Page 355 of Primal Bonds

He ignored it to ruthlessly throw up a barrier between his heart and Rosana’s. There was an almost audible snap as the strands broke, severing the link.

He jolted. It hurt—bad. Like a crater had opened in his chest. The sheer emptiness made the breath whoosh from his lungs.

Rosana whimpered and flung out an arm as if warding off a blow.

He reached out a hand and then curled his fingers into his palm. He ached to touch her, to tell her it would be okay, but he’d lost that right.

He waited another few minutes before slipping out of bed. When he picked up his quartz, the sea-colored spiral had vanished. Sadness swamped him, bone-deep and grim, like the sun setting on his dreams.

He dropped the pendant over his head and glided soundlessly out of the room.

Chapter 21

Rosana woke in time to hear the outside door shut. She blinked groggily—then sprang out of bed, snatching up her clothes.

Everybody leaves.

But Adric hadn’t just left, he’d cut the connection to her. She’d felt the mate bond last night—a few fragile, delicate strands—but now it was gone.

Pain slashed her. She curled into herself, arms wrapped around her waist.

She was six again, begging her mama and papai to take her with them.

Ula had taken Rosana’s face between her hands. “I’m sorry, love. We’re traveling as our dolphins. You’re too young—you couldn’t keep up with us.”

Her lower lip had trembled. “Please, Mama. I’m fast. I swear I am. I’m the fastest girl in the creche. See?” She dashed from one side of the sala to the other, then grinned up at her mom, triumphant.

“Oh, alanna. I love you. But not this time.” Ula’s eyes swam with tears.

“No!” Rosana hollered and clamped onto her mom’s leg like a limpet.

Her father had had to pry her off. “Hey, now, bonita. We need you to be a brave girl, okay? No crying. I want your promise.”

He waited until Rosana gave a tearful nod, then handed her to a grim-faced Isa, ignoring her panicked attempts to scramble out of the nurse’s arms back to Ula.

“Keep her here,” he commanded.

“Sim, Senhor Nisio.” Isa held the sobbing girl in a gentle but unbreakable grip. Ula cast her a last, sorrowful look, and then the door shut behind the alpha couple.

“Mama!” Rosana let out a heartbroken wail and then shoved her fist in her mouth, because she’d promised not to cry. It had been months before she’d spoken again.

Now she hugged herself harder. Biting her lip so hard it bled.

She’d been left behind. Again.

She dragged the amethyst pendant off her head. Goddess, she was an idiot. She’d actually thought it was Adric’s way of saying he loved her. Or at least, that he wanted her, wished things were different.

Hot tears stung her eyes. She went to fling the pendant across the bedroom—and then hesitated, unable to do it.

Everybody leaves.

Her fingers tightened around the chunk of purple quartz. Not this time.

Dropping the pendant back over her head, she hurriedly donned a fresh shirt and pants and shoved everything else into her backpack before sprinting barefoot up the stairs.

A wet snow covered the grass with more flakes drifting down. She peered around the side of the house as Adric wheeled a black motorcycle down the short driveway.

She dashed to the shed, jerked on the quartz handle.

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