Prologue

   

RAVEN POV 

Nightshade Pack, the richest and strongest Pack in the southern region, and I am her Luna. My name is Raven Darkblood, and this is the beginning of my story.

Our world exists seamlessly with the human world. We have integrated ourselves into their society for hundreds of centuries, yet the humans are unaware of our existence, and our community prefers it that way. 

It is the middle of the night, and most of the Packhouse dwellers are asleep, but Victor and I are awake, lying on our king-size bed, while recovering from our lovemaking.

 On this eve before Victor's trip, we have been unable to keep our hands off each other. It is as if we are building up memories for when we would be apart. This is our second lovemaking, and as far as I am concerned, it is still insufficient. 

 I don't think I will ever get enough of my mate touching me. 

Victor is going away for a few months on a business trip, to the far Northside of the country. Every Who's WHO in the business world will be there, and Victor could never resist the chance to mingle with shakers and movers of society, especially in the business world.

As a young man, Victor is very ambitious and looks for ways to make our Pack one of the top tiers in the world. His mind and avaricious need for development and improvement are among the reasons I love him. 

   Lying against Victor's broad chest, panting from my release, I felt restless in my soul. I don't know why, or can I explain why? The only reason I could think of is Victor's impending absence.    

 I waited until I was calm enough to lean off Victor and get out of bed. Then, I threw on my robe and walked out to the balcony. I was craving a glass of red wine, but I didn't have the strength to go downstairs for it. 

Our balcony provides a beautiful view of the Pack Forest, which one can appreciate more at the dawn of a new day. However, right now, it is covered in darkness. If I used my wolf vision, I could probably spot a squirrel or two running around in the forest's carpet layer. 

I rested my body against the wooden railing of the balcony, staring into the night. The stars littered the night sky like shards of shattered glass—beautiful, sharp, and cold—just like how I felt inside at the thought of my mate's absence in the coming months. 

   Victor would be gone for six months, and it would be the longest we have been apart since the five years of our joining. 

  I heard Victor's footsteps as he approached me from behind. My body tensed and relaxed when I felt his masculine arms surround me, shielding me from the cold night. 

  His scent, pine and nut, surrounds me, enveloping me in the warmth of his love and desire. 

  Victor leans in to kiss my neck, his nostril rubbing against the skin of my flesh as if he wants to immerse himself in my scent. 

  Though ticklish from his action, I lean more to it, a smile coating my lips. 

  “I love you,” Victor whispers against my cold flesh, the vibration of his words sending shivers down my spine. His hand moves around to cradle my heavy breast, and immediately, my nipples hardened. 

   My breath hitched in my throat as he pinched my hardened nipple, the space between my legs flooding with renewed desire. It didn’t matter that we just made love; I was wet and ready for Victor. 

   I felt his swollen manhood behind me, and moved my ass to rub against him, needing him inside me again. It was like an aching hunger that springs forth at the slightest touch of his hand. 

     Victor inhales sharply, thrusting his hips forward against my rounded ass. “I want you again,” he murmurs, biting my flesh tenderly, while my heart swelled at being able to provoke such a hunger in him. 

   I turned within Victor’s hold and faced him. His grey eyes burned with desire for me. I love how much my body incites my mate. Victor always makes it plain how much he loves and desires me by how he looks at me, and I will never be tired of seeing that look in his eyes. 

   “I want you to,” I rasped, my tone husky. 

   A mischievous glint flashes across Victor’s eyes before he sweeps me off my feet. 

I squeal loudly, feeling excited yet sensitive. I am a beautiful, plus-size young woman who is very sensitive about my weight. No matter how many times Victor tells me he doesn’t care about my weight, I still feel less beautiful and desirable because of it. 

I know physical beauty is not everything, and being skinny as a skeleton doesn't equal beauty. Try telling that to Vogue. Their cover magazine makes the rest of us feel inadequate and plagued with low self-esteem. It is worse for me because my kind rarely has someone my size. I am a rare exception. 

  Yeh me.

   “Am I not too heavy for you?” I question with a bit of insecurity, staring into Victor's amazing grey eyes as he carries me back to the room. 

   “Not at all,” Victor responds with a loving smile, before gently lowering me back to the bed. 

  He crawls over me, his grey eyes watching me intently, mapping out every bit of my face as if keeping it for memory's sake. 

  “I love you,” he whispers again to me, like a solemn prayer. 

   I raise my hand to caress his slightly stubbled cheek, my expression softening. “I love you, too. Promise to call me every day.” 

  Victor doesn’t hesitate and nods his head. “I promise.” 

   “Come here,” I command with a smile, using my hand to pull Victor down to my body for a kiss. 

   The kiss started tender and soft, but quickly grew passionate, as Victor deepened the kiss, his manhood hardening. 

   After a brief kiss, Victor pulls away, his grey eyes glowing, tinged with gold as his wolf hovered on the surface. 

   Without speaking, he lifts my lingerie over my head, exposing my lush figure and size D breasts.

  I flushed in embarrassment, having my body exposed to Victor’s eyes. I should be used to it now, but my insecurities always flare up when Victor and I make love. I worry that he wouldn’t find me attractive because of the excess fat in my body. 

  My feelings must have been reflected in my eyes because Victor quickly reassured me of his love and how sexy he finds my body. 

I want to believe him, but the little voice that won't shut up about my weight makes it impossible to accept his words. 

 Suffix it to say I am my worst critic. 

   Victor kissed all over my body, and soon distracted me from my insecurities. I tuned in to what he was doing, allowing his lips and hands to take me places I had been before, but I will never be tired of visiting at every opportunity. 

   That night, Victor slowly made love to me again, affirming his love and loyalty to me. When he finished, he stared into my eyes and whispered, “You will always be mine, Raven.” 

 "You promise?" I murmur, tracing lazy circles over his heart with my fingers, my eyes fixed on his hairy chest. 

Victor tilts my chin up, forcing me to meet his burning gaze. "I promise. I will never love another except you."

 Victor's sincerity made my chest ache, and I hoped dearly that it was true. My eyes grew wet and blurry. 

No tears, my love, Victor whispers and leans down to kiss my eyes.

I close my eyes, accepting his promise and kiss. When they broke apart, I smiled at him, my heart full of joy. I kissed him on the cheek and drifted to sleep with a smile.

   The next morning, I sent Victor on his way with a happy kiss, unaware that my happy world would crumble around me the next time we saw each other. 

  If I ever wanted a superpower, it would be the ability to see the future. Maybe if I did, I would have spared myself the heartache and sorrow that came later.