by Sydney Addae
“No. As you said, that’s a part of training and how you earn your position in the Pack. Once it’s known you’re a good fighter, you aren’t picked on or given the worst assignments. Alpha’s sons weren’t the worst, they just couldn’t win against us. No one could,” Angus said.
“We were unbeatable then as we are now,” Silas said smiling.
“Yes. Exactly,” Angus said and offered his fist. Silas bumped it.
“So why did you leave?” Shyla asked.
“Nosh was killed during a hunting trip not long after Silas left. Then Grialy left to find his fortune and was returned on a stretcher two months later with a broken arm and leg. He died a week later. One of Alpha’s bitches wanted to mate with Ikan but he wanted another bitch in another Clan. I helped him leave and fell out of favor with the bitches but Alpha and Vehik appreciated my assistance. Everyone knew those two were ill-suited.” Angus closed his eyes and shook his head. “Nope. I can’t even recall her face let alone her name. Vehik trained with Alpha to take over the Pack, but he wasn’t Alpha material. One night we were drinking, he never could hold his drink, and he told me Alpha wanted me to take over the Pack and begged me not to do it.”
Silas leaned back in the chair and stared at Angus. “You never mentioned that. I thought you didn’t fight Ulric for it because you didn’t want it.”
“I didn’t. Around that time I was learning crystals and was all into that. But I did promise him I wouldn’t take over. When Alpha went missing, everyone looked to Vehik but he refused to take his father’s place since we weren’t sure he was dead.”
“Is that where you got that from?” Silas asked. When he and Angus first met, his brother told him he refused to accept Ulric as Alpha because their Alpha hadn’t been declared dead or something along that line.
Angus grinned. “Possibly. Or it could be I couldn’t stomach the idea of Ulric as Alpha.”
“What happened to your litter-mater, Ikan?” Shyla asked.
“Oh, turns out the father of the Bitch Ikan wanted to mate with didn’t think he was worthy of his princess. Ikan had to fight a challenger for her but was given something to drink before the fight that made him slow, sluggish.”
“That’s awful,” Jasmine said.
Silas saw the memory in Angus’ mind and bit back a grin.
“Yes, it was,” Angus said.
“What did you do?” Shyla demanded.
“You know me too well.” Angus pulled his mate close for a kiss. “I killed the Sire and the challenger and would’ve killed the Bitch but she proved she didn’t know what her father had done. Turned out she loved Ikan. It would’ve been a love match if the father hadn’t interfered.”
“Sounds like justice to me,” Jasmine said leaning back in her chair.
“So blood-thirsty,” Silas teased.
“That was just wrong,” she said.
“Yes it was. Do you have any more questions? Has he answered the one you asked to your satisfaction?” he asked her.
“I want to hear everything,” she said seriously.
“In time. This... today was a great start for learning and healing. Neither of us knew all that pain was locked inside. I needed him and he needed me. It’s the Goddess’ blessing that we’re together now and I’m grateful,” Silas said ignoring her slight frown.
“You’re right, this was some heavy emotional stuff that needed to be dealt with. I’m happy the two of you love each other enough to work through it. So proud of you baby.” She stood. “I’m going to get the grill started to cook dinner.” She brushed her lips against his forehead and walked into the kitchen.
“Teach me how you seasoned that fish the other day,” Shyla said following Jasmine inside.
Feeling lighter than he had in months, Silas placed his hands behind his head and stared across the pool to the ocean.
“Ulric challenged Vehik.”
Silas looked at Angus. “He did?”
Angus nodded. “Alpha had been gone for almost a year. I worked in the caves and was gone a lot. Ulric mated one of Alpha’s daughters, Sylvie, I think her name was. She wanted him to be Alpha. Everyone knew he would win again Vehik, worse she knew her brother didn’t want to be Alpha, he didn’t have the heart. Vehik came to me, asked me to fight Ulric, to take over the Pack. He said it was what Alpha wanted, asked me to forget the promise I made. Bottom line he begged me to save the Pack from Ulric and I said no. With Alpha gone, I hated that place and didn’t want to be there.” He paused. “I knew you weren’t dead and in the back of my mind I knew I would go looking for you. How could I do that and be Alpha?”
Silas didn’t say anything.
“He said I condemned him to death.”
“No. No you didn’t.”
“Said his father had saved us and this was how I repaid his father by killing his last son.”
Silas felt Angus’ gut-wrenching pain.
“Two hours after he left, my conscience refused to rest. I changed my mind and searched for him. I found him that evening at the bottom of a gully, broken like a china cup. They said he had been drinking and making boasts of how he would win against Ulric. It’s possible that he fell over the cliffs. But more likely he drank himself into a stupor and walked over the cliff to avoid the shame of losing the challenge.”
Silas placed his hand on Angus’ shoulder. “You’re not responsible for that, or for him. He made his own choices, his own decisions. Release that burdensome guilt, let it go.”
Angus met his gaze for several seconds before nodding. “If I had agreed to fight...”
“He would’ve gotten drunk anyway,” Silas said with certainty. “Demons drove him that were not of your making. You can’t help people who refuse to help themselves. For him to lay the fate of his life on your shoulders tells me he wasn’t ready to lead Pack or be a good friend,” Silas said, disgusted that anyone would try to manipulate someone like that.
For several moments, Angus didn’t respond. “You’re right. Demons drove him. He hated and loved Alpha. Life was hard. Strength and cunning was celebrated. He wanted Alpha’s approval but never had it no matter what he did. In hindsight, especially having my own pups, Alpha was a huge part of his sons’ problems. He was a great Alpha but a horrible father.”
Silas slapped Angus’ back a few times. “He did the best he could at the time. I can’t say I’d be half the father I am without my mate. Seeing her success with the twins went a long way. I took her advice, let down my guard and allowed myself to accept the love and affection from my pups. Understand, I’ve never seen anything or couldn’t recall the way Sire behaved, so it was new territory. I was so afraid someone would hurt them while they were small that I locked them inside the Compound. Once Jasmine understood, she made the nursery a playground, made life fun for them so they weren’t stifled and we made it. I still marvel at how well she handles our pups and Pack when I give an unpopular decree. She has a way of smoothing things over so that it’s more palatable.”
“Because no one wants to hurt her feelings. Jasmine is scarier than you when she’s upset. Everyone expects you to blow up, so no big deal. But for Jasmine to show her displeasure, especially knowing it takes a lot for her to get that way, it hurts. Really hurts. Personally, I do everything within my power not to disappoint her.” He gave Silas a droll look. “Even when it means putting off spending time in bed with my mate to talk about our relatives.”
Silas laughed and held out his fist.
Angus grinned and bumped it.
“See, I knew that’s what was going on which is why I didn’t ask,” Silas said grinning, feeling light and at peace.
“I didn’t hear you help a brother out and tell her we could talk about it later,” Angus said.
“I could’ve done that, couldn’t I?” Silas smiled.
“Yes, yes you could have. But I’m glad you didn’t. We needed to do that. I needed to hear you say the things you said. It’s healing. I feel better and I didn’t realize there was anything there.
So, yeah, I’m glad you didn’t help a brother in the way you could’ve,” Angus said as he refilled his glass.
“Man, it was really beginning to bother me. I talked to Jasmine about it and that’s what happened. I needed to get it all out, now I’m good. We’re good. I like that we did that.” Silas picked up his glass and toasted his brother before drinking.
The scent of seasoned fish on the indoor grill wafted outside, relaxing Silas further. “I should check in with Hawke, see if he’s learned anything new.”
Angus nodded. “Good idea.”
“Hawke?”
“One second, Sir,” Hawke said.
Silas moved his chair so he could watch Jasmine in the kitchen. She looked over her shoulder at him and winked.
“I’ve got plans for you meddling wench,” he teased.
“You should. I’m on vacation and still cooking,” she said.
“Thank you for not allowing your man to starve,” he said.
She grinned and shook her head. “The fish looks good. We’re cooking all of it so that we’re done in the kitchen for the day.”
“I love the way you think,” he said. “Hawke has me on hold. I’m checking to see if he’s learned anything new.”
“Alright,” she said and continued with the pans and pots.
“My apologies, Sir. Amynta was giving me instructions for reviewing the ritual.”
Silas straightened, included Angus, Shyla, and Jasmine in the conversation. “Reviewing the ritual? Alpha Nikolas and Bazla’s ritual?”
“Yes. She’s sure she can take us there. But there are things that have to be in place first and she’s insisted that you, Angus and I go along. Knowing the others will have a problem with that, she finally agreed to allow Niall to be a part. He has to find an anchor.”
“Anchor?” Silas met Jasmine’s confused gaze.
“Yes, our mates will anchor us to the present, it’s safer that way. I’m sending you the information she gave me. If we want her help, we have to do it tonight. Otherwise we wait until they return in two weeks. She, Barticus, and their pups are leaving the country tomorrow and she won’t be available.”
“Why won’t she allow the others?” Silas asked.
“She said she doesn’t know them or their energies,” Hawke said. “Somehow energies attract other energies and she’s comfortable with ours.”
“I see.” He looked at Angus.
Angus nodded.
Silas looked at Jasmine. She nodded.
“Alright, send me the information and give us a time frame so we’re ready.”
“Yes, Sir. I’ll send this in a few minutes and contact her for the time. I don’t know the time difference from where she is and you are, but I’m sure she’ll calculate it when I talk to her,” Hawke said.
“Sounds good. And great work, we need answers.” Silas paused. “How’s Razor and Storm?”
“They’re both having a rough time, so the sooner we get answers the better,” Hawke said.
“What does he mean by a rough time?” Jasmine asked moving closer.
Silas asked Hawke.
“Thomas, Noah, and Max had to come over and sit with them,” Silas said. “They’re the only ones who can handle them right now.”
“Do they need us?” Jasmine asked.
“No,” Silas said and pulled her close. “They’ll be fine.”
She dropped a kiss on his forehead and returned to the kitchen. “Food’s almost ready,” she called.
Silas met Angus’ gaze. “Ask and you shall receive.”
“Yeah, but I didn’t want to fly through time to see them do the ritual, I was thinking more along the lines of finding a journal with the ritual written for posterity or something along that line,” Angus said. “Did he send the instructions?”
“Not yet. It’s probably a bath, some candles, that kind of thing.”
“Yeah?” Angus looked skeptical.
Silas nodded. “When I meet with the Goddess, there’s a process of cleansing before we’re transported to wherever She is, so I get the right energy thing.”
“Jasmine anchors you?”
“No. There’s no need to do that with the Goddess.” Silas paused. “He sent the directions. I’m sending them to you. She’s doing this at three am our time.”
“In that case, we’ll have our meal to go,” Angus said as he stood. “Tomorrow’s day six and I don’t know what it’ll bring so I’ll make sure this day is one she’ll never forget.”
CHAPTER TWELVE
SILAS WOKE JUST BEFORE three am and entered the shower. Jasmine had prepared the room with the candles and he could hear her moving about as she lit them. She would change the sheets in preparation, and they would be ready for Amynta to begin her... whatever it was she planned to do for them to listen in on Alpha Nikolas’ ritual.
He wasn’t sure how he felt about going back in time this way, with Amynta leading. It wasn’t that he doubted her ability. On the contrary, she was truly gifted and strong in her craft. Her Pack, the White Wolves, were well-known and respected for their abilities to merge with nature and were keepers of mystic secrets. For centuries, using strong wards, Amynta provided safety and security for her Pack in the mountains by keeping them hidden. When she and her mate Barticus were at odds, through all his searches, Barticus never found her until she was ready. She had also warded her father’s lands by hiding the grounds in plain sight preventing anyone who would poach their rich caverns for crystals. When Hawke, Asia, Damian, Amynta, and Barticus returned to those lands, they were in the same state as they’d been centuries ago, the wards never failed.
Silas’ uncertainty stemmed from the fact he hadn’t wanted to involve anyone outside of the Clan with this sensitive problem. If it was known the BlackWolf was failing, losing control, or under some kind of curse, or any of the like, there could be mass hysteria within all Packs worldwide. Many would wonder who would survive if the elite Clan couldn’t fight off an attack? It was a valid question, and not one Silas wanted to think about. Going along with Amynta’s plan compromised that concern.
He was out of options.
It didn’t sit well with him that Thomas and the others were babysitting Razor and Storm, which meant they needed to find answers as quickly as possible, even at the risk of others knowing about Clan problems. He stepped out the shower, drying off and entered the bedroom. The sheers on the sliding glass door moved gently in the early morning breeze. He slid between the clean sheets and waited. Jasmine sat in a chair next to him and placed her hand on his sheet-covered thigh.
“Ready?” she asked.
“Yes. Angus and I are linked. Hawke too. He’s connecting with Niall so that the four of us are linked. Then he’ll contact Amynta through Barticus,” Silas said, grateful for his friend’s assistance.
Jasmine nodded but didn’t say anything. Neither of them fully understood what was expected of her as an anchor or how she would hold him while he mind-traveled. She hadn’t been too keen on the idea and Amynta had been too busy prepping for the ordeal to have a chat. Asia had offered comfort and gave Jasmine a few pointers on what to expect or look for since Jasmine wouldn’t be able to see along with him while he traveled. That conversation eased Jasmine some, but he sensed her discomfort and covered her hand with his.
“We’ll be alright. I wouldn’t do this with anyone other than Amynta. She’s strong and I know Barticus, he’ll be with us. I just hope we learn everything we need to develop a plan of action.”
“Me too,” Jasmine whispered and lapsed into silence.
“Good, I sense all of you are ready and have followed my instructions. I’m ready,” Amynta said, her voice soft and yet strong with command. “Listen to me. Don’t rush or try to see before it’s time, we’ll be traveling through some rough terrain. When you see Nikolas, do not speak, not that he will hear, but it might draw attention from other sources. Between the four of you, I hope you’ll recall what you hear because you can’t ask them to stop or slow down.”
>
Silas smiled.
“You won’t see each other but you’ll sense each other’s energies, that’s important, hold onto each other tight, things might get bumpy. Also, your anchors will not be able to talk to you, not in a way you’ll understand but their links will keep you tethered in case you break free of my hold. In that case, they’ll pull you back. It won’t be easy, so do your best to stay connected to my energy.”
Silas appreciated the warning and shared it with Jasmine.
“One other thing,” Amynta said. “The language they’ll be speaking is an old mixture of Hungarian and Swashi, you are aware of that right? You know this won’t be in English?”
Silas hadn’t thought about it. “Hawke? Will you be able to translate it?”
“I should, Sir. I’ll need everyone to focus on what’s said and remember it exactly so we can reconstruct it. I have a good memory, but it’ll help to verify the conversations against everyone else,” Hawke said.
“Will do. I’ll memorize the ending,” Silas said.
“I’ll take the beginning,” Angus said.
“I speak several old languages and have total recall,” Niall said. “I’ll help you, Hawke.”
“Wonderful, so scratch me remembering anything,” Angus said sounding relieved.
“Same here,” Silas said. If Niall wanted to show off his skills, Silas wasn’t about to interfere.
“Now that we’ve settled that, take several deep cleansing breaths. In a few moments, you’ll feel a slight tugging as we move forward. Don’t resist, allow your minds to travel freely. I’ll let you know anything pertinent. Hold your questions and comments so you don’t distract me,” Amynta said.
They all agreed.
The tugging wasn’t gentle. They leaped forward and moved steadily. Behind his eyelids, Silas saw colors and skies and water and flowers. The environment changed. Lands became dark, barren. Houses were scarce. Flowers disappeared.
Muted sounds flew past them as they continued, what could only be termed, as flying through the air or slightly above the ground.