A Secret Kept

Raven's POV

I stayed in my hut the rest of the day. I waited for April to return from whatever chores she was doing around the pack. My heart was in turmoil. I was angry with my wolf.

How can she insist that we stayed till the end of the ball? I couldn't help but doubt her words about her being powerful. I kept a strong lid on our link so that she would not try to communicate with me.

'Raven, are you in there?' I heard April's mum call from outside.

My heart immediately started racing. I wasn't expecting her back yet. Of course she was assigned kitchen duties and I knew she was supposed to come home and clean up before it was time to start serving the guest. I was not expecting her to be back soon.

I opened the door and met her at the entrance of her own hut.

'You are back so early,' I said trying to keep my emotions out of my voice.

'Yes. That would be because I told Maggot that I had to ease myself,' she said.

'I see. Where is April? I have been waiting for her all day?' I asked, trying desperately to make sure our discussion doesn't go where I would have to lie to her.

'She came to meet me in the kitchen shortly after we got there. She said Emma, one of the girls at the luggage stand said some guests needed people to help get their things to their room. So she went there,' she explained.

'I see. I guess they would be paid?' I asked.

'Yes. But she didn't say how much.'

'Ok. I would just go inside and get what I came for,' I lied pretending as if I came home to get something.

As I turned to get back inside, Bella stopped me.

'Raven, can we talk?' She asked.

'Yes,' I answered but my heart was in my mouth.

'Let us go into your hut,' she said.

I led the way into my hut with heavy feet. I almost bolted and ran. I thought of excuses to come up with just to escape the talk that I knew was coming.

I didn't want to lie to her but it seemed inevitable. She and April were the only family I had, even if we were not blood related, they were still the only people that treated me right.

'Sit down Raven,' she said and I sat down. 'I saw Maggot came to you before you left the kitchen and since then you didn't return,' she said and I looked at her in surprise.

I had not expected her to notice that I was missing in that kind of a busy area.

'Do not be surprised that I noticed. You are also my daughter Raven and I look out for you just as I do for my daughter. What did she say to you that made you leave or should I say where did she ask you to go?'

'She said the Luna wanted to see me in the general waiting room,' I answered.

'The general waiting room? Why?' She asked looking anxious.

'The Luna was actually waiting for me there,' I answered.

I heard something like 'that bitch' as Bella grumbled but I wasn't sure I heard her right.

'What did she want from you?' Bella asked frowning in anger.

'She asked me how old I am now and I told her I turned eighteen days ago.'

'What does she want to know your age for. I thought she was happy when you were thrown here to tend yourself at such a tender age,' she said hissing slowly.

I didn't know what to say. Bella had never shown so much hatred towards the Luna in my presence. It made me wonder what could have transpired between them to cause that kind of reaction from her.

'What did she say she wanted from you?' She asked bitterly.

Bella was such a loving woman so I couldn't help but wonder where all that bitterness was coming from.

'With the way you already are, can you promise that you wouldn't react badly to what I am about to say?' I asked looking at her carefully.

Before Bella could respond, my wolf growled in my head. 'You can't tell Bella what is going on. Can you stand the Luna's wrath?'

I quickly coughed to cover up the little twitch in my eyes.

'Tell me what she told you, Raven. We might be able to come up with a solution if what she asked you to do is something that you shouldn't do,' she said, adjusting herself on the small stool as if getting ready for any eventualities.

'She said that somehow I had let the Alpha hear of the fact that I was put on every available roster for the ball. So she is relieving me of the cooking duty but I would serve food,' I lied technically.

It was true that I would be serving food but not to the guests but particular guests.

'Is that all she said,' she asked.

'Yes,' I answered feeling ashamed of myself.

'Why then would you say I shouldn't react badly, if that was all she said,' Bella asked looking at me as if she didn't believe anything of what I had said.

I felt pain in my heart for the next lie I was about to tell Bella. I had thought about the lie carefully while I was alone.

I had thought it would be the last resort if I couldn't convince Bella and April with the first lie.

I opened my mouth to talk but tears flowed from my eyes as a lump formed in my throat. I didn't want to lie to her, she was my family but if I told her the truth, I would be putting her and myself in danger.

'Why are you crying. Tell me what she told you Raven, please,' Bella pleaded with me as her eyes filled up with tears of her own.

'She said I must not leave this pack even if I meet my mate. That my mate and I are destined to repay the kindness this pack has shown me these past years. She said since my mate is going to be an Omega like me, it is only normal that even our children should work and labour for this pack,' I said wincing at my own lies.

Bella breathed a sigh of relief. 'She is only toying with your mind like the sadist that she is. It is not her place to say you stay or you leave this pack. It depends on your mate. You are a female so you would go with your mate to wherever. Let us hope your mate is not from this pack,' She said soothingly.

I nodded and stopped crying as if her word had soothed me.

'I will have to return to the kitchen before Maggot starts barking,' she said winking and I laughed.

It might as well be the last time I see her and laugh with her before my death. I only pray she and April would understand why I lied when I am finally gone.

She stood up and left the room to go back to the kitchen. I couldn't help the ache in my heart as I thought of what April and Bella would go through emotionally if that night would be the night I died.