MATED TO SERIES COLLECTION

73. SILAS: FAMILY DINNER

"You can stay here until I find a cabin for you."

"Forget it," I told Ethan. "Are you really going to do this to Lara? After all the pain you've already caused her, you're willing to cause her more—"

"It was never my intention to hurt her and you know that. Silas—"

"We'll be staying at the pack house until you have everything ready. It'll be best for Lara to stay as far away from you and Avery." His eyes lowered. "At least until we've settled and talked more about how we're going to handle things."

"She's handling Luca just fine." Ethan walked over to the window. "I saw the look in her eyes when she was changing him."

I sighed loudly and ran a hand through my hair. "It's hurting her Ethan! Can't you see the pain in her eyes even though she's smiling?"

He stayed silent even though I knew he could feel my glare. Muttering under my breath, I made my way towards the door. We needed to leave before Lara fell in love with Luca—that was if she hadn't fallen in love with him already. I had seen the way she had looked at him. Was she feeling the same I was when I looked at Luca? Does she have this urge inside her to start her own family?

I froze in my tracks when I entered the kitchen and spotted my mother leaning against the cabinets with her arms crossed over her chest. She had a look of pure confusion on her face.

My eyes darted over to Lara who stood as if frozen by the sink. Luca was tugging on her hair but it didn't seem to bother her. His hand suddenly dropped to grip the chain of her necklace and that got her moving. Panic flashed across her face as she reached up to pull his hand away.

A familiar stab of pain flashed through my chest. I had to remind myself once again that Lara couldn't help what she felt. It'll take a while for her to get over Ethan. Lara glanced up and our eyes locked. She swallowed and then glanced over at my mother and then back to me.

I sucked in a breath as I made my way across the kitchen towards Lara.

"Silas," my mother said softly.

"Mother."

I reached for Luca but then paused. How were you supposed to hold the baby? My eyes snapped to Lara's in question. She gave me a small smile and turned Luca around as she handed him to me. He was heavier than expected and so damn small than I was afraid of gripping him too tightly. Without realizing it, I lowered my head and sniffed at him. He smelled good—baby-like—and so damn different.

My eyes locked with Lara's. I could see the same longing I felt. We both wished for the same thing and we both knew that we would never be able to have what we wanted.

"Mom, what are you doing here?" Ethan's questioned snapped me out of my daze.

I made my way over to him and carefully handed his son back to him. "I take it that there's an empty room in the pack house?"

Ethan frowned. "I'm afraid not. With the youths starting training, the house is full. But the Alpha's floor is open for you to use until I find a cabin for you guys."

"A cabin?" my mother exclaimed. "Why do you want to live in one of the cabins? You stayed here the last time, why don't you stay here—"

"No!" I yelled, turning to glare at her. "Lara and I want our own place."

Her face fell. Mother glanced between the three of us and then nodded. She uncrossed her arms and straightened.

"I came here to invite Ethan and Avery to dinner. I didn't know that you'd be here Silas, but since you are, why don't Lara and you join us?"