Page 79 of The Bodyguard and the Alpha
But when Billy lurched into the room, his expression told a different story. “Turn on the news,” he gasped. “There’s been a big development. It’s bad.”
I pulled myself to sitting. In one long stride, Luc was at the remote by the wall, pressing buttons.
The screen brightened and a news channel appeared. A newcaster sat behind a desk and a small background screen showed a journalist standing outside the Council headquarters. The newscaster began to speak.
“Just breaking. Sensational news from the Council. Maximilian Veder, leader of the Humans First party in the Council has just issued a statement that he has been appointed as Acting President of the Council. Bastien Bowden, the popular President of the Council, who has held power for a historic two terms, has been impeached on suspicion of committing a forced mate bond.”
I felt the blood drain from my face. Luc and I stared at each other, and I knew his expression of shock matched my own. Fuck, I should have gone with him. I knew it.
The picture changed. Photographs of Bastien and me appeared on the screen.
The newscaster kept speaking and I turned my disbelieving eyes back to the screen. “Our journalist Jocasta Cummins is at the Council building right now. Do you have any updates for us, Jocasta?”
The journalist, wrapped in a pea coat against the weather, held the microphone to her mouth. “We don’t have any further information at this time. The newly appointed Acting President hasn’t yet spoken to the press, but we believe he will be addressing the media tomorrow.”
The screen reverted to the journalist in the newsroom. “As soon as we have further information from the Council we’ll revert to Jocasta. Let me summarise what we know so far about this sensational story. The President recently issued his own statement that he had recently mated his long-time bodyguard, Electra Ferrera. The President’s statement said that details of their courting were kept private due to the working relationship between the two and their wish for the media to respect their privacy.”
The newscaster paused. Her next words were devastating.
“There has been no further comment from the Palace today. If proven the offence of a forced mate bond carries a penalty of forced breaking of the mate bond and the Shifter will be put to death.”
Oh gods.
A cold sweat broke out on my skin. Trembling fingers went to my mouth.
“Take a breath before you pass out,” Luc growled.
“I’m alright,” I said automatically.
He barked a humourless laugh. “Don’t try to fool me. It doesn’t work.”
I shut my eyes. This was a nightmare. Bastien and I had finally sorted out our issues and now Humans First were trying to rip him away from me. I was so sick of this bullshit.
Luc’s voice was gentle in my ear. “There’s no point sitting around here while we wait for updates. Let’s go and find my mate and I’ll get some food into you. My brother will kill me if I let you skip meals.”
Luc’s phone buzzed with a text as he helped me up. His eyebrows rose when he read it. “And it appears that my parents will be joining us.”
Well, fuck.
Chapter 70
Electra
The pings in my head were maddening. Since Bastien’s desperate message and the news report, the noise in my head was making it hard to function. I had to half lean on Luc when he and my guards escorted me to the suite of rooms he and Caly kept in the Palace.
I desperately wanted to talk to my sister, to get her advice, but just after I’d collapsed onto the couch in her suite, we heard a knock on the door. Luc was already striding to it, ready to pull it open.
“Mum, Dad,” he said. “Come in.”
Fuck. Bastien’s parents. Hurriedly, I stood, trying to will my wobbly legs into stability. I’d met them before, of course, as they stayed in the Palace occasionally. His mother, the former President, was intimidating. Tall, with mismatched Shifter eyes, she oozed confidence and ‘take no shit’ energy. Her husband Simon had been one of my Professors at Witch College. It hadn’t been public knowledge among the students that he was mated to the President. The first time they visited the Palace while I was guarding Bastien, I’d done a complete double-take.
Had Bastien told them he’d mated me? Would they be okay with it? Caly said they’d accepted her, but Bastien was the President. Would they be disappointed that he’d mated his bodyguard? Absently, I chewed on the tender skin on my thumb.
“Electra!” My gaze snapped up to Marguerite Bowden. Her smile was wide as she strode towards me.
A powerful Shifter was beelining for me. My body told me to freeze or run, as far as I could. “Ma’am,” I said. This was Bastien’s mother. I could do this. I had to do this. But the pinging in the back of my head was making it hard to talk.
“Don’t ma’am me,” she said, drawing close and grabbing me into a hug. “You’re Bastien’s mate. Family.” I tightened my muscles, stopping myself from falling into her arms. Her grip firmed. “It’s alright honey. Cry if you need to.”
