And Then There Were Four
Chapter 97

Damian.

Days seemed to pass since Alokaye, the elder, visited my pack. Things were becoming strange around the surrounding communities, and I couldn't help but wonder if war was upon the horizon. Ivy had stirred the metaphorical black pot, and with the help of my brothers and her mother, they could keep her fed to prevent her going all out psycho.

The day I told her about my secret, I had expected her to return with more concern than she had, but it was a lot to ask of. I suppose, considering she wasn't as close to me as she was with the others.

Watching her now. I saw how happy and carefree she was with my brothers and some of the other pack members. I had been hesitant about the baby shower when her mother suggested it, but it turned out to be beneficial.

Maybe there was hope for the future of our pack. Maybe she was the Luna of the future-the Queen of Queens. "Damian, are you okay?" Kate called from the doorway of my office. Turning from the window, I set my gaze on her and forced a smile to my lips. "Yeah." When I had first met Kate, I wasn't sure if she was going to be someone positive wanted around my mate, but in the end, if it hadn't been for her, Ivy would have died.

The future of our people would have been lost to whatever force was currently lurking within the shadows of my forest. "Did you need something?"

"Actually, yes," she said softly as she stepped into my office, closing the door behind her.

Walking around my desk, I took my place in my seat and waited for her to continue.I had a lot on my plate at the moment, and with my upcoming trip, I had little time for idle chitchat.

"I wanted to ask you why you have been spending so much time away from the pack lately. Ivy says nothing about it, but I can tell that it bothers her. Actually, whatever you talked to her about the other day has completely changed her."

Kate was a very perceptive woman, but the last thing I wanted to do was tell her what had really been up to. "It's complicated, Kate."

"No, that's just a typical Damian personality. I was there when we almost lost her, Damian. I saw what losing her did to you, whether you want to admit it. You love her as much as your brothers, if not more, and your actions are driving an invisible wedge between you and the rest of them. Now why?"

Letting a heavy breath escape me, I picked up my glass and took a long sip as I stared silently out the window of my office where she was playing with a group of children.

"If I tell you what's going on, you can't tell her or my brother's, Kate." "It's that bad?" she said softly as my eyes met hers once more. "Depends on who's listening, I suppose."

Taking a moment, I watched her fidget in her seat before quickly nodding her head." Okay, tell me. I won't tell them, but," she said with a frown. "Only unless they need to know in an emergency."

"Kate, that isn't-"

"No, Damian," she snapped, cutting me off. "If someone is in danger because of this secret, then I have to tell them. I may not be part of your pack, but Ivy is my best friend, and Tam fiercely loyal to her. So keeping this is betraying her."

Never once had I realized how loyal Kate really was to lvy until this moment. I didn't understand the two women's connection, but I couldn't ask Kate to betray her friendship." If those are your conditions, then so be it.

"When I was younger, my parents were killed, and in the process, I changed. In order to kill what was behind my parents' deaths, I end up losing the Lycan within me. The ancestral trait that was passed down from my father..."

She listened to me intently, nodding her head as I explained what I remembered about the day my parents died. Of course, there were so many holes in everything, and the only information I knew for certain was what Allison had told me long ago. "So you became like Hale and Talon in order to save them all."

"Essentially, but it ended up killing the creature inside me. I never thought too much about it because when I was of age, I got my wolf, and that was enough for me. However, when the circle with Ivy was completed, I started to feel... off," I replied with a sigh. "What do you mean, you feel off?" she asked, staring at me with a confused expression.

"I'm losing my wolf."

Silence fell between us for a moment before a soft laugh escaped her, and she shook her head. "That's not possible, Damian. You're a werewolf. You can't just lose who you are."

"I thought the same thing, but every day it's becoming harder and harder for me to shift. Every day, it's becoming harder for me to connect with the side of myself. I have been searching for the last two months for answers, but everything turns up empty." "You need to see Priscilla..." she said, leaning forward in her seat,

"Kate... I have, months ago. She has known for a while now too, but has been sworn to secrecy."

"Well, then, you need to tell Ivy, Damian. You can't let this go quiet," she replied with a little more anger in her tone than I would have liked.

"Kate, I did tell her. She said the same as you and didn't seem to want to think too much about it. She also told me to speak to Priscilla because there was nothing she could do. I had thought for a moment maybe she could."

Sagging my shoulders, I shook my head, not finishing my train of thought. I didn't really know what I thought she might be able to do, but it was clear that my situation wasn't as important as Talons.

She was willing to die for him, but for me... she pushed it off on someone else.

"Damian, you need to speak to her properly. Losing you will destroy her and the circle."

Running my hand through my hair, I sighed. "Why do you think I have been trying to fix it? Honestly, sometimes I wonder if me not being able to solve it is a sign. Maybe it's because I was never meant to be with her."

"That's ridiculous, Damian," kate snapped, as she stood to her feet. "You need to tell her the truth, and not just part of the truth... the entire fvcking thing."

"Why?!" | snapped. "Look at her, Kate. Look at her outside right now with the others and her mom. She doesn't seem to care about what I'm doing at all. They are who make her happy... not me."

"Bullshit," she replied, crossing her arms. "You have no idea what's going through her mind. Half the time you're always too busy to take part in anything. You're always pushing everyone away. Maybe they just don't want to bother you."

"Enough, Kate," I groaned, shaking my head as I calmly let my eyes gaze back to her beautiful figure standing outside. Her arm was wrapped around James' arm as she leaned her head against his shoulder. "I can never be what they are for her."

"What about the pack?" Glancing at her, I frowned, "what about them?" "Who's going to be their leader, Damian? No one runs this pack like you do." Chuckling, I let my gaze leave Kate once more as I turned back to lvy. "Hale." "Hale? Are you being serious right now?" It was obvious Kate had the same outlook on Hale being Alpha as he had on himself. He was a smart man and could lead well, whether or not he wanted to believe it. The problem was, he was scared of himself.

He was afraid of the Lycan within him, and because of that, it made him unpredictable.

"Ivy can control him," I replied, as if the answer was obvious.

"Ivy... you mean the same Ivy who can't control herself most of the time? Damian, honestly don't think that you're thinking this through. You are what holds this family together, whether you think so. Those choices are not good ones, and you know it." Part of me heard her concerns and knew she was right in a way. But with so much chaos consuming our lives over the past few months, I didn't want to think of what would happen if I did and no one was prepared,

"Look... don't get worked up. Nothing is happening yet," I hissed as I clasped my hands together on top of my desk. "I have one more place to go, and it should work." "Should work?" Kate scoffed. "Where is this place?

"It doesn't matter. What does matter, though, is that the woman I'm going to see can fix me." I explained, hoping that Kate would simmer down.

The anger and frustration rolled off her in waves as she paced around my office, running her hand through her hair while letting out a heavy breath of frustration.

"I can't believe you have been hiding this from all of them for months, Damian."

Coming to a stop, she turned to face me with her golden blue eyes. She was a fearsome sight to behold, and having her here right now made me feel better for Ivy. Kate would help her through anything she had to face.

"The past doesn't matter anymore, Kate. What matters is the future," I replied firmly as I stood to my feet and noted Kate and the others walking up towards the house.

"I need you to do me a favor... if, for some reason, something goes wrong, I need you to look out for Ivy. Help her get over everything."

With parted lips, Kate stared at me wide-eyed and in disbelief. "Are you fvcking kidding me right now? How dare you even fvcking suggest something will happen? You have two tiny children on the way, don't you f****g dare leave all three of them." "Kate, for once shut the look up and just listen to me. Can you fvcking do this or not?"

Closing her mouth, her lips thinly met. She rolled her eyes, sagging her shoulders in defeat as she slowly nodded. "Fine."

"Fine?" I asked.

"Yes, damn it. I said fine. I'll do as you say, but if you fvcking hurt her. I'll replace you in the afterlife and kill you again. So you better figure this set out, Damian."

Letting a grin spread across my face, I nodded my head in understanding. There was no need for words to go further. We had both made our sentiments known, and knew where we stood.

As Ivy's voice filled the area outside my office, I gestured for Kate to go. I wasn't sure what was going to happen, but I knew one thing. If I did go, at least Ivy had people to help her get through it.