Raven pov“You shouldn’t have done that”. Vaughan’s mother said softly, after she invited me into her small house. “I’m more than grateful for being here”. She poured a cup of tea for me, and I was more than glad that she was back to her actual self. “I just wanted to help, and I won’t give up so easily”. It was a promise I had made to myself , and I planned on keeping to it. She grabbed my hands in hers.“Thank you for everything, I really mean it. it's all because of you I am able to stay here, so don't bother yourself over this, I want your relationship with each other to not waver, because of me”. She sniffled, her eyes watering.“It won’t, we have gone through a lot together for little things like this to affect our relationship”. I muttered, reassuring her. “At least I got to see my son, so even if I die I will be happy”. “Nothing will happen to you”. I quickly said, squeezing her hands. My only wish was for her to open up to me about what had led her to leave years ago. It c
Raven PovHis heart was ripped out, and placed right back as if it could make him whole again. The person that did this to him never aimed at making him survive the attack, which indicated it was a deliberate attack.I couldn’t believe the bubbly young man I saw leaving the car with the gifts he got for Riev a few hours ago, was gruesomely murdered. He had been so pumped up about Riev’s upcoming birthday, but it was so saddening that he wouldn’t even be alive to celebrate it with him. I felt Alpha Vaughan’s presence behind me, and I turned around just as I noticed Riev a few steps behind him, with a somber expression on his face. Alpha Vaughan closed the distance between us, and held my hands, while I continued to peer at my brother who looked like the world had tumbled on him. The deafening silence around me made me uncomfortable, and I wish Riev could make a reaction, to let out his emotions, for his calm demeanor made me scared. I felt at loss of what to say. I didn’t know how lo
Riev pov“Why don’t you stay back today? You have been doing this for days now”. Raven said, moving to stand in front of me. I was preparing to leave for my hunting trip. It was my act of escapism all this while. It was better than anything I could ever do to keep my mind from Clay’s dead body which had been clouding my mind for days now. “I will get tired of it soon”. It was a fact. “But your visits are getting too much”. I said and she pursed her lips at me.I knew she visited me, because she was scared I would do something stupid, but I couldn’t blame her, not after what I did that day with Hank. I had put her on edge, making her worry about me. “You are my brother, and even if it were someone else, I would still act the same”. She smiled faintly, and it didn’t quite reach her eyes. “I’m good. Like hell! I didn’t even lose my mind, or acted rashly!”. I huffed, throwing my hands up in exasperation. “That alone is enough to make me more worried. I know you Riev, you shut everyone
Raven pov“Do you know if Kyle is around?”. I asked Fia as she munched on the grapes on the dining table.“Don’t tell me you are up to something again?”. She narrowed her eyes, expecting more explanation from me. Nothing ever gets past her. I sighed tiredly.“I need to see the girl in the dungeon”. I muttered, avoiding her curious eyes. It was a miracle Alpha Vaughan hadn’t sensed I was up to this, when It had been disturbing my mind for quite a while now. “Why? You know what she did, and besides I heard from Gale sooner or later she would be killed. Your mate will be a fool to let her off the hook after the chaos she caused the pack”. “That’s more reason why I want to see her”. She might have an inkling about the missing locket, and killing her might lead us to a dead end. I doubt anyone would agree with me on that, but it was a feeling that didn’t just want to go away. “Raven, you can’t trust her. She works for the witch, being a wolf, makes it more spiteful for anyone to let her
Raven PovFLASHBACKI opened my eyes expecting to see the scenery that was there before I had lost my consciousness, but I discovered it was totally different. Without a doubt I knew I was in another old memory of my younger self, as my eyes took in my grandma who was packing things into a small bag.Alpha Vaughan’s mother had been talking about the locket, that meant I was here because of the locket. I touched my neck and discovered it wasn’t on me. I knew anything that was happening here was before she had given me the locket. A young boy walked into the room and I realized it was Riev’s younger self. He was nothing less than twelve years old. “Grandma, where are we going?”. He asked, and sat close to me on the old creaky bed. He glanced at me and then focused his attention on our grandma, who was more focused on packing whatever could fit into the leather bag. “Help me with that box, we have a long journey ahead of us”. She said, ignoring his question. Riev stood up grudgingly
Raven Pov”You can’t just lock them inside, they are little children!”. Alice yelled from outside the room.“Why are you doing this? They won’t cause any trouble for you. In a few days we will leave”. My grandma pleaded her voice louder and frantic.“I did what I should have done years ago, before you ran off with that crazy wolf, endangering our entire family”. Otto screamed, followed by a rattle of things falling around. “Take out your anger on me, not them, they are innocent in this, don’t involve them in things they know nothing of, please unlock the door”. “You shouldn’t have bothered coming back at all, because I had already considered you dead a long time ago”. After his words there was a long stretch of silence. “Otto! You will surely regret this. It's already in the past”. I heard his wife say, followed by a series of other brutal words by Otto. I moved away from the door as I locked my eyes with Riev as the harsh words continued to fill the air. While our grandma and his
Raven Pov “Grandma, do you want the syrup?”. Riev asked cheerfully, as he munched on the toast we were having for breakfast, without any traces of yesterday’s brewing anger and stubbornness. I wasn’t too surprised by his calm demeanor. It meant grandma’s spell had worked on him. “Thank you son, Raven you’re barely eating, don’t you like it?”. Her warm eyes met mine, and I shook my head gently.“No I love it”. I smiled at her, and Riev nudged me gently.“Are you okay? You are too quiet today”. He whispered, raising his eyebrow in a questioning gaze. I wanted to tell him that he was the one that acted more differently in contrast to what I was used to, but I bit my lips instead.“I’m just a bit tired”. I muttered, but his eyes lingered for a while before he continued eating. Grandma might have erased a part of his memory but he was still the same brother I knew, always caring. “She is beautiful and so calm”. Alice said from where she sat on the other end of the dining table. “Who did
Raven pov“Can’t we stay for another night. I kind of like it here more than Dark Valley”. Riev grumbled as he packed our bags. “Something urgent came up. We have to leave immediately”. She said, and opened up a small wooden box in her hands.“Raven come here”. She said gently to me. I got to her front and she brought out the locket chain, and placed it round my neck. “Don’t take it off”. She said sternly. I peered at the locket and realized it wasn’t broken, and the missing part of the locket was there. “What of mine?”. Riev asked, as he touched the locket. “You always treat Raven better than me”. He pouted his lips. “That’s because she is always of good behavior while you are the complete opposite”. She said and pulled his cheeks. “But you are still my favorite grandson”. I continued to stare at the locket, knowing that when the part had gotten missing would definitely be on our way back to Dark Valley. “I wish you guys wouldn’t do”. Alice stood in front of her house, a worried
Vaughan pov“It better be something important, for me to leave my mate”. I said to Hank, as I strolled into the office, also noticing Gale was here.“I think he found a link to the person who took the missing locket”. Gale said, throwing a document on the desk. I discovered it was the list of everything that was brought into the pack. It had been a way of ensuring everything was under scrutiny, and control from people that did illegal work, within the pack. I scanned the list, but did not find anything I felt was important to us.“What is this about?”. I asked, staring at the both of them for explanation, as I dropped the document back on the desk. They better not be kidding me!“Didn't see the odd item there?”. Hank asked calmly, which only made me pissed off the more. He took the list, and pointed at a single item, which was brought into the pack.“Don't you find this odd?”. He raised his eyebrows, and I stared at the item again, racking my brain on what he meant. “Who brought thi
Raven pov“WHAT?!”. Vaughan yelled and moved from his closet, which he had been rummaging for some minutes.“No, I can't allow that?”. He shook his head, and continued with what he was doing, dismissing what I just said.“Why?”. Not understanding his refusal, on allowing Mason to stay in the house.“I don't just want to, he is fine where he is. Why are you so keen about this?”. A frown appeared at his forehead, as he threw a shirt on.“He's just a child, and I'm not just saying this, because of him, but his sister, who misses his company. We will give him a separate room, for our privacy, if that's what you are bothered about”. I persuaded him.“They literally see each other everyday. How is that possible?”.“I wish it was only about that, but he had been oddly quiet these days, and more withdrawn into his shell, something is wrong about him”. He sighed deeply, and sat down on the bed. “I feel he needs some comfort, and someone who…”.“You pamper him beyond understanding, and differen
Riev pov“How is she doing?”. I asked Vaughan as soon as he came out of the room.“Handling it better than I could imagine, but she is already asleep”. He answered, as he glanced back at the opened door. “Still going with your plan, or you are not sure yet?”. His voice low, so as not to disturb Raven. “I have to go now”. I muttered, my heart feeling a bit heavy. I got new information that the situation was dire. “But I will be back earlier than intended”. I said. “You can stay back if you are that worried-”. “I know she is in safe hands, and she already has her wolf”. I interrupted him, my eyes on him. It would be better to handle the situation faster, and be back than shifting it. “Suit yourself“. He muttered dryly, and I pushed him aside, entering the room. Raven was sleeping calmly, I stared at her for a while, knowing the night had been hard for her. I wrote down a message for her on a notepad, before exiting the room. I wasn’t surprised to see him at the door.“You better mak
Raven pov‘Weak wolf?’. The voice scoffed in anger. ‘Now who the hell is the weak one, you piece of garbage’. It continued, and I kicked a part of his limb which was close to my foreleg. Picking up the scents of people nearby, I hid behind the pillar, just as the guards came back, scanning the surroundings, and looking for who had caused the mess. Everything felt like I was doing too much. ‘After so long of being away, I never thought I would have to hide for my first kill'.The voice continued talking, while I had to bear with the noise, unable to do anything. It took a while, until I perceived a strong scent, followed by a series of frantic voices in my head. ‘Where the hell was she?!’.Immediately I saw Vaughan followed by Riev, both of them, and knew it was his thought. They both swept their eyes around, barking out orders at the guards around. I thought they both went for the pack run. ‘Well, here comes our overbearing mate, going over the top, like always as if we are freakin
Raven pov “Why are you acting so uptight?”. I asked Vaughan for the umpteenth time tonight, as he enveloped me in his arms.“You have gone for the packrun these past months, and nothing went wrong. I will be fine on my own”. I assured him, but he hugged me tighter. “I can't just help it but feel edgy. Zane needs to be out, but at the same time I feel strange about tonight’s run”. He said, his warm breath against my neck, before he pressed his lips to my mark, which made my toes curl.“Maybe I should stay back tonight…”. He said, and pulled his body away from me, his lips curling up in mirth. “No, you can't put off things you should do, because of me”. I moved a few steps back from him.“Nothing is more important to me than you”. “You have been this way ever since the past few days”. I muttered, and observed him, but he avoided my eyes. “You are hiding something from me”. I said, eyeing him intently. This was one of the times I hated being the only one who couldn't read his thought
Riev povFew days later…“So the rumors are true, you are finally leaving?”. Jade asked, sourly, her expression sad, as she peered at my belongings in the room. “You make it sound as if I’m going and never coming back. I have a sister here, remember?”. I peered at her, but she curled the ends of hair with her index finger, her eyes everywhere but mine.“That is why you have to take care of yourself”. She said, staring at me.“Come on, I'm not a child, surviving after escaping Dark Valley should give you a hint on what I'm capable of”. “It's about your sister, she would be worried about you. You don't know how much she was distressed, when she thought you were dead”. I had also been worried about leaving her here, but she would be fine. “Alpha Vaughan made it worse, when he tried to hunt you down, thinking you were her lover”. I chortled in disbelief, Vaughan was indeed crazy to have such absurd thoughts about us.“Sounds like he was nuts”. I muttered. He wouldn't be able to even i
Vaughan Pov I walked into the quarters where Hank had lived for years, ever since my late father had brought him into the pack. The virtue my father had seen in him and assigned him as my omega before he died was something I couldn't understand for a long time, until he started working with me.I realized his unwavering dedication to working for me and the welfare of the pack. If anyone deserved the position it was him, and it would be a shame to let him fade before my eyes.I was surprised to discover the door to his house was ajar, but the smell that hit me, as I entered his room, startled the crap out of me. “Hell man, what the fuck?!”. I yelled, covering my nose, before I combust from the foul stench. Everywhere was dark and stuffy, and without any change of air. How the hell did he cope being here all day for weeks. I made my way to the window, and pulled the curtains to one side, opening the window for ventilation.He was sprawled on his big bed, empty of alcohol bottles litte
Vaughan pov“Trust me, it’s only nice when the child isn’t yours”. Duncan whispered in my ears, as I continued to stare at Raven. I wondered how he knew what I was thinking. Darn mind reader!“Having your mate focus on the child isn’t something you would like at first, but you will surely get used to it”. He shrugged his shoulders.“Don’t tell me you get jealous of your own child?”. I asked, in disbelief. “Not really jealous, but you will surely get what I mean if you have your own child, especially when it’s a boy. Currently more than satisfied with my girls”. He said, smiling.I stared at Raven, and noticed Mason who stuck his small frame beside her. Immediately I felt envious of him, it wasn’t quite serious, but It made me feel uncomfortable. “You already have one to contend with, so good luck with that”. “Look at the way she clung to you, I’m so jealous”. Fia said. Everyone seemed smitten by the child, while I was the only one who couldn’t muster up the courage to touch her. “
Vaughan pov“What are you doing here?”. I asked Duncan, as I entered my office, seeing him sitting on my chair as if he owned it. “Never seen an Alpha being late to his duties”. He said, swilleving himself around on the chair. “Might be one of the perks of being a newly mated Alpha”. He clicks his tongue, while shaking his head in feigned concern. “I should say the same about you, who left your packs several miles away to be here”. Being less busy wasn’t something I knew he was at the moment, which makes me wonder why he was here. “Say hello to my mate first”. He smiled and gestured with his head behind me. I turned around and saw his mate, along with their baby’s who looked bigger than the last time I had seen her. She looked so much like her father.“I thought having her with me to meet your mate would be nice, since we haven’t met her before, don’t you think?”. He winked at me, while I stood there dumbfounded. “Hi, Freya, nice to have you here”. I said to her, and the baby in h