Chapter 6

6

CHARLOTTE

K illian Kennedy's ridiculously handsome face immediately fills my screen as I log into the online meeting. Arranged by Alpha Zane, head alpha of the region in which the royal property sits, he's been tasked with ensuring the safety of the prince while he's here. It's thankless, and quite frankly, an almost impossible task.

Sighing, I admire Killian's strong features in the picture Zane is sharing on screen, square jaw, dark and slightly unruly hair, and a full bottom lip perfect for biting. Forty-four, the file says, twelve years older than me, which is a big age gap, but not a ridiculous one.

It's cruel that the fates would give me a man as good-looking as this and then ruin it by making him someone important. Why can't I just be mated to a teacher? Or an accountant?

Life would be so much simpler.

For someone like my sister, mating a prince would be a dream come true. To me, it feels like a trap. When I look into his stormy eyes, all I see is a lifetime of being told what to do, what to say, and how to behave.

I have enough of that already.

Once I get to speak to the prince, away from prying eyes, he'll understand that I'm not cut out to be his mate, either. I don't like parties, and I'm no good in high heels. Being told what to do isn't something I deal well with. There are much more suitable women out there for him.

My wolf grumbles, disagreeing vehemently with that statement, but she's hardly objective.

That's the only reason I haven't kicked up more of a fuss about this assignment. I need to speak to him. Alone. Fleeing across the fields might have been a bit dramatic, but I couldn't risk him blurting out in public that we're mates or giving it away by going all alpha on me.

There would be no putting the genie back in the bottle after a public display of possessiveness.

"Charlotte? Can you do that?" Zane's serious expression has me sitting up a bit straighter.

I've missed something vital while daydreaming about Killian. Shit. This mate thing is already throwing me for a loop.

"Sorry Alpha, I lost signal there for a minute."

With a weary sigh, he repeats himself, something he wouldn't ordinarily do, if it weren't for the importance of this task.

"There are going to be twelve of you. Can you make sure everyone has the palace security information, plans, access to equipment, accommodations etcetera? Your sister should already be working on pulling it together, so link in with her, and share it around."

"Of course." Nothing too difficult there, apart from having to deal with Elodie. She won't be keen on having me around while she attempts to woo my mate.

Jealousy builds inside me, and my wolf promises violence, even though I know rationally, that it's not Elodie's fault, and this ugly feeling toward her is unfair. She doesn't know he's anything to me, and this is what our mother has groomed her for, her entire life.

Still, rational thought goes out the window when it comes to fated mates, which is why I need to keep my wits about me, and my distance from Killian, as much as I can. I can't succumb to the urges that almost overwhelmed me at the party. If I let him mark me, I'll be trapped in a never-ending carousel of meetings and boring social engagements.

"Your roster for the first couple of days should have hit your email already, along with some background information on the royal family, and the last waves of attacks, in case you need a refresher. We'll meet tomorrow, and then again, the next day. Hopefully by then, we'll have a clearer picture of how permanent a stay this is." He pauses, a brief flicker of concern breaking through his permanently icy-cold demeanour. "Watch each other's backs. It's almost a certainty someone will try to assassinate him and finish what they started decades ago."

If I thought my wolf was pissed by the idea of Elodie flirting with Killian, then the suggestion that someone will attempt to kill him is enough to send her into a blind rage.

There's no hiding the snarl that erupts from me.

"Exactly Charlotte," Zane says, "It's not happening on our watch."

Fighting the urge to slide under the table and hide at my outburst, I keep a neutral expression, even as some of my new colleagues roll their eyes at my over-enthusiasm.

Zane checks something on his phone then returns to facing the screen. "I'll be with you by this afternoon. Make sure you at least keep him alive until then."

Without saying goodbye, Zane's screen goes black, and the call ends.

Slamming the screen shut, I slide my laptop onto the passenger seat and massage my temples.

How am I going to work a few metres away from him? Even now, I can barely concentrate on what needs to be done, and the man is miles away.

Leaning back in my seat, I drum my fingers on the steering wheel. I have no idea what I'm doing. What if my distraction is the thing that gets him killed?

Maybe I should confide in Alpha Zane once he arrives in the palace. I can speak with Killian, then explain to Zane why I need to remove myself from his security detail immediately. He'll understand. And I would bet my life that he'd keep it secret.

I know it's not going to be as easy as that, but I cling to the idea that this plan might work. Because I have no plan B.

Glancing in the rearview mirror, I check my hair and make-up quickly. Professional and polished, it's not the worst I've looked, but definitely not the best. Yanking my hair out of the severe bun I always wear while working, I groan, disappointed in myself for being so concerned about my appearance.

Normally, I couldn't care less.

I pull back onto the road and ease my foot down on the accelerator until the scenery flying past me is a blur. Nudging my speed a little higher, I fidget in my seat, eager to be there already and get to work. There's lots to do, making sure the property is secure, and the prince is protected at all times, and we're scrambling to pull it all together at short notice. Every minute counts if there really is someone out there who wants Killian dead.

I'm not hurrying because I crave being near him again. And it's definitely not because I want to see that hunger flashing in his eyes once more.

Finally, the turn pops up on my GPS, and I steer my blacked-out SUV onto the broad driveway. Rolling to a stop, I lower the window and peer over the top of my sunglasses at the young wolf standing guard, the obvious bulge of a weapon visible under his dark jacket.

"Charlotte Webster."

He touches his headpiece and relays the information back to someone inside. The camera's move, zooming in on my face, and I remove my glasses fully to allow them to get a good look at me. Scanning the high walls and the security lighting, I have to admit, Elodie and her team have done a good job at keeping the place up to date with the latest features.

"Go ahead. Your quarters are first turn on the right. Six of the others are there already. You can dump your gear and find out where you're supposed to be."

With a sharp nod, I close my window and proceed slowly through the heavy wrought iron gates as they roll open. It's hard not to be impressed by the palace. From this angle, it looks completely perfect. But as I continue on, and the west side of the building comes into view, I can see just how bad the fire was.

One wing is completely destroyed, and the rear is badly damaged; scorched bricks and blown out windows leave the blackened rooms behind exposed to the elements.

It's a sad sight. Elodie would regularly moan about the lack of budget for restoring it to its former glory. Now I understand just how bad it is.

Tearing my gaze away, I take the right turn for the staff quarters and sit up straighter in my seat, my wolf becoming more and more alert, the closer we get to the prince. She can feel his presence, and she wants to seek him out.

I wonder if he can feel it, too?

Pinching my thigh to snap myself out of another daydream about Killian's hypnotic green eyes, I redirect my thoughts back to doing my job and keeping him alive. That's the most important thing right now. I need to get my game face on and get through the next twenty-four hours without letting anyone else find out what's really going on.

Parking in front of a low rise, long building, I grab my laptop bag and climb out, sucking a deep breath and calming my racing heart. The front door opens, and a wolf I recognise from Alpha Steel's pack steps out, raising a hand in greeting.

"I'm Theo. Welcome to the madhouse." With a wry laugh, he gestures for me to follow him inside. "I hope you slept well last night, because you're on the first shift."

It's showtime.