A Servant for a Mate - Book #1 (Completed)

Chapter 20~

"Baby, where are you? Please come back. Don't leave me again. I can't lose you," I beg. Tears breaking my eyes. Pushing I try to force my way into her mind. No luck. "Please sweetheart. Any sign you aren't leaving me for good will do. Do you need time to think? Is that it? I'll give you time, please just don't leave me."

Nothing, not even a peep from her soothing voice.

At the thought of losing her completely my chest tightens, lungs squeeze out less air. Coughing I grip my chest.

"Caden? Are you alright?" I hear Jason urgently question.

Ignoring him, I stare the traitor down. "Where is she you prick?" I've never wanted to kill another being more than I do at this moment. How the fates continue to screw me over.

"Didn't I inform you a few moments ago that she came running to me?" His gloating is getting on my last nerve.

Nodding to Togen, he treats the traitor to a few more punches.

"Where is she now?" I holler. The tingling in my fingers intensify. Itching to beat the living day lights out of the piece of trash.

"Tisk...tisk my Prince. She has every right to run from you and you're whoring around." Laughing he holds his stomach in pain.

"I wouldn't have slept with other females if you would have manned up and done your damn job as my best friend and the Commander of the guard! You should have told me!" I bellow with fury.

"I promised I wouldn't."

Togen harshly pulls him up to his feet. Getting in his face I snarl. "How could you betray me all these years? You damn well knew I was looking for her. Do I mean absolutely nothing to you?"

"You're my Prince of course you do," he answers sarcastically.

"Dammit Nik, that isn't what I mean and you know it," I yell frustrated. "Give me the answers I need. Why did you do it? Why did you give me hope knowing you were hiding her?"

"Why wouldn't I do it? She gave me half her blood, knowing it would weaken her for weeks. She risked her life for me. A young man who she barely knew." Spitting more blood out, he stares me down. His eyes glosses over with pain. "You and Jason were my friends and both denied giving me blood. My best friends couldn't have cared less if I lived or died."

"I wasn't asked, neither was Jason. All we were told was that your mate was murdered and a small girl donated her blood to you." Stepping back I glance at Jason. He had stayed quite.

"He is telling the truth Nik. We weren't told until after she helped you. If I would have known sooner, have no doubt I would have given you mine. You were my brother. Now-" Looking him up and down he sneers. "-Now you're a traitor."

"Have the guards found her yet Jason?" My heart sored it hope. She wouldn't have left the kingdom. Would she?

Shaking his head no, I feel my body drain. I can't go through this again. Searching with false hope.

"Do you know she nearly rejected you once she woke up from nearly drowning to death?" Sucking in a horrifying breath I search his eyes for the truth. "She loved you unconditionally, you know. That night utterly broke her. She became the walking dead. I knew it was the right decision to keep her alive and hidden." The lone tear on his face doesn't go unnoticed.

"Why didn't she?" I question with anxiety. I pushed her to kill herself. My own mate. Dropping to the floor, I feel my body sag. What have I done?

"I told her I would cut our blood bond if she rejected you. If she wanted to be connected to me, she had to promise she wouldn't reject you unless you physically harmed her. I personally didn't want to lose the only bond I had. She became my little sister. But your family took me in after my parents were murdered. You became my brother. I couldn't sit back and watch her reject you. Yes, I kept her secret. I knew when she turned eighteen you would find her."