And Then There Were Four

The moment I stepped out of Cassie's room, my heart sank into my stomach. For a moment, I had actually thought our bond was blossoming, but instead I was a fool to think I was anything more than a quick lay for her. Mate or not, she was adamant to keep me away at

Lucas.

every turn.

So of course, I showed her how much of an asshole I could be.

It wasn't hard to hear her scream once I left her room. I had stayed for a moment trying to decide if I wanted to go back in and apologize. Goddess knows every part of me wanted too, but my Lycan... he wasn't pleased. She doesn't deserve our mark...

The dark, stormy whispers within my mind were loud, and as hard as I tried to shrug them off, they had gotten louder since I came to this realm. I needed something, anything to quiet them, and as much as I wanted to sleep, I didn't see it happening anytime soon. Step by step, I stormed down the hallway with my room in sight, but even the thought of going there right now didn't seem comforting. The last thing I needed was to get into trouble with all of these people lingering around, but at the same time, all I really wanted was a drink.

A drink to clear my mind and perhaps the company of a woman who was actually worth talking to. Not that I could actually do that. I had just laid with my mate, my fated chosen by the gods themselves, and in a way, I was rejected-even if she didn't say it. Passing the threshold of my door, I exited the same way I had come in with Cassie and ventured outside into the garden. The cool night air blew gently against my skin, and inhaling deeply, I tried to ignore the scent of my beautiful mate still lingering around the area. She was everything I wanted in a mate, and yet pissed me off more than anything. How was I supposed to complete a bond when she refused my mark? It was in our nature to want to be bonded at least, that was what I was told. Could I honestly have been wrong?

Was this not how the mate bond worked?

"Are you okay?" The sound of a

woman's voice caught my attention, and looking to my down the

shadowed path that led towards the schoot a red-haired woman with glowing eyes stepped forth into my view.

I wasn't sure who she was, but I remembered seeing her around campus. Her long red hair blew against the breeze as the glowing greenish-blue eyes she had stared into the darkness like a cat stalking

its prey.

I wasn't sure why she was out here or, better yet, near the dorms but shaking my head, I brushed her off and turned my attention back towards the moons above. "Yeah, I'm fine. Just getting some air." Turning away from the woman, I closed my eyes, and hoped she would take the hint to walk away, but instead, she stepped closer to me, causing my body to stand on edge.

"You look like you could use a friend-" she said softly as if she was trying not to alert me in any way. "You're Lucas, aren't you?"

Snapping my gaze to where she wasUpstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g

now, only standing feet away from me, I had the opportunity to really take her appearance into account. Red hair, glowing eyes and a wicked smile on her face spoke of the trouble this woman was. She was older, much older than me but something about the look of her seemed so familiar.

"Who are you?" The snipped question caused her brows to raise impressively.

"The dean of your school for one," she replied, causing a knot to form in my stomach due to my rude stupidity. "But also someone who knows how to find something you want." Confusion filled my mind as my brows knitted together. "What do you mean, something that I want? I don't want anything, and I don't have time for riddles, lady, no offense."