Shadows Of The Pack (Aria and Knox)
Chapter Twenty Five: The Fire of Desire
Knox's eyes burned with frustration as he directed a low growl towards his beta, Ryder.
"Knox, I know you are angry but you have to stop growling at everyone."
Knox growled at him again taking a defensive stance, "I'm not angry." He retorted.
Ryder gave him a look and with his frustration, he fell back into his chair, running a hand through his tousled hair. "What were they thinking? What if something had happened to her?"
A mischievous smile tugged at the corners of Ryder's lips as he observed Knox's reaction. "There were five she-wolves involved. Which of them is the 'she'?" he playfully inquired, his voice laced with amusement.
Knox's glare intensified, his dark eyes fixed on Ryder's face. "You have to stop with your two-sided sentences. It's really annoying," he grumbled.
Ryder simply shrugged, a nonchalant expression on his face. "I don't know what you mean," he replied, feigning innocence. Then his tone turned serious as he continued, "What happened out there? And don't pretend like I didn't see that huge slice on your feet."
"It was from a tree branch and it's healing."
"That doesn't answer my question, Knox."
"It's funny. An outsider would have heard that and thought that our roles were reversed."
"I'm not talking to you as your beta. I'm talking to you as your friend."
With a resigned sigh, Knox stood up. He walked over to a side cabinet in his study, opened it, and retrieved a bottle of whiskey along with two glasses. Returning to his seat, he poured the amber liquid into the glasses and handed one to Ryder.
Ryder accepted the glass, his eyes filled with concern as he regarded his Alpha. "Is it that bad?" he asked, his voice now filled with genuine worry.
Knox brought the glass to his lips, taking a large gulp of the fiery liquid. It burned his throat, but the temporary distraction was welcomed. "What do you know about the Silvercrest's past?" he finally asked.
Ryder paused, contemplating the question. "Not much, really," he admitted. "You know we've never concerned ourselves with the affairs of other packs."
Knox took another sip of whiskey, his mind heavy with the weight of the secrets the history of the pack held "I think we should have," he said, his voice filled with regret. "A wolf returned to the pack, claiming to be the Alpha, and it seems Aria and the other wolf aren't actually sisters."
"Seraphina?"
Surprised, Knox regarded his beta with a mix of curiosity and suspicion. "How do you know her name?"
Nodding, Knox took another sip of whiskey, allowing the alcohol to momentarily dull the ache he felt "Okay," he conceded, his voice tinged with resignation. "My wolf got into a fight with Nikolai."
Ryder smiled knowingly, "Is he still alive?"
Knox's lips curled into a wry smile. "Unfortunately, yes," he replied. "But Nikolai has never been a problem. That's why I didn't take his threat seriously. However, this other wolf—the one that returned to the pack—there's something about him that gnaws at my wolf."
Ryder's eyes narrowed, his gaze filled with understanding. "You do know that there's someone who can give you the answers to your questions, right? If only you would stop avoiding her," Ryder suggested.
Knox let out a heavy sigh, his shoulders slumping in defeat. Ryder's words struck a chord within him, for he knew deep down that avoiding her was no longer a viable option. The turmoil inside him, the longing to understand the truth and find resolution, had grown too powerful to ignore.
Raising his gaze to meet Ryder's unwavering stare, Knox acknowledged the truth in his beta's words. "I know," he admitted. Knox sighed. Ryder had no idea how much of the struggle it actually was staying away from her.
Ryder's expression softened, his eyes filled with empathy. He took a sip from his own glass, allowing Knox's words to sink in before responding. "I understand but you have to talk to her about it sooner or later. Figure this out with her, decide if you are going to form the mating bond and one more thing Knox?"
Knox nodded. "I know Ryder. What else do you want to tell me?"
Ryder fought the laugh he felt coming up, "Shana, Melody, Sophia and Aria are grown ass wolves, you can't send them to their rooms and ask them to stay there."
Knox smiled, "I know. But it felt really good to do so."
Ryder chuckled, the sound holding a touch of amusement. "Ah, Knox, sometimes you make it so easy to forget that you are the Alpha," he remarked, a playful glint in his eyes.
As the weight of their conversation settled upon them, Knox moved toward the study door, his hand resting on the handle. He turned to face Ryder, gratitude and respect shining in his eyes. "Thank you, Ryder," he said.
Ryder nodded in respect as Knox walked through the door.
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Shana paced back and forth in Aria's room, her frustration evident in every step. Her voice laced with annoyance, she exclaimed, "Who the hell does Knox think he is? Sending us to our rooms like we are mere pups. Doesn't he realize that I am older than him?"
Aria couldn't help but stifle a laugh, attempting to maintain her composure. "Shana, you have to stop pacing like that before you wake the actual pups," she said, a hint of amusement in her voice.
Melody joined the conversation, chiming in, "Technically, Knox is older than you. You were seventeen when Mira put that spell on you. Throughout all those years, you didn't age. You spent only one year with us before we left the pack, and it's been ten years since then, which means you're twenty-eight. On the other hand, Knox is thirty-seven, making him older than you."
Sophia's eyes widened in surprise as she processed the revelation. "You were asleep for five hundred years?" she exclaimed, her voice filled with astonishment.
Shana raised her hand dismissively, waving off the significance. "Yeah, yeah," she replied nonchalantly. She turned to Melody, her expression turning into a glare. "No one asked you to calculate it for us. But thank you, Mel. We really appreciate it," she said, her tone laced with annoyance.
Melody smiled, her eyes gleaming with warmth. "You're welcome, Shana," she replied sincerely.
Shana kissed her teeth, a hint of playfulness in her action. "I didn't actually mean it. You know what? Never mind. You guys aren't angry at all?" she asked, her frustration fading as curiosity took its place.
Aria shrugged, her voice calm and composed. "We deserve it, don't we? We disobeyed a direct order from his Alphaliness," she said, using a playful tone to refer to Knox's authority.
Sophia burst into laughter, unable to contain herself. "Don't let him hear you say that," she said between fits of giggles, picturing Knox's reaction.
"Wait a minute," Melody interjected, capturing everyone's attention. They all turned to her, awaiting her words. "I just realized I'm not the youngest wolf in our friend group anymore. Sophia is twenty-six, and Aria is twenty-four."
Surprised, both Sophia and Aria spoke in unison, their voices overlapping. "How did you know how old I am?" they asked, their curiosity piqued.
Melody giggled, the sound floating through the air with a touch of lightheartedness. "I'll never tell you my secrets," she teased.
As the second meaning of Melody's words sank in, a tinge of sadness appeared in her eyes. Sensing her friend's emotions, Shana took a step toward her. "No one is judging you here, Mel," she said gently, offering comfort. "Besides, we got your mother back. How is she, by the way?"
Melody's smile returned, a glimmer of relief evident on her face. "She's fine," she replied, her voice filled with gratitude. "The pack healers said she just needs a lot of rest."
Sophia chimed in with a warm smile. "That's good to hear," she said, "And you know, we've all done our fair share of shitty things. Remember when I attacked Aria when she first arrived?"
"Let's not forget how she kicked your ass."
Sophia blushed in embarrassment, "That one hurt like a bitch."