And Then There Were Four

"I saw Lucas in the woods near the edge of town, and he was acting all weird. Like he was talking to himself, and then when he saw I was there-well, he just wasn't himself. Something is going to happen, Pollux. I can feel it."

She rambled on frantically as she looked between Trixie and me. The moment my mate's eyes met mine with concern, I knew I was going to have to do something. She wasn't going to let me brush this off and part of me hated that she and Cassie were close. It did make

for interesting conversation but also harsh realizations that my mate would do anything for my sister, even if I didn't like it.

With a heavy sigh, I pinched the bridge of my nose, trying to focus on the situation at hand and not on the hormonal shit running through my head. "Cassie, why were you near the woods at the edge of town?"

Cassie quickly shut her mouth as she looked at me hesitantly. I knew she wasn't going to give me a direct answer.

"Taking a walk."

The comment was quick, and my sister-who couldn't lie to save her life was trying to avoid my question at all cost. "Cassie-"

"It doesn't matter why I was there. Did you hear what I said? Lucas is not himself."

Snapping, I glared at my sister with irritation. "Lucas hasn't been himself in a fucking while, Cassie."

"I know this," she replied, shaking her head. "But I'm telling you now, it's getting worse. We have to do something."

I couldn't understand why my sister

couldn't get it through her head that Lucas had made his choice. There was nothing to be done about the situation. He may have seemed normal to her at first, but the moment he got here, he changed. He allowed his powers, his beast, to take over him, and in doing so, became the arrogant asshole he

was always meant to be.

I had no sympathy for Lucas, and unfortunately, my sister was blinded by the idea of her mate being uncontrollable to see that. I highly doubted anything was wrong with him. The only thing wrong was my sister couldn't let go of a mate who didn't want her. "I don't know what you expect me to do, Cassie."

"What to do?" She shook her head inContent (C) Nôv/elDra/ma.Org.

disbelief. "How about helping me save one of our pack members, my mate, Pollux? While I've been out there trying to find some reasoning behin what is going on with him and what is going on with some of the others, you're in here with Trixie fucking around, and I need both of your help."

A growl escaped my throat as I clenched my fist at my side. She was being disrespectful, not just to me, but to my mate, and that was something I wouldn't tolerate no matter who she was. "You will watch how you speak to us." Standing there with hesitation, her lips parted. She gave me a disgusted look before turning away from me. "You act like you're in control, Pollux, but the reason why you're here is because you couldn't be the leader or pack needed."

Without thinking, I grabbed her arm,

spinning her around to face me. A snarl escaped me as my canines lengthened. How dare my sister speak to me like this? After everything I've tried to do for her

over the years, this is how she would

treat me in front of my mate.

"Just because your fucking mate didn't want you doesn't mean you can be disrespectful to mine. Perhaps you should start accepting what is given to you, and then you wouldn't lose everything around you."

"Pollux!" Trixie yelled, causing me to glance at her. An angry scowl marred her beautiful face, and seeing it, I realized quickly perhaps I had gone too far.

I didn't understand my sister's reluctance to tell us what she had been doing. Instead of her coming here and telling us exactly what happened, she made a mess of things like she always did, and now my mate wasn't happy with me.