Ezra's P.O.V
The urgency in the air was impenetrable as Silas and I rushed back to the pack grounds.
Each second felt like an eternity, the uncertainty gnawing at my insides.
Silas's presence beside me was a source of tension and shared concern, our unspoken worries hanging heavy in the air between us.
As we left the restaurant in haste, my men trailing behind us, despite myself, I turned to Silas, my voice laced with urgency. "We need to find out what happened to Zoya, and fast."
Silas nodded, his jaw set in determination. "I can't bear the thought of her in pain. Let's go."
It was a relief to see us both united like this, just like old times, but the reason for our forced cooperation didn't feel as good, so I tried my best not to think about it…
However, as Silas started to look for a deserted alley in order to shift into his wolf form for a faster way to travel, I turned to him and sighed. "I'm afraid you won't be able to enter the pack grounds in your wolf form."
He started to protest, "What the—?"
I cut him off before he could speak any further, "You're still under suspicion, and your innocence still needs to be proven. I cannot allow you to roam freely in my territory."
His jaw clenched, his frustration evident. "So what are we going to do? Just stand here?"
"No," I replied firmly. "You'll need to be accompanied by me to gain entry. It's the only way."
He grumbled under his breath, clearly not thrilled about the idea, but he didn't protest anymore.
We both knew that Zoya's well-being was the priority, and personal grievances had to be set aside for now.
With a resigned nod, Silas followed me to my car. I couldn't help but sense his discomfort, his preference for running in his wolf form evident in the way he shifted restlessly.
I understood his sentiments. I, too, did not want to be stuck in my car with him, but there was no other way.
Plus, traveling on foot in wolf form would indeed be faster…if I could trust him completely.
The engine roared to life, breaking the silence around us as I navigated the familiar path leading from the city back to the pack territory.
The tension inside the car was almost tangible, the weight of our shared concern and the elephant in the room heavy on our shoulders.
The scenery passed in a blur as we approached the pack territory.
The distance between us and Zoya seemed like an eternity, and my grip on the steering wheel tightened.
Silas's fingers drummed impatiently on his thigh, his agitation mirroring my own.
I couldn't ignore the unsettling realization that Silas could still feel the connection to Zoya, even though she was already mated to me.
Doubts gnawed at my mind, casting shadows of uncertainty.
Was our bond truly incomplete? Were there lingering feelings between Zoya and Silas that hindered the full connection we were meant to have?
But as the urgency of the situation enveloped me, I pushed those thoughts aside.
Now was not the time for doubt or jealousy.
Zoya needed us, needed me, and whatever discord existed between Silas and me was irrelevant in the face of her pain.
However, the silence between me and my half brother did not last long.
Silas's steady voice broke through my thoughts, his voice icy.
"Did you already know that Zoya was my mate before you mated with her?"
Silas's question hung in the air like a heavy fog, his words laden with a mixture of accusation and anger.
The tension between us was palpable, a reflection of the complex emotions that had come to define our relationship.
I met his gaze head-on with another fleeting glance at the side view mirror, my expression steady, despite the turmoil swirling beneath the surface.
"Yes, Silas," I admitted, my voice calm and unwavering. "I knew that Zoya was your mate before I mated with her."
His anger flared, a fierce flame that threatened to consume the fragile bridge we were treading.
I knew I had hit a sore spot, burst his ego. I didn't really care, though. It's not like I was trying not to hurt him. He casted himself out of my life the moment he ran away like a fugitive.
Outside, the gradual change in scenery was as stark as the tension that had gripped us during our confrontation at the restaurant. Tall skyscrapers gave way to rolling hills, and the distant hum of traffic was replaced by the rustling of leaves in the wind.
"Why?" Silas's voice was a growl, a raw outpouring of the hurt that had festered within him for so long. "Why did you have to take everything from me? Wasn't it enough that you took Lily from me? Did you have to steal Zoya too?"
His words cut deep, and yet, I couldn't ignore the truth in his accusation.
Even though it wasn't on purpose, Lily's death — and as I now know, our mating bond — had marked a turning point in our relationship, a fracture that had never fully healed.
The scars of that loss were etched into Silas's soul, an eternal reminder of the pain he had endured.
But as his anger threatened to engulf us, I couldn't help but respond with my own truth as well. "I didn't take Zoya from you, Silas. You drove her into my arms."
My words hung in the air, a heavy silence settling between us much like the one moments before. It was sharp and heavy, and I drove even faster with another goal in mind aside from saving Zoya — to escape from this invisible blade being pressed against my skin.