Verdant II

Nine

Grace's POV 

Silas is quiet. He looks at me with wide eyes, not saying anything. I guide him to the bed, push him down, and then sit down next to him. 

"I know it's a lot to process" I begin. "I'm sure you have a hundred questions"

"A million actually" Silas mutters under his breath. He still has that wide-eyed look, but he seems to be returning to himself. 

"Okay, what do you want to know?" I ask with a gentle smile, trying not to freak him out any more than I already have. 

"Are you born a werewolf or do you get bitten like a vampire?" 

"Born" 

"Can everyone who's a werewolf change into a big dog?" 

"The change first begins when you start to walk, so around a year old. And the size of the wolf depends on the human's size and their role in the pack. My dad is the alpha, so he is the biggest of them all. Then there are beta's, they're like second in command and also pretty big. The runt of the litter is called the omega, and they tend to be very small in comparison, but that doesn't mean they're not powerful in their own way." 

"I thought the guy who invented the wolf hierarchy was wrong, that the whole alpha - beta - omega thing was just bogus?" 

"Technically most packs are families. But our pack bonded with four other families many years ago, and the leader, who we call the alpha, is picked among one of those four. Then, a little over ten years ago there was a big dispute and one of the families left, so now there are only three of us." 

"So who will take over the pack after your dad?" 

"Probably me." 

"Probably?"

"I don't... I'm not sure I want to. It's a lot of responsibility, and I'm not sure I can handle it. But I'm next in line, the other families don't have kids my age." 

"Oh." 

"Yeah..." 

"Do you run around the forest chasing bunnies?" 

We talked for hours. I explained the pack dynamic, pack telepathy, why we lived in Boston, packs in different countries, and the war with the Brown family. Nothing seemed to shock Silas too much, except perhaps the fact that I biologically had two dads. That explanation got really awkward, really fast. 

While we talked I kept getting updates from the pack and my family. Only nine wolves had died, which seemed less than I thought it would be. Wolf healing was luckily often superior to humans, so we could survive worse odds. There had been over 20 rogues who came onto our lands, and about 13 of them had died, the rest fled. 

"You said your dads were mates? Yet I don't think you're using British slang for friends, because I have felt that way about a friend" Silas commented, and I froze for a second. 

Should I tell him? Would that be the thing that finally freaked him out? But he deserved to know.

"Have you seen Twilight?" I asked. Silas scoffed. "Right okay, dumb question. When I say mates in regards to two wolves, I mean soulmates. It's a special feeling you get around a specific wolf after you turn 18, telling you that they are the one for you." 

"So it's like love at first sight?" Silas asks. 

"It can be. Most of the time it doesn't happen until you turn 18, so it can happen with someone you've known your whole life before that. But once you're old enough, you know the feeling. My parents explained that it felt like a string pulling them to each other. That when my dad turned 18, they immediately knew once they were in the same room. Before that, they were just best friends." 

"Who do you think your mate is?" Silas asked. 

"I don't know, but my somewhat psychic aunt has made a prediction," I said slowly. "She thinks you will be my mate." 

"Me?" Silas asked. "But I'm not a werewolf!" 

"I know. That's what I said! But wolves have been known to mate with humans, it happens, but not that often." 

"Do I get a say in this?" Silas asks indignantly. 

"Of course! It's not like I'm going to tie you to my bed or anything!" I reassured him, before realizing what I just said. We both blushed furiously and looked away from each other. 

"I mean, I turn 18 in a few weeks. If I wake up that day and realize you're my mate, I will ask you out on a date and we'll take it from there. If you're not, I'll probably be married to another wolf within the month. Wolf courtships tend to pass really quickly." 

"But do you think it will be me?" Silas asked. I studied him for a second. 

"I don't know. I don't want it, because I want you to will be safe from my crazy life. My parents constantly face danger, just look at what happened today. And the elders, the senior members of the alpha families, will not be happy with a human leading the pack." 

"Yeah, that makes sense. But do you think your aunt is wrong? And if you didn't consider the rogue wolves, the elders or anyone else - what do you want?" 

"I want..." I started, then stopped. "I want to be able to choose for myself. I want to be certain before I decide. Does that make sense? But you're here, listening to me spill all the pack secrets, so that should say something." 

"Sounds to me like we should maybe try the whole dating thing before you turn 18 then. So you can see if you like me without the mate bond?" Silas asked. 

I thought about the idea. "After everything I just said, do you actually want to date me?" 

Silas snorted. "This is the most interesting thing that's ever happened to me. And my life is plenty dangerous, with or without wolves in it. So no, nothing you've said so far has pushed me away. You're smart, headstrong and beautifully confident. Any guy would be lucky to have your attention."

"Thanks. For what it's worth, I do like you too. I like your eyes and your smile and how you take care of the people around you. It's sweet." 

I remembered the bruises and the rumours. Someone had hurt Silas. The anger that flared in my body had me jumping up from the bed and pacing the room. 

Silas watched me quietly, tracking my movements with his eyes. 

"Who hurt you?" I asked quietly. Silas shook his head. "Who hurt you, Silas?" I asked again. He pressed his lips together. 

I sat down next to him again and gently reached my hand out to touch his cheek. His eyes closed as I swiped my thumb gently across his cheekbone and rested my hand behind his neck, pulling his face closer to mine. 

Our foreheads touched. I could feel his breath on my face. His smell enveloped me, and I felt myself relax. "I don't want to hurt you. I don't want you to ever hurt again" I told him. 

He leaned into me and pressed his lips against mine. I'd waited so long to experience this, my first kiss, and I never imagined it would feel this wonderful. It's soft, gentle, and sweet. It means so much, like telling me that he cares isn't enough, he has to show me. 

I lean into him and open my mouth. His tongue slides in and brushes against mine as I wrap my arms around him and pull him closer.