53. Epilogue #2 Secret of the Brother

"The kid didn't eat his vegetables again," I grumble while eyeing the leftovers on Benjamin's plate. We just had lunch, and Benjamin had to hurry to his training.

"Let him be," Silas says. "You know how he reacts when you say something to him."

"I'm not his father. I would never hit him," I say. "It's funny that he finds you more approachable. You are by far the more cunning bastard between you and me."

"I hope you meant that as a compliment," Silas says. "Or you can find joy with your hand tonight."

I snort, hugging him from behind. "You don't mean that."

"Try me, Alpha."

"I certainly won't," I say.

Silas sighs. "You aren't fun."

"Well," I let go of him to help clean up the dishes. "It's important to keep you happy. You are my"—I pause, needing a moment to find the right word—"friend after all."

We have been tiptoeing around what we are to each other ever since we met. In a way, we were both done with relationships at that point. We worked together because we both lost something fundamental… our mates, our family. And we were both fed up with society.

"Is Benjamin's wolf resurfacing again?" Silas asks me, skillfully shifting the topic.

"His wolf is there, somewhere," I say. "But he doesn't communicate with him yet. Poor kid. I know he made some mistakes, but he was fucked over majorly his whole life."

"He didn't deserve it. What his father did to him was beyond cruel," Silas says. "No child does."

"Talking about children," I say. "Why didn't you tell them?"

Silas tosses me a gaze. "What do you mean?"

"That you saved the child your brother thought he had killed."

Silas's face pales at my words. "Never say that aloud again," he says, his voice having a dangerous edge to it.

"You had a child with you when we met," I say. "A baby."

"It was one of the others," he says shortly.

"But you carried it," I say. "And you seemed to be personally invested. I first thought it was yours."

"Oh fuck," Silas curses, his eyes turning purple all of a sudden. He turns to me, glaring dangerously. "Shut up, Marcellus! What do you know!?"

"I know I won't ever mention it again if that's what you want. Tell me, and I will take the secret to my grave," I say. "But don't treat me like an idiot. I have put the truth together by now. I just haven't asked you any questions for years, although it directly affects the safety of the pack. I hope this counts for something!"

Silas's stance relaxes. "I apologize," he mutters. "I truly lost all my faith in others."

"I know," I say bitterly.

Silas looks at me, opening his mouth like he wants to say something, but he doesn't. It's silent around us until—"He believes the child died," Silas says. "He can never learn the truth."

"That's why you are hiding her here?" I ask.

"I couldn't have her stay with me," he says. "I don't want to leave any traces. But here in this pack with her adoptive mother, the child is safe. After Aloysius killed the mother, he strangled the baby."

"But it didn't die," I conclude.

"Yes, it did," Silas says. "But my lieutenant and I managed to resurrect it. Have you ever done resuscitation on a newborn?"

"No," I say quietly. "And I can't imagine."

"It's the most devastating thing I've ever done. Seeing this helpless tiny little being, feeling how its body got colder. I couldn't give up."

"You were successful," I conclude.

"Yes," he says. "You know the rest of the story. I hid the child immediately and took it with me when my plan to overthrow Aloysius failed. I never told Julianus about it…" he pauses. "I didn't trust anyone to keep this secret. The smartest decision I made back then," he adds bitterly.

"Trusting Julianus wasn't your fault," I say quietly. "He was the one who betrayed you."

"Still…" He shakes his head. "But the child is alive, and everyone who knew what Aloysius was doing thinks it's dead. That's all that matters."

"But what if it grows older?" I ask. "Like Charlie… her powers started to appear when she was close to sixteen."

"You are right," Silas mutters. "Even if it's only half a vampire, Aloysius's offspring will still be powerful. I need to find a way to protect it."

"We," I say.

"Sorry?"

"We need to find a way to protect it."