Chapter 24 The Perfect Mask
Something dark flickered there.
Then it was gone. Smoothed over with concern. With familiarity.
"Sorry," Silas said, stepping fully into the room. "I didn't mean to interrupt."
Derek's jaw tightened. "You're not. We were just finishing."
Silas's eyes lingered on Amanda. Too long. Too searching. "I heard voices. Wanted to make sure everything was alright."
"Everything's fine."
"Is it?" Silas moved closer. His gaze swept the room. Taking in the candles. The scattered cushions. The journal still open on the table. "Because it's late. And you're both... here. Alone."
Amanda's pulse quickened. She forced herself to meet his eyes. "We were working on the curse."
"Of course." Silas's smile didn't reach his eyes. "How's that going?"
Derek straightened. "I shifted tonight. Partially."
The words hung in the air.
Silas went very still. His expression froze for a heartbeat. Then shifted into something that looked like surprise. Joy.
But Amanda saw it. The flicker beneath. The crack in the mask.
"You shifted?" Silas's voice was careful. Measured. "That's... incredible."
"It was only partial. Just my hands. But it's progress."
"After three years." Silas shook his head. "That's amazing, Derek. Really." He looked at Amanda. "You're doing what no one else could."
The words sounded right. But something in his tone made Amanda's skin crawl.
"We're making progress," she said quietly.
Silas nodded slowly. His eyes never left hers. "Then I suppose the combat trials won't be an issue after all."
Derek moved forward. "We still have work to do. The shift only lasted seconds."
"But it's a start." Silas clapped Derek on the shoulder. The gesture was friendly. Familiar. "This is good news. The pack needs to hear this. They need hope."
"Not yet." Derek's voice was firm. "We tell no one until I can fully shift. I won't give them false hope."
"Of course." Silas stepped back. His smile was still in place. "Well, I'll let you both get some rest."
He turned to leave. Paused at the door.
"Derek. Walk with me?"
Derek glanced at Amanda. She nodded slightly.
"I'll see you tomorrow," he said softly.
Then he followed Silas out.
Amanda stood alone in the flickering candlelight. Her heart hammered against her ribs. Her hands wouldn't stop shaking.
Something was wrong. She could feel it in her bones.
The way Silas had looked at them. The flash of something cold when Derek said he'd shifted. The careful way he'd chosen his words.
Silas led Derek down the corridor in silence. His mind was racing. Screaming.
This wasn't supposed to happen.
The curse was permanent. Unbreakable. He'd spent months planning it. Studying the darkest magic. Performing the ritual at the exact moment Derek's wolf emerged during the hunt.
It should have been forever.
But the girl. Amanda. She was undoing everything.
"Are you alright?" Derek's voice cut through his thoughts.
Silas forced a smile. "Of course. Just processing. It's big news, Derek. Really big."
They stopped near the grand staircase. The estate was dark. Quiet. Most of the pack asleep.
Derek studied him. "You seem... tense."
"I'm worried about you." Silas kept his voice steady. Concerned. "Partial shifts are dangerous. If the curse snaps back too hard..."
"Amanda's being careful."
"Is she?" Silas let the question hang. "Derek, you barely know her. What if she's making things worse? What if the next time you shift, the curse doesn't just snap back? What if it kills you?"
Derek's expression hardened. "That won't happen."
"You can't know that."
"I trust her."
The words hit Silas like a punch to the gut. Trust. After three years of standing by Derek's side. Of defending him. Of pretending to support him.
And now this girl. This nobody. Had earned his trust in weeks.
"I just want you to be careful," Silas said quietly. "You're all I have left, brother."
Derek's expression softened slightly. "I know. But Amanda is helping. For the first time in three years, I felt my wolf. Really felt him."
Silas nodded. Forced himself to look pleased. "Then I'm happy for you. Truly."
"Thank you."
They stood in silence for a moment. Then Silas clapped Derek on the shoulder again. "Get some rest. We'll talk more tomorrow."
Derek nodded and headed toward his chambers.
Silas watched him go. His smile faded the moment Derek was out of sight.
His hands clenched into fists. Rage burned through him. Hot and vicious.
Three years. Three years of carefully maintaining the curse. Of subtly discouraging any attempts to break it. Of positioning himself as Derek's most loyal friend while the pack slowly lost faith in their broken heir.
All so he could step in. Take the Alpha position. Rule Nightfang the way it deserved to be ruled.
And now Amanda Kingswell was destroying everything.
Silas moved through the dark corridors. His mind was already working. Planning.
He couldn't attack her directly. Not yet. Derek would defend her. The pack was starting to see her differently after she healed that warrior.
No. He needed to be smarter. More careful.
He needed to make Derek doubt her. Question her motives. See her as a threat instead of a savior.
And if that didn't work...
He'd have to remove her permanently.
Silas's chambers were in the east wing. Away from the main quarters. Private.
He locked the door behind him and moved to his desk. Pulled out his phone. The screen glowed in the darkness as he scrolled to a contact listed only as "L."
His thumb hovered over the call button for a moment. Then he pressed it.
The phone rang twice before a cold voice answered.
"Report."
"Lucian." Silas kept his voice low. "We have a problem."
"Explain."
"Your daughter. Amanda. She's more powerful than we anticipated. She's breaking the curse. Derek shifted tonight. Partially."
Silence on the other end. Heavy and ominous.
"That's impossible," Lucian finally said. "The binding was permanent. You swore it."
"I did everything right. The ritual. The timing. The magic." Silas's jaw clenched. "But her gift... it's stronger than anything I've seen. She's unraveling it layer by layer."
"Then stop her."
"I can't. Not directly. Derek trusts her. The pack is starting to see her as their Luna. If I move against her now, I'll expose myself."
"Then find another way." Lucian's voice turned sharp. "You were promised power, Silas. The Alpha position. Control of Nightfang. But only if Derek stays cursed. If his wolf returns..."
"I know what happens." Silas's hands tightened on the phone. "The deal was clear. Keep him broken. Keep the pack weak. And when the time comes, take control."
"Then do it. Whatever it takes. Remove the girl. Reinforce the curse. I don't care how."
A pause. Then Lucian's voice dropped lower. Colder. "And Silas? If you fail... remember that Amanda is my blood. If she discovers what you've done, what I've done, there will be consequences. For both of us."
The line went dead.
Silas set the phone down. He moved to the window. Stared out at the dark estate grounds.
His mind was already spinning with plans. Options. Possibilities.
Memories surfaced. Unbidden.
Three years ago. The ritual hunt. Derek's wolf emerging for the first time. Magnificent. Silver. More powerful than anyone had expected.
And Silas had watched from the shadows. Jealousy burning through him like acid.
It should have been him. He was stronger. Smarter. More ruthless. But no. Derek was the heir. The golden son. The chosen one.
So Silas had made a choice.
Lucian Kingswell had approached him months before. Whispered promises of power. Of control. All he had to do was ensure Derek never became Alpha.
The binding ritual had been difficult. Dangerous. But Silas had studied dark magic for years. Prepared for this moment.
When Derek's wolf emerged, Silas struck.
The magic wrapped around the silver wolf like chains. Binding it. Trapping it deep within Derek's soul where it couldn't escape.
And Derek had never suspected. Never imagined his best friend could betray him.
The plan had been perfect. Derek would slowly lose the pack's faith. Victor would be forced to name a new heir. And Silas would step forward. Loyal. Capable. Ready.
But then Amanda arrived.
With her gift. Her prophecy. Her determination.
Lucian's own daughter, sent unknowingly into the heart of his schemes.
And now she was undoing everything.
Silas turned from the window. His expression was cold. Calculating.
She would have to be dealt with. Soon.