Chapter 5

Raven’s POV

“Whoever is the leader of the Crimson Fangs, that person is totally unhinged!” Tyler exclaimed, propping himself down on the couch next to me. “The attacks continue, putting the werewolf world in chaos.”

It had been days and everyday, Tyler would always bring news updates about the Crimson Fangs. We even started receiving protection requests from packs nearby.

“They’re a ferocious pack, huh?” Ash mumbled as she took the space left on my other side. “Now that I think about it, aren’t we lucky to be rogues? At least, they won’t be coming to mess with us,” she added, chugging down her beer on a can.

Well, Ash was right. But I still couldn’t find the answer why they were looking for me. I couldn’t remember making enemies…Was it somehow related to Dad?

“Hey, Ghost. Are you curious?” Tyler asked, peeking through the magazine he was holding.

I shrugged. “About what?”

Tyler sat up and put down the magazine. “About the reason why Crimson Fangs is looking for Raven. How about we try to find out? It’s getting boring these days.”

Boring, eh? The only reason why nobody’s trying to mess with us is because we’ve beaten up almost every gang in the area and even in the nearby towns and cities.

“I’m not sure. I don’t think I want to find out. Does this have anything to do with us? It will be just a waste of time,” I said, although deep down, I wanted to know.

But casting away my name as Raven also meant I should live on with no strings attached from my past. They wanted Raven, but Raven was dead. Besides, it wasn’t certain if they were looking for that Raven.

“Ah, seriously. Alright! But if you change your mind, just let me know. I’m up for the task,” Tyler said before going back to his seat.

I leaned on my back, grabbing the magazine Tyler had earlier and covering it on my face. The matter about the Crimson Fangs still bothered me, but I had to forget about it as soon as I could before trouble found its way to us.

The crew was made to give us freedom…and home. Digging further about Raven’s matter could ruin the life I’ve earned so far.

“Ghost!” A familiar voice called, followed by footsteps coming to the living room. “Ghost!”

A groan escaped my lips, taking the magazine off my face. “What is it, Sunny?” I asked the youngest member of the crew.

Sunny rushed toward me with a pale expression on his face. He was catching his breath when Ash handed him her beer.

“Here. Drink it and catch your breath,” she told him.

Sunny just made a face and pushed Ash’s hand away. “Come on, I don’t drink beer in cans,” he grumbled and turned to me. “Ghost, someone’s here to meet you.”

Someone? But I wasn’t expecting anyone.

“Who?”

Sunny scratched his head. “Uh… I forgot his name, but he’s from Iron Howls Pack? Uh… Iron Howling? What is it again? It’s Iron How-”

“Iron Howlers?” Tyler butted in. “Aren’t they one of the strongest packs known in the area? Hey, Ghost. Did you invite them here?”

Of course not! Why would I invite the pack that drove me away when I was at my lowest?

Suddenly, I felt a familiar pang in my chest. Blood left my face as I stared at Sunny.

“So, I told them to wait outside. Should we let them in?” Sunny asked, moving his gaze between me and Tyler.

The crew didn’t know about my past, not in detail. They knew I left my pack, but not the reason why. Tyler had a few guesses, and they were always spot on, but I tried to avoid it no matter what. I was afraid that telling them the truth would reveal my weakness.

I trusted the camaraderie I developed with the gang. We got along, binded by strength and battle experiences. But when matters about me as Raven surfaced, I was afraid they would look at me differently. And I didn’t want that to happen.

“Ghost? Are you listening?” Sunny waved his hands in front of my face. “So, should I tell them to go or what?”

I took a deep breath and let out a sigh. The three of them were looking at me, waiting for my decision. “Let them in. We might as well hear them out,” I said, straightening my back.

“Oh, okay!” Sunny said and left.

There’s no way Jax is among them, right? He shouldn't be easily coming to the rogue’s territory when he was an Alpha of the strong pack.

“Are you sure you want to face them? If you want, I can pretend as Ghost while you watch on the sideline,” Tyler suggested, winking at me.

I groaned and ignored him. Though his idea seemed tempting, everyone should already know that Ghost was a woman. I didn’t want weird rumors about the gang spreading because of him.

“Why not?,” I replied. “They also seem to need us for something. Aren’t you curious about what they came for?”

Tyler shrugged. “Kind of.”

A few moments later, Sunny came back with people behind him.

“Ghost, I brought them here.” Sunny stepped aside, revealing the faces of the people who followed him. “This is Ghost, our leader,” he added, introducing me in a serious tone.

I lifted my gaze, meeting the uninvited guests. “I heard you came looking for me–”

J-Jax Thorn?

My heart went wild as my breathing became uneven the moment I landed my gaze on him…the man who rejected me. The one and only, Jax Thorn.

“It’s a pleasure to finally meet you in person. I am Jax Thorn, Alpha of the Iron Howlers Pack,” he introduced himself.

Wait, did he not recognize me?

“What did you come for?” Tyler asked, glancing at me with an unreadable expression on his face. “Ghost doesn’t have time to spare, so you’d better not waste her time.”

Jax wasn’t fazed by Tyler’s unfriendly tone, but answered his question. “I need your help for something,” he started.

“Please help us find someone… Raven Kincade.”