Sovereign (Silenced Part 2)

Part 8

The car ride back to the pack house was full of tense silence. Aaron had calmed and told us to follow our normal routines. He said we weren't doing anything that needed to be hidden from the council so we needed to show them that. He said the most important thing for now was to make sure the council had no additional reasons to question Silas's title or life. Aaron wouldn't elaborate about his 'or life' slip up but he didn't need to. I knew the council laws as well as he did. If they found Silas guilty for killing Jackson they would want his head.

            Once we reached the pack house Aaron headed for Silas office, Emily headed toward Matthew's for her appointment, and I stood by the front door with Amelia, unsure where to go. I looked around the room. Except for a huge stack of dishes there was no sign of the giant birthday party that had happened last night.

I decided I could make myself useful by cleaning. I put Amelia in her highchair and gave her a few pieces of her baby cereal to keep her busy before I started in on the dishes. I was nearly done by the time she started fussing at me. Her fussing grew more incessant and whinny. I had to rinse off or she was going to have an all-out melt down any minute. I started rinsing the dish in hands and then my arms.

"I've got her." Silas said. A second later Amelia's fussing ceased so I knew he had picked her up. I rinsed the cup in my hands slowly now. I had practically ran from Quinn's so that I could talk to Silas but now that he was here, and I could, my brain was blanking out. I didn't know what to say.

"Is this your luna?" The air in the room stilled around me. I had barely heard the dark voice over the sound of the water and yet I knew. I began counting in my head but after I reached seven I couldn't force the air out of my lungs. My body wouldn't respond or move at all.

"This is Rylan, she takes care of Amelia like she's her own..." Silas said. He had skillfully avoided the real question that was asked but it still seemed like a genuine answer. He spoke so casually to the monster that I had heard. I had to of been mistaken. I forced a small breath past my lips and managed to turn my head. I looked at Silas first. I was avoiding what I really needed to know. Silas was play biting Amelia's fingers and she was giggling away. It was adorable but I couldn't feel anything. My entire body was numb with fear. Not even my brain was working properly. My eyes shifted. I looked to the other person in the room. The one I was afraid was really here. The world froze. Beta Bennett's hateful blue eyes flickered with the lights. The corner of his mouth lifted with a smirk and the entire room came crashing down around me.

"Rylan!" Silas called.

I blinked. I was on the floor. I couldn't breathe. Silas was trying to help. He pulled me up at little so I was sitting. He was speaking I couldn't hear him. My ears were ringing, screaming. He didn't have Amelia. Where was Amelia? My vision flickered. I couldn't help Amelia if I was unconscious. I pushed Silas away and curled in on myself. I didn't try to breathe. I just counted. I counted quickly at first and then forced my self to slow down and count the way Matthew had taught me. Silas lingered. His hand rested on my knee. I hated how much it helped. I could do this on my own. I managed a breath and then another. I raised my head and scanned the room. Matthew was standing a few feet behind Silas, ready and watchful. Emily and Aaron were in the room now too but they weren't who I was looking for. My eyes settled on Beta Bennett. He had her. He was holding Amelia. My world stopped.

"This is a very sweet girl you have here." He smoothed his hand over the back of Amelia's head. My mind blanked. I couldn't move. There was nothing I could do. If I even attempted to do something he would hurt her.

"Are you ok? What happened?" Silas asked.

I moved my eyes to look at Silas. I couldn't believe he had handed her to that monster. How could he have no idea what he had done?

"She seems to be alright now." Beta Bennett spoke. "Perhaps we should continue our discussion, Alpha Brogan. The sooner I get my reports to the council the sooner this will all be over."

My brain clicked back on and began to turn. The council. He was here working for the council. He wasn't here to drag me back. He wasn't here to hurt me or Amelia. He was here to audit Silas. If I wasn't careful I would ruin Silas audit and they would kill him. I looked back at Beta Bennett. He met my eyes and raised his eyebrows.

"Ms. Avi, correct?" He asked.

I nodded numbly. He knew who I was. I had no doubt about that. It was weird to hear him refer to me by my birth name. That wasn't the name he knew me by.

"My name is Drake, Drake Henson. It's a pleasure to meet you." He was using a fake name but just barely. The Drake part was real. "Though it might have been better if you hadn't fainted." He chuckled. It wasn't a fake laugh. He thought it was hilarious that I was terrified of him.

"I hope I didn't scare you... I have one of those faces that always seems familiar but isn't really." He moved forward and crouched down in front of me. I bit the inside of my cheek to hold back my cringe. "I'm only here to make sure Mr. Brogan doesn't end up in a guillotine. I'm sure I'll be out of your hair in just a few days... As long as everyone cooperates."

He didn't have to say it. I heard his threat loud and clear. Silas life was on the line here and if I didn't cooperate he'd make sure they found him guilty.

I nodded.

He held Amelia out toward me. I pulled her into my lap and curled around her. The stream of warm tingles shifted on my knee when Silas moved his thumb.

"Ry...?" He said. I swallowed and looked up to meet his eyes.

"What's going on?" He asked.

I looked away and shook my head.

'I don't know. Maybe sick. I'll go with Matthew...' I signed. 'We'll be fine.'

We would be fantastic if he would get that monster out of my face. Silas glanced back at Matthew. Matthew nodded and glanced up at the clock. Silas sighed. He leaned down and placed a quick kiss on Amelia's head before standing to leave. He was going to leave with Drake.

I caught his hand in a death grip. Silas head snapped back to look at me. I wanted to tell him. He would want to know and he would be angry with me if he ever found out I was hiding this. I raised my hand to sign but I couldn't do it. I couldn't risk his life. My fingers wouldn't even move to try.

'I'm sorry.' I signed.

Silas shook his head. He bent down and pressed his lips to the back of my fingers. Tingles exploded from the simple touch. He squeezed my hand and then he let go and walked away. Emily shoved Aaron, reminding him to follow Silas and Drake. I watched them disappear around the corner before looking over at Matthew and Emily.