/-Raven-/I couldn't sleep. My mind was haggling between Selene and Declan. While the doctors said she was in a very critical condition and would likely not survive it, Declan’s agonizing howls could be heard across halls and buildings. They said the injections needed time to kick in, but it was almost an hour, and I found myself flinching with every cry of pain. Othelia and Lisa were by Selene's side, which left me alone in the room. Unable to take it anymore, I found myself going toward the hall that led to Declan’s room. His painful howls turned to hysterical cackling at intervals as he threw threats. “I will kill all of you…” an unsettling chortling followed. “These chains won't hold me…”I stopped at his door, contemplating going in or not. A heavy silence fell suddenly like I was being given a chance to make a decision. “Make up your mind, princess…” his voice was calm, almost as though he was perfectly fine. It made my skin crawl like it was pricked with a hundred needle
/-Raven-/“I'll be heading back in now,” I got off the floor abruptly. He quickly stood. “Come on, Raven, don't tell me you're upset,” he said, and I shot him a look. “I know how you feel about him, I just need this small favour…”“We're not close enough to exchange favours, Tim,” I said plainly. If Declan hadn't been involved and he wasn't just a pawn in Lisa's sick games, I would have helped.“But we can be…” he insisted.“Tim…”“Let's be friends, Raven. Please?” He extended his hand. Friends? The word was almost strange to me. I have been a loner all my life, and I wouldn't even lie; it felt good. I could do whatever I wanted without stopping to consider anyone's feelings. Tim was going to complicate my life, plus the fact that I didn't plan to stay here for long. Something clicked in my head and I took his hand. “Fine!” I said. “But don't think you will be spared any brutality.” “I'm counting on that,” he chuckled. “I need to head back in and check on Selene, if they let me,
/-Declan-/All my life, the only thing I have ever truly known was pain. From my mother's hate and curse, to my father's betrayal, to my mate's rejection, to the stigma of killing my father to the tower and many others I would rather not remember.Yet none could compare to the pain of another rejection. She didn't know what she had done. She probably thought it was funny… but it wasn't. My heart rate sped up, and my heart clenched so tight it felt like I was suffocating, but I fought to keep it in. “Hmmm…” Raven stared curiously at my blank face. “Did I say the words wrong? You seem pretty comfortable.” With each passing second, it felt like multiple daggers were plunged into my heart. Rolfe growled in my head and I knew things were going to blow out of proportion in a couple of minutes. “Raven…” I could barely recognise my own voice. “Take it back…”“Why should I? Did I hurt your little Alpha pride?” She mocked. I moved away from her as I felt the shift in my body. Rolfe was f
/-Raven-/This wasn't Declan. I could tell from the glowing red eyes. I now understood why Declan insisted I leave the room. I just wanted to taunt him a little, not infuriate his wolf. The minute he ripped off those chains to pounce on me, I knew I had taken things too far.It was the first time I was ever truly afraid of Declan. I mean, a were breaking off wolfsbane, it was almost impossible. The persistent banging on the door reminded me that there were people outside, trying to get in. Possibly the doctors. I cursed myself for locking the door in the first place. The pain in my shoulders was crippling and he kept sinking deeper into me.“Rolfe please…” I pleaded as blood trickled down my arms. Surprise crossed his features briefly. He probably didn't expect me to be able to tell the difference. “Please stop… you're hurting me,” I pleaded. “Please…”“You. Hurt. Me. First.” He gritted. “I'm sorry… I swear to the goddess, I am,” I pleaded. I thought having those fire wielders ch
/-Raven-/I didn't like Rolfe. Not even a little bit. It felt like I was an open book to him. Like he could read my thoughts without me saying a word.“Walk faster, the woods are more dangerous at night,” he said. “I don't suppose you would care if I fell into a bottomless pit,” I muttered. “I won't,” he affirmed. “As long as you fall after we've found Hannah. I couldn't care less if you threw yourself into the ocean.” I looked ahead in an attempt to ignore the clawing feeling in my chest. What was so special about this Hannah anyway? And how was she his mate when I was his mate as well?“We got into a fight; she misunderstood and rejected me,” Rolfe answered, and I stopped. He pushed me forward. “Keep moving.”“So I am your second chance mate?” I asked.“Regrettably.” I scoffed. Of course. Why did I even think I would be Declan's one and only mate? His true mate, as he put in, when in fact, I was only a replacement. Hannah was the real mate, and I was just a second choice, as
/-Rolfe-/‘Rolfe…’I heard her voice. ‘Can you hear me please?’My eyes flickered to the masked man in front of me. I would have gotten to Raven a long time ago had this man not should up with his little magicians.“I don't know what your deal with Raven is but she is mine. I want you to stay off her,” he said. My bored expression remained the same. The only thing running through my mind was her safety. Raven was one who needed no one because she could protect herself. For her to call me simply meant that things had gotten out of hand. Suddenly, a wave of flames burst out of him.“That's it, fireball. Let them all burn…” He chuckled. I didn't wait to find out what the psycho was on about and dashed off. If he wanted to get Raven, he would have to get to her first. Arriving at the gates of BloodFang, I killed everyone and anyone who tried to stop it. I could still smell her. She was so close…I spotted Timultin leaving a room and as much as I wanted to kill, Raven's life was at
/-Rolfe-/I was at a disadvantage and I was already making plans on how to escape this when Timultin entered with more hefty men.“Kill them all!” He ordered. “Make sure no one is left!” It was that singular opportunity I needed because when the men attacked, I stealthily sneaked out with Raven. As I exited the pack, I knew it was only a matter of time before he came after us. If he was her mate, as he claimed, then her scent would give us away no matter where I took her to.As much as I hated it, I knew I had to claim her and rub my scent all over her. For our safety. Once I got away from the mountains, I sank my canines into her, feeling her delicious blood at the tip of my tongue. A surge of energy rushed through me and warmth spread through me at a rapid rate. It felt undeniably good. I retracted my canines, staring at the mark on her neck. Mine!A strange sense of fulfilment overwhelmed me. I picked her up and resumed the walk to find a perfect resting spot. I couldn't seek
/-RAVEN-/I didn't take him seriously, even with the anger brewing in those crimson eyes. I wasn't going to run even if he had a claw in my throat. “Rolfe, listen to me…”“It's Alpha to you!” He thundered and my body trembled. My knees dropped to the floor as pain shot through me. “Say it!” I clutched to my chest, rattled that he actually used his Alpha tone on me. The pain was increasing with each second I delayed. “I am going to help you find her, okay,” I said instead, reluctant to surrender my pride. Call me arrogant or whatever. “Say. It.” He growled, and this time, the pain was hitting my heart like a hammer. Yet my lips were sealed shut. “Very well then, let's see how long you last with that,” he huffed and went back to his meat like he wasn't just angry minutes ago. The bipolar asshole!He left me wriggling in pain as he proceeded to roast the meat. I struggled to stare at him, feeling the pain seep through my bones.My lips quivered as blood slowly trickled down my nose
/-LISA-/I watched as Tim was brought before Amelia. My heart was pounding. I didn't know what she was going to do to him. Hell, I didn't even know if he was going to live past this minute.Why did he have to lie to me? I know we had our differences but that wasn't enough reason for him to lie about Raven's death. “I am only going to ask you this once and I expect a direct answer from you, otherwise you will be held responsible for whatever happens to you,” Amelia started but Tim didn't even look a quarter as terrified as I was. He didn't even look afraid of her. “Yes Luna,” he answered in a monotone. Since he came back from wherever they went to and Raven was allegedly killed, he has never been the same again. This time was cold and emotionless. If he was asked to stab a baby, he would do it without hesitation. With Declan under her control, it made things even worse. I didn't know this man anymore.“Where is Raven?” She asked.“Lying at the bottom of the river somewhere,” he re
/-Raven-/I don't know how it happened but it did. The chains fell off me like it was nothing and I found myself wondering if I could do that the whole time.I mean, if I could, why the hell was I stressing myself? I could have just easily freed myself before those animals got the chance to lay their hands on me. Now was not the time for that, anyways. I needed to get out of here before they realized what was happening, but where would I go?Back to Azaiah? Or just complete my mission by killing Declan? I didn't have the luxury to contemplate on that so I shifted and flew as high as I could. I left the mountains and just flew high into the sky, wondering where I was going to go. Azaiah might have treated me well but there was no guarantee that he wouldn't just hand me back to that crazy man and his son if they came asking. Something struck me by the side and I let out a painful roar but then it hit me again, and again until I stop seeing myself fly and crashed to the ground in a ma
/-LISA-/"Are you sure it was Raven you saw?" Othelia asked again, her voice filled with skepticism.I folded my arms, forcing myself to remain calm. This entire conversation was ridiculous. Francesca was grasping at straws, desperate to hold on to the idea that Raven was alive. But if she was right… no, that couldn’t happen."I know what I saw," Francesca insisted, her eyes blazing with conviction. "She walked right through that door in a red dress. She looked real, alive, but she didn’t even seem to recognize me."Othelia sighed. "Francesca, do you hear yourself? You’re telling us that Raven, Declan’s mate, the woman who was supposed to be dead, just strolled in like nothing happened? And then, what? She attacked you and disappeared?""I don’t think she attacked me," Francesca admitted. "It was more like… she was surprised to see me. I mistakenly shattered the vase and slipped out her name and she panicked. Then she hit me" She shivered. "Everything went black, but there was somethi
/-RAVEN-/I could barely move a muscle. When talpha Timultin mentioned the whips at first, I thought he was joking. That there was no way he was actually going to sit back and let me get whipped but I was wrong. This man was as strict as he was merciless and his men couldn't afford to disobey him so I got whipped. Over and over again until I passed out. Now I woke up, I was still tied to the pillar with the pain shooting through me from all angles. How coido Eric do this to me? How do you even watch someone you claim to love go through such pain and you do nothing about it. It was cruel and wicked but he didn't obviously give two shits about that. Speak of the devil, he stroleld towards me like my suffering was a delightful sight. “What are you doing here?” I glared at him with all my might. “I'm guessing you haven't learnt your lesson yet. Else, you wouldn't be speaking to me in such a disrespectful tone,” he said. I looked at him in shock and anger. Was he being serious right
/-Amelia-/“Why do you keep staring at me?” He asked. His tone was neutral so I figure the spell was still active. “Why did you suddenly go off like that? The feast barely even started,” I asked suspiciously. “I was drugged by one of your numerous guests and I passed out. Anything else you'd like to know?” He asked. I let out a sigh. He was right. There was no way he would have known what happened while he was drugged and he never liked the idea of a feast. “There was this veiled woman I saw in your room when I came to check on you,” I started, monitoring his expression closely. There was nothing I could accuse him of because his expression remained blank. Once again, I reminded myself that he wouldn't know. There was no use being suspicious over him. “So, what now?” He asked. “Did you find her?” “No, we couldn't find her. She just sped away and I suspect that she might have been the one who drugged you,” I said. “Good to know,” he said dryly and walked towards the bathroom. I
/-Raven-/He was angry but I was angry as well. I might be in love with him but I wasn't stupid. “Did you just hit me?” I asked him. “Evade my fucking question and I will hit you again! Do you know how crazy we went looking for you? We thought something happened! And you just stroll in here acting like you nothing happened?” He yelled. I dropped my hand and stepped closer to him, staring him dead in the eye. “Listen to me carefully, because I am only going to warn you once. I don't care if you are the air that I breathe but the next time you lay your fucking hand on me again, you are going to regret it. If you have a fucking problem, you speak. Use your words, do you understand?” The iciness in my tone was unbelievable to me as well but I needed to set him right. “You fucking bitch! Hoe dare you speak to me like that, huh?” He yelled. “Who did you go out there to see? Don't even tell me you were flying because I know you weren't!” “Good for you,” I said coldly and turned away fr
/-Raven-/There was something awfully familiar about this woman but no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't place it. “Well?” She growled, stepping closer. “Where is my husband?”Husband…For some reason that word made my heart tighten in a way I didn't understand. Why should I care if he was taken? That man was flirting with me so he was hardly a good keep! He wasn't worth thinking twice about.“You're not deaf, are you?” She stepped closer, glaring at me menacingly. Woah! Someone tell this tiger that nobody wants her man. He might be hot but all I want to do is kill him. That's all!“He… he just…” “He just what?” She snapped, pushing past me to look inside the room. I glanced back and to my greatest shock, he was on the bed, passed out. At least pretended to be. I knew for sure that I couldn't waste another minute here so I took to my heels. “What have you done?!” I heard her scream and fastened my pace. I didn't know where I was headed but when I spotted the guards coming, I
/-Raven-/“I'm sorry. I know you were probably not expecting to see me but something came up last minute and the princess couldn't make it,” I told him. “I see…” he said simply. “Do you mind sharing one glass with me?” I asked, offering him a glass of champagne. “I know I'm beneath your class and you probably don't want to but if you could please…”He took the glass before I could go on with my pretend rambling. “Cheers?” I raised my glass and he clanged his glass against mine and we each took a long sip of the champagne. Gotcha!“This is really good,” I commented but before he could respond, a strange woman joined him. I tried to keep the frown away from my face. Who is she now?She began flirting with him right in front of me and I know I shouldn't care but my grip on my glass was tightening subconsciously. I hated the way seeing her smile at him. I hated watching her hands drape all over him. I hated her kissing him. And I didn't know why. Maybe it was because I hated him tha
/-Raven-/The blackouts have been frequent, coupled with horrifying nightmares that all ended with a metal stake in my heart. Not to forget the body pains I felt every time I woke up. I felt violated and I couldn't tell if it was real or not. I never fully understood it and when I told Eric about it, he said it could be a memory from the torture I went through in the IronClaw pack. Those agonizing dreams made me hate Declan Thorne and everything about him more and more. Not a day went by without me thinking of how to destroy him.It pushed me to train harder than I ever have and soon, the day was here. The day when I was finally going to put a face to the silver eyes that haunted my dreams. It was a solo mission and no one had any idea what I was doing or planning to do. IronClaw was hosting a big feast and I was going to disguise myself as one of the guests and get in. I wasn't quite sure what they were celebrating but I knew Alphas from far and near were going to be present. I