him. Thank you for protecting us. I’m good now. We’re good now.
The alpha retreated with a huff, and Silas’ mind was fully his again.
Grumpy dog, he thought fondly.
Shifting hurt like it hadn’t since he was a teenager growing faster than his parents could buy shoes, but after a moment he found himself back on two legs, staring down at his very human bare feet.
Sammy threw his arms around him. “ Silas, ” he whispered, over and over.
Silas wrapped Sammy up in return, squeezing him tight and breathing in his scent.
Sammy. Our Sammy , his wolf rumbled.
Yes, Silas thought back. Our Sammy.
“I’ll always find you,” Silas breathed, because he couldn’t say it before, and Sammy needed to know. “No matter what, I’ll always come for you.”
“I know,” Sammy said, taking Silas’ face in his hands and pulling him down to kiss him.
A smudge of red appeared on Sammy’s cheek where Silas held him. He was probably covered in blood.
And he was naked in the snow.
“You’ve got to be freezing,” Sammy said, also taking stock of his lack of protection from the cold. “Here, take this.” He removed the stranger's coat and draped it around Silas, quickly rubbing his hands up and down his arms to warm them. It fell to his mid-thigh—not ideal, but at least he wasn’t totally naked in front of his whole family.
His wolf preened at his mate’s fussing.
The garment was surprisingly warm and easy to put on. It smelled like the doctor; Sammy must have taken it from the car Riley had stolen.
The preening turned to grumbling at the mention of the thief.
“Are you ok?” Silas asked, voice rough as he cataloged every inch of Sammy that he could see for scrapes or bruises. There was a small cut along his temple. “Did Cain hurt you? Did Riley?” Silas asked, rage still simmering beneath his skin, ready to boil over.
“I’m fine,” Sammy assured, “really.”
The cold was beginning to hurt Silas’ toes, so he’d need to shift back quickly. Frostbite would heal, but it was annoying as fuck.
Peering over Sammy’s shoulder, the rest of their group had turned away, probably to offer them privacy. Sheppard, Finn, and Will, still in wolf form, sat like sentries on either side of his parents, guarding their mourning.
His mom had a hand on Finn’s giant shoulder, comforting him while he watched the last of their home burn, whining softly.
Staring up at the dying flames, the surge of anger and adrenaline that’d fueled their sprint up the mountain and dominance over Cain poured out of Silas all at once. Leaning heavily into one another, he and Sammy slowly walked over to the group.
Cain was dead. Silas had killed him.
Would he feel guilty about that soon? Should he feel guilty about that?
Silas looked toward his father, his back to Silas with his arms wrapped around his mother. Their bodies shook with tears.
Did he mourn his dead brother? Was he angry with Silas for what he’d done? Should he have shown mercy? Should he have let his uncle go?
His dad turned as they approached, and Silas hesitated a step, waiting, but then he was pulled into one of those giant bear hugs—the ones that could fix anything.
“I’m so sorry, son. I’m so sorry you were the one who had to do that.”
Silas buried his face in his dad’s shoulder. “I’m sorry. Should I have let him go? I didn’t think, I just?—”
“You protected our family,” his father said roughly, cutting in.
He pulled back, and took Silas’ face between his hands, his expression fierce. “You protected your pack. Don’t apologize for that. Whatever comes next, we’ll face it together.”
Silas wiped at his tears. “Ok.”
He pulled Silas into another hug. “I love you, son. And I’m so proud of the alpha you’ve become.”
Devastating relief melted Silas’ bones. When the hug ended and he stepped back, Sammy’s sturdy grip was the only thing holding him up.
Cain was dead. He could never hurt anyone Silas loved ever again.
It was done.
“Are you alright, Sammy?” his dad asked, turning toward him.
Sammy nodded quickly, his arm still wrapped around Silas. “Yes. Thank you. I—I’m sorry. I didn’t want to bring him here. I tried not to.”
Silas bunched his fingers in Sammy’s coat, imagining him alone with Cain, wandering through the woods.
“It’s ok, Sammy,” Meera said. “We’ve never fully understood the magic surrounding our home, but I don’t think you would have found us if you weren’t meant to, even with the order.”
Silas’ father beckoned Sammy forward and wrapped him in another hug. “I’m glad you found us. I’m glad we arrived when we did,” he said, finally letting Sammy go. “We’re built to withstand my brother’s wrath, but you aren’t. I’d let him burn down a hundred of our homes before he hurt you.”
Sammy wiped at his face and leaned back into Silas.
The home he’d grown up in, the one that’d made him feel protected and loved, was a skeleton of itself.
The fire must have burned hot to start, but without fuel, it was dying quickly. All but the strongest structural elements had collapsed inward.
“It’s only a house. We can build another one,” his mother said, voice tear-soaked, but strong.
But we can’t rebuild each other, he thought, looking over to Finn and Sheppard.
Of course, it’d never actually been the house that’d kept him safe and made him feel loved. It had always been his family. His pack.
They were who he’d protected tonight. They were what mattered most.
Silas stepped away from the group to take the coat off without tearing it, and shifted back into his wolf form, unable to stand the cold any longer. He tossed it to Will, who bobbed his head in thanks.
The sound of approaching snowmobiles cut through the quiet, and soon Jaime, Buck, and the DA appeared through the trees. They must have collected him on their way out here.
Whipping off his helmet, Jaime ran for Sammy and wrapped him up tight. “Sam, are you ok? What happened?” He released his brother and peered around, noticing the dead wolf. “Who is that?”
Finn stepped forward and butted his head into Jaime’s shoulder, rumbling deeply as he rubbed his cheek along the top of his head.
“I’m alright,” Sammy replied, “but Cain… he burned down the house. He was going to attack Cal. Silas and everybody got here just in time, and…” Sammy gestured at the decapitated carcass.
Gabe stepped up to Sheppard, who was still in his wolf form. “I can’t believe you lost Riley, and you’re making me deal with another headless animal that’s actually a person,” he said, sighing deeply.
Somehow, Sheppard managed to look contrite.
“I’m calling fire emergency response out here. The house is gone, but someone needs to make sure the fire doesn’t spread,” Gabe said, stepping away.
“Is Cain really dead?” Jaime asked quietly.
Silas huffed, pushing his head into Sammy.
“Yes. Really, really dead. His head’s in there,” Sammy pointed at the charred remains of the house. “An improvement,” he sniffed.
“And what about Riley?” Buck asked, finally speaking up. He’d been scouring the area when they arrived, probably looking for signs of him.
Silas snarled. For his sake, I hope very far away.
Finn growled with him.
Sammy scratched at Silas’ ears, soothing him. “He ran off. Cain was already here when we arrived. I was passed out for most of the drive here and had just woken up. I think he hit me on the head with something,” he said, rubbing his temple.
Silas whined and licked a long wet kiss up Sammy’s cheek. A ghost of a smile appeared on his face, even though he wiped at it with his coat sleeve.
“Cain had a boy with him,” Sammy continued. “A young teenager, maybe? He looked like Riley’s brother. I think he was the one who really wrecked into my apartment. And I’m pretty sure Riley would’ve taken any one of us who knew where your parents lived if given the chance. I was just his best opportunity.”
“Why, though?” Jaime asked.
Silas grumbled in agreement with the question.
Sammy shook his head. “I’m not sure, but I think part of what Riley said was true. I think he only did what he did to get them both away from Cain. Truthfully, I can’t say I would’ve done anything differently.”
Jaime’s eyes softened.
Buck rumbled. “Which way did they run?”
Sammy pointed off in the opposite direction of the house.
Buck nodded in thanks and turned to Sheppard. “Can I speak with you when we get back to the house?”
Sheppard raised an eyebrow and nodded.
“We should go,” his dad said, turning away from the fire. “It’s too cold to stay out any longer. Fire emergency response will make sure it stays contained.”
Those who couldn’t run on four legs loaded up on the snowmobiles.
Silas took one last look at what remained of his childhood home, whining softly. He turned away, finding Sammy watching, waiting until he was ready to leave.
Silas butted his giant head into his shoulder, nudging him onto the snowmobile, and they left. A pack of wolves guarding their journey home.
Back to Silver Rapids.