And Then There Were Four

Chapter 63

Chapter 63: News of Talon

Taking the day to clear my mind of all the bodies that have been currently filling the pack house, I made my way into town. The need to escape the madness and find solitude in the only place I knew I could.

My favorite university.

Gripping the steering wheel of my sleek black car, I took enjoyment in the purring sound it made when I stepped on the gas. I never had a car like this, and even though it wasn’t top of the line like the guys had it was mine.

Flying past treelines, the car gripped the road without trouble. The silence allowed my mind to go through everything that had happened since the moment I woke up. I wasn’t sure where my future would lead, but I knew deep down what I was doing was right.

It had to be right.

Talon’s whereabouts were still unknown, and with him still missing, I couldn’t find the closure I so desperately needed. To top it off, James and Damian constantly fighting wasn’t doing any good.

James blamed him for everything that happened, and Hale sat quietly like a loose cannon ready to explode. The chaos wasn’t healthy for anyone, and if anyone should be blamed, it was me.

I was the one who came here and turned their lives upside down.

I was the one who decided to fix them and give up my chance of being normal.

They were simply following a calling. A beacon of hope they would have the mate they had always desired and with it. I brought more chaos.

Tears quietly slid down my cheeks as I let my bottled-up emotions free. The mess I had created broke me bit by bit, and as it did, I had the drive to fix it. I was just terrified while I was trying to fix it, I would fuck it up even more.

Turning off of the highway, I pulled onto the main streets of town, heading towards the university. Everything in the town was more than normal, and as I spotted some of my classmates walking on campus, I couldn’t help but be jealous of them.

That could have been me.

I could have been normal. I could have been so many things, but instead, I felt selfish.

Pushing back my emotions, I pulled into a parking spot on campus and dried my tears. My soul intention in coming to campus was to meet with my academic advisor and go over options to start taking classes again.

Yet, stepping out of my car, I felt weird. The last time I had been here was with Caleb, and his betrayal was a wound that still had not healed. He may have been bad, but he was desperate.

In times of desperation, we all make bad choices, and in the end, must learn to live with them.

Taking a deep breath, I pushed myself forward towards the office.

I had a goal to achieve, and once the five of us were back to a normal routine, I wanted to be prepared. I wanted to be able to continue what I had started.

It was about as close as I would get to being normal.

If there was even such a thing as being normal.

Forty-five minutes later, I was given every bit of information I could possibly need to get me prepared for online school. The very same type of schooling I had refused to do once before.

It was the best they could do for me, though, considering the circumstances of my immediate withdrawal a few weeks back.

“Ivy!”

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Chapter 63: News of Talon

I turned to see Kate smiling and waving at me from across the courtyard.

“What the heck are you doing here?” I called out as she approached me with a grin. “I thought this was just like a cover for you or something?”

Rolling her eyes, a grin lined her face. “No way. I actually like school contrary to what most people would think and my sexy mate happens to think smart girls are cute. So it’s a win-win for me.”

“Well, I’m glad he approves,” I laughed as I stood there soaking it in. “I have to admit, it’s weird to be back here, Kate.”

“Why?” she replied with a concerned look on her face. “You love school, and getting your degree has been a goal forever.”

“I know, but so much has changed since the first day I arrived here. My life was practically turned upside down, and I don’t know if I’m coming or going anymore.”

Pulling me in for a hug, she smiled down at me, “well, why don’t we go get coffee like old times and talk about it.”

As we pulled away, I hesitated for a moment and looked towards the campus cafe. It wasn’t the reason I had come here, but thinking about it, there was no way I could say no to her.

*Sure, that would be great.”

Turning, we headed towards the cafe as we had always done before. This time, though, we were down to two people that had usually joined us, and as if she knew what I was thinking, I watched her smile fade.

“It is weird, isn’t it?” she said softly as we ordered and took a seat in our favorite booth.

“Yeah, but at least things are slowly getting back to normal.”

“Well, well. If it isn’t my lucky day.” A snappy voice called to my left, and as I let my eyes gaze over the figure, my blood boiled, and every part of me wanted to lash out.

“Allison,” I seethed, “what brings you here to the campus? I didn’t realize you were trying to finally better yourself.”

All I wanted was normalcy for one day, and as always, fate didn’t want to allow me to have that. Instead, I was constantly bombarded by people like Allison.

Furrowing her brows, I watched her jaw clench before a smile lined her lips, “and I didn’t think you would be getting back into classes so soon. I had assumed you would have left already to go after your lost mate.”

Glancing at Kate, I watched her eyes widened in shock as she stared at Allison. Her lips slightly parted as if she was unsure of what to say. “Allison, don’t…”

“Don’t?” Allison smirked, placing her well-manicured nails upon her hips. “Don’t what?”

“Kate… what is she talking about?”

“Oh, my goddess. You guys haven’t told her?” Allison scoffed, “that’s pretty sad. To think I thought she was just being a bitch by not going after him. In reality… she doesn’t even know.”

Staring between the two of them, my heart began to race. They were hiding information from me. Information that led to Talon. “Kate, do you guys know where Talon is?”

Slowly she nodded her head with defeat, “it’s complicated.”

“Complicated my ass,” Allison exclaimed with disappointment before turning her attention to me. “You think I’m your enemy. You don’t have the slightest clue what they are really trying to do. Perhaps you should reevaluate your mates.”

“I fucking get it!” I snapped at her, watching as her eyes widened. “You need to leave…”

“What the hell?” Allison gasped as she stumbled over herself, backing away from me. “That isn’t possible. It just isn’t…”

Allison didn’t bother to finish her sentence before her figure disappeared through the front doors of the cafe. Her departure allowed the anger to slowly subside, and instead leave a trail of hurt straight to my heart. “Why?”

“Ivy-”

“No Kate… why are you guys hiding secrets?” I asked more clearly as I turned to her, waiting for an answer. “What just happened? I don’t understand.”

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Chapter 63: News of Talon

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“Well… a lot just happened,” she said, letting out a heavy sigh,” one of them being what you did to her.”

Taking a moment to think over what she was talking about, i frowned in confusion, “huh?

“Ivy,” she whispered, leaning over the table towards me as she looked around, “you just used an Alpha voice on her.”

A burst of laughter escaped me as I shook my head, “don’t be ridiculous. One, I’m not a wolf… and two, even if I was… I wouldn’t be an Alpha.”

“I don’t know, man. That was pretty intense-”

What she was saying made little sense, and brushing it off, I played it down to Allison overreacting. The woman was beyond irritating and an enjoyable coffee with Kate had been ruined by the news she gave me. © 2024 Nôv/el/Dram/a.Org.

“So is it true, then? You guys are hiding Talon from me?”

A wave of uneasiness seemed to seep from her before she nodded again. “Ivy, I’m so sorry. Damian said he didn’t want to bother you until he knew everything one hundred percent. He didn’t want to get your hopes up, and it’s way more complicated than we thought before.”

“What do you mean? How is it more complicated? I need to understand how finding my mate is complicated, Kate. Getting him back is my top priority.”

Slowly standing to her feet, she gestured with her head for me to follow. Unsure of where she was taking me, I didn’t bother to question her, and instead fell in step with her out of the cafe and back across campus. “What are we doing?” I asked her.

“I don’t want to discuss this where someone can hear us,” she replied as she continued to power walk farther away.

“Uh, why? What’s wrong that it’s so difficult for you to tell me back there?”

Stopping in her tracks, she turned to me for a moment and stared as if she wasn’t sure she should be saying anything. The hesitation in her eyes hurt considering how close we had gotten, but I could see her confliction clear as day.

“If I tell you, will you promise me you won’t do anything stupid?” she asked with concern laced within the depths of her eyes, “I’m serious, Ivy. Nothing stupid.”

Groaning, I rolled my eyes, “fine… Jesus, just fucking tell me already.”

As we walked across the courtyard and headed towards the small park across from the school, I couldn’t help but wonder what was so terrible she was finding difficulty in telling me what was wrong, and Damian, James, and Hale would hide it from me.

“Something’s wrong with him, Ivy.” Kate finally replied as she stopped in her tracks and looked around before her eyes once more fell on me. “He isn’t normal.”

I knew it. Deep down, I knew that something was wrong with him from the moment I woke up in the hospital. It was as if I could feel his pain and agony without being connected to him.

I wasn’t sure why, but at the same time, I just knew.

“What’s wrong with him?”

Shrugging her shoulders, she shook her head slightly with a sad look in her eyes, “we don’t know, Ivy. He has become unreachable through the link and his wolf is acting erratically. Almost as if he has gone crazy, and his humanity is no longer there.”

My heart raced hearing her words. There was no way that was possible. Things like that just didn’t happen in this world. He was perfectly fine the last time I had seen him.

Storming away from her, I hurried across the street, and bee-lined straight for my car.

“Ivy! What are you doing?” Kate screamed at me as I heard her footsteps quickly approaching from behind me. “You promised me

Spinning around, I stopped and stared at her, “I am going to see Damian. It’s time they stop hiding things from me as they always do and bring me in on Talon’s status. Keeping secrets isn’t going to build our relationship, Kate. I’m done with it.”

“Shit-” she groaned as she climbed into my passenger side and closed the door, buckling herself in. “Fine, fuck it. Let’s go.”

“He is going to be pissed, you told me. You know that, right?” I grinned at her. “Sure you don’t want to wait it out?

Chapter 63: News of Talon

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“No, just fucking go,” she sighed, “you’re right. They shouldn’t be hiding things from you at all.”

Surprised to hear she was agreeing with me, a smile crossed my face. The problem was it didn’t last long, because an ache in my chest grew slowly thinking over Talon.

He was alone wherever he was, and everything that had happened because of me was causing him to lose sight of himself. I needed to find out what Damian knew, and I had to force them somehow to find him.

It had to be done whether they wanted to do it or not.

I need Talon, and I know he needs me.