<h4>Chapter 309: 309-The Last Touch</h4>


    <strong>Clementine:</strong>


    As soon as he hit the ground, the Lurker stepped forward with a stun gun in his hand.


    I was quick to grab it and shocked him in the leg, watching him scream in pain.


    "You like to stay silent, huh? Then shut up now!" I shouted, punching him in the face and pushing him back as he tried to scream in pain.


    I turned to look at Ian, and that was when I froze.


    He had his fists clenched, his body hunched over, and blood dripping from his mouth.


    "Ah, what an animal!" Zian mocked.


    Ian stood up, wiping the blood from his lips, breathing hard as he realized how much he was bleeding.


    Then Zian pointed at him and said, "Look what you did to him. He’s dying from the poison, and you’re just wasting time."


    I ignored Zian’s words. My focus was on Ian.


    I rushed to him, holding his face in my hands. His skin was cold to the touch.


    "It’s okay. It was all worth it," he whispered.


    "No, it wasn’t! Why would you let him poison you?" I cried, my voice breaking.


    It was the first time I had cried in front of a mate—for him.


    "That one night was worth it," he murmured, making me shake my head stubbornly.


    Then I saw he wanted to say something else.


    "I was lying," he breathed.


    I frowned and wiped the blood from his mouth with my sleeve.


    "About what?" I asked softly, only waiting to hear him out.


    "I was lying when I said I wouldn’t chase you," he whispered weakly. "It’s the only thing I want to do now. I’ll chase you through the maind, the north, the monsters, the storms. I don’t care about the missions anymore. My mission is you."


    A tear rolled down his face as he dropped to his knees.


    "Help him! Please, give him the antidote," I begged Zian, hating how smug he looked.


    "All you had to do was let him walk away. But no, you had to be dramatic. Now look, he’s suffering. Who knows if he’ll even make it back alive?" Zian sighed like he was bored.


    "Then take him! Please, take him!" I begged again, unable to believe I was asking this monster for mercy.


    "Fine. Lurk,e on. Take my brother away," Zian ordered.


    The Lurker stepped forward, ring at me but obeyed.


    He passed me, his eyes locked on mine, before lifting Ian onto his shoulder.


    His knees trembled under Ian’s weight.


    I reached for Ian’s hand as they started to leave, but his fingers slipped from mine.


    I broke down, sitting on the couch, covering my face as tears ran freely.


    My heart felt hollow.


    "He was going to return after the break, but you had to provoke me, Clementine. Why would you do that?" Zian said.


    I lifted my head, my hands curled into fists, my eyes narrowing at him.


    "Fine. Sorry," he muttered, ncing away. "Anyway, let’s go. The train will be here soon."


    I picked up the gs, the album, and the pendant.


    I tucked the pendant and album inside my uniform and held the gs in my hands as I walked out of the mansion, heavy-hearted, leaving without my Ian.


    "It rained a lotst night, didn’t it?" Zian kept talking the whole way, while I walked silently toward the station.


    There was a storm inside me, too many thoughts upying my mind.


    Ian’sst words had left me numb. All I could think about was Ian.


    I wanted to see him again.


    More than anything, I didn’t want to be anyone’s hero anymore. I just wanted to be with him.


    "Oh, look, the train," Zian said.


    I finally lifted my head. I hadn’t looked around once during the walk, not even cared if a monster attacked me.


    And now we were here, at the station. The train was already waiting to leave.


    I started walking faster toward my carriage, though I wasn’t sure I was ready to face my ex-mates.


    Yes, that’s what I was going to call them now.


    I didn’t care anymore. After they left me behind, it was clear they had chosen her.


    And honestly, after one night with Ian, I knew exactly who I wanted.


    I’d always leaned toward him, maybe too much.


    But when I reached the carriage, Oriana was there.


    "Guys,e on. It’s okay, it’s not your fault she’s dead."


    She was already giving a speech about my death, while the three sat with their heads down, looking defeated.


    Her back was to me. I rushed in, grabbed her by the hair, and yanked her out of the carriage.


    "Ah!" she screamed, hitting the ground.


    "This is my carriage, you bitch," I yelled, watching her lie there wide-eyed.


    Zian jumped over her,ughing, then stormed inside, throwing himself into a seat and watching us like it was a show.


    "You’re alive?" she asked, lookingpletely shocked.


    "Well, that must be bad news for you, Oriana," I said.


    The moment I turned around, my three ex-mates stood up, smiling in disbelief.


    Oriana scrambled into her own carriage before she got left behind, and the train started moving.


    "Move," I said, pushing Haiden and Yorick aside as I made my way to my usual seat by the window.


    "You survived? Oh my god, you have no idea how happy that makes me!" Haiden started rambling.


    I lifted my palm, signaling him to stop. I didn’t want to hear their voices.


    My thoughts were still stuck on Ian. He had taken poison, just to get that album for me.


    That idiot.


    What was he thinking? Dying for an album?


    "Guys, she doesn’t want to talk right now," Zian said, and I heard the three of them grunt.


    "Did you save her?" Troy asked.


    "I mean, we’re happy you did. Thank you," Troy added quickly.


    I rolled my eyes. The nerve of them, honestly.


    "Clementine, are you angry with us? We didn’t know what happened that time. We were honestlying to help you," Yorick said.


    I didn’t respond. I leaned my head back and closed my eyes, arms folded across my chest, my leg shaking anxiously.


    I couldn’t focus on their words.


    My thoughts were breaking apart, all circling around Ian, whether the Lurker had managed to give him the antidote in time.