Page 56 of The Bodyguard and the Alpha (Witch Twins #2)

Bastien

Something was wrong. I didn’t know what it was exactly, but a heavy blanket of dread had settled on my skin.

Reaching down the bond, I could sense Electra’s general location.

She was further away than I expected. Not in the city.

Not in the Council Chambers. And, although she was trying to keep her emotions to herself, awareness of wrongness trickled through.

It wasn’t pain exactly, but it sure as fuck didn’t feel right.

Then she reached out to me.

Baby, what’s wrong? She had promised to tell me if she was in danger. Her reply froze the breath in my chest.

It’s Veder .

Fuck. Veder had her? The leader of the Humans First party was an enemy. I had no proof yet but he was the most likely person behind the plot against me.

My girl was in danger. I needed to get out of here.

The only way we’re getting out of here is if you merge with me.

The prick was right. Again. I could fight my way out of here, but it would involve hurting a lot of good people. People who were loyal to the Council, to me, and who were only following protocol. And then I’d be on the run. My mate deserved more than that.

If I didn’t want to fight my way out, I had only one option. To merge with him. As President, I had the power to help her.

Can you forgive me ? he had asked. Could I? When my life and that of my mate hung in the balance? My mate needed help, and the best way to help her was to take back my power as President. Of course I could.

Yes , I told him and dropped the bars to his prison.

The process was quick. Like a puzzle piece clicking into place.

Once the bars of the prison were removed, the two halves of my soul blended into one.

As they should have done when I was a child.

If I had not been so frightened by the sight of my mother killing humans in defence of her mate and children.

If Luc and I had not locked our Beast halves away this would have happened years ago.

All it took was acceptance. Acceptance of the fact that my mate needed me to be both man and Beast. That to keep her safe I needed physical power, but also political power.

And I still had that. For now.

But first, I needed some fucking clothes.

Suits that had been tailored to fit my true form had been delivered some days earlier. I’d had no desire to wear them until now.

I’d pulled on boxer shorts and pants, and was finishing with the buttons on my shirt when I heard my brother’s hurried footsteps outside the room. I turned as the door flung open.

“Bas, it’s time to get your head out of your ass and—”

He paused when he saw the truth. As he took in my mis-matched eyes and the suit I’d donned. After a moment of shock, he grinned. It was hard and fierce. “Thank fuck. Let’s go get your mate.”

“Elie told me that it’s Veder. What else do we know?

” His long stride easily matched mine. My guards fell in place behind us without having to be told.

Now that I’d bonded the two halves of my soul, there was no need for me to be isolated.

I was taking back my power. And no-one would keep me from my mate.

“The Order was signed by a majority of the Council members. It was legal. Even if I hadn’t been called away, we had no choice but to comply. I’m sorry.”

I clapped him on the shoulder. “No need. I should have anticipated it. Is the chopper ready?”

“Of course.” He waved a hand in my direction. “They’re going to shit their pants when they see you in this form. You know that right?”

“I’m counting on it.” My fellow politicians were like sharks, circling and ready for blood whenever anyone showed a sign of weakness. It was time for them to learn that I was the biggest shark of all.

First step, was to show the Council that I was in charge of my Beast side. Then I would rescind the Order. For that I needed to call an emergency session. “I need a cell.”

Luc reached into a coat pocket and tossed one my way. I nodded my thanks as I dialled.

“Mr President?” Patrick’s voice was hesitant.

“It’s me,” I said. “Call the Council members for an emergency video session in ten minutes then meet me on the roof.”

“Yes sir.” The line went dead.

I stepped into the elevator. “Where was she taken?”

“To Maximilian Veder’s residence.”

My growl was loud in the still air. That shitstain had my mate.

Her discomfort down the bond had intensified.

I felt her sudden spike of pain. Whatever was being done to her, I knew she would fight it.

But she didn’t have to fight it alone. She would never be alone again.

And whoever was hurting her was going to die.

I opened the bond as wide as I could, flooding it with my love. Take my strength, baby . I’ll be there soon. Hold on for me.

After a heartbeat, she grabbed onto the bond, and pulled .

By the time we were in the chopper and it had lifted off the Palace roof, my phone pinged with the reminder for the Council meeting.

Patrick had met me at the heli-pad and handed over the laptop, barely batting an eye at my changed form.

As my press secretary, he knew many of the Palace secrets, and my brother had changed into his Beast form and raged through Palace corridors when his mate Calypso had been taken.

It should come as no surprise to any of the Palace staff that I had changed into the same form.

Unlike the non-Shifter members of my Council, who were going to get the shock of their lives.

I put the laptop onto my lap. It was patched into my headset so I could hear the Council members.

I waited as they came online one by one, knowing that they saw a smile on my face that wasn’t the urbane, polite sham they usually saw. They wanted to play with the big shark. Look out, here I come.

Their faces reflected various expressions of shock and fear when they saw my true form.

I looked at the names on the screen. Maximilian hadn’t come online. Because he had my mate. In his house.

But for now, she was alright. In my chest, our bond hummed steadily. My Pixie hadn’t verbally replied to my message, but she’d drawn hard on the bond when I threw it open. She was fighting. Good girl.

I spoke over the exclamations of “Mr President!” and a muttered, “Oh gods.”

“As you know I was kidnapped some days ago and have been recovering at home. While I was captured, I took my true form, but as you can see, I am properly merged.” I tilted my head one way, then the other, so they could get a look at my eyes.

“As President, I am exercising my emergency override power to rescind the Order put out on my mate Electra Ferrera.”

“You can’t do that,” blustered Fran Carrigio, a Humans First party member.

“I just did.” I was fully within my rights as President to give an emergency veto. “And I am on my way to extract her now, from the residence of Maximilian Veder. And anyone who has hurt her will have to answer to me.”

“But the Council has questions that need to be answered.”

I pinned her with my stare and she quivered. “I will answer your questions. Me. Not my mate.”