Chapter 5

Raven’s Pov

The warmth hit my face before I could even open my eyes. The sunlight poured in like an uninvited guest, too loud and too proud for someone still wrapped in sleep.

“Close the damn curtains,” I groaned, turning over, burying my face into the pillow.

“No,” Elsie’s voice cut through the room like a mother who’d had enough. “It’s already late. Get your butt up. You caused this yourself.”

I didn’t even lift my head. “I’m not even awake yet and you’re already blaming me?”

“I’m not here to sympathize with you, Raven,” she snapped. “You promised to stop. Alex told me what happened. And now look at you.”

My voice was slurred with sleep. “How did you even get in here?”

“I have a key, remember?” she said with a scoff.

Right. She did. Because Elsie wasn’t just a friend. She was... something more. Not romantically. Just one of those rare people who’d actually stayed. Three years now. Always cheering me on, even when what I did made no sense. Well, almost always. She never liked the killing part.

“Okay, okay,” I sighed. “I told Alex I was going to stop. I mean it this time.”

“You better,” she muttered. “I know you hate men. I know you probably never want to get married. But that doesn’t mean you get to act like karma in boots. Let life deal with them. Not you.”

“I’ve heard you,” I mumbled, rubbing my eyes.

She stood up, brushing her hands off like she’d finished cleaning a mess. “I’ll be right back.”

“Okay,” I said quietly, still tangled in my sheets.

The clock ticked. I finally looked at it.

My eyes widened. “Oh my God. Twelve?”

“Yes. Twelve,” Elsie said, walking back into the room with a smug smile. “This is how long you’ve been sleeping. But don’t worry about work today. I’ll handle it.”

“You’re a lifesaver,” I muttered. “Thank you.”

She handed me a glass of juice and leaned in for a quick hug. I accepted both without thinking. But the moment the cold drink touched my tongue, something happened

A burning sensation lit up in my chest. My fingers tightened around the glass, and then I dropped the glass

It smashed into a thousand pieces on the floor. My body jerked, spasmed.

“Raven!” Elsie cried out. “What happened?”

But I couldn’t answer.

I screamed so loudly that it was enough to shake the walls.

The sound ripped from my chest like it didn’t belong to me. Pain surged through my spine and lit my veins on fire. I stood up without thinking, without remembering the shattered glass on the floor.

“Raven, watch out!” Elsie yelled.

She grabbed me, yanked me back, and dragged me toward the couch. I was half-conscious, dizzy, shaking. My whole body trembled as she pushed me down gently onto the cushions.

“What is happening?” she asked, crouching in front of me. Her eyes were wide. “Raven, talk to me.”

“I don’t know,” I cried. “I don’t fucking know. I don’t fucking know.”

The pain—it wouldn’t stop. It clawed at me like something was tearing through my skin from the inside.

“We need to get out of here,” I gasped. “Elsie, take me out of here. We need to go.”

“Go where?” she asked, confused and scared. “Where are we going, Raven?”

“I don’t know!” I shouted. “Something is pulling me somewhere…I just…Let’s just go. The pain is unbearable.”

“Okay. Okay. Hold on.” She fumbled for her phone. “I’m calling Alex. Let me call him now.”

She dialed fast and spoke even faster. “Alex, come now. Something’s wrong with Raven. I don’t know what’s happening. Just come now, please.”

The moment she ended the call, I glared at her. “Why are you telling him to come over? I said let’s go. Let’s fucking go.”

“Okay. Okay, okay.” She nodded quickly, her hands trembling. “Do you want to get changed?”

I looked at her like she’d lost her damn mind. “Do you think this is the time to get changed, Elsie?”

“Okay. Okay.” She slipped her arm around me and helped me up from the couch.

As we stepped outside, I winced. The sunlight only made the pain worse. My skin burned.

“Did you get the damn car keys?” I asked, almost breathless.

“Oh my God,” Elsie gasped. “I forgot. I forgot!”

“Elsie!” I cried, clenching my teeth.

“I’m so sorry! I’ll get them now!” She ran back inside.

My knees buckled. I leaned against the wall, gripping my chest.

She came flying back with the keys and helped me into the car. Her hands shook as she started the engine.

“What about Alex?” she asked.

“Text him the address when we get there,” I snapped. “Just drive.”

“Where are we going? The hospital?”

“I don’t know,” I said, pressing my palm to my face. “I’ll direct you. I just... I feel like I’m being pulled somewhere. This thing—it’s not going to stop unless I get there.”

My skin burned like fire was spreading across my face. I couldn’t breathe.

“Start the car, Elsie. Let’s just go.”

“Okay, okay.” Her voice cracked like she was about to cry.

I turned to her slowly. “I’m the one in pain and you’re the one crying, Elsie?”

“You’re in pain and you’re still making mockery, Raven?” she sniffed.

“Please.” My voice softened. “Just stop talking and drive.”

She nodded and started the engine.

*****

We were speeding down the road, trees blurring past the windows.

“Are you sure you know where we’re going?” Elsie asked, her hands gripping the steering wheel like her life depended on it.

“I don’t know,” I muttered, sweat running down my temple. “Just keep driving.”

And she did. No more questions. No more words.

Then, suddenly, the pain spiked. It twisted in my chest so violently, I almost screamed again. My skin was burning, my breath caught in my throat.

“Stop,” I gasped.

“What?” she said, glancing at me in panic.

“Stop. Stop, stop, stop, stop!”

“Are you sure—”

“Yes! Just—just let me down. Let, let, let’s stop here. Now!”

Elsie didn’t waste a second. She hit the brakes, not even bothering to park properly. I threw open the door before the car even came to a full stop.

“Wait for me!” I heard Elsie yell behind me, but I couldn’t stop.

The pain was screaming louder than her voice.

She turned off the engine and followed, but I was already gone.

What came into view was a building. Old, yet somehow modern. Like it existed in the past and present at once. I didn’t take time to observe it. I couldn’t.

I walked straight to the front door. Didn’t knock. Didn’t hesitate.

I pushed it open.

Inside, four men stood in the middle of the room. One woman stood with them, facing them like she was leading something. Or waiting.

My heart dropped.

He was here.

The man from last night.

The alpha who let me go.

The one who almost ripped my throat out.

His eyes widened as they landed on me. For a second, no one moved.

“What are you doing here?” he asked, his voice deep, confused.

I staggered forward, still clutching my side. “What am I doing here? What are you doing here? I should be the one asking you that.”

“You’re the one who barged in,” he replied coolly. “Not me.”

“I don’t even know why I’m here,” I snapped. “I don’t know what the hell is happening to me!”

“Then maybe you should leave,” one of the men said sharply.

I turned to snap back, but the woman in the center suddenly spoke.

“Alpha,” she said, facing the man. Her voice was calm, almost sacred.

He looked at her, brows raised. “What?”

“She’s your mate.”

I froze.

“What?” I breathed.

The woman turned to me, her eyes glowing with something I couldn’t read. “You've found your mate.”