"Rylan is interested in visiting our territory. We were just going to take a walk to discuss the details." Zac said holding his arm toward me.

My eyes widened and I looked back at Silas. If Zac was implying the details that I actually wanted to hear it was worth the risk of taking a walk with a stranger, especially if Silas approved. Silas shrugged out of his suit jacket and dropped it over my shoulders. He tugged on the jacket, pulling me close, and leaned in to kiss my cheek.

"Stay with them. I'll be back." He said very quietly before pulling away. I gulped and accepted Zac's arm. If Silas trusted them that would have to be enough for me. Alpha or not there was something about Logan that didn't scare me.

Silas said something to Drake as we walked away and they began walking as well in the opposite direction. We walked away from the party, all the way out into the parking lot.

"We will tell you about the take down but in return you need to tell Silas exactly who Drake is." Logan said.

My breath caught and my head snapped up to look at him.

Logan raised an eye brow at me.

"As I said, I know who you are. I also know who he is and thanks to the information we gathered at the facility I know what hand he played in all of this. So if is here and alive that means Silas does not." Logan raised his hand and tapped my throat as he spoke. I flinched away from the sudden contact and covered the area with my hand.

Logan and Zac were both quiet as they assessed me. Finally Logan shook his head and spoke again.

"So he has been hurting you?" I kept my eyes on the ground and shook my head. There was no way I would Silas life in the hands of a stranger. I regretted coming out here with them. I should have just stayed with Silas.

"We went in at night to ensure minimal casualties. There were only 20 deaths over all, all were facilitators. No civilian and no allies. It was all done very clean. We detained 34 more, they will be tried accordingly. We were able to retrieve 50 children and approximately 23 adults that were being held against their will. I approximate because there were some that probably won't make it." Zac said. His tone had been surprisingly gentle when discussing the victims.

~Were they being forced to...~ I couldn't say it. I felt sick just knowing that I had waited so long to tell Silas my story. I was the reason some of those people wouldn't make it. If they were being treated as I had been...

Zac's eyes widened and he looked over at Logan. Logan tilted his head toward me. A silent command to answer my question. Logan didn't seem at all surprised by my ability to mind link with them.

"From what we know the children were being trained. The adults were being bred. Some were artificially inseminated, some raped, and some were just being tested on. We're still trying to determine what the testing was for." Zac said.

~What were the kids being trained for? ~ I asked.

"To be Warrior wolves. In most cases you have to have the correct bloodline AND training to reach your full potential as a Warrior wolf." Logan said.

~How do you know all this?~ I asked.

"The same reason Silas does." Logan shrugged.

My brow furrowed as I looked up at Logan. Silas knew all of this stuff about Warrior wolves and kings because Devlin had forced him to learn. Maybe that's what Logan was saying. He knew the same way Silas did because he had been taken just like Silas had. That also meant...

~So you and Silas are both Warrior Wolves?~ I asked.

"Not exactly." Logan said.

"There's no way to know what your title is, for sure, until the king gives you a mark." Zac shrugged. "If the kings never born then nothing will change. Logan and Silas will just continue to be ridiculously strong Alpha's."

"The king..." Silas sighed joining us.

"Why haven't you told her this?" Zac asked.

"It's hasn't been relevant." Silas said. "It's a bunch of theories and legends forced on us by a psychopath that ruined her life."

"Well according to all of the files I've read so far it's very relevant to her. True or not Devlin believes that Rylan will be the protectress." Zac said.

"Don't." Silas said.

"Don't what? Your mate is a very powerful wolf and witch. She has the potential. He's not going to give up on her just because she is here. You haven't even marked her." Zac said.

I shook my head and took several steps back from them. I didn't want to be marked again. Not even by Silas. My chest tightened. I didn't want Devlin or anyone to come for me. I didn't want to be dragged back to that place. My eyes burned. I couldn't even have children. I just wanted to be left alone. Silas pulled me into his arm, shutting out the spiraling panic. I accepted his warm embrace and focused on his fresh forest scent. The smell alone helped me remember how to breathe.

"Rylan lost her wolf along with her ability to have children because of what Jackson did to her as her so called mate. So no, I have not forced any of this information on her, including any discussion of marking, and I won't." Silas voice was calm and quiet. He smoothed my hair down as he spoke.

"I'm sorry..." Zac said. "I didn't know."

"He's still tracking her." Logan said.

"How do you know that?" Silas asked.

"Tell him." Logan said looking at me.

Silas looked down at me as well but I refused to meet either of their eyes.

"D-" Logan started.

~NO!~ In my panic to silence Logan my fear and pain shot through the link with my words.

Logan flinched and his eyes narrowed at me.

"Did you just zap me?" He asked.

~I'm sorry!~ I said quickly. I expected him to be angry about the shock but her was smirking.

"Tell me what?" Silas asked.

I shook my head and looked back at Logan. His smirk vanished and was replaced by a stern scowl. If I didn't tell Silas he would. Logan gave me a couple seconds but when I made no move to tell Silas he took over.

"The councilman that's been watching you is Drake Bennet, the previous Beta of Wolfsbane, and the one who made the decisions about what happened to Rylan." Logan said.

"What?" Silas one word told me nothing and everything at the same time. I couldn't hear even a sliver of emotion in his voice which was how I knew immediately that he was furious. It was the same tone he'd had leaving Matthew's office after I'd told him about Alpha Daniels. A deadly calm before the storm so to speak. I gripped his shirt tightly and buried my face in his chest. He couldn't leave again. He couldn't react the same way that he had with Alpha Daniels. Not now.

~Please don't do anything. If he finds out you know he'll have you executed by the council!~

Silas arms tightened around me and his chest rumbled with a low growl.

"And how exactly will he be able to do that without his head?" Silas asked.

My arms chilled and I raised my eyes to look up at Silas.

"She's right Brogan. A council member turning up dead in the middle of a mating ceremony isn't exactly going to help your case." Zac said.

"It will if I do it." Logan said.

"Quietly." Silas said.

Logan inclined his head.

"Always." Logan said.

Zac shook his head but followed after Logan without vocalizing his protests.

Silas watched them walk away before turning his attention back to me. The emotions in his eyes were flickering so fast I almost couldn't keep track. The few i did catch were frustration, anger, sadness, pain, and maybe a touch of fear.

"Why didn't you tell me?" He asked.

'I thought he was just here to audit you and observe...' I signed.

"He beat the hell out of you..." Silas shook his head incredulously.

'He wanted to know about some... alliance and I didn't know anything and then he was afraid I would tell you so he...'

"He what?" Silas asked.

His eyes widened and his lips parted as he realized what I was going to say.

"He tried to kill you, with the pills?"

I bit my lip and nodded.

"Jesus Rylan..." Silas shoved his hand through his hair and walked away a little to pace.

"Why? Why didn't you tell me what was going on? Even after... As soon as I realized someone was hurting you I made sure you and Amelia were safe and you still didn't tell me." Silas said.

~He was sent by the council. He has control over your life!~ I said.

"The council? Ry... the council doesn't scare me. There is nothing they can do that would be more devastating than what happened to you. I could have handled this days ago. We could have handled all of this safely and quietly. You should have come to me the second you realized who he was." Silas said leaning against his truck and putting his head in his hands.

~Is it really so surprising that I would want to protect you? After everything that's happened and everything we've been through already how can you be surprised that I feel the same way about you that you do about me? How can you not know that I'm so in love with you it hurts to be away?~ Silas turned to face me as I spoke. ~Is this what it feels like to be mates? Am I really your mate?~

"Of course you are." He said quietly.

~Are you going to reject me?~ I asked blinking back tears.

Silas mouth dropped. In a blink he had closed the distance between us and pulled me in to a searing kiss. One of his hands tangled in my hair and his other cupped my chin holding me in place as if I would back away from the very thing I had been craving for months. His mouth covered mine again his tongue swiped across my lips sending an eruption of pleasant tingles across my mouth. I parted my lips and his tongue immediately took advantage by swooping into my mouth. His tongue retreated just when my head had begun to spin. He gave me another kiss on the lips and then pulled back to look at me.

"Why would you ever think that?!" He asked.

~You didn't tell me...~ I said still trying to catch my breath.

"You knew leannan, you just weren't ready to admit it to yourself and I understood that so I didn't push it." Silas said. "I tried not to push it..." He said glancing at my lips.

~But... you waited so long...~ I said. I felt awful that he had been waiting all this time for me to figure it out.

"I've known since you were born. I waited 19 years there was no reason I couldn't wait a couple of months." Silas sighed.

~Silas...~ I shook my head. He raised his eyebrows for me to continue. I stood up on my toes and kissed him quickly.

~I can't imagine having a better mate.~ I said.

Silas muttered something under his breath and leaned in to kiss me again. This time his hand in my hair tightened and the other dropped down to my waist pulling me against him. It was meant to be a slow teasing kiss. The distant sound of a howl pulled us back to reality much to early. Silas kept his eyes on me but I could see how intently he was listening. The first howl was followed by another and then echoed by several wolves in every direction.

Silas inhaled sharply and every muscle in his body tensed.

~What is it?~ I asked.

"It's a warning. We're under attack." Silas said.