Chapter 86

Julian

The house was quiet, the moon big and heavy in the clear sky but I couldn't sleep. Too much had happened and I kept going over and over again everything that had been said to me.

Everything that had been done to me.

"Sir?"

I didn't turn at the sound of my house keepers voice. "You should be asleep Cathy."

"So should you." She retorted in her soft polite voice. "Everyone else is."

I knew that. The house was quiet and if I listened carefully enough I could hear their soft snores as the sweet oblivion of sleep took away their troubles.

I would have no such rest.

"What are you doing in here Julian?" She asked and this time there was a note of judgement in her voice. I still didn't turn.

Ignoring her I ran my hand across Cassies dresser. The wood was warm and smooth , like her skin was under my fingertips when I touched her.

Even thinking about it made me angry.

Reaching down I yanked open the top drawer and stared down at her underwear. She had barely taken anything. "I couldn't sleep and wanted to see if there was any clues in here" I said through gritted teeth. That wasn't the truth though. Not really. I had come in here to be close to her even though I didn't want to admit that. Growling I went to slam the drawer shut and something caught my eyes

Pushing aside her panties I snared the small wooden box in my hand. My anger rising as I lifted it my face.

"What the hell is this doing here?" I studied it. Turning it over and over in my hand as I studied the carved wood. "This should be at the palace." I sucked in a breath and let the rage take over. The last time I had seen this box , we had been at the palace and Cassie had been snooping. She had dropped it and I had lost my shit.

Had she snuck back into my old bedroom and stolen it. I wouldn't put it past her.

"Thieving little-"

"It's not the same one."

I froze at Cathy's voice. My eyebrows shot into my hair line as she moved close to me and plucked the delicate box out of my hands. Setting it down gently she lifted the lid.

There was a ring in it. Similar to the jewel that I treasured in my box. I had the necklace. My mothers jewellery so why did Cassie have the matching ring? And they were matching.

"This one is Cassies." She snapped the lid shut. Sighing she turned to me. "Sit down your highness."

Never in the decades she had been working for me had she ever tried to give me an order and I instantly bristled.

"How can it be Cassies when-"

"Sit." There was command in her voice. "Down."

I did so without really thinking about it. Perching on the edge of Cassies neatly made bed.

"I don't know where she got that but- she must have stolen it because it's definitely my mothers. Cassie is-"

"She didn't steal it. She's had it for years. I was there when it was given to her."

Startled my head snapped up an inch to look at her. "What do you mean?"

"I've worked for your family for my entire life Julian. I have cared for you like you are my own pup especially after your dear mothers death. I have kept the family secrets." Sadly she shook her head. "I can't keep it a secret anymore. I need to tell you the truth."

I waited for her to continue.

Taking a deep breath she met my eyes. "Cassie has it because it was given to her by her mate."

"What?"

"She was a child. A gifted beautiful young girl, and she stopped something terrible and that's when she met him. Of course." She gave a small laugh. "They were both too young to know what was going on but they were best friends for a time. You see-" another deep breath. "She saved the life of someone important. Literally risked her life for him. He would have died without her and she almost died saving him."

"I still don't understand." I mumbled under my breath.

"She saved you Julian. You were just a boy and it was the first attempt on your life."

Jumping to my feet I began to pace. "You're wrong." Spinning around I growled at her. Tugging at my hair I glared. "If something like that happened I would remember it. I would remember her."

"No you wouldn't. We made sure of it. Cassie was blessed with an alpha power that night."

"Alphas can have -"

"Healing is her power. I'm not sure if it's manifested itself properly yet but I would guess so. Especially now her mother is awake. But I digress."

What she was saying couldn't be true.  Cassie was not my mate. My mate was the woman I had made love to in the hospital.

Megan.

Only I knew that wasn't true either.

"Your bond was the strongest anyone had ever seen. The goddess herself blessed it and that made keeping you together dangerous."

My eyes narrowed.

"So we- I mean the king."

"Magic." I hissed. "He used magic on us to make us forget each other."

"Contracts were put in place to bring you together when the time was right and everyone thought the spell would break and you would recognise her scent but that didn't happen. I could see how much of an effect she had on you but you didn't know why. And I'm sorry for not telling you sooner. I am truly sorry."

"But the woman at the hospital? she was my mate?" Even as I said the words I knew how stupid they were. "It was never Megan was it?"

"No. I don't believe it was."

Of course it was Cassie. Of course it was. She worked there as well. It suddenly all made sense.

"That means -" I ran my hand through my hair. "Fuck Megan really played me for a fool didn't she. I'm going to rip her-" Whirling I made for the door.

"Think now young prince." Cathy's voice stopped me dead in my tracks. "At the moment Megan thinks she has you fooled. Who ever she is working for thinks they have you fooled. We need to keep it that way until we find out who your enemies are."

"You want me to pretend she is my mate?"

Cathy's eyes grew sad. "Only for a little while. Ian will keep your mate and your pups safe until it's safe for you to be reunited with them."

I swallowed hard. I could pretend to be a fool a little while longer after all I had been a fool for months.

I could do that for my mate and my- my heart thundered in my chest.

My mate and my children.

Part 2-