As soon as I get back into the building after my talk with Hunter, I decided to look for the lycans. I know I'm such a coward, but it's high time that I stop running...for now.

It's in between classes, Caspian, Lazarus, and Serena are standing by the end of the hallway, talking to each other quietly. Constantine and Milan are still missing.

As soon as I get near them, they stop talking. The three of them turn to look at me. Caspian especially, looks furious. He closes the distance between us with a couple of steps. He grabs my shoulders, then he leans in and places his nose close to my neck. Wait! What the... Is he sniffing me?

"So now you decide to come back to us?" growls Caspian accusingly, close to my ear. Then he pushes me away. "Why don't you just go back to that human boy or that Beta mutt that I smell on you?" he adds before stalking away angrily,  sounding almost like he's jealous.

I stare at his retreating figure in shock...and hurt. Caspian maybe mischievous, a trouble maker, and a serial flirt but always in a playful, fun and harmless way. Sometimes, he's even affectionate. He's never mean or unkind. It hurts to have him talk to me that way.

"What is his problem???" I scowl at his retreating figure.

I turn to look at Lazarus who isn't looking very friendly either.

Fine! Be that way. I walk away, almost stomping my feet like a five year old. What's everyone's problem?

"Genesis!" Serena comes running after me. She takes my arm and leads me out the front exit, straight to the parking lot.

"Wait! School is not over yet," I protest as she unlocks her shiny red Mercedes Cabriolet and shoves me inside.

"It is over for us," she answers me firmly as she starts the engine.

She drives down the main street in silence for a couple of miles. Then she makes a swift turn into a dirt road and keeps driving until we finally reach a small bridge. There, she pulls to the side and turns off the engine. It's quite a nice place. It's isolated and surrounded by trees. I can hear the peaceful sound of water running underneath the bridge.

Wait! What if she's mad at me too, and now she's decided to kill me here?

She gets out of the car, and I follow suit. Oh well, if a lycan decided to kill you, there's no way you can avoid it. Might as well die in the hands of sweet and beautiful Serena rather anyone else's. By anyone else I mean Milan. I bet she'll make it very painful for me.

Sheesh...thinking about my own death is making me hungry. Did I have anything for dinner last night? or lunch yesterday? Why am I thinking about my own death and food right now? I don't know. I think lack of food and sleep is making me bonkers. I'm loosing it. I'm blaming it all on Constantine.

"We're almost in another pack's territory," Serena points out, breaking my crazy inner monologue. We find a spot to sit on, on the river bank.

We sit quietly listening to the sound of the running river, and the rustling of the leaves and branches, the chirping of birds and the crows in the distance. 

"Werewolves are gregarious beings. They like to travel or stay in packs," she states casually after a while. "Lycans are like that too. It might not seem that way sometimes, but we are. Though we can travel alone, we prefer to be in a pack...or at least as a couple. That's one of the reasons mates are important to us," she explains. "Genesis, whether you realize it or not, we are a pack. A small pack, but a pack nonetheless. You are one of us. You have been for the last three years."

Wait! I've been a member of a lycans pack for the last three years and I wasn't even aware of it? They're like the elite group in our school that even the populars can't touch. I had been walking around school looking at them all in awe like everyone else, and I was one of them? Oh, my head hurts. Too much thinking in one day.

I comb my fingers through my hair and sit staring at the slow moving water of the river, trying to make sense of everything.

"Wow, we're a very small pack," I finally comment.

"We are lycans. We don't need numbers. We are strong enough as we are," replies Serena.

I sigh, "okay, but what is up with Caspian now? Why is he so mad with me?"

"Remember when I told you that lycans are very possessive?" asks Serena. "Well, we're not only possessive of our own mate, we're possessive of our pack members too. You might be Constantine's mate, but Caspian sees you as ours. He and Lazarus aren't happy that you're close to that human and the other mutts and not being with us."

"Wait. Are you telling me that instead of having to deal with one, I have three possessive lycans to deal with?"

"Four, actually," she confesses.

"Serena! Not you too!"

"You're one of us. You're like a sister to me. Any threat of you being taken away from us, we don't like," she argues defensively.

"But I'm not going to join another pack."

"Yes, but you're going with another male is a threat that you're being taken away from the pack, especially since Constantine hasn't fully mark you yet."

"But he's going to mark Milan...even if I'm not with another man."

"What??? Says who?" she looks aghast.

"Milan.."

"Genesis, Milan says a lot of things. Mostly lies,"

"But there are a lot of truth in there too!"

"Okay...like what?" she challenges me.

"Don't tell me she and Constantine weren't lovers...and didn't they have fun in Russia? Don't tell me she didn't go. What's up with him always defending her?"

"Genesis listen to me. Yes, they might have a history...but I wouldn't call them lovers. It was over a hundred years ago...I know they haven't been together since I became a part of this pack. Constantine is not interested in her that way. I suspect he never was.

I went with them to Russia too. Those three were there to do their duties, not for pleasure. They need to tie some loose ends so that they're free to come back here again. Constantine, Lazarus, and Caspian were busy the whole time we were there. I barely saw Lazarus," explains Serena. "Genesis, Constantine thought of no one else but you in Russia. He was busy getting things done so that he can be back here as soon as he can to be with you. Believe me, there's no room for anyone else in his head and his heart."

"But Milan said.."

"No, don't listen to that bitch. You should talk to Constantine," she says vehemently. "Genesis, I know you're young...but always talk to your mate first. Constantine and Lazarus are the same in the way that, they don't explain things that need explaining. They've been alone for too long to understand that we need explanation sometimes. Ask the right question, and they will talk. They will tell you the truth, but you have to make them explain.

As for him taking her side, my guess is, it's because he's so used to doing that. Both him and Lazarus are loyal, and are used to defending Milan."

"He's driving me crazy, though," I wail, in frustration.

"I know, men. Lazarus does that to me sometimes," she agrees. "But Genesis, you're driving him crazy too. Constantine and Lazarus are the most cultured, and controlled lycans I know. They're royalty and they're very powerful. They can't afford to loose control easily. Lives could be lost, properties destroyed. I've never seen Constantine lost control more often than these last couple of weeks because of you," she tells me seriously. Then her lips curl up into an amused smile. "You really did a number on him.

Being around him had been unbearable these last couple of days since the two of you started fighting. Milan had been trying to give him a shoulder to lean on. I don't think that got her anywhere," she smirks.

"So...you think he's with Milan now?" Jealousy is still searing through me.

Serena laughs. "Oh, I don't think so...he's pretty pissed when he took off. He'll take anybody's head off if anyone dared getting close to him when he's like that. Even Milan isn't stupid enough to know that.

If I were you, I wouldn't worry about Milan, Genesis. She's been trying for over a hundred years. If he wanted her, he would have made her his mate a long time ago. Constantine is crazy about you. He's crazy loyal too," she assures me.

Oh goddess, that's a lot for me to take in. So he didn't spend time alone, having fun with Milan in Russia? Should I believe Serena? She's one of them after all. If I didn't believe her, than it's like me believing Milan over Serena and Constantine. Oh my head hurts, too much thinking.

Serena drives me back right after our talk. I take a shower to get rid of the smells on me that seem to offend so many people today. I fiddle about for a bit trying to figure out what to do next. It's still quite early, the school isn't out yet. Oh, Constantine...what a mess.

I think I should go for a run. I'm tired of thinking for today. My brain keeps going around and around...it needs some rest, I decided.

I quickly phase and jump out...feeling free. Just me and Ezra. It's exhilarating.

I return a couple of hours later, climbing in through the window, feeling better than I did this morning.

"Where have you been?" asks Constantine, standing inside my bedroom.

I almost fall out of the window.

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I'm sorry this chapter must be full of mistakes (and the cliffhanger). I was in hurry because I might not be able to update for a few days. I'm in Malaysia right now. I'll be in Singapore tomorrow, Tokyo in a few days, and back home in Canada by next week. Hopefully I'll be able to update on my regular days (Mondays, Wednesdays and/or Fridays) after I get over my jet lag and sunburn.
Thank you for your votes and comments!!!

Much love
Nicole❤
P/s: my final edit didn't go through, what you just read is my very rough draft (and missing a paragraph, I think). I'm very stumped and pretty pissed off, probably at my iPad. If I didn't need it so much, it would be at the bottom of the ocean by now. Sorry, just needed to vent.