A sigh fell from my lips as I stepped into the elevator. My silent partner had been taking good care of the business in my absence. I needn't have worried about a thing. Everything had been taken care of and I handed most of the projects over to him. He would still have to contact me before taking on any new projects. It was one less worry. Now all I had to do was sort the penthouse out and then we'd be on a plane back home.

The elevator door slid open and I stepped out and headed towards the door. I paused with the keys in my hand. Frowning, I sucked in another deep breath. I picked up two unfamiliar scents and the scent of blood. The blood wasn't Lara's, but that didn't help elevate the worry. I gripped the handle and slowly pushed it open.

My heart dropped to my stomach when I took in the scene that greeted me. I quickly pushed the door closed and flicked the lock in place. Low growls filled the silence. I swallowed as I took in the blood splattered walls and footprints on the floor. Moving forward, I stared down at the body beside the couch. He was unrecognizable.

A grunt had my head snapping to the left. "Axel."

I rushed forward and dropped to my knees at his side. He was slumped against the wall with a hand pressed against his lower abdomen. Blood coated his hand and clothes and was slowly starting to pool on the floor around him.

"What happened?"

His eyes flicked and slowly opened. "S-She. . .L-Lara. . .wolf."

Shit! I shouldn't have left her alone. I thought she would be able to handle herself. I bit my wrist and pressed it against Axel's mouth. He tried to turn his head away but I gripped his chin with my other hand and held him still.

"Drink it," I growled. "It'll heal you."

He gagged but swallowed. I pulled my arm away and helped him onto his back. Ripping his shirt, I studied the bullet wound. The bullet was still inside and I needed to get it out before he started to heal. I hesitated for only a few seconds before I used a claw to get the bullet out. Axel screamed and tried to push my hand away. I winced when I pushed my claw a little deeper into his flesh to locate the bullet. Thankfully it hadn't hit any vital organs.

By the time I finally managed to get it out, Axel had passed out but he was quickly healing. I left him on the floor and followed the low growls towards the guest bathroom. I froze halfway there when I spotted Lara in shifted form pacing back and forth. Blood coated her fur and dripped from her mouth along with her saliva. What triggered her sudden shift?

"Lara?"

She spun around and growled. I tensed when her upper body lowered in an attack mode. She flashed teeth and growled again. Lara slowly started to move towards me. She was a predator and stalking her prey.

"Sweetness, it's me, Silas." I slowly lowered to my knees and held my hands out by my sides. "I know you remember me, sweetness."

Another step and another until only a few feet separated us. She licked her upper teeth and her eyes dilated. I didn't want to hurt her. My body tensed in preparation for her attack although it still came as a surprise when she lunged at me. I gripped her neck and held her back. Sharp teeth snapped inches from my face.

Her claws dug into my legs and stomach. It took a lot of effort to pin her to the ground. She almost got the upper hand when I moved to turn her on her side so she couldn't claw at my stomach. I used my belt as a muzzle, my leg to pin her hind legs and my arm to pin her front legs. Lara's growls turned into whines as she continued to trash underneath me.

"It's okay, Lara. It's going to be okay, sweetness." I stroked her fur as I continued to whisper soothing words to her.

Her body stilled and her whines died down. Lara was panting for breath now so I eased some of my weight off her. A cry fell from her lips when her fur started to reseed and her bones snapped back into place. The change back to human was slower and much more painful. A few minutes later Lara lay naked and panting beneath me.

I carefully moved off her and then leaned down and moved the hair from her face so I could look at her. Lara's eyes fluttered and then slowly opened. They were still black but as I watched they slowly returned back to normal. They instantly filled with tears.

"S-Silas," she croaked. "I-I killed h-him."

"I know sweetness. I saw."

"A-Axel—"

"He's fine. I gave him some of my blood and it'll heal him."

Her shoulders slumped. I watched as the fight left her body—leaving her completely drained. She was pale and shaking and also covered in blood.

"Who's inside the bathroom?" I asked her.

She licked her lips. "M-my mother."

I frowned. "Your mother?"

"S-she owed the man money and s-said that I'd p-pay it. When I s-said that I d-didn't have a-any they threatened Andrea."

Andrea? It took a moment for me to remember exactly who Andrea was. My frown deepened. She's the bitch who wrote Lara off for leaving with me. The supposedly friend who wanted nothing to do with Lara when she needed her. I shook my head and focused on Lara.

"Are you hurt?"

She shook her head. "T-tired."

I slipped my arms under her and picked her up. Cradling her against my chest, I carried her into our bedroom and then straight into the bathroom. I knew that I needed to deal with her mother first but I couldn't leave Lara alone. Her emotions were unstable and if she shifted again so soon it might be a while before she found enough strength to shift into human form again.

Lowering her to feet but keeping an arm wrapped around her waist, I reached into the shower and opened the cold tab. I kicked off my shoes and then lifted her against my body before I stepped into the shower. Lara gasped when the icy water hit her back. Her eyes shot open and then narrowed.

"It'll help you cool down," I explained softly.

After washing the blood from her body, I closed the tab and reached for a towel to wrap around her. She gripped my shoulders when I picked her up again and carried her back into the bedroom. I lowered her onto the ruined bed before I stepped back and removed my clothes. A quick inspection of my stomach and legs made me wince. She got me good with those sharp claws of hers. I wished I had some of that ointment Vanya had used to heal faster.

"Silas?"

"Yeah?" I muttered as I pulled on some pants.

"I-I d-don't feel so good."

I turned around just in time to see her doubling over and puking all over her feet and the floor.

***

"What the hell is going on here?"

My eyes shot up and then narrowed at Axel who hovered in the doorway. He was pale and shaking and I fear that he might actually start puking all over the floor. With a sigh I grabbed the cloth and threw it into the bucket. Rinsing it and squeezing out the excess water, I started wiping the floor again.

"Silas?" He was silent for a few seconds. "You need to tell me what the hell's going on. I thought I was dreaming but the blood is real! So's the dead body. What the hell happened? Y-your wife turned into a fucking animal."

"I told you that nothing about me is normal," I muttered.

"Yeah but I. . .wait. . .do you turn into a wolf too?"

"A Lycan, Axel. There's a huge difference between a wolf and a Lycan." I glanced up at him again. "Look, I'll explain everything to you and answer your question."

"But?" Axel stepped closer. "Let me guess, you want me to help you clean this up?"

"I'd appreciate it."

He pulled a face and silently stared at me. Just as I expected him to refuse he surprised me by nodding. "Fine. I'm not digging a grave though. You can do that or your wife, but I don't want to be dragged into this when you get arrested."

I rolled my eyes at him. "We won't."

It took us hours to clean the blood from the floor, walls and furniture. Luckily most of it was leather so with a wipe of a cloth, the blood came right off. I grabbed some sheets from the closet that we used to wrap the body and everything else we used and then we carried it up to the roof where I burned it. Axel stayed until every last thing was burned so nobody would recognize that it was a body.

Lara's mother had disappeared by the time I had Lara in bed. I knew that we needed to find her before she started telling people. Worst case scenario would be that her tale landed in the wrong hands and the best case scenario would be that they locked her up because they thought she was crazy. Either way she still needed to be located.

I had just finished making Lara something to eat when Axel entered the kitchen freshly showered. He frowned down at the tray when I turned towards him.

"Lara needs to eat." I stepped around him. "You can make something for yourself to eat if you're hungry."

I didn't wait for a reply. Lara was still asleep when I entered the bedroom. Placing the tray on the bedside table, I took a seat on the edge of the bed and gently shook her shoulder. She frowned as she stirred.

"Hey sweetness," I said softly. "I made you something to eat."

"Not hungry," she croaked.

I pressed a hand against her forehead and frowned. "You're burning up."

"Silas. . ."

"I need you to eat something for me, Lara. I made you some soup." My hand trailed down to cup her cheek. "Only a little is okay too. Maybe if you eat something then you'll feel a little better."

She blinked up at me and then sighed. I gave her a small smile as I helped her sit up and lean back against the pillows. Her hands shook too much to hold the bowl and the spoon so I fed her until she said that she had enough. Lara barely ate much at all but I should be happy that she had at least something in her stomach.

Once she was settled back in bed, I placed a kiss against her forehead before I walked out. I wasn't surprised to find Axel watching us from the doorway. He turned and walked down the hall when I exit the room. I left the door slightly ajar and followed him back into the kitchen.

"I have a lot of questions to ask you," he said softly.

"I know. I'll tell you everything; I just need to make a call."

"Is that normal?" He nodded towards the bedroom.

"No, it's not normal."

73. Silas: Answers and explanations

The phone rang twice before it went over to voicemail. My hands curled into fists when I dialled again and the same thing happened. Why wasn't he answering? My eyes darted over to the clock. It was late and he was probably sleeping or busy with his son. Somehow I couldn't imagine Avery taking care of a newborn baby.

"Drink?"

I hesitated and then nodded at him. Axel poured each of us a glass of whiskey. He placed my glass down on the desk in front of me before he took a seat on one of the couches. I hesitated before I stood and took a seat opposite him. I took a big gulp of my drink and then relaxed. I'll try calling him again in a few minutes.

"What do you want to know?" I asked him when he stayed silent.

"Everything."

"You understand that you can't tell anybody about this?"

He took a sip of his drink. "After what I saw today, an explanation is in order, don't you think?"

"Well. . ." I started from the beginning and told him everything I couldn't when we first met. I told him about my troubles with the pack and why I left. Of course I skipped those years he already knew about and then continued from where I met Lara and everything that has happened since up until the present.

All the while Axel stayed silent and took it all in. When I was done, he stayed silent for a few more minutes before he started asking questions. I answered as best as I could without giving much more away.

Axel and I have known each other since we were eighteen. We met a few days after I left the pack to come here. Axel was the one who helped me get a job. He was the one who spurred me on when I first started my own company. Axel was there when I was at my worst. He became my brother even though we weren't blood related.

It was during those years when I learned what Axel was suffering through. His father was a drunken bastard and him mother an abusing druggie. It took time but I had managed to break him free from them. A part of me was scared that he would take the path he grew up with, but Axel had surprised me. He had chosen to take the right path.

"Why were you drunk out of your mind yesterday?" I questioned and hour later after I had finished talking to him.

"Another drink?"

I shook my head and watched him as he poured himself another glass. He downed it and then poured another.

"I got a call from the prison."

"What did they say?"

Axel gave a cruel laugh as he turned towards me. "The bastard is dead."

"Your father?" I questioned in surprise. "How?"

He licked his lips and took another drink. "Got killed in prison. I should feel at least a little remorse, right? I don't feel a fucking thing. I'm happy that he's dead."

"So am I." I took the bottle from him before he could pour himself another drink. "Alcohol isn't the answer, you know that."

"I just need something to numb the pain."

Placing the bottle back down, I turned towards him and gripped his shoulders. "Alcohol never did anyone any good. We both know how badly things are going to end for you if you drink this."

"I—" He shook his head. "You're right."

"I'm always right." I smirked at him. "I have a job for you if you want something to take your mind off him."

He hesitated. "What do you have in mind?"

"We need to find Lara's mother before she tells anyone anything."

"I'll find her."

Axel refused to stay another night and after I was sure that he was sober enough to be driving, I allowed him to leave. I grabbed my phone from the office and made sure that everything was locked and that the alarm was set before I headed to the bedroom. Lara was still in bed but she had kicked the sheets to the end of the bed and took off the shirt I had dressed her in earlier. A fine layer of sweat coated her skin.

Grabbing some ice water and a cloth, I woke her to drink some water before I cooled her down. Her condition worried me. This didn't happen the last time she shifted. Fear hit next. Was this what my father meant when he said that she wouldn't make it through the shift? Was my Lara busy dying? I instantly shook the thoughts away. She'd be fine.

After making sure that she didn't need anything else, I picked up my phone and walked over to the window. I tried calling Ethan but again there was still no answered. Frowning, I hesitated before dialling my father's number. It rang three times before he answered.

"Hello?"

"Where's Ethan?"

There was a few minutes of silence. "Silas?"

"Father," I muttered. "I need to speak to Ethan."

"What happened?" I heard some shuffling and then muttered voices. "Why do you want to talk to Ethan?"

I ran a hand through my hair in frustration. Why couldn't he understand that I wanted to talk to Ethan?

"Ethan's busy with—" He suddenly broke off.

It took me a moment to realize that they didn't know that Ethan had told me about the birth of his son. I groaned and glanced over at Lara. She turned onto her stomach with a small sigh. My eyes were glued to her back. She still had pale marks.

"What did he name him?"

"W-what?"

I swallowed and turned back to stare out the window. "What did Ethan name his son?"

"He's name's Luca," my mother answered instead. "Where are you Silas?"

"In London." I hesitated. "I'm just finishing some business before Lara and I head there."

"H-here? You're coming back here?"

"Yeah. Didn't Ethan tell you?"

"We haven't really had time to talk much," David said.

"He's been too busy with Luca since Avery's not really helping" Devon continued.

Lara suddenly whimpered. I turned around to find her sitting up in bed with her eyes focused on the closed door. Her head snapped towards me when I moved closer to the bed. Her eyes were filled with tears.

"Sweetness?"

She swallowed loudly. "I-I k-killed him," she gasped. "Oh my god! I killed a man."

Lara suddenly jumped up from the bed but her legs were too weak to hold her up. I caught her before she could hit the ground and gently placed her back on the bed. She clutched at my arms as I pushed her back down onto her back.

"I killed him!" A sob fell from her lips.

"You did what you had too," I told her softly. "He was going to kill you and Axel. You protected yourself and him."

"I—"

"You nothing."

"I'm g-going to j-jail, aren't I?"

"No, you're not going anywhere. I took care of it, sweetness. I promise you that I won't let anything happen to you."

I wiped her tears away and pressed a kiss against her nose and then her cheeks and then her lips before I pulled away. Now wasn't the time to tell her about her mother. I helped her up and then to drink some more water. Lara turned onto her side and gripped one of my hands tightly to her chest.

"Don't leave."

"I won't. I'll be right here when you wake up."

"Don't leave me."

I stared at her as her eyes fluttered closed again. A few tears still dripped down her cheeks but her breathing had evened out. I carefully pulled my hand free of her hold and then wiped the stray tears away.

"Silas are you still there?"

I had completely forgotten that I was still on the phone with my parents. Hesitating, I picked up the phone again and pressed it to my ear.

"Will you have Ethan call me as soon as he can?" I asked to whoever was listening.

"Is there something we can help you with?"

"No."

I ended the call and dropped the phone onto the bedside table. They should've been there to help when I needed them. I shook away the disturbing thoughts and kicked off my shoes before crawling into bed behind Lara. Leaning over, I switched off the light before reaching for Lara and pulling her against my chest. She instantly snuggled against my side.

"L-Love y-you."

I pressed my lips against her forehead. "Love you too sweetness."

It was a few hours later when I was jerked awake by the sudden sound of the phone ringing. I blinked up at the ceiling before rubbing a hand down my face to clear some of the sleep. Lara was fast asleep next to me. I pressed a hand against her forehead and sighed in relief when I realized that her fever was gone. What had caused it in the first place? Was it just because of her sudden shift? I shook my head and carefully leaned over her to pick up the phone. Ethan's name flashed across the screen.

"Did something happen?" he asked as soon as I answered.

"I went to the office and when I came back Lara had shifted." I quickly told him what happened. "She threw up and had a fever but the fever's gone now."

"Has she shifted again since this happened?"

"No, she's been sleeping."

"I'll see if I can find something in the library," Ethan muttered. "I don't know of this ever happening before, but then again we've never had anyone who had been turned by bite before."

"I'm just worried that my bite had somehow affected her. What if father was right and she wouldn't survive?"

"Lara is a fighter, Silas. If something were to happen to her then it would've already. We'll figure things out."

"Thank you."

Ethan didn't utter another word again but I could hear him moving about. I sucked in a sharp breath when I heard the cry of a baby. My heart squeezed tightly and longing filled me. What I would give to hold my own son in my arms.

"I have to go. I'll call you back when I find anything."

He hung up before I could reply. I sighed and relaxed back against the mattress. Turning my head, I stared down at Lara. It would hurt her to see Ethan and his son everyday. Slowly but surely she would die a little inside. There was nothing I could do to help or prevent it from happening. If I had a choice then I wouldn't even take her back there. I would take her some place where she wouldn't have to face them every single day.

Maybe one day I could, but for now we had no choice.