Chapter 7
Seven
Silas
Iknow when my woman is struggling, and right now, she's obviously deep in the pit of her depression.
Writing her statement wasn't good for her mental health.
Or maybe it encouraged her to start processing?
I have no fucking clue, but I don't like how her eyes are half-lidded or the way she's been zoning out at the wall for the past thirty-five minutes.
She needs her fucking nest but we're stuck here, hours away from home and her comfort items for at least another day. At least here we have officers keeping watch in the hallway.
"Here, princess," I murmur, removing my sweatshirt and wrapping it around her chest.
She sighs audibly and snuggles into the fabric. It's nowhere near the same as being surrounded by her nest that smells of our pack. She blinks over at me and I about cry in relief.
"Hi you," I breathe. "You back with me?"
Shrugging, Vivian curls up on her good side and nuzzles my hand. I don't expect her to say anything, so when she zones out again, I'm not surprised.
"Does it bother you when she doesn't respond?" Riot interrupts my worried thought process. Kade and Jarek aren't here, so I guess it's up to me to start making him understand my omega.
Glancing down at Vivian, I catch her eyes and raise an eyebrow. Do you want me to talk about you like you're not here? She nods and waves her hand as if it doesn't bother her. I wonder if she'd rather us tell Riot some of the harder things about her.
"She does respond," I murmur, using my other hand to comb through her matted hair.
"Vivie is very active in our bond. Right now I know she needs me to just be here to help hold her together with love and support.
Her shrug says she doesn't have the energy to talk, but she encouraged me to explain to you with the motion of her hand. "
Riot narrows his eye at me, but it seems more thoughtful than annoyed. "But, like, how do you know that for sure?"
I chuckle gently, remembering all the times I fucked up when we were getting to know each other. "Many errors of judgment over a long period of time. We've known each other for eight years. Just like any other relationship, it took time to learn about each other."
Vivian huffs, and I catch the end of her rolling her eyes. I lightly tug on a lock of her hair with a smirk, but it quickly dies when she stiffens.
"Don't do that," Riot hisses, sitting up straight. "She was drug around by her fucking hair."
Fuck. Fuck. "I'm sorry, princess," I say hoarsely, and press my lips to her forehead.
I knew that. She let us read her report. To say I didn't swallow bile and despair-filled screams would be a lie. I hope Kade and Jarek are okay...It's been a bit since their bonds stopped snapping out and raging like a storm in our chests.
"S'okay," she whispers with a reassuring squeeze of my hand. Inhaling her salty, fresh scent, I close my eyes and soak her in.
When I open my eyes and pull back, Riot looks ready to go to war. "Are you okay, Firefly?"
Vivie gives him a thumbs up over her shoulder, then snuggles back in. The poor man scowls in response to her silence.
"See?" I sigh. "There is always room for us to mess up or misread anyone, no matter how long we've known them.
But I can see for a fact that her selective mutism riles up your alpha side and challenges your control.
Probably because you've lived a life where people, young, old, rich or poor, respond to you how you expect them to. "
"Selective mutism? I'll need to research that," he says thoughtfully.
Hmm. "It's not a one size fits all, Riot. So less research, more intention to learn about the people you're with."
"I admit realizing that she can talk makes it a bit harder to understand why she chooses not to talk to me. It's even more confusing when I see she doesn't always speak to her mates either. And you're right, nobody has ever not answered me," he admits.
Glancing down at my woman, I see her lips twist, but I can't tell if she's annoyed with Riot or just thinking.
"It's not a choice, first and foremost. Her anxiety and insecurities lock her voice away. I can give you the dos and don'ts if you'd like? Vivie has a very strict list of what pisses her off when people realize she's selectively mute."
Groaning, Vivian throws my hand back at me. "Silas, no."
Laughing, I poke her nose. "Did he do all the things you hate? Pity you, apologize for not realizing, get mad?"
Riot curses, and Vivian actually grins. Fucking grins. "He gets really mad," she mutters, still smiling.
That gets a reaction from him. "I don't get mad, Vivian. I get fucking frustrated when you're not telling me why the hell you make things so hard for yourself. Had you told me you planned on getting beaten up every damn hour, I would have tried to convince you before it happened to let me help!"
"Hey, calm down," I order, not liking how loud he's getting with my woman. He's already standing and walking around to stand beside me, easier now without his IV. To my relief, Vivie doesn't cower away from him. She just matches his energy with a glare.
Her lips are tightly closed, so I decide I should help them out. "Riot, it wasn't about you. Vivian?—"
"It should have been about me. Those assholes took out all their prejudice and rage on her, when I was right there.
Fuck, just never mind," he growls and drops his chin to his chest as he scrubs his face.
"I'm sorry you thought I was mad about you not talking.
I was angry and frustrated that I couldn't help you, Vivian. And pissed you wouldn't let me help."
With that, he stomps away and closes himself in the bathroom. "Wow. I don't even know what to say," I mumble. "That got deep really fast. Didn't know he had it in him."
Vivian snorts and burrows back into her pillow. "Very emotional, that one."
"He brings out your sass," I note, rubbing my thumb over her cheek.
She playfully nips at my finger, and I allow her to brush off the conversation we had with her teasing.
It's been a really hard fucking day and if she doesn't want to work things out with Riot right now, then she doesn't have to. We'll make sure he doesn't go anywhere.