Page 75 of The Bodyguard and the Alpha
Only one person was in Security HQ. A young male Shifter I didn’t recognise. When I knocked on the door frame of the open door his eyes widened and he stood to attention. “Lady,” he gave me a weird bow of the head.
Okay, that was new. “Can you tell me where Luc is please?”
The young Shifter led me to the War Room. Telling my guards to wait outside, I turned the handle and walked in. The long conference room was used for security briefings. The last time the staff had been gathered in here, my sister had been kidnapped and Luc had gone on a rampage trying to get to her when he and all his staff had been locked into the room. Thedamage had since been repaired, and a new emergency override to prevent people being trapped in the room had been added.
Currently, the room was occupied on one side by my colleagues Charlie and Stefan and Luc’s own staff, Billy and Sam. On the other side of the table, I recognised Bastien’s press secretary Patrick and Bastien’s legal team, the lawyers Sims and Reilly.
I moved to an empty seat between Luc and Charlie, nodding to Patrick and the lawyers, both women. I wanted to wipe my clammy hands on my dress.
Charlie, sitting past Billy and Sam, smiled widely when he saw me, his eyes going immediately to the mate bite on my neck. “Finally,” he said. “Congratulations Electra. It’s been a long time coming.”
I shuffled my feet, embarrassed by their exuberant happiness on my behalf. I’d kept my distance from the rest of Bastien’s team for years but they seemed honestly pleased for me.
“Maybe the boss will be less of a grump now that he’s getting some,” Stefan said.
“Can it,” said Charlie.
Luc growled. “You will show appropriate respect for the President’s mate.”
Stefan showed his neck. “Yes sir,” he said, voice subdued. “No disrespect intended ma’am. I just got carried away.”
Now he was ma’aming me? “I’m still Electra. You’ve kicked my butt for years in the gym. You don’t need to call me ma’am.”
“Yes he does,” Luc contradicted. “You are the President’s mate.”
I sighed, letting it go. Pick your battles, Electra.
Luc turned to face me. “I’m glad you’re here. The lawyers have some questions for you.”
I nodded. “Sure. But can you tell me a bit more about what’s going on?”
His face was somber. “We have an evolving situation.” He turned his head to the two men sitting on his other side. “Sam.”
Sam pressed some keys on the laptop in front of him and images filled the large screen that took up one of the walls at the far end of the conference table. The first image was a photograph of Maximilian outside the Council headquarters.
Luc leaned forward, his eyes intent. “This morning, Maximilian convened the Council for a debate on whether Bastien should be impeached.”
“Fuck.”
On my other side I heard Charlie muffle a laugh.
“What do we do?” I turned to Luc.
“The lawyers want to take some statements. We want to have documents ready.”
Lawyers. Statements. That sounded bad. But then, my pre-cog had already been warning me that danger was approaching. This was a different sort of fight, one that Bastien knew how to fight without me. “Alright, sure. What are the statements for?”
One of the lawyers answered. “Ma’am, it’s our back up plan. We’re planning for a worst-case scenario. If the President is impeached, having these documents will be necessary for a trial and we want to lodge them as soon as possible.”
“I see.” I did see. This was because of me. Because Bastien had mated me without telling me about the mate bond first. Nerves fluttered in my belly and Luc shot me a look that clearly saidhold it together.
Right. I was the President’s mate. I had to act like it. I straightened my spine. Soothed my thoughts. I’d been the Ice fucking Queen for five years. I could do this. “Of course, I’ll co-operate.”
“Electra.” Luc’s grave voice called my attention. “Everything that is said in this room will be held strictly confidential. We need to know if any of the rumours are true.”
Stalling, I pulled a glass and the jug of water from the centre of the table and poured myself a drink. I forced myself to take a sip. Carefully put the glass down. It was time to throw the dice. This was a critical moment for both me and my mate.
“I consented to the bond.”
