00005.

Ravenna’s POV.

I didn’t know what changed. One moment I was about to leave his office. Next, I just knew.

It felt like a part of me had been sleeping all along, and now it was wide awake.

“You’re a Lycan,” I said again, quieter this time, but firmer. “I can feel it. I don’t know how, but I can.”

His face didn’t move at first. Then something flicked through his eyes, a flicker of panic. He blinked once, then it was gone. He straightened and crossed his arms like nothing had happened.

“You’re imagining things,” he said, his voice cold again. “That’s not something to joke about.”

“I’m not joking,” I replied. “And I’m not imagining it.”

“You don’t have a wolf and you aren't my mate,” he shot back. “Only my mate can tell what I am. How could you possibly know what I am?”

“I just do,” I said. “I didn’t feel it before, not even when we were alone together that night. But now I do. Something has changed.”

He stared at me for a long time. The silence stretched until it felt like it was pressing on my chest. He wasn’t denying it anymore. He was just… calculating.

“There’s a law,” I said quietly. “You know what happens to a Lycan if they’re found here. The pack would kill you.”

“Then why are you still talking to me?” His voice was low and careful.

I stepped closer. My heart was racing but I didn’t back down. I didn't mean to take it to this level but I had to because of how desperate I was.

“Because I’m not going to tell anyone,” I said.

“I’ve spent my whole life waiting for this moment. The priestess said a Lycan mate would be the one to awaken my wolf. I’ve waited, and now I know. It’s you.”

He looked at me like I had completely lost it.

“I want you to claim me to awaken my wolf and then train me,” I said, “so I can become stronger. So I can protect myself. So I can stop being the weak, unwanted girl that everyone walks all over.”

He held up a hand.

“Stop.”

I stopped, not because I was afraid, but because his voice made me.

“You think this is some fairy tale?” he said, like he couldn’t believe what he was hearing. “You think just because you found me, everything’s going to magically change for you?”

I didn’t answer right away. I was shaking, but not from fear.

“No,” I said. “But I know what I felt. I know what you are. And I know what I need. I’ve spent my whole life being helpless, and I’m tired of it.”

He didn’t say anything. His jaw worked like he was trying to decide between yelling or walking out. I could see the war was happening behind his eyes.

I took another breath.

“You don’t have to say anything now,” I said. “I’m giving you a week. One week to decide. Help me… or I’ll have to tell the pack what I know.”

His brow lifted slightly. “Is that a threat?”

“No,” I said. “It’s a choice. You know the penalty. I don’t want to expose you. I want your help. But I’m not going to keep waiting forever.”

He didn’t speak. His expression didn’t change, but I saw his jaw clench.

I turned and walked out.

My legs felt weak the moment I stepped into the hallway, but I didn’t let myself stop. I kept walking, even though my chest felt like it was squeezing itself from the inside.

What had I just done?

I had confronted him, pushed him, and challenged him. I could have kept quiet, I could have played it safe, and pretended I hadn’t seen anything. But something inside me said this was it. This was the only chance I had. And I had to take it.

I didn’t understand how I knew he was a Lycan. But I did. And it was just like my mom said once—the priestess had said that when I met him, I would know.

But he hadn’t admitted it, which made it harder. I didn’t have proof, I didn’t have anything except my word in case he still refused and I had to expose him. No one would believe me. Not the pack, not even my mother. They would think I was crazy or desperate.

I was still thinking about that when I turned a corner and nearly crashed into someone. My stomach dropped as I looked up.

It was Lucas, his expression changed to that of anger as our eyes met.

I tried to keep walking past him, but he blocked my way.

“You’re really starting to piss me off,” he said, grabbing my arm.

I yanked it back, but he shoved me. My back hit the wall, and I flinched as he stepped in close.

“You ruined everything,” he said. “Do you know what those rogues did when they came back? They said someone attacked them. Beat the hell out of them. Took you right out of their hands. Then they made me give back their gold.”

I stared at him. My mouth opened, then closed. I didn’t know what to say.

“Who was it?” he asked, voice low. “Who showed up? Who saved you?”

I didn’t answer.

He grabbed my jaw, forcing me to look at him. “You were screwing around, weren’t you? That’s who you went to after the ceremony. Some other guy.”

“I wasn’t yours,” I said through my teeth. “You made that clear when you humiliated me.”

He slapped me. Not hard, but hard enough to sting.

My face jerked to the side. My skin burned, my eyes blurred for a second, but I didn't let him see how much it hurt. My fingers dug into my own palm as I tried not to flinch again.

“You think you’re clever,” he growled. “You think you can play games with me? Tell me who it was or I’ll drag you back to them myself. Let them finish what they started. And this time, I’ll stay and watch.”

Fear spiked through me. My chest went tight and my stomach flipped.

“You’ve got thirty seconds,” he said. “Talk.”

I could barely breathe. My mind raced, looking for something, anything, but I couldn’t think straight. All I knew was that I couldn’t let him take me back there. Not ever.