The Rogue Kings II

*** Silas' POV ***

I stared at the fire. My eyes blurred as I felt the heat from the flames in front of me. I knew the fire was being stoked magically. It took a lot of heat to continue to burn a pyre. The smoke continue to rise, but it had turned to a light grey color as it burned pure.

My sister was gone. These fames burned away her mortal tether, and the smoke carried her soul to the Moon Goddess. Or so the old tales said. Right now, both my sister and the Moon Goddess could shove it.

My thoughts were a storm. A torrent of anger and grief. My sweet sister. I could see her as she spun around, her sun dress flaring out around her. The smile on her face, how the sun shone against her black hair, making it look almost blue. My baby sister, who always looked out for me. She brought joy to the house that otherwise felt dark after our mother died. Aelia was my everything and always had been my constant.

I don't remember peaking over the bed to look at her when she was just born, but Mother always told me the story of how I feel in love at first sight. When I was little, I started off saying I would marry her. Then it morphed into being her prince and then her knight. Getting Eros, my thoughts had changed that I would be her Alpha. I'd never been whipped into shape so quickly after I said that. She kicked my ass that day.

I was twelve when we got attacked. That age where I thought I was ready for adulthood. Where I thought I was tough shit. I thought I could do it all. I took the lead. I stepped up, puffing out my chest, and followed my father with thinking I could protect the others. Goddess above, was I proven wrong.

I remember the dirt on my face. The taste of leaves in my mouth, along with the metallic tinge of blood. I remember the pain of my eye swelling up. I remember the cracked ribs along with the scrapes on my stomach as I reached out for her. The tears that filled my eyes as my arm fell to the forest floor, unable to hold myself up. All the while, Aelia hung limply on the shoulder of the rogue as they walked away. Turning their back to us, because they knew Nate and I weren't a threat.

That day taught me exactly how weak I was. It taught me that no matter what, someone will always be stronger. Rage filled me. Rage and pain that fueled me for the next nineteen years. It only got worse as my father, my Alpha, imploded. It got worse as I realized what it took to be Alpha. Only getting worse over the years until I could feel myself skirt the edges of madness.

She had been dead before. My father said she was dead. I mean, how could someone like her survive? She was my baby sister. Sure, she was strong, but she wasn't that strong. I mourned my sister by swearing revenge on the rogues. I swore I would destroy them all. I swore I would protect my pack and not a single person would die under my watch to rogues. I wouldn't be like my father. I wouldn't be weak. I would stand tall as Alpha and I would be the strength I needed to be back then to save her. To save my little sister.

All those years and all that time, she ended up stepping back into my life. She didn't even step. She stormed in like a hurricane. Aelia swept my feet out from under me. Gone was the sweet little girl. Gone were the smiles and the giggles. Gone was the flower picking and the sun dresses. The ribbons and the ballet shoes.

What replaced those was just as much my sister. Her strength. Her power. She could command a room and bring you to your knees. She still loved to her fullest. She still dove in at one hundred percent. Except now, she wore leather and tattoos like a badge of pride. Still every bit as much of my little sister as when she was taken.

Aelia brought the chaos back. Bringing all my beliefs crumbling down around me until I felt like I was twelve again, reaching out to her. She fought for us; for me. She fought and died. There was no one else to blame this time. The things that haunted her were dead. She made sure of it. She taught me I had misdirected my anger. I'd wasted time hating the wrong people.

I hated rogues because of her and she walked back into my life as the Rogue King. As the one who could command and bring them together. The ground beneath me opened, and I had nothing to hold on to. As I carried her body, I realized that even at her weakest, I could never match her. She died for the ones she loved. Protecting the ones she loved. The same as before. All I could do was stand there. Watch as her power roared and destroyed all those in her path until she fell. Until Aelia's body finally gave out.