Page 52 of Redeemed Wolf

“No, Alpha,” Samson spat, resentment coming off him in waves.

Silas waited another moment before he stepped back and took his place on the crate again. “For too long, we were ruled by fear and anger—but that stops here. I refuse to let my pack fester in that cesspit of misery any longer. I refuse to be selfish and self-centered. That’s not what pack means. Pack means strength and unity, prosperity. It meansfamily. And I for one, want to be someone my mother would’ve been proud of.” He paused, looking over the crowd of upturned faces. “And if you don’t agree with me, thenget the fuck out!There’s the door.” He pointed at the exit behind him, his chest heaving. “Go home and pack yourshit. This will be your only chance to leave. I won’t stop you. But if you stay, you will agree to follow my rules. And if you don’t… then I’ll fucking kill you.” He said it to the crowd, but he was staring straight at Samson as he said it.

Samson’s upper lip curled, and he elbowed the man beside him, gesturing with a jerk of his head to follow. A total of four alphas left. While Silas remained firm on the outside, glowering as if daring someone to stand against him, through the mating bond I felt his doubt. Considering we were potentially headed into a war, it might not have been ideal to lose strong fighters, but if anyone second-guessed if that was the right decision, they didn’t say anything. And as soon as the door closed on the last of them, I swore I heard a collective sigh of relief.

“Thank gods,” an omega whispered off to my right.

I was so incredibly proud of my mate for standing up to those bullies, for helping to make this town a better place.

Silas nodded once. “Good. Now for the rest of you, please show our guests some hospitality. They’ll need food, clothes, a place to stay. And be ready for anything. Anyone with kids, go and see Pacey and he’ll give you an address of somewhere safe.”

While the mood seemed overall light as the pack filtered back out, heading to their homes, Silas remained closed off. He shook a few hands and accepted congratulations on his mating. People came to introduce themselves to me, too many of them wanting to touch me in some way, but I remembered what Silas had said about touch having to do with scent, about claiming ownership. This pack—Silas’s pack—was claiming me in their own way. I belonged to them now, and the thought sent a ripple of warmth through me.

Shan and the others were led away with the promise of lunch. When I went to follow, though, Silas stopped me. He snaked an arm around my waist and dragged me in, burrowing his nosein the crook of my neck. “Come home with me,” he whispered raggedly.

“Okay.” I was curious to see where he lived, but more so, I wanted a chance to talk with him alone. The tether was writhing with a tangle of emotions, not all of them good.

Silas’s home was… well, adorable. It was an old log-cabin style, the wood floors golden and worn with generations of use. Embroidered curtains faded by the sun, throw cushions on a deep sofa, and the kitchen appliances an outdated olive green. The air smelled stale, since he hadn’t been here in months, but there were signs everywhere that it was his. Silas stood just inside the door, watching me as I took it all in.

I walked up to a framed picture hanging on the wall. A young boy who could only be Silas was grinning wide, wrapped in a woman’s arms. “Is this your mother? Her name was Kristen, right?” I asked, and he nodded shyly. “She’s beautiful.” The same copper hair, the same emerald eyes, though her smile seemed to contain a deep sadness.

When I turned back, Silas still hadn’t moved. “Why are you standing way over there?” I asked, my eyes darting to the door. “You’re not leaving, are you?”

“Only if you want me to,” he said, his face a careful mask.

“Why would I want you to leave? We just got here,” I asked, frowning as I closed the distance between us. When I got close, though, there was an uncomfortable buzzing through the mating link, and I stopped.

“I don’t even know why you love me,” he said, his gaze lowering to the floor, his shoulders drooping. “I wouldn’t blame you if you changed your mind after seeing me like that. Seeing the way they looked at me. This is why I wanted Shan to take me in. Here, I’m nothing but a failure, a villain, and you deserve better than that. You should be surrounded by your family.” He rubbed a hand over his face, looking dejected. “If you want,Vesta can sever the mating link. She’s done it before. You can move on from this.”

What the fuck was he talking about?

“You’re not a villain.” He wasn’t listening, though, already closing himself off. I put myself right in front of him, cornering him, giving him nowhere else to look but at me. “You’re not the bad guy!” I repeated forcefully. “These people need someone to guide them. They need someone who will make hard choices for their safety, instead of trying to win a popularity contest. Do you think anybody wanted to live with those assholes? No! Your pack was glad to see them go.”

Silas tried to shift away, but I cupped his face and drew him back, staring deep into his eyes. “I am proud to be your mate, and I choose to live with you, no matter where you are. You’re my family now.”

A single tear spilled over and dripped down his cheek. “I was trying to run away. I was scared to make changes, to piss people off, and it was so much easier to run off to live with Grim Wilds. But since I left, I’ve learned a lot about myself—and about others—and when I was standing up there in front of my pack, I got soangry. My whole life I’ve seen people being taken advantage of—my mother, the omegas in my pack, you and the other shifters at the lab. I needed to put my foot down. I’m sorry, I should’ve talked to you first.”

I chuckled, kissing away his tears. “No, you did exactly what I would’ve done, though perhaps with a few extra swears. You kept everyone safe.” I kissed him lightly. “I love you, Silas, and if anything, that little speech made me love you even more.”

Silas dropped his forehead to mine. “I love you so much.”

There was a faint shout in the distance, then another, and Silas leaned back and tilted his head, trying to make out the words. A long, low howl joined in the chorus, undulating with meaning I hadn’t learned to interpret. My wolf knew, though.

Danger, he said.

My skin crawled in warning. We were too late. “He’s here.”

Chapter 21

Silas

The chorus of warninghowls grew into a haunting crescendo. First from one side of town, then the other, until wolves from all sides were baying.

“Let’s move!” I grabbed Carter’s hand and together we ran straight back the way we’d come. In case of emergency, it was protocol to meet in the center of town. I saw everyone running, on two legs and four, parents carrying children, and a sharp lance of regret struck deep into my chest and lodged there.

I should’ve made it a priority to get them out first, never should’ve come here in the first place. Now I’d put them all at risk.

“How the fuck did he find us so quickly?” I barked at Shan as our paths converged.

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