146
Cassie
I could still taste Julian’s lips on me from the kiss he had given me before departing to go and look for goddess knew who. He had been talking about a war council the entire walk down the hill but honestly I had barely been listening.
What did I know about war? What did I ever want to know? I had seen more than enough death to last me a lifetime but I knew that there was plenty more to come. There had to be. No one ever defeated a dictator by being nice. Julian would have to be ruthless and I would see the casualties on my operating table. Some I would be able to save and some , like the woman last night I wouldn’t.
I might not like it but it was my reality now.
Taking a deep breath I steadied myself before pushing open the door to the infirmary. The first thing I noticed was the smell of blood and sweat. It didn’t smell like a hospital which always smelt sterile. I missed that. The cleanliness of it.
“Good morning your highness.” A young man with flaming red hair stepped forward. “I didn’t expect to see you today.”
I wanted to scream at him not to use that word around me. I wasn’t your highness I was just Cassie. If he wanted to give me a title then doctor would do. It was a title I was more comfortable with.
“Where is everyone?”
His eyes shifted around and a line appeared between his eyebrows. Marring his perfectly smooth face.
“I don’t actually know your highness. There’s a few healers here but I haven’t seen alpha Scarlett since last night when she asked me to stand guard.” Turning to me with a rueful smile, he looked directly into my eyes, realised what he had done and quickly looked away again.
I sighed. “You can look at me you know. I’m not the goddess. I am just-“
“A queen?” He added quietly and I laughed before I could help it.
“A doctor. I’m just as uncomfortable as you are with the queen title.” Reaching out I patted his forearm. It wasn’t muscled. It was the arm of a boy not a man.
“I’ve just never been around royalty-“
I shook my head, my eyes sparking in anger. “I’m just a doctor. You can call me Cassie.”
Panic settled over his young features. “I couldn’t.”
Shaking my head I moved around him to check on the neatest patient who was sleeping peacefully. Everyone was sleeping or laying awake quietly. Everything seemed to be in order.
There was nothing pressing for me to do here. Sighing I turned back to him. “Call me doctor then. And what is your name?”
For a second he looked shocked that I would ask him and then his face broke into a wide smile. “Kip, your-“ his lips twisted. “My name is Kip Doctor Cassie.” Pursing his lips he blew out a breath. “Goddess it feels strange calling you that. My Ma would have my fur if she ever heard me calling a queen by first name.” He muttered.
Laughing I threw my head back. “How old are you Kip?”
His laughter which had bubbled up with mine died down and a shadow fell across his face. “I am old enough. I can fight better than-“
Again I touched his arm. “I was not saying you are a child.” Although he looked like one ,I added silently. “You look more than capable of doing the job your alpha has given you.”
Alpha Scarlett had a nice ring to it. And I was glad her pack had given her that title. Most women, even ones who had more alpha powers than their mates were never given it. They were lunas.
Maybe this was the start of something new. It was about time that the wolves stepped into the present, instead of living in the past.
Centuries we had lived like that. Maybe when Julian took his crown back things could be different. They needed to be.
“Do you know where Scarlett is?”
“I think she is at the burial place. It’s the alphas job to be there. She will need to speak.” He muttered and the tone of his voice told me I should know this.
Truth was I wasn’t familiar with many country wolf customs at all. I had grown up in the city. Gone to school and college and later university with a mixture of shifter and humans.
Really I acted more human than shifter. I hadn’t grown up in a small pack that had been an extended family. I had grown up… separate.
“Can you tell me where that is. I would like to show my respect and-“
He shook his head. “You will never find it alone Doctor. It’s one of our sacred places.”
“Would I not be welcome?”
“Of course you would be welcome.” He added quickly. “It’s just - I’ll see if someone can take you.” He looked around wildly like he half expected to materialise out of the air in front of us.
“Can’t you take me?”
“Me?” He sounded shocked.
I smiled indulgently. “Unless you think you are needed here?” I glanced around the quiet infirmary. “I would appreciate it if you could Kip. I don’t know many people here and I will need someone to show me around and tell me what is what?”
His young face lit up from within. “You need me to- it would be my pleasure your majesty.” He went back to the title so quickly and I bit back a retort. “I don’t know if I’m who your husband would have chosen to be your guide though.” He added thoughtfully. “I am not a seasoned warrior or a bodyguard.” Doubt flickered into his eyes.
“Let me deal with the king. I’ll make him understand. There is no one I would prefer to show me around and watch my back.”
“Then it would be my honour your majesty-“
I cut him off. “You have to call me Cassie now.” I commanded.
“Well I’ll try.” He cracked the first genuine grin I had seen on his face since we had met. “I promise I won’t let you down.”
“You won’t.” I nodded my head. I knew I had just made his day and I knew he would try his best to protect me but that’s not the reason I had asked him. He was so young and I didn’t want that young body broken in the war to come.
He might think he would be able to protect me but in reality I had just given him my silent promise that I would protect him.
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