Chapter 87

Cassie - 6 months later

Blowing out a puff of air , I wiped a hand over my sweaty brow. I was dripping with the stuff which wasn't surprising seeing as I was well.huge and the late spring sun was rapidly turning into a full on heat wave.

Never in my life had I been so hot but then again never in my life had I been so pregnant.

Straightening with difficulty I let my hands rest on my stomach for a second before the door behind me opened and a familiar scent hit my nostrils.

"Yana." I turned to her with a smile. In the months that I had been here we had become fast friends. She was quick and funny and witty as hell. I could see why Ian was completely besotted with her. She was just that nice.

"I came to make sure everything was ok?" She grinned back at me but it didn't meet her eyes. It looked forced like she was putting on a show.

My own smile slipped. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing." She shrugged.

"Is it my mum?" I asked sharply. Even though I knew that wasn't the case. My mum had been flourishing here. She even had her own little job and friendship group and it healed the pain in my heart to see her so happy. "Is it her heart or an accident?"

An accident was more likely as my mums heart was as strong as mine. Maybe stronger.

"Has she been? Or your dad? Someone?" I glanced at her face. "Where is Ian?"

"Everyone is fine and Ian is waiting for us. Everything is fine." She repeated .

She kept smiling and I frowned. I knew when I was being lied to and she was lying to me. She wouldn't be standing in my office with that strained look on her face if everything was fine.

"What's going on?" I asked in my most even tone.

"Are you almost ready to go?"

"I just need to tidy up."

"Leave it.  We need to go and talk to Ian."

I huffed. My shoulders moving up and down. "Not until you tell me what is going on Yana. You never just come here."

That was the truth.

"I just wanted to drive you from work and make sure you were," Her brown eyes narrowed as she sneakily tried to look around without me noticing. "Ok?"

Unease crawled up my spine and suddenly I was freezing cold. Something was most definitely going on because she never acted like this. Yana was funny and friendly normally although I did know she had a violent side.

She was a fierce fighter just like Ian. She might even be sneakier than her mate.

"Is there a reason I wouldn't be safe, Yana?"

Her eyes widened at my direct approach. "No of course not, it's just-" she trailed off and I shivered. If I had been boiling hot before I was not ice cold. It seemed to flow through me.

"It's not- it's just-" she groaned. "Ian said you would ask questions. That you would want answers but I was hoping I could get you home so he could explain." Yana sighed.

"Explain what?" My heart sank. "Is there danger here?" I looked around wildly. The last few months had been so peaceful that I'd almost forgotten the danger me and my unborn children were in. Had my past, as messed up and confusing as it was, finally caught up with me?

I'd been so happy here, started to build a life for my family. It was only in my dreams that my past came back to haunt me. Dreams of Julian. Of him asking me why I had left him when we were destined to be together.

I might have believed Ian when he told me Julian was the father of my unborn babies, but the rest of it sounded like a fairytale. It was so different to how I remembered things happening.

"The danger isn't here yet but it could be soon."

My heart sank into the pit of my stomach. "My mum?"

"Is safe. I've moved her to my fathers house. The panthers will keep her safe. Especially him." Her lips curved up in a wry smile. "I think he has a little crush on her." She admitted.

I couldn't help it I laughed. "I think it's mutual. I thought I saw them holding hands the other day but they came apart like naughty teenagers."

Yana studied me. "Would that be a problem for you?" She asked steadily. Her eyes searching my face.

"No. Of course not. All I have ever wanted was for my mum to be happy and anyway I already think of you as a sister."

She beamed one of her dazzling smiles at me. "Good."

"But family doesn't lie to each other." I added quickly. "So tell me what is going on."

She sighed and happiness vanished out of her face. "Fine." For a second she looked down at her fingers. Plucking at the nails. "The king, your king." She amended quickly. "The wolf king is sick. Deathly sick."

"Ok. He's a strong wolf." My hands twisted together. "Whatever illness he has he will beat."

Goddess I wanted that to be true. I needed it to be true because if the king died then Julian would step up and become king and that would make me queen.

A queen without a crown or the protection of her pack would make me an easy target.  Both of my hands came down to cradle my straining stomach.

"Ian doesn't think it's natural. He thinks this is an attempt on the kings life." Her voice broke. "He thinks he need to go back."

Now I understood the look on her face. She was worried about her mate and with good reason. Reaching out I took her hand. "He will be fine, Yana. He's -"

"He wants you to use the gifts the goddess gave you-"

I stumbled backwards, shaking my head.

"He says his time you both went home."