Feral Bonds: Claimed By Rogue Alpha Brothers-Chapter 543: All Four Together

Evaline:

I handed Lioren over to Vanessa with a reluctant smile, brushing a kiss over his soft hair before stepping back.

"I won’t be long," I promised him quietly, even though he had already turned his attention to Vanessa’s blouse, tiny fingers clutching one of the buttons with fierce determination.

Vanessa chuckled. "Rest assure, My Lady. He’ll be perfectly fine with me."

I nodded and turned away, my steps already carrying me down the familiar corridor toward the study.

I didn’t need to be told where my mates were. I could feel them... three steady presences pulling at me like gravity. They had slipped away minutes ago, all casual excuses and vague smiles, which immediately told me they were up to something.

I stopped in front of the study door, lifted my hand, and knocked once.

"Come in," River’s voice called.

I slipped inside and closed the door behind me.

All three of them were seated on the couches - River and Kieran on one, Oscar sprawled lazily on the other. The room was lit warmly, but the atmosphere felt... heavy. Tense.

I moved forward and settled onto the big couch beside Oscar, close enough that our thighs brushed. I leaned back, folding my hands in my lap, my gaze sweeping over them with open curiosity.

"So," I said lightly, "what’s the plan?"

Three pairs of eyes flicked to me.

And then came... guilt.

It was subtle, but unmistakable. River’s jaw tightened. Kieran looked away a fraction too quickly. Oscar shifted beside me, suddenly far more alert than he had been a second ago.

I narrowed my eyes.

"What is it?" I asked slowly.

Oscar cleared his throat, then scooted closer, his arm sliding around mine as if nothing was wrong. "Love," he said, voice deliberately casual. "You look tired. Wanna take a break? We could go for a swim. The pool’s heated."

I stared at him.

Then I turned my head toward River and Kieran.

That’s when it clicked.

Oh.

I gently but firmly pulled my arm out of Oscar’s hold. Not harshly... but decisively. The playful expression on his face faltered.

"I’m not leaving this room," I said, my voice calm but unyielding, "until you are done finalizing your next move in this investigation."

Silence fell instantly.

I straightened and fixed my gaze on River. "And you," I added pointedly, "promised me a week ago that I would be a part of this. No more trying to keep me out. I held myself back the entire week just because of that promise if yours."

Kieran’s head snapped toward River. "You promised her that?"

River looked like he wanted the floor to swallow him whole.

He exhaled slowly, rubbing a hand over his face before nodding. "I did," he admitted. "And I’m not going back on my word."

His eyes lifted to mine, filled with something dangerously close to frustration. "We are just... worried about you."

I didn’t hesitate. "I’m worried about you."

That stopped him.

The words hung heavy between us, sharp and undeniable.

"So," I continued softly, "we are on the same page."

The study fell into tense silence, thick enough to choke on.

Then Kieran leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. "Alright," he said, voice firm. "Here’s my plan. I’ll go down to the West Tower basement on my own and-"

"No."

Three voices spoke at once.

Kieran blinked.

Oscar straightened. "Absolutely not."

River shook his head. "Not happening."

I crossed my arms. "You are not going alone."

Kieran opened his mouth, clearly ready to argue, when River cut in.

"Then I’ll go."

Again... immediate rejection.

"No."

"Not a chance."

"River, don’t even-"

Another silence followed, heavier than the last.

I let out a breath and leaned forward. "None of us will agree to just one person going down there alone," I said evenly. "And sending only warriors isn’t an option either."

I met each of their gazes in turn. "So the only solution is all four of us. Together."

They didn’t like it.

I could see it in the way their expressions tightened, in the way Oscar’s fingers curled into the couch, in how River’s shoulders stiffened.

But they also knew me.

Dragging this out would only make things worse.

Finally, River nodded. "Alright," he said. "Together."

Reluctant agreement followed from the others, though Kieran still looked like he was swallowing a thousand objections.

"Good," I said quietly.

Kieran leaned back and shifted gears. "My team worked through the week. I already knew about the underground passage leading to the West Tower, so I had them pull the blueprints."

He reached for the tablet on the table and turned it so we could all see.

"The problem is... there’s nothing beneath the basement. No mention of a lower level. No trapdoor. Nothing."

Oscar frowned. "Which means it wasn’t part of the original design."

"Exactly," Kieran said. "So whatever’s down there was either added later... or predates the Academy entirely. I just don’t understand how it’s even possible."

A chill slid down my spine.

"The only way to find it," Kieran continued, "is to go down there ourselves."

He paused before adding, "Also Marcus’s accounts have all been tracked. He used nearly half of the money he had been extorting from students to buy a house and a car. The other half was sitting untouched."

Oscar nodded. "The house and car are already listed. Once sold, the money will be returned."

"And the council?" I asked.

"They have been informed," River replied. "For now, the term continues. Unless we confirm something is indeed wrong with the West Tower, they won’t shut the Academy down."

Relief and worry tangled inside me.

"I hope it doesn’t come to that," I murmured. "Closing the Academy would cause panic."

"But safety comes first," Kieran said.

I nodded, then frowned. "When the Academy was being built... did anything seem off about the West Tower?"

Kieran shook his head. "Nothing significant."

Then he paused.

His brow furrowed.

"... But there was an incident."

All eyes snapped to him.

"Was there?" Oscar asked, clearly unaware of any such incident.

"One of the laborers got injured," Kieran said slowly with a nod. "It wasn’t serious, so I never mentioned it to you guys."

We all went quiet.

Too quiet.

Then Kieran’s yes widened slightly.

"...No," he murmured.

My heart skipped. "Kieran?"

He looked up at us, something dark and troubled dawning in his gaze.

"I just remembered something," he said.