Dimitri’s POV
Letting go of Maddie was the hardest thing I ever had to do. I knew that I wasn’t going to see her for the next few hours and I already missed her so fucking much.
I didn’t want to go. I really didn’t.
It would be the first night since her birthday that she would go to sleep without me. It would be the first night since her birthday that I couldn’t wrap my arms around her and listen to her heartbeat as I fell asleep. I hated it so much. Falling asleep in her arms was the best part of my day. I wouldn’t get to do that tonight and it was pissing me off.
“Come back to me,” she said softly.
I tightened my arms around her and buried my nose into her hair.
“Always, princess,” I said, taking a deep breath of her scent. “You are my home. I will always come back to you.”
I wished that I didn’t have to leave her.
“I miss you already,” she said, tightening her arms around my waist.
I smiled a little and rubbed her back.
“Oh, I miss you too,” I said. “I wish I could just stay here with you. I can’t believe that you will fall asleep without my arms around you.”
She looked up at me and shook her head.
“I doubt that will happen,” she said. “I will stay up and wait for you. I can’t sleep without you.”
I smiled and caressed her cheek.
“Try, princess,” I said softly. “We have a big day tomorrow.”
“Okay, enough,” Ellie sighed loudly. “You will be back in a few hours. You two sound like you won’t be seeing each other for days.”
I looked at Ellie and frowned.
“Goddess forbid,” I said, shaking my head at her. “A few hours is all I can take.”
Maddie chuckled and placed a soft kiss on my chest. I turned back to her, cupped her cheeks, and captured her lips with mine.
I had to stop myself from moaning. She tasted amazing and it just made me want to stay more.
“I love you,” I whispered as I reluctantly stopped kissing her.
I had to do it because I would never leave.
“I love you too,” she said, giving me a small smile.
“Come on, Dimitri,” Will said impatiently. “We will be late.”
I sighed and rolled my eyes. Maddie chuckled again.
“Go,” she said. “I will wait for you.”
My heart skipped a beat. I placed another soft kiss on her lips before I forced myself to let her go.
I can’t wait to be back. I mind-linked her. I can’t wait to hold you in my arms.
I can’t wait for that either. She mind-linked me back and smiled.
“Go before Will’s brows get stuck in that position,” Maddie said, smirking a little.
Ellie snorted loudly. I looked at Will and saw him frowning. I smiled and shook my head.
“Not funny, Madeline,” Will said as he opened the door. “We can’t be late.”
“We won’t be late,” I said as I started walking out of Ellie’s room. “Relax a little, Will.”
He rolled his eyes at me and looked at the girls.
“We will be back in a few hours,” he said. “Stay in here.”
I looked at Maddie one more time before Will pushed me out of the room. She smiled and my knees buckled.
“Goddess, you will be back in a few hours,” Will muttered with a hint of annoyance in his voice. “What’s going on with you?”
“You will understand when you find your mate,” I said, frowning at him. “It’s hard leaving her. I worry when she isn’t with me.”
Will looked at me and sighed. His frown disappeared and his eyes softened a little.
“She will be okay, Dimitri,” he said. “Ellie won’t let anything happen to her.”
I knew that. I still wasn’t comfortable leaving her alone. I still wanted to run back to her.
Will and I walked out of the packhouse and I looked around. Packhouse workers were making sure that everything was ready for our guests. Alphas’ families and pack members will be the first ones to arrive at the packhouse. My warriors would greet them at the border and escort them to the packhouse. Will and I would remain at the border to greet the Alphas and their Betas, leading them toward the throne room, and beginning the meeting with a short speech.
As soon as Will and I approached the forest edge I removed my shirt and my pants. I tied them to my leg with a string I always carried around. I let Skol take over and the first thing he did was whine and look toward Ellie’s room.
‘We can’t go back, Skol,’ I said.
‘I know,’ he said quietly. ‘I just miss her.’
‘I know,’ I said softly. ‘I miss her too.’
He turned around and started running toward the border. Lowell, Will’s Lycan, was running right beside us.
‘Will you let me be with Maddie when we come back home?’ Skol asked. ‘It’s been so long since I last held her. I need you to let me be with her for a little bit.’
‘Of course,’ I said. ‘You will get to see Skye soon as well.’
Skol sighed. ‘I am not so sure about that. Maddie is still ignoring her.’
‘I’ll talk to her, Skol,’ I said. ‘I promise.’
I focused on the forest and Skol started running faster. The border was about an hour away, but both Skol and Lowell were fast runners and I knew that we would get there sooner.
Skol whined quietly and I resisted the urge to roll my eyes at him. He kept thinking about Maddie and it was distracting us both.
‘Stop it, Skol,’ I growled at him. ‘We need to stay focused. We will go back to her soon.’
‘I know,’ he mumbled. ‘I just miss her a lot.’
I sighed but decided to ignore him. I needed to focus on this meeting. I needed to focus on the Alphas who were coming.
I would go back to my love soon. I would get to hold her soon.
Nothing would stop me from running back to her as soon as I could.
