Page 81 of Alpha's Impostor Bride

“It must’ve been some angry client,” I begin, but he clicks his tongue.

“Don’t be an idiot, Leanna. Your attackers were shifters and highly trained assassins. If Cedric hadn’t shown up when he did, I don’t think you would be sitting here talking to me right now. Did you recognize them?”

I frown, thinking back to the events of the night. Suddenly, the whole situation seems odd. “They knew exactly where I would be. Almost as if I had been set up.”

“What do you mean?”

I ignore Erik’s question and look at Maya. “Can you get my tablet from the living room?”

Maya fetches it, and I feel Jerry’s healing energy flood me as I flip through my records.

“Here.” I show Erik my latest consultation. “Two days ago, I received a call from a woman who claimed her brother was spilling secrets to a rival company, and she needed proof of it. She told me the time and place. But she also told me to let her know when I would start my investigation. I wasn’t going to start until next week, but she called me again this morning and told me he would be at a specific location tonight. That’s why I went. But I didn’t manage to find anything. It was a waste of time, and as I was leaving, I realized I was being followed. Two of them were on the rooftop of the building I was standing next to, and the others started coming from all directions.”

“You never met this woman in person?”

I shake my head. “It’s not uncommon to have clients reach out to me through a phone call. Not everybody likes to reveal their face. But this was definitely a setup.”

Erik looks furious. “Cedric came to the palace right as Jerry and I were leaving. He told me where to find the bodies of the men who attacked you. The smell of blood was strong there, but somebody had already removed the corpses. Leanna, I believe the intention behind the attack was to kidnap you.”

I’m shocked. “Kidnap me? If this is because of the task force you’re setting up, Erik, I can’t—”

Erik gives me a sharp look. “The information hasn’t been revealed. Your name is going to be confidential. You will only be working with one person who will act as the liaison between you and the task force. I am protecting your identity, Leanna.” He sighs, deflating and releasing some of the tension in his shoulders. “We’re lucky Cedric saw you when he did. Who knows what would’ve happened if he hadn’t come along at the right time?”

Jerry clears his throat. “Okay, I think that’s enough. She needs to rest, and getting her excited isn’t going to help anything. The pain will go away in a couple of hours, Leanna. In the meantime, I want you to sleep and eat. Focus on consuming meat products. They will help you. The injury is quite deep, but your friend managed to do a good job keeping your insides together.”

I wince at his crude depiction. “Can you not?”

He gives me a wry grin. “I’m not exaggerating. You’ve got a good eye, Dr. Sorin. We should talk sometime.”

Never one to miss out on a potential business opportunity, Maya digs into her pocket and brings out a business card, which she hands to him. “Feel free to call me anytime. I’m always available, day and night.”

Jerry beams. “I like your spirit.”

“If you two could flirt elsewhere…?” Erik says. Maya leaves the room first, and Jerry follows. Once we’re alone, Erik turns to face me, his expression serious. “Keeping your identity secret is important for the task force to succeed. It will also help you investigate more easily. The face of the task force is going to be Jerry’s nephew, Cassian. He’s reliable, and he’s someone I trust. No one else knows about the task force, not yet. So, this attack on you had to be purely coincidental. You were probably just a random target.”

My heart sinks. “But why me? I keep a low profile. I—”

“I wish I had an answer for you, Leanna.” Erik sits down on the edge of the bed, facing me. “You’re not going to like this next part, but Cedric had a lot more to say to me when he showed up, including threatening to declare war and to pull out of his collaboration with the Human Wolf Kingdom.”

My mouth turns dry. “Because I agreed to be your mate?”

“No, because I didn’t provide adequate protection to you and Finn.”

This surprises me. “He said that? So, he’s not mad about the whole mating thing?”

“Oh, he’s pissed,” Erik replies cheerfully. “He threatened to cut off my balls if I even look at you funny.”

I don’t crack a smile. “I already agreed to be your mate, but are you reconsidering your offer, Erik?”

Erik gives me a lopsided grin. “It’ll take more than that to make me back off. But you should be prepared that Cedric isn’t going to give up without a fight. And now that he knows he has a son, it’s going to be even harder. You’d best be prepared.”

“That doesn’t answer my question.”

He sighs. “You and Cedric are fated mates, Leanna, and I can’t afford a war breaking out. However, that doesn’t mean he gets to walk out of here with you. I swear, I’ve never seen him so rattled. The man was all over the place.” He tilts his head and studies me. “You know, you’re the first woman to get him so worked up. Cedric Raine is known for being levelheaded and cold. You have him stumbling over his words.”

I look away. “He was just angry.”

Erik doesn’t seem convinced. “I’ve seen him angry, Leanna. This was not it. Are you certain of your decision?”

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