Chapter 17

Silas

Korren moved swiftly between the beds in the medical building as my heart, swollen and heavy with worry for our mate, thudded in my chest. Isolde and Brielle were stable for now, thank the moon, but my attention lingered on Myla, who was being examined. She was pale and still, her breathing shallow, and I couldn’t shake the fear gnawing at my insides.

If Shiloh hadn’t been there, we would have lost them.

“Stop looking at me like that,” Myla whispered.

My brows rose with an unspoken question.

“You’re staring like you think I’ll disappear.”

“You almost did.” The words slipped out without my brain’s consent.

Her small hand reached for me, and I stepped closer and threaded our fingers together. “Yeah, but almost doesn’t count. The pack came, I’m safe.” She motioned around the room. “We’re all safe, and they won’t be able to take us by surprise anymore.”

Bowen brushed her hair from her face and kissed her forehead. “We won’t underestimate them again.”

Gentry put his hand on my shoulder. I took comfort in it while looking around the room. Blythe was still unconscious, and the medical staff were closely monitoring her condition. When Shiloh broke the dark witch’s spell, the force slammed Blythe against a tree trunk, so Korren suspected she’d be out for a while. We could do little but wait and hope for the best.

Tension lined the faces of the males in the infirmary. We weren’t just attacked—we were ripped apart at the seams. Our enemies not only targeted mates, they preyed on the unborn pups of the pack.

Our future.

Alpha Wynn wouldn’t take this sitting down. There was a price for what happened, and the Council would pay it in blood.

Leighton and a few other Enforcers were with Shiloh, reinforcing our territory with a magical barrier. It was a necessary precaution—one we wouldn’t have had access to if we never interacted with witches. Keeping witches and shifters separated allowed the Council to fortify the cage they’d slowly built around the sanctioned packs. The Council’s attack was brazen because they were sure we couldn’t defend ourselves.

We needed to make changes to ensure our pack’s safety in the days to come.

The Alpha called all the Enforcers for a meeting, and Theron and Gentry remained by Myla’s side in the medical building. Knowing they were with her comforted my wolf, who was disgruntled at leaving his mate so soon after the abduction attempt.

Bowen and I followed the crowd of males toward the Enforcer building.

“What do you think is next?” I asked Bowen. “We’ve already fortified our security, and now, with the magical barrier added, there’s nothing more we can do on that front.”

The muscles in his neck flexed. “I don’t know, but I’m sure alliances will be a primary focus. The Council isn’t hiding anymore, so there’s no telling how far they’ll go when their witches don’t return.”

The offending witches were in an underground cell that Shiloh had reinforced with a binding spell. Once Shiloh finished with the borders, she was going to interrogate them.

We stepped into the meeting room inside the Enforcer building. Alpha Wynn stood in front with his bond mates, Bishop and Alaric, by his side.

The air in the room was heavy—suffocating, even. Each man present radiated an anxious, restless energy, their muscles coiled tight with pent-up fury and a burning desire for vengeance.

The Alpha’s eyes flickered with barely contained rage, the gold of his wolf splintering through his arctic blue gaze.

Bishop’s jaw clenched as he stepped forward. “Today was a test. And make no mistake, we will be tested again. The Council thought they would find us unprepared, and they were right.”

Murmurs filled the room. It was the truth; we were moments away from failure today.

“We didn’t expect them to use their witches,” Alaric said. “We grew complacent and thought they wished to hide their true intentions. It won’t happen a second time.”

“This is why I’ve asked Shiloh to stay with the pack. We will also transition more trustworthy witches onto pack grounds,” Alpha Wynn stated.

That caused a stir. Some Enforcers expressed their discontent with more witches in the pack, while others defended the idea, pointing out how the separation was the reason we were so vulnerable in the first place.

Old pains clashed with new troubles, and the males spoke in clipped tones, voices edged with anger and frustration. The air crackled with collective disarray.

“Will they be joining the pack permanently?” one Enforcer asked.

“Where will they stay?” said another.

“How can we ensure their loyalty?” an older Enforcer called out.

“When can we prepare for their—”

Alpha Wynn held up his hands, silencing the room.

“We will keep the entire pack updated as we decide how to handle the coming changes—and there will be changes.” Alpha Wynn’s eyes narrowed. “I understand there are preconceived notions about witches. I don’t expect you to bury your pain or forget the loss of your loved ones, but I will ask you to grow from it. There have been casualties on both sides, and if the witches can put aside their distrust to help us, the least we can do is give them the same courtesy.”

The door opened, and Shiloh and Leighton walked in with three Enforcers.

“Thank you, Alpha Wynn, for your kind words,” Shiloh said, a bored cadence to her voice. “Your borders are secure, but no one can cross until I add the scans of those with security clearance.”

Shiloh and Leighton walked to the front of the room and took their seats. Leighton rested his arm on Shiloh’s shoulders, and I wondered what type of relationship the two shared. Based on the look Bowen aimed at me, I wasn’t the only one.

“Shiloh has agreed to answer any questions about the integration of witches into the pack.” Alpha Wynn gestured for her to take the stage.

Shiloh and Leighton stood as a unit and took their place at the dais.

“I thought the witch was going to answer, not you, Leighton,” Efran, a young Enforcer, shouted.

We all knew what he meant. We also knew how it looked. Leighton was always by Shiloh’s side when she was on pack lands. It was clear how close they were, but given the division between shifters and witches, no one understood how or why their relationship was as strong as it was.

“The witch has a name,” Leighton said in warning.

Shiloh put her hand up, and they exchanged a look before she turned to the crowd.

“I’m ready for any questions that aren’t asinine,” Shiloh said.

“How do we know the witches won’t betray us?” an Enforcer asked.

“How do we know you won’t betray us ?” Shiloh retorted. “We’ll be outnumbered and on your territory. We’re putting a lot on the line by accepting your Alpha’s proposal. I’m going to be frank with you. This won’t be easy for anyone, and I would never presume to speak for my sisters, but your Council working with dark witches is reason enough to stand with you.”

I’d heard rumors of tension between the two factions of witches, though nothing was confirmed. Witches kept their business to themselves like most species.

I couldn’t say I was angry about the rivalry, especially if it worked in our favor.

“Is there anything you require to make you feel more welcome?” a voice asked.

I didn’t miss the emphasis on you , nor did the others.

I turned to see who posed the question. It was Ivan, a retrieval specialist. He was part of a special task unit of Enforcers—a group called the Hand—we dispatched to handle dangerous assignments outside of pack lands.

Leighton stared at Ivan and lifted a brow. Of all the questions Ivan could have asked, one about the witch’s comfort was a surprise.

Apparently, Alaric thought the same because he said, “Everyone should note Ivan’s efforts to welcome the witches into our territory. This partnership will be a great benefit to both sides. We encourage all of you to build connections and make friends.”

“I wouldn’t mind making Shiloh my friend,” someone whispered.

“I think Leighton’s already staked a claim.”

“You didn’t answer my question,” Ivan said, looking directly at Shiloh as the room fell silent.

Leighton cocked a brow at Ivan, a frown marring his face. Shiloh nudged him with her shoulder before answering. “Nothing needs to be done. Witches and shifters are similar enough in terms of biology. We eat, sleep, and prefer to be close to nature, that’s all.”

“The witches are going to cause more trouble than we expected,” Bowen murmured, smirking.

I snorted. Nothing overrode biases better than lust, and integrating young, fertile females into the pack was bound to attract male attention.

This would be interesting.

“Okay. Thanks for that question, Ivan,” Bishop said, redirecting the conversation before the vein in Leighton’s neck burst.

Alpha Wynn took the floor once more. “The meeting with the Silver Fang Alpha went in our favor, and negotiations for an alliance are officially underway.”

I stood. “What are our protocols for the Omegas until reinforcements arrive?”

“No Omegas will be without an escort, whether it’s their mates or an Enforcer. At no point should they be left alone,” he said in a hard tone.

“May I make a suggestion?” Shiloh said.

Alpha Wynn nodded.

“You should start training your females.” She looked directly at the Alpha. “A large group of Alpha and Beta females were locked away with the elderly during the attack, and it’s a waste of strength.”

“You would put them in danger?” Efran asked. “They are our sisters and cousins. We’re supposed to protect them, not send them out like lambs to the slaughter. Hasn’t fate already punished them enough?”

There were a few rumbles of agreement.

“That’s exactly why they should be trained,” Shiloh replied. “This curse and the Council stole the Omegas’ autonomy, but they also ruined the lives of every shifter female. They need a purpose, and it would increase your numbers. Their participation means that if an enemy slips past your Enforcers, fewer members of your pack are helpless. What you’re doing now is making them easy targets.”

“I agree with Shiloh,” I said, thinking of the times our females were targeted. “It’s impossible to be everywhere at once, and even the most well-protected safe house can be compromised. When all is said and done, I want the females of Hidden Creek to have a fighting chance.”

Bowen stood next to me. “I second that. War is coming, and every member of our pack should prepare. The Council won’t show mercy when they’re trying to take down our pack—everyone will be a target.”