Chapter 174 The kiss and The weird News

Chapter 174 The kiss and The weird News
Chapter 174

DARIUS

I did not know why I was having this conversation with her. But I felt like I needed to be honest with her. 

I took a breath. "I was the one who sent Dorian to check on you after the accident."

Ravenna blinked, her eyes widening slightly.

"My father threatened to kill you if I went to the hospital to see you," I continued, my voice tight. "And I was a little bit suspicious that he was responsible for your accident. So I pleaded with Dorian to do it for me. I made him promise not to tell anyone. Not even Sam."

Ravenna stared at me, her mouth slightly open. "Are you serious?"

"I was so worried about you," I admitted, the words coming out rougher than I intended. "I was deeply sad all through that period. And when my father removed you from the team, we tried to fight it. We made our point that we needed you. But he was hellbent on kicking you out. He used the opportunity to get rid of you."

I paused, shaking my head bitterly. "Funny enough, he went and brought your cousin to replace you."

Ravenna's expression shifted, something soft and broken passing across her face.

"I never liked Selene from the beginning," I continued. "My parents had been pestering me to get mated to someone from a well-renowned pack to boost their alliance and welfare. But I refused. I think my father figured out I had a soft spot for you. So he forced the betrothal arrangement and announced it without my knowledge."

I looked at her directly now. "I promise you, I did not know about it until that night."

I swallowed hard. "I am sorry for all the cruel things I did to you. I hope you can forgive me."

Ravenna was sobbing quietly now, tears streaming down her face.

"I had no idea about any of this," she whispered, her voice breaking.

I reached out and wiped a tear from her cheek gently. "Now you do."

She sniffed and looked up at me. "What really happened between you and Asteria?"

I frowned, thinking back. "To be honest, her face looks really familiar. But the name confuses me. I have never had any dealings with someone with that name before."

I paused, frustrated. "I have been thinking about it, and I still cannot remember."

Ravenna smiled bitterly. "You must have had a lot of girls then."

I laughed despite myself. "Maybe."

"Why do you not just ask her?" I suggested.

Ravenna shrugged. "She and I are not on good terms. I prefer not to have anything to do with her after she betrayed me at the moon ceremony."

I nodded slowly. "Fair enough."

I sighed and leaned back against the bike. "We have been through a lot."

She folded her arms and looked at me.

I turned to stare at her too.

I leaned forward slightly. "I am only going to do this once. And this means nothing to us."

She raised an eyebrow. "No hard feelings. I was not expecting you to forgive me that easily, considering what I did. It partly ruined your family. But I feel like I am going to win your heart back sooner."

I flashed her a grin. "Challenge accepted then."

And with that I leaned forward before I could talk myself out of it again. My heart was hammering so hard I thought she might actually hear it.

Her mouth was soft and warm, with that faint sweet taste, like the milky chocolate she always enjoyed eating. I groaned low in my throat without meaning to. 

The sound surprised even me. I had not expected to feel it hit this hard, not after everything we had just laid bare.

My hands moved on their own. They slid around her waist, fingers spreading against the small of her back, and I pulled her in until her chest pressed flat against mine. 

She was nervous too. She was not just letting this happen—she wanted it.

She kissed me back just as hard, like she had been holding her breath for months. Her arms came up and wrapped around my neck, fingers digging into the hair at my nape, pulling me closer still. 

Our tongues met, clumsy for half a second, then sure. The kiss deepened quickly, hungry, and I could not stop the low sound that escaped me again.

I felt myself harden against her thigh. There was no hiding it, not this close. Raven moaned into my mouth and the sound went straight through me. 

Her hands slid down my back, pressing, clutching, like she was afraid I would pull away.

I broke the kiss just long enough to lift her. My hands went under her thighs; she gasped once, then wrapped her legs around my waist without hesitation. I set her on the seat of the motorbike. I stepped between her knees, fitting myself right there, and took her mouth again.

This time I kissed her slower, deeper, tasting every bit of her. Her fingers tightened in my shirt. Mine slid up her sides, thumbs brushing the underside of her breasts through the fabric. She arched into me, and I groaned against her lips.

We were both breathing hard when we finally broke apart. I rested my forehead against hers, eyes closed, trying to catch my breath. 

Her hands stayed on my shoulders, trembling just a little.

"A kiss has never really had an effect on me before," I admitted quietly, my voice still rough.

Ravenna grinned widely, her cheeks flushed.

I helped her down from the bike, and she stepped back, smiling to herself like she had just won something.

"I should call Dorian so you can leave before my father returns," she said, still smiling.

Someone coughed behind us.

A low voice muttered, "He is back already."

We both turned sharply.

Daniel was standing a few feet away, his arms crossed, his expression unreadable.

Ravenna's cheeks deepened in embarrassment. "Did you really see us?"

Daniel nodded slowly. "What a heartfelt kiss," he muttered before walking off with a grumble and a frown.

I turned to Ravenna. "He did not like the fact that we kissed. But he could say nothing."

Dorian came out a few moments later, and Ravenna bade us farewell.

Once we returned to the academy, we spread the papers we had found across my desk and began studying them carefully.

There were several weird discussions scribbled in the margins, but we were able to deduce it was a rogue recruitment plan.

I pulled out my phone and studied the picture of the dead man again. He looked familiar in a way, but I could not place where I had known or seen him.

All of this was like a puzzle. And I was angry that we could not get anything concrete aside from the academy drawing, the passage markings, and the rogue recruitment plan.

How had they gotten the map of the school? Who had given it to them? Was there a spy in the school we knew nothing about? Or had there been a spy?

Dorian leaned back in his chair. "Do not beat yourself up about it. We will figure it out."

I shook my head. "We cannot warn the school about an attack. What we have is not enough evidence."

Dorian checked his watch. "It is time for us to go clean the stadium."

We left and headed to the stadium together.

Bonn was already there when we arrived, standing at the centre of the field with his arms crossed.

He clapped his hands once to get everyone's attention. "Listen up. Caleb transferred out of the school this evening."

A few murmurs erupted from the team.

"We are short of a player," Bonn continued. "If anyone can think of someone who could play for us, now is the time to speak up."

I found it weird and strange for Caleb to suddenly transfer out of the school. I felt there was something to it. 

But we needed a player, or else we would not stand a chance of doing well in the match.

Someone occurred to me immediately.

I grinned widely. The person was the perfect idea.

I raised my hand. "Bonn, how about a red-haired girl with hazel eyes and freckles on each of her cheeks who is a baddest and former player of the team?"