Page 52 of The Bookseller and the Alpha
Chapter 57
Calypso
I never expected that I would stay in the Palace, in the wing for the President’s family, after arriving in a bullet-proof car with a Shifter escort. It was surreal. Luc had tenderly cleaned me up after the best sex of my life in the hallway, then told me to have a shower. My legs were wobbly with the adrenaline let-down from the fight and the sex afterwards. By the time I’d finished my shower, and re-dressed, Akira was at the door. Her nose twitched and she smirked as she walked in, but at a swift look from Luc she wiped it off her face.
Akira collected Pompy from Mrs S while Luc donned the clothes she’d brought and I packed a bag. Once we arrived, we went straight into a security briefing, even Pompy, with all of Luc’s team, and the President and Elie via video link. As I walked in, tucked into Luc’s side, I spotted Sam and Billy in amongst the crowd of black-clad security officers. Sam smiled, a wide happy grin, and Billy gave me a thumbs up. I almost rolled my eyes. Had everyone figured out what was going on before I had?
After about half an hour, Luc’s possessive gaze swept over me, then he turned his head and whispered something to Sam, who rose from his seat and beelined towards me. “Bossman wants you to come with me now. He said you can skip the rest of the meeting.”
Thank fuck. I was beyond grateful for any excuse to leave the meeting. I stopped paying attention about five minutes in, my thoughts scattered, my body aching for a bed. This had been the biggest day of my life and I was officially done. I’d had confirmation that my magic worked, had said magic siphoned out of me like I was a battery, been the victim of an attempted abduction and then I’d had life changing, amazing sex with Luc. An ogre Shifter who wanted me to be his mate. I couldn’t deal with any more today. I was done.
On autopilot, I staggered out of the conference room behind Sam, who’d scooped up Pompy. She did her best to lick his face. Dimly I noticed that one of the guards who’d been standing outside the War Room followed behind us.
“Glad to see you’re back at work,” I said, once the door closed behind us. “I didn’t get a chance to thank you. After. So yeah, thanks.”
Sam blushed, gently directing me to the empty corridor to our right. “I didn’t do a very good job. You got hurt.”
“That wasn’t your fault. I got knocked over.” We took another corridor. I was going to get lost.
“Still. It was my job to keep you safe.” He looked highly uncomfortable, getting even redder.
“I don’t blame you,” I said, making eye contact. Wanting him to know it was true. I didn’t want him to feel guilty about the attack. “You did your best and you were injured protecting me. I’m very grateful.”
“Just doing my job.”
“The job of protecting your boss’ mate?” I teased. His reaction that first night in my apartment made sense now. He must have known almost from the beginning. And I’d had no idea.
“It wasn’t my information to share,” he said, his voice gruff with embarrassment.
“It’s all right.” And it was. Knowing what I knew now, the interactions with Luc on the day we’d met looked completely different. His bossiness. The over-the-top protectiveness. But if anyone had told me that the bossy sexy Alpha who had walked into my shop only a few days ago was my mate, I would have laughed in their face.
Taking pity on Sam, I changed the topic. “Where are we going?”
“To your suite,” he said it as if it was obvious. I bit my lip on a frustrated sigh. It wasn’t his fault that I didn’t know. It wasn’t anyone's fault. The whole Palace resembled nothing more than an ants’ nest that had been kicked. Since I’d arrived, it was obvious that I was in the middle of a serious situation. And even in the middle of all the shitstorm, Luc had thought about my comfort. Sam stopped in front of a door, painted in dark blue. A brass plate said, ‘Blue suite.’
“Go in and make yourself at home,” Sam said. “Boss said you missed dinner too, so I’m going to arrange some food. I have to go back to the meeting, but you can trust anyone who knocks. The staff are all vetted. Plus, there’ll be someone guarding you at all times if the Boss isn’t with you.”
The guard who’d followed us from the War Room gave me a small nod as she took up a position beside the door.
Chapter 58
Luc
It was after midnight by the time I returned to my suite of rooms. The rooms where Caly waited for me. Although I had wanted to keep her by my side, I’d sent her away as soon as she’d answered questions about the ritual and the spell on the journal. She’d been drooping with fatigue. It had been a long day for her. Hopefully she’d eaten the meal I’d told Sam to arrange and gone to sleep.
In our bed, Beast purred. Even though he and I were now merged, we had been separate for so long that he still felt like a distinct entity in my mind.
Yes, it satisfied my primitive side that she would be sleeping in my bed. My cock jumped at the thought. But tonight she needed to sleep. My jaw clenched. I wanted to mate her. Mark her. Cover her in my scent. So that every male in the Palace knew she was mine.
But not tonight. Dismissing the bodyguard I’d assigned to guard the rooms, I let myself into the suite. The lights were off and the rooms were fully dark. The suite had windows, but now that we were on lockdown, heavy metal shutters had come down to cover them all. Shutting the door quietly, I listened, extendingmy senses. Caly’s soft breathing came from the suite’s bedroom. She was deeply asleep.
I navigated the darkened rooms, Beast’s eyes allowing me to see where I was going, even in the darkness. Beside the bed, I stripped off my clothes. My mate lay on her side, her hair spread out across the pillow. Carefully, I climbed in beside her, gathering her up against me, allowing her touch to soothe me; her nearness to relax me. My mate was in my arms. Nothing else mattered right now.
Chapter 59
Calypso
I woke up alone. Again. I had a vague memory that Luc had come to bed at some point in the night. And he’d wrapped me in his arms. I remembered that much. I sat up, pushing my hair out of my eyes. The room was dark, due to the shutters. The clock on my phone said it was nine in the morning. I stretched, realising that my body felt rested. Well rested. And a little sore. In a good way. I’d been fucked against a door. And it had been the hottest thing I’d ever experienced.
