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Guards moved towards the garden while others escorted the household staff away from the exterior rooms. On one of my displays, Elowen was still laughing with Eira beneath her tree, one hand resting over our daughters.

“Report as soon as she reaches the nest. Have medical personnel waiting in the protected room beside the nest, in the Family Wing.”

An alert appeared across the main projection.

SECTORS 1–29 — IMMEDIATE LOCKDOWN. SEEK NEAREST SHELTER.

COUNTDOWN: 04:59

Alaric’s voice came through my implant. “Possible airspace breach.”

“Securing the residence. Private surveillance compromised. Guards deployed.”

“Understood.”

The connection ended, and I turned to the sitting room display. Fifty male and female Alphas were entering the residence to reinforce the thirty guards already on duty. Another fifty soldiers were in position on the lower level.

On the garden display, Eira and Mehun held Elowen upright between them.

“Team Eight. We are taking Lady Stormforge to the nest, Director.”

I turned away from the image before the urge to carry her myself overruled my judgement. The previous day, she had apologised for needing help getting out of the nest. I had knelt beside her, wanting to explain that nothing she could ask of me would make her a burden. In the end, I had kissed her temple and helped her up.

In the sitting room, Team One was already halfway through assembling the barricade at the main entrance.

“Dr Vale and his team are in the protected room,” Harrow reported.

“Team Eight. We are inside the residence. Lady Stormforge is asking for you, Director.”

Soon, my mate.

Her marker moved through the sitting room and into the hallway as a warning flashed over the eastern entrance.

“Movement outside the service doors,” Harrow said.

“Keep our people behind cover.”

I watched the last member of staff reach safety as my soldiers took their positions, weapons drawn, then responded to Team Eight.

“Tell her I will come to her as soon as the threat has been dealt with.”

Beyond our walls, men were coming for the woman who tucked her cold feet between my calves at night and fell asleep trusting me to keep her safe. I locked the bond so completely that she would feel none of the excitement or anticipation building beneath my anger.

“Team Eight. Lady Stormforge is in her nest, Director. She is asking for you again and remains very distressed.”

“Keep unfamiliar personnel away from the mattress. Eira stays with her.”

“Yes, Director.”

A failed call appeared on the household display with Elowen’s name beside it. Another followed from Eira’s device.

As soon as it is all taken care of, my mate.

Movement sensors began triggering around the residence.

“Hostiles incoming.”

At the same time, six ships broke away from the commercial flight route on the airspace display. Three turned towards House Vaelor, while the others headed straight for our residential sector.