Page 116 of Alaska Lights

I’m right behind him, placing my hand on his back to steady him.

“Yep.” Lorcan narrows his hollow eyes at us. “I take it you aren’t happy about this news?” He wipes his mouth with a napkin, for no reason, considering everything he has consumed is on the damn floor.

“I think I need to go lie down.” Helios is in a trance, turning around with wide, unblinking eyes.

His shoulder bumps into mine as he stumbles down the hallway. Panic and uncertainty flow through the bond. He isn’t unhappy, per se, but he isn’t exactly thrilled.

The door closes with a soft click. I listen intently, waiting to see if he is about to become angry or cry. There’s a fear he might rethink our bond and the mating. Being destined to a vampire is one thing; having his children is another—especially as a man.

“Well, this is awkward.” Lorcan stands, patting the sides of his mouth with the napkin as if he has decorum. “I tried to get you an exact answer before you two mated. I’m sorry I was late.”

I stare at the closed door, wishing I could hear every single thought running through my mate’s mind. “Is he? Pregnant?”

Lorcan winces and stands from the table. “Yes. He is. Can’t you smell it? The change in his scent?”

I pinch the bridge of my nose. “I thought it was our scents combining. From the mating. I didn’t know…I didn’t know.” My shoulders slump, hoping Leo doesn’t decide to hate me. I don’t know what I’d do.

I’d work the rest of my life to show him we could have a great life with our children.

Lorcan is in front of me in the blink of an eye, a sympathetic smile stretching his bones. He places a hand on my shoulder, and a cold dread freezes my veins.

“He’ll come around. Since he is human, he has a lot to wrap his mind around. This isn’t exactly natural for human males. Give him some time.”

I’m fucking thrilled. I want our children to look just like Leo. His eyes. His hair. His smile. God, I hope they have that cute fucking gap between their front teeth. I want proof of our love running around and giggles that will make me smile.

I’m turning the second I hear glass crack before a loud, piercing shatter follows.

Time slows. Soren, Glenn, me, and Lorcan use our abilities to get to the bedroom, and it isn’t fast enough. It’s as if my legs are in quicksand and the world is sucking me under. The faster I move, the slower my surroundings become.

I’ve been afraid plenty of times in my life, but there’s nothing that compares to this.

I slam my body against the door, bulldozing my way through it at the speed of fucking light. The wood flies through the air and smashes against the wall, splintering into pieces.

Glass crunches under my foot, and I step away, staring at the open window. The curtains blow, fanning and flapping as if it is a beautiful day, when it’s turned into the worst fucking day of my life.

“He isn’t here.” I sprint to the bathroom in hopes I’d find him there.

Empty.

My heart. My house. My soul.

It’s all worthless without him here.

“Did he run because of the pregnancy?” I don’t mean to ask that out loud. It’s more of an inside thought. No one can answer it except me. “I don’t see him running from me. He isn’t that kind of guy. Even if he wanted to talk about…” I swallow the thick emotion lodged in my throat. “Other options, he wouldn’t run. That isn’t like him.”

Lorcan stands in front of the window, his hands behind his back. “That’s because he didn’t run. He was taken by the hunter.”

I can’t breathe without him here. I smell his blood. He’s hurt. He’s afraid. I can feel his fear in the bond. I fall to my knees; the glass cutting into my skin, and slam my fists onto the floor, snapping the hardwood planks in half.

I will get him back.

And I will put that fucking hunter’s head on a pike.

I have no idea where I am. The cave is dark and cold. Snow drifts in from the entrance, accompanied by a cold breeze, and I shiver. It’s probably a good thing that I’m cold. It will slow the blood flow in my body.

The wound on my side burns, and I lift my hand to see how it’s doing. A gush of fresh blood pours free, dark red dripping onto my hand.

“Fuck,” I whisper.