And Then There Were Four

Chapter 32

Chapter 32: Distain of an Alpha Damian POV The moment I smelt Caleb on her sweater, it took everything in me to hold back my wolf. My mate had been around the one man that I loathed more than anything in this world. The built-up anger I had for him for years resurfaced in a wave of betrayal. “She is out of control!” I yelled. Hale stared at me with utter confusion, what do you mean?” “Ivy was with Caleb.’ My brother’s face reflected my own shock and anguish. Footsteps echoed in the hallway, and James’ face quickly appeared. “What the hell is wrong now?” “Well, supposedly Ivy is hanging out with Caleb,” Talon replied coldly. Just hearing Talon mention what she had done sent me back into a wave of bitter darkness. Just as I was coming around to being mated to her, she did this to me. How could I be so stupid? “You are rushing into this in the wrong way.” James replied with a stern glare. Never once in my life had I seen James look the way he did in that moment. He was standing there, with an Alpha’s persona of being tall and regal, and not willing to back down from what was being said. *Explain then.’ I gritted back, trying to maintain composure. “Ivy is in one of his classes. He is one of her professors.” “You knew this?!” I yelled, “why didn’t you tell me!’ Glancing around the room, I noticed the look from Hale and Talon. They both shared the same indifference to the situation as James. They all were aware Caleb was her professor. How couldn’t they? They all attended school together. “It didn’t seem to really be an issue at the time.” Hale finally spoke up. ‘we all keep an eye on her at school.” An exasperated sigh left my throat as I began to pace around the room. Part of me understood what they were saying, but the other part of me knew that Caleb was up to no good. My brothers just didn’t know Caleb as I did,

“Well, now it is a problem.” My voice tried to remain calm, but my wolf was on the brink of no return. “I don’t understand what the issue is. We all know that you don’t like the guy, but what did he do to upset you?” Hale stated staring at me with confusion. I mentally replayed the scene with Ivy in my mind over and over again. The lookup confusion on her face irritated me. All I wanted was for her to explain herself, and she couldn’t even tell me who she had been with I already had that answer though. I wouldn’t mistake Caleb’s stench anywhere, I mentally berated myself for years over what happened to Sophia. It had not been my fault that she didn’t understand I would never be with her. Yet, no matter how many times I had tried to explain that to Caleb he never listened. Instead, now he was going after my own mate… which was retribution? “She can’t be around him.” There was no way around this. “She doesn’t know him.” “Damian, are you listening to yourself?!” James exclaimed. Talon stood to his feet shaking his head, “for once, I have to agree with James. We only began to fix things with her from the mistakes that were made over the past few weeks. We have a lot to make up for.” “Make up for?” I scoffed. “I did nothing wrong.” Hale and James both burst into a fit of laughter. “Seriously?” James replied, crossing his arms. “Yeah, you have to drop that act.” Hale joined in, “you have been the worst of us all.” What were they talking about? I had done nothing to her but tried to keep my distance. “You are the ones who didn’t listen to me,” I replied, rolling my eyes. They couldn’t deny that was true. I explained to them that mating with her was wrong. She should have just taken one of us, and not all. Now she was mated to three of my brothers, and in order for legend to work, it had to be all of us.

“Stop with the bullshit, Damian.” Hale finally said after a moment of silence. “Just because you didn’t want to keep her didn’t mean we couldn’t. She has wanted to complete this bond, and you’re the one who is scared.” Did my ears deceive me? My brother thought I was scared. “I am the Alpha!” I yelled. “Technically, you aren’t yet.” Allison’s voice piped up from the doorway. The air about her lately spoke nothing but of the hatred she had for Ivy. Since the day she found out Zane’s daughter was our mate, she had done everything in her power to make things difficult for her and for me. “Watch your mouth.” I snapped, “I have had enough of your comments.” “My comments?” Allison snapped, her glare laser focused on me. “Ever since that little wench came into our lives, you have become a different person.” Rippling anger coursed through my veins at her words. She could say what ever she wanted about me, but I wouldn’ t allow her to talk about Ivy. “I said watch your tone, woman!” The snarl that left my lips caused her to shrink back, “I am your Alpha, and she WILL be your Luna. You will not say anything negative about her.” “That’s how you are going to treat me after everything I have done for you, all of you?!” She responded in disbelief, her hands clenching together at her side. “Done for us?!” The laugh that escaped me was a mocking one, “we have showed you gratitude many times. Including letting you, and that mate of yours, to stay in OUR home.” “This is My house!” She yelled back, causing my wolf to come to edge, “you can’t take it from me!” “Allison, I think its best you go.” James interjected giving her a sad smile, “this isn’t helping things.” “Don’t you dare speak to me like that, James Matthew.” Stepping forward, I pushed my brother James gently out of the way, my eyes locking on Allison like a homing beacon. “Start packing your things, because the day she becomes Luna… you’re gone.” Time would tell what I would have to do, and right now I was done dealing with a lot of them. Storming past Allison and the others, I headed towards my room. A cold shower seemed more than welcoming after I had just left Ivy the way I did.Belonging © NôvelDram/a.Org.

Moving up the steps two at a time the weight of our argument sat heavily upon my shoulders. I shouldn’t have acted the way I did towards her. I overreacted as I always did, and the only thing it accomplished was causing more problems. God! Why can’t I get it right with her! I wanted more than anything to grasp a hold of her luscious body, and set my fingers dance against the silky curves of her skin. I had her in my grasp earlier tonight, and instead of burying myself inside her and claiming her as my mate-I lost control. I should have known the situation was too good to be true. The idea that we could all be one happy family… “Fucking idiot,” I replied mocking myself. Now more than ever I needed her. I needed to finish the bond and soothe my wolf because as of late, he had become out of control with the hunger and urge to ravish every inch of her body. Stepping beneath the silver head of my shower, I let the cold streams of water run over my body. I was hell-bent on driving away my wolf’s lust for her tonight. My pack expected me to be strong for them. To make things work, but at the same time, it was too complicated. Running my hand over my face I sighed, “tomorrow is a new day.” Maybe if I actually did what Hale had suggested, and just talked to her, I wouldn’t be in the situation I am. Beating my fist against the shower wall, I tried to grasp a handle on myself. Since the first time I laid eyes on her I wanted her. But as soon as her innocent eyes looked up at me I found myself too afraid to admit what I wanted. I knew without a doubt I would end up hurting her. And then just like Sophia did to Caleb, she would reject me. Perhaps, that is what Caleb wants. To convince her to reject us, and rid herself of the attachment she has to us. Who knows if that is even possible. The only thing left for me to do is to try tomorrow to convince her of how sorry I was. To beg her to let me fix things and be the mate I should be.