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And then there was Rudy.

Life fuckingsucked.

He’d found his mate—his freakingmate, for fuck’s sake—and in less than a day they’d been separated.

He must be going crazy.

Valmer had tried to find a way to link their minds, but it was no use.

Let’s face it. I don’t even know where I am. I could be anywhere in the world.

He hadn’t seen Theron since they’d thrown him into this godforsaken room, but he wasn’t about to complain about that.

Theron gave him a major case of skin-crawling terror.

The sound of a key turning in the lock startled him. There were no clocks in his room, but he had a fair idea of when they fed him.

So who is this?

Then goose bumps covered his arms as Theron walked through the door.

Valmer straightened, determined not to give the bastard the satisfaction of seeing him chicken. “Wow. What did I do to deserve a royal visit?”

Theron merely raised his eyebrows. “I see months of being locked away haven’t improved your manners.”

“Yeah, well, I forget my manners when someone waltzes into my hotel room, shoots me with a tranquilizer dart, then bundles me off to God knows where.” He gave Theron a quizzical glance. “I don’t suppose you’re about to tell me I’m free to go?”

Theron smiled, and the sight sent a chill through him. “You’d suppose correctly. I am simply here to tell you to make the most of your final days.”

Oh fuck. I’m going to die.

It was one thing to have a sneaking suspicion. It was something else to have that suspicion confirmed.

“You see, I set the Fridans an impossible task, and since I now have a new informant, I don’t need your pitiful mate anymore. Which is probably a good thing, as I was beginning to suspect the information he was sending to me.” Another chilling smile. “By the way, I thought you ought to know… there’s been nothing in the news about your disappearance. No one seems to have missed you. What a sad epitaph.He will not be missed.All these years on this planet and no one will mourn your passing.”

“You think my parents won’t stop looking for me?”

Theron placed his hand over his heart. “Oh, I’m so sorry to be the bearer of bad tidings, but… they died. Last month, actually. Your mother went first, apparently. To be fair it seems she did miss you. Your father died a week or so later, of a broken heart, I believe. So no, there is no one left to mourn you.”

Valmer choked back the tears. “And didyouhave anything to do with their deaths?” He’d mourn them later, when he didn’t have an audience. His chest was tight, his eyes hot.You fucking bastard.

Theron arched his eyebrows. “Oh my, what a suggestion.”

And it wasn’t an answer.

“I still have a mate, whether you think him pitiful or not.” Rudy wouldn’t give up searching for him.

“Correction—youhada mate. I told you I didn’t need him anymore.” Theron smiled. “And now I’ll leave you to enjoy your sleep—while you can.” He turned and left the room, and theclickof the key in the lock was too much for Valmer to bear.

He lay facedown on the bed and wept into his pillow.

What shocked him was that his tears were not for himself, but for his parents and for Rudy.

What happens when you lose a mate?

How long did he have left?

Chapter Fifteen