Raven POV I felt my knees buckle beneath me, the weight of dread pressing so heavily on my chest that I could barely breathe.“No, no, this can’t be happening,” I whispered, my voice shaking as I slowly sank to the ground. “Please, Ansel,” I begged, my hands pressed together as if in prayer. “I’ll do whatever you want, just—just don’t hurt her. It’s my fault, not hers.”Tears streamed down my face, my vision blurred with desperation. But Ansel only smirked, his golden eyes gleaming with cruel amusement as he stepped toward me.“So, you wanted to send a little message to Mommy?” he mocked, his voice dripping with venom. “You thought she’d come running to save her precious daughter from the big bad wolves?”I flinched as he crouched down, his fingers brushing a stray lock of hair from my face. Then, without warning, he slapped me hard enough that my head snapped to the side. Pain exploded across my cheek, the metallic taste of blood filling my mouth.Rowan and Asher appeared from the
Raven POV After sitting with me for a while, Rowan eventually left, claiming he had issues to attend to.I wished he had stayed.I needed him around me, even if I couldn’t say it out loud. But I knew I had to let him go.At least neither Asher nor Ansel had come to me today. That was a blessing in itself because, in this moment, I felt murderous. If either of them had stepped foot into my chambers, I wouldn’t have hesitated. Even if it meant ripping their throats out while they tried to fuck me, I’d do it.The thought alone brought a twisted sense of satisfaction.After a while of just sitting in the suffocating silence of my room, I couldn’t take it anymore. I needed air.The moon was already high in the sky when I stepped outside, glowing silver and full, bathing everything in an ethereal light. It was beautiful tonight—so beautiful it almost hurt.I walked barefoot, feeling the cool earth beneath my feet and the wind brushing against my skin. For the first time in what felt like
Raven POV As the priestess turned, her silver hair shimmering like the moonlight, she faded into the distance, leaving me standing in the garden, swallowed by the weight of her words. She had given me answers, but they were like keys to a door I wasn’t sure I was ready to open.“I must go now, Raven,” she had said, her voice as soft as the wind, yet carrying the power of an entire destiny. “But I assure you, we will meet again.”Her words echoed in my ears as I watched her walk away, her figure dissolving into the shadows.With each step she took, I felt the distance grow between us, but something within me burned—a fire that wasn’t there before. I had a purpose now. And with that purpose came the terrifying realization that there was no turning back.I took a deep breath, gathering my strength. The air around me felt heavier, thicker with the weight of what lay ahead.As I made my way back to my room, the palace, once a place of cold stone and empty promises, now seemed like a pris
Rowan’s POVI watched in stunned silence as Raven entered my room, her presence overwhelming. She didn’t even knock. The way she moved, so sure of herself, so full of conviction—she was beautiful, powerful, and yet… there she was, asking me to mark her. “Mark me.” The words echoed in my mind like a thunderclap, but I couldn’t process them, couldn’t wrap my head around what she was asking.“Mark me.”It was all she said, and the weight of it almost brought me to my knees.How could she? How could she ask that of me? I couldn’t even begin to understand what this meant for her—what it meant for us.But then she said it.“I love you.”And in that moment, my world shifted. Her words were a gift, pure and honest, offered so freely, so unguarded. I was speechless.Did she understand? Did she know what she was giving me? A nobody like me, a man cursed to walk this earth without a true future—she was offering me her love, her trust, her heart. It was more than I deserved. It was more than I
Rowan POV I felt bad lying to Raven, but this was something I had to do on my own.This mission wasn’t normal—the chances of survival were nearly zero. Dragging my mate into this wasn’t an option. No matter how much I wanted her beside me, I refused to let her share this burden.Taking a deep breath, I grabbed a piece of parchment and a pen, my hands steady as I scrawled a short letter to my brothers.By the time you read this, I’ll be gone. Don’t come after me. This is something I have to do.I folded the letter neatly and placed it on my bed, knowing someone would find it and deliver it. There was no point in meeting them face-to-face—if I did, they’d try to stop me, and I couldn’t afford any distractions.Moving quickly, I gathered a change of clothes, filled a satchel with water, and grabbed a few pieces of dry bread from the kitchen. No one questioned me as I moved through the palace halls, my steps quiet and purposeful.Finally, I reached the doors leading outside. The early mo
Rowan POV “Raven, this is dangerous! Don’t you understand? I did this for you,” I snapped, my head pulsing with a headache. “You could die!”“Well, I don’t care,” she shot back, crossing her arms.Frustration clawed at my chest. “How did you escape Ansel? How did you even follow me?”She bit her lip, looking the slightest bit guilty. “It’s a very long story,” she admitted. “But I waited outside all day for you. I knew you were lying—I saw it in your eyes.”Damn it.“Rowan, we’ll be fine,” she continued firmly. “This journey is something we’re going to make together. You better get used to it.”With that, she spun around, but—“Ouch!”I barely had time to react before she lost her footing, slipping back into the water with a loud splash.I pinched the bridge of my nose, exhaling sharply before shaking my head.How in the world was I going to take care of her?A small laugh escaped me.“Okay, fine,” I relented, stepping forward and offering her my hand. “But listen up. You don’t talk t
Raven POV When I woke up the next morning, Rowan wasn’t by my side.I turned left, then right, my heart picking up speed when I didn’t see him. Sitting up quickly, I scanned the campsite, my pulse hammering in my ears.No. He wouldn’t. He wouldn’t just leave me—would he?Panic started to creep in, my wolf stirring restlessly in the back of my mind. I was about to storm off and track him down when I saw a figure approaching from the trees.Rowan.My breath caught as relief washed over me. His curly hair was damp, falling over his face, drops of water trailing down his sharp jawline.He looked fresh like he had just taken a bath, the early morning sun casting a glow over his bare skin.I swallowed hard and walked toward him. “I thought you left.”He arched a brow, amused. “No, I just went to bathe.” He slung his damp shirt over his shoulder, glancing at me. “Hurry up and bathe as well. We have a long way to go today.”I hesitated for a second before nodding, brushing some of my tangled
Raven POV We fell into complete silence after that, until we came across a vast wasteland, making my mouth fall open.“Goddess help us…” I whispered, staring in shock. “What is this?”Rowan’s hand landed gently on my back. “It’s been spreading throughout the kingdom. I didn’t realize it had come this far.”I turned in a slow circle, taking in the cracked, lifeless earth stretching endlessly before us. The trees were nothing more than twisted husks, their branches brittle and grey. The air smelled stale, void of the usual scents of nature.“What could be causing this?” I asked, my voice barely above a whisper. A strange sadness settled deep in my chest, an ache that wasn’t entirely my own. It almost felt like the land itself was crying.I forced myself to look away, but the feeling lingered.Rowan’s voice was quiet but firm. “I took this journey to find what’s needed to break the curse… and to figure out the reason for this.”He exhaled slowly, his gaze fixed on the barren land. “The
Raven POV My other self turned to look at me, her eyes filled with tears. I never let fall that day.“Do you understand now?” she asked quietly.I nodded, breath shaky. “That was the day I gave up.”“You didn’t just give up on him,” she said. “You gave up on you.” "You buried yourself beneath anger and pain. You stopped believing you were meant for more.”Tears slid down my cheeks before I could stop them.I hated how much it hurt.“I was broken,” I whispered.“You still are,” she said gently. "But broken things can be rebuilt. She stepped forward, walking into me.And I felt it.That pain. That grief. That rage.But also… I felt light.Soon, the memory shifted, and it was me when I was much younger, the children at the park stoning me and laughing out loud in amusement.I bit my lips until I felt blood roll down my lips, but I didn’t stop. I couldn’t. Because the pain in my mouth was nothing compared to the pain in my chest.There I was, no older than six years old, curled into m
Raven's POV I was still in a state of shock when Kelvin strolled into the room, completely unfazed by the bodies at his feet. He walked over them like they were nothing like he’d seen this kind of carnage a thousand times before, and he probably had.He wore that infuriating smirk again, the one I was beginning to realize was just part of his face. Part of his behavior.“Your Highness,” he greeted Morgan with a bow. Then his gaze slid towards me. “Oh, the little queen is here. Lovely to see you, Raven.”I rolled my eyes, refusing to give him the reaction he wanted. The urge to punch that smug face of his clawed at me, but I held it down. Barely.God, if I ever got the chance, I’d kill them both. Rip them apart and bathe in their blood if that’s what it took.I felt my wolf stir inside me, a low growl vibrating through my chest.She didn’t like being separated from our mates, caged like that. And these two were responsible. Again.Twice now, they’d taken me from the ones I belonged t
Queen Gwen POVIt’s been three days since the battle.Three days since blood painted the earth and death hung heavy in the air—on both sides.It hurt to kill them. Those creatures… they were mindless, controlled by Kelvin and that cursed Queen. They were puppets, not monsters. But it was either them or us.And still… we lost.We fell for their diversion. We lost Raven.I’ve been trying—truly trying—to stay strong. I’m a queen. I’m supposed to be composed, logical, unshaken.But the thought of something happening to her…It chills me in a way I can’t explain.From the moment I first laid eyes on Raven, I knew.I don’t understand the feeling, not fully but I knew. I was meant to be near her. To protect her. To fight for her.I was meant to be her sword.And I let her down.“Hey… are you okay?” Loira asked gently, walking up beside me.I tried to force a smile. “Yeah. I’m just… sad, you know?” My voice cracked. “It feels like we were so stupid.”She said nothing, just listened.“She shou
Raven POV “What did you say, Raven?” she asked again, her voice low and skeptical.“I said I’ll join you, Morgan,” I repeated, steadying my voice. “But only on one condition.”She sighed as though she was enduring a headache. “And what is it now?”“You’ll release Mathias.”Her brows lifted. “Who?”Of course, she doesn’t even remember. The disgust rose sharp and hot in my chest, but I swallowed it. I was in enemy territory now. I had to play this smart.“Mathias is one of the prisoners. He was in the same cell I was thrown into.”“Oh,” she said with a chuckle. “That’s all?” Fine. I’ll have him released today.”“And—”She cut me a glare, her patience thinning. “And what?”“You’ll give me the dagger. I need it.”Morgan narrowed her eyes. “I’ll think about it. "Don’t push your luck, little bird.”She turned away, already done with the conversation. “When Kelvin returns, your real training begins. I’ll need you ready.”"But aren’t you scared, Morgan?” I asked, my gaze steady.“What?” she
Raven POV We walked out of the cell, the heavy door slamming shut behind me with a loud clang that echoed down the stone halls.I tried to ignore the gnawing feeling in my stomach, tried to shove the fear deep down where it couldn’t reach me — but it was there, crawling under my skin.Facing that beautiful monster again made my heart pound harder against my ribs.We moved through a large hallway, the stone walls cold and silent witnesses to my march.From what I could tell, it was already dawn — soft light trickled through high windows.Two days.I had been trapped here for nearly two days without food.My legs ached, and my body screamed for rest, but I forced myself forward, step after heavy step.Finally, we entered a large throne room.At the far end of it, sitting on a towering, jagged throne of black stone, was Morgan.She looked… magnificent.Beautiful and terrible, like something carved from nightmares.Her smile, slow and cold, made my skin crawl.I paused, instinctively gla
Raven POV Unluckily for me, I was thrown into a cell by Queen Morgan’s hounds.The heavy iron door slammed shut behind me with a sound that echoed like a death knell. I stumbled forward, catching myself on the rough stone wall.I turned around slowly, trying to assess the cell.I’ve been locked up more times than I can count.This wasn’t new.I wouldn’t panic. Panic was the enemy now.First thing first, I needed a way out.But gods, it was dark.The air was thick with rot and something far worse—a sour, metallic scent that made my stomach turn. The walls oozed dampness, and the floor was uneven under my boots. The whole place felt like it had been forgotten by the world.Squinting my eyes, I edged deeper into the cell, ignoring the way the shadows seemed to reach for me.And then I heard a faint cough.It was soft and strained. From somewhere in the darkness.I froze, my heart hammering against my ribs.“Is anybody there?”My voice barely rose above a whisper, but in the stillness,
Ansel POV Raven is the child of the prophecy.And they kept it from us.Rowan and Raven both knew, and yet they chose silence. I don’t know what game the goddess is playing—first binding us all to the same mate, now tying her fate to an ancient prophecy—but I’m sick of being left in the dark. I should’ve seen the signs. The dreams she said she had, the divine visitations… they were all there, and I ignored them.And now, the truth burns in my chest like fire.My son—our child— will carry power in his blood. A legacy. He will be everything. But Morgan, if she’s taken Raven—if she lays a hand on what’s mine, I will tear this world apart.And if my brothers even think of challenging me for the child, for Raven, for the throne—I’ll destroy them too.We ran through the day and into the dusk, not stopping once. Our men were weary, barely holding themselves together, but there was no time for rest. Every second we wasted could mean losing her.When the palace finally came into view, I w
Raven POV Morgan didn’t look back at me. “What do I want? Oh, Raven, that’s the wrong question. What do you want?”The silence stretched out between us, the air thick with tension. My mind raced, trying to make sense of everything I was seeing.Morgan’s cruelty was evident in the creatures that slithered and prowled around us, their eyes cold and lifeless, their movements like puppets on strings. My anger surged, burning through my veins.“Why are you doing this?” I asked, my voice tight with fury. “Why are you enslaving innocent creatures, using them like this?”Morgan’s smile stretched into something far colder, more calculating. She tilted her head slightly, finally turning to look at me, studying me as though I were an insect in need of examination. “Innocent?” she repeated, almost amused. “You call them innocent? These creatures are nothing but tools—tools that help me achieve what is rightfully mine. They’re weak, living in fear. And I’m giving them purpose.”I shook my hea
Raven POV I stood there, with my hand pressed to my chest, heart racing, feeling the weight of the queen’s cold gaze upon me.“What are you doing here?” I asked, my voice shaking despite my attempt to remain calm.She chuckled softly, the sound low and almost mocking. “Oh, so you know who I am,” she said, her eyes gleaming with amusement. “That’s very interesting, don’t you think?”“Very interesting indeed,” I muttered under my breath, not able to stop the bitterness that seeped into my words.She stepped closer, her presence suffocating. “Well, it seems like you haven’t been getting my messages,” she said casually, “So I came to pick you up myself.”“I’m not going anywhere with you,” I snapped, clenching my fists, unwilling to show the fear that threatened to rise in my throat. “You monster.”She raised a single eyebrow, her lips curling into a slow, sinister smile. “Who told you that you had a choice, my sweet girl?” Her words were laced with such venom that it sent a chill dow