And Then There Were Four by Lilith Carrie

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Hale POV

Seeing her walk into the club was like a dream.

Too many times in my sleep had I seen her walking back to me, and as much as my heart wanted it to be true, I knew it wasn’t possible. She had been torn away from me, and I lived with that pain every day. I just was shocked it hadn’t killed me.

“You have to give it a chance, Hale,” James said softly, as I stared at the front door. Damian had walked through it in a huff, and I was left confused, showing no emotion.

“I don’t think that’s possible,” I said beneath my breath as I watched James from the corner of my eye shake his head and go towards his room.

My thoughts swirling over the night’s events, and memories of Ivy flooding over me.

I could almost taste her on my tongue the first time I ever kissed her. Her pouty pink lips waiting for me in the next room to take once more. Yet, I doubt taking the forefront of any desire I had lingering for her.

With a heavy breath, I laid back on the sofa and closed my eyes. My mind, begging for release.

******

By the time my eyes opened again, darkness had surrounded us completely. I wasn’t sure what time it was, but listening carefully, I could tell Damian had come back at some point and he and the others were sound asleep.

Moving to my feet, I walked down the hall towards the bathroom, but as soon as I got to her door, I couldn’t help but hesitate. My curiosity begged me to open her door and see her again.

Taking a deep breath, I exhaled and did just that. I pushed the door open and quietly stepped into her darkened room. The smell of her perfume wrapping around me as I pushed forward.

My eyes settled on her petite sleeping form, stirring my wolf.

Slowly, I stepped forward and watched her. How was it that this woman could affect me as much as she did? It was something I would never understand.

She was my biggest weakness, and yet at the same time, my greatest asset.

****

Ivy POV

Running. I always seemed to be running, and as I was I could see him. The beautiful wolf I had grown to admire no matter how much he was thought to be dangerous.

“Talon!” I called out, watching as the wolf looked at me with a pained expression and then fought off something that seemed to be trapping him. I didn’t understand what was happening, but as I ran through the snow covered forest I called out to him again. “Talon, please wait!”

It was of no use though. The more I ran and the harder I tried the slower I became.

A heavy weight seemed to fall over me that didn’t make any sense, and with it I felt helpless to the situation. But the sensation I was being watched chilled me to my bones.

Letting my eyes scan the forest I waited for whatever it was to attack. The only problem was I felt myself being pulled, and as I was I realized something—it was only another dream.

The same dream I had been having for the past few nights, only this time it felt more real.

Something was pulling me back to reality, and I felt him before I opened my eyes.

The smell of his cologne woke me from my slumber as I slowly opened my eyes to see him standing next to my bed, looking down at me.

“Hale?” I whispered, causing him to startle and step backwards. “Don’t go.”

“Why, Ivy?” he asked with more vulnerability in his voice than I had expected.

I was confused by his question, and as I sat up in the bed, I stared at him. “Why what?”

“Why did you come here?”

“Because,” I sighed. “I want you with me. The bond… it isn’t broken, and I don’t want a life without you, Hale. I need you with me.”

There was no hesitation in my response. It was all true, and I had to have him realize that no part of me ever wanted to lose him. It wasn’t my choice, and despite the opportunity to run from them, I didn’t.

“You don’t know what you’re saying,” he replied firmly. “You had the chance to be free, and live a life as a human does. Being with us will take all of that from you.”

I was aware of what he was saying, and regardless of all of it, I didn’t care.

“I know. Yet, I still came.” Standing to my feet, I moved towards him, but as I approached, he recoiled. He didn’t want me touching him, and I knew why.

“You shouldn’t have come, Ivy,” he said, causing me to halt in my steps. My heart, already broken, couldn’t take much more, but at the same time I could see it would be difficult for him to know the truth unless I did one thing…

Before he could move again, I moved forward quickly and wrapped my arms around his waist, holding him tight against me in a hug. The feeling of him in my arms once more warmed me and brought tears to my eyes.

For a moment earlier, I never thought I would feel this again.

Hale was stiff at first, but slowly he melted within my touch. His hands going to my face as he raised my eyes to meet his. Tears lined them as they slowly slid down his cheeks.

“I didn’t want to believe they were telling the truth,” he sobbed quietly. “How…”

Smiling, my own tears began to fall, and I shook my head. “I don’t know, Hale.”

It only took a moment for his lips to captivate my own, and with the kiss, I felt my heart swell with love, realizing that in some way I had him back. I had the man who made me swoon, and fall over and over again… back in my life.

“Please don’t leave me again,” he whispered, leaning his head against my own.

“I won’t—” I cried, giving a soft laugh, “I promise, Hale. I won’t leave again.”

There was a moment of silence between us before the door burst open, and James and Damian stood there staring at us with smiles on their faces.

“Oh, thank f c k for that,” James replied, letting out a sigh of relief. “For a moment there, I thought you really were f u c k n g going to blow us off.”

Turning in Hale’s grasp, I stopped short when he pulled me against him tightly again. His eyes met mine as he shook his head no. I knew that he wasn’t ready to let go of me, and I was fine with that. I would do whatever he wanted to make him feel comfortable.

“I’m not saying I understand all of this completely, and that I agree with the prophecy, but I am willing to give it one last try. As you said, Damian, this is for her. Not us.”

Damian nodded at Hale, and a bit of uncertainty filled me. I wasn’t sure what he meant by that, but at the same time I was happy that Hale was at least giving something a chance.

“Good,” Damian finally said after a moment, “because we have problems back home and we need to get back.”

“We can’t yet… We have to find Talon.” I gasped, looking at James and Damian with confusion.

“Ivy—” Damian replied, shaking his head.

Fear swept through me. I needed them all. “No!” I screamed, “we have to find him. He needs me… I can tell. Talon needs me. I have to find him.”

There was nothing but panic in my voice. For too many nights I had dreamt of Talon, and through those dreams I could tell he was in pain, and the anger he felt was uncontrollable.

Perhaps, they had been dreams, but at the same time I couldn’t just let that be it. I needed him just as much as I needed the others.

“Ivy,” Hale said softly in my ear. “I will make sure we find him, but Damian is right. We have to go home first, and then we can look for him.”

James nodded in agreement as he stood with his eyes crossed, looking at me.

It was pointless to argue against all three of them, at the end of the day their word was final.