CHAPTER 362: 362-KEPT MESSING UP

Clementine:

"I am telling you, Joshua will never do that again," I told Ian.

"That is not the point," he shot back.

"Why was he so close to you anyway? Do you not remember that he was the one who voted against us leaving the north and the academy? Why is he the one getting kisses while you are angry with me because I am the son of the headmaster?" His voice rose, and the tension in it intensified.

"How is it fair that you forgave him so easily, but you were furious with me to the point that you did not even want to speak with me?" he continued.

"Because I had expectations from you!" I yelled back, and he stared at me without blinking.

"That does not explain anything," he answered.

"So the one you have expectations from gets no advantage, not even a minute to speak with you? Should I expect you to expect nothing from me so that I could at least get a kiss from you?"

His words cut deeper than a stab.

"Ian," I tried to speak, but I knew his anger had no limit.

He was hurt because someone had kissed his girlfriend, his mate, but he was taking it out on the wrong person.

He stepped toward the car and opened the door.

"I have nothing to say to you anymore, at least not right now," he stated, refusing to look at me.

His words hit my ears like a dagger falling on butter.

He climbed into the car and shut the door.

I heard the others coming from behind me while my eyes stayed fixed on Ian sitting in the car.

He kept rubbing his face with his hands, then leaned back with his finger resting beside his lips as he looked out the window on the other side of the car.

Within a few seconds, the red squad and the rest of the black squad began to arrive.

However, the lurkers stepped forward immediately to stop Haiden, Yorick and Troy from approaching me.

I could see they had intended to come toward me, but they were stopped halfway.

The lurkers rushed ahead and snapped their fingers at me, gesturing for me to walk toward my own car.

One of them guided me to the door.

Everyone else had already gotten inside. I was the only one still outside.

But I did not step in right away. I watched the rest of the black squad enter their car.

Oriana, who had been absent the entire fight, suddenly appeared from nowhere.

I could already tell she had been hiding.

I was not surprised, and I doubted anyone cared, because it was better she stayed out of it than interfered.

At this point she was more of a burden and responsibility in any battle.

Then Haiden approached the car. As he stepped inside, he paused and gave me a glance.

Yorick was next, and he did the same, watching me with a sad look before disappearing inside.

Troy was the last. He stared at me briefly before getting in.

Once everyone was inside and the black squad’s car pulled away, I dropped to my knees.

I did not know what happened to me in that moment.

The minute I went down, everyone gasped, and I broke down completely.

I could not swallow the tears anymore.

Trying to be strong all the time was clearly not a good idea, because once you finally break, it becomes extremely hard to stay steady.

That was what was happening to me right then.

"Hey, what is wrong with you? What is wrong?"

Renee jumped out of the car and wrapped her arm around me to pull me up.

Sebastian was beside her, holding my body and helping me rise.

The two of them guided me into the car and seated me between them before Sebastian moved to the back to help Renee take care of Mira, who was sleeping peacefully.

"Do not tell me you are crying for the monster," Joshua remarked, which made me lift my head to look at him.

"You should not have done that." I do not know why, but the words slipped out quickly.

He frowned.

"Done what? Kill the monster?" he asked.

I did not know if he was truly that clueless or if he was pretending, but it was becoming irritating.

"You should not have kissed me." The moment I said it, I could tell even Sebastian and Renee were listening.

I had a feeling Joshua was offended that I was bringing it up.

"Hey, it was nothing. Just a little peck out of excitement. Do not make a big deal out of it. I do not want any scandal with you," he snapped, making it clear how offended he was that I even mentioned it.

"Well, then you should not have done it," I hissed at him.

"Well, I am telling you it was nothing!" he almost shouted, and it made my anger rise.

He acted like nothing mattered to him, but that was the reason my relationship was being affected.

"Then go ahead and tell this to Ian," I shouted, and the entire car fell silent.

Joshua gave me a hard look from the opposite side of the car, where the seating was arranged.

"Well, if he is so bothered by such a little peck, then I do not think he should be with you. You deserve someone better. Do you not have three more mates? Pick one of them," he remarked, making me clench my jaw.

"Stay out of my relationship. I am not like you," I replied sharply.

The moment I said that, he rose from his seat.

"Say that again. Are you suggesting my love for Suki was not real?" he demanded, his eyes daring me to repeat it.

"You are just a selfish person, Joshua. You only care about yourself. If you had ever thought about what Suki wanted, you would have known she wanted Jack, not you," I said.

I did not know what came over me, but the words spilled out.

I watched his face lose color.

"Remember how she did not want to come fight the monster for you because she was scared? Well, she was not scared enough to fight for Jack. She told me she would risk her life for him, not you," I finished.

I expected him to react aggressively, but he did not. He needed a reality check.

Yet he still did not respond. He leaned back silently and stared out the window.

His silence was more unsettling than the storm outside.