<h4>Chapter 382: 382-My Mate Is Nowhere In Sight</h4>


    <strong>Ian:</strong>


    "Ian, stop," he ordered, but I could not.


    My wolf was pushing forward. My bones were cracking. My hands had turned into fists.


    My breathing had be shallow, and I began to groan and grunt.


    The lurkers jumped again, trying to reach me. This time I tackled two of them at once.


    They were strong, but not stronger than me like this.


    My ws ripped through one of their sleeves, and the other stumbled back.


    One of them tried to stab my neck, but I ducked and swung my arm, sending him into a shelf full of papers.


    At that moment, I realized I was not only going back to the academy.


    I had to inform the others about what was truly happening too.


    I pushed another lurker aside and sprinted toward the stairs.


    My legs shifted mid-leap, and by the time I reached the top step, I had fully transitioned.


    My father shouted my name and ran after me, worried that I would expose myself to the others.


    I did not stop.


    I burst through the doors and reached the front entrance.


    The cold air hit me. While still in my monstrous form, I grabbed a pair of shorts from the side and held them in my hand.


    My wolf rushed across the yard. The wind struck my face.


    All I could think about was the twisted truth we had been told. All of this had been entertainment for them.


    Everything.


    It angered me that instead of ending it or taking revenge for my mother’s death, my father had chosen to be part of them.


    I remembered thest words he had written from her diary, where she told him she was d she met him before he fully changed.


    Now I understood why she had said it.


    He had changed.


    He had be like the others.


    Going rogue crossed my mind for a moment, but I pushed it away. I had to return.


    There were people at the academy who had no idea the next time they entered the North, they would be stepping into a death trap.


    And then there was Clementine. She was there waiting for me, upset with me, angry with me.


    I needed to fix things. I needed to get her out.


    By the time I reached the academy, I had already begun to transition back.


    I waspletely naked, so I quickly wore the shorts before I strode through the passageway.


    I headed toward the ck Squad room because there were lurkers in the Red Squad passage.


    When I rushed inside, Troy jumped to his feet, already upset because ourst interaction had not gone well.


    "Where were you the whole night?" he snapped, his hands on his waist.


    "Of course he is the headmaster’s son. He must have been resting in some expensive hotel," Haiden remarked, taunting me.


    I leaned against the wall, trying to catch my breath. My legs were shaking.


    It was not from running. It was from everything I had discovered.


    As I lowered myself to the ground near them, exhausted, I saw Yorick rush toward me.


    "Hey, what happened?" he asked, while Haiden crouched beside me and studied my shoulder.


    "We need to get out of here," I managed to pant.


    When I looked up, I saw worry spread across their faces.


    "What the fuck does that mean?" Troy barked. "Is this some kind of n to get us out of here so it looks like we are running away, so your father catches us and gets us punished?"


    Of course he reacted like that. He had been looking for any chance to turn the others against me.


    "No," I muttered weakly. "We need to leave right now."


    I hoped they understood the urgency in my voice. I had never behaved this way with them.


    "Where is Clementine?" I asked, and the room fell silent.


    Footsteps echoed, and someone stepped inside. I lifted my head and saw Mr. Rick enter the room.


    His hands were tied behind his back, almost like he was hiding something.


    His face had a strange look, something I had never seen on him before.


    From the way he stared at me, I could tell my father had informed him that I had broken free from the basement.


    "Well," he remarked, looking straight at me, "since it concerns your mate, Clementine, I would like you toe with me."


    As soon as he said it, my body froze.


    "Do you not want to hear where she is?" he continued to ask.


    "What is that supposed to mean? What do you mean by where she is? She must be in her room," Haiden grunted as he stood up.


    One by one, we all stood, forming a line. Mr. Rick looked at Haiden, then lowered his gaze toward Oriana, who was hiding under the bed as usual.


    "Ian Hunt, do you wish to know?" Mr. Rick continued, ignoring the others.


    I had no choice but to follow him. It seemed like it was the only way to find out about Clementine.


    I nodded and stepped after him. Behind me, the others caused amotion, but the lurkers already began to gather outside the room.


    When I stepped out of the building, the storm struck me hard.


    I had forgotten about it while running from the mansion. My hair blew across my face, and only wearing shorts made the cold sting my skin.


    The sky looked even darker now, even though it was morning.


    I turned toward the Red Passage again. All the Red Squad members were standing there, watching me.


    Their eyes carried something, almost like they were trying to tell me something without speaking.


    Every single one of them was there.


    Except for the person I was looking for.


    Clementine was not standing among them.


    Not even a sign of her.


    I swallowed hard and followed Mr. Rick through the hallway and into the main hall.


    I hoped she might be there. Maybe they had brought her there to force me to listen.


    But once I stepped inside, I realized she was not there either.