Chapter 31

31

CHARLOTTE

S omething's wrong.

Unease, and a sense that I need to be doing something other than sleeping tugs me from my dreams. I'm already starting to wake when Theo touches my shoulder, and his gentle shaking snaps me out of my drowsy state.

"Charlotte. Charlotte, you have to get up." His tone is low and urgent.

Something's happened. I can hear it in Theo's voice and feel it in my bones.

Still groggy, I open my eyes and blink up at him in the darkness.

I can hear voices outside, people running, hushed whispers in the corridor, all of our team getting up from their beds and getting dressed in a hurry. Yet I didn't get an alert telling me to get up. Flicking back my blanket, I sit bolt upright in bed, adrenaline dumping into my veins.

This means only one thing, there's been an attack.

"What's going on Theo? Where's Ki… em, the prince?"

He looks at me, taking in the clothes I have on under the covers.

I'm wearing black leggings and a black, long-sleeved top that I pulled on after I got back last night. Still half intending to make my way to Killian's room to apologise for the harsh words we exchanged, but then chickening out, I didn't bother getting undressed.

But I never went to him, because he's not the only one who's a coward. I was too afraid to face him after basically admitting that I've changed my mind and want him as my mate. Now is not the time for regret, though.

My wolf rises to the surface, wanting to know immediately where her mate is. Not for the first time, she makes her unhappiness at not being marked and unable to mind-link known by bristling inside me.

"Theo, tell me what's going on right now."

Theo blinks rapidly, regarding me carefully with a second glance, before giving his head a little shake to dispel whatever thoughts he was having from his mind. His expression is drawn, and immediately, I know something is very wrong.

"The prince. He's been hurt. He's in his quarters, but he's unconscious. We don't really know what happened…"

My blood runs cold as icy fear floods my veins. This can't be happening. My heart starts pounding in my chest as panic claws its way up my throat. I can't breathe, and I'm struggling to stay calm.

"What happened? Where? Is there a doctor with him?"

I'm up and out of bed, my training kicking in, and my body switching into autopilot. Shoving my feet into a pair of runners, I cross the room and go to grab my weapons, before Theo puts his hand on my forearm to stop me.

"He's okay. The doctor says the drugs are starting to wear off, and he'll come around soon. He was lucky that Ryker was close by and got to him before anything bad could happen. But this is real, Charlotte. Somebody tried to get to him, in his home, right under our noses, while we were supposed to be protecting him."

It's not good enough. We've been underestimating just how much access this person has to the palace.

There's no way I'm leaving his side again.

"I don't know what's going on between you, but whatever it is, it puts both of you in danger." Theo looks worried about me as my eyes dart wildly around, all sorts of worst-case scenarios flooding through my mind while my wolf snarls at me to go to him.

They could still be here. They could get to him again.

"I know that Theo. I know that. But it's too late." Touching his arm, I look up at him imploringly. "I just need to know how he is. I have to see him first, and then I'll help with the searches."

Outside, I see the flashing eyes of wolves on the prowl. They'll cover every blade of grass looking for clues and hunting for whoever did this.

"You were the last one to see him, Charlotte. And your scent is all over him. And where he was found. You can't see him, that's what I'm telling you." Slowly, understanding dawns on me as Theo continues to prattle on. "Zane can't let you anywhere near him right now, not until we know exactly what went on."

I exhale slowly, fighting back the fury my wolf shoves forward at being kept from her mate.

I tug my arm free of Theo's grip. "You don't… tell me you don't think I had something to do with this?"

I stare at the man who's become my unofficial best friend since we were all thrown together on this last-minute assignment.

His big shoulders are hunched, and his eyes are haunted. Theo looks like he's being torn apart.

"I don't want to think that, but you were the last person to see him. You weren't happy with him.

And then next thing, we find him lying on the ground in a pool of his own blood. Ryker told us you guys had a blazing row, and when he found the prince, he told Ryker you were just there!"

"Yes, but he was fine when I left him." I argue. "Check the CCTV! You'll see me leaving him, unharmed."

Theo's lips turn down. "We did. And we can see you leaving, but he was attacked at the destroyed wing."

There are no cameras there yet. They're being installed in the coming days, but it's one of the only current blind spots at the palace. And the attacker knew that.

"This wasn't a warning, Charlotte. If Ryker hadn't been close by, he could be dead. We can't take any chances."

As in me. They can't risk me being the attacker and letting me walk free.

"You're not taking a chance." I argue. "I'm on your team, Theo. I'm one of you. Goddess above, I'm not trying to kill him."

If I was trying to kill him, I could have done it at any time but saying that isn't going to help my case. Instead, I hope Theo will sense my lack of deception and use his judgement.

"Maybe it's not you, Charlotte. Your family hates him and has a very good reason to want to get rid of him." He looks at the wall rather than at me. "I mean, maybe you're caught in the crossfire. We all know about the threats your mother made. Maybe she's forcing you to do something you don't want to do. You can tell us. We'll help you."

Oh no. They think my mother coerced me into doing this.

As if I'd ever help my mother, no matter what hell she promised to put me through.

"Did she tell you to do this?" He presses, trying to get me to break and confess all. Except, I've nothing to tell him.

Sadness rolls over me as I look up at Theo. I know he doesn't want to do this, interrogate me in this way, but everybody's going to think I was involved.

I'm guilty by association, because my mother is a vengeful psychopath who has secrets to hide, and the prince is threatening to expose them all. And I'm the perfect weapon, highly trained, with a disdain for all things, elitist and hierarchical.

But I would never do that to him. And I'd hoped Theo would know that.

"I can't believe you think that." I shake my head, looking around the room.

Theo shifts his massive body, so he's blocking the doorway.

And then I realise this wasn't a courtesy visit to let me know that something had happened, and why I can't participate in the investigation.

"You're not going to let me see him, are you?"

Theo shakes his head, sadly. "I can't. It's for both your sakes. If you go to see him and anything else happens, well, that's it for you, Charlotte. You'll be blamed, whether you did it or not. Talk to Zane later, when everything's calmed down. Maybe he'll have changed his mind. But he's doing this to keep you safe, as much as the prince."

I know Theo believes that. Maybe Zane does too, but nobody will do more to protect the prince better than I will. But without telling Theo I'm his fated mate, I can't make him understand that.

He can't understand the agony of knowing that my mate is hurt, and I can't go to him. He can't understand the desperation that I feel, knowing that I'm the one person in this place who'd lay their life on the line for him, but they won't let me protect him.

Briefly, I debate just telling them.

Screw what Killian wants. He might think it's okay to put his life on the line to fulfil whatever promise he made to his father, but while I think that's noble, I care about my mate more.

And yet, something in the back of my mind tells me not to do anything rash. I won't be able to help Killian if I'm dead, too. And if there's somebody on our team or somebody within the palace walls who's conspiring to take him out, and they realise I'm his fated mate, then I'm next. I'll either be dead or used as bait to lure Killian into a trap.

I won't let myself be used like that.

"So, what happens next?" I ask Theo.

But we both know the answer to that.