And Then There Were Four by Lilith Carrie

Yet, here three of them were sitting, asking me to be in the middle of a massive o r g y.

“If I say no…” I was curious to know what their reaction would be if I said no. As I expected, Talon’s face contorted into anger, and he stood to his feet, storming towards the door.

“I told you she wouldn’t f u c k i n g accept us,” Talon growled, throwing the door open and storming out of it. My eyes widened in shock as I glanced back at the others. I didn’t know what to say or do because I wasn’t saying no. I was simply asking what would happen if I did.

A hurt expression crossed Hales’s face as he stood to his feet, “no… stay.”

My quick reply took him by surprise as I stood, following out the door where Talon had escaped too. The morning sun glared down upon me, causing me to raise my hand above my eyes to shield them from the awful glare.

“Talon?” I called out as I searched around, trying to figure out where he had disappeared too. As I searched near the tree line, I saw a disappearing figure that looked like him. “Talon!” I yelled again, hoping that he would stop so that I could explain.

I didn’t like the idea of following him into the woods, but I couldn’t let him think that I was telling him no. I had to explain myself, and make him understand that I just wanted to know all of my options. Moving quickly through the brush, I entered deep into the thick darkness of the woods.

Every step I took creaked across the foliage as broken leaves ached at the heaviness of my step. “Talon?” I called out again, frustrated that I was out here in nothing but my robe searching for a man with more anger issues than I knew what to do with.

The sounds of something moving within the forest caused me to halt in my steps. My heartbeat slowly picked up as I spun around in a circle, trying to figure out what it was that was out there. The uneasy feeling of being watched creeping through me and uncertainty settling in.

“This isn’t funny!” I screamed out loud as fear swept through me. I wasn’t stupi d when it came to nature. I knew what could be out there. Bears, mountain lions, wolves… those were just some of the dangerous animals that could be near me at any given time.

The low growl of something sounded from behind me, and I froze. I knew that growl was of a wolf, an animal I had spent time with in a sanctuary in Georgia. Slowly I turned around and came face to face with a wolf more massive than any I had ever seen.

“Oh shi t… sh i t, s h i t, s h i t.” I mumbled to myself, “Hey there, little wolfie—”

The creature snapped in my direction quickly, and I thought I was done, but to my surprise, it seemed to be a warning to watch myself. As a tear slid down my face, I tried to take small baby steps backward, attempting to leave the forest, and get as far away from the creature as I possibly could.

Oh, my G o d. I’m going to die.

Tears streamed down my face as I heard James yelling my name in the distance. I couldn’t call out to him, though, because with every step I took closer towards his voice, the wolf took a step closer to me.

“Please don’t kill me…” I pleaded with it, not wanting my life to end over something so stup i d.

“Ivy!” James yelled again, getting closer. The sounds of multiple footsteps approached until he stopped just short of behind me, holding his hands up to the wolf.

“Enough!” Hale growled, causing the wolf to look at him with uncertainty.

Confusion split through me. With Hales’ command, the wolf took a step back as if obeying what he was saying. It was impossible unless this thing was his pet.

“Is this your pet?” I asked, slowly pushing myself behind Hale and James. The mention of it being a pet caused it to snarl at me again.

James, however, found my remark to be amusing, “yeah… he is our pet.” He stated before giving me a smirk.

The feeling that I was safe was comforting, but before I could say anything else, the cracking of bones resonated through the forest, and I watched in shock as the wolf in front of me changed.

“What the f u c k are you doing?!” James yelled out in frustration as Hale tried to pull me out of the forest. However, my feet were planted firm, and my eyes widened in shock as I saw the wolf turn from a wolf to Talon.

“Oh my Go d—” I whispered.

“She may as well know. What the f u c k does it matter if she knows now?” Talon snapped, throwing the statement my way.

James shoved Talon back, who had tried to step closer, “we were supposed to handle this a different way, man. Not like this. She wasn’t ready.”

Wolves— like f u c k i n g werewolves.

No, way. Werewolves are real?!

“Whoa, whoa, whoa,” I stated, holding my hands up to silence them. “Werewolves are real?”

The three men stood staring at me before Hale smiled and nodded his head, “yes, we are, as are other creatures from your fairytale books.”

It took a moment for what he said to sink in, and slowly I spun around, walking away from them. I wasn’t upset that they were werewolves. On the contrary, I was fascinated and excited at the same time. But what I wouldn’t tolerate was being lied to.

“See! Look at her f u c k i n g leaving like I knew she would!” Talon screamed at Hale and James, causing me to turn around and storm back to him. This time though, I shoved past Hale and James and walked straight up to Talon, using my hands with all my might to shove him back.

The golden ring was coming to the forefront of his eyes, and James was trying to snat c h me away. “No! I am going to say what the f u c k I have to say, and this pric k is going to listen.” I yelled, pointing at Talon.

“What do you honestly have to say? Nothing, I don’t already know.” He snapped back at me with an agonizing look as if trying to hold himself back.

“Seriously!” Taking my finger, I poked it into his chest while staring at him, “you are a f u c

k

i n g idiot, Talon. All you do is make snide remarks and assume sh i t just like Damian.”

“Don’t you dare talk about my brother like that,” Talon growled.

“Oh, what… you don’t like me saying that he is an egotistical a s s h o l e with no regard except his own happiness. Yeah, that’s clearly f u c k i ng obvious.”

There was no backing down from this argument with Talon. None of them knew the real me. They had never even taken the time to get to know me, and everyone, even James, had done nothing but assumed who I was or what I could handle.

“I’m warning you, human…”

“Ivy, don’t do this. He isn’t like Hale and me.” James warned me, trying to pull me away.

“No, he isn’t–” I replied, shaking my head in disappointment as the anger slowly slid away and was replaced with hurt. “Just for the record, Talon. I wasn’t saying no. I wanted to know more about what you wanted. But obviously, there is a lot I don’t know about any of you.”

Pulling from James’ grasp, I made my way down the path I had gone down before until my feet stepped upon the grass, and the sun once again soaked into me.

“Ivy,” James called out, coming up behind me. “Please let me explain.”

A sigh left me before I chuckled, “explain what?” I asked, turning around, “that you didn’t think I was able to know the truth about anything because I am a f u c k i n g human?”

James was shocked by my response and shook his head. “No, that isn’t it.”

“Well, obviously it is. It makes sense now why Damian wanted to keep you guys away from me.”

“Ivy, please let me explain,” he asked again, gripping my arm gently and trying to pull me towards him. I could have at that moment fallen into him and accepted what he was offering, but to be honest, I needed time to adjust to what had just happened.

“No, James. I need time to be left alone.”