Page 80 of The Bodyguard and the Alpha (Witch Twins #2)

Electra

My legs shook with adrenaline as I stared unseeing at the clothes in front of me.

My insane, hot, demanding Shifter mate had threatened to break out of prison just because he thought I was keeping secrets.

Slowly, I let his reaction sink into my soul. His response to my news was everything I could have hoped for. Initial shock. Then fierce joy so intense it was almost a tangible thing.

He wanted a baby. With me.

My chest felt light. This was happiness. Only a short time ago, I’d thought that I could only be with Bastien in my dreams. And now I was living it.

But first, we had to plan a prison break. And we only had today to do it. Crap.

That got me out of my daze. I had no doubt that Bastien was going to get himself out of prison tonight, no matter if we were ready or not.

Whirling, I grabbed a pair of leggings, a t-shirt and a hoodie, pulling them on. Then I ran to the door of the suite, pulling it open. Bastien’s—our?— suite was in a different wing than the guest suites. It would take me some time to get there.

As had been the case since I’d been in Bastien’s suite, my bodyguards, who I’d learned were Michelle and Bea, waited outside my door. “Ma’am?” They both snapped to attention at the opened door. Bea raised her eyebrows slightly at my no doubt frantic expression.

I could run to the guest suites. Or I could be smart. All of Luc’s security personnel had comms. “Tell Luc that I need him, my sister and his parents in the Security HQ. Stat.”

“Yes ma’am,” said Michelle. She tapped her comm, relaying the message. They both fell into place behind me as I raced down the corridors towards Luc’s domain.

My stomach decided that now was a good time to remind me that I’d felt too sick to eat last night. I could ignore it. But of course, my bodyguards heard it. As they loped behind me, I heard, “Get the kitchen to send food too. The Lady is hungry.”

The Lady. That was the second time the term had been used. It seemed that it was my title now. I liked it.

By the time I reached Security HQ in the other wing of the Palace, the door was already open and I could see that I was the last to arrive. Even a tray of food had been delivered from the kitchen. My stomach growled again.

“Wait outside please,” I told my guards when I saw Caly’s own guards waiting in the corridor. “I’ll be quite safe.”

Michelle didn’t budge. “After last night’s events, we are now supposed to stay with you at all times, unless you are in your own rooms.”

“I’m with the President’s brother and mother who are both Shifters, his father, who is a Mage and my sister and I are also Witches.

If there’s any trouble we can’t handle, I give you permission to come barging in.

But until then, you stay out here.” A frown of indecision crossed Michelle’s face.

“I mean it,” I said. “I’ll take responsibility for countermanding the President’s order. ”

“Very good my Lady.” And they both stepped back in unison, settling in with my sister’s guards. Huh. That was easy. I stepped into the doorway, grabbing the handle to pull it shut behind me.

Michelle’s voice floated from the corridor. “But please eat something my Lady so the President won’t be any more unhappy with us than he has to be.”

The door shut behind me. I addressed the room. “What is this obsession with feeding me?”

Caly and Simon laughed. Luc and Marguerite just looked smug. “It’s a Shifter thing,” my sister said when she stopped laughing. “Just accept it.”

It was easy for her to say. She didn’t have to starve herself daily just not to put on weight. Disgruntled, I dropped into a chair and looked at the tray of food. Bowls of yoghurt and granola. Danishes and croissants. Sliced pineapple and strawberries.

Even though I was last to arrive, none of the others had started to eat. “You didn’t need to wait for me,” I said, as I pulled a plate from the stack.

“Actually, we did,” said Marguerite. “As Bastien is the President and you are his Lady, you are the highest-ranking person in the Palace in his absence. Shifter protocol requires that we wait for you. If Bastien is at a meal, he will feed you first, then himself. And after that, we will feed our mates before we feed ourselves.”

My plate dropped out of my hands, the china ringing loudly against the hard surface of the table.

“Really?” My hungry stomach and protocol agreed that I should go first, so I did.

My hand hovered over the tray as I pondered.

The book Caly had given me said that food rituals were part of courting, but I’d not known that there was more to it.

Neither Caly nor I had any experience with Shifter culture before I’d begun to work in the Palace.

Nor had our upbringing involved formal dinners, other than the one I had for my college graduation.

I’d been to literally thousands of formal dinners with Bastien in the five years I’d worked for him.

After the disaster of a function where Bastien had called me the Ice Queen, he’d insisted that I be seated with him during dinner and not standing behind him.

And at every one of those dinners, I’d been served before him.

But it hadn’t been obvious that I was being treated differently from any other partners at the function.

And even if I had thought about it, the order in which food was served didn’t seem important to me.

I’d been working. Concentrating on looking for threats to Bastien.

And most of the time I’d hardly touched any food I’d been served anyway.

Heavy, rich sauces and large servings of meat.

They would have gone straight to my hips.

Dutifully, I selected some fruit and a bowl of yoghurt and granola. The instant I was done, Caly reached for an almond croissant. Fuck. They were my favourite as well as hers. I could almost taste the soft flaky pastry. The gooey filling. My mouth watered.

“Just have one,” she said, bringing her own pastry to her mouth. “You know you want to.”

“I can’t.” I shoved the spoon into the yoghurt, aggressively stirring the granola.

“Why not?” asked Simon as he piled his own plate high with food.

The man was tall and lanky. How did he do it? Would he even understand the battle I fought every day? “Too many calories. I can’t afford to put on weight with my job.”

Marguerite and Simon shared a look. “If you don’t mind me saying—” the former President began. Okay, here it came. The comments that I was already too fat. That I should be skinnier, “—since when did being a Witch require you to be skinny? You look too thin.”

“Yes. Thank you. That’s what I’ve said for years.” My sister sounded fierce.

Wtf? Was Marguerite for real? Caly had always told me that I should ease up on myself but she was my twin. It was in the job description that she would be on my side. No-one else had ever told me that I was too thin.

Blinking against sudden tears, I smiled gratefully at Marguerite.

Baby? What is it? Bastien’s tone was panicked .

I’m okay, I told my mate . I’m with your family.

Are they upsetting you? Are you hungry?

They’re not upsetting me. The opposite.

So why are you so emotional?

Your mum is being very sweet.

His tone softened . I’m glad she’s taking care of you baby. What did she say to make you feel that way?

I hesitated. But I had promised that I would share all my insecurities with him. He was all in and I had promised to be too. She told me I’m too skinny.

You are .

I dropped my spoon and covered my face. Just two words and they blew me away . Every insecurity I’d ever had about my body came rushing back . The cruel words of students in my professional training that had been uttered in my hearing in the locker room. Too fat. Too short. Won’t make it.

I’d shown them. I’d made it. I’d qualified and I’d scored the top job in my field. But every day had been a battle against my own desires. I was so fucking sick of saying no. Of denying myself.

I’ve been trying to get you to eat more for five fucking years.

Love swelled in my chest. I love you .

I love you more. Now eat some food baby.

In the background I heard murmurs and the scrape of chairs. Moments later, I recognised Caly’s soft footsteps and she put a gentle hand on my back. “Elie, do you need a minute? I know it can be overwhelming.”

I opened my eyes, meeting my twin’s soft concerned gaze. With one hand I wiped at the tears on my cheeks. The other went to the arm by her side, grabbing her hand and squeezing it. “Thank you for being the best sister I could ever have.”

Caly reached forward and grabbed me in a hug. “No, I’m pretty sure that’s you.”

“Gods, don’t start. You’ll make me cry more.”

She laughed. “Have the croissant. Fuck the bitches who made you think you’re anything less than perfect.”

“Yeah. Fuck ‘em.”

I reached for a croissant and a chorus of “fuck ‘em” came from Bastien’s family who had patiently waited for me while I had a mini meltdown. “Thank you,” I said to Marguerite, who winked at me.

Tonight baby , my mate purred in my mind.

How did he manage to make that sound so dirty? But that reminded me.

I’d forgotten to explain why I’d called them to the meeting. I hurriedly swallowed the bite of croissant. Heaven in the form of pastry. “Okay, Bastien wants to move up the timeline for getting him out.”

“Alright.” Luc’s voice was cautious. “When?”

I winced. “Tonight. With or without our help.”

Caly gaped. Luc swore. Simon ran a hand through his hair, a frown on his face. Marguerite just laughed, a loud delighted peal of sound. “That boy,” she said. “Impossible was never in his vocabulary.”

“I won’t have an exit plan ready by then.” Luc’s face was dark with frustration. “I need more time.”

“What can you have in place?” I took another bite of the croissant. Now I’d started it, there was no way I could stop unless someone physically took it away from me. And I’d fight them for it.

“Transport, but no IDs.”