Chapter 259
Chapter 259
Freya’s POV
I froze for a moment, staring at Silas as he spoke. “I told you, Freya, if you’re going after your brother, I go with you. If you’re going to the border, I go with you. How long you stay there doesn’t matter. You really think I’d let my girlfriend go into danger alone p>
I blinked, caught off guard. The border was unpredictable; I had no idea how long it would take to find Eric. Yet, hearing him say this made a warmth surge through my chest.
Silas reached out, taking my hand in his. His thumb brushed lightly over my palm, almost teasingly, but the gesture carried the weight of an unspoken promise. My cheeks burned, though I kept my composure. Not that Lana or Kade weren’t still around, observing every subtle movement, every flicker of emotion.
Lana smirked and clicked her tongue. “Good. Freya, with Silas by your side, I can rest easy p>
Kade poured two glasses of wine with a precise hand, then set one in front of me. “Sis,” he said, his voice tinged with an unusual mix of excitement and solemnity, “now that we finally know why Eric disappeared back then, it’s only a matter of time before he’s found. That calls for a celebration, don’t you think p>
I smiled, lifting my glass, letting the cool liquid slide down my throat. “Indeed. We’ve waited long enough to know this much p>
Kade drank in unison, and I couldn’t help but chuckle at the synchronicity of it. Then, as the warmth spread through me, my thoughts softened and memories bubbled to the surface. Memories of the Iron Fang Recon Unit days, long patrols, late–night strategy sessions, and relentless drills.
“I remember those days,” Kade said, his tone almost wistful. “Working with you in the unit… it was some of the best days of my life p>
I laughed softly, already feeling the tipsiness of the wine. “The best days, huh? You mean all the times I beat you up for slacking p>
“Exactly those times!” he said, lifting his glass with a grin. “I’d go back in a heartbeat. Even if you hit me every day, I’d still be grateful p>
I had to bite my lip to keep from laughing too loudly. Kade was always dramatic, but hearing such earnestness from him now, with that wolfish loyalty shining in his eyes, made my chest
ache with warmth.
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Chapter 259
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Lana leaned back in her chair, eyes flicking between us. Only in the Capital could someone like me make a wolf like Kade admit that getting beaten was a pleasure. She could only shake her head silently, knowing full well that now Silas’s presence made Kade’s affections bittersweet.
“I often think,” Kade continued, “if I could just go back to those days in the unit…” He filled another glass of wine, his amber eyes catching the light like molten gold. “I’d tell you, Freya, everything I never said back then p>
“Wait, Kade!” Lana’s voice snapped like a whip through the air. The sudden command startled me, and I almost forgot to sip my wine. Whatever he was about to confess, I hadn’t caught it entirely through the haze of drink.
“Nothing,” Silas said smoothly, removing the glass from my hand. He gave me a look, calm but commanding, like the Alpha he was. “Freya, you’ve had enough tonight. Let me take this from you p>
His eyes
flicked toward Kade, a silent challenge flashing between them. A tension rose, almost palpable, a predator–to–predator standoff. I could feel it in my bones–the electric charge in the air as two wolves tested one another. Silas’s hand squeezed mine, steadying me, grounding me against the rush of memories and the sharp sting of alcohol.
Kade’s
gaze didn’t waver, though. His wolf growled low, protective and unyielding, while Silas’s stance radiated the quiet authority of an Alpha used to commanding respect without raising a hand. For a moment, the two men were locked in silent warfare, their intent slicing through the room like a sharpened fang.
I leaned back slightly, letting out a breath I hadn’t realized I’d been holding. My hand still tingled from Silas’s touch. The wine was starting to warm my veins, loosening the tight coils of stress that had bound me since the events at the border and the revelation of Eric’s
disappearance.
It was strange, thinking back on everything. How I had chased shadows for five years, following clues and whispers, surviving the treacherous borderlands and hostile territory alone. How many nights I had lain awake, hearing the wind whistle through Runestone Grounds, imagining Eric somewhere in the cold wilderness. And now, here I was, surrounded by people who were as close to family as any pack could get outside of one’s own bloodline.
Lana’s laughter, low and amused, pulled me out of my reverie. “Freya, don’t get too sentimental. But yes, it’s good to see you alive, smiling, and a little tipsy p>
I chuckled, taking another sip of wine. “I suppose I can allow myself a moment of celebration p>
Silas’s grip on my hand tightened just slightly, a silent reassurance, and Kade’s glare softened- but only a fraction. Their presence reminded me of the delicate balance in our world: loyalty,
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Chapter 259
pack hierarchy, and the thin line between trust and rivalry.
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I raised my glass again, feeling the warmth seep through me. “To finding Eric,” I said, voice strong despite the wine, “and to surviving the chaos along the way p>
“To Eric!” Kade echoed, lifting his own glass.
“To surviving,” Lana added, clinking her glass lightly against mine.
And Silas, holding my hand, raised his own silently, a subtle promise that no matter how dangerous the world got, he would not let me face it alone. The warmth of his touch lingered even as the alcohol clouded my mind, grounding me in the knowledge that I wasn’t alone in this hunt, this life, this pack.
Tonight, we celebrated victories small and large: the discovery of Eric’s trail, the unraveling of lies that had once bound Caelum and Aurora, and the unwavering bond among those who would fight, bleed, and survive together. The wolf in me growled in approval, a silent oath to honor loyalty, justice, and the pack that was mine–chosen by blood, by trust, and by the unyielding will to survive.
And as the night deepened, I let the warmth of the wine and the presence of my allies wash over me, knowing full well that the hunt was far from over–but for tonight, the pack was safe, and for that, I could allow myself a rare moment of peace.