And Then There Were Four

Chapter 197

Chapter 197: News from the Past

Cassie.

Waking early the next morning, I had anticipated my mother being there the moment that my eyes opened, but instead, when I awoke I was simply greeted by the dim lighting of the sun shining through the room. Things were definitely different here and as much as I wanted to remember them as they were the day that I had left. I knew the time had passed so much in the years that I was gone here.

Even though it only felt like weeks to me.

It honestly made sense the reason why the wolves had greeted me the way they did. The moment that I had died in Asgard, my connection to this pack was severed and every single wolf that was within it felt my life force go. People thought wolves were monsters. Uncontrollable wild animals that would kill you in a heartbeat.

But nobody knew the depth of how our family worked, how connected we really were. It had always bothered me growing up knowing that while we held deeper family values than most humans did, we were the ones that were seen as predatory.

Sliding from my bed I padded my way toward the connecting bathroom to my room. Though I had usually stayed in bed longer in the mornings because I dreaded going to be social with people in Asgard, I was looking forward to what lay ahead for the day.

I wanted to see the pack, talk with Trixie, and find out everything that I had missed.

My arrival wasn't as I had expected it to be, and I knew that with time people would adjust to me being here, but until then I would have to deal with being the outsider. The girl who had died and stepped foot back into a realm that hadn't seen me in so long.

Half an hour later and ready for the day, I made my way downstairs to hear the soft words of Silas and my brother in the kitchen. I wasn't sure what they were talking about but the moment I stepped into the kitchen their eyes turned toward me, their conversation stopped.

“Good morning, you two," I replied with a curious gaze as I spotted the coffee pot on the counter and felt the urge to cry having missed the coffee on earth. The s**t they had in Asgard was okay, but the moment I found out it was mushroom-based, I lost all hope of real coffee.

Grabbing a cup from the rack next to the pot, I eagerly poured some from the glass carafe and put it to my lips moaning with pleasure as I inhaled the familiar aroma, teasing my taste bud until the moment I placed my lips upon the cup and savored its contents. NôvelDrama.Org © content.

“Jesus, Cass… did you not have coffee this entire time?" Pollux asked me with a chuckle that I refused to allow to ruin my moment.

“You tell me… if you had found out that all the coffee you had been drinking was mushroom-based, would you miss this?"

Wrinkling his nose, he glanced towards Silas, who shrugged his shoulders indifferently, “I suppose, I would. Did you sleep well?"

“Yeah," I replied with a nod. “I do like what you have done with the pack house. The rooms are very nice."

“They're not as nice as the ones in Asgard. Trust me… I have tried to find a mattress to match the bed I had there and it doesn't exist here on earth."

Raising a brow, a smile crossed my lips. “Well, maybe the mattress fairy can bring you one."

“Would that be the royal that's with you?" he replied, causing me to choke as I thought of Finn with wings and a tiara delivering mattresses.

“I resent that comment," a voice said from the doorway causing both Pollux and me to turn to stare at Finn, who looked absolutely gorgeous in normal clothing. Dark wash jeans, a black fitted t-shirt, and a man bun. I was in utter shock.

“Why would that be, Finnick?" Silas said coldly, causing me to wonder if the two of those men had issues they needed to desperately work out.

“Because I am Fae… I'm not a f*****g fairy."

His statement didn't make sense, and as I went to open my mouth, another body entered the room carrying a small child, who I had been all too eager to meet. “Oh my god!" I squealed with excitement. “Is this her?"

The golden blonde hair and large blue eyes of the child captured my attention right away. She was beautiful and looked like the spitting image of her mother—for the most part.

“Yes," Trixie smiled as she kissed the side of her daughter's face. “This is Evelyn."

“She's beautiful," I replied in awe over how delicate the child looked. A smile crossed the little girl's face as she hid within the crook of her mother's neck. “I can't believe she is one already."

Trixie chuckled, staring at the child, “I know I say the same thing everyday."

Doing the calculations in my head, I tried to understand how long I had been away, and then when Trixie visited me. The numbers weren't adding up right and the more I thought about it, the more confused I became. “I would have thought she was older…"

Laughter escaped Trixie, but my brother must have understood where my mind was going and he was anything but amused. “I'll explain everything, Cassie. Don't worry. In the meantime, Pollux, sweetie, why don't you show both of the men around the pack? Cassie and I have a lot to catch up on."

There was silence as the three men looked at each other, seemingly not pleased with what Trixie said, probably because they didn't want to be around each other more than they had to be. But as Pollux sighed and Silas stood to his feet, I realized they weren't going to argue with her. She was the Luna of this pack, which meant that she deserved respect.

Clearing his throat, my brother looked at both men with an uncomfortable expression upon his face. “Gentlemen, if you will follow me this way."

It was so strange to see that Trixie literally had my brother's balls in a vise by the way he followed her orders. But I was glad to see that the young dickish man he once was now was replaced with what seemed to be an Alpha our people respected.

“Come on, Cassie… let's go to the sunroom. I'll have Gia bring us tea."

“Who's Gia?" I muttered as Trixie headed from the kitchen with me trailing behind her. The entire house was breathtaking, and I could tell that the floral and greenery that lined everything was nothing but touches of Trixie. It was clear that she missed certain aspects of her previous life and brought what she could here to the pack.

The moment that we cleared one room, I followed her out a white doorway.The sun shined through glass windows that formed the walls of a large greenhouse I got a really clear view of how Trixie was doing. My mouth dropped open in shock at the size of the greenhouse. Floor-to-ceiling ivy climbed the pillars and the walls accented by vibrant colors of flowers that I honestly didn't know existed.

“Trixie, did you take flowers from Asgard?" I muttered as I turned my eyes towards her in concern. A sheepish grin crossed her face as she sat little Evelyn down within her play area.

“Not exactly, and don't worry. It's all concealed within this garden. Only a handful of people are allowed in here, and I take care of maintenance. It gives me something to do."

I wasn't sure how much I trusted that statement but taking a seat upon the white antique loveseat that was adorned with throw pillows and accompanied by two white chairs, I started to understand why she didn't come back.

“You never planned to come back to Asgard, did you?" I asked softly, catching her attention as she turned from speaking to a very short red-haired girl with green eyes.

“I did…" she replied with hesitation as she opened and closed her mouth, “but then when I came back here, everything changed."

“What do you mean?"

I could tell by the look in her eyes that she was holding back something she wasn't quite ready to share. Something that seemed to conflict her green eyes that had dulled over the years, leaving a woman who had experienced too much. “When I came back, chaos had consumed this place, and I knew that I couldn't leave. Not to mention I was pregnant with Evelyn all that time I was away… almost two years had passed with me being gone, Cassie."

“You were pregnant for two years?" I gasped, not sure how that was possible.

Trixie laughed as Gia brought the tea back while setting the tray upon the small white wicker table in front of us. “Well, not technically. See, when I went to Asgard, I was the right timeframe, however when I came back and because Earth time moves faster than Asgard, it had been so long."

Realization kicked in as I stared at her wide-eyed and in shock. “Oh, Jesus, I take it my brother wasn't pleased you had been gone that long. Trixie, I'm sorry, I didn't realize—"

“Oh, Cassie, stop," she said softly with a smile on her lips as she waved off my apology. “It isn't your fault. I chose to stay and help you in Asgard. I'm just sorry I hadn't told you I wasn't coming back."

“It's okay, Trix. Your place is here with my brother and your family. I'm just glad that I could see you again. You seem so different, and to me it hasn't been that long."

Trixie scoffed slightly with a smile that didn't quite reach her eyes like it used to. There was something about the way that she looked down at the teacup in her hand that made me wonder what exactly had happened to change her. When I first met her, she was bright and bubbly and so full of life, and now she seemed so drained and worn down.

It broke my heart to see my friend this way and when our eyes met mine once more, I could see the tears that brimmed them. “You have no idea how much I've missed you as well, and how much I wished you had been here through everything that has happened over the past few years."

Quickly, I wos to my feet, moking my woy ocross the smoll spoce between us. My honds found hers ond os I pulled her ond my embroce, giving her o worm hug, I tried to imogine whot she hod gone through. “Trixie, I'm here now. Tell me onything thot you need to. I'm here for you no motter whot."

Her soft giggle of loughter seemed olmost sorcostic ond forced os I pulled owoy ond looked down into her eyes, wotching her store ot me os if I wosn't reolly here. She furrowed her brows, wrinkling her nose before shrugging her shoulders, cosuolly brushing me off to move.

The whole movement wos owkword, ond os she quickly stood to her feet, putting down the teocup, her eyes sconning towords her child before looking bock ot me. I knew something terrible must hove reolly hoppened. “Cossie, I've woited for this moment for so long to tell you everything thot hos hoppened, but now thot it's here, I don't even know where to begin."

“Well, just stort from the top," I replied in o very noncholont kind of woy woiting for her to express to me whot she hod gone through. Whoever it wos, I wos here to help her hondle it, to help her get through

everything. The only problem wos when she opened her mouth, I wosn't expecting whot she would soy next.

“Well, for storters, the moment thot I left, I come bock to find out thot Ashley, your brother's ex, wos trying to move her owoy into things. And on top of thot, your mother wos doing her best to moke things work, but Hole refused to hond over the full title of Alpho until I hod come bock becouse he wosn't sure thot Pollux wos in his right mind. I suppose from whot I've been told, he wos slightly going crozy, loshing out ot everybody. Oh, ond then just to moke things even better, Domien controcted o weird diseose ond is sick."

I could tell immediotely the lost port of thot sentence she didn't meon to soy by the woy thot her eyes went wide ond her hond quickly flew to her mouth. I wos ot o loss for words, trying to understond whot she meont, thot my fother wos sick. I meon, I knew I wos on Asgordion, but they could send me messoges or something. There wosn't o woy thot they would keep something like this from me, wos there?

“Woit o second. Whot do you meon my dod is sick? He con't be sick."

“I'm sorry. I didn't meon to tell you thot. I promise. I'm so sorry," she soid over ond over ogoin, opologizing os she come towords me but I held my hond up, stopping her in her trocks os I stood to my feet ond onger begon to bubble through me.

“Why didn't my brother tell me this the moment thot he sow me? Why didn't onybody try to send me o messoge obout whot wos going on?" My questions were volid ond she seemed speechless.

“I wosn't supposed to tell you. Your mother soid she wonted to be the one to tell you ond your brother. He mode me promise not to soy onything, ond now thot I hove, I know it's going to couse complicotions. I just. I wos so ongry ond I… I didn't meon for it to come out."

Trixie wos completely sincere in her words, ond she must hove soid something to my brother through their mindlink which wos odd becouse she wos o pixie, ond I hod thought only those with the gene could do thot. But before I knew it, my brothers bombording figure come through the open doorwoy, cousing me to look over my shoulder to see him, Silos ond Finnick stonding there, storing ot me with concern on their foce.

There wosn't much thot my brother could soy to me right now thot wouldn't moke me wont to strongle him. Not only wos he my brother, he wos my twin, ond he didn't even hove the common courtesy to let me know thot my fother wos sick. Toking o moment before I opened my mouth, I closed my eyes, potting my honds together os I tried to find the right words to soy to him without screoming obscenities ot him.

“Pleose tell me right now thot you plonned on informing me of my fother's illness." When I opened my eyes, I sow Finn ond Silos storing ot me, wide-eyed ond obsolutely speechless, os wos my brother, who quickly dorted his goze towords Trixie with o frowned expression. I woved him, cotching his ottention once more os I wogged my finger from side to side. “Don't look ot her. You look ot me. Answer my question."

“It isn't thot eosy—" Thot wos the wrong onswer, ond I didn't bother to let him finish before I wos ocross the room with my hond oround his neck ond his body pressed ogoinst the woll. He moy hove been on olpho, but I wos o f*****g God, ond if he thought for one moment thot he could keep secrets from me, he wos sodly mistoken.

Quickly, I was to my feet, making my way across the small space between us. My hands found hers and as I pulled her and my embrace, giving her a warm hug, I tried to imagine what she had gone through. “Trixie, I'm here now. Tell me anything that you need to. I'm here for you no matter what."

Her soft giggle of laughter seemed almost sarcastic and forced as I pulled away and looked down into her eyes, watching her stare at me as if I wasn't really here. She furrowed her brows, wrinkling her nose before shrugging her shoulders, casually brushing me off to move.

The whole movement was awkward, and as she quickly stood to her feet, putting down the teacup, her eyes scanning towards her child before looking back at me. I knew something terrible must have really happened. “Cassie, I've waited for this moment for so long to tell you everything that has happened, but now that it's here, I don't even know where to begin."

“Well, just start from the top," I replied in a very nonchalant kind of way waiting for her to express to me what she had gone through. Whoever it was, I was here to help her handle it, to help her get through everything. The only problem was when she opened her mouth, I wasn't expecting what she would say next.

“Well, for starters, the moment that I left, I came back to find out that Ashley, your brother's ex, was trying to move her away into things. And on top of that, your mother was doing her best to make things work, but Hale refused to hand over the full title of Alpha until I had come back because he wasn't sure that Pollux was in his right mind. I suppose from what I've been told, he was slightly going crazy, lashing out at everybody. Oh, and then just to make things even better, Damien contracted a weird disease and is sick."

I could tell immediately the last part of that sentence she didn't mean to say by the way that her eyes went wide and her hand quickly flew to her mouth. I was at a loss for words, trying to understand what she meant, that my father was sick. I mean, I knew I was an Asgardian, but they could send me messages or something. There wasn't a way that they would keep something like this from me, was there?

“Wait a second. What do you mean my dad is sick? He can't be sick."

“I'm sorry. I didn't mean to tell you that. I promise. I'm so sorry," she said over and over again, apologizing as she came towards me but I held my hand up, stopping her in her tracks as I stood to my feet and anger began to bubble through me.

“Why didn't my brother tell me this the moment that he saw me? Why didn't anybody try to send me a message about what was going on?" My questions were valid and she seemed speechless.

“I wasn't supposed to tell you. Your mother said she wanted to be the one to tell you and your brother. He made me promise not to say anything, and now that I have, I know it's going to cause complications. I just. I was so angry and I… I didn't mean for it to come out."

Trixie was completely sincere in her words, and she must have said something to my brother through their mindlink which was odd because she was a pixie, and I had thought only those with the gene could do that. But before I knew it, my brothers bombarding figure came through the open doorway, causing me to look over my shoulder to see him, Silas and Finnick standing there, staring at me with concern on their face.

There wasn't much that my brother could say to me right now that wouldn't make me want to strangle him. Not only was he my brother, he was my twin, and he didn't even have the common courtesy to let me know that my father was sick. Taking a moment before I opened my mouth, I closed my eyes, patting my hands together as I tried to find the right words to say to him without screaming obscenities at him.

“Please tell me right now that you planned on informing me of my father's illness." When I opened my eyes, I saw Finn and Silas staring at me, wide-eyed and absolutely speechless, as was my brother, who quickly darted his gaze towards Trixie with a frowned expression. I waved him, catching his attention once more as I wagged my finger from side to side. “Don't look at her. You look at me. Answer my question."

“It isn't that easy—" That was the wrong answer, and I didn't bother to let him finish before I was across the room with my hand around his neck and his body pressed against the wall. He may have been an alpha, but I was a f*****g God, and if he thought for one moment that he could keep secrets from me, he was sadly mistaken.