Chapter 23

23

KILLIAN

I should have gone straight back to my room after Charlotte left me in the gym, but I can't seem to pull myself away.

Standing outside the bunkhouse like a stalker, I turn my back to the wall and sink to my heels, my wolf still feeling calmer just because she's near. I might not be able to keep her happy, but I can do this, just stay close and ease my wolf's need to protect.

"Your grandfather?" I hear Zane say inside, as he grabs a chair and drags it across concrete.

"I knew they were friendly, but this…" Charlotte's voice is strained. There's the sound of paper shuffling and a pen clicking. "Every time one of them has missed a meeting, so has the other. Without fail."

"He could have been helping the queen with her duties. It doesn't necessarily mean they were conspiring against the king. Surely, he would have noticed this pattern, too."

Theo's right. My father was not stupid. With his family being picked off, one by one, he would have started to question everything around him. His queen skipping meetings to hang out with the same person every time would have caught his attention.

He must have known and had no objections.

"Track down what the queen was doing during these times. Maybe she was involved in some kind of charitable work that he helped with, but whatever it was, we need to know. Now." Zane's order leaves no room for interpretation. "Good work."

I hear footsteps cross the room, and Theo's scent fades. When the front door opens and closes, I assume he's heading for the main house to scour through the endless records kept of all the comings and goings.

"I can't have you looking into this. I hope you understand." Zane is apologetic but firm. "Before we go digging, is there anything you can remember about your grandfather that I should know about?"

There's an awkward silence.

"My mother is an only child, and everyone says she's just like him. That probably tells you everything you need to know."

Hardly a glowing report when it's clear Charlotte and her mother don't see eye to eye.

Sighing, I sink down further and rub my eyes with my thumb and forefinger. I'm exhausted, and my brain struggles to make the connection I'm sure I'm missing.

Fuck, I'm not going to solve anything if I can't get my head on straight. I couldn't relax while Charlotte was on the other side of my door, but putting distance between us didn't work either. Clearly. Crouched down, lurking outside her quarters and eavesdropping on her conversations, I have to admit, I'm not coping well with this at all.

"Anything useful Charlotte," Zane prompts. "This is important."

"Nothing that impacts my ability to do my job," she answers, and I frown.

I'm a mess, distracted and irritable, but Charlotte sounds calm and collected. It's annoying as hell. I can't stop thinking about how she looked on her knees in the gym. I want to return the favour. The guilt that I took from her without giving back is making me anxious.

I need to see her come apart for me. To show her I know how to please her, too.

"See that it doesn't." Another chair moves as he gets to his feet. "Between this and the Full Moon ball in two days' time, I have a feeling things are about to get hectic around here. Stay here and get some sleep. Tomorrow, you're off security duty and onto dating duty." As the door creaks, Zane's footsteps halt. "And find a dress that looks fit for a princess."

I smile at Charlotte's weary groan. She might be dreading it, but I'm quite looking forward to the next couple of days. I might not be able to do anything about our mating, but I know my wolf will feel better just spending time with her.

And I bet she's going to look damn good in that dress.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" Zane's deep voice snaps me out of my daydreams. When I look up at him, his brows are drawn down, and he has deep lines furrowing his brow. "And how the hell did you get past Ryker without him realising you're gone?"

Standing, I brush the dirt off my trousers and walk toward Zane, who waits for me on the path between the bunkhouse and the palace.

"It's not Ryker's fault. I wanted to see if I'd be able to get out in an emergency."

Looking all around, Zane checks to make sure there's nobody lurking in the shadows.

"You're not making our life any easier by disappearing on midnight walks," Zane warns, anxious about me wandering around the grounds, unprotected. He looks as tired as I feel. The pressure not to let me get killed on his watch must be immense.

"I just wanted to check in and make sure Charlotte's really going to be okay with this." It's not a complete lie.

Zane glances back toward the bunkhouse where I can sense her still awake and moving about.

Definitely not resting like she's supposed to be.

"She knows the proper etiquette. Unlike the rest of her family, Charlotte doesn't enjoy all the fuss, but she'll still be able to pull it off when she has to." Zane's confidence in her is absolute.

I don't doubt her ability to smile politely and look ravishing in a gown.

"What about afterward? What will be the fallout for her with her parents? And Elodie?"

It makes me uneasy to think I'll be leaving her with a shit storm to deal with at home.

"Her mother will hit the roof, but if she believes you're serious, she'd prefer any daughter to be courted by a prince rather than none."

That's not really an answer.

"Yes, publicly, of course she'll be okay with it. She'll have no choice." Facing Zane, I look him dead in the eye. "What about after this is all over, and we're not together?"

"If you're no longer together, she'll blame Charlotte for ruining Elodie's chances with you and probably never speak to her again." Zane sighs. "That's probably why Charlotte agreed. But Elodie? I'm not sure. It's hard to get a sense of what she really wants rather than what her mother wants."

It doesn't sit well with me, the idea that Charlotte will deal with the public fall out from our broken relationship, while I return to Ireland, back to my old life, like nothing ever happened.

"Maybe this isn't a good idea." I don't like the possibility of my actions causing my mate any difficulties. It should be me that suffers, not her.

"You can always arrange a few outings together, or keep her on your personal protection team, to make it clear it was amicable and ensure her mother remains civil to her, in public, at least."

Zane's expression is neutral, but I feel like this is a loaded statement. He's giving me the chance to admit I'm not staying, and that there's no way we work together as only friends.

Instead, I simply say, "This isn't fair on Charlotte."

I'll need to find a way to end things that will paint me as the asshole who blindsided her, and that I would never have taken Elodie anyway.

"It's too late now, sir. The whispers have already started. Your scents are all over each other. I presume your plan was to have the staff talking even before she joins you in public tomorrow."

Zane is staring at the bunkhouse, where the light has turned on in one of the bedrooms, presumably, Charlotte's.

I stare at him from the corner of my eye, waiting for some shift in his body language that tells me he knows more than he's letting on, but he doesn't give me anything.

"I guess it's full steam ahead, then," I mutter, a growing sense of unease building in my gut.

Am I selfishly putting my mate's life at risk just so I can spend more time with her?

"Hopefully, it won't take long to draw them out." Zane has no problem using me as bait while our investigation continues. But it's not me I'm worried about.

I turn to leave, but torn, I hesitate.

"We'll keep you both safe, sir. We'll be protecting her, too." Zane's dark eyes hold mine in the gloom of the early hours, and although we say nothing more, an understanding passes between us.

The warm light casting from Charlotte's room vanishes as her lamp flicks off, and we both nod, parting ways without another word.