Chapter 21: Unexpected Faces

Chapter 21: Unexpected Faces
Silas
Our day seemed to dizzy by me. The only thing I could focus on was my Lumiere ceremony. Tonight, I would be accepted into the White Ridge Pack, and in four days, I would officially become the Lumiere, the only mate to the Alpha. I just met Sydney yesterday, and now my whole world revolves around her and this pack.
"It's not much different than before. Our life revolved around the pack." Bram wasn't wrong.
"This feels different." I couldn't put my finger on it.
"Before it was someone else's duties, we were the substitute just helping out. Now the pack looks to us as one of its leaders an example to follow." I guess Bram is an Alpha wolf for a reason.
"You are probably right. A part of all this feels bittersweet. Changing my pack mark tonight puts everything into perspective." I rub my shoulder where my pack mark is.
"This is where we belong now. Give it time; it will feel like home." Bram's words ease my mind slightly.
We are sitting in the great room of the packhouse, waiting on others to arrive. Tonight, I will be officially accepted into the pack, and we will announce my Lumiere ceremony. Ambrose will also be introduced as the new Beta. This pack has been through a lot, and it is not slowing down any time soon. I look over, and Sydney is standing like a statue. Eyes squinted and watching everyone as they enter, not greeting, just sizing everyone up. I try to counter her death glare with a warm smile and a nod. Bram was right; our mate does need us.
"You could be more approachable. You are their Alpha." I whisper.
"I don't need to be their friend, just their Alpha." She huffs.
"You know, my dad taught my brothers and me that the Alpha works for the pack. The pack doesn't work for the Alpha." I put my hand on her back, hoping it would help lighten her stance.
Sydney turns and looks at me wide-eyed and dumbfounded. "That was a line in my Alpha ceremony!"
I chuckle, I know she's serious, but that look is too much. "Well, it looks like you forgot it."
"You know none of them want me as their Alpha." She sighs. The underlying sadness in that statement was not missed. Yeah, I am needed here.
"How do you know that?" I had so many walls to break down. Not just for me but for the pack as well.
"I just do." She mumbled out, and a slight pout flashed across her face before she clenched her jaw.
"You should give them a chance to get to know you. You're pretty great." I wiggle eyebrows at her. I want just a little giggle. I've gotten it a few times when we are alone, and it's so cute.
"Shut up." I get a blush instead. I'll take it she's adorable when she's shy around me.
"Daddy, it's him!" I hear a small voice yell from the entrance. Both Syd and I look to the doorway.
A small girl runs through the legs of the adults and latches on to my leg. She's holding it so tight. I look at her. She's so familiar. I know her, but how? She looks up at me with tears in her little eyes, and it hits me. "Nina? Nina Santos?"
"Silas, it's you! Daddy, Daddy, he's the one who saved us!" Nina is jumping up and down, still holding on to my leg. A man in his late 20s approaches with shock in his eyes.
He reaches out a hand. "Sir, thank you for saving our kids." I accept his hand and shake it. "Katie, come up here." A woman approaches carrying a little boy with a boot cast on his leg.
"It's you!" The little blonde boy wiggles free from his mother and limps over in his cast.
I can't believe it. I never thought I would see either of them again. It's the little boy I carried out—the one with a limp. I drop to my knees and pull both the kids into a hug. They cling to me and are holding on to me so tight. All those nights seeing all those faces and here they are healthy and happy. I can’t hold back, and a few tears escape.
I pull back to take a good look at them both. They look healthy. I look up at Sydney and the man Nina called daddy. "How are they both here?"
"I can answer that, Mr. Silas. Our old Alpha lied to us and told us Toby died with a few other pups while playing in the woods. The truth was Tarlo took him and the others to one of his intake facilities. We mourned the death of our son for a year." The woman put her arm around her mate. His emotions take over, and tears stream down his face.
The women continued. "The night of raids, we hid in our basement. We wanted nothing to do with the whole mess. When we came out, we saw you Alpha delivering a dying Tarlo to the raid leader. We knew it was over. A few hours later, we get a knock on the door, and it's a Druit Guard member asking us if we had a son named Toby because he was found at a nearby facility. Our baby was alive." Now the woman, Katie, was in tears, and her mate took over.
"We drove five hours straight to the facility, and there he was, our little boy sitting waiting for us. He was sitting with a little girl holding her hand while crying. We found out that Nina was kidnapped, and her parents were killed, so she didn't have a family to go home to. So, we didn't hesitate we took her home with us. Thank you, Silas. You save our children. Nina has barely spoken ten words since that night, and it's never over a whisper. This was the first time we have heard her voice." The man pulls his mate closer, and I can see all the love they have for these pups.
The kids are still crying and holding me tightly. I notice the room is filling up now, and we need to get started. I have to calm down." Thank you for telling me your story." I nod to the parents. I pull back from the kids again. "Hey, you two, you are safe now. I won't let anything hurt you, OK. You can trust me."
"We trust you." Nina and Toby say in unison.
"Silas the Pack is here. I think we need to start soon." Sydney pats my shoulder.
"Can you two go with your parents? I'll see you after, OK?" The kids nod. I stand, wiping the wetness from my cheeks.
Sydney takes my other hand and gives it a gentle squeeze. "You, OK?"
"Yeah, I'm fine" That was a lie. I was not, and seeing the kids brought it all back—the guilt. I had to put on a smile and push it down for now. We had work to do. My resolve to become a White Ridge pack member changed as soon as I saw Toby and Nina again. I am needed here.
Sydney pulls everyone's attention, and the room falls silent. "Everyone, please take your seats. We have a few things to announce. First, would Ambrose Loopnoir come upfront?" Ambrose makes his way to the front.
Murmurs fill the room. "Loopnoir is his mother's maiden name." "What will his grandfather say." Sydney gives the crowd a stern look, and they are quiet again.
"The goddess has called Ambrose to be our pack Beta. From this day forward, he and his descendants will be Beta Loopnoir."
There is a collective shocked silence before the pack cheers.
Sydney raises her hand to calm down the pack again. "Now to our other announcement."