Chapter 20

*Sean's POV*

"There you are," I turned from my phone as my father entered my room, turning the light on.

"You were looking for me?" I asked sitting up on my bed, I was already in bed even though it was barely six at night. I got up this morning, went to school, came back and went right back to bed.

"Yes, and I'm not the only one. Why are the guys and Izabella worried about you?" He asked. He was referring to my friends, I hadn't seen any of them at school, probably because I spent the day on the gym throwing basketballs. I may have skipped… all of my classes.

I shrugged, "Got a headache at the cinema last night, I'm cool now though." I said.

"Are you sure? Because I feel like there is something that you are not telling me, Sean." He said seriously.

"Yes, Dad. I'm sure. I would tell you if it was important. I just," I shrugged, “Don’t feel like hanging out with anyone right now.” I said. My wolf growled but I suppressed him. He didn't like that we were blacking out, I did not either. He wanted to tell my father, but Dad had enough problems, seeing as he wasn't at all over losing my mom, not even close, and so did Ian since he lost Hillary and the pack was attacked, there was also the rebuilding. They had so much to focus on. I would tell them when I needed to. It was not hurting anyone or myself right now.

"Sean, I know you're going to be Alpha one day, so you want to be seen as invincible, and I know I'm not your mother, but if there is something wrong with you, I need to know, you need to talk to me." He said.

"I'm fine." I snapped at him before I bowed my head sighing. "I’m sorry, Beta." I mumbled.

"Sean, I know I've always taught you to be professional and respectful, but right now I am your father not a Beta, tell me what's wrong." He said. I sighed giving up.

"It’s not a big deal. When I went to the mall with –” I was saying.

"Sean!" I smiled instantly as Clara ran into my room, "Come on! Look what I caught! Come!" She grabbed my hand. I looked at my father silently asking if we could postpone the talk.

He chuckled nodding. "Talk later," he said.

I nodded, and got up letting her pull me through the house. I laughed when we got outside and there was a grey rabbit in a cage.

"I caught him!" She smiled, "Jase says he's a boy." She added. I chuckled glancing over at Jason and the other guys who looked amused at her happiness of having caught the little creature.

"Are you going to keep him?" I asked kneeling in front of the cage beside Clara who sat down on the grass next to me.

"Yeah, but don't tell daddy." She whispered. I laughed.

"I won't tell him." I said.

"Pinky swear?" She asked holding out her pinky.

"Yeah, I swear." I grinned, linking my pinky with hers.

"His name's Bugs." She said smiling, “Like the cartoons.” She added.

"That's an awesome name." I said chuckling.

"Yeah, but I don't know what to feed him. Do you know?" She asked opening the cage and pulling the rabbit out.

"Well, grass I think. And vegetables sometimes." I said.

"Ew. Veggies." She scrunched her nose in disgust and I laughed. "Help me feed him?" She asked.

"Of cour –” I stopped when my eyes blurred. Not again. Not now.

"Sean?" Clara spoke.

"Um. I-I have to go to the bathroom. I'll help you feed him later." I said.

"You're lying." I chuckled when she said that.

"I am. I just feel a little sick, I think I'll go sleep for a bit." I got up, rubbing my eyes and trying to stop whatever blackout was about to happen.

"Sean? Is it happening again?" I heard Eric.

'No, I'm fine.' I linked him so that Clara wouldn't hear me. I ran into the house and up into my room before I locked the door and hid the key hoping that whatever happened, I would stay in the room.

-----

*Izabella’s POV*

"Admit it." Alexis smirked. I rolled my eyes.

"You know neither of them are going to shut up until you admit 'it,'" Corey said glancing at me before looking back into his English book while muttering, "Whatever the hell 'it' is."

"Geez, thank God I'm home-schooled." I sent a glare at Kaden and he smirked.

We were currently all in the library, and while Sean's friends – who had joined us a half hour earlier, Hayley, Corey, and I tried to catch up with our schoolwork, the others wouldn't be quiet and kept trying to distract us.

"Come on, Izzy. We can all see it." Well, okay, only the guys, Corey and I cared about schoolwork. Hayley was helping Alexis bug me about not having seen or heard Sean the whole day.

Yes, I cared about where he was. Yes, I was a little concerned. Okay, maybe more than a little considering that I had been constantly glancing around hoping I would see him all fricking day, but I was not about to admit any of that to anyone.

"What the hell is this?" Eric muttered, looking frustrated as his eyes ran through a page in his physics textbook.

Jason snorted. "You took physics, figure it out." He said. I smiled as Eric glared at Jason.

"Partying without me?" We all looked up as Sean walked in.

"Sean? Uh... I thought you said you were sick?" Matt asked slowly.

"I'm good now. Hey, Babe." He smirked at me. I stared at him, a little shocked. His normally gel-free messy black air was gelled back neatly, he wore a black shirt, black track pants, and black Nike sneakers which were all pretty normal for him but he seemed different. The way he was walking, the look on his face. What the hell was he doing?

"Sean, maybe you should uh... Go to sleep for a while?" Eric said. Sean chuckled, leaning on the table beside me as he looked at Eric.

"Maybe you should quit telling me what to do and focus on your own life, or what's left.”

“What?” Corey’s confusion matched mine. It sounded like Sean was giving Eric a death-threat.

“He tried to kill himself a few months ago, I reckon he’ll try again soon." What? I looked at Eric, he looked shocked and clearly hurt.

"What the fuck is wrong with you?" I shifted slightly to the side when Jason shoved Sean back aggressively, Sean just chuckled.

They began muttering to each other, but my eyes were stuck on Eric. He was looking down ashamed as he stared down at his book swallowing nervously. He really tried to do that? Why? He always looked so happy and was so friendly, he was so smart.

"Don't get your panties in a twist, Jase. We all know you –” I almost cried out when Sean was suddenly cut off by Jason’s fist to his face.

"Whoa! Back up! You, calm down," Trent said as he pushed Jason back from where he now stood between them, "You, obviously need to get your head together." Trent said to Sean, who chuckled.

"Who the hell are you? Stay out of my way. You fight like a little bitch Jason, always have, come on, Iz." I shrunk back in my chair and felt Corey grab my arm as if he was trying to stop me just in case I got up, I was not planning to.

Something was clearly off with Sean, this was not him. I didn't know him inside out, but I knew he would never treat his friends the way he just had. Something had to be wrong with him. I wasn't going anywhere with him. "Izabella, come." Was that his Alpha tone? He was commanding me? I wouldn't be able to say no if it was.

"Sean, leave her alone. You're not thinking straight, go clear your head." Matt said grabbing Sean's shoulders.

"Don't tell me what to do, I –” Sean stopped as he shut his eyes let out a hiss as he grabbed his head. Jason shoved by Trent to get closer to Sean. He looked like he was in pain, his eyes shut tightly and his face in a tight grimace.

"What the hell is going on?!" Hayley asked Jason.

"Nothing, just get out of here, all of you." Jason replied.

"But –” Kaden began.

"Kade, come." Tyler cut him off as he grabbed my and Alexis’s hands and dragged us upstairs towards the library ground floor.

"Ty, let me go back, I –” I was saying.

"No. As far as I'm concerned, he's a little psycho or angry or whatever right now, and I'm not letting you near that, and since I'm older than you, I'm higher ranked than you in my pack AND Ian gave me permission to boss you around, you listen to me. Let Sean's friends take care of him, they can handle him. You can't." Tyler said. I stared at him.

"My Dad did what?" I asked frowning at him. He smirked.

"I was there, he's not lying." I heard Kaden.

"Yeah, so go make me a sandwich." Tyler smirked at me. I gave a sarcastic chuckle as Alexis gasped.

“Baby!” She hissed.

"Make your own damn sandwich." I said grabbing Alexis and Hayley's arms and turning to walk away.

"But –” Tyler began.

"Drop it, she doesn't even listen to her brothers." I smirked hearing Corey.

I looked back and my smirk fell as my eyes landed on the library. Be it just because of the mate bond, I did not like seeing Sean so clearly in pain. I had to find out what was wrong with him...

*Sean’s POV*

“Dude, what the fuck just happened?” Jason hissed at me. I was seated in the library with my friends surrounding me, I could not remember how I got there or how long I had been there. I just… it was like just waking up while sleepwalking.

“I don’t… I don’t know.” I was feeling pretty terrified as I ran my hands up to my hair but grimaced feeling a sticky, hardening substance all over it. What…?

“You don’t know?”

“I don’t remember anything. I was – I was with Clara and then I went up to my room and then… I-I don’t remember anything after that.”

"You don't remember anything? You don't remember outing Eric in front of everyone?" Andrew asked. I tensed. What? I looked at Eric and he gave a weak, fake smile.

"I told them?" I whispered.

"It's cool." He shrugged. I shook my head. No, no it wasn't. I just blurted what was Eric's biggest, darkest, most troubling secret to everyone and I couldn't even remember doing it.

"I am so sorry, man. I’m so sorry. I wasn't... I didn't... I'm sorry." I said. He bit his lip.

"Sean, if you're sorry, tell your Dad and Alpha Ian what's going on. Whatever that guy did to you is bad, and it's getting worse. More frequent. What happens if you just black out and you're alone with Clara? She can't defend herself if you try to hurt her and you probably won't even know it's her you're hurting. You need help." Eric said.

"I know, but the plot’s under construction and Alpha and my Dad seem really busy right now, trying to find whoever attacked us. I'll tell him when it dies down." I said.

"It isn't going to 'die down', Sean. With all of these attacks, we're probably bordering a war right now." Jason said.

"I'll stay away from Clara until I'm me again." I shrugged.

"Izabella too?" Matt asked. I opened my mouth but closed it again. Izabella was a completely different story. I would not be able to stay away from her... it was painstakingly hard to do it all day, even though I had still been watching her… but I could try.

"Yeah, her too." I said. My wolf growled in disagreement and my friends frowned.

"It's your funeral if you hurt her, Sean, you know Cohen's temper and you know Alpha can be worse." Andrew said. Yeah... But I'd probably hurt myself if I hurt her, because I knew she wouldn't forgive me. Not after everything we had been though.