**BOOK FOUR**
Reuben is running. Running from a life he never wanted; one he never fit into.
Eli is chasing. Chasing a future he is desperate to call reality.
After Reuben's rejection, Eli thought he'd never see his mate again. However, when repo...
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I felt a bit out of place as I walked through the Howling Night. The plan was to originally wait for Eli before going out, but after being cooped up inside, I decided to step out and take a short walk; however, that didn't go as planned. A few minutes was all it took for me to lose sight of where I was going.
In other words, I felt like Eli. Somehow, I seemed to catch his inability to follow directions.
Normally, I would've turned around, retraced my steps, and attempted to find my way back to Eli's house, but I decided not to this time. I don't know why, but I continued going forward and looking around. I had my phone on me so it wasn't as if I'd be lost without a way for Eli to reach me. I was sure he'd freak out a bit once he realized I wasn't there though, because that's who Eli was.
As I walked, there were a few people who glanced at me. Some said hello and others just walked past me. There were a few who stared, but not enough to make me feel like some museum exhibit.
I continued walking around aimlessly, taking in the view around me until I bumped into someone, causing me to stumble back.
"Are you okay?" A voice asked as a minty scent flooded my nose. I glanced at the owner of the scent and was met with the sight of green eyes. He was one of the alphas and had been there when Eli and I first arrived. I traced my mind for a name, but nothing came to mind. I wasn't sure Eli had told me beforehand. Noticing this, the man offered me a hand. "Tatum."
"It's nice to meet you," I said as I took his hand, even though we'd met before.
"Out exploring?"
"Something like that," I replied. "I was tired of staying inside."
I knew Eli was dealing with his parents so it wasn't like I was mad at him or anything, but I did still want to spend time with him. That was a large part of the reason I agreed to come along after all. That was why I was looking forward to our date; it'd be the first time since arriving that we were able to spend time together.
"That's fair. I'm sure you didn't just come here to admire the houses. Honestly, I was surprised to see you in the first place."
A small feeling of discomfort filled me. I knew that Nixon already knew about everything Eli and I had been through, but just how much did Tatum know, and did it have anything to do with why he was talking to me?
"Eli asked me to. It was a last-minute decision," I replied.
He smiled at that. "He looks happier these days. It's nice to see after the last few months he's been having."
