Page 46 of Alien Prince's Claim

A warning.

A reminder that if we misbehaved, the Goblars would come and take those we cared about most away.

These creatures were not there looking for me.

If they saw me, they would likely kill me on sight.

No, what they were looking for, what they desired more than anything, was the female half of the fated mate bond.

Emily.

They were after her, and if I didn’t return to her soon, she was going to be in for a fate far worse than mine.

Sometimes, death could be a mercy.

I bolted back the way I had come and only prayed I wasn’t already too late.

17

EMILY

I couldn’t stop staring at the door.

Where Yaltah, just a moment ago, had passed through.

I had hoped he would stop and turn around and come back to me…

But as one minute turned into two, into three, into five…

I knew he wasn’t coming back.

Suddenly, being alone felt like the most dangerous thing.

It suddenly occurred to me that I didn’t know when I should come out, how I would know when it was safe.

Once enough time had passed, I supposed… but how did you know when that moment had come?

It wasn’t like I had access to a camera and could know what was happening to Yaltah at that moment.

It’s probably safe now, I thought.

I marched toward the door and reached for the handle and…

Froze.

I wouldn’t touch it, couldn’t turn it, couldn’t even think about leaving at this moment.

Not right now.

Not when I had no idea what was going to happen next, what would happen to me once I left this room…

And I especially didn’t want to make Yaltah’s sacrifice meaningless.

He was giving himself up for me — a prince! — to the enemy so I might be safe.

I couldn’t prevent the tears from rolling down my cheeks any more than I could prevent the love I felt for him from bubbling up inside me.

He cared so much for me, even though we had only known each other a short time...

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