Tansy's Reign

Chapter Three

In a sudden jostle of movement, Tansy came to life on the soft linens of her bed. She flew up into a sitting position, and slowly, her chest breathed out a heavy lungful of air. And then another. And then one more. 

She stared at her bay window. Her white curtains hid the world outside, but still, the early morning sunlight gently spilled onto her bedroom floor like it always did on a lazy Sunday. 

With eyes blurry from a peaceful slumber, Tansy allowed herself to fall back into the safety of her mattress. Her back hit the pillowy surface of her bed and she smiled in the company of her creature comforts. 

"Holy shit," she whispered. She shifted her attention to the ceiling. Her fan gently turned, circulating the room with fresh cool waves of air. 

The world was reset. Peace restored. 

"It was just a nightmare," she said to no one except herself. "It was just a horrible fuckin' nightmare." 

No blood. No death. No crash. No pain. 

No Silas Armstrong. 

"No, it wasn't." The words come from behind her head, in the empty space between her pillow and her bedroom door. 

Sudden dread traveled through Tansy as the familiar voice filled the room with thick tension. Within a moment, her hand reached for the pepper-spray hidden in her bedside table. The spray was an annual birthday gift from her mother each year. 

She clicked the lid open just as a tanned, tattooed hand captured her slender wrist. The grasp wasn't tight, but his fingers softly clenched in warning, silently telling her it would be a stupid move to attack. 

Tansy didn't care. Instead, she aimed the pepper-spray up, until it pointed directly at the man's face. Quicker than she could have ever managed, his other hand flew forward and knocked her weapon down. It hit the wooden floor with a resounding crack and rolled a yard from where she lie. 

"Don't be stupid, little flower," Silas said. 

Tansy tried not to dry-heave from the sudden fear coursing through her veins, but she was unable to hide her panic.  With her free hand, she swung her fist forward despite the obvious throbbing from yesterday's crash. 

As an act of mercy or amusement-- Tansy couldn't tell-- Silas caught her by the wrist mid-swing. Fresh white hot bursts of pain traveled through her fingers and up her broken arm. 

"Mother of--" the Omega screamed out. She yanked her limp appendage away from his grasp and into the safe pillow of her chest. Tears brimmed her eyes at the fresh waves of hurt traveled up her arm. From her wrist to her elbow, a tight black brace kept her broken bones aligned. It did nothing to stop her discomfort, though. 

"Dammit," Silas's voice boomed above her. The upset sound of the High Alpha's curse sent her recoiling into the corner of her mattress.

As if the man realized the fear he caused, Silas dropped down to his knees beside her bed and reached out his fingers in attempt to soothe her pain. "You're hurt, flower," this time, his voice turned softer, like he soothed a scared little beast.

Or patiently waited for the opportunity to pounce on his unsuspecting prey. 

"My-- my name isn't flower," she hated the way her words cracked in half, but she couldn't help it. Tansy blinked her wide gray eyes and tried to scoot away from the man's hold. No matter which way she turned, his hand found her arm and his fingers gingerly wrapped around her shoulder to steady her flailing. "D-Don't touch me." 

For a moment, Silas grew quiet. From what little she was told of him, Tansy knew he killed to win his title as pack leader. She assumed he would kill to maintain it. 

Tansy watched him through her wet eyelashes, afraid to let her gaze roam incase he sprung into action and sliced her in half. This was the first time they stood in the same room together since her youth.

"I didn't do this," Silas whispered, finally breaking the silence between them. 

"What?" Tansy asked. She paused to inhale-- and there, she could smell the undeniable and overwhelming stench of copper-- blood. Pack blood. "Didn't just massacre my entire pack?" 

"We came here to fight alongside your mother," Silas said. "Your High Alpha called, Tansy. We both know your mother would never want me here again if it wasn't for an emergency-- if your pack didn't need it." 

"Bullshit." Tansy refused to believe a word he said. "Momma would never allow someone like you back on packland, not after what you did--" 

"I did what I had to," Silas's voice rose above her. For a moment, he was bigger than his 6'5 frame. He seemed to fill the entire room with his broad shoulders and long dark hair. Everything pointed to High Alpha, everything about him naturally called to power. "But I'm not here to seek forgiveness about the past, Tansy." 

It hurt to hear her name on his lips, but she ignored the pain. 

"Why are you here?" Tansy demanded the answer. "Where are my parents and my pack and my sister? Where is Rose?" 

"Rose is in her own room getting taken care of by the pack doctor," Silas said. Pack doctor, Tansy smiled. Her father was healthy enough to take care of his own daughter. "Unfortunately, she took a brunt of the crash when the truck made impact. If she weren't a wolf, she would be dead." 

"And where is my mother?" Tansy asked. She pressed her feet onto the cold floor and listened for the quiet morning voices of her pack. Nothing but an eery silence filled the entire house. "Is she with my sister and father?" 

"Father--" Silas paused. Although a sudden weight passed over his face, his eyes didn't dare move from hers. "Oh, no. I'm afraid you misunderstood me." 

"What? What the hell do you mean?" 

"Tansy, your father is dead." The High Alpha brought a hand over to cup one side of her face. "As is your mother, and... and the other thirty-three remaining members." 

"No," Tansy whispered, horrified by Silas's words. She tried to push away from his touch but he caught the back of her head. "No, it isn't true! It isn't possible!" 

Silas brought her into him, until her nose pushed into his collarbone and all she could inhale was the damp scent of forest, blood and sweat. She dug her fingernails into the tan skin of his arms in attempt to free herself from his tight grasp. 

"Little flower, aside for you and your sister, everything you've ever known is gone," Silas whispered. If she closed her eyes and only half-listened, his words could have almost seemed soothing. "And now you have a choice, one that you must make." 

Tansy kicked up her feet and brought them toward his stomach. Nothing happened when she made contact with the hard panels of muscle in his abdomen. 

"I won't make any choice," she screamed. Fresh tears rolled down her hot cheeks. She wanted nothing more than to leave the prison of his strong arms. "Fuck off, Silas-- get away! Get away from me!" 

Her heartbeat accelerated. No pack meant there was nothing and no one left. No morning runs in early summer days. No bonfires to waste away the long winter nights. No father to place a kiss and a bandaid on any scraped knee. No mother to wish her a goodnight. 

No High Alpha to protect her from Silas Armstrong. 

"You can either join me as my mate, or I can leave you here with what little remains of your broken pack." Silas's warm breath spread across the sensitive skin of her ear. "If you choose to stay, I fear I won't be able to save you. You will find the same fate as your family."

Author's Note

I ain't even gonna pretend like Ian Somerhalder ain't the man I picture as Silas, I--- (am a mess). Thoughts and comments always appreciated! Much love!