MasukRavenna’s POV.The Herbert mansion stood high on the hill, surrounded by trimmed gardens and white fences that gleamed under the light eluminating the darkness of the night. It was the kind of beauty that didn’t invite people in but reminded them they didn’t belong there. I walked up the long driveway, my heart pounding, my mind repeating the same thought again and again: this was my last chance.The guard at the gate had looked at me with suspicion, asking too many questions, but I had refused to leave. I had waited until he finally carried my note inside. I stood there for what felt like hours before he returned and told me that Mrs. Herbert would see me. I followed him quietly, each step heavier than the last.When the doors opened, the smell of perfume and polish filled the air. The floors shone like glass. Mrs Herbert stood at the end of the hallway, poised, elegant, dressed in clothes that looked untouched by time or effort. Her presence filled the space in a way that made me
Ravenna’s POV.The morning air was cold, but the exhaustion was colder. My limbs ached from the little sleep I’d had, and every breath I took felt heavier than the one before. I stood in the quiet stretch of the woods, the mist still hanging low over the damp earth. It was the only place I could think, the only place I could fall apart without anyone watching. I had come here before sunrise, barefoot, with the single thought that I had to change something.I drew a line in the dirt with a stick, pretending it was an opponent. I lunged, stumbled, and fell to my knees. The ground was wet, the soil clinging to my palms. I could feel the sting of frustration settle behind my eyes, but I kept moving. I swung, kicked, ran, and forced my body through the motions of a fighter. It didn’t matter that no one had ever taught me properly. It didn’t matter that I was weaker than most. I only knew that I had to try.I waited for the feeling they spoke of—the moment when a Wolf inside you stirs, wh
Ravenna’s POV. The morning sunlight slipped through the curtains, painting the walls with a dull, gentle glow. I lay still for a while, staring at the ceiling as a strange calm lingered inside me. It wasn’t peace exactly, more like a silence that had settled where something used to be. I couldn’t tell what had changed, only that it had. My chest didn’t feel as heavy as it usually did, yet there was a faint emptiness I couldn’t explain. I got up and prepared for the day, moving through my small room quietly, my thoughts quiet too. By the time I reached school, the usual crowd was already filling the hallway. People walked past me, laughing, talking, living as though the world didn’t hold any weight. I felt detached from it all, as though I was watching life move without me. I tried to focus on my classes, reminding myself that I had come this far for a reason, that I needed to stay on track no matter how much my life outside the walls of the classroom kept pulling me down. I di
Green’s POV.The drive back to the blood moon pack lands was quiet. The trees blurred past as I followed the long road through the forest. My mind was a mess of thoughts I couldn’t quiet. I tried to remind myself that I was doing the right thing, that once the charm took effect, everything would return to how it should be.When I reached the border, I stopped for a moment and looked out at the familiar landscape. This was where it would happen. Once I stepped across, the spell would take hold, and the bond would fade. She would no longer feel the pull. She would look at me like I was no one.I closed my eyes, taking a long breath before moving forward.The moment I crossed, something inside me shifted. It was subtle, almost imperceptible, but I felt it. The pull in my chest quieted, the storm that had been raging for weeks suddenly still. The silence that followed was heavy, pressing against me from within.It was done.She would forget. She would finally be free of me. And yet, as I
Ravenna’s POV.Two days later, I woke up earlier than usual, unable to stay in bed any longer. My head felt heavy from a night of little sleep. All I could think about was Professor Green—his face, his words, the coldness in his eyes when he called me desperate. I had spent the past days replaying everything, trying to understand why things had gone so wrong.I told myself I would see him today. I needed to, even if it meant standing outside his office all day. There were too many things I needed to say, too much that still weighed on me. Maybe he would see that I wasn’t trying to destroy him, that I only wanted him to listen.At school, I lingered around his building long after the first bell. His office door stayed locked, and the blinds were drawn. The emptiness of the hallway made my heart beat faster. By the time my second class ended, I had gone back twice, knocking softly, waiting, listening for any sign of him. There was nothing.On my third visit, I ran into another professor
Green’s POV.Before I could leave the territory, I had one last duty to fulfill. I needed to see Lucia. It was expected of me. She was my intended, the woman I was meant to build a future with. The clan elders would expect a report, a show of loyalty, a reminder that I hadn’t forgotten my purpose. I knew that was what this meeting was supposed to be about, but I could already feel the exhaustion pressing at the back of my eyes.As I made my way to the estate, I tried to steady my thoughts. Every step felt heavier than the last. Lucia had always been everything the clan wanted for me—beautiful, composed, strong-willed. She understood duty. She understood restraint. She understood what it meant to live for something larger than herself. And yet, even as I thought those words, a part of me felt distant from them.When I reached the gates, the guards opened them without question. Inside, the house was just as I remembered—polished floors, soft lighting, and the faint scent of roses that







