CHAPTER THREE

RAVEN'S POV

It's been three weeks since I arrived home and it already felt like I had spent 3 years in hell because Damien and Rhea were tormenting me.

Woodcroft Park was alive with the mating ceremony preparation of Damien and Rhea that will be holding in a few days time.

Dignitaries from neighboring packs had began arriving. The warriors were positioned strategically in the packs. Everyone was eager to witness the union of Damien Wood and his soon to be Luna,Rhea Sinclair ,my twin sister.

Everywhere I turned, people were talking about how beautiful they looked as a couple.

"Rhea will make such a beautiful Luna" some said "she really does have exceptional skin" and others said. Each word felt like claws scraping against my ribs.

Today I stood near the training field, pretending to watch some warriors train

but my eyes betrayed me as they wandered towards him,Damien.

He stood beside Rhea near the central pavilion,with his hand resting on her lower back. His eyes rose and found mine and we stared at each other as the mate bond between us twisted violently.

It wasn't severed yet as Alpha Owen insisted it should be done after the mating ceremony so as not to arose suspicion with the aftermath.He didn't care about how tormented I will be watching my mate frolick and claim someone else.

I watched as Rhea leaned towards him and he averted his gaze from me to her

I inhaled deeply trying to force the pain inside so it wouldn't consume me.

I tried to force myself to stop looking but I couldn’t. I am supposed to be the one with him,this was supposed to be our mating ceremony .The Moon Goddess had destined him for me and yet he stood there claiming my sister to be hfis.

I turned abruptly and walked away before the tears gathering my eyes would fall down.

My wolf paced restlessly in my mind.

Run, she urged me, run before we break.

I slipped past the guards and into the woods without looking back and then I shifted into my wolf form and i started running

I ran deeper into the woods , I needed to be away from all of them. I ran until it was just me, the wind and the trees.

After running from what felt like hours, I slowed near a small river, that creates a boundary between us and the nearest human settlement and then I shifted back into my human form and sat on the bank of the river.

I stared at the river as it flowed endlessly.

I wished I could be like that, I wished I could just flow to wherever I want to.

A loud painful howl brought caught my attention,it sounded like a wounded wolf.

My healer instinct kicked in immediately,

the pitch of the howl suggested restricted movement,that means it was caught in a trap .

Without hesitation, I shifted back to my wolf form and sprinted toward the direction of the howl.

I found him within minutes. It was a

massive dark wolf on the floor with one of his leg caught in a heavy iron trap.

The wolf was larger than any wolf I had ever seen up close and from it's aura,I could tell it was an Alpha but what was an Alpha's doing here.

I shifted back to my human form and raised my hands slowly to show him that I wasn't a threat.

"It’s okay" I murmured softly as I came closer to him but the wolf growled weakly, baring his teeth out of instinct.

"I am not here to hurt you" I assurred him and he calmed down.

I quickly checked his leg and noticed that

the poison had already began spreading. I could see the faint darkening beneath his fur near the wound,this was a dangerous poison.

The trap was enhanced with a serious venom that was detrimental on wolves, this wasn't an ordinary trap,it was strictly to target a wolf.

I moved fast,scanning the forest floor looking for nightshade root and from my waost pouch I brought out a small healers kit that I always carry with me out of habit and took powdered moonbloom from it.

I crushed the herbs together on a flat stone, mixing them with my saliva and I pressed my palm over the mixture.

The healing force within me stirred and energy flowed from my skin into the paste.

I approached him slowly with it ,he watched me suspiciously.

"I need to touch you" I said gently

His growl faded into a low rumble as he gave his permission. So I knelt down close to him and carefully applied the mixture around the wound.

He jerked slightly at first, but then the tension eased.

"One hour" I whispered to myself "and then we repeat".

For four hours, I stayed there, repeating the treatment every one hour,pouring my energy into the treatment.

By the fourth application, his breathing had steadied and his eyes slowly closed and he slept off.

I exhaled deeply, relief flooding into me but I knew I wasn't done yet,it remained the trap.

It took nearly all my strength to break it open. When it finally snapped open, I collapsed backward onto the grass.

Then I went to sit at a short distance away, relaxing my back on the tree ,watching his chest rise and fall, I couldn't leave him in such a vulnerable state, Alpha or not.

I was so exhausted from the healing process, that was the disadvantage of my gift,it drains my energy and before I knew it I fell asleep under the tree.

I woke up to a dark shadow covering me.

My eyes fluttered open and I found myself staring directly into a pair of intense green

human eyes,I jolted upright immediately.

A man bent before me,with dark hair falling slightly over his forehead,his gaze so sharp and unmistakably powerful.

I scrambled backward slightly, heart racing. He didn’t move as he continued to gaze at me and then recognition struck me like lightning,Alpha Kia Valemont.

He was Alpha Kia Valemont of Winter Hill pack , the Warrior pack,he is one of the most formidable Alphas in the eastern territories,if not the most formidable.

I had seen him at the Gifted Academy during my inauguration,he had given a speech then.

"You" he said slowly, voice deep and controlled, " you treated me"

I nodded slowly

His gaze flickered towards his leg and he assessed it ,it was fully healed.

" I can see you are a gifted healer , what's your name ,young lady?"he asked

" My name is Raven Sinclair ,Alpha Kia" .

" Raven Sinclair" he repeated my name"you know who I am?" he asked

"I don't think there's anyone in the eastern territory that doesn't know who you are,sir"

The corner of his mouth lifted slightly at my statement and then he stood up to his full height.

I stood up as well but I staggered from exhaustion and he caught me.

"Your energy must be drained"he observed.

"it's nothing,I will be fine" I said as I released myself from his arms.

He studied me for a while and then said "I am in your debt ,so I will like to repay you,tell me what you want,name it and I promise to give it to you".

I stared at him in surprise as he said because I wasn't expecting to be rewarded and for a long moment I thought hard of what I wanted to ask for. I knew what was most important to me but I was scared if it was not too much to ask of him.

"You promise?" I asked finally.

"Yes" he said with every atom of seriousness.

"I want to join your pack, can you accept me as your member?".

He stared at me in complete shock,I guess he wasn't expecting my request.