Page 46 of Blood Moon Bound

He shook his head. “They weren’t needed. He took Veera instead. They’ll head to our territory’s border and be back as soon as Constantine has everything under control.”

What? Why wouldn’t the others go with him? They were the fiercest warriors of our race. “I don’t understand. None of this makes sense.”

“I’m sorry, that’s all I can tell you.”

I tried to walk around him once more and he shook his head. “Constantine wants you to remain indoors for now.”

I didn’t understand any of this. Why didn’t Constantine say goodbye? Why was he with that female? He was being soft with her, the way he was with me. He kissed her, he held her hand.

Morgan took a step closer. “I’m sorry. Delphine…”

I spun and ran back up the stairs and to the window.

The car was gone.

My mate was gone.

He’d left, and he hadn’t even said goodbye.

* * *

I stood at the door to the library, staring out at the garden through the rain-streaked glass. My roses were the only bright thing in my world. Memories of what Constantine and I did out there filled my mind.

He’d been gone three weeks. He’d called to speak to me several times, but he seemed distracted and gave no indication of when he was coming home, and I wondered if he was ever going to. No one would tell me anything, and I was still confined indoors. I was close to losing my mind. I really needed a friend, more than ever, but John was gone. Even Alice was acting strange. I’d seen her watching me as closely as the other security. Whenever I got close to one of the doors, one of them appeared.

It was as if I were back with my parents, locked away, alone all the time. Lonely. I’d had a taste of happiness, of pleasure, of love, and freedom, and now it’d been snatched away from me with no explanation.

Whenever I closed my eyes I saw my mate with that female, with Veera, holding her hand, kissing the top of her head in a way that showed his affection for her. When I asked him about her the first time he called, he said the same as Morgan and ended the call.

But I could tell he was keeping something from me.

Nausea hit me at the thought of them together. I couldn’t bear it.

Thunder rolled through the sky so close it seemed as if it were right above the house. I needed to talk to someone. I couldn’t take much more.

I peeked out into the hall. Morgan was talking to Alice, deep in conversation. I zipped past while their backs were to me and into Constantine’s office, quickly shutting myself in. He only ever used his cell phone, but there was an old landline phone in here as well. We’d had one in the kitchen at home that no one ever used.

I picked it up and quickly dialed the number I’d memorized.

The phone rang several times. “Hello?”

“John? Is that you?”

“Delphine…are you okay?”

My lips quivered before I even got a word out, my throat growing tight.

“Del?”

“Constantine’s gone, and I’m trapped here, John. They say it’s for my own good, but no one will tell me what’s going on or why I have to stay inside.”

There was a pause. “Constantine left without you?” His surprise was obvious and I felt humiliated all over again, that my mate could leave me so easily.

“He’s gone to the fae border with Veera, one of his warriors.”

There was another pause, then a sigh. “I’m so sorry, Del. I should have told you about her, but I didn’t think she’d be an issue.”

“What do you mean?”