Unspoken Threads

Rayvan's POV

"We are bound by the past, Ray. We were meant to be. Our souls will always be tied together, no matter what stands in the way."

The voice echoed, growing louder. I felt drawn toward it, compelled to find the source. But the closer I tried to get, the farther away it drifted.

I ran after it. My foot caught on something, and I fell.

The voice returned, hauntingly familiar. I looked up. A faint image of a woman’s face appeared in the dark sky.

She looked distant, almost blurred, yet even through the haze, her beauty stood out. Who was she? I couldn't tell. The vision faded.

My eyes opened slowly.

It wasn't the dark sky I was staring at, just the ceiling of my dorm room.

A strange, intense dream.

I rubbed my face and glanced at the clock on the nightstand. It was already late. I had class later this afternoon.

I sat up, still trying to make sense of the dream. Who was that girl? Could she be my mate?

Then I remembered: I still hadn’t asked my parents about the Shadowbane Pack. Maybe I should.

I grabbed my phone and called my mother.

"Hello, Ray. How are you doing?"

"I’m fine, Mom. How about you and Dad?"

"We’re doing well. It’s a nice surprise hearing from you. Is everything okay?"

I paused. "Yeah, everything's fine. I just have something to ask."

"What is it, sweetheart?"

"Do you know anything about the Shadowbane Pack?"

Silence followed.

"Shadowbane?"

"Yes. Does Bloodveil have any historical ties to them?"

"Yes, the two packs were very close for many decades. Many Alphas from Bloodveil found their mates among Shadowbane. But something happened... an incident. Shadowbane eventually left Moonvale."

My curiosity deepened.

"Why did they leave?"

"There was a conflict between Bloodveil and Shadowbane. It started with a single mistake."

Her voice turned heavier.

"What mistake?"

"It was a long time ago. Even before I was born. A forbidden love."

My brows furrowed. A forbidden love?

"Yes. An Alpha from Bloodveil fell in love with an Omega from Shadowbane. But the problem was... he was already married. Alpha Tharion, one of our ancestors, was already married to Luna Selvara—the daughter of Alpha Edric from the Shadowbane Pack. But he had an affair with Isolde, Selvara’s loyal servant."

I was stunned. No wonder that story was nowhere in our official records. It was a disgrace. A scandal.

"What happened then?"

"An Alpha isn't allowed to break the sacred bond. Shadowbane felt humiliated. As a consequence, Alpha Tharion was stripped of his title. His mate bond was forcibly broken. He lost the ancestral blessing—he could no longer shift, lost his instincts, and all his supernatural gifts. He became... like a regular human."

I needed to know more.

"What happened to him after that?"

"He was banished from the pack. He and his lover left, and no one knows where they went. Maybe they lived among humans, maybe they disappeared into the woods. Our pack erased him from our history."

"What about the relationship between Bloodveil and Shadowbane?"

"It fell apart. We apologized, tried to rebuild what we had, but Shadowbane couldn’t forgive us. Their pride had been crushed. They chose to leave Moonvale."

This forgotten truth left a strange feeling inside me. How could a bond that lasted for decades fall apart because of one man's mistake—a man who had already been punished?

"Is there any way to fix things between us?"

"Maybe. If someone from Bloodveil found their mate in Shadowbane, perhaps the bond could be restored."

I fell quiet. I didn’t even know who my true mate was.

"Ray, have you found your mate yet?"

I hesitated. "Not yet, Mom."

"Remember, only your true mate will complete your moonblood. Take care of yourself. Don’t act recklessly."

Her words echoed in my mind. In our pack, that law was sacred. Our soul and body belonged to our destined mate. Even a first kiss had to be shared with the one. And losing your virginity before marriage with your mate? That was forbidden. It could lead to exile—and worse, the loss of your Lycan instincts.

"I have to go visit your aunt now. If you get a break, come home to Moonvale. We miss you."

"I miss you too. I’ll come home after exams, maybe during winter break."

"Alright, my son. I love you."

"I love you too."

It’s been a while since I went back to Moonvale. But right now, I needed to focus. Exams were coming, and failure was not an option—not when I carry the name Bloodveil.

***

Alera's POV

This morning felt colder than the last. Even with a thick jacket, the chill seeped in.

Ravenshade had a way of making every morning feel peaceful. No loud traffic, just soft wind and mist curling between the pine trees. The scent of the forest calmed me, but still—nothing compared to the way Rayvan smelled.

Why am I thinking about him again?

At the campus gate, I saw Lyra—the new girl everyone had been talking about. She walked with confidence. She was stunning. As she passed, she smiled at me.

A warm smile from someone I didn't even know. Funny how strangers can be kinder than the people we’ve known for years.

I watched the way she moved. Like she wasn’t even trying, yet every eye turned to her.

But there was something else. Her scent wasn’t perfume. It reminded me of something... something Lycan.

***

We spent the day studying at the library. Professor Christian had asked us to write an essay analyzing a real economic case.

One book caught my attention. As I reached for it, another hand reached at the same time.

I didn’t have to look. His scent gave him away.

Rayvan.

Our eyes met. My heart skipped. That look in his eyes—it always made me lose control.

Our fingers touched the book at the same time. Just briefly, but long enough to send my thoughts spiraling.

I didn’t want to feel this way. Not for someone like him. Not for someone who’d made my life so hard. But I couldn’t deny the pull. It was too strong.

He looked at me, not coldly this time. There was something else in his gaze, something unspoken.

He really was handsome. Too handsome. The kind of boy who never dated anyone, yet everyone wanted.

"Popular basketball player caught making eyes at the invisible girl."

Lilian's voice broke the moment.

She grinned. "Too bad I didn’t get a picture. That would make a great headline for the campus magazine."

"Lilian," Rayvan said flatly, but there was warning in his tone. "Try being less annoying. Just once."

She laughed. "Didn’t mean to ruin your moment."

Rayvan placed the book back.

"I’ll look for another one," he said without looking at me, and walked away.

He gave up the book so easily? That wasn’t like him. Since when did Rayvan back down?

Professor Christian called us for group discussion.

"Today, we’re talking about price discrimination."

Rayvan led the discussion. He sounded more serious than usual.

"Anyone have a real-world example?"

"N*****x," said Richard. "They charge different prices in different countries."

"Good. Do you think it’s ethical?"

I raised my hand. He saw me. Then looked away.

He chose Anna instead.

"I think it’s ethical. A standard price would make it harder for poorer countries to afford."

"Alan?"

"It depends. If it helps more people access the service, maybe. But if it’s just to squeeze the rich, then no."

The debate was lively. I raised my hand again. And again. He never called on me.

"Great discussion," Professor Christian said. "Any closing thoughts? A question for next week?"

I raised my hand one last time.

"Yes, Alera?"

"When pricing is no longer about value but identity, who really pays the cost?"

Professor Christian paused.

"When price is no longer about the product itself, but about who is buying it... the market stops being fair."

He looked around.

"Let’s take that as our next discussion topic. Analyze it. We’ll talk more next week."

The class ended.

I walked toward a bookshelf. So did Rayvan.

This time, he didn’t speak. His eyes were colder than usual.

He didn’t bully me. He didn’t insult me. But somehow, that silence stung even more.