<h4>Chapter 524: 524-Clementine Is Dead</h4>


    <strong>Haiden:</strong>


    I felt pain when Fauna started to reject me.


    It was something I deserved. I had been dismissive toward her, and when she did the same to me, I felt like I was losing my mind.


    I pulled her aside to question her. She carelessly imed that I did not love her.


    "It is a lie," I insisted.


    She ced her hands on her waist and stared at me with her chipmunk cheeks and wide eyes.


    "I do not hate you," I muttered under my breath, guilt pressing against my chest.


    "You were going to reject me," she repeated.


    "No, Fauna. I said I was going to reject you, but I am not even sure if I could," I confessed, turning away from her.


    She studied my face in silence.


    Before either of us could say more, a car pulled up and honked at ours to move. It had to stop because our vehicle blocked the way.


    "What is going on? Is someone important here?" a man called from the passenger seat, leaning out the window.


    He froze when he saw Fauna standing with me. A frown formed on his forehead.


    Then his gaze shifted to Ian, and something clicked.


    That was Grant. He was the one who kept the data on everyone.


    The moment the driver tried to move again, our lurkers, the headmaster, and Ian rushed toward the car.


    Ian moved fast. He yanked the backseat door open and dragged Grant out, hauling him across the road toward our cars.


    The warriors with Grant were outnumbered. They fled with the driver.


    Grant watched them go and grunted in anger when they did not stay to save him.


    "I do not understand why you are holding me here. What did I do wrong?" Grant panicked, dropping to his knees in front of us and looking around.


    "Oh, you will find out soon," Ian growled as he drove another punch into him.


    I understood that Ian was angry. Still, the violence felt unnecessary before the truth came out.


    But I stayed silent and let him handle it.


    It was his mate they had taken from him.


    And now, when Fauna spoke to Ian and ignored me, jealousy twisted inside me. It made me realize how real it was.


    Jealousy among mates was not a joke.


    "All we want to know is where Nook is," the headmaster stated, stepping forward and cing a hand on his son’s shoulder to pull him back before questioning Grant.


    "Nook? Who is that and what do I have to do with him?" Grant muttered, acting confused.


    I noticed Ian’s jaw clench again. It was a clear sign he would not let any lies slide.


    "You know we were looking for you, don’t you?" Ian snapped.


    Grant acted as if this was the biggest news he had ever heard. He looked at me in confusion, then turned his head toward Fauna, since he already knew us.


    It felt like a cry for help and also a hint that he wanted to know what was really going on.


    "Answer what he’s asking you," I muttered, making it clear that he could not just keep looking at us for help.


    We were not going to help him. We only wanted him to tell the truth, but he was making it difficult.


    "But I’m being honest with you. I have no clue who Nook is. And I don’t understand why you’re asking me this question."


    At that point, he was really pushing the limits.


    I stepped back and gestured toward Ian, giving him a look that said I was done. He was all his.


    That seemed to scare Grant because the moment he saw Ian walk toward him, he covered his head with his hands.


    "I’m innocent. What am I being punished for?" he screamed, beginning to cry.


    "Do you know it is illegal to attack someone like this? We pack members need to stick together," he went on, speaking nonsense.


    As he kept rambling, Ian approached him, grabbed him by the back of his head, and struck him several times before the man realized that no one was buying his act.


    "Okay, wait. I remember Nook. Oh yeah, I remember. He does business, right?" the man spoke in haste, trying to get us to stop Ian. The Headmaster told Ian to take a break.


    "The man who had Clementine, that is who Nook is, and you know that," the Headmaster muttered to Grant.


    Ian stepped back because it was time for Grant to be honest with us.


    He straightened his posture, but his eyes lingered on the ground.


    "Yeah. Nook," he uttered to himself.


    "Tell us, where was Clementine taken after Nook was killed?" Ian demanded.


    As soon as Ian said that, the man lifted his head, then shrugged.


    "I don’t know."


    That was all he said before Ian lunged at him again.


    As Ian began punching him, the man started to break.


    "Okay, fine. I know. I know. And no, Nook is not dead. He lied to you."


    The man began confessing almost immediately. It felt abrupt, but he kept talking.


    "He is alive. He is away from home and everything," he continued. "It is true his ce was under attack."


    He hesitated as he spoke, offering little more than we already knew.


    "Where is Clementine?" I demanded, grunting under my breath and clenching my fist.


    Grant scanned all of us before his eyes settled on Fauna. I caught the bitterness on her face.


    That was enough. He was pushing his luck.


    I nced at Fauna, then back at him. Rage surged, and I lunged at him, driving my fist into his face again and again until the headmaster grabbed me from behind and dragged me off him.


    "You fucking do not look at my mate," I roared, struggling against the grip, wanting to gouge his eyes out.


    Grant rolled his eyes and spat out blood. He drew in a breath and shook his head, as if the news he carried would leave us frozen.


    "Fine. I will tell you where Clementine is, but I do not think you can handle the truth," he whispered.


    Ian reacted first. He seized Grant by the cor, shook him hard, and forced him to meet his eyes.


    "Say it again," Ian demanded.


    "When Nook was under attack, the thugs found Clementine in his captivity," Grant said, his voice unsteady. "But she was already dead."


    The words did not just make my heart skip. Fauna covered her mouth with both hands, and Ian stared at Grant in disbelief.


    He stood there for a moment without moving. Then he staggered back.


    His father caught him before he fell, but Ian slipped from his hold and dropped to the ground, his eyes empty.


    I lunged at Grant again and wrapped my fingers around his neck.


    "Tell us the truth. Where is Clementine?" I demanded.


    He choked and wed at my hands, coughing as he fought for air.


    "I told you. I told you the truth. She is dead," he rasped. "They buried her somewhere. I do not know where, but I can find out in a few days."


    The words settled like poison. Ian kept retreating until his back hit nothing, and he copsed onto the ground, staring ahead without focus.


    Watching Ian like that, I felt a deep unease.


    He did not move while the lurkers restrained Grant and tied his hands behind his back.


    I pulled out my phone and stepped aside, gesturing for Fauna to stay with Ian.


    Even with his father beside him, I feared for Ian and his mental state.


    The moment the call connected, Troy answered.


    "Hello?" he said, anxiety sharp in his voice, as if I had caught him off guard.


    "Dude, you need to get here. I am sending you the address. Juste. Now," I urged, dragging a hand through my hair.


    Tears burned in my eyes.


    "What is it? What happened?" he pressed.


    I sniffled and turned to look at Ian again.


    He still had not moved.


    "We found out where Clementine is," I said.


    On the other end, Troy gasped.


    "What is going on? What are they saying?" a familiar voice called from behind him.


    I could not ce it. I only knew it was a woman’s voice.


    I frowned but chose not to dwell on it.


    Gossip meant nothing to me right now.


    "Troy, juste over. Ian is not taking the news well. Juste. We need you here," I insisted.


    As I spoke, I heard Troy clear his throat several times.


    "I aming," he replied.


    That was all he said before ending the call.


    I stared at my phone, confused.


    He had not asked a single question. He just sounded afraid.


    "What is it?" Fauna asked as she approached me, noticing how anxiously I had stepped away earlier.


    "I just called Troy to ask him toe here," I uttered, zoning out as I reyed my interaction with him again and again.


    "And?" Fauna asked softly.


    I stared at her and tilted my head.


    "He was acting very odd."


    The moment I said that, Fauna pouted.


    Of course, she did not know Troy the way I did, so his response had truly confused me.


    But at that moment, I was more focused on helping Ian than thinking about Troy’s behavior.