Silas's POV I studied her, letting the silence stretch, a predator measuring the prey's resolve. Then I asked, my voice low, deliberate, each word weighted with a wolf's authority, "For your brother… you would do anything?" Her gaze met mine head-on, unwavering. "For Eric… yes, I would. But not at the cost of my life, or by breaking my own moral compass. If I had to sacrifice that… or if he knew, he would grieve. I would find another way-another path to make the Williams Family change their mind, or to persuade Jenny to donate her marrow." The wolf inside me growled low. She set limits even in her devotion-a rare trait among mortals, and rarer still among wolves. Yet the fire in her eyes, the tension in her body, hinted she would push boundaries to the edge if needed. I tilted my head, scrutinizing her. "And if I asked you to come back to me… would you?" Her expression faltered. She hesitated, the wolf in her bristling beneath calm skin. But before she could answer, I cut her off. "Don't speak. Not a word. If you say anything… I will refuse all of it. You understand?" Her eyes widened slightly, catching the subtle red that had crept into my amber-gold gaze-my wolf, alpha and primal, simmering beneath the surface. A flash of emotion I could not fully name. My restraint fraying. If she dared to answer, if she offered herself… I would lose control. I stepped closer, slow, deliberate, feeling the pull of our intertwined instincts. My hand lifted, brushing lightly against her lips-not in threat, but in warning. If she were to say yes, the jealousy, the possession buried in my wolf's bloodline instincts, would erupt uncontrollably. Freya stiffened. The air between us crackled with the scent of loyalty and desire. "Silas…" she murmured, awkwardly, wanting to look away, to retreat, to regain control. But my fingers closed lightly around her jaw, tilting her head so that her gaze could not escape mine. My fingertips brushed over her lips again, deliberately, testing, teasing. "Come with me," I said, low, a growl threading the words. "Where?" Her voice betrayed surprise, but there was trust there too, faint, reluctant. "You'll see. And after that… what you seek with the Williams Family, it will be resolved." Her lips pressed into a thin line, then she nodded. "I agree." Her hand slipped my fingers, firm, resolute. "Tomorrow morning. I'll come for you."She responded simply, "Good," then turned to leave. I caught her arm lightly. Not to halt, but to remind. "Still… you don't ask where we're going?" I taunted, letting the wolf's subtle dominance pulse through the edges of my voice. "Not worried about what I might do to you? Or… are you willing to risk anything… even yourself… for your brother?" Her eyes held mine. There was defiance there, yes, but also something else-a quiet reckoning. The wolf within me growled, irritated and intrigued all at once. Her body radiated tension; her mind, clarity. "If you want my body," she said slowly, deliberately, "you would speak plainly, not dance around it. I know you. You aren't that kind of man." I laughed quietly, sharp, a growl beneath it. "You think you know me? What I am?" Her gaze did not falter. "Then are you going to violate me?" she asked boldly, the human daring of her words brushing against wolf instincts I had thought fully suppressed. I recoiled inwardly, wolf and man both caught off guard. Her boldness struck a chord, a reminder of the primal truths I kept buried under discipline and ice. "You really think I'd love a woman who abandoned me?" I said, voice bitter, wolf-fangs gnawing at the edges of control. "I have many. You are not the one I need." Yet even as I said it, I drew her closer to the sofa. My alpha scent, my presence, pressing against her, undeniable. "Sit. There are refreshments. Eat before you go." I gestured to the tea table. She paused, surprised. A tray of delicacies-incorrectly prepared by Wren. "I don't usually eat these," I added lightly, already turning back to the desk, the wolf inside me humming with subtle agitation. She ate silently, methodical, deliberate. I watched her, noting the faint scarlet staining her lips, the grace in her movements. When she left, I pressed the call button for Wren. "Alpha Silas," he answered promptly, entering moments later. "Eric once had a savior-Lina. She's undergoing treatment for blood cancer in C Nation. Check whether Jenny's marrow is compatible with her. Also look for other possible donors," I said firmly, voice carrying the weight of alpha authority. "Yes, Alpha," Wren replied. I lowered my gaze, noticing the wooden-and-jade bracelet she had left me. I fingered it unconsciously, heart tightening, wolf growling low and protective. I had told myself to forget her, to release the bond. But to remove this token felt like severing something essential, something irretrievable. Freya… for her brother, she could forgive Jenny. But for me? She could not forgive, could not trust, and I dared not force her. A single mistake had cost us the years we might have had, and yet, even with all my control, I could not force love-or its absence. The wolf inside me growled softly, a low, rumbling acknowledgment. She had tested the alpha. She had survived it. And now, I would ensure that her brother's life-and the life of the woman who saved him-was protected. My wolf, my instincts, my authority-all converged on this singular resolution. The bracelet glinted under the harsh noon light. I did not remove it. I could not. And perhaps, in the subtle cruelty of fate, that was as close to us as we would ever be.