Page 64 of From Frost to Flame

There was a sharp snap of a branch, and she shot a tentacle into the woods. There was a scream as a young, frost-covered and shivering Castor was dragged out while frantically clawing at frozen earth.

“I seem to have missed one.” She lifted Castor by his ankle and brought him near her face to inspect him. “No matter. This will be quick.” She let her tentacles slither up around his body, pinning his arms to his side.

“Wait!” Silas said, his eyes wide in a panic. “He’s my friend.”

“You don’t need a friend,” she scoffed, looking at Castor with disgust. “He’ll only sully you.”

“Please.” He hesitated. Then, with a forced smile, he said the words that would save Castor’s life. “Please, Mom?”

She dropped Castor immediately and hugged Silas tight. “My precious baby boy. If it’ll make you happy, I suppose you can keep a pet.”

Even as a child, Silas was a quick-witted protector. A king even then, Lex thought as he watched The Ravenous One nuzzle him, clearly elated he called her Mom.Your other parents were so wrong about you.

She glanced down at Castor at her feet and tapped him in the chest with a tentacle. “You look older than him, so you will be an older brother of sorts. I expect you to teach him about werewolf things I don’t know about. You will take care of him, or you’ll be punished. Understood?”

Castor nodded quickly, shaking ice crystals from his hair.

“Good. Come along, then,” she said, walking toward the woods. A portal of swirling black smoke and blue flames opened in front of them. “Tartarus calls,” she said mournfully as she walked toward it. “Thanks to the seal the dogs trapped me with, I always get dragged back when my powers wane. One day, when I get my full power back, that won’t be the case. For now, we can’t stay here much longer.” Silas tensed and she smiled at him. “Don’t worry, it’s not too scary. I can bring you to the surface every so often. I have the prettiest garden we can visit if you both behave.”

Castor looked at Silas. When he nodded, he followed them into the vortex. The three abandoned the carnage behind them for the unreachable prison of Tartarus locked under the weight of the sea.

A surge of unbearable sadness mixed with shame in his stomach, and it shook Lex from his trance.

“Silas!” he whirled around. “Where are you?”

He wandered through the endless fog, losing hope every second he didn’t find Silas. Then, finally, he spotted him in the distance, standing in front of The Ravenous One.

She towered over him as if he were a child. Multiple tentacles from her back draped around his body. They slid across his chest, arms, and waist.

The possessive way she held him made Lex sick to his stomach. Her sweet, motherly touch was gone. Now, she held him like a coveted pet. A single tentacle squeezed Silas's face, forcing him to look at her. Black streaks stained his cheeks as he met her gaze with pure hatred.

“Silas!” Lex called as he ran for him, but he didn’t react. In fact, the space between them expanded no matter how hard he ran.

“Don’t you go glaring at me.” The Ravenous One’s voice echoed in the dark. “I don’t appreciate your attitude.”

“You had no right to show him. To show anyone. I will never forgive you for this.” Silas's voice shook with rage. “I was happy with him. I—If you just would’ve let me tell him myself, he would’ve understood. Or he would’ve tried to understand. It could’ve been different.”

“Please, you saw his face. The terror. The fear,” she cooed, petting his hair. “He ran because he can’t love you. He can only fear you. Just like your parents. Just like all the other wolves. You hate me now, but I did you a favor. Better you lose him now when you’re not too attached and haven’t completed the bond. I did this because I love you.”

“Ran?” Lex mumbled, confused. “I’m right here. Silas, I’m here!”

It was useless. Silas kept talking to his mother as if Lex were invisible.

His eyes filled with blackness and more tears fell in inky rivers down his cheeks. With shoulders slumped with defeat, he held her gaze. “You can’t claim to love me, then hurt me like this over and over.”

Lex had never seen Silas cry, but to see him so broken stunned him in his tracks.I’ll kill her for this. For hurting you like this. I don’t know how, but I will.

“That arrow I had Arden hit you with will steal your ability to suppress your Death Walker traits. There will be no more hiding.”

“I don’t want to change.” Silas touched the wound her arrow left. “I won’t. It’ll ruin everything I’ve built. Everyone will know and they’ll...they’ll...”

“Try to kill you.” She leaned forward and placed a hand on his chest. “When you reach your potential, they won’t be able to. Once you live in your truth, you’ll realize all these werewolf indulgences, the little lover you had, and the pack you hold so dear are worthless. If the vampire isn’t dead soon, you’ll probably kill him yourself with your new powers and desires. I did this to help you. I sent him to die on his own so you wouldn’t be burdened by any guilt as you swallow the world like I did before you were born.”

Lex’s heart clenched as Silas devolved into hyperventilating and more tears.I have to talk to him.

He clenched his fist and tried to reach him with his thoughts like mates could apparently do.

“Don’t listen to her. I’m right here. Just look at me. See me. I’m not leaving you. Not now, not ever.”

---