Page 70 of Silent Noise

CHAPTER 47

LILY

“Mat,” I yelled out as soon as I saw him, running towards him with my arms wide open.

“Pudding,” he replied, standing up from where he’d been seated and pulled me into a tight hug.

“I knew you’d come to visit,” I mumbled into his shirt with my cheek pressed firmly against the warmth of his chest. I closed my eyes for a second, savouring the familiarity of him, his scent, smoky with hints of coffee.

Happiness bubbled in my stomach as I heard him chuckle. A deep, familiar rumble. I pulled back, roaming my eyes over him. He looked exactly as I remembered. Red plaid shirt, ugly worn boots, and unruly curls sticking up all over the place, no scarf or beanie this time.

“Yeah, you tricked me by playing the damsel in distress card, didn’t you?” he teased.

I couldn't help the giggle that burst through my lips, shaking my head. He came here to make sure I was okay.

Since everyone was already seated around the large conference table, enjoying refreshments, I helped myself to some fresh cut fruit and a small glass of water. When I turned to find a seat, I noticed Mat had cleared a space for me next to him, shoving everyone down the table and jamming an empty chair beside his.

With an apologetic smile to the rest of his party, I took the seat beside him and placed my plate on the tabletop. I didn’t want to draw any more attention to myself and kept my gaze focused on the fruit.

“So, I see you’re still alive?” his voice pierced the silence, humorous sarcasm dripping from his words. Gone was the awkwardness from before and I couldn’t help but snort and give him a slap on the shoulder, smiling. He had a power over me few people ever did.

“Yeah, thanks to you. Again. My knight in shining armour,” I teased, pressing my hands to my heart dramatically. Even though we were joking around, we were also being serious. Mat knew it. I knew it too. He’d saved my life yet again.

Mat grinned, his face lighting up, “well, you know, all in a day’s work,” he said with a shrug as though it was the most natural thing on earth. I rolled my eyes, laughing at his'modesty'.

For a while, we ate and drank comfortably in each other’s company as conversation around the table picked up again. It was so nice to see him again. Comforting even. He reminded me very much of Axel, the old Axel, before I’d gone missing.

“Thank you for phoning Raiden last night, Mat,” I finally said, leaning closer, lowering my voice. I didn’t tease, didn’t mock this time.

The air around us shifted, his pack members were too engaged in light chatter to notice. He leaned in as well, smiling, “it’s a pleasure.” We shared a pleasant moment before he broke it by adding, “Treasure.”

I facepalmed myself, grinning. Mat couldn’t handle being serious for even a second. Axel's face popped into my mind again, the similarities between the two of them ridiculous. Maybe that was why I felt so oddly at home in Mat’s presence, as though I’d known him my whole life.

Gunnar and some of the guys from Shadow Creek sat at one end of the table, whilst Blade Rock sat at the other end. Mat had introduced them to his packmates when we first arrived, but Gunnar had no intention of making new friends and kept staring at us, rigid, like a statue. At some point, one of Blade Rock’s members tried to pull him into their conversation, but he made no effort to return their kindness and shoved his mouth with a large piece of bread instead.

Blade Rock’s pack members were mostly warriors, although a middle-aged woman named Marie had joined the party. She looked strangely out of place amongst the tough, sturdy figures with her greying hair and soft features. I liked her. She was friendly and welcoming, like a mother bear.

I smiled at her in thought as the conversation flowed around the table. Gunnar never left the room and kept his eyes trained on Mat and myself the entire time, probably under strict orders from Ray. As I gazed at him, deep in thought, a sudden burning sensation seared into my skin, right over the area where Ray had marked me. The pain was so intense, it had me doubling over, clutching at the side of my neck, gasping.

Everyone turned to look at me, at the commotion, some of the wolves jumping up in alarm. Mat was already bent over me, his hand on my back, trying to figure out what was going on.

“Lily?” I heard his panicked voice as my knees hit the floor. “What's wrong? Can you hear me?” Strong hands gripped my shoulders, pulling me back up onto a chair.

I bit the inside of my lip, trying to overcome the roaring pain shooting through me. Gunnar was barking out commands, his voice booming in my ears.

“Lily?” he yelled, his deep voice sounding from above. With immense effort, I peeled my eyelids open and looked up, finding the two men before me, concern dominating both of their features. Mat gripped my hands, prying them away from my neck and inspected the mark. My mark. Raiden’s mark.

From the corner of my eye, I caught a glimpse of bright red swollen flesh and my stomach churned. I felt sick, dizzy, and hurt. Like my soul was being ripped apart.

Someone behind them cursed and Mat and Gunnar exchanged a look between them before Gunnar bolted out of the room, leaving me with Mat and a bunch of gaping wolves.

Without hesitation, Mat inched closer to me, sat down on the floor and pulled me onto his lap, cradling my head against his chest. I didn’t protest. I couldn’t. The pain was blinding, agonising. All I could do was clamp my eyes shut and wait for the pack doctor.

After a while, the pain started subsiding, and I was able to readjust myself, moving off of Mat’s lap to sit beside him. The room had gone silent. Everyone stared at me.

“Where is Raiden, anyway?” Mat asked no one in particular, lifting his head to see if anyone would respond.

“He’s meeting with a warrior from our pack,” I answered, leaving out the fact that she was a female and that he was actually breaking up with her.

“What’s the reason for his meeting with her?”

I drew my brows together and looked up at him, into his eyes so full of emotions, questions. “How did you know it was a she?”

Mat’s eyes hovered over my mark as he said, “Just a hunch.”

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