Her Alpha - Complete

Chapter 35

Christian, Castile, and Ashford were just coming out of the first store on their shopping mission when an emergency siren sounded. Not the auditory sign for an attack on Court, Eddie and Mason looked at one another.

"All Moroi to return to their homes, Guardians to attend their charges," Eddie said, correctly identifying the sequence of tones broadcast throughout Court's PA system.

"Between us, Lord Ozera," Mason said, he and Eddie moving into a formal guarding pattern instead of the more casual stance they usually adopted when out and about with Christian. "Please be alert and follow our directions without question. We need to return to the Dragomir house without delay."

Christian appeared mildly concerned as they left the shopping district, the trio moving homeward. Both Guardians had unholstered their stake and were on high alert, nodding to other Guardians they passed who were likewise moving their charges.

"What do you think is going on?" Christian asked as they approached the home he shared with his Royal Princess wife of two days. "Will Lissa also be brought here?"

"Hard to say," Eddie replied, not wanting to freak out his charge. "If she's in the Palace, depending on the threat, they may secure her there. The best thing we can do is get inside, lockdown, then work out what's going on."

Letting himself into the house, Eddie called out: "Castile and Ashford with Lord Ozera."

Damon Wannan, Lissa's primary Guardian, was standing inside the living room with his mate Laura. They each had a few days off after the wedding, preparing to be on duty the entire time during the Moroi couple's honeymoon, which meant Lissa was with Meredith and Celeste.

"What's happening?" Damon asked, already dressed in uniform and stowing his stakes. Laura stood beside him, doing likewise. As the lead Guardian in the Royal couple's guarding team, an emergency like this meant Damon was on duty and in charge.

"No idea," Eddie replied. "We were in the camera store at the south end of the shopping district when we heard the alert. We came straight here and saw nothing other than people returning to their homes." The Alpha nodded, formulating his defense plan.

"Lord Ozera? You'll be safest in your study and sitting room on the second floor. If directed, you're to fall back into the upstairs powder room," Damon ordered. It was a clever choice. The study and adjoining sitting room faced the rear of the property, so weren't overlooked from the street. On the middle floor, they were more defensible than the bottom or top floors. Moreover, there was a powder room with no windows on that level—a place of final refuge if required.

"What's going on?" Christian demanded, angry that he was being given no information.

"I don't know," Damon said, looking at his mate and wordlessly suggesting she step in to calm the irritable Moroi Lord. "If you could proceed to the study, I'll attempt to contact Guardian Headquarters and find out what's happening."

Christian allowed Laura to escort him upstairs. She checked the suite of rooms, closing the block out blinds so no telltale edges of light would be visible around the edges of the curtains to betray their location within the house. Satisfied Christian was safe, she then moved from room to room, checking windows were locked and curtains drawn. Downstairs, Eddie and Mason were doing likewise while Damon rang headquarters.

"No one is answering," he said when Eddie and Mason joined him in the living room downstairs.

"The phone lines might be jammed? We won't be the only ones calling..." Mason suggested.

"There's a pre-recorded message that should kick in if that's the case," Eddie murmured. "Something big is going down."

"Until we get further instructions, we hole up here," Damon announced. "You two guard downstairs, Laura and me with Lord Ozera. I'll try to contact Celeste and Meredith to see where they are and if they know what this is all about."