RAVEN'S POV
I let out a low growl, running under the moonlight around the pack house grounds. Midnight is the only time I dare shift into my enormous wolf. My kind is tagged an abomination, a threat, so I keep my true form hidden, only surfacing when I'm certain no other wolf is around.
I have too much rage bottled up, and this run is the only outlet. Finding my mate is something I never expected or wanted, not when I know that a monster like me doesn't deserve a bond. And yet, when I saw her beautiful with her unusual, long hair, freckled cheeks, and those vibrant green eyes it threw me off balance. The instinct to reject her surged within me, but beneath it all, a strange pull I can't control kept me from doing it outright.
I shifted back to my human form, heading to where I'd left my robe, and wrapped it around myself. As I strode toward the manor, the midnight guards bowed in respect, but I didn't acknowledge them. My gaze lingered down the hallway toward her room. My mate. I've avoided her like the plague, but even the scent of her presence unsettles me. I shook my head, exhaling deeply, before slipping into my room. A cold bath should help reset my mind.
Just as I tied a clean robe around me, hair still damp from the water, a faint sound outside my door caught my attention. My guard, Wilton, was arguing softly with a feminine voice I instantly recognized. She'd come to my door, of all places.
Kenny, my wolf, stirred inside, urging me to open up and acknowledge her. But I resisted, clenching my fists to ignore him, and counted in hopes the disturbance would fade.
But before I finished, the door flew open and there she was, standing timidly in the doorway.
"Your honor," she greeted, bowing low.
"To what do I owe this intrusion?" I demanded, voice cold and harsh, purposely ignoring her greeting.
She shifted nervously, her fingers fidgeting as she struggled to get words out. "Uh… I came to ask why… uhm…"
"I know your voice was sharp enough outside, so speak the hell up," I snapped, watching her flinch at the sudden outburst. Another man, an ordinary one, might have felt guilt at her fear. I, however, felt something close to satisfaction.
She kept her head bowed, her gaze fixed on the floor. "I… I came to ask why you have been avoiding me."
"Miss…?" I began.
"Keana," she answered softly.
I could feel Kenny's anger tugging at me, a fierce pull in my gut, as if he'd take over and drag me to her side. But I paid no heed to him, pressing on coldly. "I am doing my best not to slam you against the wall and leave you broken for this meaningless interruption. Leave. Now."
She backed away, eyes wide with pain that I forced myself not to care about. Yet the annoyance wasn't so easy to shake. Kenny's anger flared, disapproving and sharp, every thought I had about her innocence clawing at him. His rage felt like a brand searing through me, a reminder that my mate was his too. But I shoved his emotions away, locking them down.
It doesn't matter that she's beautiful, or innocent, or even meant for me. I don't need anyone.
I narrowed my gaze at her, waiting for her to leave, but she didn't move an inch, still rooted to the spot.
Oh, so the kitten has got guts.
I raised my voice again, allowing my anger to slice through the silence. "Didn't you hear me? I said, "Get out!"
The confidence in her posture, reduced, and for a second, I thought she had finally understood. But Kenny, my wolf, had had enough. He kicked back hard, a sharp, sudden pain in my gut that almost made me double over. The wolf's anger flooded me, even as I kept my face stone-cold and hard. I fought to hold him back in,gritting my teeth as he growled inside, furious at how I was treating our mate. I did not want anyone, especially her, but Kenny well, Kenny had other ideas.
Just as I struggled him into submission, I noticed her eyes glistening with unshed tears. She blinked quickly and turned to leave, her head low, shoulders slumped.
My mind tugged with guilt but I shoved it away, not willing to let any weakness show. Her innocence, her softness, everything about her was a weakness I couldn't afford. I had been on my own for too long to let someone interrupt the darkness I had found solace in.
And then Matilda strode in.
She walked into the room like she owned it, every step filled with grace and authority. Without so much as a look at my mate, she walked past her as if she were not visible,her sharp gaze focused entirely on me. My mate moved away from her quickly, pressing herself against the wall to give her space,her eyes falling to the floor.
Matilda's lips curled up in a sneer. "Oh, I didn't mean to interrupt. It seems like I walked in on quite the…uhm scene."
"Matilda," I greeted her absentmindedly, my tone guarded. She was always a person demanding for attention, and while I couldn't tolerate her, the timing was fortunate.
She looked at my mate's direction, a slight smirk on her lips. "I see you are entertaining guests now. Quite the change for you, Raven." Her voice filled with a hint of sarcasm.
My mate froze, barely holding herself together, and I could feel Kenny raging inside again, pressing against the walls I had set up to keep him in check. His anger at Matilda's disrespect toward his mate pulsed through me, a violent reminder that her existence was already building its way into mine. I took a step closer to Matilda, ignoring Kenny's reaction, and kept my voice as low as I could manage without breaking the tension.
"She was just leaving," I said coldly, dismissing my mate with a sharp glance that I knew she had understood.
My mate, who had been watching us silently, gave me one last look before rushing out of the room, her footsteps light but hurried. Her presence remained, an ache that I didn't want but could still feel.
Kenny was furious, but I ignored him. With her gone, I could regain control, build back up the walls that had begun to crack in her presence.
"Now, Matilda," I said, finally meeting her eyes fully. "What do you want?"