MATED TO SERIES COLLECTION

91. SILAS: A JOURNAL

I froze when I stepped into the room and my eyes fell on David sitting behind the desk. The urge to turn around was strong, but I knew the sooner I made the calls, the sooner we could leave. Staying here any longer might cause more trouble. Some of the members might go after Lara and that was the last thing she needed—it was the last thing any of use needed right now.

"I won't bite," David said, snapping me back to earth.

I gave the door handle a squeeze before I moved further into the room after closing the door firmly behind me. My eyes darted over every inch before I looked at him to find that he was already watching me. Swallowing, I walked over to the window and stared at the swaying trees.

"How are you?"

I growled. "What do you care?"

"I always have," David said softly. "I'm sorry about what they said at the meeting this morning."

My hand curled into fists as my mind trailed back to everything had been said. The men had made it very clear that they didn't see me as their Alpha. Even if I took over, they would challenge me until somebody else won and took over. It would cause a war because not only would they challenge me, but they'd challenge each other. The woman and the children would be in danger and that was the last thing I wanted.

"You don't have to worry," I told him as I turned sideways to look at him. "Lara and I will be leaving."

His face darkened. "You can't go back to London! What's going to happen if those kids are shifters? Lara's also a newly—"

"Enough," I sneered. "It's none of your business what I do or where we go. The day we leave here is the last day you'll ever see us."

"So that's it?" The chair creaked when he stood. "You're going to run off and keep us away from our grandkids because—"

"Don't." I straightened and glared at him. "I'm not running. I'm leaving because nobody wants me here. I will not put Lara and my babies at risk. Besides, you all got what you wanted so what's it to you?"

"We love you Silas."

"You sure as hell have a funny way of showing it."

His lips parted but he decided against whatever he was about to say. David turned and opened a drawer to his left, where he searched until he found whatever he was looking for. When he straightened he held a thick black leather journal in his hand. His eyes locked with mine as he placed it on the table.

"Maybe this will be able to clear a few things up," he said softly.

I tensed when he stepped around the desk and walked over to me. David stopped a few inches away and surprised me when he reached out and gripped the back of my neck. He pulled me closer until our foreheads were pressed together.

"You can either hold on to the hate until it destroys you, or let it go and start over. We haven't been great parents and maybe how we treated certain things, is the cause for that. We have never stopped loving you Silas. You're our son. Our flesh and blood. No matter how far you are, no matter if we don't ever talk again, but know this"—he stepped even closer and made sure that our eyes were locked before he continued—"if you ever need anything, we'll be here."

I squeezed my eyes closed as tears started to fill them when he pressed a kiss against my forehead.

"I'm proud of you, son. I always have been. Never doubt that."

And just like that he was gone, leaving me all alone. I sucked in a breath and blinked rapidly to clear the tears. There was still a lump in my throat but I ignored it. Walking over to the desk, I took a seat in the chair he had vacated and pulled the phone closer, but I froze when my arm brushed the journal.

I pulled it closer and opened it. David's name was written on the front page in cursive letters that I recognized as my mother's handwriting. My eyes darted to the words beneath it.

You already have everything you need so I had no clue what to get you. I figured you might use this for whatever. J Love you.

Why would he give me this? Shaking my head, I closed the book and focused on what I came here to do. I dialled Devrim's number but a woman picked up and informed me that he wasn't available. I refused to leave a message and hung up. Maybe going back to the island wasn't such a good idea.

We got along well with the others but most of them knew Ethan. I wanted a fresh started where nobody knew him or Lara—where nobody knew that they were mated. Leaning back in the chair, I stared at the phone.

"Hey."

My eyes shot up to Wrin hovering in the doorway. I was so lost in thought that I hadn't even heard him entering.

"How are you?"

"Fine."

Wrin closed the door and leaned back against it with his arms crossed over his chest. He stared at me silently for a few seconds before he spoke. "He called me."

"And?"

"He made it there safely."

"Good," I sighed. "One less thing to worry about."

Wrin made a strange sound before he straightened and walked over to the window. My eyes dropped to his hands at his side. They curled onto fists and then slowly uncurled again. For a few minutes only silence surrounded us.

"She's going to hate you when she finds out."

"She won't. Nobody will find out about anything, unless you're planning on telling them."

He growled at me. "You know I won't. I'm just saying." He turned around to face me. "I think it's best that you stick around this area until Avery is found."

"Do you have any news on her and Luca yet?" I asked him.

My father has send enforcers out with a photo of both Avery and Luca to find out if any of them had seen her and Luca.

"No, nobody had seen them," he said. "Avery is a lot smarter than we think. I have a feeling that she's been planning this for days. All we need to do is figure out who Luca's father is and then we'd probably locate them."

"I want to start over where nobody would compare me to him," I said softly as I ran a hand through my hair. "I know that as long as Avery's out there, Lara and my babies would never be safe. I want to be far away from here but somewhere that we don't have to hide who we are."

Wrin's lips tilted upwards slightly in what I know were supposed to be a smile. "I know just the place."