RAVENHe said nothing to me. Just stared a little longer, like he was daring me to look back. I didn’t. I wouldn’t. And then, without any final note, he stood. The meeting was done. That simple gesture, rising to his feet—was enough. Kieran straightened beside me, his hands sliding behind his back, jaw locking slightly as Lucian adjusted his coat like he hadn’t just spent the last hour toeing the edge of war with the Alpha of the largest territory this side of the realm.Kieran’s voice came low, tight, so tight it was nearly a growl. “Just remember, Lucian… if anyone, anyone, crosses that line into my land again, whether it’s a scout, a stray, or a whisper of a threat—” he took a step forward, not much, but enough that the air cracked between them, “—I won’t hesitate. There won’t be warnings next time. Only action.”Lucian paused, half-turned, one brow raised. “Was that a warning, Alpha Kieran?”“No,” Kieran said, and the chill in his voice made my skin prickle, “It was a promise.”Th
RAVENI stood quietly, my arms folded across my chest as Lucian and his rogues finally made their entrance into the border compound. His presence always shifted the air—tense, sharp, like something about to snap. The moment I saw him, my heartbeat stuttered, not because I feared him, but because of what his presence meant for me. I couldn’t afford to flinch. I couldn’t even afford to blink the wrong way.So I looked at him like I had never seen him before in my life. I kept my face still, my eyes cold, my entire body language screaming indifference, neutrality. I knew what was at stake. If Kieran so much as suspected that I had ties with Lucian, any kind of relationship, whether it was forged in blood, betrayal or necessity—I’d be dead before nightfall. I wasn’t ready to die. Not yet.Lucian’s gaze swept over everyone but never lingered on me. Smart man. He knew the game we were playing. He had taught me the rules himself. And now, we were both on different sides of a fragile bridge m
KIERANDorian stood there, arms crossed, brows furrowed so tightly they nearly touched, eyes drilling into mine like I’d just told him I wanted to dance barefoot in a pit of venomous snakes.“Kieran, you’ve lost your damn mind,” he said, voice low but sharp.“Why the hell would you want to speak with Lucian? Lucian, Kieran. That man would slit your throat mid-conversation just to watch you bleed.”I didn’t flinch. I stared back at him, calm, measured, because I’d thought this through. Or at least convinced myself I had.“Because sometimes, Dorian, to outplay the devil, you need to look him in the eye. I need to know what game he’s playing.”“You know exactly what game he’s playing,” Dorian snapped, stepping forward. “Destruction. Chaos. The bastard’s not subtle. He wants your head, he wants our pack destroyed, and you want to, what—share drinks over it?”“I never said it would be drinks and laughter,” I muttered. “But I need to talk to him.”“Why?” His voice broke, part frustration, p
RAVENI wiped the sweat from my brow, my fingers buried in the damp soil as I yanked the last of the weeds from the herb garden behind the infirmary. It was routine, the monotony of it almost comforting, except for the damn feeling of his eyes on me again.Every single day. I didn’t have to turn to know it was Kieran watching me from across the yard, just like he always did when he thought I wasn’t looking. I didn't acknowledge him. I couldn't afford to. If I did, even once, everything could spiral. He was getting too curious. I could feel it in the way his gaze lingered too long, in the questions he’d started to ask others about me.I stood up slowly, stretching my back and feigning indifference. I had a bad feeling crawling under my skin, something sharp and electric that made my chest tighten like a vice. The signs were all there- Lucian and his rogues were making moves. Quiet ones. Strategic. Dangerous. And if what I suspected was true, they were going to strike soon. And it would
KIERANI sat across from her, elbows resting on the table, eyes trailing the slow, calculated movement of her hand as she lifted the spoon to her mouth. Each bite was measured, like she was pretending to be hungry, like she was trying to convince even herself that this was normal. It wasn’t. I didn’t know how I knew that, but I knew. Something about the way Selene chewed, the way she avoided looking at me directly for more than a few seconds, it made my stomach twist. Still, I said nothing. Because how do you speak about a thing you can’t even name?"You’re staring," she said without looking up, her voice light, but not playful."I know," I said simply, not pretending otherwise.She paused mid-bite, the spoon hovering in the air for a heartbeat too long before she resumed. “Is it the food?”“No,” I said. “It’s you.”She looked up at that, her eyes, familiar, and yet somehow distant, locking with mine for a second. "Me?""I don't know. Something just feels off." I leaned back in my sea
RAVEN"I know you're watching me, Keiran," I muttered under my breath, fingers curled around the chipped edge of the marble sink as I stared into the cracked mirror. His presence wasn’t loud or obvious, but I could feel it, the weight of his eyes, the way the air seemed to tighten around me like a noose.The door creaked open behind me, and I didn’t bother turning. "You’re wasting your time trying to intimidate me," I said flatly."You think this is intimidation?" Keiran’s voice came sharp, low, and annoyingly calm. "Vee, if I wanted to intimidate you, you wouldn’t still be standing."I scoffed, finally spinning around to face him, arms crossed tightly against my chest. "Then what do you call stalking me from the shadows, popping up everywhere I go like some damn ghost?"He took a step closer, eyes narrowing as if he was trying to peel the skin off my thoughts. "I call it preparation. You’re withholding information, and you and I both know it.""Maybe I am. Or maybe you just can’t sta