Silas’s P.O.V
I didn't know what to say to that; I didn't know her, though I had an inkling as to who she was, but I knew she was right. If I wanted to clear my name and regain my rightful place as Alpha, I couldn't keep hiding. But trusting this woman was a risk I wasn't sure I was willing to take.
I heard the howls of my packmate in the distance once again, and I finally shifted my weight, which proved to be a mistake, because she slipped out of my grasp then, rushing out from under me to stand at her full height a few feet away.
Another growl tore from my throat, but she held up her hands as if in surrender, like she didn’t mean any harm. I didn’t trust her one bit, but then, we both heard the rustling of leaves in the distance and I knew that the guards were nearby.
She held her finger to her lips, telling me to keep quiet so that the others couldn’t hear. I nodded, because even though I didn’t trust her, we needed to avoid the guards. It wasn’t even a question…it was my only shot at survival.
Both the woman and I ducked behind a large tree, and I covered for her while I let my eyes wander the shadows. The sound of huffed breaths was nearby and I could hear the sound of feet hitting the dried glass and fallen leaves.
“Any signs yet?” One of the guards asked the other, as they came to a halt a few meters away from us. “I swear that scent lead this way.”
“Me too, but now it’s just…gone!” The second guard replied, sounding frustrated. “Let’s keep going. I thought I heard some snarling as well. Do you think one of our guards got to it?”
“If someone did, they would’ve warned us. Something feels wrong here. Let’s keep on searching until we find the intruder.”
“I agree.” The sound of feet started to lead to another direction as the guards moved away. “Let’s go that way! There has gotta be something around here! We must find it.”
Finally, the two of us came out of our hiding place and we stood face to face, and I finally got a good look at the woman that I had been fighting with not too long ago.
She carried herself well, almost like a seductress out to get her revenge. She had a body that could make several men fall to her feet weeping and she sure knew about it. Her dark hair was long and reached almost to her waist and her blue eyes looked like they were glowing in the dark.
I saw her perfect pink lips tilt up at the corners when she saw me checking her out and I had no doubt in my mind that she was doing the same to me as well, the way her eyes burned holes in my skin, travelling the entire length of my body up and down before they landed on back on my face.
Maybe it was the adrenaline from the fight or the stupid situation I was in, but I would be lying if I didn’t admit that the sight of all that porcelain skin didn’t make me aroused just a little bit. From what I could tell, she knew the affect she had on people, wolves and mortals alike…and she loved that attention.
“Who are you?” I finally asked her, my curiosity getting the best of me. “Why are you here?”
“I am Anika Blackthorn,” she declared in a voice that sounded more like an invitation than a threat. “The Alpha of the River Valley Pack. And let’s just say…I’m here to talk to you?”
“Talk?” She nearly ripped out my throat because she wanted to talk to me? That’s a funny way of starting a conversation if anyone asked me. "You've got a lot of nerve, showing up here. In case you've already forgotten, we're supposed to be enemies.”
"I heard about what happened between you and your brother," she said, her shoulders lifting and falling in a delicate shrug. "Now you're no better than a rogue who has to keep hiding in his own pack grounds while avoiding his own packmates…all because you killed your brother’s mate."
"I didn’t kill Lily!" I protested immediately, my hands fisting by my side at the accusation that a stranger, who hardly knew me, was throwing at me. "I wouldn’t never harm a hair on her head! I’m innocent."
Anika's expression didn't change. "No one believes you," she said flatly. "And if you keep hiding here like a fugitive, you'll never be able to do anything about it either."
I clenched my fists tighter, nails digging into my palms hard enough to draw blood, feeling a mix of anger and frustration. "What do you want from me?" I demanded.
Anika's expression softened slightly as tilted her head to the side. "The doors to my pack are open for you any time, Silas," she said. "If you want, I'll help you win back your pack."
I shook my head, still unsure of her intentions. "I don't believe you," I replied, suspicious of both her and her offer. "Our packs have been enemies for ages, fighting over territory for a long time."
Anika sighed. "It was our ancestors who did that," she said. "But if we want, we can change our future, Silas. Think carefully about what I just said…I’ll be waiting for you at my packhouse."
With that, Anika transformed into her wolf form once again and left, leaving me standing in awe at the offer she had presented.
But right then, I heard a gasp from behind me, making me jolt around in shock and come face to face with the last person I had expect to find there…Zoya.