Chapter 139

Julian

"One king to another." Just the way he said he riled me up the wrong way. It was clear that King Caspian thought i was beneath him which just went to prove everything u had been told about his kind.

"So all the rumours are true." Smirking I cocked my head to the side, studying him from beneath my lashes. If he wanted a battle of wills and put downs then I would give him one. I didn't even know why he was here. It sure as hell wasn't for Cassie , he had never cared before. I had made mistakes but he had never even tried to be in her life.

"Is that right?" He mirrored my head movement with one of his own. His voice mocking.

"Yes." Lifting a hand I started counting off all the things I had heard about Lycans. None of them were good. The entire time his face remained impassive.

"I see." He said when I finally dropped my hand with a grin. The whole room was quiet. Every pair of eyes on me and all of them looked worried. Maybe I should have been as well.

"Is that what you really think of my kind?" Caspians voice was deathly quiet. A prickle of unease flowed up the back of my neck. Causing goosebumps to erupt all over my skin.

"It's what every full blood , pure wolf thinks. You are a mutation." I shrugged. "Yes you are stronger, faster and more aggressive but that's because you are hybrids. Your blood is tainted. Wolves are only -"

A gasp went up from behind me and I knew it was Ian. "Do nor finish that sentence Julian. You sound like a bigot." He hissed and I ignored him. My eyes were glued to Cassies father.

"No let him finish." He said in an even more quiet tone. "Are you hearing this Cassie?"

I turned to her in shock. Behind her one of my boys had turned his head to stare at me. There was so much judgement in those tiny round blue eyes that I paled.

"I'm hearing it." Her voice was barely audible.

"So now you know what your husband thinks about you. Abou your children."

Too late I realised my mistake. With one sentence Caspian had forced me to alienate the only people who mattered to me. He hadn't even had to try, I had messed up again by myself.

"Cassie." I took a step forward. "I did not mean-"

She moved to shield the twins from my view. Her face was a mixture of sadness and anger. "But you do think that Julian. You have called me all of those things before."

"But that was before I knew- who you were to me." I tried lamely.  I couldn't believe this was happening. Finding her was meant to be a good thing. It wasn't meant to like this. "I love you Cassie." Crossing the space between us, I took hold of her hips and pulled her into my body. A grumble went up from the Lycans but I ignored it. The only thing that would make me let go of her now was physical violence. And even then I would fight. Cassie was my mate. She was mine. And mate trumped daughter.

"I love you and I love our children. Our boys." Looping my arm around her waist, I tilted her face up. "Please look at me and know the truth of my words. I'm going to get our kingdom back and once I do I am going to spend every day for the rest of my life making things up to you. And when we are gone , our children will rule a happy United Kingdom. Just give me a chance to-"

"You see where the problem is there, don't you Julian?" It was Ian that spoke. "How can a kingdom be united under a half Lycan king. You can't expect your people to accept it when you don't yourself. You have out dated views. Views that every single person in this room don't agree with. You are full of bigotry and pride and it makes you hateful."

Still holding on to Cassie I whirled on him. "I am not full of- I don't care about anyone's species. He just goaded me into -"

"He is my father." Cassie interjected. "And even if he wasn't, he deserves more respect. A fellow king came to help you and you insult him? You aren't the wayward playboy prince anymore Julian. And unless you can man up and show us the king you will be, you are going to lose everything."

My heart slammed into my chest. A crack appeared in it. "Does that include you?" I whispered. This was a conversation we should have in private. Not in a room full of people while I was nude. But here we were.

" I don't know." She answered softly and the crack in my heart deepened. I was losing her all over again.

"I love you Cassie."

"If you love her then let her go." Caspian said softly and the first hint of friendship entered his voice. "Let her and the boys come back with me. They are my heirs as well remember. Cassie and then the boys. They could unite our people again but this mess- " he waved his hands around. "This civil war you find yourself in is no place for Cassie and her newborns. Fight and win and when you do come back and find them. Show them the man you are. Show them who you choose but don't keep them in danger."

I knew he was talking about Megan. Who was a problem for another day. Staring at him I nodded my head. Not in agreement but because I knew what he was saying was true.

"Cassie." I murmured.

"No Julian." She snapped back. "You do not get to make that decision for me. I am my own person." She turned to the room. "Can you all go down to the pack? I would like some time with my husband."