Page 24 of Silas

I can feel her glare into my back, “What do you mean you don’t have it?”

I let out a heavy sigh, the match flaring briefly before igniting the kindling with a satisfying whoosh. I tossed the dry logs onto the fire, and watched the flames dance. Wiping my hands on mypants, I stand up to turn around to Gail. “Not that it is a surprise for you, but Nova is my mate. I know that you already figured that out, how you did, I don’t know.”

I look over at Gail to see that at least that has given her a warm smile on her face. When she realizes that I’ve seen it, she immediately drops the smile. “Well, yes, I have known all along that she was your mate. I was waiting for you to pull your head out of your ass so you would see it.”

“Be that as it may, Storm has known and been pushing for me to claim her. He told me he would give me to the full moon to claim her my way. While you also know that with the full moon so close, being near your mate spikes your perfuming.” She nods her head, so I continue on. “Well, while we were having dinner, Storm was riding me so much that I was having a hard time keeping from shifting. I thought if we went for a walk that it would help. Unfortunately, as we were exiting, she rubbed against me and my control over Storm snapped. I told her to run…”

Gail slams her hands down on her thighs, “You told her to run when you knew you were about to become a predatory animal that loves the chase? Did you think that through at all?”

Sighing heavily, I rub my hands down my face. “I thought I didn’t want her to freak out when she saw what she thinks is a human man transform into a massive wolf.”

She drops her shoulders slightly and finally graces me with compassion. “I understand, dear, but now we have a big problem on our hands. But enough of this for now. Let’s get her mended and decide what we are going to do from now on. She shouldn’t be out for much longer.”

Sighing again, I help Gail as we dress her wound and I drop a few drops of my saliva into the wound to increase the mending process. Now that she is transforming into a wolf, her own healing ability will help. Although we can heal rather quickly on our own, we heal the fastest when we are in our wolf form. The couple drops of Alpha saliva will speed it up even faster. I don’t think that she is ever going to forgive me. I wouldn’t forgive myself either.

This is such a mess. I don’t even know where to begin and I really didn’t need this added to my plate while worrying about the money owed to the Ghost River Pack. Glaring internally, I say, “You don’t even have some advice to add to the mess that you made?” Storm shrugs into our shared mind space. I know that sounds weird, I can’t see him shrugging, but it is a feeling that I get that gives me the impression of him shrugging. “Really! You made this mess and now you are going to rest?” I snap at him.

He lifts his head up and says, “I think it is pretty obvious what you should do. She is our mate now, a new wolf, and she doesn’t know what any of that means. Seems you should start with, you know, telling her about wolves. That seems like a logical starting point to me. Now, if you don’t mind, I am going to rest now.”I feel him leave our shared mind space. He isn’t gone. It’s more that he has pulled himself so far back that it feels as though he has left it completely.

I walk over to the chairs in front of our fireplace and dust off the lingering cobwebs. Plopping myself down into the chair, I drop my head into my hands. I feel a soft hand rest on my shoulder as she gently squeezes. “Silas, I know you are feeling overwhelmed and stressed, but this isn’t as bad as you think it is. She is your mate and although your wolf chose the most unconventional way to bring her into this, I think she will comearound quickly. You are going to have to be kind, patient, and compassionate. Her entire world has changed yet again. I will help you as much as I can, but you will need to be the one who takes this on. I think you will see it is a great bonding opportunity for you.” Gail taps my shoulder a few times before she rubs a circle on my back. “Get some rest Silas, tomorrow we shall see how she does with the news. I am going to head back to my cabin for now. Call me if she struggles with the transformation. For now, we just have to wait.”

Nodding my head in my hands, I glance up at Gail. “Thank you for everything, Gail. Do you want me to have Warrick walk you back to your cabin?”

She smiles warmly at me before chuckling, “That boy wouldn’t be able to keep up with me. I am quite fine, thank you.” She turns and walks out of our room before closing the door behind her.

Sighing, I drop my head back into my hands. What a mess. Only time will tell if she will forgive me for this.

Chapter 17

Nova

What is that delicious smell? Why am I smelling bacon? Sniffing, I smell bacon, eggs, and is that pancakes? Alright, where the hell am I because there shouldn’t be anyone at my house cooking for me. Wait, why can’t I remember going to bed last night?

Cracking my eyes open, I see a wood paneled ceiling above me. Okay, okay. Let’s try to not freak out. That is definitely not my ceiling. Running my hands up the blanket, it is buttery soft with patches of different fabrics. I can hear the clinking of silverware and the opening of cabinets. Someone is in the kitchen, but the questions is who. I sit up in the bed that feels as though it is made of clouds. I am glancing around the room, taking stock of my surroundings, when there is a gentle rapping of knuckles on the door.

“Come in.” I hold my breath because I don’t know who is opening the door. Silas comes around the door with a tray of food and sniffing the air. Is that peppermint coffee? He walks on soft feet towards the bed with a hesitant demeanor about him. Not going to lie, breakfast in bed has always been a dream of mine. I mean, what girl wouldn’t love to have someone bring them all their favorite breakfast items to their bed right after they wake up? Am I right?

I can’t figure out a few things, one being why am I in his bed, two why can’t I remember getting here, and three, why can I hear the bubbles popping in the coffee?

Silas places the tray of goodies in front of me, giving me a hesitant smile. “Good morning Nova. How are you feeling?”

My mouth is watering. Not only did this man deliver breakfast in bed, but he made me the waffles I get from You’re Bacon Me Crazy. There is chewy bacon that he baked in the oven with brown sugar and red pepper flakes. Then, to top it off, he has made cinnamon apples! Cinnamon APPLES! Grabbing the fork I am about to dig in when Silas clears his throat.

“Nova, how are you feeling this morning?” I pull my eyes from the plate and place my fork back down. I look up to see a veryconcerned look on his face. Okay, I know I said that I wasn’t going to freak out but, now I am a little freaked out. Why does he have that look on his face?

“Uh,” I squeak out. I take a sip of my coffee to warm my throat and try again. “Physically, I feel okay. There is a shitload of questions running through my mind, and I’m trying to not freak out about the fact that I am waking up in your room. But with that concerned look on your face and you asking how I am feeling twice... Now, I am freaking out.”

He pulls up a dining room chair that was sitting next to the bed and sits down on it. “I am not trying to freak you out, Nova. I am concerned for you and you were so focused on that food that I had to grab your attention again.”

I squint my eyes at him in an attempt to look mean, but he just chuckles as he runs his hands through his hair. God, I want to do that. It looks so silky and full. “You brought me three of my favorite foods and peppermint coffee. Did you expect me to give you my undivided attention after that?”

He huffs out a laugh, “Fair enough, I didn’t quite consider how much of a foodie you were when I made you breakfast this morning. Gail just told me you love food and to bring it with me when I came in this morning.”

I smile fondly, I don’t know how that woman knows me so well already, but here we are. “Well, she isn’t wrong. I will always be more pleasant once fed.”

He smiles this soft smile that is almost tender. My chest warms at the site of it and I feel this pull towards him. Almost like a rope going from my chest to his. He stares into my eyes and I see a flash of bright blue. I rub my eyes with my handsbecause I have to be crazy, his eyes didn’t flash a different color, did they?

“I am glad to hear that I made the right choice in bringing food with me. If you want anymore, just let me know. I might have made enough for a small army of people.”

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