15. Silas

SILAS

The afterglow is an electric haze, every nerve in my body still humming from the intensity of our shared climax. Mika's chest rises and falls in sync with mine, our breath mingling in the close space between us. I want to move, but something pulls me back. Or rather, something keeps me firmly in place.

"Mika," I murmur, brushing a stray strand of hair from her sweat-dappled forehead. "Don't freak out, OK?"

She blinks up at me, confusion clouding those sharp eyes of hers. "Freak out? Why would I—" Her sentence cuts off as she tries to shift beneath me and realizes we're… stuck. A look of shock flashes across her face.

"What the hell?" she breathes, her eyes widening as she wiggles slightly, testing the limits.

I chuckle, though it's more of a nervous laugh. "Yeah, uh, about that…" I start to explain, choosing my words carefully. "It"s a shifter thing. Specifically, a wolf thing."

Her brows knit together. "A wolf thing? Like... knotting?" Her voice wavers slightly on the last word.

I nod, bracing for the inevitable barrage of questions. "Yeah, knotting. It's, uh, a biological reaction. When a wolf shifter mates, there"s this... attachment that forms. It"s designed to ensure that our bond is sealed properly. Means we're stuck together for a bit."

She stares at me, processing this newfound information with wide, incredulous eyes. "So, we"re... stuck?"

I nod again, feeling the heat creep up my neck. "Yeah, but it's temporary. Few minutes, max."

Her eyes narrow, and for a moment, I think she might unleash some fiery anger on me. But then, she bursts out laughing, the sound light and surprising against the intimacy of our current position. It doesn't take long before I"m laughing too, our shared amusement cutting through any awkwardness.

"Well," she says, as her giggles subside. "Since we"re stuck, might as well enjoy it."

The corners of my mouth lift into a smirk. "I like the way you think." I lean down, capturing her lips in a slow, lingering kiss. My tongue dances with hers, and my hands roam over the curves of her body, savoring every inch of this woman—my mate—who is mine. All mine.

When we come up for air, she loops her arms around my neck, giving me a cheeky smile as she looks up at me. "You know," she says, her voice dropping to a sultry whisper. "That bite was pretty sexy. Maybe I"ll even bite you. Leave my mark so every woman sniffing around the MC knows you"re mine. I've seen enough TV to know how irresistible bikers can be."

The possessive edge in her voice makes the knot inside her tighten. "Keep talking like that and we'll never seperate, sweetheart."

"Oh, yeah? The idea of me biting you turns you on?"

I grind against her. "The idea of you wanting to warn other women away turns me on." I brush my lips over the pulse point in her neck, feeling the thrum of her heartbeat before I run my tongue of the reddened skin where I left my mark. "Tell you what. If you really want to give me one of these so it'll last, you can give me a good bite and I'll get it tattooed there."

She arches an eyebrow, intrigued. "You'd really do that for me? I mean, is that something that's OK to do?"

I chuckle against her skin. "It's my body. I can tattoo any damn thing on it I want. And since my mark on your skin is kind of like a paranormal wedding ring, then it's only fair that I have one too, right? Show everyone how committed to you I am." I nip at her earlobe, eliciting a shiver that runs through her entire body.

"I'm committed to you too, Silas."

I can feel the knot gradually easing up, but I hold her closer for a moment longer. "This probably goes without saying, but I"m in love with you, Mika," I say, my voice uncharacteristically soft. "And now that you"re mine, I"ll spend the rest of my life making sure you never spend another day feeling like you need to run. No more aliases, no more hiding. Just us—together."

Her eyes glisten, and she touches my cheek, her fingers brushing through my beard. "I never thought I"d find someone who"d make me feel safe just by being there. But you...you"ve changed everything, Silas. You"ve given me a reason to stop running."

Her voice cracks, and I can see the fortress of steel she"s built around her heart begin to crumble. Damn, it feels good to be the one to bring down those walls. I lean in and press a gentle kiss on her lips, and it's at that point the knot recedes and I'm able to pull out of her and roll to the side.

Mika snuggles into my side, her head resting on my chest. I wrap an arm around her, feeling the warmth radiate between us. She draws little patterns on my skin with her fingertips, and I can't help but feel a rush of contentment. This moment—this peace—is everything.

"You know, I kinda liked that knotting thing. Is it going to happen every time?"

I laugh, a deep rumble that shakes the bed. ""You like my knot, huh?"

She giggles. "I do."

"Yeah, it's part of the whole shifter package. Hope you"re prepared for a lifetime of that."

She grins, biting her lip in a way that just about drives me insane. "Oh, I think I can handle it. Adds a little extra something special, you know?" She winks, and my heart does a weird flip. I love that after everything this woman has endured, she still has a playful side.

I run my fingers through her hair, feeling the silky strands slip between them. "You"re one hell of a woman, Mika Braddish." I rest my chin on her head, basking in the moment of finally feeling complete. I spent so many years after being rejected thinking I'd never have this. And now that it's mine, I'll go to the ends of the earth to protect it.

She nestles closer, her breath warm against my chest. "You know, I never thought I"d end up with a biker shifter."

I chuckle as I stroke her back, feeling the curve of her spine beneath my hand. "Strange you wouldn't think that," I say, pressing a kiss to the top of her head.

"Yeah, real shocker," she murmurs, the sarcasm in her voice making me grin. We lie there for what feels like an eternity and a heartbeat all at once, wrapped up in each other and the warmth of the moment. The world outside could be ending, but right now, it's just us.

Mika opens her mouth to say something, but I hush her with a finger on her lips. "Shh. Do you hear that?" I sit up abruptly, straining to catch any unusual noise.

Mika's eyes widen, and her heart picks up speed like a runaway train. "What is it?" she whispers, her voice trembling slightly.

I hold up a hand, signaling her to stay silent as I tune my senses to the surroundings. My shifter instincts kick in, amplifying every sound in the forest until I'm sure we're not alone.

"Someone's coming," I whisper, more to myself than her.

"Who?" she asks, urgency lacing her words.

I swing my legs off the bed. "Wait here. I"ll check it out."

She clutches the sheet to her chest, her wide eyes tracking my every move. I can feel her fear, a tangible thing that pierces through the cocoon of security we've wrapped ourselves in. Damn it, just when things were starting to feel normal.

"I won"t be long," I whisper, hoping to reassure her.

Mika nods, but her lips are pressed together in a tight line. I can see the battle raging within her, the fear warring with her newfound trust in me.

I pull on a pair of boxers and move silently through the cabin, my wolf senses on high alert. The hairs on the back of my neck stand up as I approach the door. There's someone out there. I can feel it.

I step outside, the cool night air hitting my skin. My eyes scan the darkness, and then I see him—Henry, skulking around the edge of the clearing. My blood boils at the sight of him, and a warning growl escapes my throat.

"Henry," I snarl, my voice laced with fury.

He turns around slowly, a smirk playing on his lips. "Silas," he says, his voice dripping with malice. "Fancy meeting you here."

"What do you want, Henry?" I demand, my fists clenched at my sides, claws already starting to sprout. "How did you even find this place?"

Henry smirks, stepping into the moonlight. "You bikers are known criminals. So I know you couldn't be trusted to bring back what's mine. I made myself a little insurance policy. That business card I gave you had a tracker in it. You led me right to her."

"You're delusional, Henry. Mika is not yours," I growl, my voice low and dangerous. "She was never yours."

He laughs, a harsh, grating sound that echoes through the stillness of the night. "You really think you can protect her from me, Silas? Do you have any idea what I've been throughfor her? I've been through hell. I've sacrificed everything for her. And now, you're going to give her to me. You're going to hand her over, or I'll take her myself."

Just then, Mika appears in the doorway, her eyes wide with fear. "Mika, get back inside," I order, my voice tight with anger.

Henry's gaze shifts to her, his expression turning vicious. "You stupid whore," he spits. "You think you can hide from me?"

"Don't you fucking call her that," I roar, the beast in me clawing to get free. With a deafening crack, my knuckles turn into claws. "Get inside, Mika. And lock the door."

Mika flinches back, but she doesn't move from the doorway.

"Listen closely, Henry," I growl, my voice laced with a promise of violence as my wolf forces its way out. "Mika is under my protection. You take one step closer, and I"ll rip you apart, limb by limb."

I get the final word out just as I lose control, my body transforming into my wolf form in a matter of seconds. Henry's eyes widen in terror, and he starts to back away, stumbling over his own feet.

"Oh, fuck," Henry mutters, turning to flee. "What the actual fuck!"

Panic rises in his throat as I stalk toward him, my eyes locked on his, a low growl rumbling in my chest.

"No. No. No. I'm sorry. I'm leaving. I'm leaving!"

I give him just enough of a head start to make it sport. Then when he's far enough out of Mika's sight, I break into a run, my powerful legs propelling me forward. The distance between us shrinks rapidly, and Henry's face contorts in terror. With a swift leap, I pounce on him, my claws sinking into his flesh. He screams. And I make sure the last thing he sees is my bared teeth.