Raven - 8 years later
The thundering of my paws hitting the dry dead land is the only sound echoing around me. My tongue is hanging out of my mouth and all I can think about is how desperately I want water, as the sun blazes down on me.
I swear the forest on the horizon keeps moving further out of reach, despite the distance and time I’ve been running toward it.
‘I can’t,’ I gripe at my wolf.
‘Shut up, yes you can, because I can and am,’ my wolf sends back to me.
‘yeah yeah, I know, we can do this, hip hip hooray, but damn, how long have we been running?’
‘Too long. Stopping is not an option. We have to make it there.’
I cut off my thoughts from her. Even though we are the same, I can still tune her in and out. She is essentially like a part of my consciousness. A more brutal, honest, and primal side of myself.
I know how important this journey is. I don’t need to be reminded.
My paws falter as I look off to the side and see smoke rising in the far distance. I slow as I try to see, but being so far away, I can’t tell anything except this fire is massive. The sky is turning hazy from the smoke and the air holds the scent, but as I stop and sniff, there’s a weird smell mixed with what is a normal smell of smoke. I can’t decipher it.
‘Whatever that smell is, I don’t like it, it’s not natural,’ my wolf sends to me.
I heave a sigh. I hope this isn’t the start of the war. With that thought, I take off running in my original direction. I need to get there and see this through first, then I can deal with this fire.
Finally, after what feels like hours later, I break through the first row of trees and revel in the instant shade they provide. No longer running through a barren desert with the sun beating down on me, my run slows to a gait as I catch my breath. I come to a stop and listen to my surroundings, and a yip of joy escapes when I hear a trickle in the distance of water. I take off at a sprint in that direction and pounce like a pup when the stream comes into view.
I jump right in and let the cool water wash over me and help with cooling my overheated body down. I try to slow myself down when I guzzle down the water, not wanting to make myself sick. I know I still have a bit of a run until I make it to the encampment.
For a moment, I change back and enjoy the stretch of my muscles as I reach my hands above me. The natural stream is too cold for my human body, so I quickly jump out and pause when I hear a rustling in the distance. My body fluidly changes back into my wolf form and I go on alert. My ears can track whatever is moving at a steady pace towards me.
Glancing around, I spot a small cave on the other side of the stream. I lope across, stopping only to cover myself in water to help throw off my scent if it is another wolf or something else. I jump up the small hill into the cave, situating myself behind some rocks, and hold still as I peer out.
About 15 feet away, whatever it is stops and stands still. I try to peer through the shadows, but I see nothing. The woods are silent as we wait for someone or something to make its first move.
My ears perk when I hear movement, and my eyes home in on the direction it’s coming from. A small gray wolf slinks between the trees as it lies low to the ground, trying to remain unseen. I track its movements as it gets to the stream and gazes around. I assume, looking for me. After a few minutes of looking but not finding me, it takes a drink of water, stands to its full height, and starts its trek back to where it came from. I let them get ahead before I come out of the cave and begin following at a distance, keeping silent and downwind.
I imagine they’re going to lead me to the encampment. Exactly where I need to go. Thank you, guide.
An hour later I hang back even further when I can hear what must be the encampment.
A large stone wall blocks off anything else from coming into view. The wolf I followed runs through an arched gate into the camp as I stay back and watch. From what I can see through the gate that is still open, there is a mix of wolves and human forms inside. I watch as right inside the gate, the grey wolf I followed shifts into his human form, not caring about his nudity. I tune my hearing in and can hear him speaking with others that are standing near.
‘I searched but didn’t find anyone.’
‘Hmm, Oscar swore he saw one on its way here.’
Just then, a scent as familiar to me as my own wafts to me as I see him step up to the guy I followed. ‘Mmm’ my wolf hums in my mind. She refuses to wait any longer, so before I can take control she has us charging straight toward that gate and through it, coming to a sliding halt in front of Rafe.
Shouts ring out around me and soon I’m surrounded. Rafe steps up in front of me, his eyes softening as a small smile plays on his lips.
“Back off everyone,” though not the alpha here, his voice still carries command. “Koda, run to my tent please, and bring back one of my shirts and shorts.” The boy I followed nods and runs off to do his bidding. We wait only a few moments in tense silence for him to return. My eyes stay on Rafe the entire time, letting him see the anger in them.
I hear the fear in some of the people’s voices at this unknown wolf, this extremely large and rare colored wolf, entering their camp.
“Go behind that tent and change,” taking the clothes from Koda, he holds them out to me. I take them in my mouth, stopping just short of biting him, then turn to run behind the tent he said and shift back, pulling on his clothes.
I hate how I take the time to hold his shirt up to my nose and inhale his scent. A smell that can both calm and excite me.
His heated eyes rake over me as I step from behind the tent and walk toward him. I see that some of the crowd has dissipated with only a few remaining, Koda included.
“Hello love. Goddess, have I missed you.” My face hardens at his sweet, soft-spoken words, refusing to show him any emotion other than anger.
“Have you now? Could have fooled me, Rafe. Since you are the one keeping your distance from your family.” Lines appear around his eyes as they fill with sorrow, and a frown replaces the smile he just wore.
“Where are the twins?” His smooth, deep voice washes over me, bringing unwanted goosebumps.
“Where they belong.” A flash of anger crosses his face when I say that, but he quickly masks it. Goddess, how I want to goad him into a fight right now. But knowing that I won’t let it end as they normally do, it doesn’t hold the same appeal.
“Where they belong is by my side, as do you.” Mmm, there he is, my commanding asshole of a mate.
‘I do love this possessive side of him,’
‘Not now,’ I tell my wolf
I stand tall and harden my tone. “I belong with my pack and my children. But I left them to come here, to find my mate, who belongs by my side and our children’s side, to warn him, because believe it or not, despite him abandoning us, I don’t want to see him dead.”
“I didn’t abandon you,” his voice roars through the camp. Now all eyes are on us.
“Hmm, agree to disagree. Can we go somewhere else to talk, Rafe?”
“The meeting tent is free,” Koda says. My eyes dart to him and then to the others that have remained to listen in. I would prefer to do this one-on-one with my mate, not with an audience of the enemy.
“No, I will speak to my mate alone for now. Follow me, love.” I do as he asks and trail a step behind him in silence. He pulls back the door to a tent and ushers me forward. As soon as I enter, I’m engulfed by his scent. So this must be his tent. I look it over. It’s decent-sized but lacks any personal touch. With only a bed and dresser, this could be anyone’s room.
He walks up behind me, his hands come down on my shoulders before one slides down my arm to entwine our hands, and the other curls around my waist and pulls me back into him.
“I have missed you terribly,” his deep voice growls out, “and don’t you ever question that. This has to be the hardest thing I have ever done. To be away from my mate and our children is not natural, and I fight every day not to run back and give up what I believe in.”
I stiffen in his arms before turning to putty as he nips at my ear before kissing down my neck and settling on his mark at the base where my neck and shoulder meet.
It has been months since I have been in his arms. The minute he walked away, I built a wall so large and thick in our link that he could never break through. Now months without his presence in my mind or in person takes a toll and has my body sagging with relief as the wall drops and his emotions and thoughts come rushing in. I feel his body shake behind me as he once again feels mine.
“Baby,” he sobs.
“I won’t forgive you, Rafe,” I force out through the tears in my throat.
“No. You will,” he spins me in his arms and his hands come up to cup my face, as his dark green eyes gaze deeply into mine. “You will see. When this is finally all over, you will see.”
I swallow around the lump embedded in my throat. As I step away from him, his hands drop to his sides. “I won’t Rafe, that’s why I’m here.”
Raven“What do you mean, Raven?” His voice quivers with emotion.“I mean, you need to come home with me now.” I straighten my shoulders and prepare to be harsh with him. “I’ve indulged this long enough. This is turning into an actual war. There will be a war, Rafe. I can not have you standing across from me when it begins. When you mated me and joined my pack, you knew what that entailed and all that we stand for. You don’t get to change sides now.”He steps back, confusion, betrayal, and finally, rage flits across his face. “Indulge? You’ve indulged me with this? You make it seem as if I have no rights at all? Being mated to the great Raven Hale, and brought into the Black Moon pack has stripped me of my freedom to think? To decide what I believe is right and wrong? To
The return to my pack feels like it takes forever. Thankfully, most of my return is done with a setting sun. No longer is it blazing down on me.The instant I cross into pack territory, my wolf is at ease, knowing we are safe and so close to our babes.As I pass by, I don't stop or acknowledge anyone. The back of my house is where I keep my chest of spare clothes, so I run straight there. Shifting to take out a set and get dressed. As I look down at the set that belongs to Rafe, I pause for a moment. I shake it off as my enhanced hearing picks up on the kids inside, laughing and playing upstairs.“You were told not to go,” Haylee says as soon as I step inside my kitchen. “It pissed the council off.” The aroma of tomatoes and spices fills my nose, making my stomach growl as I close the d
“Gentlemen,” I nod to Phil and Denton as I walk into the conference room.“Look who decided to return. What secrets did you spill while you were away, Raven?” Phil laughs.“Only that you have a hard time getting it up Phil,” I stop in front of him and narrow my eyes, “crap, that’s not a secret though. Everyone here knows that.” Pursing my lips to the side, I shrug, “guess I spilled nothing new then.” I walk to my seat at the council table, placing my coffee down and I sit waiting for Jules, Robert, and Serena so that we can start.The Black Moon pack is the original wolf pack. The original wolves created it, and it received the blessing of the Moon goddess and still does to this day. While there are about 10 other outside packs, that are control
“Hey. Hey. Stop the fighting. What has gotten into you two?” I say exasperatedly as I pull Jade off Jasper. It has been nonstop fighting since they got home from school. They are driving me crazy.“He was being mean to me mama, he called me a dork.”Oh, goddess.“Jasper, you know we don’t call names. Why are you picking on your sister?” I crouch down to their level. Looking into his eyes, I see tears well up and his nostrils flare. Oh, my emotional child.He says nothing as he shrugs his shoulders.“You don’t know? Did she do something first?”“No, I didn’t,” Jade yells in my ear. I turn to look at her,
“I thought we could come to an arrangement, you and I, and stop this war altogether. You have something I want, and I have someone you want.”What is this fruitcake talking about?“You’re trying to tell me that this whole declaration of war could end with a simple exchange between us?” I scoff out a dry laugh. “Hell Duncan, we’re still not sure what this war is about.”“There is a lot you do not understand, Raven. Just know this, right now, the fate of this war is in your hands.” Pretentious jackass.Since I met him 8 years ago, I knew there was something wrong with him. My wolf took an instant dislike to him. I don’t believe I can see auroras, but what I can see coming off of him is not right. It’s
My mind is racing with so many thoughts and none of them are good. I don’t need to talk with the other council members to know what their answer will be, hell it would be mine too if only this were someone else. Right now, my battered and bruised heart is only calling out for its mate that it now knows didn’t leave us by choice. A giggle escapes as I let myself in my back door. The Rafe I know and love is still there. He didn’t leave me. I feel my cheeks push up into my eyes as I can’t hold in my happiness any longer.“Mama?” I stop, startled that Jade is awake, sitting on the bottom stair of our staircase.“Baby, why are you up so late? You should be sleeping.” I walk towards her after toeing off my shoes at the door and pick her up. She places her hands on my cheeks and forces me to look at her.Unease settles in my stomach at the furrow of her brow and the seriousness in her
I skip heading home as the sun is making its grand entrance on this day. After going round and round with no answers or ideas, we finally called it a night or morning, I guess. My thoughts wander to the Moonstone that I have locked away at home. To do with as I see fit. My mate would be worth it. But first I want to know more about the stone.I haul my tired legs up the large stone staircase to the library, pushing through the heavy wood doors. Once inside, the stale, still air assaults my nose as I glance around, trying to remember where everything is. This wasn’t my scene, whereas for Rafe, if he wasn’t at home, he was here, buried in books and learning everything he could. A sigh escapes as I give up and go look at the directory board. Of course, there is no section specific to our origins or creation, so I take a guess and go to the oldest section I know of.Stars dance across my eyes as I press the heels of my palms in
“I don’t know what I would do without you,” I say to Haylee as I walk down the stairs after putting the kids to bed.“Good thing you will never have to know. You are stuck with me,” she says as I hug her and I feel her shock while we embrace. I’m not a touchy person, but today I have hugged and kissed the kids more than ever before and feel the need to hug Haylee, too. I don’t know why, but I know things are changing and I feel the need to hold those I love close.“I have to say I’m surprised Phil is not sending an army to accompany me. The few warriors that will be in the treeline on the edge of our border will be enough. I want to get there and get back. I need to find another way to free Rafe from Duncan’s control. There has to be a way.” I murmur the last part more to myself as I think things through.“If there is, I know you will find it. Stay stron
RAFEAs I stand here looking across the yard, Raven’s beauty still makes me catch my breath. Right now, her head is thrown back in laughter at something Finn just said as Lucy laughs along with her. Despite the stress, she’s been under this last week. I’m glad she’s been able to find these moments with her friends while they are here visiting.As I walk, I see Marge crossing the yard on the opposite side of me and cringe, knowing what is coming. We both step up to the group and as I drop into the open chair, Marge turns to Raven.“Luna, may I have a word before you leave today, please?”Raven looks over at me with a resigned look before pasting on her smile and allowing a moment of her very limited time for a pack member.“Of course Marge.” She stands and leans down to hug Finn and Lucy. “I love you both. If I don’t get to see you again before you leave or we leave, please travel safely. We will talk soon.” With a sad smile, she walks off with Marge.“She is going to burn herself out
I take a moment and look over the crowd and I see families huddled together, hugging in grief. I see a woman standing by herself, staring up at the sky, her arms wrapped tightly around herself. She’s holding so tight it’s as if she’s imagining she’s in the arms of her lost love.My heart breaks for everyone here, for the women who lost their mates, the children who’ve lost a parent, and the families who lost a son, daughter, brother, or sister. For the ones who lost someone to the outside. I don’t know which loss is harder, never getting to see someone again but knowing they passed on valiantly. Or knowing your loved one is now on their own, living in a world apart from you with no magic or wolf. Always wondering how they are doing, if they are surviving. Even though they were banished, you can not banish love from the heart.“Good evening,” I say, letting my magic carry my voice so all can hear it.Once everyone’s attention is on me, I falter for a moment, trying to think of the righ
“Mom, stop,” Jasper whines and tries to escape my hold.I haven’t been able to leave the twins alone since we returned. To them, it was no big deal, and hugs of glad you made it home, and Jade said she knew we would return unharmed and successful, were all we received on our return.“Sorry, not sorry. I just love you so much.” I pull him in closer and plaster him with kisses all over his face.“Oh, you think that’s funny, do you? I guess it’s your turn,” I say to Jade, who’s sitting on the couch with Rafe, laughing at her twin.“No,” she squeals as I release Jasper and jump over the side of the couch, landing on both of them and pulling her down to me. Soon it’s me squealing as Jasper and Rafe tickle me, while Jade wiggles free.After our time roughhousing, we all sit laughing on the couch as one big family. I’m feeling the best I have in what feels like a very long time.It’s been two weeks since we returned, and tonight we will have an official memorial for all lives lost during the
“Raven, hold on to this, please.” Selene holds the Moonstone out to me.I take the stone and zip it into my vest. I step back as she floats above the ground, light emanating from her, causing me to squint.“Listen closely to my words, for I will not repeat myself, nor will I ever interfere again.”Her voice reaches everyone here. They have all risen to their feet and now give her their undivided attention; the fight is forgotten.“The mistakes I made with your ancestors have festered and have passed down to you to carry out. You are all my creation and are meant to live together and work together in harmony. What one of you excels at the other lacks and needs, and vice versa. I made you to need each other. Whether you get a witch or wolf as a mate or have one as your best friend, both types of relationships are equally important in your life.”People are shuffling their feet, listening to her. The wolves are eyeing the nearby witches wearily. I’m sure not quite believing they are supp
So many emotions rush through me as I peer at her. Her shoulders roll back as she turns to fully face me. A brilliant smile illuminates her beautiful face while a thundercloud darkens mine.Everyone appears to be frozen in their spots as I rise on wobbly feet.“Raven,” she says.“Moon goddess.” My tone is curt, nowhere near as soft and pleasing as hers was.Her lips droop into a sad smile before she breaks eye contact to look around her for the first time. As she spins in a slow circle, her hands raise, one to cover her heart and the other to her mouth.She spins back to me sharply. “What happened? What did you do?” Her tone is no longer happy but holds a scary, manic edge.I know I shouldn’t cock an attitude with the Moon goddess, but at this moment I can’t help it. My eyebrows furrow as my eyes squint at her. What kind of question is that? We are obviously in the middle of the war she refused to help with.She stalks the few steps between us as her eyes search me from head to toe. O
RAVENWhen I see the sword cut through Rafe’s rear leg, I jump down from the rock and rush toward him. My wolf surges forth, aiding my speed, a desperate attempt to get to him.My eyes stray from the witch and the sword in her hand, to see Rafe faltering on the ground, growing slow in his movements until he’s flipped on his back, watching helplessly as the witch comes for him.I am focused on Rafe that I almost miss the wolf coming at me from the side. Not breaking my stride, I stretch out my arm and shoot a fireball at the attacker. Not bothering to see if they’re down, I leave them for someone else to finish.With each step I take, I feel the burning rage back in my chest. The rage is almost all-consuming and I barely notice the burn in my hand as I watch the witch stalk toward Rafe, wearing a sinister smile as she looks down at my mate in triumph.No, this is not a fight she will win.Only a few more steps.My heartbeat pounds in my ear as she raises her sword.Almost there.Her sm
RAFE She is so infuriating. I watch her take off, pushing her way toward danger, while Finn and Lucy fall in step behind her. She’s not staying back safely, as we agreed upon. Instead, she’s rushing to the front line. It’s only a heartbeat that I wait before I follow, but the space between us is quickly closed as I lose sight of them. I try to push through our pack but am soon engaged when something barrels into my side. Thankfully, I don’t fall as I’m pushed into another wolf, which keeps me upright, making it easy for me to recover and turn to the attacker. Saliva drips from his fangs as he bares them in a growl at me. His blank eyes track me as his muscles bunch, getting ready to strike again. My front legs drop, bringing me closer to the ground, readying me to also attack. My hind legs push forward and we clash mid-air. I turn at the last minute to protect my neck and it gives me a clear shot at their exposed neck. My teeth clench around their neck, blood seeps through my bare
Howls fill the air as the hairs on the back of my neck and arms stand up. Gnashing of teeth and growling fill me with apprehension as I wait for my chance to get back up there and in the fight. I said I would stay in the back with the rest of the council, but I have no intention of doing that. How can I see how we’re doing or when the other witches arrive if I’m so far removed from the fight? I feel responsible for this, granted I didn’t start all of it, but how I wish I could have lived in ignorance like the rest of the council wanted to when they believed the fight ended with Duncan’s death. How little he meant to this war when at the time he felt like the largest threat out there.Rafe stands glued to my side, his chest vibrating against me as a constant growl rumbles through him. After what feels like forever, flashes of color start mixing with the red and orange glow of the burning fires. That’s my queue to get in there. The witches have joined the fight. I guess the fire is prov
It’s evening when the forest comes into view. Light reflects through the trees, and torches glow softly, giving away their location within the depths of the forest. We stop a few hundred yards away. Except for those in the back with the food supplies and the council members, the rest are all shifted into their wolves. We bring no light or sound to give us away. We prepared for this earlier at our last stop once we realized we would arrive after dark.As we come to a halt, teams shuffle around to get in position. We hope by attacking while it’s still dark out will affect how the witches fight, seeing as they have the disadvantage of not having night vision like us wolves. The wolves will see and attack just fine. I stand at the front watching the woods, looking for any movement that shows they know we are out here. A nudge at my hip diverts my attention.My hand caresses Rafe’s head. He pushes it further into my hand as I scratch behind his ear.“I’m nervous.” My voice, barely above a