Untamable Resolve: The Witheridge Witches

Ch. 25 - Silas

Keep doing things like that, and you might end up dead.

Silas' comment echoed in my head as we walked away from both Lucas and Delia. He guided me deeper into the forest with an iron grip on my arm.

Nervously I asked, "What are you going to be teaching me today?"

"A lesson."

Without warning, he lunged at me, catching me completely off guard. Quickly, I escaped his grasp before he came at me again as he aggressively pushed me to the ground.

Unlike my fight with Lucas, this was real.

I managed to kick him in the groin, but not as hard as I would have liked. Wincing, he reacted by grabbing me harshly by the neck, his fingers dug into the sides of my neck while his palm pressed hard on my windpipe, stopping the majority of any air from getting to my lungs.

"Why?" I choked out.

He was chillingly calm before he spoke again.

"I'm not stupid, Jo. I know what you are."

My eyes bugged out of my head as I scrambled to pry his fingers from me.

" You're a threat to me, to my inner circle.. I can't quite put my finger on how, but you need to understand that the only thing separating you from being found dead in a ditch right now is Lucas."

Dark spots clouded my vision, but he loosened his grip ever so slightly giving my a chance to wheeze in oxygen.

"What... do... you... want?"

I took the deepest breath I could before he tightened his hold on me once again.

"Well, that's simple. First, I need you to convince me that you are not a threat. You can do that by doing the next part. Secondly, bend or I'll break you. Be a good mate to Lucas, pop out a baby or something, and be a friend to Delia. She likes you. Your partnership needs to be just as strong as mine and Lucas'"

His face started to blur as I desperately tried to pry his hands off of my neck.

"Is that understood?"

Pathetically, I squeaked out a yes.

"What was that? I couldn't quite hear you."

With that, he pushed even harder on my windpipe, and I had to scream at him for any audible noise to come from my lips as I attempted to nod yes at the same time. I bet he was getting off to this. Disgusting. 

Finally, he let go of my airway, and immediately I started sucking in as many shallow breaths as I could as I gasped for air. Silas pulled me off the ground and into him and held me as he rubbed my back.

He cooed in my ear, trying to comfort me. "Shhh. I know. I know. My role as Alpha is to be the bad guy sometimes to keep my people are safe."

I was repulsed by him but knew it was best to stay put. I was entirely at his mercy. I mean, if I wanted to, I could probably blow him to smithereens as I had with the hawk, but then what of the mission? No, it was best just to take it.

"You can blame Lucas for this if he would mark you like I've been telling him to, we'd have no reason for me having to put you in your place. I'll make him if I have to. You'd want to fall in line just like my Delia."

That remark was disconcerting.

"One day we'll be family and laugh about this. That is if my intuition about you is wrong."

He had been stroking my hair and pulled away before looking me straight in the eyes.

Genuinely he said, "I want you to prove me wrong."