Page 48 of Dark Sold Mate

“I want that too,” she gave him a small smile. “But it's going to take time. One step at a time.”

“I know. I'll wait as long as you need.”

There was an embarrassing moment of silence between them. And when August spoke again, his voice was uncertain.

“There is one more thing that you need to know.”

Elle tensed. “What?”

“About me not reaching out. It was not necessarily my choice. Silas told me not to make any contact with you.”

“What?”

“I was so happy when I eventually found you. I wanted to visit you immediately, to make everything clear, to apologize. But I told Silas first, and he asked me not to contact you. That you should lead your life without remembering this place.”

Elle could barely believe what she was hearing. “And you just... agreed?”

“I agreed because a part of me believed he was right. You were happier in the human world. Much happier than ever I saw you here. And I figured you were better without us.”

“So, Silas knew where I was as well.”

August nodded. “He knew. But he never looked or asked for more details. He just ordered me to leave you alone and let you live your life in peace.”

Elle felt rage, white-hot and consuming, run through her body. Silas had known where she was for years and never reached out once, and he actively discouraged August to do the same. He had made decisions regarding her life without her consent or knowledge. Just like he had done with literally everything else.

“Where is he?” Elle demanded.

“Elle, wait—”

But Elle was already walking away, ignoring the curious glances of the members of the pack, and headed straight in the direction of Silas' house.

She found him in his office, where he was looking over papers on his desk. His head snapped up when he noticed Elle walk in.

“Elle?”

“You knew where I was all that time.”

Silas went still. “August told you.”

“Of course, he told me! Did you think he'd hide that from me?” She walked towards his desk. “You knew I was where, and you ordered August not to get in touch with me. You made that decision for me. For both of us.”

Silas pushed his chair back and stood up. “I did it to protect you.”

“Protect me?” Elle scoffed. “From what? From knowing that someone still cared about me?”

“Because I didn't want you to have to come back here.”

“It was not your choice to make!”

“Maybe not, but I made it anyway.” Silas walked around the desk and stood just a few steps away. “Two years after you left, August came to me and asked for my permission to contact you. I saw how torn up he was, how much guilt he was carrying. But I also knew that if he reached out, you'd have to deal with all the ugly memories tied to this pack.”

“So you thought it was wise to make me believe that my brother never cared?”

“I thought it was wise not to interfere with the life you built, and I was right. Take a look at what you have achieved in these years. You got a job, made some friends, built a life you were happy about. Would you have been able to achieve all of that if August showed up with all the pack drama?”

Elle wanted to protest. She wanted to say that she would have created that life. But a little part of her wondered if Silas made the right decision after all.

If August had reached out, would she have been strong enough to maintain her boundaries? Or would she have fallen back into her old patterns, letting the pack's opinion of her define who she was?