Chapter 77

Chapter 77
Talia pov

Silas scared me, he didn’t mean to, but coming up behind me and picking me up will scare just about anyone when they’re surrounded by the enemy. I’m glad he’s here, and I’m glad I can spend another moment in his arms, that wouldn’t have been the case if my father's beta got his way.

But he didn’t, Tristan came just in time to save me from him, and now Silas was here as well. It’s a strange feeling to finally be protected when all my life, I’ve had no one to help me. And I like it. I like that I’m not alone anymore.

I’ve built my own family, and I’m never going to take that for granted.

“Show me your wrist.” Silas says, his tone leaving no room for argument.

I slowly lift my broken wrist, sighing, it hurts. It hurts a fucking lot. But it’s better than being dead.

“How bad is the pain?” He asks, his eyes on my face.

“It’s manageable.” I say.

I don’t want him to think I’m weak. Because I’m not. Not anymore.

He nods, his eyes moving to Tristan who was surrounded by the enemy, he wasn’t losing, but it was clear he wasn’t in a good position either. His men were all around him, supporting him where they could, but they were also fighting for their own lives and protecting Silas and me.

“You should help him.” I say, unsure how that will land.

I know that they hate each other, but if they both want me, they’ll eventually have to learn to get along. Even if they don’t want to.

“What about you?” He asks, voice gentle.

He wants me to say that I need him, and I do. But I can’t hold him back just because I’m afraid.

It isn’t fair, and it’s dangerous. For all of us.

“I’ll be fine.” I tell him sternly, “I can handle it myself.”

He smirks down at me, looking at me like I just took the key to his heart and unlocked the cage, and maybe I did. Men like Silas value strength.

He slowly puts me down onto my feet, steadying me when I almost stumble. “Are you sure you can handle whatever comes your way?”

I nod, my eyes hard. “I can fight Silas, even with a broken wrist.”

He kisses the top of my head, “scream if you need help and I’ll come running.”

“Ok.” I say, but I have no intention of distracting him when it could mean his death.

Silas runs into the middle of the enemy wolves, taking two of them down faster than I could follow. He’s a monster, but only when he needs to be.

And never with me.

Zade slowly walks up beside me, his voice low as he watches my mates fight for me. “Alpha winters has been captured; I have several of my men watching his unconscious body.”

“How did you manage to get him unconscious?” I ask, hopeful for the first time all day that his influence over me will finally come to an end. “Aren’t his men trying to help him?”

“These are the only ones left.” He says, pointing to the men Silas and Tristan are fighting. “The rest are either dead, or they’ve run away.”

“It’s hard to believe any of my fathers men would run away.” I say, forcing a laugh. “Are you sure they haven’t gone for more men?”

It isn’t funny, not really, death is never funny.

He gives me a look I can’t describe. “They have no more men, all of them were here.”

I nod, feeling like I finally understood. “Where’s Aria? Did you leave her somewhere safe?”

He smiles for the first time, “I did. She’s with my men. Aria is brave, just like you.”

“Good.” I say, allowing myself to breathe a little easier. “I would never be able to forgive myself if anything happened to her.”

He nods, “me either.”

“Why don’t you go tell them that it’s over?” I ask, watching the young men my father brought with him trying to survive against my mates. “The young ones might surrender.”

“That’s not how it works, Talia.” He says coldly, the coldest I have ever heard his voice. “They came here to kill you snd Aria, they don’t deserve to be let go.”

I should understand that, and I should be angry about it, but all I feel is sadness. The young males should never have been brought here to begin with, they should be with their parents or their friends, not fighting for their lives in an enemy pack.

But my father has never treated his people well, not once in my entire life has he cared about the people he is supposed to protect.

That is just who my father is, it is who he will always be. But it’s a shame that these young wolves will pay the price for something they had no control over.

But Zade is right, we can’t just let them go. It’s too risky. They could come back with more warriors, more men we will have to fight and kill, and there’s no guarantee we will win another fight.

It’s better to kill them all now than face the uncertainty of what could happen.

I’m already on edge most of the time, I don’t need that knowledge to make things worse.

“You’re right.” I say softly, “but it doesn’t mean that I have to like it.”

I lean against him for support, not bothered that he’s covered in blood and he happily holds onto me, letting me use him.

“How’s your wrist?” He asks, looking down at it.

It’s very, very purple and black, and it’s swollen, but the pain isn’t as bad as I thought it would be.

“It’s ok, it hurts, but I can handle it.” I say, hoping he believes me.

I’m not some weak little girl; I can handle pain.

“We need to get it looked as quickly.” He says, pointing to the crowd of men. “It’s almost over.”

I follow his gaze, and he’s right. The fighting is almost done, and we are the ones who have come out on top. This time. That doesn’t make me feel good, I’m grateful. But I don’t like death. I hate it.

And right now, there’s a lot of death around me.