Technical Threat (Westin Force #4) - Julie Trettel Page 0,52
full alert as I jumped up from bed and checked the bathroom for her. It was empty. I swept the room for any signs of Susan. The only thing I found to show that she had even been there at all, was one shoe peeking out from under the bed. Well, that and the mark she had left on my neck when we had sealed our bond.
My heart ached and I was finding it hard to breathe.
Had she regretted binding herself to me? Anger erupted within me. It was too late for regrets. What was done was done. As far as I knew, there was absolutely no way to undo a bond. She was stuck with me whether she liked it or not.
Logically I knew my thoughts were merely a firewall protecting my heart. It was failing though. She had already breeched that too. I had to find her.
I was trying to think through what I knew about my mate when there was a soft knock at the door.
I jumped up in relief to answer it. Maybe she’d just gone for a walk to get some fresh air and didn’t think to grab a key.
I flung the door open, and my shoulders sagged in disappointment.
“Well you don’t have to look so happy to see me,” Nonna said. “I’m not trying to interrupt things, I just wanted to let you know I’m going down for some breakfast. That’s all.”
“She’s gone,” I said sadly.
“What?”
“Susan. She’s gone.”
“Then for goodness sakes, put some clothes on and we’ll go find her, together.”
I looked down, realizing I was still naked as the day I was born. “Ah, Nonna,” I cursed shutting the door in her face as if it was all her fault she’d just seen me naked. It wasn’t like it was the first time. Nudity was a common thing in a wolf pack where they did monthly pack runs. Modesty wasn’t much of a thing with the cost to replace clothes when shifting so everyone went naked on those nights. But this was somehow different.
I hated feeling vulnerable, but with no real certainty about my future with my mate, it was difficult not to feel that way.
I dressed quickly, grabbed my things including her shoe and met Nonna back out in the hallway.
“Okay, let’s go,” I told her.
“Where to? And does it have breakfast?”
I stopped short and thought about that. “She told Jimmy yesterday she’d see him in the morning to sign the contract. Maybe she’s at the café. We should start there.”
We left the hotel and got into the car. I wasn’t surprised when I saw Susan’s was no longer parked beside it.
I tried to shake off the unsettling feeling in my chest.
Nonna reached out put her hand on my arm.
“I know life feels crazy and out of control right now, maybe even mixed with a little bit of wonderful. Mating isn’t for pansies, my boy. I promise it does get easier though and once you seal a bond with her things will settle down for you.”
I sneered. “Fat chance of that.”
She gave me a knowing smile. “Trust me on this, Caleb. I know it doesn’t feel like it now, but there’s something magical about a bond. It will settle you and give you more assurance in your relationship.”
I sighed then jerked my shirt down to show her my mark. “Trust me, I do not feel any more settled right now.”
Her eyes went wide and then tears started to prick them.
“Are you crying?”
“No, of course not. I never cry,” she lied.
She stared out the window as I pulled out of the parking lot, and drove to the café. Her silence was unnerving, but she had smile on her face and dabbed at her eyes as discreetly as possible.
I pulled in and parked as close to the door as I could. I jumped out with the shoe in hand leaving Nonna to fend for herself. It wasn’t like she was incapable. She was independent and spry in her old age and never let me forget it.
I walked in and sniffed the air. I knew instantly that Susan wasn’t there.
Sapphire came running over to me. “What’s wrong? You look like you’re about to spontaneously shift. Pull it together.”
I took a couple deep breaths and nodded. “I wouldn’t do that,” I told her, but she didn’t look like she believed it. Was I really that close to the edge? “Where is she?” I asked.