CHAPTER 17: Natasha

The dormitory was wrapped in silence, the kind that pressed against the walls and made even the faintest sound echo.

Raymond lay on his bed, one arm folded beneath his head, eyes open and fixed on the ceiling. The soft rhythm of Alicia’s breathing filled the space between them, steady, unguarded, innocent.

Her heartbeat was slow and even. He could hear it clearly from where he lay.

It calmed him.

And it bothered him.

His wolf stirred beneath his skin, restless, drawn to that delicate pulse like a moth to flame. He shifted his gaze toward her bed. The moonlight spilling through the half-drawn curtains painted silver along her hair, down her arm, across the curve of her shoulder. She had fallen asleep with her book open beside her and her phone still in hand, the glow from the screen fading to black.

A small smile threatened the corner of his lips, but he caught it before it could form.

He shouldn’t look at her that way.

Not her.

Raymond exhaled slowly and turned his face back to the ceiling. The night should have been quiet enough to let him rest but then he heard it.

A shuffle.

Soft, but distinct.

From outside the window.

Every muscle in his body tensed. His senses sharpened, stretching into the night like invisible threads. There was movement outside. He could feel it before he could see it.

He rose quietly, his movements fluid, careful not to wake Alicia. The moment he reached the window, he caught a flicker, a shadow darting between the trees beyond the dormitory. It was too large to be an animal, too quiet to be human.

His jaw set. Not one of the night watchers.

Without hesitation, he slid the window open and vaulted out, landing with silent precision on the damp grass below. The cold air hit him instantly, carrying with it the scent of pine, soil, and something else, something familiar.

He inhaled again, slower this time.

A faint trace of lavender and iron.

His eyes darkened. Natasha.

He followed the scent trail through the woods, his strides soundless, his instincts razor-sharp. Moonlight filtered through the canopy, catching on his dark hair and the faint shimmer in his eyes. The forest pulsed with life, crickets, rustling leaves, the distant call of an owl but beneath it all, there was the steady rhythm of hushed voices.

He slipped a small black vial from his pocket, a scent mask, an old alpha trick and broke it silently, masking his presence.

He slowed his steps.

Up ahead, two figures stood near a big tree, their silhouettes merging with the shadows. One was Natasha, he’d recognize that proud tilt of her chin anywhere. The other… a girl he didn’t know.

“…we have to move faster,” the stranger whispered.

“Not until I get what I came for,” Natasha hissed back, her voice sharp, venom-laced. “He thinks he’s untouchable now, but I know his weakness. I’ll make him pay.”

Raymond’s jaw flexed.

Then he stepped forward, letting the moonlight catch his face as he emerged from the trees.

“Still making bad decisions, Natasha?”

The two women froze. The stranger bolted instantly, vanishing into the dark before he could blink.

Natasha spun around, her eyes wide for a split second before defiance hardened her expression.

“Raymond,” she said, her tone smooth but trembling at the edges. “I didn’t expect you to still care about me.”

He ignored her provocation, taking a slow step forward. “You shouldn’t be here. The Chancellor made your punishment clear.”

She smirked, brushing a strand of auburn hair from her face. “And since when do you follow the Chancellor’s orders so perfectly? Or is this about something else? Maybe your new… roommate?”

That stopped him. His brows furrowed, his pulse spiking. “How do you know about that?”

Her smirk deepened. “News travels fast. Especially when a pureblood alpha suddenly starts playing house with a human girl.”

His control wavered. His eyes flashed briefly, but unmistakably red. The wolf beneath his skin clawed for release, reacting to the mockery, the threat, the name of the girl sleeping peacefully above them.

“Careful,” he said softly, voice low, dangerous. “You don’t want to test me tonight.”

“Oh, I already did,” Natasha whispered. “And guess what? You still can’t stop me.”

She turned to leave, but he was faster. In a blur, he caught her by the collar, pulling her back so hard her breath caught.

“Enough games.” His voice was gravel now. “What are you planning?”

Natasha’s eyes gleamed, the faintest flicker of fear flashing there before she masked it. “You wouldn’t understand.”

“Try me.”

She struggled, but he didn’t budge. The scent of her blood mixed with the dirt as she twisted, claws barely scratching his arm. His grip only tightened. “Who was the girl with you?”

She glared at him, chin raised. “Someone smarter than you think.”

He exhaled, patience thinning. His pheromones rolled out instinctively, heavy, commanding.but then the air shimmered. A soft pulse of gold light erupted between them, forcing him to step back.

A seal.

His eyes widened. Grandfather’s protection mark.

“You really thought I’d come here unarmed?” Natasha sneered. “You’re not the only one who carries something from the royal bloodline, Raymond.”

He gritted his teeth. The mark burned faintly in the air between them, humming with power that resisted his dominance.

“I don’t want to hurt you,” he said through clenched teeth. “Don’t make me.”

“Hurt me?” she laughed bitterly. “You already did.”

With a sharp movement, she tried to break free. Raymond grabbed her wrist, but she twisted faster than he anticipated and slammed her elbow into his ribs. Pain flared. Instinct kicked in. His wolf surged.

In a single motion, he pinned her against a tree, breath harsh, eyes glowing crimson under the moonlight. “Don’t test me, Natasha!”

Her smirk faltered. For a heartbeat, fear flickered again.

Then she whispered, “Then do it. Show me the monster you really are.”

The words sliced deeper than he expected.

His hold slackened just slightly.

And that was all she needed.

With one desperate shove, she broke free, stumbled and hit her head against the tree trunk. The scent of blood flooded the air.

“Natasha…”

She pushed his hand away, staggering back. “Don’t touch me.” Her voice was weak, but still laced with pride.

Before he could stop her, a blinding flare of light burst from the seal in her pocket. When it faded, she was gone, teleported, or cloaked by magic. Only a smear of blood on his sleeve remained.

Raymond stood frozen for a moment, his breath visible in the cold night air. Then he exhaled, frustration mixing with exhaustion.

“She never learns,” he muttered, wiping the blood from his arm.

He picked up her fallen bracelet, a silver charm marked with the royal crest and tucked it into his pocket. A reminder. A warning.

He left the forest with a deep frown and made his way to the Chancellor's office to report the situation.

By the time he reached the Chancellor’s office, the guards were already on alert, having sensed his presence. The old man met him at the door, robe slightly askew, eyes sharp despite the hour.

“What's with the late visit?” The Chancellor asked

“It's Natasha” He answered him with a straight face

“Natasha again?”

“Yes,” Raymond replied, his tone clipped. “Caught her near the eastern woods with someone else. She escaped using the royal seal.”

The Chancellor sighed heavily, rubbing his temple. “That girl will be the death of me. I’ll have her confined again and this time, I’ll assign double the guards. She’ll serve her punishment cleaning every room in the pack house for two weeks. If she misses a single therapy session, I’ll revoke her privileges permanently.”

Raymond nodded, knowing the Chancellor’s word was final.

“She’s dangerous, Raymond,” the man added quietly. “And if she’s moving with help, we may be looking at something bigger than personal vendetta.”

“I know,” he replied. His voice was low, calm but his hands were still clenched. “I’ll handle it.”

The Chancellor gave him a long, knowing look, then dismissed him with a wave.

Outside, the night air bit at Raymond’s skin again. He looked down at the blood stain still marking his shirt and exhaled through his nose. His wolf was pacing inside him, agitated, restless.

When he finally returned to the dorm, the world felt quieter, heavier.

Alicia was still asleep, curled slightly on her side, the moonlight spilling across her face.

For a moment, everything stilled. The anger, the tension, even the echo of Natasha’s words, all of it faded as he watched Alicia’s chest rise and fall in peaceful rhythm.

He didn’t deserve the calm she unknowingly gave him.

He changed his shirt,threw the old stained one on the floor of the closet near, grabbed a light jacket, and went to the window again.

The woods called to him, dark and endless.

He needed to run.

To shift.

To burn off the chaos building inside him before it consumed him completely.

With one last glance at her, he whispered almost to himself, “Stay safe, Alicia.”

Then he vaulted through the window, his body dissolving into motion. His bones shifted, his muscles stretching, the air filling with the pulse of power as his wolf took form, fur dark as the night, eyes glowing fierce red.

He ran into the forest, his growl echoing through the trees…

a sound of warning, of pain,

and of something deeper,

something even he didn’t yet understand.