Jane |18+| ✔️

23. The time I began to reflect and Realize

Jane

Pacing back and forth. Back and forth. I will time to hurry. It's just before midnight when I hear the locks unlatching above me. I'm anchored in the closet, waiting, scared shitless as I now know it's not Silas—I would have scented him. No, it's someone else. Being human, you don't typically scent anyone unless you are mere inches from the person. The same is said when in the presence of a shifter – unless it's Silas or the shifter is trying to miasma you. This one is neither.

The heavy door slowly opens as the fresh air swirls around the staircase, flooding the otherwise stale atmosphere. On a last deep exhale, I'm trekking upwards to meet my demise—or ally. Truthfully, at this point, is there anyone I can trust? If Silas can't even trust his closest friends and people, how am I supposed to?

Pushing the door further open, my eyes scan the rather quaint rooftop. The view is the same as my windows, only better, even in the low light of the moon. There appears to be a greenhouse alive with vegetation and even a lounging area covered with a pergola decorated with a Moroccan flair. Other than that, nothing else. Not even a shifter.

Stepping closer to the escape ladder, I lay my hand on the railing... "I wouldn't if I were you," the smooth silk of his tone has the hairs rising on the back of my neck. "You're too valuable to lose, pretty one," Beta Callum adds to soften the warning, I believe.

"Did the Alpha send you?" I question, tucking my arms against my chest when I turn to face him. The dark chuckle has me further on edge. He's crouching, much like Silas does, looking up at me with a pensive stare. His blond hair looks dishevelled, and his bare body is glistening in a light sheen of sweat. The only article of clothing he has on is a pair of grey sweats, outlining the wet jaw mark from where they were carried in his mouth.

"Why would you ask that?" He retorts as I fight the urge to roll my eyes.

"Seeing that you're his second in command and you've checked on me throughout my unconscious state, I figured you were sent to warn me." His lips twitch with humour before he's cocking his head to the side.

"Warn you about what, exactly?"

"Forget it!" I storm toward the door. "I'd done with games. I told that to your Alpha, and yet it's a damn perpetual cycle of constant torment with you assholes—" the grasp on the back of my throat has my stomach rolling with a wave of nausea before I'm released as if he touched fire.

"What the fuck?" he grunts, heaving with obvious displeasure as our eyes collide. He feels it too? "Oh, Goddess!" his lips curl as he clues in. "You're his fated mate," he whispers. "Jesus, of course you are." He straightens to an opposing height anchoring his hands on his hips, looking to the sky. "It all makes sense now. I discounted it because you're human, but Si. He never... fuck! I'm such an idiot to have missed the blatant signs that were literally swarming in my goddamn gut," he rambles with an unbelievable expression plastered across his face. "Please, let's sit," he nudges to the lowly lit area with what appears to be solar lights.

"I just want to be left alone—"

"You and I both know that's a lie," he calls me out. I don't. I have questions—a gazillion, to be exact. But I sure as hell am not trusting this shifter. He had no idea I was Silas's mate—leading me to believe he's not a friendly.

"Please, Jane. I can't be seen here, and Silas would hand my ass to me if I entered your place." Or knew you were near me, to begin with—or not. Weighing the alternatives, I tentatively step toward the lounging area with a skeptical look as he follows, being incredibly careful with his distance. If I'm going to get out of the north, this Beta may be my only recourse. Trusting or not, I have nothing better to do than hear him out and see if I can actually use him to my benefit. Besides, the shifter did save my life—I suppose I owe him an audience, despite the reason as to why?