And Then There Were Four

Chapter 68

Chapter 68: Finding Talon

The sound of crunching snow beneath my boots echoed around me. I wasn’t sure what I was expecting, but the surrounding forest was silent except for the noise we made. Kate and I ventured deeper into the forest until a small clearing with a log cabin came into view.

“Is he there?” I asked as we stopped, curious about why a random cabin sat so far within the depths of the forest. It had taken us over an hour to get here on foot, but that was because I couldn’t shift to make the process go by faster.

Kate hesitated before slowly nodding and it became clear that she was nervous about being here, and considering everything the guys had explained to me, I didn’t blame her.

Talon was far worse than anyone had thought him to be, and even though I desperately wanted to save him, I knew there was a possibility I wouldn’t be able to.

Taking a deep breath, I stepped forward. The cabin was my target, and if Talon was in there, then I had to see him. I had come too far to turn back now, and there was no way I would be leaving without him.

“It’s okay, Kate. Everything is going to be okay.”

My words were meant for comfort, but Kate gave me a look that showed doubt.

“Don’t assume it will be all sunshine and rainbows, Ivy. The Talon you know isn’t the same one out here. It’s what everyone has been trying to tell you, and if you’re not careful, he will kill you.”

I knew what she was saying was true, but I also had faith I could bring him back. This text is property of Nô/velD/rama.Org.

I had faith he would return to me, and the goddess that loved them would help me do that.

As my feet hit the wooden deck of the cabin’s porch, I paused, taking a moment to let everything sink in. There was a chance he was on the other side of this door. There was a chance that with everything I had gone through, I was about to be reunited with him.

The thought alone gave me hope, but as my hand hovered over the doorknob, I couldn’t find the strength to open it. “It’s okay, Ivy. Just open it,” Kate replied, bumping me with her shoulder and giving me a smile. Nodding, I quickly turned the doorknob and let the door swing open.

I had been hoping and praying Talon was sitting inside waiting for me to come to him, but in the end, I was met with nothing but cold emptiness.

“He isn’t here,” I said as I stepped forth into the cabin and Kate joined me, shutting the door behind her. “Where is he?”

“Probably in his animal form, Ivy. We aren’t sure if he comes back here, but every time he has been seen, he isn’t in his human form.”

“Why didn’t you tell me that before?” I asked, turning to her with confusion, “you could have said something.”

“We have, in the past forty-eight hours you have been told. I’m sorry, Ivy. I wish it was just as easy as us coming here, and him waiting for you. It would make all of it so much easier, but unfortunately. We are that fortunate.”

Her words weren’t comforting, but as my eyes cast around the cabin, I couldn’t help but feel like he had been here and very recently.

The cabin was small and held no bedrooms; instead, it had a very open floor plan that was perfect for a single person. A small bed with a blue quilt sat to the side of one cabin, and a small kitchen sat on the other side. It was perfect enough for someone who was trying to escape his life, but at the same time, it felt lonely.

Tears welled within my eyes, realizing this is where Talon had escaped to escape the pain he felt when my bond with him had severed.

“I have to find him, Kate,” I whispered loud enough that Kate heard me. “I need to go out there and find him.”

Chapter 68: Finding Talon

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“Not tonight, you aren’t,” Kate replied, catching my wrist. “We will camp here tonight, and hope that he either comes back or we can find him in the morning.”

“Why?” I asked with confusion. Not understanding why we wouldn’t go and find him now. I wanted to find him before the guys got here because I didn’t want anyone to get hurt.

Sighing, Kate pointed out the window to the sky. “The sun is setting, Ivy. It’s about to get very cold around here and hungry things come out at night. We can’t protect ourselves if we are moving in the dark.”

“You can see in the dark, though, right?”

“Yeah, silly… But you can’t.” she said, stating the obvious. As much as I hated remembering I wasn’t one of them, I had to learn to face facts. I was useless in these kinds of situations, and no more than ever, it made sense why they hide things from me.

“So what do we do?” I asked her, letting out a heavy sigh, knowing there was nothing I could do other than take direction from Kate.

Dropping her bag, she smiled at me. “Stop moping. We will figure it out, okay? I’m just trying to keep your sweet little ass alive, Ivy. Now, I will start a fire. Why don’t you look for anything useful in the kitchen.”

Without another word, I made work of what she told me to do. The entire time, my mind was spinning with the idea Talon was out there somewhere in the cold. His mind slowly slipping from the poison running through his veins and time slowly slipping with the chance to save him.

An hour later, we sat near the fire drinking coffeel managed to scrounge up in the kitchen. Laughter escaped us as we talked about the escapade we had in the town with my father’s man

It was during times like this I was grateful for Kate because she had the ability to help people forget about their problems just by being herself.

“Do you think he was headed here or was already up here?” I asked her, watching as she shrugged. My thoughts of my dad having his hands in why Talon was sick sent anger to my soul.

“Maybe, I wouldn’t put it past your dad. He seems like a real piece of work.”

Nodding my head, I couldn’t deny what she was saying. “Yeah, he isn’t the man I was hoping for him to be. Then again, I have been naïve about a lot of things since I came to live with him. I think it’s time I start taking responsibility for my actions.”

Furrowing her brows, she looked at me with confusion before setting down her cup.

“It’s expected for you to not know much about our lives, Ivy. It was kept from you forever, and no one bothered to properly explain things to you when you did find out.”

I could tell she was trying to make me feel better about everything, but she couldn’t deny I have made many stupid choices.

“I know,” I replied with a heavy sigh. “Still, I have been a bit ridiculous at times.”

With hesitations, she nudged me a little and smiled.

“Maybe a little, but you handled the news so well. I was surprised you didn’t flip out when you found out I was one, too,” she laughed, causing me to crack a smile.

“By the time you told me, I had already grown used to the idea of wolves and whatever else might be out there. Then they drop the whole Lycan thing on me…”

Her eyes widened at my mention of the Lycan situation, and quickly she cleared her throat. “What do you mean,”

Before she could finish her sentence, however, a low growl emitted from within the darkness outside. Both of our eyes darted towards the window on the far side of the cabin as we froze.

Something large outside was slowly circling the cabin, and even though we used the wooden barricade to lock the cabin door-it wouldn’t hold back a wolf like Talon.

“Do you think-” I whispered, only to have Kate glare at me quickly and shake her head no. I wasn’t linked with Kate, so communication wasn’t possible, but I watched her own eyes glaze over and I knew right away what she was doing.

Chapter 68: Finding Talon

She was reaching Angel.

Fear spiraled through me as the hairs on my arms raised with anticipation of Talon finding me. There was a calling between us. Something inside me that let me know the monster on the outside of the cabin was him.

As much as part of me wanted to open the door and run to him, I couldn’t. I had to think smarter, and I had to be patient. It wasn’t just my life out here… It was Kate’s as well.

As Kate’s eyes cleared, she pulled out her phone and typed out a message showing it to me.

‘Angel is with the guys, and he said they are still forty minutes out. A wreck on the highway has delayed them. They said to stay in the cabin and wait for them to get here.’

Running my hand over my face, I sighed. This wasn’t what was supposed to happen.

I came here to save Talon, and not sit locked away in a cabin waiting for the guys to get here to rescue me. Otherwise, why did I come in the first place?

Frustration filled me, realizing my hands were tied right now. If I went out, there I could get Kate hurt… If I stayed, the guys would be here soon and there was no way they would let me do anything.

Weighing my choices, I tried to think of a plan, but everything came to a roadblock that only upset me even more.

“NO..” I whispered, watching as she stared at me in shock before I broke contact and let my eyes drift towards the front door. “He knows we’re here…”

Within moments chaos consumed us as Talons’ wolf slammed against the door to the cabin over and over again. The wood held it together, cracking little by little against his massive weight.

I had only met his wolf once or twice before, and both times his wolf hadn’t been pleased with my presence, but I enticed him.

“Shit!” Kate exclaimed as she grabbed her bag and quickly began to pull out a tranquilizer gun and darts. The realization of what she was planning to do almost broke my heart.

“What-Kate… What are you doing?”

She turned to me with a dumbfounded look as she continued pulling things out. “What the fuck does it look like I’m doing? I’m making sure we stay alive.”

“Kate, he won’t hurt me,” I replied, moving towards the door. “He won’t.”

She grabbed my arm, pulled me back, and shook her head in disbelief. “Look, I love you dearly, Ivy, so I am going to say this the best I can and I don’t want you to take this the wrong way. But have you lost your fucking mind? He isn’t the same man you knew before.”

The cracking of the wood and the biting cold circled us as the door to the cabin gave way to his massive form. His wolf stood before us, spotted with blood from his recent kill, and a murderous look in his eyes.

Slowly, we both backed away from him one step at a time until a low growl echoed from his throat, and he snapped his jaw.

“Talon-” I whispered, his gaze quickly locking onto me. “Talon please, it’s time to come home.”

As true to their word, Talon didn’t recognize me. He didn’t know who I was, and the poison from the Bella Donna or whatever coursed through his veins.

Deranging his mind until nothing he once knew made sense.

With his gaze locked on me, Kate took the opportunity to quickly reach for her gun. Only Talon was faster, and he turned swiftly. snapping in her direction. His body blocked her from the only thing that could currently save us.

Thinking quickly, I thought back to what had happened with Hale. When I had enticed his wolf, it was enough, he couldn’t keep his focus on me, and even though it could have ended badly. I had to take that chance.

“Hale!’ I screamed through my mind, hoping he would feel me and open his link.

The day I was able to invade his mind like he could do me would be a miracle.

‘Ivy?’ Hale responded, causing me to sigh as I went between listening to him and focusing on the situation with Talon and Kate.

Chapter 68: Finding Talon

‘What’s Talons’ wolf’s name?” I asked him.

‘Ivy, why… What happened?” he asked me with a sense of panic in his voice.

“Hale!’ I screamed at him. “I don’t have time for this… Please, he is going to kill Kate unless you tell me.”

“Volaire…his wolf’s name is Volaire. Please be safe, Ivy.” he replied with reluctance, giving me everything I needed.

Focusing back on reality, things were getting worse. Talon was only a foot from ripping Kate apart and losing her would be like losing a piece of my soul.

**Volaire!” I screamed, watching as the wolf’s ears flinched at my words. “Volaire, I command you to look at me.”

The demanding tone of my voice caused Talon’s wolf to look at me with anger and conflict. A painful whine left his lips as realized the name I spoke was of an ancient term, and what happened with Hale could very well happen here.

“Kate, when I get him clear, I want you to shoot him with the antidote. It’s in my bag.”

“What!” she screamed. “Are you fucking insane?!”

Laughing, I backed towards the door while Talon stared at me with amusement, “no matter what, Kate… don’t you dare fucking miss!”

Turning on my heels, I did the one thing I was told to never do in a situation like this.

Iran… With everything I had, I ran through the snow and towards the trees hoping that Kate was as damn good of a shot as she claimed she was.

Otherwise, there was no telling what was going to happen to me.