MATED TO SERIES COLLECTION

67. SILAS: FROM AN ISLAND TO LONDON

My eyes darted to Lara where she slept peacefully in the passenger seat. We had to leave earlier to be packed and ready for the copper to collect us from the island. I had booked a private plane to fly us back to London where I hired a car. With everything that was planned, I had made sure to follow everything Devrim had told me. We didn't want to have a repeat on what had happened. With those bastards still out there, we could never be too careful.

I had called Axel from the plane to let him know that we were on our way home. He had been taking care of things for me while I've been away. My grip on the steering wheel tightened. I'd have to leave everything I had build up in London behind now. Unease made my stomach roll. It was going to be hard; for Lara and for me.

Seeing Ethan everyday was going to hurt. It would take years for Lara to be around him without longing to have him hold her or touch her. He was a part of her. He had marked her and she had marked him. A wave of guilt hit me as I turned into the underground parking to park the car.

I was so sure that Avery wouldn't be a problem any longer. If I had known that Avery was pregnant then I wouldn't have pushed him into mating Lara. I would've thought of something else to help her shift, but I didn't because there was no other way. He was her mate after all.

Parking the car, I got out and glanced around. There were no one around and the parking space was well lit. Nobody would be able to sneak up on me. Walking around the car, I opened the door and leaned in to unhook her seatbelt. Lara murmured when I picked her up and wrapped her arms around my neck. Feeling her lips brushing against my neck made me shuddered.

"Are we home?"

"Not yet sweetness."

She sighed. "I need to pee."

"I asked you if you wanted to go when we left the airport but you said no."

Lara tilted her head back against my shoulder, making me glance down at her. She was glaring at me in a way that made me smile. I leaned down to peck her lips just as the elevator doors slid open. I stepped out and then froze when I spotted the man sitting outside my apartment door.

"Axel? What the hell are you doing here?"

His head snapped up and red-rimmed eyes blinked up at me. I winced when I caught the smell of alcohol coming off him when he moved. Axel stumbled to his feet and nearly fell to the floor again.

"Sup man?" he slurred. "W-who's the c-chick?"

"You have the key, Axel. Get inside before someone calls security."

He glared at me and then stared at Lara before he seemed to remember what I told him to do. Curses fell from his lips as he struggled to get the keys out of his pockets. When he finally managed that, it took him a few minutes to find the keyhole.

The guy was obviously smashed and I couldn't understand why. He doesn't drink, but something must've happened that led to him getting wasted.

I followed him into the apartment and kicked the door closed behind me. Axel was already half passed out on one of the couches. I hesitated before I walked down the hall and towards our bedroom. There were no strange smells inside the apartment so I knew that we were alone. Nobody had traced us here.

"Who's he?" Lara questioned when I lowered her onto the bed.

"An old friend. I'll make us something to eat while you shower."

"I'm not hungry, but I know you are."

My eyes narrowed but before I could get a word out, she pulled my lips down to hers. I kissed her back and was about to take things further when a loud bang came from the living room. A sigh fell from my lips as I pulled away.