Chapter 4 ROOM 326
DRAVEN
I stand there like a damn statue, watching the taillights of Keiran's car disappear down the road. Sometimes I swear I should smack some sense into that guy whether he's the Alpha or not.
A heavy sigh leaves me. At the same time, I can't help feeling sorry for him. I've known Keiran long enough to recognize the signs. Whenever he starts acting like this, it means he's slipping back into that cold, isolated version of himself again, the one that shuts everyone out and tries carrying the whole damn world on his shoulders.
But tonight feels heavier than usual. That look on his face when he mentioned Ellie. The girl who was supposed to be missing. Or at least gone for good after what happened that night. If she’s really back on campus like nothing ever happened, then things might be accelerating faster than we thought. Or something even worse is at play. I need to dig into this quietly before the elders or God forbid, Caius catch wind of it. The last thing we need is giving Caius another bone to chew on.
I exhale sharply again and shove a hand into my pocket for my phone.
The screen lights up immediately. "Jesus Christ." I mutter. Notifications flood the display, including missed calls and messages, then more missed calls again.
Sometimes I blame myself for handing my number out so freely. Unlike Keiran, I've somehow managed to balance pack responsibilities with an actual college life. Granted, my own version of college life probably isn't what most people would call healthy.
But still. It works. Mostly.
I start walking toward the main road while scrolling through my notifications. Half the names make me regret every life decision that led to this moment. The other half make me regret them even more.
Just as I flag down a cab, my phone starts ringing. I glance at the screen and answer immediately. “Draven speaking.”
The voice that answers at the other end nearly gives me a heart attack. “Hey, Draven.”
I stop walking. No way. I pull the phone away from my ear and double-check the caller ID. “Verena?”
A soft laugh drifts through the speaker. “That's right.”
Well, shit.
“What do you want?” I demand, keeping my tone calm even though my jaw is already tight.
“Straight to business?” she asks sweetly.
Which is exactly how Verena sounds when she's about to become a problem. She’s always been like this. The sugar-coated claws wrapped in Silver Claw Pack privilege, constantly circling Keiran like he’s some prize to be claimed for her father’s ambition. I’ve hated her since the first time she tried to sink her teeth into him years ago.
“Where’s Keiran? He's been ignoring all my calls.”
There it is. I rub my temple. Of course. Caius drops that marriage bullshit in the council chamber, and now his daughter suddenly needs to talk to Keiran. Not suspicious at all. She’s probably already planning what color of flowers she’ll have at their forced bonding ceremony.
“Are you still there?”
“What do you want from him?” I ask. My voice comes out colder than intended.
Not that I care. Verena hums thoughtfully. “You don't know where he is, do you?”
There’s that tone again, that infuriating, smug tone she uses when she’s trying to corner someone. She thinks she’s so clever, playing the concerned future Luna while really just hungry for the power that comes with Keiran’s title. I’ve dealt with her long enough to know better.
“Look, Rena,” I say, already losing patience. “If I were you, I'd stop calling him.”
“Oh?”
“Yeah. Because you and I both know you're the last person Keiran wants to see tonight. Or any night, for that matter.”
She goes silent. Not the good kind, though. The dangerous kind. I can practically feel the glare burning through the phone.
“How about you tell me what you need?” I continue. “Maybe I'll be generous enough to…”
“Fine.” The sweetness vanishes instantly, replaced by pure ice. “I’ll reach him myself. Unlike you, I actually know how to get his attention.”
I grin despite myself. There she is. The real Verena. Petty, entitled, and always ready to remind everyone she’s the ‘right’ match for the Alpha. The kind of girl who would smile while stabbing you in the back if it got her closer to power.
“It's a waste of time talking to you anyway.” She adds
Before I can reply, the call ends. I stare at the screen for a second, then laugh under my breath. “Trust me, sweetheart,” I mutter, sliding the phone back into my pocket. “The feeling is very mutual. And for your sake, I hope you don't find him tonight. He's already one bad conversation away from committing a felony.”
The second the driver takes another turn, I tell him to stop. “Right here.”
I pay the fare, step out, and head straight for Linda's station. As much as I'd love to be at Trevor's party tonight, getting shitfaced like a normal college student, I still have a job to do. Find Ellie Harper. Or whatever the hell is going on with her. Because if Keiran is right, and she really survived that night… then tonight just got a whole lot more complicated.
I make my way to the counter and lean against it casually. The second Linda looks up, I flash her my most charming grin. Linda has worked at Blackthorne for years. She's human, but she’s sharper than half the wolves on campus when it comes to spotting bullshit.
Which is exactly why she's so good at her job.
She raises an eyebrow. “To what do I owe the honor, Draven?”
I place a hand dramatically over my chest. “Can't a guy stop by to check on his favorite employee?”
Linda rolls her eyes immediately. “No.”
I laugh. “Fair enough.”
“What do you want?”
Straight to business. Classic Linda.
“How's work going?” I try to divert.
“The same way it was yesterday.”
“Ouch.”
“The same way it'll be tomorrow too.”
I grin. “Glad to hear consistency is alive and well.”
She narrows her eyes. “Draven.”
“Alright, alright.” I raise both hands in surrender. “Think you can help me with something?”
That earns me a suspicious look. The kind that says she's already regretting this conversation. I point a finger at her. “Don't make that face. Nothing serious.”
“That's exactly what people say before asking for something serious.”
Okay. Fair point. “I just need information on a student.”
Linda folds her arms. “Which student?”
“Ellie...” I pretend to think for a moment. “Something.”
The look she gives me is almost insulting. “You don't know her surname?”
“Would I be asking if I did?”
Linda sighs. “Ellie Fisher?”
I snap my fingers. “Yeah. That's the one.”
Then I grin. “Please don't tell me there are multiple Ellies running around this place.”
Linda just stares at me. Then her voice drops into that serious tone I know too well. “Draven.”
My grin slowly fades. “What?”
“There is no Ellie Fisher.” She states flatly.
Shit.
The corner of her mouth twitches. “So you actually have no idea who you're looking for.”
“In my defense, I wasn't exactly introduced properly.”
“I'm quite busy, Draven. What exactly are you looking for? The school has hundreds of students. If you want my help, you're going to have to give me more than a first name.”
Fair. At this point, I'm starting to regret not paying more attention when Keiran talked about her. this doesn’t work, I’ll probably spend the rest of the night creeping through dorms like some cursed stalker. And Blackthorne is way too big for that.
I rub the back of my neck. “Okay... brown hair.”
Linda waits.
“She wears glasses.” I continue awkwardly, but she still says nothing.
I sigh, frustrated. “That's all I've got.”
“That's not much.”
“I know.”
She studies me for a moment. Long enough to make me wonder if she's about to throw me out. Then her expression shifts. “Room 326.”
I blink. “Wait. Seriously?”
“Ellie Harper. Room 326.” She says more firmly.
Relief instantly washes through me. Finally. “Linda,” I say, pointing at her. “You're a lifesaver.”
“No.”
She picks up a stack of paperwork. “I'm just good at my job.”
I grin again. “Same thing.”
Linda throws a pen at me. I catch it before it hits my face.
“Get out of here, Draven.”
Still laughing, I toss the pen back onto the counter and head for the dorms.
Room 326. Let's see why the missing girl suddenly decided to come back.
