11. Silas

SILAS

On the edge of town, I find a secluded spot without any prying locals and lean against my bike, phone pressed to my ear while I watch the sun peek out over the horizon. The crisp morning air nips at my skin, but I barely notice it. My mind is too preoccupied with Mika and the mess she"s in.

"Kade," I say as soon as he picks up. "We've got a situation."

"Tracker, what's going on?" Kade's voice is rough, like I just pulled him from a deep sleep.

"That Henry Richards we met at the broken diner. Our instincts were right about him. He's not her husband. He's her stalker. The guy's a fucking psycho. She's been running from him for years."

"You gonna bring her in?"

"No. I can't do that. Especially not when…" I pause, running a hand through my beard as I force myself to say the words I've only spoken in my mind until now. "She's my mate."

"What? Didn't your mate just get engaged to some wolf prince or something?"

"Not the mate who rejected me. The woman Richards sent me to find. She's my mate—a human mate."

"You're telling me you"re fated to a human?"

"Yeah, brother. Scent doesn't lie."

He lets out a low whistle. "Well, it's not unheard of. We've got a couple of human mates in the pack already."

"I know that. It's just…unexpected. I thought that when I was rejected, then that was it. I'd never have that fated connection."

"Seems the gods of fate decided to give you a second chance, brother. I'm happy for you. When are you bringing her home?"

"Home? I don"t think that"s happening anytime soon." I run a hand through my hair, frustration building inside me. "She doesn't even know I'm a shifter yet."

"Yikes. You'd better tell her soon. You know that bond is going to give her some crazy ass dreams, and your wolf isn't gonna stay put come the full moon."

"I know. And she's close to figuring it out herself, believe me. But I just need to let her know the threat of Henry is over before I confuse her with the whole shifter thing." I take a deep breath, trying to calm my racing thoughts.

"OK," Kade says after a short pause. "What do you need from us?"

"I need him gone," I say, my voice low. "Permanently. He's got resources, connections. We need to make it look like an animal attack. Clean, no traces back to us."

Kade's silent for a moment. "You know the Pack's got your back. I'll get a few of the guys on it. We'll track him down, make sure he's not a problem anymore."

"Thanks, brother. Let me know when it's done." I hang up, feeling a mix of relief and tension. It's not the first time we've needed to make someone disappear, but this feels different. This is for Mika. My mate. This is personal.

I head over to the local store to pick up some groceries. Mika needs more than just my protection; she needs to know she's not alone anymore. I grab a few essentials—bread, milk, eggs, some fresh fruit and a new bag of rice—and pay the cashier, who gives me a curious glance but says nothing. Small towns are like that; everyone knows everyone else's business, but they also know when to keep their mouths shut, especially when someone walks in wearing a Devil's Pack MC cut.

As I hike back up to the cabin, I can't help but think about last night. The kiss, the way she looked at me, the way I felt when I held her. It's been a long time since I've felt this way about someone, and it scares the hell out of me because I don't think my heart or my wolf could take being rejected again. That kind of thing isn't like some regular breakup between humans where one was in love but the other wasn't. No. Being rejected by a fated mate is a soul-tearing experience that could leave even the strongest shifter scarred for life.

But I can"t bring myself to dwell on the potential consequences right now. All that matters is now is keeping Mika safe and showing her that she can trust me. The rest we can build up to.

When I reach the cabin, she's sitting on the porch, her eyes widening as she sees the bags in my hands. "You brought groceries?"

"Figured you could use a few things," I say, setting the bags down and giving her a small smile as she takes a peek inside.

"You bought me rice?"

I laugh, shrugging my shoulders. "I know it"s not the most exciting thing, but I couldn't have you eating something you picked up off the floor."

She smiles back at me, looking genuinely touched by my gesture. "Thank you," she says, getting up to carry the groceries inside.

"I've got it," I say, quickly grabbing the bag and following her inside. She thanks me again when I set it on the counter, and when she starts putting the items away, I add, "The boys are handling things with Henry."

She freezes. "That was fast."

"I called them this morning. They'll let me know when he's no longer a threat to you."

Mika looks up at me, her brows furrowing. "What are they going to do?"

"It's better if you don't know," I say, my tone firm but gentle.

"I see," she says, before she continues to put the groceries away. I watch her for a few moments before I clear my throat and thumb toward the door.

"I should probably go. Leave you to it."

"Wait."

I turn back to face her, my brows raised in question. She hesitates for a moment before stepping out of the kitchen and moving so she's standing just before me. So close that if I reach out my hand slightly, I'll be able to touch her. But I force myself to stay still.

"About last night…"

"There's nothing to talk about," I cut her off, shaking my head. "You were drinking, upset. It's best if we just let it go for now."

Her brow knits, and when I try to step away, she moves to block my retreat. "I can't do that, Silas."

I sigh, running a hand through my hair. "Mika…"

"No, Silas. There's something I need to tell you," she insists. "I…I keep seeing this wolf when you're not around. It's big, black, and…it's always watching me. Like it's here to protect me."

My heart squeezes, remembering the way she looked at me in my wolf form last night and whispered my name like she knew it was me, but I keep my expression neutral. "It's the forest, Mika. There are wolves and bears…"

"No. No, Silas. It's more than that. And I know this sounds crazy, but I think you know it's more than that."

I hesitate, unsure of how to respond. "Are you saying that you think I have a pet wolf trained to protect you?"

"I don't know what to think," she admits, her voice trembling slightly. "There's something strange going on, something I can't explain. You see, I'm having these dreams. Ever since I got here. And I swear I saw that wolf in my head before it ever appeared in real life. And you…your eyes."

"You dreamed about my eyes?"

"No! Yes…I don't know. I just…I have this feeling." She touches her hand to the center of her chest. "Right here. And it's telling me…"

My entire chest tightens and I cease to breathe. "What is it telling you, Mika?"

She bites her lip, looking up at me with those wide eyes that seem to pierce straight through my soul. "It"s telling me that you"re not just some biker guy from a motorcycle club. It"s telling me that you"re... different. Important."

Oh, Mika, if only you knew the half of it.

"Different how?" I ask, striving for nonchalance but failing miserably.

"Like you've got secrets," she says, looking away like she's just dropped a bomb and can't bear to see the fallout. "And maybe I'm crazy, but I think those secrets have something to do with that wolf."

She's closer to understanding than I gave her credit for. But how do I explain this without sounding like a complete lunatic?

I shift a little closer, my eyes locked onto hers as she tips her head back to look up at me. "Does that frighten you?"

She shakes her head. "No. It doesn't frighten me. I know I should be afraid. But I have this instinct inside me telling me this is OK. That I need you. It's just…confusing."

"That feeling is our bond talking." I take a deep breath as soon as the words leave my mouth, knowing there's no turning back now.

"Bond?" Her brow furrows, and I can see the gears in her head turning, trying to process everything.

"Yeah, it's like we're connected. More than just two strangers who met by chance. Something deeper, ancient." I"m skating on thin ice here, revealing more than I ever planned to.

Her eyes search mine, trying to decode the cryptic message I've just delivered. "Ancient? Like fate? Or are we talking about something out of a fantasy novel here?"

I can't help but chuckle, despite the gravity of the moment. "A little of both, actually." Seeing her confusion deepen, I continue, "Look, this isn't exactly your average "boy meets girl" story. More like ‘girl meets a guy she thinks is a biker, biker shifts into wolf and girl gets mixed up in a world she never asked for.'"

She blinks once, twice, then laughs—a short, almost disbelieving sound. "So you're saying… what? You're a werewolf?" Her voice is low, almost like she's testing out the words, trying to see if they fit into the puzzle she"s piecing together.

"Yeah, that's one way to put it," I reply, my tone lighter than I feel. Underneath my calm exterior, my heart is racing.

Mika's eyes widen, and for a split second, everything is silent. Then she bursts out laughing, the kind of laugh that bubbles up from deep within. "Holy crap," she says between gasps. "I mean, I've had some guys come up with weird excuses not to date me, but this takes the cake."

I shake my head, a grin tugging at the corners of my mouth. "It's not an excuse, Mika. It's just... reality. My reality. And now, apparently, yours too. Those dreams of yours aren't gonna quit. And that feeling in your chest isn't gonna go away. It's just going to keep getting stronger and stronger until, well, until we give in."

Mika's laughter trails off, leaving an awkward silence hanging between us. She looks at me, eyes searching mine, the humor fading as the weight of my words settles in. "You're serious, aren't you?" she whispers.

I nod, swallowing hard. "Dead serious."

For a moment, she just stands there looking at me like I've grown two heads. Hell, maybe she thinks I have. Then, slowly, she steps back, putting a little more distance between us.

"OK, let's say I believe you," she starts, her voice steady but low. "What does that even mean for me? For us? What happens if we ‘give in'?" Her eyes are wide, wary, but there"s a flicker of curiosity too. Not quite the reaction I expected, but life's one big surprise party.

"Accepting our bond means a lot of things," I say, running a hand across the back of my neck as I create a bit of space between us. "For starters, it means a bond, stronger than anything you"ve ever known. It means you"ll never be alone again, even when you want to be. It means feeling what I feel, knowing what I know, being part of my world—the good, the bad, and the downright ugly."

Mika"s eyebrows knit together as she processes my words. She chews on her lip, a habit I"ve noticed when she"s deep in thought. "So, basically, it"s like a lifetime of sharing my Netflix account with you?"

I can"t help but chuckle at that. "Yeah, except more intense. Like... if Netflix could read your mind and suggest shows based on your deepest, darkest secrets. And, you know, the occasional life-threatening scrape or shifter drama."

Mika groans, running a hand through her hair, making it stick up in defiant spikes. "Great. Just what I needed. Supernatural Netflix with no "unsubscribe" button." She moves to sit on the couch, dropping her weight on it with a huff of breath. "Is the whole MC like you?"

"They are. But we're not all wolves. There are bears and panthers, cougars too."

She snorts, shaking her head. "Fantastic. A zoo on wheels."

I huff out a laugh. "You get used to it. Plus, the benefits are pretty decent. Enhanced senses, strength, and a family that's got your back no matter what."

Mika's eyes narrow, the wariness back in full force. "And what if I don't want to be part of your supernatural circus? What if I just want to, I don't know, live my life without having to worry about the people around me shifting into woodland creatures or reading my mind?" This is exactly what I was afraid of.

I sigh, dropping onto the couch beside her, though leaving enough space to give her the option to bolt if she needs it. "Honestly? If you don't want this, you can reject our bond. It'll hurt like hell, but you'll be free, and you won't have to ever see me—or sense me—again."

Her eyes flicker with indecision, the inner turmoil practically radiating off her. "I don't want to never see you, Silas," she whispers, almost as if she"s afraid the words will break something fragile.

I reach over and take her hand in mine, the relief of her touch grounding me. "I don't want that either."

She looks down at our joined hands. "But this is a lot to take in. I barely know who I am anymore, let alone what I believe right now."

"I'd offer to shift in order to prove it to you, but I have a feeling that's not what you need right now."

She shakes her head, a small, bitter smile playing on her lips. "No, I think seeing you turn into a giant wolf would just about send me over the edge."

I chuckle softly, squeezing her hand gently. "Fair enough. But we've got time, Mika. You don't have to decide anything right now."

She takes a deep breath, her eyes locking onto mine. "I just... I need to know I'm safe. That he won't find me."

My jaw tightens at the mention of her stalker, and I quickly pull her into a protective embrace. "He's not getting anywhere near you, Mika. Not with me around."

She lets out a heavy breath. "OK. Then that's all I need for now," she says, slowly relaxing into me.