Raven’s POV
I waited for my parents, and the warriors to shift back into their human form before I was going to let them in on my little secret. I knew my parents would be wanting to yell at me, for leaving my room and the packhouse, and to do that, they had to be in their human form. I do not have the link with the pack, so they can’t connect with me through the mind link. I know my dad especially will be furious because I am not locked up in my room like they thought I was. They all believed that I did not have a wolf, so I was never included in being bound with the pack. I can’t link with anyone as I was not made a member of the Silver Blade pack, which included being able to use the pack link. Emerald made sure to hide my scent at school, and in the dining room, after we phased so no one ever realized that I could even link. I am really glad for her doing it now, as I had no one that I ever wanted to mindlink with before.
The only exception would have been Justin, who was still staring at me as he and his wolf were having a battle for dominance and control. His wolf had been reaching out, and Emerald kept putting him off and ignoring him. I could tell that she felt bad doing it, but his human side has betrayed us, and we no longer would accept them as our mates. Ignoring her mate hurt her too, but she is committed to us escaping as we both know if we go with them back to the packhouse, it is the beginning of the end. His eyes were going back and forth as he fought with his wolf over them rejecting me. Lorne wants me, both Emerald and I can feel it, but Justin is fighting him over it. His human side is a little torn, I can feel he wants me, but he wants to be the Alpha of the Silver Blade pack more.
I hope I never forget the stunned look on their faces when I quickly phased right in front of them. Their facial expressions are still making me laugh, and I hope I never forget how truly shocked they were when they saw Emerald for the first time. My clothes ripped apart with explosive force at my phasing, as this was not our first time. The suddenness of it, when they clearly never thought I had a wolf had caught them all by surprise. Since they all were currently in their human form when I did it, I got to see all of their jaws fall open as they realized that I did indeed have a wolf, and she was imposing.
Emerald is making great time right now, as we raced towards the nearest border. Emerald is very happy that I am good with leaving the pack. But what else could I have done? There is no way in the world that I would be willing to stay here to watch my sister rub it in, every day for the rest of my life. She really thinks that she is the better sister because she managed to steal my mate away from me. How big of a loser was I considered to be in the pack, for Justin to think that it would be a good idea to still become chosen mates with Reagan? I already knew the answer to that. I wasn’t going to hang around for my family, and Justin to remind me of how lacking I was, I am out of here. I hope that he and Reagan live long lives with each other, with her attitude it will be like hell on earth to be with her. I think that punishment is fitting for him, and he will never love her. Once she shows him the "real" Reagan, he will find out just how bad his wonderful life as the new Alpha isn't as nice as he thought it was going to be. Reagan will be happy, she will finally be the Luna, and that is really all that she ever cared about. I will just be glad to never see her ever again Goddess willing.
The moment that Justin had discovered that he was my mate, he should have reconsidered this plan. He had wanted his mate for nineteen years, waiting on her patiently for so long, before he was seduced by my sister. How could he reject me after scenting me? Didn't he want me as much as I had wanted him? As far as the Goddess was concerned, I was perfect in every way for him. She created me expressly for him, and what did he do? He decided that he knew better than the Moon Goddess and tried to set himself up with another she-wolf, for personal gain. If I learned anything from all the books I have read on the Moon Goddess, she really doesn’t like it when we try to undo what she has bound together. There are exceptions, as some really don’t belong together, but she blesses those who value her blessings, and there is nothing but punishment when you don’t. I had wanted him, been excited by the fact that I have been given the man of my dreams, right up until he was balls deep in my sister. That changed my opinion very quickly. I was able to let him go at that point, I am now doubting my judgment of men because I don't want to make the same mistake again. This was a great life lesson, I won't make the same mistake again.
It hurts me so much to realize just how little I actually mattered to him. That he was able to fight with his wolf over trying to reject me. I have spent the last few years dreaming of finding someone, anyone, that would love me, for me, and take me to his pack for us to live. I didn’t need a ranked wolf. What I needed in my life, was what I had been missing for my whole life, love, and affection that were real and genuine. Letting me finally be important to someone. For someone to love and protect me from harm and from the people who have tormented me my whole life. That is all that I ever wanted, but clearly, I was not going to keep my true mate, our relationship was done before I even realized he was mine. Reagan can have them, and I hope that the Moon Goddess gives them both exactly what they deserve.
I can hear them coming after me, they had been caught by surprise and I had about a 20-second head start. I wasn’t worried about my mom, or Reagan, catching me. I was worried about dad, the warriors, or Justin catching me. Emerald had sped up when she felt my sadness overtaking us. She knows that I am losing everything right now. No family, no home, or safety in my life. But I am OK with it, better to be on my own, than here in a pack of backstabbers that hate me for no reason.
I see the border approaching and I cannot stop the fear of crossing it, but we were not going to stop. I can see even more warriors coming in from both sides as they come in to try to prevent us from crossing into the Blood Walker territory. Dad must have linked them when he was on his way to us because they don’t patrol over here. My dad has a camera set up and I see a 6-foot high wire fence blocking the border to Blood Walker territory. I have never been this far in my pack ever before. I had not realized that there would be a fence. We don’t have any fences in this pack, that is to say, I have not yet seen a fence.
“Emerald, do you see the fence? Can we jump it? I see more warriors coming, they are approaching fast, and I don’t know if we are going to be able to make it. Shouldn’t we change direction and try someone where else? I don’t want them to catch us, we need to be free of this pack” I mindlinked her.
“Oh honey, we are going to be out of here in a minute. Don’t worry about that fence, let me have total control and we will be getting our freedom in about 30 seconds” Emerald links me back and I let go of all of my control and sit back in her mind to watch what is about to happen.
I feel Emerald speed up even more and then we are sailing over the fence, and the twisted wires on the top of it, designed to cut and injure anyone who tried to trespass onto Silver Blade land, from the Blood Walker pack. We land gently on the other side of the fence, and Emerald turns around and we see some t-shirts lying on the ground about 30 feet away. Emerald trots over to them, and we phase back into our human form. I slide the t-shirt over my head and walk slowly back to the fence line. I am just noticing that there is a large 10-foot stone wall that starts up after the shorter wire fence, on both sides. So, Blood Walker had a 10-foot tall stone wall, that completely surrounds their pack, except at our border? Somebody make it make sense because it doesn't make sense. I wondered why as my father and the rest of the group arrive on the other side of the fence and all phased back into their human forms. They are all breathing very heavily, but Emerald and I aren’t. I wonder again how strong Emerald had to be as she runs like the wind, and never gets to panting like they are.
“If you come back here now Raven, I won’t punish you for leaving your room without permission” I heard my father tell me. I almost burst out laughing at the comment, but all they see is the grin appear on my face. I see my dad’s features tighten up in anger and I can tell that he is now counting to try to calm down. He must really think that I am an idiot.
“Nothing in the world could possess me to do that father,” I told him, and I see his eyes glazing over as he goes to link someone. I could care less what they have to say to me, and I turned to walk away.
“You will die in the Blood Walker pack. You know how dangerous they are Raven, you have heard this fact for your whole life. They cannot be trusted, and you are now a rogue. We have told you, and the whole pack, exactly what happens to those who trespass on their land. The moment they scent you they will move in, and you will die today. Is that what you want honey? Do you want to die? Please just come back home. I will get you more freedom in the pack. I will allow you to go to the library every day instead of once a week. How does that sound?” my mother's voice is calming and comforting. She has never before sounded as nice as this, and I know that dad put her up to try to lure me back into the Siler Blade pack. They must be desperate to do it, so I want to see how far they intended to go with it.
“Let me ask you this mother. Was the plan to get Justin to take Reagan as a chosen mate her idea, or dad’s?” I asked her. Mom is not a very good liar. I can see her expression as we are only about 20 feet apart from each other right now. I stepped back to where I landed when Emerald landed on the Blood Walker territory. I am done with all of them, and I don’t care if I die after I do this, but I am about to let them all know just what I think of them.
“I don’t know what you are talking about Raven, they ARE mates,” my mom said to me, and now I smirk at her. Clearly, mom was keeping me out of the loop and doesn’t know that I know for a fact that they aren’t. She just doesn't know HOW I know that they are mates. Mom is keeping up appearances in front of the warriors. I saw her tell pop up as soon as she spoke, mom has never been a good liar.
“Thanks for always lying to me mom. That makes it so much easier on me. I will NOT be coming back to the Silver Blade pack. This is the last time, Goddess willing, that you all will probably see me and actually I am welcoming the death that is coming to me. It will be better than the life I have lived since Reagan tried to kill me, and my own dad called me a liar when I told him what actually happened. Justin is not her mate mom, and I know this because he is MY mate. It is disgusting what all you three have done to me and allowed to be done to me my whole life. I never deserved to be treated the way I was. I can only hope that I can find my way and get to live a life that allows me to find someone who loves me and realizes that I am a good person. Someone to love and protect me from behind hurt, see that I am deserving of love. Someone who doesn’t lock me up as a prisoner in my own home and lies to me daily. I don’t think that is too much to ask for, do you mom? It seems like you and dad are willing to do anything to get me to come back over the fence, but we both know that if I did come back, I would either immediately be thrown in the cells, or killed. So, I will take my chances over here, where at least I have a chance” I told them and turned again to leave. I only made it a few steps before I was stopped again by my father's hateful words.
“You ungrateful little bitch. How do you have the nerve to say that to me? I have clothed and fed you, provided you a room, and let you go to school. I did take care of you, and it is disgusting to see how you repay me. Lying about Justin being your mate. Trying to take your sister’s mate away from her. What a disrespectful girl you have turned out to be. I know that I can speak for your mother as well as myself when I say that we hope the Blood Walker pack disposes of you quickly. I only wish I could kill you myself” my dad roared out, and the hate was coming off of him in waves.
I stopped and turned back to look at them standing at the border, and my dad's chest is rising and falling rapidly with the fury that is running through him. He is angry and I could tell that every word he just said, he truly believed. I decided to walk right up to the fence as I wanted to make sure he heard what I was about to say.
“You disgust me father,” I told him and the tone I used to draw out the word father let him know just how little I thought of him being my father. “I have never done anything to cause a problem or disruption in the pack, or in the family. I did what I was told this whole time. Even as knowing that you let the whole pack know that I was fair game if they wanted to hurt me, and they did dad, over and over again. You know what, it was my family that really took the award for the most torment. Your unwarranted hate, mom never supporting me in anything, and my sister allowed to try to kill me, and incite others up against me made me realize that life will be much better on this side of the border than it was on that side. Even if I only live an hour more, it would be better than the years I spent over there.”
Unexpected Protection