Casper

I checked my watch. Emily Hartley was due to arrive any minute.

I'd tried to convince myself all day that this evening didn't matter, that it was just another family dinner, but as I stood in front of the mirror, messing with my hair for about the 100th time that evening, I knew I couldn't kid myself any longer.

I just had to accept that Emily was likely to be my future wife, and my mate. Sure, she would never be my true mate, but over time werewolves could form bonds that were very nearly as strong as those who had found their true mate. It would just take a little longer.

And it could be worse. Emily was actually really nice. And she was just like me in lots of ways. Like her taste in staff.

I shook my head. I wasn't to think about him today. I'd promised myself I wouldn't think about him today. And I had sort of succeeded. As long as 'not thinking about him' was the same as 'thinking about him', because I had done not much of the former and way too much of the latter.

I headed downstairs to the lounge, and just a few minutes later, Emily walked in. She was beautifully dressed in a fitted navy blue dress with lace overlay, which came to just below her knees.

She smiled shyly when her eyes met mine.

I walked over, and took her hand. "Miss Hartley," I said, before leaning over to kiss her fingers lightly.

"Please, call me Emily," she said.

I smiled and led her to the sofa where we sat and chatted while waiting to be called to dinner.

Just like at the ball, I found her company to be very enjoyable. She was lively and fun and very easy to get along with.

Not long after, we were joined by Luna and Star.

Emily conversed easily with my sisters which I was glad to see. After a while though I saw something in Luna - a glint in her eye that usually meant trouble.

"So Emily," she said smiling, "I've heard that your dad runs things a little differently in your home."

It wasn't really a question, but I knew Luna was expecting an answer.

"I suppose our home is a little different," Emily replied, "but that's probably because my father has nothing to do with the running of the house. That's the responsibility of my mother."

Luna raised an eyebrow but before she could ask anything else, my dad appeared in the doorway to let us know that dinner was ready.

As we ate in the company of my father, dinner was very reserved and conversation stayed on safe topics.

After lunch, when me, my sisters and Emily made our way back into the lounge, I noticed there was someone else already in the room.

He handed Emily a cardigan, which she must have requested at some point.

Now, normally, once a member of staff had performed the task they were asked to do, they would leave the room, but Emily immediately engaged him in conversation.

"So, how have things been since we last spoke? Are you still enjoying working here?"

"I've been good thanks, and yes, I am enjoying it here." I noticed that his eyes flitted slightly towards me as he said this.

Emily must have noticed as she said, "Don't feel you've got to say that, just because Casper's here. Come on Casper," she said waving me over, "how do you get your little Cub here to tell the truth."

I walked over to where they were, not failing to notice the shocked expressions on both Star and Luna's faces.

"What makes you think I could get him to tell the truth?" I replied to Emily.

"And what makes you think I'm not telling the truth?" he asked Emily.

I'm sure I heard one of my sister's gasp at his reply. Even though I was used to him talking to myself like that, I internally cringed.

Emily just laughed though, clearly not bothered by his directness.

"Ok, fair point, but can you answer this honestly? Would you tell me the truth if you weren't happy?"

He smiled at Emily and I could see a glint of mischief in his eye.

"You seem to suggest that I am afraid of something, or someone. Do you really think that's the case?"

I smiled to myself, glad that it wasn't just me that had their questions answered with another question.

"I don't know," she replied still smiling. "What do you think Casper, is he afraid of you?"

I looked over at him and he looked me straight in the eye, holding my gaze.

"Of course he's not afraid of me," I said, not breaking eye contact. "He certainly doesn't lack courage....intelligence maybe."

He finally looked away with a slight chuckle.

"Casper!" Emily chastised while smacking me lightly on the arm.

"Oh don't worry about me," he said to Emily, "he's said far worse things that that."

I was about to reply when I was suddenly cut off by Luna stepping up next to me.

"What on earth is going on?" she said. "Does he always talk to you like that?"

"Pretty much," I replied shrugging.

I could see my Cub shuffling around nervously, but I wasn't worried. I knew Luna well enough to know that she wasn't one to tell tales. Heck, she'd caused more trouble than the rest of us put together.

Luna walked over to the valet and began pacing round him, like she was sizing up her prey.

"So then....what's your name?"

"Cub," I replied before he had a chance to answer.

He shut his mouth and I saw him raise an eyebrow in my direction.

Luna smirked. "That's an unusual name."

"It suits him though, don't you think?" Emily said smiling.

Luna looked him up and down and he did well to maintain his composure. Many a man had been left trembling under her piercing gaze.

"I guess," she finally replied.

"So Cub," Luna said, "what's so special about you?"

He gave Luna a puzzled look.

I surreptitiously wiped my sweaty hands on my trousers.

"What makes you think there's anything special about me?" he asked.

Luna just stared.

"Oh, you should know Luna," I butted in, "he rarely answers a question. It's like banging your head against a brick wall sometimes."

Luna smirked. "Oh good, I like a challenge." she purred.

For the first time, I saw my Cub looking a little nervous. I didn't blame him.

Emily must have picked up on it too as she said, "Come on, let's leave the poor boy alone."

"No, no," said Luna mischievously, "you two started this. Why should you get to have all the fun?"

I was definitely starting to feel uncomfortable now. I wanted to go and grab hold of my Cub and drag him out of the room, away from Luna's icy gaze. But I couldn't. Luna would definitely suspect something if I tried to protect him from her.

I bit my bottom lip, and stayed silent.

Luna turned her attention back to the poor boy.

"I've heard that your Duncan's nephew."

"That's right," he replied.

"You don't look much like him," she said.

"Not all nephews look like their uncles," he replied.

Of course, I knew why he didn't look like Duncan, but I wasn't about to share that with anyone. He might not want people to know that he was adopted.

"Hmm, you don't act like him either," Luna added.

My Cub remained silent, but I could see his jaw clench slightly.

"Shall we play a game?" Emily suddenly exclaimed, pointing to the area where there were some board games out on the table.

"Good idea," I said quickly making my way over there. I turned to my Cub, "Could you please go and bring some tea and coffee in?"

"Yes, of course," he said, before making a hasty retreat out of the door.

Luna started laughing.

I glared at her. "He's not some toy for you to play with," I growled at her.

She stopped laughing and raised an eyebrow at me. "Are you talking to me there, or yourself?"

"Umm, please could someone point me in the direction of the bathroom?" Emily suddenly piped up.

Luna sighed. "Yes come on, I'll take you. I could do with a bit of air myself." And together they left the room.

I flopped back onto the sofa and let out a huge sigh.

"Are you ok?" a quiet voice asked.

I jumped slightly, and looked across to my sister Star, who I had forgotten was still in here.

Star was the quietest in our family. She wasn't very outgoing and prefered to sit on the sidelines and watch. That didn't mean she didn't have an opinion though. In fact, in some ways, out of the three of us, she was the one who clashed with dad the most. She could be very stubborn at times.

"I'm fine," I replied, not sure what else to say.

"He's different, isn't he?" she said.

I felt a small smile creep on my face. "He certainly is," I replied. "He completely baffles me sometimes. I'm supposed to be training him, but to be honest I'm not sure how. He's so different from other members of staff, I don't know what to do."

I sat up and looked at Star, "You're good with people, how would you handle someone like him?"

Star looked at me with her bright blue eyes, then started to laugh. Her laugh wasn't like Luna's. It wasn't harsh and filled with ridicule. It was gentle and soothing.

However her words were anything but.

"When I said he was different, I meant he's different to you."

I blinked at her, slightly unsure of what she meant.

"Yes, I have treated him a bit differently, but that's because of how he is."

"Is it really?" she said with a kind smile.

"Yes, you've seen how he is. He doesn't act like the others." I said feeling a little panicky.

"Yes, he doesn't act like the others, but that's because you don't treat him like the others." Star said.

I frowned. I was sure she was wrong.

"This is sounding a bit like the old chicken and egg problem." I reasoned, "but in this case I can assure you that it was definitely his odd behaviour that came first."

"I'm not denying that," Star said, "but how did you react to that behaviour? I've seen staff, especially new staff, not show the level of respect that is expected, and you've had no problem in correcting their behaviour, so why not this time?"

She had me there. Why had I not corrected him before?

Truth was, I knew the answer to that question, and the thought made my stomach clench, and my heart rate speed up.

I hadn't corrected him, because I liked it. I liked that he spoke to me as more of an equal. I liked him. I felt like he was a friend.

I groaned and put my head in my hands. "I don't know," I mumbled. It wasn't a lie. I was just going back to Star's original question. Why was he different? I had absolutely no idea.