Chapter 161

Cassie

There were many benefits of being a shifter. Quicker, stronger and faster. We didn't get drunk as quickly as humans. In fact it was pretty much impossible for us to get fall down drunk but there were downsides as well. Like the fact that my body metabolised coffee so quickly that even seven huge mugs down I was still tired.

Stepping into the kitchen Julian frowned. The look on his face spoke volumes. But not as much as his pounding feet on the stairs had done.

He had woken up, found me gone and freaked out. It was pretty clear that he had thought I'd gone wandering again.

I would have felt bad except I was too tired to care.

"You weren't in bed." He said flatly. His tone full of accusation.

"Sorry I couldn't sleep and I didn't want to disturb you by tossing and turning." Turning towards him I forced myself to smile.

Sliding onto one of the stools my husbands eyes appraised me. Taking in my disheveled hair and the wet cleaning cloth in my hand. I tossed it away into the sink and wiped my wet hand down my thigh.

"How long have you been up Cassie?" He asked , his eyes finally leaving me to look around the spotless kitchen. Every side had been wiped down, the inside of every cupboard scrubbed clean.

"A while." I admitted with a shrug.

"You should have woken me up." Julian's voice was flat but not emotionless. He was just trying not to get angry.

With a sigh I jumped up on the side. Letting my legs swing.

"Why?" I asked. "Why would I force you to be awake just because I'm not tired?"

It was a genuine question but Julian's eyes narrowed. "You are tired though Cassie." He pointed out. His eyes glued themselves to my face and I knew he saw how exhausted I was. How the circles under my eyes were so dark they looked like bruises.

"You're more that tired. You are exhausted but you would rather stay down here and clean than try to sleep?" His eye met mine unblinking. "Why?"

"Leave it." Turning my back on him I went to the coffee machine. Not that I thought another mug would do any good but it sure as hell couldn't hurt either.

I didn't hear him move. But he was behind me in a second. His hands sliding around my waist to pull me back against him.

"What's going on Cassie?" He asked softly. His breath moving my hair slightly.

"Nothing." I lied .

Julian made an exasperated sound in the back of his throat. Half growl and half groan. "Stop lying to me Cassie. More importantly, stop lying to yourself. Something is up with you." With sure firm movements he moved me in his arms. Pressing me between the hardness of his body and the solid worktop behind me.

I couldn't help it I let my forehead drop to his chest and took several long shaky breaths. I could lie to him. I knew that but what would be the point. He knew I was lying and I knew he knew I was lying.

"Something is up with the whole world right now. But -" I sucked in the smoky rich scent that was all him. "I hear things when I'm going to sleep. Sometimes they wake me up from my dreams, sometimes they-" I swallowed hard. "I hear them when I'm wide awake. And they are so real."

A sigh lifted his chest. "You hear Noah and Niall." He said in a matter of fact kind of way.

It wasn't a question but I answered it anyway. "Yes." I whispered.

"And that's why you ran out naked into the snow?" He asked simply. "I get that." Julian's voice turned kind. "I would have done the same. I miss them but I know it's not anything compared to what you are feeling. Do you want to go and be with them?"

My heart skipped a beat. I wanted that more than anything. I needed them in my arms to feel complete but I knew leaving now would just make things worse. Julian was the rightful king and as his wife and mate I had a duty to stand by his side and fight for our kingdom. It was the only way we could ever hope to be a family again and live in peace.

Peace? I snorted in derision. My children probably would never live in peace. Julian sure as hell hadn't. People had been trying to murder him since he was a child. And even back then I had been the one to save him.

We were a couple now. King and queen of an entire people. I would save him now as well. It was my destiny.

Our destiny.

"Did you hear them last night? Is that why you came down here? You were too afraid to go back to sleep?"

"Staying busy helps. But no."

"No?"

"I didn't hear them last night. I know I'm not really hearing them. It's just hard to work out what's real and what's not when I'm half asleep.

"What did you hear last night?" He asked softly.

I lifted my face so I could meet his eyes. "It's nothing." I shook my head.

"Cassie, tell me." Julian demanded.

I took a deep breath. Settling my nerves. Why was it so hard to be honest with him?

"You." I said in a tiny whisper and his eyes widened. "I heard you?"

"Even after ?" He didn't need to carry on that question.

"Yes. Yes even after you had woken up. I could hear your voice even when I could see you were asleep and your mouth wasn't moving. You were telling me to wake up."

Slowly he cocked his head to the side and studied me. "I know this is all strange and confusing Cassie. I know you're scared. I am as well but-" reaching up he cupped my cheek. "Listen to me. This me. This me who is holding you and loving you. This me who falls in love with you a little more every time I kiss your lips." He brushed his lips against mine. "You don't need to wake up. This is reality and we are going to be just fine."

162

Julian

She said she believed me, she said she felt better but she was lying. The thing I wasn't sure on was whether she knew she was lying.

There were shadows dancing in my wife's eyes. Demons that threatened to overtake her and take her away from me. I would do anything to make sure that didn't happen. Even if that meant I conducted all my business right here in the kitchen. Where I could keep an eye on Cassie curled up on the sofa reading a book in the living room. She knew I was watching her and not paying attention to matters of state. But she didn't lift her head from the book on her lap.

She didn't move her eyes either so she wasn't reading it. She was just staring blankly at the page and no doubt listening in.

"Is she?" Scarlett whispered to my left. It didn't matter how quiet she said it though. Cassie had sharp hearing she would have heard. Not that she made any sign that she had.

"She's fine." I snapped back , maybe a little too loudly. Sighing heavily, I straightened my shoulders. "She's just not sleeping."

Ian grumbled something under his breath and I turned to him angrily. "Do you have something to say?"

"Yes." He retorted. It was crazy how direct and blunt he was these days.  He had never been a yes man but now he seemed to be just argumentative. Especially when it came to her.

It would have made me jealous because there was a really close friendship there but I knew Cassie belonged to me. She always had, ever since we were children and she had saved my life.

As her mate and her alpha it was my job to protect her and yet she was the one who always seemed to protect me. Even now, I felt helpless. I didn't know how to help her snap out of this.

"She needs to be away from this." Ian hissed. "She needs to rest properly. You need to send her to her mother."

I glowered. "She can rest here where I can keep her safe. If-" I lowered my voice. My eyes on her. "She needs help that I can't give her then I will find a facility for her."

"You have decided to-" Scarlett began to say and I snapped my eyes to her. The words on her lips faltered. Her eyes darted downward.

"My wife isn't crazy." I growled.

At my side Scarlett bristled. "No one said she was. Cassie is my friend. She has been my friend since the moment we met. That was before you decided you liked her." She reminded me with a scowl. "When you were treating her like a second class citizen."

There was a sharp intake of breath.

"Scarlett." Ian warned and I shook my head. It wasn't like she didn't have a point. I had done that. And Cassie had loved me anyway.

There were no excuse for how I had acted. I had been blinded by prejudice. And a beautiful face. If I was honest with myself. Megan's overtly sexual nature had turned my head. It hadn't helped that I had thought she was the one in the hospital to save me.

But no, that had been Cassie. Saving me again. Just like she always did.

"I know." I said softly. "I know what a brute I was. And I'll try every day for the rest of my life to make it up to her. I need to start trusting in her more don't I?"

The moment I said the words I realised how true they were.

"Cassie?" I called out.

"What are you doing?" Ian hissed. "Let her mind rest."

"I know what I'm doing." I shook the hand he had placed on my arm off ,with a snarl.

"Cassie my love." I called out again when she didn't move. "Can you join us?"

Slowly she placed the book down and came gliding towards us. She moved like someone who wasn't really there. Half ghost and half zombie.

"How are you feeling?" Ian and Scarlett asked together the moment she slipped silently onto one of the stools.

Their faces were mirror images of each other.

"I'm fine." Cassie seemed to shake herself as she stared at me. Slowly she blinked and the life seemed to rush back into her eyes. "I was wondering how long it would take you." She aimed her question straight at me.

"I knew you would have thought of it." I smiled proudly. "I bet you were sat there wondering why I hadn't realised it sooner , weren't you?"

"Does someone want to let the rest of us in on your little secret?" Scarlett asked.

Ian didn't say anything but he stared at my wife and I could see the realisation flicker into his eyes. "Oh." He said softly. "Ohhh damn." He said louder with a shake of his head.

"Anyone was to fill me in?" Scarlett asked again.

"The people who went missing." I said quickly. "There's no trace of them. No signs they were taken by force." I met my mates eyes. "Cassie is the only one who has come back. And she says she heard our children crying for her. Last night." I searched her face to make sure I was ok saying this and she nodded her head. "She heard me calling for her, even though I was right in front of her."

Scarlett's eyes widened. "You think they are being led away?"

"That would be some serious magic." Ian added. "Some really serious spell work because no one even sees them leave. They just disappear, almost like they were never here to begin with." He sighed and his eyebrows knitted together. "But in a way it makes sense."

"We need to check in with other packs. And find out what is happening in the palace as well." I said.

"And with the cats." Cassie said softly. She turned her attention to Ian. "Maybe you can ask Yanna?"

The line between Ian's dark brows deepened. "Who the hell is Yanna?"