Chapter 178
Julian
“Where is she?” I screamed. The words rumbling through my chest and out of my body in a thunderous roar. A deathly silence fell. And that was fine by me. They should be quiet, they should be scared. Because if anything had happened to my mate then I was going to lay waste to this entire pack. Even if they were friends. Some of the only friends I had in the entire world right now.
None of that mattered to me. Just like it didn’t matter to me that this was as much my fault as it was theirs. In a way it was more my fault because I had known she was going to go and snoop around and wasn’t coming to train like she said. I had known and I had let her go anyway. We had both wanted answers.
I had been just as desperate for them as she had been and now it might just have cost me her.
“Julian.”
I speared Scarlett in place with my eyes and she quickly looked at her feet.
“Your highness.” She amended quickly. “We have people out looking for her.”
“Where are your guards Scarlett?” I retorted quickly. My anger was aimed mainly at her which wasn’t fair but life wasn’t fair.
None of this was fair.
Slowly she lifted her eyes to me. In their depths I saw a little defiance. Like she was asking me where my guards were. Why hadn’t I sent some with my wife if I cared so much about her?
It was a good question.
“Kip is with her.” Ian said unhelpfully.
“Kip is a child.” I snapped back.
Ian shook his head. “Kip won’t let anything happen to her. He’s young and untrained, yes but he’s as protective of her as any brother. He won’t let anything happen to her.”
I wanted to believe that. I took a deep breath and tried to settle the nerves that were threatening to overwhelm and overtake me.
“Why is no one coming forward?” Ian asked softly and this time his accusing eyes were on Scarlett. “Have none of your staff seen her?”
“Lots of them have.” She retorted. “But they wouldn’t stop her going where she was going. That is way above their pay grade. She is their queen. So they just lowered their eyes and got out of her way. She was seen with Kip, in the east wing.” Scarlett’s eyes darted to mine.
I kept my face neutral. The small east wing was where she kept her small library.
“She did mention she lost a-“ lying on the spot was harder than I thought it would be. I couldn’t think of a viable story. “An earring. A diamond one I gave her for a wedding present.” I finished off lamely
For a second Scarlett looked at me with a look of complete disgust on her face. “I see.” She said in a voice that said she didn’t believe a word I was saying. Again my interest was piqued.
What was it that she was hiding?
“I can’t remember her ever wearing earrings so she must be frantic finding this very special pair.” She said and with just a few words told me she knew I was lying.
I held her eyes unblinking.
“Maybe we should send someone to look for her there?” Ian asked, trying to defuse the situation.
“She was seen after that heading outside.”
My head snapped up and I glared at her. “And you are just mentioning this now?” Again my chest rumbled with my anger.
“I have people looking for her.” Scarlett said. “They are following her scent and-“
“We will find her Julian.” Ian placed a calming hand on my arm.
“I am right here.” Cassies voice was small and breathless. Like she had been running.
The three of us turned. The lingering council members slower.
And there she was. Her chest heaving, her cheeks flushed pink and her eyes-
Her eyes were hollow and haunted.
I let my eyes sweep over her. She was hugging herself , shivering like she was cold and her trousers were wet up past the knee.
Instantly I was in front of her. Closing my hands around her biceps I held her out at arms length. My eyes sweeping up and down her body as I checked for injury. “Are you hurt?”
She shook her head mutely. Her usual glossy dark hair was lank and lifeless, just like her eyes.
Something had clearly happened , it had to of to put that haunted look in her eyes.
“I fell a few times.” She finally admitted.
I glanced down at her wet trousers. “Were you running from something?” Loosening my grip on her arms I pulled her into my body and wrapped my arms around her. Holding her as close as I could without crushing her ribs.
“If anything was chasing you,” I began to say.
“I’ll go.” Ian said quickly. His boots already moving towards us. “Just tell me what I am hunting, Cassie? What has made you so afraid?”
She lifted her head from my chest. “Nothing chased me, nothing happened.” She said in a flat monotone voice. “I just had a horrible feeling that something was happening here. I was walking and clearing my head and I had this awful sense that Julian needed me.”
I tightened my arms around her. “I always need you by my side Cassie. But I am fine.”
She didn’t say anything, instead she held me harder.
I frowned down at her even as I pressed a kiss to the top of her head. Her hair smelt strange. Musty. Like it hadn’t been washed properly in weeks. It was a weird mixture of greasy and dry as well.
I rubbed a few strands between my fingers.
“Will you all excuse me?” I asked the others. “I want to take my wife and -“
“Go and make her comfortable. I will deal with anything that comes up here.” His eyes met mine. “If you need me then just shout.”
I nodded my head in thanks and lead my mate away with my arm around her shoulders. I wasn’t lying when I said I wanted to get her comfortable but I also wanted to know what she had found out.
What had taken the light out of her eyes?
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