Wolf Born

Chapter Three.

I woke up to someone gently touching my shoulder, shaking it as they spoke to me. I groaned and curled further in on myself, hands pressed against my chest as my forehead rested on my knees “Luna” the familiar voice whispered into my ear. I squeezed my eyes before opening them just enough to catch a glimpse of the white sheets around me. The smell of freshly made bacon filled my nose as a strong hand brushed the hair out of my face. I closed my eyes and leaned into the palm of his hand as a sign that I was awake. Glancing up, I blinked a few times to get my eyes to adjust to the bright morning light. Silas was leaning over me, his hand cupping the side of my face while the otter gripped the headboard for support “It’s time to get up” his rough voice announced. The same smell from the night before met my senses. The leathery scent mixed with musk made me groan, my teeth elongating to form fangs despite my protest. The smell was enough to drive me crazy and it was coming from Silas. My hand subconsciously reached up to grip the neck of his navy-blue shirt, pulling him down towards me. He tightened his grip on the headboard and leaned down. I arched my back and extended my neck to inhale the scent rolling off him in the crook of his neck. I used my free arm to lift me up enough so that the tip of my nose brushed over the skin near his collar bone “You smell so good” I moaned, my voice husky from the sleep yet seductive. His pulse quickened, and his breathing caught in his throat. His hand had long since slipped down from my face to grip my waist. I caught sight of my reflection in a mirror that hung on the opposite wall. My eyes were glowing a bright gold as I trailed my tongue along the length of his throat. A low growl rumbled in his chest as he tightened his grip on my waist. I had no control over my movements or actions since my wolf was desperately trying to claw her way to the surface, wanting more of that scent. I opened my mouth, scrapping the tip of my canines against his flesh and causing him to snap out of it “Luna!” he yelled, his hand now gripping my shoulder and pushing me back a bit to prevent me from marking him, but his touch was gentle for fear of hurting me. His eyes widened when he noticed that my eyes were glowing, and he stood upright to place some much-needed distance between us. My eyes began to dull as I sat up between the sheets, reaching up to grip the sides of my head “I-I’m sorry” I muttered, eyes staring down at the sheets bunched in my lap. My canines retracted but the smell was still strong enough for them to ache with a need to sink into something. Silas was tense, the atmosphere around us growing thick as I dropped my hands into my lap and raised my head to look at him “I don’t know what came over me” I explained which was the truth, I had no control over my actions and wasn’t sure where that smell was coming from. Silas nodded his head in understanding, looking off to the side “It’s fine, I’ve prepared your breakfast” he said, trying to change the subject which I was grateful for. He went over to retrieve the trey from the coffee table in the living room area and made his way over to the side of the bed to place it in my lap. The smell wasn’t as bad as it was a few moments ago so I managed to control myself as he poured some ice tea into my glass “What time is it?” I asked, remembering that the meeting was scheduled for eight. Silas stood upright and glanced towards the clock that sat on the wall above the fireplace. I could tell that he was still being careful not to get too close to me “Quarter to seven” I nodded, picking my knife and fork up from the trey to start picking at the food. He’d made some strips of bacon with a side of French toast and syrup. I knew it was his attempt at trying to cheer me up before the meeting since it was my favorite. I scraped the bacon onto the buttery French toast, drowning in syrup and took a bite “I’ll run your bath for you” Silas announced, disappearing into the end suit bathroom. I heard the tap being opened and water begin pouring into the white tub. I continued to eat as Silas exited the bathroom and stepped into the walk-in closet to retrieve a suitable outfit for me to wear which he then splayed out at the foot of the bed. He rarely ever chose my outfits, but it was for an important occasion and he knew that if he didn’t do it, I’d show up to the meeting in sweats and an old, baggy T-shirt. I finished eating, having Silas remove the trey from my lap so that I could get up and make my way to the bathroom, not bothering to close the door behind me. The bath was filled with bubbles and rosemary to help cleanse my skin. Once I finished bathing, I stepped out, wrapping a fluffy white towel around my torso and another around my hair on the top of my head. Silas was stood on the balcony outside, looking over the backyard of the pack house. I approached the foot of the bed and dropped my towel to the floor. I felt, Silas’ eyes on me as I stepped into my purple lacy underwear, slipping them up along my legs and over my rear. There was no doubt in my mind that the events of earlier were what had him watching me so intently, both with worry and desire. I clasped my bra on and paired it with the long sleeve, white button up shirt he’d picked for me along with a form fitting, black pencil skirt and black heels. I left a few buttons undone at the top and freed my hair from its prison, drying and tying it up in a messy bun until I was finally ready. Silas lead me out of the room and down the hall towards a set of double doors on the opposite side of the staircase. The doors were decorated in hand crafted patterns of leaves and grapes. I could sense at least seven people gathered on the other side of the door as Silas reached out to open it, holding it for me as I stepped inside. My brothers and father were all waiting patiently while Silas’ father, the Beta stood off to the side, gazing out of the windows and down at the front yard “Ah Blake, it’s so nice of you to join us” my father said, lounging back in his desk chair as he placed his hands together, pressing the fingertips of one hand against those of the other. He was dressed in his usual formal attire while Silas wore a pair of dark jeans, polished shoes and a plain shirt “I doubt I ever really had a choice” I shot back, making my way over to an empty arm chair and taking a seat so that my back was to my father. Silas stepped up to my side, crossing his arms over his chest as he stood guard. Dustin, now in human form and seated across from me scowled “Must he join us?” he asked, referring to Silas. He’d never really liked Silas, even when we were younger. I propped my elbow up onto the arm rest and leaned my head against my clenched fist as I glanced at my eldest brother “Wherever I go, he goes” I said in a stern tone. Dustin growled lowly, turning his head to the side as to not look at either me or Silas. Nick stepped up behind me, causing Silas to tense as he leaned his arms on the back of my chair and leaned over to whisper in my ear “Don’t mind him, he’s just jealous that the guy’s twice his size” it was loud enough so that Dustin could hear, and he did. He turned his head to glare at his baby brother, eyes blazing with fire “Watch what you say, runt” Dustin snarled out, his voice vibrating with a warning. Nick chuckled and leaned back so that his lips were no longer at my ear. Jake snorted from where he was leaning against a wall in the corner of the room. He was a year older than Nick and was more of the silent type, never actually speaking unless it was absolutely necessary but as silent as he was, he was just as deadly with a temper. He wouldn’t hesitate to kill if someone just so much as shot him a sideways glance. He had our mother’s gold blonde hair, cropped short and our father’s silvery eyes that could cut through you like a blade. Anthony was the second eldest of the Nightshade siblings, he was skilled with politics and was in training to become the next in line pack doctor while Scott, the middle child was the sporty one of the bunch, having played football in high school and still organizing games between the pack members “He is rather large, isn’t he?” Ant questioned, sitting near Silas and looking up at him past the square edges of his glasses. Silas remained silent, knowing his place and not saying a word as the rest continued to examine him as if he was some type of rare gem. Scott stepped up beside Silas, bumping shoulders with him before wrapping his arm around the larger man’s shoulders “Well what did you expect? He’s the Beta’s son after all” Scott glanced back from over his shoulder at the man near the window, who looked at him with a bored expression. Silas’ father was a large man but not near as large as his son. He had the same short copped brown hair, but his eyes were a pale green instead of the chocolate brown that Silas had been born with “Can we commence with the meeting already?” the Beta asked, turning his attention onto my father who was relaxing in his seat without a care in the world. With a heavy sigh, the man rose from his seat and grabbed something from his desk. He walked over to me and held it out for me to take “There is an issue regarding your kind” the way he spoke about my kind as if we were some kind as disease made the hairs on the back of my neck stand on end. Silas tensed beside me but stayed rooted in place, there was no way he could possibly win by challenging an Alpha. I reached out to take the cream-colored file in hand “I’ve done a lot of research about your kind in the past seven years” my father announced, Vincent Nightshade, a ruthless warrior and Alpha with little regard for anyone other than himself. He turned his back to me and stepped towards the mantel above the fireplace. I stared down at the file that had the words ‘Wolf Born’ written across the front of it in big bold letters “It was discovered that your kind have high traces of wolfs bane evident in your bloodstream” I looked up at my father, his words echoing in my ears. I had never known what I was or how my kind worked for so long and there he was having placed an entire file on me in the palms of my hands. Wolfs bane was a highly poisonous substance for wolves “But how is that even possible?” I asked, opening the file to find that there was enough information to write a book with. The first page was a full body analysis of an eleven-year-old me, containing a detailed description of my internal elements such as blood pressure and white blood cell counts “As if they weren’t dangerous enough” Dustin commented, his head turned away from me and eyes glaring at the far wall. Silas let out a low growl from beside me, not liking the way he was speaking about my type. It was Anthony who spoke next, pushing his glasses up higher on the bridge of his nose. He was partially blind in both eyes because of a fight he’d gotten into with Dustin a few years ago “He has a point, they are incapable of controlling their wolves which is already a great threat to us” it was the very reason why I was sent away, to live in solitude for fear of me losing control and killing off most of the pack. They sent Silas to take care of me as someone who they could stand to lose in case I lost control and killed him “And now wolfs bane has no effect on them” Ant finished, closing his eyes as he pressed his fingertips to his temples. It was causing him a lot of pain to try and even look at me because of the damage to his eyes. Scars trailed over them, making it impossible for him to open them fully “Then what exactly are we supposed to use on them if they lose control?” Jake asked from the corner of the room. Silas was growing more and more agitated with their conversation, speaking about me as some kind of pest they needed to get rid of as if I wasn’t even in the room. I kept my head down, reading over the information in the file “Silver has proven quite effective” the Beta replied, causing Silas’ head to turn, glaring back at his father with hatred in his eyes. He was the very man that had shipped him off to his supposed death seven years ago, when they charged him with looking after me, not that Silas minded taking care of me “I don’t even want to know how you figured that one out” Nick muttered, shaking his head as an image of them torturing my kind flickered through my mind. They had most likely done numerous experiments on us, using us as lab rats to seek out information, the very information I held in my hands. The thought enraged me “Wolf born wolves have been going missing across the States” my father continued with the original topic, snapping me out of my anger and distracting me. I closed the file and tossed it down on the coffee table in front of me before leaning back in my chair “Their bodies have been popping up close to pack borders” I crossed my legs, placing my chin in the palm of my hand and resting my fingertips on the side of my face. My first initial thought was that someone was killing us off because we were a threat, but Beta Graham cut me off “Their bodies were all drained of blood” my thought process changed gears and switched to the more likely reason. Someone was killing us off for our blood that was high in wolfs bane. Silas knew what I was thinking even before I thought it. He was smart and even more experienced in these matters than me, so I tilted my head back, leaning it against the chair ‘Someone wants our blood to use in killing off the wolves’ I said through our connected mind link. Silas turned his head to look down at me and I met his eyes. He nodded his head slowly, not caring whether the rest of the room were watching us with suspicious eyes or not ‘Yes, Luna but extracting blood from wolves isn’t as simple as they might think’ he replied, his words holding a hidden meaning that he wanted me to catch onto. A smirk made its way onto my lips as I turned my attention straight ahead, eyes examining the far wall that was painted in a light cream-color ‘They’re either vampires or using one’ Silas’ lips tugged up at the corners as he too looked straight ahead. Scott sighed heavily and stepped up in front of me, blocking my view of the wall and snapping me back into the present conversation “What are you hiding?” he asked, his eyes boring down at me with suspicion in their depths. My father looked on with a narrowed gaze while Graham leaned back against the wall beside the window, head turned to gaze out onto the open forest. I closed my eyes, tilting my head down slightly when I spoke “I was merely consulting with my partner” it was Dustin who spoke up next, the irritation and hatred evident in his voice when the words left his lips “Oh, and what does the guard dog have to say?” Silas tensed, lowering his head when a growl escaped his lips. He was being rubbed up the wrong, way but I shot him a look, silently pleading with him to hold out just a bit longer. Scott had stepped aside when Dustin spoke to give me a full view of my eldest brother. I uncrossed my legs and stood “I can assure you that this ‘guard dog’ is smarter than he looks” Dustin scoffed, not bothered by Silas’ growling in the slightest. The future Alpha of the Trojan packed leaned forward in his chair, leaning hi elbows on his knees as he met my piercing gaze “Is that so?” he questioned, his voice holding remnants of mock and humor. He found it funny that I was wasting my time by conversing with the youngest of the Beta’s sons who in their eyes was nothing more than a pawn “He has helped me determine that a vampire was used in the extraction of the blood which leads me to believe that either the vampires are conspiring to kill you or that one was used by an unknown threat” Dustin grew silent along with the rest of the room. They hadn’t thought about it to that extent and it was clear by the look on their faces. Silas was surprised that I’d stood up for him in such a way against my brother, the shock of my opposing my brother causing an amused look to flicker in my father’s eyes “Your pet helped you figure that out?” Dustin questioned. Silas lunged forward, snarling with his fists clenched at his sides but I held my hand up and he instantly stopped dead in his tracks, his growls calming until he was silent. Graham shot a disgusted look at his son, finding it revolting that he’d obey me so immediately “Yes, now if you’ll excuse us, my training starts at nine” I said glancing towards the clock that hung above my father’s desk from over my shoulder. I started in the direction of the door with Silas following but I stopped when my father spoke up “There are two other wolf born wolves remaining” I froze, having figured that they were all dead already. I turned to face the man who’d helped create me, meeting his cold, silver gaze “And you’re tasked with keeping them safe” I imagine he gave a similar speech to Silas seven years ago before we were sent off to the middle of nowhere. I knew that he didn’t care if they were kept safe or not but instead he wanted to make sure that the enemy wouldn’t get their hands on them for his sake. I glanced at Silas then bowed my head to show respect towards my father “Sir” with that I turned and left, Silas reaching for the file and closing the wooden doors behind us. I stood in the hallway, eyes staring down at the wooden flooring. I felt so many different emotions surging through me all at once. Anger and rage towards my father for what he’d done to me, towards Graham for giving up his son to practically raise me to be the perfect Alpha’s daughter my father wanted me to be, towards Dustin for disrespecting the only person who has ever been there for me. I was sad, sad that, so many people had to die all because they were different, sad that they were being treated the same way I was, like a monster, like a burden. I felt broken because of my past, because my mother had died giving birth to me, because my family blamed me for it, because they hated me “Stop thinking” Silas’ voice pulled me out of the dark pit I’d found myself in by placing a firm hand on my shoulder. I turned my head to look up at him, his eyes holding a look of understanding in their depths. He was the only good thing that came from all the pain, the only thing holding me together. He was warning me not to let my emotions go to my head for fear of my wolf taking over but in a way, that didn’t make me feel like a raging beast. I nodded and started down the hall with him trailing behind, his eyes watching me carefully as I moved. He was making sure that I was alright.

I stepped out into the morning sun, stretching my arms out high above my head and arching my back as I did so. I more a grey sports bra with a pair of black jogging shorts and my white trainers. My hair was still up in a bun and my knuckles were already wrapped in red tape. Silas joined me on the back porch, ignoring all of the stairs he got from the pack members who were gathered around, playing with pups or conversing “We’ll start with a five-mile jog to the nearest clearing” I groaned inwardly at the thought of having to run. I hated running but did it because it was what Silas wanted me to do to keep me in shape. My body was curvy, not at all skinny but also slim enough be able to carry my own body weight. I had large breasts and a slim waist, not to mention long legs. I breathed in deeply as Silas handed me a water bottle and started down the steps, breaking out into a jog the moment my feet hit the grass. Silas followed me into the forest, keeping at my pace with ease. The further we ventured into the woods, the denser it became apart from a narrow path, made by the wolves and animals in the area. We followed the trail, listening to the sound of the running river in the distance mixed in with our shallow breathing. A light breeze blew, causing the leaves to rustle and my face to chill from the sweat coating it. I picked up my pace when we were three miles in, letting my feet strike the ground with force as I bolted through the trees. My wolf tried clawing at her iron cage, shackles jingling in the back of my mind as she pleaded to be set free, to feel the wind in her fur. I began running faster, the blood pumping through my veins and pounding in my ears as adrenaline coursed through my limbs “Luna!” I didn’t hear his cry for me to stop, instead moving faster until I reached the edge of a small cliff. The clearing he’d been talking about was located right below it and without thinking, I leaped off the edge, landing in a crouched position below with my fingers digging into the dirt and my feel ready to force me forward into a sprint. I was about to take off running at full speed when a voice stopped me ‘That’s enough’ I froze, eyes staring forward as Silas stepped up behind me. I stood upright, squaring my shoulders as he walked past me and deeper into the clearing. I followed him and took a stand opposite his form, unscrewing the cap of my water bottle to take a large gulp of it “Judging from what I just saw, she looks like she can be a handful” the familiar voice spoke and both Silas and I turned to look at the figure, leaning up against a tree trunk near the tree line. Dustin was stood with his arms crossed over his bare chest and his head held down, hiding his eyes from our view. Silas let out a low growl, but Dustin wasn’t affected by it as Jake stepped out from behind a tree “What do you want?” I demanded, lowering my bottle and screwing the cap back on to toss it carelessly off to the side. Dustin pushed off the tree and took a few steps into the clearing, I felt the hair on the back of my neck stand on end when he grinned at me “Isn’t it obvious?” he asked, glancing from me to Silas. Jake leaned back against a tree, his hands digging into the pockets of his baggy, black sweats that had a band at his ankles, tightening it off “We want a c***k at our ‘dangerous’ little sister” Silas went tense, knowing what Dustin was getting himself into but the Alpha himself was unaware of the danger. He used the word ‘dangerous’ in a mocking manor, indicating that he didn’t quite believe that I was dangerous when I was in fact more than just that. I looked at Silas, practically begging him for a chance to beat my brother into the ground. He glanced between us and nodded “One fight, first blood wins” I grinned at his words and turned so that my back was to him, facing my brother. I took a few steps back, fists balling at my sides as Dustin stepped further into the clearing. He cracked his knuckles as an attempt to scare me but before he could advance towards me, my father stepped onto the edge of the cliff above the clearing, making his presence known. I glared up at him, knowing fully well that he was there to watch me be beat and to find satisfaction in it, but I wasn’t about to give him that satisfaction. I wanted more than anything to be facing my father instead of Dustin “Your fight is with me, b***h” Dustin reminded me, drawing my attention back onto him. Silas growled from behind me at the insult, but I let it wash over me like water on a bird’s back. I spread my legs, taking a fighting stands with my balled fists raised to shield my face, face emotionless as I examined my opponent. He was stood completely relaxed like Silas had been the day before but instead of remaining completely still and giving nothing away, he lunged, right leg stepping towards the left. I dodged his fist and raised my leg, sending my knee firmly into his gut. The force of my attack sent him staggering back a few steps as I placed some much-needed distance between us ‘That was too easy’ I thought through the mind link connecting me and Silas “That was too reckless” I said out loud, directing my words at Dustin, who was doubled over, clutching his stomach in pain. Jake chuckled from somewhere behind him, causing his anger to rise even more. Dustin looked up at me, eyes sending daggers into my skull as he removed his arms from his stomach and stood upright “Who do you think you are, lecturing me as if I’m some child?” he snapped, his canines bared for all to see as a warning towards me. I resumed my earlier stands and waited patiently for him to make a move. He came barreling at me again, fist raised. I stepped back when he swung his fist down and leaped forward, letting my right foot step onto his right shoulder. I kicked, propelling myself into the air and forcing Dustin face first into the dirt. I flipped and twisted, landing in a crouched position, facing Dustin with my hand planted firmly on the ground, steadying me. Dustin snarled, getting back onto his feet and turning to glare at me. I took off towards him, moving as fast as I could and caught sight of his left fist raising to slam down onto me. I let myself skid across the ground and underneath him, between his parted legs before he rained his fist down onto the ground where I would’ve been. I dug my fingers into the ground to stop myself from skidding and used my legs to get back into a kneeling position, facing Dustin “Hold still!” the Alpha male yelled, his voice echoing through the air like a battle cry. Silas was stood behind me, looking on with a straight face. He was more than likely observing Dustin’s movements and taking into consideration the level of training he’d had in the years prior to our fight ‘His temper is getting the better of him, at this rate he’ll end up beating himself for you’ Silas’ voice said in the back of my mind. I decided that I had to end it, figuring that it was pointless fighting an unworthy opponent who couldn’t even land a single blow because he was too emotionally unstable. I lunged just as Dustin turned towards me and dodged the fist he tried to send my way, turning on my heels to dig my clawed fingers into his lower back. He cried out, lips parting as he stared wide eyed up at the sky above. I removed my fingers from his back, his blood dripping down them and onto the floor of the clearing. I stepped back a few paces as Dustin fell to his knees in the grass, blood pooling around him but the wounds soon disappeared when he began to heal at a rapid pace “Blake, wins” Silas announced as the smell from earlier clogged my senses. The leather and musk scent intoxicated me, making my teeth ache and my vision to blur. I reached up, placing my hand to my face as I tried to compose myself but smearing blood across my face in the process. I swayed slightly on my legs, knees feeling weak as my skin began to tingle, trailing its way up to my neck and down to my toes. I squeezed my eyes shut, trying to fix my vision and clenched my teeth, willing the ache to go away “I don’t remember her being that good of a fighter” a voice as smooth and melodious as an angelic symphony reached my ears, causing my blood to pump faster and my heartrate to speed up by at least twice its original speed. My eyes snapped open as my hand slipped away from my face, leaving a trail of blood down the middle of it as I looked up at the person who’d spoken. My eyes met his emerald green ones and the air caught in my throat ‘No’ I thought as Dustin got to his feet and came charging at me. I snapped out of it too late, unable to block his attack as he rammed his shoulder into my chest. I was sent flying back into the base of a tree. My mouth opened wide as blood splattered from my lips and my eyes widened on impact. I slipped down it and landed in a heap on the clearing floor “Luna!” Silas cried out as Dustin stood triumphantly over me. My head hung, and my shoulders were slumped as I sat, legs spread and arms dangling limp at my sides. My body began trembling violently as my canines extended and my claws dug into the ground beneath me. My vision was filled with black spots and my breathing became erratic, mixed in with my dilating pupils and fading hearing. My wolf clawed at the back of my mind, struggling against her restraints and desperately wanting to break free. She wanted her mate and Dustin was a large obstacle standing in her way to get there. Her shackles began to c***k, and her cage began to crumble around her “What’s the matter, can’t take a hit?” Dustin sneered, a cocky smile plastered across his lips. He was completely unaware of what was going on otherwise any sane person would’ve started running in the opposite direction. I began laughing hysterically, eyes wide as I stared down at the ground below and slowly raised my head to meet Dustin’s gaze. He stiffened at the sight of me, covered in blood, hid blood and starting to shift into the monster I so desperately tried to restrain. I was shoved into the dark depths of my mind, forced to watch as my cackling self, got onto her hands and knees and like a mindless puppet tried to get back onto her feet. I reached out, grabbing hold of the chains that were wrapped around my wolf’s throat and yanked her back as hard as I could into the cage. My body crumbled, falling to my knees in the clearing as I fought against my wolf in desperation. The laughter stopped only to be replaced my screams of pure agony as I threw my head back, eyes wide and staring up at the sky with tears threatening to escape them “What the hell?” Dustin asked, stumbling back and away from me. Jake was shocked and horrified as he looked on from the sidelines while Silas’ eyes were filled with worry. My father stood emotionless, observing silently and Alec, my mate and Silas’ younger brother’s eyes filled with both confusion and desperation “What do I do?” he questioned to no one in particular as he clenched his fists and took a step towards me but stopped when a scream echoed from my lips “Luna!” Silas yelled again, trying to reach out to me but my screams were too loud. My hands raised to claw at my face, my back arching as I fought against the shift, not wanting innocent people to die by my hands. My wolf snapped at me inside my mind, her canines scraping the skin of my neck as she pinned me to the wall. I tried fighting her off, hands gripping both her upper and lower jaw which caused blood to drip down my arms and to the floor of her cage ‘S-Silas’ I breathed in my mind, but I knew it wasn’t enough. I pushed forward, shoving the crimson red wolf off me and falling to my hands and knees, taking quick breaths in. My head shot up, looking through the two glass orbs that were my eyes at Silas “Silas!” I screeched through the screaming and he instantly darted forward, skidding to my side on the ground. He grabbed onto my wrists, peeling my hands away from my face where they were clawing at my flesh and holding them together in one hand, pressing them to my chest. He sat behind me, wrapping his free arm around my waist and burying his face into my hair as my she-wolf struggled against him “I’m right here” Silas whispered into my ear, his lips brushing over the outer shell. The shackles and iron bars of my wolf’s cage began to mend themselves, entrapping her back inside where she belonged. I was brought back to the surface, my eyes returning to their dull gold and canines shrinking. My claws retracted, and my body went still, only ragged breaths causing my chest to rise and fall unevenly “It’s going to be okay” Silas reassured me, letting go of my wrists once my claws were gone to place his hand against the side of my head. My vision was fading in and out from exhaustion and fatigue as I looked up at him. I turned my head, burying my face in the crook of his neck as my arms fell limp at my sides “I’m s-sorry” I got out moments before I fell into unconsciousness. The last thing I felt was Silas scooping me up into his arms and lifting me up off the ground. The smell of leather and musk swirled around me, comforting me as I fell deep into the endless black hole that was sleep.