MATED TO SERIES COLLECTION

65. LARA: I DO'S

"Give me a few weeks to sort things out, Lara. I don't know what's going to happen so I can't make you any promises, but I need you to know that I love you. You're mine and I'm yours. Only yours."

"I don't want you to go. I don't want you to go back to her."

He cupped my cheeks and tilted my head back so I could look at him. "I don't want to leave you."

I blinked back the tears but they still spilled over. He was leaving and maybe this time I wouldn't be so lucky to see him again. Maybe this time we'll lose him forever. I reached up and pressed my hand against his holding my cheeks.

"We have tonight, Lara. Let's make the best of it. Make me remember only you."

"I love you, Ethan."

"I love you, Lara. My heart, my soul and my body belongs only to you."

***

"Lara?"

My body jerked when a firm hand gripped my shoulder. I instantly shook it off and then turned to face him. Silas looked grim as he stared down at me. I relaxed and turned back to stare unseeingly at the trees. It's only been twenty-four hours since Ethan had left. He had called to tell us that he had made it back safely.

"They're making breakfast. Do you want some?"

I shook my head and wrapped my arms tighter around my waist. A gasp fell from my lips when Silas suddenly picked me up. He gave me a small smile when my eyes shot up to his in surprise. Sinking down on the chair I had been sitting on, he placed me down on his lap and leaned back. I relaxed against him with a small sigh.

"Do you ever think that maybe we're cursed?"

"Cursed?" His lips brushed my forehead. "The thought had crossed my mind a few times, sweetness."

"Maybe we weren't meant to be," I whispered.

His arms around me tightened. "I like to believe that things happen for a reason. Maybe this is some kind of test."

"I hate it."

"Me too."

We both fell silent as we got lost in our own thoughts. Silas's back had healed and he was pretty much back to normal. The only difference was the fact that he was no longer the same man. Something had changed. I licked my lips and tilted my head back.

"Silas?"

"Mmm?" His eyes darted down to mine.

"When can we go home?"

He swallowed loudly and then reached up to move a few strands of hair from my face. His eyes flashed with pain and something else. What was he thinking? Why was he staring at me like that?

"We can't go home, not back to London."

I clutched at his shirt as I waited for him to continue. I knew what he was going to tell me and I hated it. If we had to go back there then things would only become worse. It would be hell.

"Ethan and I talked before he left." His hand slid down my cheek to grip my neck. "We need to go back to the pack, Lara. After what happened, it would be too risky to live amongst humans. Maybe when we manage to control our animal sides a little more, we could go back."

"What happened to the men who kidnapped us?"

His eyes darted away from mine. Silas guided my face to the crook of his neck. "They were killed. Everyone at the. . .facility was killed. There were no sign of the men who had kidnapped us."