Page 47 of Protected By the Elf Prince

Sharing meals.

Learning every habit and preference he possessed.

Growing old together, and with the extended life my power would grant him after we bonded, he would age at the same rate I did. Slowly. So very slowly that we would have many more centuries together.

The building doors opened again, but it was only more employees exiting.

A pair of humans emerged while talking animatedly. I paid little attention until Landon’s name reached my ears.

Instantly, my focus sharpened.

“Did you see Landon leave?” the woman asked.

A gentleman replied, “Martin asked him to stay back.”

My posture straightened.

The woman frowned. “Really? Why?”

“No idea.” They continued walking, neither aware they had gained my full attention.

Martin.

That was his employer.

The same employer Landon had spoken of. The one who made him uneasy.

I frowned, but perhaps he had simply been given additional work or there was a meeting.

There were many reasons employees were asked to stay back.

Still, I disliked the sensation crawling beneath my skin after overhearing that.

If only our bond were a full connection, then I could sense exactly what he was feeling.

The instinctive need to see him intensified. But should I wait? Was I overreacting? I would never want to embarrass my beloved in any way, so charging in like I wanted to would not be good.

At least, I thought I was sure.

My gaze remained fixed on the building entrance as more minutes passed.

Ten.

Then fifteen.

Then twenty.

Employees stopped exiting.

The entrance to the underground parking quieted as the evening started to darken the sky.

And Landon still had not appeared.

Something cold settled inside me, and every muscle in my body locked as fear struck with enough force to steal the air from my lungs.

I closed my eyes and instantly reached for him mentally.

Touching another’s mind without permission was considered deeply invasive among my people.