Fated for Forever(16)

“All you had to do was watch over him,” Gabriel said, taking slow even breaths.

“I’m sorry my prince. I am heading back out now to assist in looking for him.” Baptista was not able to

look his creator in the eye. If anything happened to the small, sweet man, he would never forgive himself

and would gladly accept any punishment his prince deemed fit, right after he destroyed the ones

responsible.

“I want everyone awake and looking for him. I don’t care if the club stays closed until he is found, he is

everyone’s top priority,” Gabriel said, walking past Baptista to go look for his mate. He paused at the

doorway.

“If anything has happened to him, I am holding you responsible,” he said coldly.

“Yes, my prince,” Baptista replied.

Gabriel walked past the twins who were waiting outside the office, tears streaming down their faces.

“You two, go over every second of surveillance footage. See if you can discover anything from it,”

Gabriel said and moved on without waiting for their response.

“We’ll find him Baptista, you’ll see,” Daniel said. Baptista turned a tortured face to the twins.

“I hope so, for all our sakes,” he said and he, too, left the office to join the others in searching.





* * * *



Two hours later and they still hadn’t found his mate. Gabriel paced the lower level dance floor that had

quickly turned into command central as his coven members frantically searched for his missing mate.

Everyone was doing their best to find Ashby, he knew that, but it did little to assuage the mounting panic in

his chest.

“Sir, we checked all the footage and no one came in and no one left during that time that he was in the

kitchen alone,” Daniel said.

“What was the last thing he said to you? Was he sad? Wanting to go home?” Gabriel asked, getting

desperate. David sniffed and wiped his eyes.

“He said he couldn’t wait to introduce us to pizza and ice cream,” Daniel said quietly.

“What did you say?” Gabriel spun around and faced the two men.

“He said that Ashby couldn’t wait to introduce us to pizza and ice cream,” David said, looking confused.

“Oh dear God! I know where he is!” Gabriel said, taking off in a blur that the twins could barely see

much less keep up with.

Gabriel ran past Baptista in the kitchen, who looked as though he were trying to see if there were any

clues he may have missed. Baptista followed Gabriel to the large walk-in freezer.

Gabriel jerked the freezer door open so hard he ripped the heavy metal door from the frame. He

dropped it to one side.

“Mon ange! ” he raced forward to scoop up his tiny mate.

“Ab–bout f–freaking t–ime you f–ound m–me.” Ashby shook as his teeth chattered together.

Immediately, a leather jacket was thrust at Gabriel. Baptista had stripped it off as soon as he saw how badly

the small man was shaking.

“Mon dieu, I’m never letting you out of my sight. Never again.” Gabriel walked out of the kitchen

heading toward the stairs.

“I w–wanted to make sundaes. Daniel and David have never tried ice cream.” Ashby’s shaking started

to subside somewhat.

“I have been losing my mind looking for you.” Gabriel buried his face in Ashby’s neck.

“I was only a little lost, I’m sorry you got so upset. But see, I’m getting better now.” Ashby ran his

fingers through Gabriel’s shoulder length hair.

“We’re going upstairs. I am personally going to get you warm again.” Gabriel tightened his hold as they

walked into the main club area where everyone was assembled. Ashby giggled.

“OK!” he said, laying his head on his mate’s broad chest. Gabriel turned to face his coven.

“Thank you, all of you, for looking for Ashby.” He turned his head slightly.

“Baptista,” he said to the man standing at the edge of the dance floor without turning around.

“Yes, sir?” Baptista stepped forward, his back ramrod straight.

“Your punishment is that you are permanently assigned to Ashby’s protection detail. If this afternoon is

any indication, it will be more than harsh enough,” he said as a slight smile tugged one side of his lips.

Baptista’s eyes filled with tears.

“Thank you sir!” he said, bowing nearly in half. Gabriel nodded and carried his mate up the stairs to

their apartment.

Chapter 6



“I think I resent that watching over me became a punishment,” Ashby said, poking Gabriel in the chest.

Gabriel smiled softly down at his mate who still had blue-tinged lips.

“You forget, I have been listening to your misadventures with Nicolas and Rebecca for the past couple