The roar of the helicopter blades was the only sound in the dark sky. Inside the cabin, the red emergency lights bathed everything in a bloody glow. Alaric sat on the floor of the transport, his back against the cold metal wall. He refused to put Silas on the medical stretcher. Instead, he held Silas across his lap like a precious, broken doll, his large arms wrapped tightly around Silas's waist.
Silas was covered in the dust of the explosion and the dried blood from his fight with the guards. He looked small in Alaric's tactical gear, his head resting against the Prince's chest.
Slowly, Silas's eyes fluttered open. The drug was finally wearing off, leaving him exhausted but awake. He looked up at Alaric's face—the sharp jawline, the glowing blue eyes, and the look of pure, terrifying possessiveness.
"Alaric?" Silas whispered, his voice scratching his throat.
"I'm here," Alaric growled, his grip tightening. He pressed a kiss to Silas's forehead, his scent pouring out to calm Silas's racing heart. "You're safe. We're home."
Silas looked down at his own hands, which were still stained with the blood of his brother's guards. He looked at the way Alaric was holding him—refusing to let even the medics touch him.
"Why are you carrying me like a baby?" Silas asked, a tiny, weak smile tugging at his lips. "I'm a Vane Ghost. I can walk. You're covered in my mess."
Alaric didn't smile. He looked at the deep bruises on Silas's wrists from the chains. "I don't care about the mess. I don't care about the blood. I am never letting your feet touch the ground again if it means you might run into another trap."
Silas went quiet for a moment, listening to the steady thrum of the engines. "Alaric... why did you come back for me? I left a note. I told you I wanted to be free. I was a mess. I was a liability."
Alaric's eyes flashed with a dark fire. "You are my heart, Silas. A man doesn't leave his heart behind just because it tries to stop beating. But tell me... why did you fight them like that? You were drugged. You were outnumbered ten to one. Why didn't you just wait for me?"
Silas reached up, his shaking fingers tracing the royal crest on Alaric's vest.
"I wasn't just fighting to kill them," Silas said softly. "I was fighting for a miracle. I knew my Alpha would come for me. I had no doubt in my soul that you were in the air the moment I screamed."
Alaric felt a lump form in his throat. He had spent his whole life being feared, but Silas gave him something better: trust.
"I took my strength to the absolute limit," Silas continued, his voice growing sleepy again. "I pushed myself to five percent of my life because I knew five percent was all I needed to stay alive until you found me. I knew you would find me alone in the dark. I didn't need to be saved by a hero... I just needed to wait for my mate."
Alaric bowed his head, resting his nose against Silas's neck, right over the mark. He felt a wave of pride so strong it made his hands shake. He had thought Silas was a bird who wanted to fly away, but Silas was actually an anchor—someone who would hold onto his love even in the middle of a storm.
"You're not just a ghost, Silas," Alaric whispered into his skin. "You're the strongest person I've ever known. From now on, we don't explore the dark alone. We do it together. We make friends, we build a world, and we never let a 'snake' like your brother near us again."
Silas nodded weakly, his eyes finally closing as the warmth of Alaric's body took away the last of the Northern cold. "Together," he breathed.
Alaric looked out the window at the horizon. The sun was starting to rise over the palace in the distance. He knew the war with the North wasn't over. He knew the Duke would want revenge. But as he looked down at the man sleeping in his arms, Alaric knew he had already won.
He didn't just have a mate. He had a partner. A Mafia ghost who was willing to die for him—and a Prince who would burn the world to keep him alive.
"Sleep, my brave ghost," Alaric whispered, pulling a heavy black blanket over them both. "The world can wait. I've got you.