My thoughts were still consumed by the ride home with Silas as I watched his car drive away, how couldn't they be. He was right and it was a truth I had to swallow, I've never once showed him any attention worth mention. We've only ever talked to each other if we had too, which only happened at required meetings.
Nothing about this made sense and that was the beauty of it, I want to know why as much as everybody else. And something tells me the only way to know is with Silas no matter what's in stored.
My mother, Emma, welcomes me with a warm smile as enter the large foyer of our house. "Derek sweetheart I'm glad your home but you should change your father's been looking for you," she said, her voice tinged with concern I nodded absently.
I head up to my room and change as quickly as I can. I couldn't shake the feeling that this conversation with my father wouldn't be a pleasant one. I head back downstairs to our back door and take off into the woods.
My movements were a dance of grace and power, navigating the ancient trees that whispered tales of generations as they stood watch over my path and as I went deeper into the woods, my senses sharpened. The scent of pine and earth filled my nostrils, and the night's symphony serenaded me as I passed. Every step was purposeful, silent, as though the forest itself had prepared a way for me.
I reached the edge of our pack's territory, where old and modern structures coexisted harmoniously. Ancient wooden buildings, aged by centuries, stood side by side with newer, sturdier structures, deep in the forest a testament to our pack's ability to adapt.
As I approached the pack house, a sense of unease washed over me. Max, someone who shows we haven't changed, stood there with an arrogant sneer on his face. The black eye I'd given him in our recent brawl did little to dent his arrogance obviously.
My father, Marcus, stood waiting, his expression a mixture of sternness and concern. I braced myself for the impending conversation.
"Derek," he began as I entered, "we need to address what happened with Max."
Max snorted loudly, showing no remorse. "Yeah, we do. Derek here thinks he's some kind of hero for defending that witch." I clenched my fists, anger simmering beneath the surface. "I had to, Dad, he was insulting Silas."
Max, utterly unapologetic, chuckled coldly. "Figures you'd pick a witch for a mate, Derek. Bet the whole pack's gonna love that." My father's gaze hardened, silencing Max with a stern look. "Enough, Max."
Returning his attention to me, my father's voice was firm. "Derek, violence is not how we handle such matters." I heard and understood the words my father said, but part of me called bullshit.
"I know, but he pushed me too far. Silas is my mate, Dad. I couldn't just stand there." As I said the words my father's expression twisted. "Your mate? Are you sure?"
I nodded, my voice heavy with a whirlwind of emotions. "Yes, I'm sure. At first I wasn't a hundred percent sure, but when I caught caught him as he fell I felt it. It's Silas." My father walked to his desk chair and sat, "Max, leave us and if hear word of this again while I'm in charge, elders son or not, you will be punished more severely."
Max, gave me menacing glare and muttered a few profanities under his breath before leaving us. Alone with my father, I sensed his support and concerns. "You've formed a powerful bond, Derek, one that can't be taken lightly. But revealing all of this before the alpha ceremony could bring chaos to the pack."
I clenched my fists, my frustration boiling over. "It's not fair, Dad. Max gets a slap on the wrist, and I have to keep silent about the most important thing in my life?"
Marcus nodded. "I understand your frustration, but with him being a witch the council nor the pack elders would tolerate such revelations before the ceremony. It's rather weird situation we now find ourselves in with you too."
I reluctantly accepted my father's wisdom, though I couldn't help but voice my concerns. "Why is him being a witch so bad dad, we've lived with them for hundreds of years. And you're telling me there's never been another pairing like us." My father's eyes carried the weight of generations as he began to share a dark and bloody history I had never fully understood.
"Derek," he said, his voice low and filled with a sense of grave responsibility, "it's not just that Silas is a witch. It's the history between our pack and the neighboring coven that's the issue."
I furrowed my brow, perplexed. "I know that but why can't things change, Dad? We've lived side by side with the witches for centuries."
My father's gaze turned somber as he began to unravel a story I had never heard in its entirety. "Yes, we have, but it wasn't always peaceful. Long ago, our ancestors and the witches were locked in a brutal war. The conflicts ran deep, and the bloodshed was relentless."
He nodded solemnly. "In the recent years, we've maintained an uneasy peace, but it was built upon a fragile foundation. Silas being your mate could either solidify that peace or shatter it. It's a delicate balance, Derek, and we must tread carefully."
My father's eyes held a haunted look. "It's not always as peaceful as it seems you know. There are subtle tensions in the coven and pack meetings, and mistrust that runs deep. The council and pack elders have worked tirelessly to maintain the facade of harmony, but the truth is, the wounds of the past have not fully healed."
My mind raced, my heart heavy with the weight of this revelation. "So, our mate-ship could either be a beacon of hope or a catalyst for renewed conflict? But me and Silas are already started on the wrong foot then. He all but resents me right now, I haven't really ever been there before now." The conversation me and Silas had in his car rings through my head.
Marcus nodded gravely. "Exactly. That's why we need to proceed with caution, Derek. The bond you all have is the only way the bond strengthens between our pack and the coven. If any goes wrong though we would just be reigniting old feuds."
As I left my father's study that evening, I carried not only the complexities of my relationship with Silas but also the burdens of history and the uncertain future that lay ahead. The path was fraught with challenges, but I was determined to navigate it with the wisdom of generations guiding me, and the determination to prove my self to Silas.
As I exit the pack house I look around at all the pack members knowing that, because of who I've chosen to love I'd be making enemies out of some if not a lot of them. "Hey yo," I hear from behind me and turn to find Stella and Jackson "We've been looking for you."
"What's up guys I just got done talking to my dad about what happened at school. Was about head for a run if you want to join me." I say taking my shoes off, preparing to shift, I close my eyes and focus on it and when I open my eyes again I'm on all fours.
From behind me I can hear them doing the same so I take off to get a head start, soon I can hear Stella right behind me and Jackson just behind her. As I run I feel supported even more knowing two of the people I've known my entire life were with me through this.