16. Mika

MIKA

Ifocus on feeding the fire in the hearth, watching as it casts flickering shadows across the cabin walls. My hands tremble, the adrenaline still coursing through my veins. Silas promised Henry would never get to me again, and the reality of knowing he's out there ‘taking care of things' settles a weird kind of comfort over me. I know I should be shocked, and maybe even disturbed about what I know is happening in my name. But I'm not. With Henry gone, I'm free.

No more running. No more hiding. I can finally breathe without looking over my shoulder every two seconds.

The sound of paws padding against the wooden porch breaks me out of my thoughts, and I quickly get up and unlock the door.

Silas stands there, his wolf form menacing, the moonlight glinting off his fur. He's a sight to behold, an eerie blend of terrifying and magnificent. His eyes—those same piercing eyes that always seem to read my soul—lock onto mine, and I can see the human part of him within the beast. Relief washes over me, so potent it leaves me weak-kneed.

"Are you hurt?"

The wolf pads into the cabin, its movements fluid and graceful despite its size. It stops in front of me, and I swear I hear the words, ‘I'm fine' before he continues on and disappears into the bathroom.

"Did I just…hear you in my head?"

The sound of the shower turning on drowns out my words. I stand there for a heartbeat, frozen in place as I just listen. Then, unable to resist the pull of concern, I move toward the bathroom door. My hand hovers over the knob, hesitation warring with worry. What if he's hurt and he needs me?

Pushing the door open, I gasp at the sight before me. Silas stands beneath the stream of water, his back to me. But it's the water pouring off him that has me concerned, water that's tinged red with blood.

"Silas!" My voice is a choked whisper. "You're hurt!"

He turns, his expression unreadable. "It's not my blood."

My stomach lurches. "Henry?"

He nods once, a curt movement of his head. "He won't bother you again."

I should feel relief. I do, a bit. But mostly, I feel like someone's gut-punched me. The weight of years spent running crashes down on me, making my knees buckle. I grasp the doorframe for support.

Silas steps out of the shower, droplets of water trailing down his rugged form as he closes the distance between us and catches me. "It's OK, sweetheart. It"s over. You"re safe."

I melt into his embrace. "Safe," I repeat, the word foreign on my tongue.

My fingers tighten around his arms, feeling the solid muscle beneath. How can a man—no, a wolf—be so comforting and terrifying all at once?

His eyes soften, breaking the usual sternness. "Yeah, safe," he murmurs, thumb brushing my cheek. "You can stop running."

I don"t even realize I"m crying until his thumb wipes away a tear. I look up into his eyes, the intensity of his gaze making my heart stutter. He leans in slowly, giving me all the time in the world to pull away. But I don't. I welcome the warmth of his lips on mine, tender and gentle, like he's afraid I might shatter. The kiss starts slow, exploring, testing boundaries. But as the reality of what just happened sinks in—Henry is gone, Silas took care of it all for me—something inside me breaks free. The kiss deepens, a hunger neither of us can ignore.

His hands slide up my arms, leaving a trail of goosebumps in their wake. I thread my fingers through his wet hair, pulling him closer, needing him nearer. The heat between us intensifies, almost scorching in its urgency. Then he pushes the robe off my shoulders and it falls to the floor in a soft heap. His eyes roam over my body, darkening with desire, and before I know what's happening, he's pulling me back into the shower and pressing me against the cool, tiled wall. The sudden contrast of temperatures sends a shiver down my spine, but the heat radiating from Silas is all-consuming. The water cascades over us, washing away the remnants of the night—my past—leaving only raw need between us.

"Silas," I gasp as he hoists me up, pulling my legs either side of him.

He grins, a wolfish smirk that makes my heart skip. "Hold tight, Mika," he growls, his breath hot against my ear. I can feel the tension in his muscles, the barely restrained strength as he holds me effortlessly.

The steam envelopes us, creating a cocoon of heat and dampness. His mouth finds mine again, more demanding this time, hungry and insistent. I match his urgency, my fingers gripping his shoulders as if I"m afraid I"ll float away if I let go.

"Mika," he murmurs against my lips, the vibration of his voice sending a jolt straight through me.

"Silas, please," I whisper, not even sure what I"m asking for. Just more, always more.

He responds by pressing his hips against mine, letting me feel just how much he wants this.

"Christ, sweetheart. Tell me this is OK. Tell me you need this as much as I do right now."

"Yes," I moan, arching against him. "I need you, Silas. I need to feel alive right now. Remind me who I belong to, who's mark I wear."

"Mine." He growls low in his throat while he steadies me against the wall and reaches between us, guiding himself to where I'm so impossibly wet and ready for him. "You're mine, Mika. No one else's. And I swear to the moon and every goddamn star in the sky, no one will ever take that away from us again."

"Silas..." I whimper as he pushes inside, his girth parting me with a slow, teasing pace. He feels like heaven and earth colliding within me. With each thrust, he claims me more, marking his territory in the only way he knows how. This time, I let go of my fear. Let go of my past. Let go of everything that"s been pulling me down for far too long. I wrap my legs around him, digging my heels into his back, urging him to go deeper still.

"So fucking perfect," he grunts as he picks up the pace, driving into me with an intensity that makes my head spin. His hands grip my hips, pulling me closer, as he pistons into me again and again and again.

"Oh god, Silas. Yes!" I throw my head back and give into the ecstasy washing over me, surrendering completely to his touch, his kiss, his possessive love. In this moment, with Silas filling me so perfectly, I am free. Free from the chains that bound me to my past and the terror that haunted my every step. I am tethered only to him, my anchor in the storm. Our breaths intertwine, melding into grunts and gasps of sheer need. Each time he thrusts deeper, I feel the remnants of my fear dissolve, replaced by an electric burst of raw, unfiltered desire, of love for him. My savior. My wolf.

"Look at me," he commands between ragged breaths. His blue eyes bore into mine, piercing through every wall I've ever built. "I want to see you. All of you."

I meet his gaze, holding nothing back. He deserves it all—every broken piece, every scar and shadow. Silas has seen me at my most vulnerable and hasn"t turned away. Instead, he pulled me closer. He made me stronger.

"God, Mika," he whispers, voice cracking with emotion. "You have no idea what you do to me."

I smirk through the haze of pleasure, even as I feel the tremors of an impending climax building. "Oh, I think I have some idea," I whisper back, my voice tinged with playfulness and orgasm that coiling tight inside me, ready to burst.

His grip tightens on my hips as he slams into me with renewed fervor, each thrust sending shockwaves of pleasure coursing through my body. His pace becomes punishing. The sound of our skin slapping together filling the steamy room like a symphony of raw, unabashed need. My senses are overwhelmed by him—his scent, his taste, the feeling of him buried deep within me. The pressure builds and builds, every nerve in my body strung taut, ready to snap.

"Mika," he groans as he buries himself deep inside me and the now familiar swell of his knot pushes me over the edge with him.

"Oh, god! Silas!" I cry out, the explosion of pleasure tearing through me like a supernova. My body trembles and convulses, every inch of me electrified by his knot swelling inside me, locking us together until we both come down again.

"God, I love you, Mika," he murmurs, face buried in my neck as he pants out his breath.

My fingers slide over his wet shoulders, and wrap tight around his neck, hugging him as close as I can get. "I love you too, Silas. So much."

He pulls away slightly, our bodies still connected, and brushes the hair from my face. "Do you wanna get the hell out of here?" he asks.

"Yes," I whisper, without a moment's hesitation.

He grins, that roguish smile that always makes my heart flip. "All right then, let's pack up and blow this joint."

We untangle ourselves, our bodies still humming with from our love-making. He gets dressed first, those strong, sinewy muscles rippling as he pulls on his jeans and boots. I can't help but admire him, the way his tattoos snake up his arms, telling stories I'm yet to fully uncover but look forward to finding out. I slide into my own clothes, every movement a reminder of the intensity we just shared.

Silas tosses me his cut—the leather vest he wears with the Devil's Pack MC patch on it—and I catch it. "What's this for?" I ask, a hint of laughter in my voice.

He shrugs like it's no big deal, but his eyes and our bond is telling me this is a huge deal for him. "You're mine now. Might as well look the part."

"A bite mark and a fancy vest. Don't I feel special," I say, feeling a warmth spread through me as I slip the vest on over my shirt. It's heavier than I expected, but it smells of him of him, so it's perfect. I'll treasure it always.

Damn well better,I hear as if Silas just heard my thoughts then responded in my head.

What the hell? I say back to him, and he just stands there looking at me with a sly grin.

"What?" he says out loud. "It's part of our bond."

"Does this mean you can talk to me even when you're a wolf now?"

"Sure does."

"That's a shame. I kind of liked it when you couldn't talk back."

He barks out a laugh, the sound rumbling through his chest. "Too bad, sweetheart. You're stuck with me now, shared thoughts and all."

I roll my eyes but can't suppress my smile. "Great. Just what I needed—a furry, back-talking boyfriend."

"Mate," he corrects, stepping closer, his eyes twinkling with amusement. "Big difference."

I snort, shaking my head. "Semantics."

He tilts my chin up with a gentle but firm touch, his thumb brushing my jawline. "Nope. Mate means forever. You're mine, Mika Braddish. Forever."

Forever. That word sends a shiver down my spine, but not the bad kind. Not the kind that makes me want to pack up and vanish into another alias. This shiver is different—electric, grounding.

"Guess I"ll just have to get used to it," I murmur, leaning into his touch. His fingers trail down to my neck, grazing the mark he left. It tingles, and I bite back a smile.

"You're already used to it," he says, his voice dropping an octave. "In fact, I think it turns you on. I can feel it."

"Damn werewolf senses," I mutter, but my heart isn"t in it. The truth is his touch does spark something deep inside me, something I can"t run from—or maybe don"t want to.

"Admit it," he teases, leaning closer until his breath mingles with mine. "You like the idea of forever with me."

"OK," I say. "I do. But there is one problem with it."

He quirks a brow. "Yeah? What's that?"

"Forever isn't long enough."

His smile widens, and he pulls me into his arms, his warmth enveloping me. "Well, aren't you just the sweetest," he murmurs, pressing a kiss to my forehead.

I nestle against his chest, feeling the steady beat of his heart. It's strange how quickly this hardened biker with a wolfish secret has become my safe haven.

"So, what now?" I ask, my voice muffled by his leather jacket. "You gonna show me how to ride a bike?"

He scoffs. "A bike? Sweetheart, that ‘bike' is a Harley and she roars like a lion."

I pull back, looking up into his eyes. "I stand corrected. But that doesn't answer the riding question."

Silas grins and steps back, grabbing the last of our scattered belongings with practiced ease. He slings both of our packs over one shoulder, and holds out his free hand to me. I take it without hesitation, the connection between us humming with an unspoken promise.

"Well?" I say. "Will you teach me or not?"

"Not," he says as we start our hike back to town.

"Why not?"

"Because your place is on the back of my bike, hanging on tight with those gorgeous thighs of yours. You need a set of wheels, I'll get you a car to drive."

I punch his arm playfully, his muscles hard as stone beneath my knuckles. "You're such a caveman, you know that?"

"Cavemen don't ride Harleys," he retorts, giving me a playful wink. "Besides, I'm not sure the world is ready to see you unleashed on two wheels just yet."

We continue our trek through the woods, and by the time we emerge from the forest at the edge of town, the sun has already started to wake up and lighten the sky. Silas holds my hand, his grip firm and reassuring, as we approach a sleek black motorcycle. It gleams in the morning light, a symbol of freedom and a future I had never dared to dream of.

He helps me don a spare helmet, his touch lingering on my cheek. "Ready?"

I nod, adrenaline already buzzing through my veins. "Ready as I'll ever be."

Silas swings a leg over the beast with effortless grace, settling onto the seat like he was born there. He looks back at me, one eyebrow raised. "Need a hand?"

I smirk, shaking my head. "I think I can manage."

With a bit of effort, I swing my leg over the bike and settle in behind him, my arms wrapping around his waist. The leather of his jacket is warm and familiar under my touch, grounding me in this new reality.

Silas revs the engine, the roar of the Harley sending a thrill through me. He turns his head slightly, his voice just audible over the rumble. "Hold on tight."

As we take off, the wind whips through my hair, and I tighten my grip around Silas, feeling the power of the bike beneath us. The sun begins to rise, casting a promising golden glow over the landscape as we speed down the road.

I lean my head against Silas"s back, my thoughts drifting to everything I"ve been through. The fear, the running, the constant looking over my shoulder—it"s all behind me now. I"ve discovered a new world, one filled with danger but also with love and belonging. Silas is more than just a protector. He"s my mate, my partner in this crazy ride called life. And sure, he might also be a wolf. But you know what? That just adds to the excitement of it.

And while I don"t know exactly what the future holds. For the first time in a long while, I feel like I have a future worth looking forward to. With Silas by my side, the possibilities are endless, and I'm going to enjoy every single moment of it. Because with Silas, I"m not just surviving. I"m living.