But, he didn't. He reached out for the seat belt and plugged it in before he strode to the other side of the car. I only sat there dumbfounded and unable to figure out what just happened. I turned to look at him, but he didn't seem bothered or even aware of what he did. The car started to move as he drove toward the pack house. I looked away from him, suddenly feeling very upset. I didn't know why I was so bothered, but I was mad. Mad at him for being so clueless and myself for my heart beating so fast earlier.What happened to me? Why did I think he was going to kiss me? That seemed like it came out of a cliché romance, and I felt embarrassed. It was clear he was only going to help me with the seatbelt. I couldn't even look at him as he drove, and I was silent. I just wanted to bury myself in a hole if I could. But, he suddenly spoke, and I had to look his way, "I heard from Bethany that you want to train with the Corps."I wasn't expecting his question, but I nodded as I rememb
RAVEN’S POV:I knocked gently on the dark mahogany door of his office with the files I was meant to submit that morning in hand. His voice soon resonated from inside, succinct and solemn, "Come in."I instantly turned the door knob and entered the office, shutting the door behind me. He was seated behind the desk, but his chair was turned to the opposite side, so his back was turned to me. I couldn't help standing there for a few seconds, files in arm, as I regarded him. He looked charismatic and mysterious, even from afar.I approached him, and when I reached his desk, I called out to him, "Good morning, Alpha. I'm done with the files you asked me to arrange."He turned to look at me when he heard me speak, like he didn't expect it to be me. Then, he turned the swivel chair around and pushed it closer to the desk, placing his reading tablet on the desk. I noticed he wore a pair of reading glasses today, a gold rimmed spectacle with a tiny frame - it looked good on him, surprisingly.
RAVEN’S POV:The party had already begun with full force when Bethany and I walked in. She urged me to go with her to a party she was invited to. It was a Saturday evening, and although I was rather busy with the business plan I had to submit, I needed the break so I could think of new ideas. There were countless familiar faces at the party as well as several unfamiliar ones. The unfamiliar ones were most likely not residing in the pack house.However, Bethany must be very popular in the pack for a lot of eyes turned to us the moment we entered. Their stares were set on the two of us, and they regarded us from top to toe.Oh, God. I hate being in the spotlight.My anxiety level was rising at a high rate, and it was practically about to shoot through the roof. Bethany obviously noticed how uneasy I was and turned to me."Raven, I'm here with you. So just loosen up and enjoy the party." She said. "You will... if the party goes all well."I was immediately alarmed. "What do you mean?"S
RAVEN’S POV:I immediately turned upon hearing that voice and looked beside me to see Alexander. I couldn't help but be surprised; that he was at this party and how he managed to fish me out of this crowd.Also, I was beginning to get wary. He was always appearing everywhere I was, and although he did seem like a nice guy, it was rather unsettling. So, I simply said before turning back to my wine, "Hi."Not surprisingly, he leaned on the counter beside me and chuckled, "You seem bored." He tilted his head slightly, looking at the glass of wine and remarked, "You don't drink?"I immediately looked at him, unable to tell how he came to that conclusion. He tilted his head slightly in the direction of the crowd."I was watching you from where I sat. You didn't even drink any of it."I pursed my lips for a moment before replying, "Yes, I don't drink."But my brows soon flitted up in question. What does he want? "Is there something you want from me?" I asked, trying to sound polite.He sm
RAVEN’S POV:"What do you think you're doing?" I suddenly heard Bethany's voice, loud and clear. She sounded very displeased, and that made me stand up from where I was, grabbing the bag from the table. Then, I went toward that direction.Her yell was very loud, so it caught a lot of people's attention, and they were already crowding around, so I had to pass through hordes before getting to her. But I was utterly shocked when I got there and saw what was going on.Isadora was on the floor clutching her chest and looking rather breathless. Her face was pale, and tears were running down her face, making all her makeup look like mess. She looked like she was in a lot of pain. Bethany stood there in disbelief, but she also looked utterly frustrated."What happened?" I heard someone ask from the crowd that had gathered, and Isadora only seemed to cry the more people asked. Someone tried to help her up, but she fell back on the floor in a crying mess."What do you think? Bethany must have
RAVEN’S POV:When I turned to look, I realized it was Ethan who yelled. That was the first time I heard his voice. He wasn't the only one there, though. Tristan was also beside him alongside another man I didn't recognize. They easily stood out among the crowd due to their appearance and the way the crowd quickly parted for them to pass. The surroundings were quickly filled with voices of people as they greeted Tristan. He and Ethan were still in their suits, meaning they came from work while the unfamiliar man was dressed more comfortably, and he looked even more approachable than the other two.But what stuck out to me was the chilly look in Ethan's eyes, so I couldn't help moving my gaze to him. He looked furious, and that was the first time I was seeing such an expression on his face. I had always perceived him as an uptight, quiet, and strict person but not someone who would get so mad.He strolled forward, and when he settled right beside us, I felt Bethany stiffen and grab my
RAVEN’S POV: Her sudden rave took everyone by surprise, including Ethan. His gaze was fixated on her as she turned toward him, pointing at him. "It's because of you," she told him, her finger jabbing at his chest. "It's your fault. How can you fall for someone like her?"Bethany's eyes subsequently widened as she looked at him, but she didn't speak. Ethan, however, grabbed Isadora's wrist, and I could tell he was getting mad at her. "What do you mean, you lied? What exactly did you do?"She laughed at this, looking even more infuriated. Her expression was fierce, and I could see people moving away to avoid getting caught up in the situation. Even her friend seemed to have disappeared while we were caught up with her sudden shout."I fell by myself to frame her." She scowled, her eyes shining with animosity. "It would have been successful if you didn't appear here. No one would believe her, and it would be hard to clear her name after today."Gasps instantly filled the area as she beg
TRISTAN’S POV:She looked shocked upon seeing us and simply stood there for a couple of seconds, just staring at us. I couldn't help regarding her from top to toe; discreetly, though. She was dressed rather simply, just a knee-length dark purple gown with long sleeves and a black bag slung across her shoulder. Her long, ink black hair cascaded down her shoulders and back, reaching her waist. She was very beautiful.She must have known I was staring at her for her gaze settled on me a moment later. Just then, Roman whispered to me, a smirk evident in his tone. "Ehh... your eyes are about to pop out."That made me come to my senses, and I cleared my throat, breaking eye contact. "Shut up," I fired back at him, and he cackled in return.I simply ignored him and looked back at Raven, who still stood there, likely considering whether to enter or not."Aren't you coming in?" I asked and could easily tell she was about to make some excuse, so I cut in, "You won't get a cab this late.""Yeah
AUTHOR'S POV:"Congratulations, Miss Raven. You're three months pregnant," Dr. Foster announced with a warm smile, his eyes reflecting genuine joy. The test results were on top of his desk as he closed the papers.Raven blinked, disbelief etched across her face. "Pregnant? But... how?" she stammered, her mind still catching up. It felt like the walls were suddenly closing in on her.The doctor chuckled. "Well, it seems you fainted earlier because of more than just fatigue. You're going to be a mother." He handed her the test result, and Raven's trembling hands took hold of it.She sat there for a couple of seconds, trying to process the situation. She had fainted at the office earlier that day, so she came to the hospital, but surely, she was not expecting to be told she was pregnant."Thank you, Doctor," she managed to utter, her thoughts racing. As she exited the office, the weight of the news sank in, leaving her stunned.As she walked along the hospital hallway, she ran into Larson
TRISTAN’S POV:I stared at the screen, my eyes glued to the footage Ethan had managed to salvage from the hotel's security system. Frustration simmered within me as I realized there was a critical gap – the moment Seraphine supposedly plunged into the water was missing. Deleted. Gone."Can't you retrieve that part?" I asked Ethan, my voice tight with worry.Ethan sighed, shoulders slumping. "I went to Jasper's place, watched him try, but even he couldn't get it back. It's like it vanished."Disturbed, I knew that missing piece was vital to proving Raven's innocence. No matter how fiercely I could protect her, I couldn't let a stain tarnish her reputation. I pondered the options – interrogate Seraphine, force a confession, but the risks loomed large. Accusations of me using my power to bully could tarnish my position without solid proof. Not to mention, it would affect Raven - they'd accuse her of messing with my head."We need that footage, Ethan. Find a way," I urged, worry coursing
RAVEN'S POV:An uneasy vibe buzzed in me as Tristan and I shuffled down the hospital hallway. Seraphine supposedly woke up, but it still felt surreal. What happened still feels like a dream to me, and I was unable to come to terms that she had almost died.When we reached the door of the VIP ward she was staying in, a crowd awaited – her family. I didn't realize she had so many relatives, and even Tristan's mom, Luna BlackClaw, was there.The moment we appeared, all gazes fell on us, especially me. Their glares screamed judgment, but I held my cool, knowing I didn't do what they accused.Probably sensing my unease, Tristan held my palm and rubbed it, an attempt to reassure me, so I shot him a forced smile, not wanting him to worry.Luna BlackClaw jumped on me first, fuming, "How dare you show your face here?"She looked very furious, and if one didn't know, they'd think Seraphine was her daughter. I would have been intimidated, but the conviction that I did nothing wrong made me meet
Raven’s POV:I held a glass of wine as I looked around the hall. I was attending Madison's engagement ceremony, and there weren't a lot of people in attendance, as the marriage was not aristocratic, and there were a lot of gossip about them in the pack. Not to mention, it was no news that her father wanted her to marry a richer and well-known man, not her mate. They were all everybody was talking about and giving their two cents of advice on like they knew it all.But as I stared at Madison's figure walking around the entire hall arm in arm with her mate, Christian, I could tell she was happy with the man she ended up with. And I was happy for her because it meant that not all mates were assholes, and they complemented one another well.However, as I saw Madison approaching me with Christian, I placed the wine glass in my hand on the table some distance from me. I didn't want to toast her and have to drink the wine.Firstly, because I had promised Tristan that even though he wasn't th
TRISTAN’S POV:I smiled, seeing the sheer fear and shame that ran through their spines upon seeing me. "Isn't it rude to start a meeting without me, the main topic of the so-called abdication?"As I spoke, I strolled to my seat and settled down. Lucas frowned, but he was soon back to being haughty. That made me frown at his closed-mindedness - how could he be foolish enough to rely only on one piece of evidence that wasn't conclusive enough?"Which rule of the council talks about members not holding a meeting behind the Alpha King?" I questioned as I tapped on the table, intending to drag it out and give them chills."Ru...rule 15," one of them managed to speak while the rest of them frowned, but they all seemed to have regained their composure.I was about to respond when Lucas coldly snorted, "That doesn't include an abdication gathering in the case of a bad Alpha King."That made me perk up, and my gaze found his. "Oh really? How bad of a King am I that you all respectable Alphas w
Lucas paced back and forth in his dimly lit study, a sense of urgency in his voice as he spoke into his phone. "Make sure the meeting room is ready, and no one should tip off Tristan. We can't afford any slip-ups," he ordered.The door swung open abruptly, and Nadia stood there, a hand on her now heavily pregnant stomach. Anger flashed in Lucas's eyes, but he held back his initial impulse to shout at her for barging in. Instead, he ended the call, turning his attention to Nadia. "What are you doing here?" he inquired, attempting to keep his tone steady.Nadia, however, was not in the mood for pleasantries. She stormed toward Lucas, pushing him in the chest. "What do you think you're doing?" she demanded, frustration evident in her voice.Perplexed, Lucas responded, "What do you mean?"Without wasting a moment, Nadia thrust photos into his face. "Someone saw you with another woman last night. They're spreading rumors about us," she accused, her eyes ablaze.Lucas glanced at the picture
AUTHOR'S POV;Tristan diligently sorted through the crates in the pack house, the rhythmic hum of activity disrupted as Ethan approached. "Someone's looking for you, Tristan," Ethan said, a frown creasing his brow.Tristan raised an eyebrow, setting down a box. "You know pack members aren't supposed to disturb me at work. Who is it?"Ethan hesitated, then leaned in, voice low. "Alpha Odette."Tristan's surprise flashed across his face. "Alpha Odette? What does she want?"Ethan shrugged, a wary expression in his eyes. "I don't know, but be careful. She's always scheming."A wry smile played on Tristan's lips. "You've never liked her, have you?" Not that he was fond of her either, but he happened to help her three months back to deal with a rogue issue when his investigations led him to her pack, and he realized she was just always scheming and plotting, but her personality wasn't all that bad.Ethan scowled. "And you shouldn't either. Just be cautious."Tristan chuckled, waving Ethan o
RAVEN’S POV:I lay in his arms as he tousled my hair playfully. He didn't go back to the pack office to work, and we just lay together in silence in his room."She just came in like that, and I thought she was a pack member at first," he explained, looking at me, and I couldn't help but smile at how he seemed to forget she was also a pack member."She is a pack member," I corrected, and he only muttered, "Oh.""You're too cold," I couldn't help telling him. He always avoided her, and even before what happened tonight, his stepmother had been trying all sorts of means to push them together, causing further ruin to their relationship.But he was unbothered, unlike me, as he shrugged. "I've always been this way. No need to pay attention to irrelevant people."I chuckled at this, half worried I was ruining his relationship with other people but also pleased that he was avoiding having anything to do with his ex.Just then, he sat up and leaned to get something out of his bedside drawer. I
Tristan's fingers danced across the keyboard in the dimly lit pack house office, the hum soft in the background. Suddenly, the tranquil air shattered as the thunderous noise of running feet echoed from the nearby field. He sighed, his attention disrupted by the unwelcome commotion, reaffirming his disdain for working in the pack house office.Just then, a soft chime emanated from his phone, a welcome distraction. Raven's message illuminated the screen, and a grin replaced Tristan's earlier frown. "How's your headache?" she inquired, a simple yet thoughtful question that melted away his lingering discomfort.His thumbs swiftly responded, typing out his improved condition. As he hit send, an unexpected knock echoed through the room."Come in," he muttered, granting entry to the interrupter, anticipating a curious pack member who had heard he was around and wanted to bother him with something basic.However, when the door swung open, revealing Seraphine in a provocative black dress, Tris