Chapter 21

Julian

I watched as Ian appeared back on the street and leant forward as the man who my wife had just been having breakfast with stepped out after him.

Tall with chestnut brown hair that glinted in the sun , he had a handsome face. A soft gentle face behind his glasses but the body wasn't soft at all. Even under his thick cable knit jumper I could tell he was solid. Maybe even bigger and with more pronounced muscles than I had.

I frowned, leaning forward.

Was this the kind of man my wife preferred? Was he the one she had spent our wedding night with? Instant rage and dislike filled me, puffing my chest out.

"Alpha." The car door opened , letting in a blast of icy air. The weather was changing rapidly now as it always did this time of year and I shivered. "This is Mr Green. Please get in Mr Green. This won't take long."

"Doctor." The man snapped but he did as he was asked. Maybe he realised this was serious and didn't want to make a scene.

"Doctor?" I asked and my voice shook with barely contained anger.

"Yes I am doctor Green. What seems to be the problem sir?" Finally he lifted his eyes to me and I could see the moment he recognised me. His eyes lowered quickly and his breath sped up just a little bit. "Prince Julian. Forgive me-"

"Have you done something that needs my forgiveness Doctor." I stressed the last word. If he wanted me to use his honorific then I would but he would use mine as well.

"No of course not." He peeked at me through his thick lashes. "Do you need my help?"

"Your highness." I corrected quickly and he darted a look at me.

"Sorry your highness." He amended , his cheeks flaming. He might be blushing but the distaste coming from him was palpable.

Forrest Green didn't like me very much and it was obvious. Which was just fine by me because I wasn't his biggest fan either.

"So do you need my forgiveness?" Leaning back I studied him. "Tell me doctor how do you know my wife?"

"Your wife?" His eyes widened. "Oh Cassie." His shoulders tensed.

"Yes Cassie." I nodded my head and waited for him to continue. I could tell by his face he was trying to figure out what to tell me.

"My wife." I added again even though I didn't need to. "You were just with her weren't you?"

I waited to see if he was going to lie to me. If he did then I would know he was the one she was seeing behind my back.

"We just had breakfast yes." Forrest answered evenly.

"And you just happened to meet?" I lifted my eyebrows. My voice dripping sarcasm.

He shot me a look, like he thought I was a moron and I wanted to punch his perfect white teeth into the back of his throat. He just had that kind of face. One I wanted to hurt.

"No your highness. She called me in as a trusted fellow shifter doctor to take over the care of her mother as Cassie and Megan were both not available." He took a deep breath. "I saw her at the hospital and she was upset."

"So you offered her a shoulder to cry on?"

He made a choking sound in the back of his throat. "I offered her a friendly ear."

"Are you her friend then? A special friend?"

"I don't know what you mean by special friend, your highness. I am her friend that is all."

He sounded sincere but my wolf still wanted to rip his throat out. Taking a deep breath I forced myself to calm down.

"Have you known her long?"

"Since college." The corners of his mouth twitched up. "She was a junior when I was introduced to her. She was always taking classes ahead of her year. And she usually aced them all."

"She's a good doctor?"

"The best there is but more than that she is a good person." He added quickly. "You won't find anyone who will say otherwise."

"No?" I lifted my eyebrow in a silent question. "Is she very friendly with everyone she meets or just every man?"

"I think you have Cassie mixed up with someone else your highness. Cassie is good. Even back in college she tried to be the best person she could be. Even with everything happening at home she was still-"

"What do you mean at home?"

He swallowed hard. "With her mom being sick and her father parading his mistress everywhere. Everyone knew it was heartbreak that made her mother ill and slip into a coma. But Cassie never let the misery of her home life dampen her spirit. Even when the money for hospital bills dried up because her father was spending it on his mistress she didn't complain. She just took a second job."

I stared at him. Why was I never told any of this? I had thought she was like her father. Money grabbing and power hungry.

"Everything she has in life she has worked for your highness. She had to. It wasn't like her father would ever give it to her. Even his admiration. I went to her graduation. He didn't."

I frowned. "Why?"

"Why didn't her father bother?" Forrest shrugged. "She wasn't a boy and he's blamed her for that since the moment she was born."

"I see." I said except I didn't see. How could a father treat his child like that? When I was a dad I would dote on my child whether they were a boy or a girl. "Thank you." I had a lot to think about and I wanted to be alone to do it. "You may go now."

He opened the door and again the wind gust in. "One second." Reaching out my hand closed around his thick jumper. "Did you spend time with her on-" I gave him the date.

He looked at me blankly. "No your highness. I wasn't even in the country. Why "

I shook my head, motioning for him to go. It wasn't him she was seeing then. It was someone else.

"Did you get the answers you need?" Ian bent down and popped his head into the car.

"Some." I nodded. "But mostly I came away with more questions."

I got home later that evening . Not because I was busy but because I was thinking and not just what Forrest had told me earlier. I had spoken to other people who knew her as well. And they all said the same thing.

Cassie was a good person.

I just couldn't bring myself to believe it. What were they seeing in her that I wasn't?

Moving through the quiet house I paused. There was light coming from one of the living rooms. Like someone had left the tv on.

Quietly I tiptoed into the room. Glancing around. It wasn't a tv though. Someone had left their laptop on and open on the coffee table and that person was asleep.

Curled up on the sofa with her cheek nestled on her arm , Cassie looked completely relaxed. She was even snoring softly.

I took a few seconds to stare down at her. To study her features when she couldn't school them in to indifference.

She was beautiful. I admitted to myself and my wolf huffed a yes. But then he had always thought she was beautiful . And he was downright smitten by her dark as midnight wolf with its pale blue eyes.

My wolf was a horn dog.

His taste couldn't be trusted.

Reaching down I pulled the soft throw from the back of the sofa to cover her. It was early to be sleeping but-

My fingers skimmed the side of her breast and her eyes flew open. Panic filled them.

She launched herself upwards. Her hands tore at my shirt and the buttons scattered. Landing every corner of the room with tiny little clatters.

"Cassie." Gripping her shoulders I held her away from me. There was nothing in her eyes but fear. "Cassie wake up." I shook her.

Slowly the sleep left her eyes. She blinked at me in a daze. "Julian." Her voice wobbled. "What are you doing?" Glancing down she stared at her hands on the naked skin of my chest. I followed her gaze.

She had the smallest hands , petite and skilled. And they felt good against my skin.

My mouth went dry as a wave of lust washed over me.

I stepped away. "Was you even really asleep? Or was this some ruse to try and get me into bed? That's more your style isn't it?"

Tears filled her eyes and she wiped them away angrily like she didn't want me to see them. My chest gave a pang of guilt. I was being mean on purpose and I didn't know why.

She just brought out the nasty side of me.

"I-" she hiccuped into the back of her hand. "I was having a nightmare." Her hands slipped from my chest and I instantly missed the feel of her hands on me.

What the hell was wrong with me? I hated her. She was like a ball and chain around me. Weighing me down. If I didn't get rid of her soon, I would drown. But at the same time I wanted her.

At least I wanted her body.

"I see. Well." I raked my eyes down her body. "Tidy yourself up. I want you to join me for dinner."