But Colton hung back. “Why? I don’t want to go.”
“He doesn’t have to go anywhere with you. He’s a grown man,” Ramsay spat. He grabbed Colton’s wrist, which only seemed to infuriate Gabrielle more.
Gabrielle’s words were curt and clipped. “I don’t want my son hanging around that omega any longer, since it’s clear he doesn’t know what he’s doing with his life. If weareunder a threat, I want my son with me. Not with this rag-tag group.”
Her words were like a knife to the heart. My knees trembled as I was struck with misery and fear. Colton couldn’t leave with her. Not now. He was the only thing holding us together.
“No,” I whimpered.
“Colton,” Gabrielle said sharply. “Now. Please.”
“You’re being ridiculous, Gabrielle,” Eric said.
But as soon as he spoke without her proper title, Gabrielle lost it. She whirled on him, her beautiful face twisting into a wolf-like snarl. “Don’t you dare speak to me like that ever again.”
Eric shut his mouth, frowning angrily, but he seemed to recognize his own mistake. He didn’t say anything else.
Now Gabrielle waltzed towards us, and Eric didn’t stop her. My heart felt like it was going to explode from stress. She grabbed Colton’s other wrist and pulled him forward, out of Ramsay’s grip.
“Colt, come on,” Ramsay barked. “You can’t be serious. Don’t let her do this.”
“You be quiet,” Gabrielle said to him, her voice dripping venom. “No one is speaking to you.”
I watched Colton take one step with her, and I cried out.
“Colton, no!” I grabbed his upper arm desperately. “Please don’t leave. Please. I need you.”
He shot me a deeply sympathetic glance. My heart broke. I knew instantly he had no intention of staying. He was going with his bossy, arrogant mother.
I knew she was overprotective, but she couldn’t do this to me. Tous.Colton was the calm thread holding us together right now. Only a few moments ago he’d stopped Eric and Ramsay from starting a brawl while I just stood there and watched. What was I supposed to do without him?
My voice broke. “Colton. Your baby. I’m carrying it right now, you can’t leave.”
Colton paused. His eyes bore deeply into mine. For a moment I thought he would change his mind--disobey his crazy mother and choose me over her. But there were other thoughts on his face, too. Ones I couldn’t read.
Doubt filled me again, becoming a too-common feeling. Did he agree with her? Did he think this was a waste of time? That I didn’t really know magic, and that I wouldn’t be able to stop the gryphons once they inevitably showed up?
My grip on his arm loosened.
His lip quivered. It was the closest to tears I’d ever seen him.
“I’m sorry,” Colton said softly. “I’ll be back. I promise.”
He leaned in and kissed me tenderly on the lips. I couldn’t hold back my own tears. They fell down my cheeks in hot streams and I tried not to let out a muffled cry when he pulled away.
“I love you, little fish,” he murmured. “Be good while I’m gone.”
Gabrielle huffed, like he was holding her up, but didn’t say anything else as Colton joined her and they disappeared into the pines together.
I stood there and stared, half-hoping that Colton would come back and say he was just joking. That he wasn’t leaving right when I needed him.
He didn’t.
“Come on,” Ramsay mumbled. He put his arms around me and the warmth shocked me into reality. His touch was the only thing keeping me grounded right now. He led me into the house.
“Why?” was all I could ask. “Why did he go?”
“I don’t know,” Ramsay admitted with a sigh. “His mom’s got a hold on him, that’s for sure.” His lip raised slightly in annoyance. “Kind of cowardly, if you ask me.”
