CHAPTER 6

Ravena was going to attack her once again now that he was back. In a million years, no. Because she was mentally sick and unable to handle the pressure of dating the pack leader and not being one of them in the first place, she had killed herself. No, it wouldn't take place again. A gray would come next, but no one from his pack. Ravena couldn't forgive the eligible ladies who had disliked him, with the exception of Silva.

He drank his third drink whole and then laid his glass aside. He made an effort to watch his fellow citizens in an effort to forget about his deceased companion, but the woman seated at his table fiercely diverted his attention. What in the world was she doing even here? Come to claim the body of her sister? Scream at him for driving her sister to the brink of a cliff? He didn't require assistance from anybody else because he had been feeling guilty enough about her death for the previous three weeks. He would never be able to forget Ravena's expression of being at last at peace in death, no matter how many beers he drank.

He gave a headshake. He typically waited until the store closed, but tonight he wanted to go. How would it appear if the pack leader was unable to handle seeing his late wife seated at the adjacent table?

He poured himself another drink while harboring an inward growl.

Lucian: "Twin sister, don't you think?" His youngest triplet lifted his brows and said, "Tom?"

“Yeah. Ravena said she had lost all of her relatives. It appears that she lied. Lucian was not pleased by this, but it was too late to express his resentment.

Why do you suppose she is at this location? Tom touched the perspiring glass with his hand.

"It must have something to do with her sister,"

Do you believe the woman believes Ravena was killed? Jake queried.

Lucian gave him a stern look. "What in the name of hell makes you say that?"

Jake gave a shrug. Why wouldn't she come meet with you and explain why she's here? Why would she strive to hide who she was? I can only conclude that she does not believe Ravena's death to have been an accident. She is also conducting her own research.

“Hell.” Lucian scowled at the red, imagining how her hair would look if it weren't that ugly black tone, which was far too harsh for her pale, creamy skin.

It appears that she treated the women badly who were trying to trick her. Tom beaming.

Which implies that there will be more problems. As gloomy as Lucian felt, so was Jake's voice.

Lucian looked across at Tom. "I need you to—"

Jake cut her off by saying, "She's leaving."

The tavern's discourse abruptly came to an end.

Don't mess with me, her entire body language said as she moved toward the door with her hands clenched in fists and her boots clicking on the wooden floor.

He yearned to pursue her and lay claim to her, just like he had done with her sister, despite his desire to deny it. His want to kiss her pursed lips, feel her tender, bare flesh under him, and make love to her as he had made love to her sister overcame him. Without a doubt, he was losing it.

He watched her open the door while remaining seated with the utmost control. Tom, follow her. Track her movements and, by all means, spend the night with her.

You're sure? Do you truly mean it? Tom asked, sounding overly optimistic.

Just keep them from reaching her, okay?

Jake intervened, "He means, don't let anyone screw with her, and that includes you."

Tom looked at Lucian to get approval. Who was he to object if his brother desired her and she was willing? If she wanted a mate and Tom was interested, that was great because their race wasn't into casual sex. Lucian had no intention of continuing along that path. Make certain that none of our staff annoy her by doing whatever is necessary.

Tom seemed like he had Jake under control. "Lucian, thank you. I'll look after her. The door slammed behind her, and he ran after Ravena's sister.

Lucian wanted the woman to be left alone because sending Tom after her would have alerted the rest of his people in the tavern, and news would have rapidly traveled to the others. He would hold everyone who crossed the line responsible.

Jake scraped his glass back and forth across the wooden table.

Lucian gave him a scowl. The question, "What, Jake?"

You ought to speak with the woman, don't you think?

Discover her purpose for being here.

What led you to believe Ravena was killed?

"Brother, you've got your head in the sand on this one. Many of them think she was murdered, but when they see me, they stop talking. Nobody will divulge their suspicions to Tom or me.

"Is there a plot?"

“No. At least not in my opinion. Unless they're trying to protect someone or they're worried you'd get too angry if you found out the truth.

The majority of the pack thinks I'd be better supposing she killed herself, right?

Jake turned his head in an odd direction. “Yeah. It may shock the entire pack if we have a killer among us. Everything would be much cleaner if she committed suicide.

She wrote her own suicide note, which was left behind. She committed suicide. Story over." Lucian sipped on his drink once again, but this time it tasted sour.

Why don't you speak the truth to her sister instead? Why send Tom, who is sure to mess up everything? Jake gave Lucian his first genuinely nasty grin in a while as his mouth twisted up. "If he gets fresh, he might start to resemble Ritka with a bright new eye."

Lucian disregarded his remark. "Ravena must not have had any brothers if a twin sister is investigating what happened."

"We had no idea she had a family at all."

In an effort to release the tension building there, Lucian stroked his forehead. Even while the agony of her passing would never go away, seeing her sister-in-law brought everything rushing back tenfold. He was upset with his partner for killing herself, though. Lucian loathed himself for not having stronger self-control, but Doc insisted that it was a necessary part of the grieving process. The only emotion he should let himself to have is regret. I'm starting to suspect that I didn't know much about my partner.

Jake turned to look at their regular table. "If I were in her position, I would tell the woman what I thought and have her leave. She might cause things to spiral out of control if she stays. The other ladies seem to believe she wants to replace her sister as your partner.

Lucian hissed, "That would be the damned day," but a stab of desire messed with his emotions, and his brother didn't seem to believe him at all.

Ravena heard the door creak open and shut not far from the tavern. Tom was approaching her with long strides and a smile on his face as she peered over his shoulder.

Great. Simply wonderful. If one of his brothers followed her, how in the world was she going to implement Plan B and break into Lucian's home to look for evidence about Freya's death while he was drinking in the tavern?

She gave him a frustrated glance. His eyes glittered with much too much curiosity, and his lips curled even more. She made her way to the Hastings Bed and Breakfast with the idea that while Tom stayed in the lobby, she could sneak out the window of her room.

Tom joined her before she reached the brick structure, standing so close that she could feel the warmth of his body. Are you Ravena's sister, or what? It was "Freya's," she said.

He gently bent his head. "Up until I heard you speak, I wasn't sure. You certainly upset Lucian. However, he needed to be rescued from the horror in which he had been toiling.

She swung her head around when she heard the familiar sound of danger—the clicking sound generated when a gun's safety is turned off. She instantly wished she had had her pistol in her handbag. But until she needed it, it was tucked under the mattress. She feared that she needed it right away.

Tom took hold of her arm. He murmured, "Wait.

A new worry pricked at her flesh. He too had heard of it. She had prayed that she was wrong.

He gave the warning, "Nine-millimeter," in a low voice.

A shot was fired before they could react, and Tom shrieked and pushed Ravena behind him before falling to his knees. “Run! Go back to the tavern!"

Tom had been shot by the idiot, oh no! She grabbed his arm and attempted to move him, but he was like dead weight as he fell to the ground and went out. He had blood splatters on his face. He had been hit in the temple by the bullet.

She couldn't go to the tavern because the gunman had emerged from the shadows. If only the murderous guy didn't have such a frown on his face. He appeared to have been living on the run for a few days based on his scruffy black beard, unruly hair, and filthy clothing. Despite the fact that she was upwind of him, she was unable to determine if his eyes resembled those of a wolf or a human.

His rifle was pointed towards her. Silver linings or everyday?

The question "What do you want?" She attempted to buy herself some time while her heart raced.

Had anyone heard the gunfire in the busy tavern? She was too far away to physically confront the shooter. Ravena wanted to retrieve her gun, but if she ran for the inn, he may murder Mrs. Hastings or the twin girls who were loitering in the lobby.

Now when she needed Ural's assistance, where the hell was he? His evil canines might eliminate the threat if he were, as she feared, in wolf form. There was no time to get dressed up and transform into the wolf by herself.

Out of options, she did the only thing she could think of to mobilize assistance for Tom and perhaps scare the reluctant shooter away. She yelled.

Once, twice, and three shots were fired as the shooter's eyes enlarged, his lips curled downward, and he pulled the trigger. She was thrown into the brick structure by the force of the bullets that tore through her chest, and she almost passed out. No pain was initially felt as she fought to keep upright. He gazed at her as if she were the devil incarnate when she didn't instantly pass away then and then.

Her brain processes briefly threatened to shut down as the agony then hit her hard. Her mind sprang into focus when he lifted his pistol.

With the intention of turning around as quickly as possible and getting aid for Tom, she sprinted into the woodland that surrounded the village. She'd really make the gunman work for his money. I'm glad they didn't burn as silver bullets would have. If she could find safety and give her body time to recover, she would survive.

It's "Bloody hell!" Her attacker ran after her.

Her entire body was suddenly wracked by stabbing pain, and she could feel hot blood oozing from the wounds. She felt her legs thinning as her heart continued to pump more blood out each second.

Run, Ravena, damn you. If there was ever a moment to push herself, this was it.

She scrambled over fallen, rotten trunks, dodged under trees, and fought her way through dense bush while branches snapped several yards behind her. She again thought that the shooter was a person due to the amount of noise he was making. Good. He was unable to detect her scent or the trail of blood she was leaving behind. However, given how much the breeze was varying, it could be possible to hide her whereabouts. Oh my, she was wearing so much perfume that perhaps even a person could follow her. She made an effort to stay to his south.