And Then There Were Four

I was intrigued by how people moved in and out of this place. The leather seating seemed to line the walls, and were filled with other students mingling. But as the girls and I collected our drinks and sat down, I couldn't help but wonder if perhaps I should put off telling

them what I was going to tell them at all.

Sipping on my coffee, I tried to look anywhere but at Sansa and Trixie. After a moment, though, Sansa cleared her throat, and my eyes gazed up to meet both of theirs.

"Are you going to explain, or are you going to sit there and keep avoiding the situation?"

Sighing, I nodded. "Sorry, I just didn't think I'd be having to do this shit."

Trixie gave me a soft gaze of understanding as she nodded her head. "It's okay if you don't want to talk about it, Cassie."

"It isn't that, Trixie," I said with a smile. "It's just that my brother should be here explaining this, and with everything going on with Lucas right now, I just didn't expect I'd be the one telling you."

Opening and closing her mouth, Trixie frowned. "What are you talking about?"

Glancing quickly at Sansa, her eyes widened as she gasped in shock. "Oh my god. OH MY GOD, are you FUCKING KIDDING ME?!"

"Nope," I replied, popping the 'p'. "It would seem that fate has deemed it so."

Again, Trixie didn't seem to understand what Sansa and I were talking about, and rolling her eyes, she sighed in a very dramatic fashion that caught both Sansa's and my attention. "I have no clue what you're talking about."

"Trixie, how does the mate thing work with your kind? Do you guys have mate bonds, or do you like pick who you want to be with?"

It was probably better to understand more about her people before just spilling the tea, so to speak. I mean, there was nothing like confusing the girl by blurting out that my asshole brother was her mate without her first understanding what the hell that actually meant. Puzzled by my question, she laughed, shaking her head. "What the heck does that have to do with anything?"

"Just humor me," I pleaded, rolling my eyes. "Please?"This text is property of Nô/velD/rama.Org.

She pondered over what I said and nodded. "Well, we don't have mates like you guys do. We do bond ourselves with who we choose, but there is usually a long courtship, and we choose to tie ourselves to our mate, as you call it."

I had kind of suspected what she said, just simply through stories my mother had told me as a child. Of course, I thought they were just fairytales, but I soon learned that all stories came from the truth at one point in time.

"Okay, so you don't feel any kind of way or anything before you mate with these people?" I questioned, hoping to lead her in a direction she might understand.

Laughter escaped her as she shook her head. "No, that's silly-oh, I mean..." She seemed embarrassed by what she said, realizing it was how we detected our mates.

I couldn't help but smile and laugh at

her comment though. I could see why some people might find it odd or out of sorts to detect the person you're supposed to love like that, but we att had our own way, and it was refreshing to learn a bit about ours.

"Well, when Pollux and I turned eighteen, I quickly found out Lucas was my mate. I honestly never wanted one-that was more my brother's desire. However, when I found my mate, and he didn't find his, he became so angry at me." Trixie gasped softly with sorrow-filled eyes. "How could he be angry? That isn't your fault or his. Doesn't he know fate makes things happen for a reason?"

Shrugging my shoulders, I thought

of Lucas, and how I had treated him.

"I guess in the end, we both didn't. The problem was that when we got to this place, he gave up hope of finding her. He used to proclaim she would be the perfect shifter mate."

The three of us giggled over the notion of him saying that, and as I thought more about it, I couldn't get Lucas out of my mind. It actually upset me. I hadn't seen him all day when had started growing used to seeing him every day.

"You and Lucas will fix things, Cassie," Sansa said softly as she placed her hand upon mine. "Everything will work out. You just have to give it time."

With a soft scoff, I shook my head, trying to push past the idea of Lucas and I ever being normal. "That's wishful thinking, but back to my brother-"

"Oh yes, please continue. I do love stories," Trixie replied cheerfully as she sipped on her drink. "This is getting so good."

"It sure it is," I muttered with a grin. "As I was saying, Pollux did find his mate when he got here. I wasn't sure the first night I saw the look he gave her, but after today..."

Trixie hesitated, staring in confusion before looking at Sansa. "How was I standing there and completely missed seeing him looking at his mate?"

As Sansa's eyes met mine, she laughed, shaking her head. "Girl, if you don't tell her already, I'm going to because this is just too good."

She was right. I couldn't just keep dragging this out. It was better to rip the bandaid off and get over with it because, honestly, the longer I held off, the worse I felt about the situation. "Trixie, you're my brother's mate." I watched as shock registered on her face.

"What the fuck?!"