Chapter 87: A Brother in Danger

Words : 1777 Updated : Sep 12th, 2025

Chapter 87: A Brother in Danger Zane~ I couldn’t believe my father had done this to me. The car hummed softly as it cut through the night, the city lights of Vereth growing closer with each mile. The laughter and teasing from earlier had faded, leaving behind a heavy silence. Sebastian, Tiger, and Fox sat with me, but no one spoke. Maybe they could sense my mood. Maybe they were just giving me space. I leaned back against the cool leather seat, my mind a storm of frustration. Ten bodyguards? Ten? As if I were some helpless royal brat who couldn’t handle himself. My father’s paranoia had officially reached new heights. I exhaled sharply and let my mind drift, reaching for the one person who could make this mess seem a little less unbearable. Natalie. The connection snapped into place almost instantly, like she’d been waiting for me. "Took you long enough, prince charming." Her voice was warm, teasing, laced with something that made my heart dance. I smirked. "Didn’t want you to miss me too much." "Please," she scoffed. "I was already planning your funeral. You were one hour late." I chuckled, my fingers drumming against my knee. I had barely spoken to her since I left, aside from a few stolen moments when I was on the plane. And yet, just hearing her voice now... it felt like breathing again. "So?" she prompted, her tone shifting. "Where are you? You sound grumpy." I didn’t answer immediately, teasing her patience. Natalie sighed dramatically, "Are you going to tell me what’s wrong, or do I have to pull out the goddess card?" I chuckled lightly then sighed, rubbing my temple. "Oh, you know, just dealing with my father’s latest attempt to ruin my life." "Oh, this should be good. Do tell." I could practically hear the amusement in her voice, and it made my heart flutter. So, I settled in, closing my eyes and letting my voice drop into something lower, more intimate. "Alright, listen carefully, because this is a tragedy." And then, I told her everything. Every. Last. Detail. "My father’s forcing me to take the throne sooner than expected. And to make matters worse, he assigned me ten bodyguards. Ten, Natalie. It’s like I suddenly lost my ability to survive on my own." The link was silent for a moment. Then— Natalie burst out laughing. Not a quiet chuckle. A full, uncontrollable, breathless fit of laughter. I scowled. "Are you seriously laughing?" "Oh, you have no idea," she wheezed between gasps for air. "I— I just— TEN? Zane, oh mother, I can’t breathe—" Her laugh was infectious. I tried to hold back, but the moment I imagined how ridiculous this all sounded, I cracked. A deep, genuine laugh rumbled out of me, and for a moment, I forgot everything—the stress, the throne, the guards. There was just Natalie’s laughter and the way it made my chest feel lighter. The sound must have been unexpected, because the moment I laughed, all three men in the car turned to stare at me. Sebastian, Fox, and Tiger stared at me like I’d lost my mind. Sebastian raised a brow. "Are you seriously laughing right now?" Fox leaned forward. "Who is he talking to?" Tiger sighed. "Natalie." Understanding dawned on their faces. I mouthed it to them anyway: I’m talking to Natalie. Sebastian shook his head, Fox smirked knowingly but then turned and scolded Tiger, "Stop reading people’s minds except they permit you to." Tiger didn’t answer, he just grunted, turning back to stare out the window. I ignored them. I wasn’t about to stop talking to her just because they could read my mind or thought I was whipped. "Alright, alright, laugh it up," I grumbled. "Are you done?" "Nope," she wheezed. "Not even close." I groaned, rubbing my face. "I swear to the goddess, Natalie—" "This is the best thing I’ve heard all day," she managed between laughs. "Oh, I can’t wait to see them in action. Are they big and scary? Do they glare at people? Oh! Are they going to follow you to the bathroom?" I let out a low growl. "I will murder you." "You can try." I sighed, shaking my head, but the tension in my chest had eased. Just hearing her voice made everything feel less suffocating. Still, I needed a plan. "If this gets any worse, I’m going to have Fox and Tiger teleport me back to Paris immediately. That’s my last solution," I told her. Her laughter died instantly. "No." Her voice was sharp, serious—void of all amusement. I frowned, sitting up straighter. "What?" "Zane, you can’t do that." I blinked at the sudden change in her tone. "Why the hell not?" She hesitated. "Because... Fox and Tiger are there to protect Sebastian. He’s going to need it." A chill ran down my spine. My entire body went still. "Natalie." My voice was low, dangerous. "Is Sebastian in danger?" The car was suddenly too quiet. Sebastian, Tiger, and Fox glanced at me, sensing the shift in my demeanor. Natalie exhaled slowly. "I can’t tell you all the details, but... Zane, a very dangerous woman is going to enter Sebastian’s life soon. And no matter what he does, he won’t be able to avoid her." A deep growl rumbled in my chest. "Natalie," I said, my voice low and tense. "Who is she? What does she want with Sebastian?" There was a pause on the other end. A long one. That alone told me everything I needed to know. "I can’t tell you, Zane," she finally said. Her voice was softer now, hesitant. "It’s against the rules." Rules? That word made something primal inside me bristle. I wasn’t a man who played by the rules, especially when it came to protecting the people I loved. "Sebastian would have to find out himself," she added and then her voice came again, but there was an edge of urgency beneath it. "Zane, listen to me. It might not look like it now, but she’s pulling him to Vereth City. Even as we speak... he’s answering her call without realizing it." I glanced at Sebastian. He was just sitting there, looking normal—looking fine. But was he? A slow, unsettling feeling crawled up my spine, my hands clenched into fists on my lap. Sebastian frowned. "What’s wrong?" I didn’t answer. Not yet. "Natalie," I pressed, "I swear I won’t tell anyone. I just need to know so I can protect him better." "I can’t," she said again, firmer this time. "It’s not about trust, Zane. It’s about balance. If I tell you, it could affect Sebastian negatively. I’m not even supposed to be talking to you about this." My teeth ground together. Frustration coiled in my chest like a snake ready to strike. "Then how the hell is he supposed to protect himself if he doesn’t even know he’s in danger?" "That’s why Tiger and Fox are there," Natalie said calmly. "And now that you know, you’ll protect him too. But you have to do it cautiously, Zane. Don’t make it obvious." I exhaled through my nose, trying to suppress the storm brewing inside me. The idea of standing by and watching without warning Sebastian went against every instinct I had. But I trusted Natalie. I had to. "Fine," I muttered. "But I’m not leaving his side." "Good." There was a small pause before her tone softened. "Stay close to him. And try to resolve things with your father while you’re at it. I’ll join you soon, but for now, there’s someone I need to help before I can leave." I frowned slightly but nodded, even though she couldn’t see me. "Don’t rush," I told her. "Focus on your studies. I’ll handle things here, and I’ll keep you updated every step of the way." "I know you will." Her voice was warm now, teasing even. "Because if you don’t, I’ll hunt you down myself." A smirk tugged at my lips despite the tension in my chest. "I’d like to see you try." "You will," she shot back. "And when I do, I expect an expensive dinner and a very long, very detailed apology." I let out a low chuckle, shaking my head. "I love you, Natalie." "I love you too, Zane," she whispered. And then the mind link went silent. I exhaled slowly, my gaze shifted to Sebastian, who was casually scrolling through something on his phone, completely unaware of the unease clawing at my insides. I studied him, my thoughts racing. What if I stopped him from going to Vereth City? If he never went, he wouldn’t run into this so-called dangerous woman. The idea took root in my mind instantly. I leaned back, forcing my tone to stay light and casual. "You know," I said, stretching my arms behind my head, "instead of going to Vereth, why don’t we stay on the outskirts of Golden City?" Sebastian barely looked up from his phone. "Why?" "I’ve got a house there. A huge one," I added. "We’d be closer to Golden City, which means I could handle my father more easily. And it would save us a long trip." To my surprise, Sebastian immediately shook his head. "No," he said firmly. "I have to be in Vereth tonight. There are important things I need to handle at the company tomorrow. And besides, we’re almost there." I blinked. That was... odd. Normally, Sebastian loved to follow me around unless I was the one insisting he stay behind. He had always seen me as someone he needed to protect, and honestly, that was one of the reasons I loved him a lot. But now, he was refusing—without hesitation. Natalie’s words echoed in my mind. She’s already calling him to Vereth City. And even as we speak... he’s answering her call without realizing it. A cold shiver ran down my spine. I clenched my fists. "Sebastian—" Before I could say another word, I felt a firm grip on my leg. I glanced down to see Tiger’s hand resting against my thigh. When I looked up, he shook his head. Just once. A silent warning. Drop it. I stared at him for a moment, my jaw tight. Then, with great effort, I leaned back into my seat, swallowing my protest. Fine. I wouldn’t fight it. Not now. But I wasn’t going to let my best friend walk into danger blindly. Sebastian might not have realized it yet, but I sure as hell did. And no matter what it took, I was going to make sure he came out of this alive. Even if it meant breaking the rules.

Chapter 87: A Brother in Danger

Comments (0)