Chapter 156

Julian

I woke up slowly. Stretching my body out in slow motion , my arms first went above my head and then to the side so I could grab Cassie and draw her into my body. The warmth under the quilt was almost overwhelming and she had obviously moved away from me in the night.

Only she wasn't there. The space she should have been in was empty. The heavy quilt was thrown back over me. I pressed my hand into the sheet and it was cold.

She hadn't been there for a while.

A sense of unease washed over me. The same sense of dread that filled me every time I woke up in the morning and she wasn't there. Which was pretty much always.

Groaning I shook my head and stood up. She would be somewhere down with the pack. Doing her job and keeping herself busy. I knew why she did it even though neither of us spoke of it. It probably wasn't healthy that we didn't speak of our children but I knew she wouldn't be able to handle it.

Padding completely naked to the window I twitched open the curtains and stared out into the icy morning. The rain had stopped but the cold weather had finally come to stay and everything was coated with a shimmery white.

The sky was a perfect blue, and trails of mist floated around the huge tree trunks that hugged the property. It was still early.  Much earlier than Cassie would normally be up and awake.

Turning back to the room I surveyed the mess of clothes we had left littering the floor last night. She hadn't moved any of them. Even her boots were still haphazardly flung into a corner.

A frown pinched my eyebrows together and my unease deepened.

"Cassie?" I called out and nothing in the house moved.  "Cassie, where are you baby?" Heading towards the bathroom I peeked inside. Only she wasn't there either.

Everything was exactly how it should be. Nothing was displaced.

Cassie was probably playing with me. She had to be in the house somewhere because her one pair of boots were still here.

Maybe this was a game to her. A chance for me to chase her like we used to. Maybe she had even gone for a run in her wolf form.

No, I knew if she had wanted to do that she would have woken me up and I would have been able to talk her into staying in bed with me.

Last night had been amazing. Some of the best sex I had ever had. The fact she wanted to try new things with me made me unbelievably happy because it meant she was trusting me again.

It meant we were finally beginning to be the couple we were meant to be.

Still naked I walked down the hallway in search of her. And froze. The babies room door was open. And I knew full well that it had been closed before. I always made sure it was closed because when she looked inside she looked like she was going to cry.

Stepping into the room I sniffed. Her scent was stronger in here. It clung to every surface. Had she spent some time in here recently. Had she sat and cried their loss whilst I slept away.

I hated the thought of that. That she was in pain and I hadn't aware of it. I had promised to always protect her now. And again I had failed.

The shrill sound of my phone pierced my thoughts and I hurried back to the bedroom to grab my cellphone before it stopped.

"Ian?" I barked. "What are you doing up so early?" He was always an early riser but even for him this was early.

There was a pause. "Somethings happened. We need you down here Julian."

I let out a grumbled sigh. Of course something had happened. Something was always happening. "What is it?"

He paused for a second too long. "It's hard to explain." He said something under his breath that I couldn't make out. "Just get down here ok? As quick as you can. The pack is freaking out and they need to see their king isn't in a panic as well.  Bring Cassie too. We will need a doctor and she always calms people down."

"Cassie isn't with you?" My hand trailed down the banister as I made my way down the stairs. Phone pressed to my ear.

"Not that I've seen, why?" Ian muttered. "She isn't with you?"

I shook my head even though I was aware that he couldn't see it. "No, but her boots are in the bedroom and-"

Five steps from the bottom I froze. There was something wet on the dark wood. Just a few drops but the scent of it hit me straight in the face.

The coppery tang of it.

"Maybe she went-"

I cut him off with a pained cry as I jumped the last few steps and fell to my knees next to the tiny droplets of blood. Touching one with the tips of my fingers I lifted it to my nose and sniffed.

Hers.

It was Cassies blood and she was nowhere to be found.

"She's gone." I muttered. "And she's bleeding. Her blood is on the floor."

"What?" Ian's voice was hushed. "What do you mean."

I struggled to keep my wits about me and not let my terror take over. "Her boots are here, her clothes too and she's bleeding. There's blood on the floor." I mumbled.

Ian's gasp was loud in my ear. "How much blood?"

I didn't answer him at first.

"How much Julian."

I shook myself. "A few drops. Not too much but-" Ice cold terror filled my veins. Freezing me on the spot. "I think someone has her. I think,"

"Calm down Julian. I'll be there in a few minutes ok. And we will work this all out."

I wanted to believe him but I couldn't help but feel like Cassie had been taken from me for good this time. Just when it felt like I had her back.

"Do you think it's connected to what is happening to Scarlett's pack?" I asked numbly.

"I don't know." Ian's voice was different now and I knew he was sprinting. Running towards me. "But probably. Stay where you are and don't touch anything. Don't run off after her either. One of you missing is more than enough."

I nodded again. I wasn't going anywhere. I couldn't even if I wanted to go after her: I was frozen in place and staring at the blood of my mate.

The blood of my mate.