Chapter Eighteen Dylan #2
The issue originated from Silas’s absence. With the bond being severed, I couldn't get into his head at all. It would have been easier if I had re-accepted the bond, maintaining our connection until official completion. That would have given me access to his feelings and intentions.
Never thought I would regret rejecting Silas, but here I am, regretting it intensely. Now I could lose him for good and it would be my fault.
"I have to go. I need to attend the mentor class with Silas. I am hoping I can get through to him and make him remember something while sparring."
Sera stood from her chair and wrapped her arms around me to give me a hug. "Good luck. I really hope Silas pulls through this."
I hugged her back. "Me too."
When I walked out into the bedroom, Silas was already gone. Jackson shrugged at me and shook his head.
"He left before you two even started talking. Hunter is tracking him. He told me to walk you to class and then stay with Sera. No one may be alone until we have Lupe dealt with."
Sera walked out behind me, and I turned to face her. "I think you need to walk with us so Jackson doesn't get all growly."
There was no arguing. Times were getting too tough for any of us to be alone.
I loved that my mates were just as protective of my friends as they were of me.
It showed me how they would be when we returned to the pack, making my heart clench at the thought of home.
I missed my parents. I missed Cassie. Things with Silas needed to be worked out so I could graduate at the end of the term and return to them.
While we walked to my class, I noticed we all kept looking in every direction so no one could get the drop on us.
Tension between the three of us from having to be constantly on guard had my skin itching.
I couldn't wait to walk around and not have my life on the line anymore.
This shit was too much, and I swore if my gorgeous purple hair got white streaks, I was making sure Lupe went through some torture before I killed her.
It didn't take us long to get to the sparring mats. Jackson gave me a quick kiss and then escorted Sera to her class and planned on staying there since Hunter planned on staying with me. The kiss ended too soon, but I felt him brush against my mind as he walked away.
When this is all over, we are taking you away for a week so we can have you to ourselves.
Hunter smirked, telling me Jackson had sent the thought to him, too. Oh, really now?
Agreed, Hunter answered. And we’re taking you to a remote cabin and doing everything we can imagine to you.
Why a cabin? I had to ask. It's not like us wolves spent much time away from the woods. It's where we thrived. But why a remote cabin?
Jackson chuckled, and I wanted to savor that sound. It had been a while since I heard it, and boy, had I missed it. So no one can hear you scream, Jackson clarified.
Considering we had a homicidal maniac wanting to kidnap and kill us to help her evil plot move along, you’d think that line would concern me. Nope. I knew what it meant.
And my panties became wet with the thought.
Is that a threat?
No, Hunter answered again. That, my dear, is a promise.
These two were going to be the death of me. Without even meeting Silas as a mate, they knew things would only worsen once that happened. That wasn’t something I could consider right then. I had to focus on being around Lupe and not trying to kill her.
Would killing her now do anything? The fact that I couldn’t beat her last time didn’t matter because I’m now better connected to my wolf.
If I could call on my astral power, I could manage that.
Then all our problems would disappear. The end to missing people and Lupe ruling our race could be in my grasp if I just let myself kill her now.
But when my eyes found Lupe, Silas was standing in front of her. My heart sank at seeing him talk to her. Why would he when she had kidnapped him less than a week ago? Did she have him under her spell now, too? If so, how the hell could I break it so my mate would stay far away from this bitch?
Lupe noticed my approach and smiled. Seeing her white teeth made my fists clench at my sides. Hunter moved closer to me as if he took that smile the same way I did–like a threat. She was far too happy to see me after talking with Silas. Was he giving her information on me?
"Oh good. Miss Pierce, I think today should go by in a flash! I have just talked with Mr. Lynch about the progress you two have made with your bond. I'm happy to hear that things are going well."
I glared at Silas. He turned to face me, and his eyes softened once they met mine. It was like the Silas I fell for was standing in front of me instead of someone who was talking to my enemy without me present. His lips parted, showing off his white teeth in a grin, and held out his hand to me.
"I explained that we were talking outside of class and spent a night together to talk things out. I thought it would be good for the both of us to let Lupe know we are making progress on our goals while we are here."
There was truth in his words from what my nose could tell me.
If that's all he told her, then why did he leave so early? He could have walked over here with us and told me he planned on talking to Lupe about minor details. I did feel relieved knowing we were resolving issues, enabling our return home, but it would have been nice to know what he was planning beforehand so I wouldn’t have been so suspicious.
"Good. I'm glad you told her." I didn't know what else to say.
This felt like another trap, but I couldn't see a way out of it. What was the endgame here outside of letting the person in charge allow us to go home as we got closer to marking each other?
I don't smell the lie either. Silas might lead us out, despite the fog.
Hunter was right. Perhaps we experienced unusual success.
"What are we doing today?"
Lupe's smile grew. "You two are going to spar again. I want him to witness your astral form more so he can see the benefits of our ability during a fight. His family has long hated Shadowborns, and it will always be a good thing to show him how we aren't the one to hate."
"That sounds fine to me. I could use a good spar." I smiled at Silas.
This should be easy. Silas wouldn't hurt me since I was his mate. With all the pent up energy I've had, and wanting to unleash it on Lupe without being able to do so, Silas would be a good one to fight against. Not to mention, Hunter was here. Nothing could go wrong.
Silas and I walked over to the mat. He shook out his hips and did some stretching.
I reached out to my wolf, who was more than happy to spring to the surface.
It always felt amazing having her energy spread through my body, and I could feel her just under the surface.
It meant I could shift quickly and call on her abilities in a snap, making me feel a thousand percent better about a fight.
The nagging feeling that something would go wrong hit me before Lupe called for the match to begin.
Hunter stayed on the opposite side of Lupe on the sidelines, keeping a close watch on us.
I expected Lupe to comment on it but was surprised with her silence.
Though this is how mates acted, Hunter wouldn't let me out of his sight after everything that happened a couple of weeks ago.
I'm pretty sure I've overheard him arguing with Jackson about being the one to protect me over him because of his experience as an Enforcer.
"BEGIN!" Lupe shouted, yanking me out of my thoughts.
My expectations vanished when Silas charged, throwing punches.
Pulling on my enhanced speed to help me evade them barely assisted me.
Silas’s speed surprised me; I was unaccustomed to it.
Each punch was so close to landing, and the air I felt whipping against me had me realizing he wasn't holding back.
There was no opening for me to land anything.
Only my defense avoided knockout . Silas was punching in ways that would result in me drooling on the mat if they landed.
Uppercuts and swings to my temple seemed to be his favorite, and there was a pattern to it.
Good. If he kept up with this pattern, I could find my way out of it.
He threw a right swing, and I ducked and stepped out of the path of his uppercut in time, pulling my knee into his chest. I heard the oof before he grabbed onto my leg and drove his elbow into my thigh.
I dropped to the ground and rolled away just in time to miss the stomp to my head Silas tried to deliver.
Distantly, I observed Silas’s resolve; it sickened me. This wasn't sparring to him right now.
This was a fight.
He flew toward me, his feet barely registering as moving before he was in front of me.
Swinging his leg to meet my face, I rolled again and called on my wolf.
The shift was instant, and I pulled on the power to go astral.
It was the right call as I felt his body pass through me.
He landed on the ground, not expecting for me to go astral, and I ran far enough away to go corporal before launching my body at him as he got to his feet.
My paws hit his chest and put him on the ground again.
If I did anything with my teeth or claws, I could hurt Silas past the point of healing. That wasn't what I wanted.
Then I saw his eyes.
He wasn't in control. They were glowing, and he began to punch me in the sides to get me off him. I snapped at his hands to make him stop, pushing my power into him so he would recognize me. It was like earlier, after he woke up from Lupe's kidnapping. I needed him to snap out of this.
Silas rolled, making me lose my balance and roll with him.
I felt his arms around my furry form, and then he tossed me into a tree several yards from the mats.
My body hit the trunk with a thud, and a yelp mixed with the rest of the air from my lungs expelled from me before I fell to the ground.
Breathing was rough, and I couldn't move.
Silas snarled as he glared at me, expecting me to get up.
He was frenzied and wouldn't stop until something was done.
I hesitated, unsure whether the action was the right one.
As Silas stalked over to me, and I waited for him to do his worst, Hunter's large body flashed across my vision and drove into Silas, tackling him to the ground.
Hunter's fists were pummeling into Silas's face until he stopped moving.
I whimpered, making Hunter turn toward me.
His eyes were glowing, too. His wolf took over in an attempt to stop Silas from trying to harm me.
"Well, I expected more from you, Miss. Pierce. As a future Luna, you are to defend yourself and your pack, yet you couldn't defend yourself against your mate." I looked over to where she stood, and I could see the twinkle in her eye. "Good to know." And she stalked off toward the academy.
Fuck. She used Silas against me. I couldn’t defend myself against my mate because mates aren’t supposed to be able to hurt each other.
It’s not something I ever thought I’d have to worry about.
If I don’t take care of this bitch soon and figure out what’s going on with Silas, I’m going to have a bigger problem than just having to defend myself and others from Lupe.
I’m going to have to fight my own mate to death.