Chapter 63
And Then There Were Four
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 wasnât 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 wasnât sure where my future would lead, but I knew deep down what I was doing was right.
It had to be right.
Talonâs whereabouts were still unknown, and with him still missing, I couldnât find the closure I so desperately needed. To top it off, James and Damian constantly fighting wasnât doing any good.
James blamed him for everything that happened, and Hale sat quietly like a loose cannon ready to explode. The chaos wasnât 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 couldnât 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.
âIvy!â
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Chapter 63: News of Talon I turned to see Kate smiling and waving at me from across the courtyard.
âWhat the heck are you doing here?â I called out as she approached me with a grin. âI thought this was just like a cover for you or something?â
Rolling her eyes, a grin lined her face. âNo way. I actually like school contrary to what most people would think and my sexy mate happens to think smart girls are cute. So itâs a win-win for me.â
âWell, Iâm glad he approves,â I laughed as I stood there soaking it in. âI have to admit, itâs weird to be back here, Kate.â
âWhy?â she replied with a concerned look on her face. âYou love school, and getting your degree has been a goal forever.â
âI know, but so much has changed since the first day I arrived here. My life was practically turned upside down, and I donât know if Iâm coming or going anymore.â
Pulling me in for a hug, she smiled down at me, âwell, why donât we go get coffee like old times and talk about it.â
As we pulled away, I hesitated for a moment and looked towards the campus cafe. It wasnât 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.â
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.
âIt is weird, isnât it?â she said softly as we ordered and took a seat in our favorite booth.
âYeah, but at least things are slowly getting back to normal.â
âWell, well. If it isnât my lucky day.â 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.
âAllison,â I seethed, âwhat brings you here to the campus? I didnât realize you were trying to finally better yourself.â
All I wanted was normalcy for one day, and as always, fate didnât 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, âand I didnât think you would be getting back into classes so soon. I had assumed you would have left already to go after your lost mate.â
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. âAllison, donâtâ¦â
âDonât?â Allison smirked, placing her well-manicured nails upon her hips. âDonât what?â
âKate⦠what is she talking about?â
âOh, my goddess. You guys havenât told her?â Allison scoffed, âthatâs pretty sad. To think I thought she was just being a bitch by not going after him. In reality⦠she doesnât even know.â
Staring between the two of them, my heart began to race. They were hiding information from me.
Information that led to Talon. âKate, do you guys know where Talon is?â
Slowly she nodded her head with defeat, âitâs complicated.â
âComplicated my ass,â Allison exclaimed with disappointment before turning her attention to me. âYou think Iâm your enemy. You donât have the slightest clue what they are really trying to do. Perhaps you should reevaluate your mates.â
âI fucking get it!â I snapped at her, watching as her eyes widened. âYou need to leaveâ¦â
âWhat the hell?â Allison gasped as she stumbled over herself, backing away from me. âThat isnât possible. It just isnâtâ¦â
Allison didnât 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. âWhy?â
âIvy-â
âNo Kate⦠why are you guys hiding secrets?â I asked more clearly as I turned to her, waiting for an answer. âWhat just happened? I donât understand.â
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12.36 Chapter 63: News of Talon LY.1 âWell⦠a lot just happened,â she said, letting out a heavy sigh,â one of them being what you did to her.â
Taking a moment to think over what she was talking about, i frowned in confusion, âhuh?
âIvy,â she whispered, leaning over the table towards me as she looked around, âyou just used an Alpha voice on her.â
A burst of laughter escaped me as I shook my head, âdonât be ridiculous. One, Iâm not a wolf⦠and two, even if I was⦠I wouldnât be an Alpha.â
âI donât know, man. That was pretty intense-â
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.
âSo is it true, then? You guys are hiding Talon from me?â
A wave of uneasiness seemed to seep from her before she nodded again. âIvy, Iâm so sorry. Damian said he didnât want to bother you until he knew everything one hundred percent. He didnât want to get your hopes up, and itâs way more complicated than we thought before.â
âWhat 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.â
Slowly standing to her feet, she gestured with her head for me to follow. Unsure of where she was taking me, I didnât bother to question her, and instead fell in step with her out of the cafe and back across campus. âWhat are we doing?â I asked her.
âI donât want to discuss this where someone can hear us,â she replied as she continued to power walk farther away.
âUh, why? Whatâs wrong that itâs so difficult for you to tell me back there?â
Stopping in her tracks, she turned to me for a moment and stared as if she wasnât 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.
âIf I tell you, will you promise me you wonât do anything stupid?â she asked with concern laced within the depths of her eyes, âIâm serious, Ivy. Nothing stupid.â
Groaning, I rolled my eyes, âfine⦠Jesus, just fucking tell me already.â
As we walked across the courtyard and headed towards the small park across from the school, I couldnât 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.
âSomethingâs wrong with him, Ivy.â Kate finally replied as she stopped in her tracks and looked around before her eyes once more fell on me. âHe isnât normal.â
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 wasnât sure why, but at the same time, I just knew.
âWhatâs wrong with him?â
Shrugging her shoulders, she shook her head slightly with a sad look in her eyes, âwe donât 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.â
My heart raced hearing her words. There was no way that was possible. Things like that just didnât 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.
âIvy! What are you doing?â Kate screamed at me as I heard her footsteps quickly approaching from behind me. âYou promised me Spinning around, I stopped and stared at her, âI am going to see Damian. Itâs time they stop hiding things from me as they always do and bring me in on Talonâs status. Keeping secrets isnât going to build our relationship, Kate. Iâm done with it.â
âShit-â she groaned as she climbed into my passenger side and closed the door, buckling herself in.
âFine, fuck it. Letâs go.â
âHe is going to be pissed, you told me. You know that, right?â I grinned at her. âSure you donât want to wait it out?
Chapter 63: News of Talon Lv.1 âNo, just fucking go,â she sighed, âyouâre right. They shouldnât be hiding things from you at all.â
Surprised to hear she was agreeing with me, a smile crossed my face. The problem was it didnât 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.