Cassie
“Cassie,”
I paused, turning so sharply that my rubber soled shoes made an awkward squeaking sound on the corridor floor.
“Hey there Mandy.” I greeted the woman with a smile. She was a pencil pusher, the liaison between the wolf community and the humans. I wasn’t even sure she was a shifter herself but she knew enough about us to be given this job and what was more I had always liked her.
“How are you?”
“Have you almost finished for the day? I need to talk to you about something-“Her eyes danced up and down the empty hallway and my heart sank.
“Yeah,” I half lifted the files in my hand. “I just need to “ I was making an excuses as to why I didn’t want to talk to her and that wasn’t me. I just wasn’t sure I could take any more weirdness.
Since the moment of my farce of a wedding had happened my life had been one weird event after another and I wasn’t sure how much more I could take.
“I need to talk to you in private Cassie.”
I sighed, my fingers fiddling with the scarf around my throat. I hated wearing it, it might look jaunty and cute but it was itchy and I hated it. Not that I would ever dare walk around with my neck on show. Not until those marks had disappeared which shouldn’t take long luckily. I was a little surprised they were still there as it was.
“Ok.” I forced myself to smile as she began walking towards her office and like an obedient dog I followed after her. That’s all I seemed to be doing recently. What I was told. I had literally turned into an obedient dog.
“Take a seat.”
I hesitated. Mandy’s voice was all business. Totally different to her usual friendly tone. It made me even more nervous. “What’s going on Mandy?” Reluctantly I took the seat and waited.
“I wanted to talk to you about your place in the Royal Lycan medical unit.”
My head snapped up and I found myself smiling before I could help myself. Only the best of the best got in. I’d applied years ago straight from school and been turned down because I didn’t have the experience. I had that experience now and what was more I was an amazing doctor. A gifted one. I had been promised that a place within the unit was mine on the next rotation.
“They have decided to offer the spot to Megan.”
It was like someone pulled the rug from under my feet. I blinked rapidly at her in shock. Positive that I hadn’t heard her right.
“I beg your pardon.”
“I’m sorry Cassie.”
I sank into the seat, literally curling up on myself. This couldn’t be happening. But it was. Deep down I knew she wasn’t lying to me. This was actually happening.
Pursing my lips I blew out a breath. My eyes stung with tears that I refused to let fall. I wouldn’t cry in front of her.
“I’m sorry Cassie.” Reaching across the desk she handed me a tissue and I blotted my eyes. “I know how much you wanted into the unit.”
I had wanted it. It was my life goal ever since I had been a kid. The Royal Lycan medical unit was my dream. They did important and groundbreaking work there. Work that might one day help my mother. And now that dream was gone. Snatched from right beneath my nose by a wolf who wasn’t even half the doctor I was.
None of it made sense.
“Can I ask why?” I didn’t mention Megan's name but I wanted to.
Mandy’s eyes moved around the office. “Believe me it’s not because she is more suited for the role. And I have let them know that you are the better candidate but-“ Her shoulders slumped as she shuddered. “Someone important put her name forward and he outranks me. I’m sorry Cassie but there’s nothing I can do. Maybe the next intake-“
I shook my head, cutting her off. “We both know it won’t happen then. I’ll be too old. Who put her name forward?”
“Julian, the prince,” Mandy whispered.
Julian? My eyes widened. My husband. The one I had never met and who hadn’t even bothered turning up to sign the contracts.
Heir to the throne of the Lycan king?
My mouth fell open but no words came out. Not even a squeak.
“I don’t know how he knows Megan but he was insistent.”
I’d heard enough. Pushing back the chair I stood up and her sympathetic eyes followed me.
“I am really sorry Cassie.”
“It’s fine.” I lied because it really wasn’t fine at all but there was nothing I could do about it. Not if Julian himself had put Megan in my spot.
The real question was why? Why would he do that? And how the hell did Megan know my husband well enough that she got the place meant for me?
In my pocket, my cell phone began to ring shrilly and I recognised it as the ringtone I had put on for my father.
My heart sank even more.
Talking to my father was the last thing I wanted to do.
“I have to take this.”
From behind her desk, Mandy nodded.
Without looking back I walked away. Pressing the phone to my ear I took a deep breath and answered him.
“Hi, Dad.” My footsteps as I headed towards my office and the sanctuary it would offer me were loud. It was like the hospital had just turned deathly silent. “How are you?” I forced myself to ask.
“You are being picked up this evening.”
I froze. “What do you mean picked up?”
“Your husband has arranged a car and a driver to come and collect you and take you home.”
There was no warmth in his voice. Hell, he hadn’t even said hello or asked how I was. But that was typically him.
He just didn’t care enough to make even polite small talk.
“I am more than capable of getting myself home.” I snapped straight back. When it came to him I just couldn’t help myself. I always snapped back. “I have a car and have been driving myself home for years. I know the way.”
“You’re going to the home he has chosen for you. The one you will share with your husband and raise your pups.”
Pups? I swallowed hard. I didn’t want pups, especially not with a man I had never met but was somehow tied to. But it did remind me that I had to take the vial that was in my bag. The contraceptive that meant there would be no unwanted pregnancies after what had happened yesterday.
“Your belongings have already been packed up and moved so you should find everything you need.”
I shook myself. “You can’t be serious?”
Except I knew he was. When it came to my life my father was always serious. It didn’t matter to him if I hated what was happening to me. All he cared about was regaining the prestige our family had once had within the Lycan king's court. I didn’t care about any of that.
I cared about my life though and at the moment it felt like everyone was having a say in it but me.
“Deadly serious Cassie and don’t you dare make a scene when you get there. Do your duty to your family and give your husband heirs. I know you aren’t the submissive type.”
I could almost hear the sarcasm in his voice. Like somehow not being submissive made me a bad person. But of course, to him it probably did. He hated that I had my own mind. He hated it almost as much as he hated the fact I wasn’t a boy.
“But around Julian, you do as you're told. Be a good mate otherwise -“ he laughed a mirthless almost ruthless laugh. “Well you wouldn’t want your mother to suffer would you?”
“No,” I whispered. “No, I don't want her to suffer.”
“Then be a good wife to him. Do as you're told and don’t make any problems and your mother's medical bills will continue to be paid.” He didn’t even take a breath before continuing. “A woman named Cathy will meet you there and get you settled in. Don’t let me down Cassie, I’m warning you.”