-RAINA'S POV-
I was confused about Valen’s actions.
Vaheed returned to the examination room with a beige t-shirt dress for me. As I took the clothes from him, a dizzy wave spilled from the headache. My legs went weak, my knees buckled and I fell into something hard.
He swiftly appeared in front of me with hands wrapped around my waist to steady my balance. Resting my head on his pectoral for ten seconds allowed the dizziness to pass. When I gently pushed against his chest, his grip remained and he looked down on me with concern. He was also wearing a different top and blue jeans.
“Raina, I can help you.” He uttered serenely, “I know that you are covering how deep in pain you are.”
“The dizziness comes and goes.” Stubbornly, I brushed him off with my hands. Taking a few staggered steps back, I firmly demanded. “I’m fine, but you need to tell me why you ran away from your birthday party and why you were fighting him.”
Obviously hiding the underlying factor of their grapple, he grimaced and shrugged, “Valen pissed me off.”
With that, he stayed outside as I slowly changed in the room, using the bed as support. When the door burst open, it was Venus that rushed in. The three of us were best friends along with Azara. I would not have been surprised if she suddenly ran through the door.
It was her hug that engulfed me, "Oh my God! Raina, I told you not to go." Venus held me by my shoulders, looking like she was about to cry. "Vaheed told us that you were hurt."
Quietly, he re-entered and leaned on the wall with one leg bent and hands across his chest. His disheveled, medium-length black hair was pushed out of his face and he had that rugged appearance but was always cute due to his alpha genes.
I played it off. "One of us had to find Vaheed. He was a mess. You know that he's no good without us."
Venus bounced her mop of mid-back length, wavy black hair to glance at her twin brother at the side, then swung her troubled harlequin green eyes back to me. She saw the bruise on my shoulder and then took my hands in hers, examining my wound with a sigh.
“Why did you allow her to get hurt?” Venus retorted at Vaheed, who evaded the question by turning his head to look at the starry sky through the glass window. Then said to me, “Didn’t you meet up with Valen? He could have healed you right away.”
Because Valen had announced that he would go to find Vaheed, naturally, we ought to have crossed paths, and we did, but disclosing further information would invite additional inquiries, which I preferred to avoid.
“Since you won’t answer, the least you could have done was to stay safe.” Venus checked my temperature with a hand on my forehead. “You have a high fever.” Again she glowered at her brother, “And you stand there doing nothing!”
Afterwards, she guided me to the bed and I sat down. At the same time, my parents and Dr. Stone scampered inside. Damn. If only I could hide under the floor tiles. I'd rather that than confront my Mom. Venus and Vaheed retreated into the background.
With Mom's blond hair in an unkempt bun as opposed to Dad's military-cut black hair, which required no grooming, they undoubtedly arrived as soon as they learned that I was injured. Dad stood bare-chested and in sweatpants.
"Raina, you've got some explaining to do." Mom chastised. Then her Nordic blue eyes were softened with regard to my scalding rashes. Her porcelain white hands lifted my chin to check me. “Goddess! Raina, what were you thinking to sneak out like that?”
Vaheed wasted no time in using the mental link to rouse them from their slumber. He was making a valiant effort to publicize the blame on Valen for everything.
I looked at Dad immediately for help to placate my Mom. His chestnut eyes dulled but then rounded in alarm at the obvious bruises that Mom’s inspection revealed, intently scanning the painful rashes on every area of my body. With my werewolf genes, they should have healed by now. However, they remained.
"Where the hell did you go?" Dad joined Mom’s castigation. He raised my arm to examine me. I choked down a whimper to mask the magnitude of pain that I was really enduring.
"Um…..I-I was….."
Dr. Stone interrupted and moved closer to request that my parents allow her the chance to check on me. "Raj, Hailey, I'll need some space with the patient."
They stepped back and Dr. Stone took over. When she was finished, she made notes on her clipboard.
"Werewolves don't get rashes unless it's poison. Why isn't my daughter healing?" Dad asked the doctor.
"I'll do some blood work to check if anything is in her system." Dr. Stone placed her clipboard on the desk and took up a syringe to draw my blood.
"Raina, what happened to you?" Mom reiterated with overwhelming concern lacing her eyes.
The needle hurt as it bore into my blotched skin. I clenched my teeth and groaned. Mom bent over and soothed me by massaging my head top. About ten new frowning lines formed on Dad's caramel face.
"I'll have the blood work ready in an hour. I suggest that you should rest here for observance." The doctor looked at my parents for approval after putting away the blood sample.
"Fine." Dad agreed after eyeing Mom but scolded me right after. "Raina, this discussion is far from over."
Mom put out an index finger. "You'll stay for one night."
Perfect. I thought it was good for them to be out of my hair.
"Okay." I said flatly to conceal my satisfaction.
"Vaheed and Venus," Mom drew their undivided attention. "Raina is not well. Therefore, she does not leave this room."
Knowingly, the three of us eyed each other. The fact was that we were sneakier than a mouse. Dad harshly cleared his throat to cut our silent conversation. It broke the bubbling mischief.
"Doctor Stone," Dad sat on my right side on the bed. He spoke sadly as he further confirmed that I resembled a woman with chicken pox. “Perhaps Valen can heal her."
"NO!!!" Vaheed and I shouted simultaneously.
Everyone froze, surprised at our sharp outburst. Their confused gazes swayed from me to Vaheed.
Our silence irked Mom. "That's it, young lady! Spill it, now!"
I hadn't come up with a believable explanation. Panicking, my electric blue sought Vaheed's harlequin eyes. Without blinking, he sternly held my gaze, offering no help.
For one, he wanted me to tell them the truth to have Alpha King Vance reprimand his brother. Conversely, I elected to avert the disarray such information would create. After all, the pain won't be forever and I've already forgiven Valen.
Cardamom and amber suddenly enveloped my world. Valen's scent reached me before I could see him. My heart hitched as I watched the door. When it opened, he strolled inside with emerald eyes of tornado, turbulent and messy. He did not glance at anyone else but me. My armor chipped. My anticipation leaped off the edge.
"Everybody out, now!" He roared with such vibrating volume that the furnishings and equipment shifted out of orientation.
-
-
-RAINA’S POV-"Valen, don't be mad at Raina….." Venus' voice trailed off when I placed my index finger over my lips to shush her. She raised a brow quizzically."Out!" Valen snarled in a way that made everyone jump in their skin as his aura tripled out. Wanting to hear no further objections. He percolated an energy that was so raw and animalistic that you would forget there was anyone else in the surroundings.In contrast, his deep irate tone sent a pleasurable shiver from the nape of my neck and down my spine. To others, he was fearsome and ruthless. To me, he was handsome, sexy, and pretty much a Greek god that was intricately designed to make women swoon. My vagina was shouting for my virginity to be stolen by him. He was dishy and the ideal man of my dreams. The man whose babies I wanted to have.Horrified, Mom clearly thought that Valen was angry and here to chastise me for sneaking out of Central City. Dad's mouth opened to beseech leniency but quickly closed it when his alpha wo
-RAINA’S POV – Unrequited love. Unfortunate souls. A myth. Heard of it throughout generations and thought that it did not exist. How could the deity of all werewolves take my mate from me? Valen was my crush. There was not a day that my heart did not climax with love for him. Howbeit our bond was ludicrous. A laughable tale. A deep clawing pain wedge in my chest. The bond had us on two distinct plateaus with a massive cleft between us in the middle. The second grievous truth was that on Valen's eighteenth birthday, everyone was anxious to know if he had sensed his mate. He told them "No." As a result, it made my sweet sixteenth birthday bittersweet. That was the day, through the early arrival of my wolf, I discovered that my childhood crush did not want me as his mate. The poignant memory affected my brain like poison. Just fucking great! I unfurled several reams of anger at my deity. Eye water trickled out. I did not conceal my wails. “How can this be?” “I wish I knew the answe
-RAINA’S POV- Valen threw his head back and released a rumbling, sonorous laugh. What was the joke? I thought that he’d be mad at me. When he finished laughing, he intently gazed at me, pulled his lips into a lopsided smile, and sneered. “You know my feelings so well, Raina.” What should have been a silent battle between us transformed into an activation of passion. Depth cried out to depth as the venereal mate bond did tug-of-war through our locked eyes. “Valen!” Luna Sianna vehemently demanded a direct answer, breaking up our fervid tussle. Gingerly, his deprecated emerald orbs met the challenging gaze of his mother. “Of course not.” His enunciating tone abetted me to question the stark assurance of the declaration. He was really frustrating, but still, I simpered in self-satisfaction. His obsessive gaze was fixed on me in a way that stated he was going to make me pay for it. It was unfair to put him in the spot, but it was time for me to step out and demand that he claim me. H
-RAINA’S POV- "Why does he get to stay?" Vaheed shoved his way forward past the others, displaying utter disapproval. “He should not be around her!” Instantly, Valen erected himself from the wall, facing Vaheed. His wolf bared his teeth and showed his presence and possessiveness, as his claws extended. Losing his temper slammed a gargantuan aura into the entire room. Veins populated on his forehead. He was ready to finish the brawl that had started at the bar in Furborg City. Vaheed flinched because this time Valen’s attacking position was different. It was dark, turbulent, and hellish. Clutching the sky-blue sheet, I held my breath and my heart beat wildly. My pulse thumped inside my ears. They should not be fighting again. Oh, goddess! A premonition of Vaheed's blood sprinkling over the white hospital floor tiles flashed across my mental vision. Two fighting alphas would be terribly bloody. “Boys, end this now!” Even Luna Sianna was peeved with her twitching eyebrows. Vance, th
-RAINA’S POV- Ultimately, Valen sighed in surrender and acquiesced with a go-ahead expression. My wolf yipped and warmth curled inside my gut. I wanted to kiss him right then. Too bad every part of me ached, preventing that reality. Additionally, the agonizing sensation from the physical contact would turn that first kiss into nothing more than a horrible memory. Doing the honors, I announced, since he wouldn't clear the air. "Valen's my mate. That’s why he wants to stay by my side." A sheen of happiness coated me. My eyes brimmed with tears of mirth and the smile tugging my lips broke into a pleased grin. A spark flared in his emerald orbs as they penetrated mine with a look that gave me a pleasant chill. Despite my ailment, excitement filled me. Can I jump on him now? Instantly, I wanted everybody to clear the room. "Oh, goddess!" Venus shrieked gleefully, then abruptly dulled in facade. "Oh." She realized what that meant for Vaheed and Valen, and quaked, "Oh no." In retaliatio
-VALEN’S POV- "Son, we need to talk." Dad summoned me through our mental link. "Come to my office." "I'll be there in a few minutes," I replied, and cut the link, opening my eyes and using my fingers to massage the ache in my forehead in a clockwise, circular motion. “You better not leave our mate’s side,” my wolf dictated. His pining augmented the same headache that I was trying to expel. “The meeting is important and we need help with our mate bond.” I reminded him in annoyance. It was inevitable that Dad would meet with me and Vaheed after our fighting. Dad encouraged unity among his children. He was strict, principled, and disciplined. Only Venus got the softer side of him. “Devin, I need you to stay with Raina while I go and see my father.” I beckoned my future Royal Beta. “I’m on my way,” he reported. Previously, Raina had gone quiet until she fell asleep. I never left the hospital room and was still sitting in the chair next to her bed. I was angry at myself for her suf
-VALEN’S POV- "That's not good enough!" The senior witch did not deserve my pugnacity. At this point, I could not control how unsettled my wolf was with what we were hearing. This was fucking insane. I can't stand another minute in this useless meeting. After relying on these witches for a solution, I sat here and was being told that they had none. I sprang from my seat and began pacing the floor. My aggression was building and I was about to shift. My hands clenched and uncoiled as my breathing increased due to exasperation. "Marlena will have to retrace Valen's and Raina's activities for the day before we can affirm anything," Miriam spoke to Dad, unfazed by me. She was accustomed to our alpha paroxysm in years of dealing with both Grandpa Victor and Dad. Due to the old Lycan-witch covenant established with the royal lineages, as long as they are honorable and help to protect our pack, we would never hurt them. "What do we do in the meantime?" Teary-eyed Hailey emotionally aske
-VALEN’S POV- Dr. Stone and three nurses clad in white uniforms and stockings surrounded a vigorously panting Raina. Washed in cold sweat, she sat up in bed holding the two sides of her head, her wide eyes blinking furiously. Flush-faced and frightened, shaking uncontrollably with the rapid drumming of her heart, she seemed completely whelmed by the mental terrors. Under her own deluded mind's seizing attacks, she was a victim held captive in its dark abyss. “Raina, sweetie,” Grandma Stone spoke calmly. “You’re safe. The earthquake is over.” Desperate whimpers came from her and she kept repeating my name. Making me want to do something, anything, to alleviate her pain. I'm uncertain that Raina and I will ever feel the power of the mate bond like we ought to in its natural course. Or even if there was a 'Raina and I’. Devin stood at the right side of the three-sided covered sepia bedside table observing. As her pain connected intensely within me, details of the world around me fade
RAINA’S POVSlinking inside the Alpha suite with night vision goggles, I crept up to the king-size bed to see Valen tossing and turning in his sleep.Why wasn’t he dead yet?Moving surreptitiously to the side of the bed, I was thankful that my black leather catsuit blended well with the darkness. As quiet as ever, I held my sword tighter, angling it in a left-plow position with the long edge up.Committed to the assassination task, my blow had to be quick and precise, piercing the heart. I cannot miss this golden opportunity.Standing exactly beside the nightstand, I glanced down at the ripped muscles of his heaving chest. Grunting, his sweaty head shifted from side to side. His face twitched, and his closed eyelids flexed as he breathed jaggedly in his sleep.Cardamom and amber surrounded me, the potent scent wafted straight from the source into my nostrils. A mouthwatering scent, so maddening. Perilously beguiling. The bond beat against my chest like a bone-crushing drum. The physic
VALEN’S POV“Raina is hurting.” Penn interjected, finishing up and discarding the cotton in a bin.“I saw the pain in her eyes when she saw Snow with your baby.” She gazed sadly at Devin and added under her breath. “I can imagine what that feels like.”My Beta averted his eyes to the side of the room, avoiding hers, suddenly unsettled as he scratched behind his ear.I blew out a hard breath. I did not care about what was up with these two. Raina was priority. The mate bond wrenched at me in a silent cry from her that only I could hear. Missing the softness of holding her hands and basking in her endearing presence, hugging, touching, gazing—I just can't go on without it.“I'm pissed too because the future hasn't changed and at some point, you'll give the dick away.” Devin aired bluntly. “How could you? After all those times you swore to me…”“I'll never cheat on Raina.” I cut in sharply, darting daggers at him.Unconvinced, he huffed. Then he spoke again, his voice quieter. "She loves
VALEN’S POVMy eyes snapped open, looking up at the wooden beams in the ceiling in confusion.This was Wolkrane.I can’t be here. Not when I promised Raina to be home by 9 P.M. daily. My head pounded with hazy memories, and I missed her pleasantly cool scent so badly. With her beautiful burgundy...Oh, fuck!I bolted up from the bed, and pain exploded on my side, spasming up and down my torso. Immediately, I glanced down at the three stitches that I just accidentally ripped, blood trickling down my side and into my gray sweatpants.Angry at myself for not knowing how long I’d been asleep, I yanked the IV line from my arm.Cursing silently while gritting my teeth against the agony, I barged out of the bedroom, ignoring the trail of blood I left on the umber-weave pattern of the vinyl plank flooring.Dizzy waves swept over me as I descended the stairs, determined for someone to tell me that it was a damn nightmare. That I imagined it all.“Where is she!” I roared, bulldozing into the sm
RAINA’S POV“Kókkino, I don't know,” Gustav replied with understanding in a low voice. His words lingered, heavy with an edge of doubt. “The sword should have taken his life.”I swallowed hard and confessed dejectedly, “I wanted to believe him, but he can’t be the real Valen.”Gustav hummed thoughtfully and moved to the foot of the bed to remove my shoes.Flashes of the harrowing hurt in the last Valen’s eyes made my forlorn heart sink deeper and deeper. It seemed nearly genuine, yet it was not. It was a mask to get me to lower my guard. I was glad that I didn’t let the bond derail the mission this time.My eyes trailed to my guardian, and I expressed, “The timekeepers were so cruel. This is my ninth trial, and if he's not my Valen, he'll kill me again. As an anomaly, they've cursed me to die over and over.”“Then I will protect you,” Gustav swore, putting down my shoes at the bedside while his gaze met mine. The sincerity and promise were clear in his voice.“How long do you think I
RAINA’S POV I lingered behind Gustav as we arrived by teleportation at a sprawling lakeside manor. With urgency, he stalked off down a corridor that cut straight through the house. I broke off into a little jog to keep up with his large strides. Walking by his side, I felt curious and apprehensive about where he had taken me. Warm tones guided me through the great hall. Feeling antsy, my head pirouetted in the unfamiliar environment. Gaping archways revealed sitting rooms, recreational rooms, a grand dining room, and others. Each was filled with soothing terra cotta tones from walls painted in red earth color. “Nice safe house,” I remarked as he led me up the winding stairs, overwhelmed by the sheer size of it.Layers of vintage finds, painted artwork, and houseplants created a classical, inviting effect across the spaces. Together with white and green accents, the wall's reddish tone produced a muted color scheme that brought a diverse range of furniture pieces in a harmoniously b
VALEN’S POV“Grrr! You are not needed here,” I growled, feeling my skin ripple, pinning the man in place with a murderous glare.“The nerve of that Worgen,” Zeus snarled in my head.Nyx and Zuzu swayed their attention to the obnoxious intruder, waiting for my command to attack him.“Stand down, Nyx. Do not attack him, Zuzu. Hibernate,” Raina commanded them, her back constantly bumped into my chest from her struggle against the grasp I maintained on her arms.It was a shock to see my guardians revert to a leisure position, debunking their fight mode.Raina averted her eyes to the man in full white. “Get me out of here, Gustav.”“Careful, Bluebella. Do not deliberately make me jealous. My wolf is unsettled as it is. You are mine,” I muttered into her ear, and she flinched with resistance.Swinging her sabre-rattling eyes sideways, she expostulated, “I’ll chose him a million times over you, you fake bastard!”What the hell was this?She was protecting him—choosing him?Wanting to go with
VALEN’S POVThe portal spat her out with a thud on the floor of my sanctum in a disheveled mess.“Mate! Mate! Mate!” Zeus purred, going into overdrive to touch what was ours.Thank fuck.“Ugh!” She groaned, landing face-down, and something clattered on the floor.My body jumped to life as her rich scent wrapped around the entirety of my being like thick vines.“She came back to us!” Zeus’ rear end started to twitch and wiggle in excitement to see our beautiful mate.Gladness pumped my heart wildly, and my feet moved briskly before my wolf shouted at me to go to her. Zuzu flapped her giant wings in flight towards her regular spot on a custom-designed tree branch in the corner.I rushed towards Raina, dropping to my knees and gently grabbing her shoulders to help her to stand. My heart danced with delight when the sparks erupted across my palms from the skin-to-skin contact.“She’s back,” Zeus howled in my chest with joy and enthusiasm, jumping up on his two hind legs.Raina's legs gave
VALEN’S POVEighty-four hours.Three and a half days.It’s been that long since I’ve been home and without my precious Luna. Precious time was being wasted when I should have been able to go after her. That knowledge and helplessness weighed heavy on my chest, obstructing every labored inhale.Detached from everything, I wallowed in heart-shattering misery.With a deep scowl, I ran my thumb over the inscriptions of the golden bracelet as my mind worked overtime. My brain felt like it was on a treadmill, unable to stop.At this point, my eyes were hooded and void and my brain wasn't far from becoming the same. Frazzled and throbbing.“You’re the reason she disappeared.” Zeus snarled in my head, castigating me for putting Vaheed over our mate. He rambled, “If we weren’t away, we would have been here to stop her. I told you to leave him alone, but no, you had to go and bring him back. Are you trying to make us mateless?”My throat was too parched to argue with him.The worst had happened
VALEN’S POVAll their heartbeats rose, thundering against their chests. Devin quickly scurried over to the witch’s side.My eyebrows met. My face scrunched up and I pointed at Penn. My voice was incensed, and my teeth clashed together. “You let her go?”They visibly sagged under the weight of my temper. Anger pulsed through my chest, the upcoming headache didn't help his bitch fit either.“Well, I—um, I, er,” Pennelope stuttered and Devin frowned, spinning around to cup her face before facing me again.Letting out a breath of disbelief, I felt like my whole world was caving in. My vision went spotty as I pictured Raina lost and on her own in an unfamiliar world, and this witch did nothing to help her when she had the means.“It’s not that simple. I tried to stop her…” Penn explained, shaking her head, and went into more detail, stumbling over her words. “...once she saw Snow, she decided to go AWOL.”"Slow down, Penn." Devin guided me because at this point she was mumbling, and I didn'