Chapter 108 Lines Blurred

Chapter 108 Lines Blurred
Chapter 108

RAVENNA

I planted myself directly between Darius and Caleb. "Are you actually normal right now, Darius? Because I cannot figure out why you would ask for a private spar with Caleb over absolutely nothing."

Darius's head snapped towards me. A low growl rumbled from his chest, primal and threatening. His eyes shifted to a golden hue that made my breath catch. I had seen him angry before, but this was different. This was dangerous.

"This matter is between werewolves," he bit out, each word sharp enough to cut. "You have no right to intervene in it unless you are ready to be caught in the crossfire."

I stepped back instinctively. Fear, genuine and cold, slithered down my spine. It was the first time I had ever been truly scared of him.

Darius turned away from me like I was nothing and fixed his glowing eyes on Caleb. "Are you going to accept the challenge or not?"

Before Caleb could answer, Dorian skated over and positioned himself between them. "If you two are going to have a private spar, you should at least make it public. We cannot afford to allow two Alpha heirs fight savagely behind closed doors. Do you have any idea what that would look like?"

I found my voice again, though it came out shakier than I wanted. "Dorian is right. What if Darius kills Caleb out of anger? Or what if Caleb kills Darius? Then what?"

Caleb smirked and glanced at me with infuriating confidence. "No one can really kill me, sweetheart." He paused, tilting his head. "What do you think about this whole thing, Ravenna?"

Everyone's attention shifted to me. The weight of their stares pressed down on my shoulders. I took another step back and crossed my arms.

"Whatever clash you have with Darius should be settled by you," I replied firmly. "Do not try to pull me into it."

Caleb pressed his hand to his chest in an exaggerated gesture of heartbreak. "Ravenna, do you really not like me at all?"

I moved forward and placed my hands on his chest, letting my fingers trail across the fabric of his jersey. I smiled up at him, making sure my voice came out playful and light. "You are really cool, Caleb. But I am a human. You would not want to risk me interfering in werewolf matters, would you?"

His smirk softened into something that almost looked genuine. "Fair point."

"Good." I patted his chest once more before stepping away.

Caleb turned back to Darius, his expression hardening. "I accept your challenge."

Darius's jaw tightened. "Tomorrow night. The school underground biker station. You can call in the crowd if you want."

"I will be there."

Darius grabbed his gear bag and stalked off the ice without another word. The tension in the rink remained even after he disappeared through the doors.

I turned to leave as well, but a hand caught my wrist. I spun around to find Dorian looking at me with an expression I could not quite read.

"What do you want?" I asked, trying to tug my arm free.

He did not let go. "What do you think you are doing, Ravenna? Using Caleb to mess with Darius like this?"

I blinked at him innocently. "I am not doing anything. Just having fun."

"Fun." Dorian repeated the word like it tasted bitter. "You call starting a fight between two Alpha heirs’ fun?"

"I did not start anything," I shot back. "Darius did that all on his own."

Dorian stared at me for a long moment, then released my wrist. "Be careful, Ravenna. Games like this have consequences."

I did not respond. I just turned and walked away.



Back in my room, I collapsed onto my bed and pressed my hands to my face. A long, heavy sigh escaped my lips.

This was getting out of hand. Completely and utterly out of hand.

Caleb and Darius were going to have a dangerous spar because of me. Well, technically because of Darius's jealousy and possessiveness, but I had definitely played my part. I had gone on that date. I had let Caleb post that picture. I had locked eyes with Darius whilst Caleb kissed my cheek.

And now two werewolves were going to fight each other, possibly to the point of serious injury, and it all traced back to my choices.

My phone buzzed on the nightstand. I picked it up and saw a message from Caleb.

Want to grab some snacks and hang out? I'm bored.

I stared at the screen, weighing my options. I could stay in this room and wallow in guilt and worry. Or I could use this opportunity to get closer to Caleb, to learn more about him and his connections to everything happening at this academy.

The latter made more sense. I was here on a mission, after all.

I pushed myself off the bed and headed to the bathroom to wash my face. Then I changed into black leggings, an oversized grey top, and my comfortable trainers. Nothing fancy. Just casual enough to seem like I was not trying too hard.

I grabbed my phone and headed out.



Caleb's room was in the Alpha dormitory, a building reserved for pack heirs and high-ranking wolves. The hallways smelled like expensive cologne and leather. Everything about this place screamed wealth and privilege.

I knocked on his door, and he opened it almost immediately. His face lit up when he saw me.

"You actually came."

"You invited me," I pointed out, stepping inside.

His room was bigger than mine. Much bigger. A king-sized bed dominated one side, covered in dark grey sheets. A large desk sat near the window, cluttered with papers and a laptop. Bookshelves lined one wall, filled with textbooks and what looked like pack records. A small sofa and coffee table occupied the center of the room.

I memorized everything as casually as I could. The layout. The exits. The way he kept his laptop angled towards the wall. The stack of folders on his desk.

"Make yourself comfortable," Caleb gestured to the sofa. "I have got crisps, chocolate, biscuits. Take your pick."

I sat down and watched as he pulled out an assortment of snacks from a cupboard. He dumped them on the coffee table and dropped onto the sofa beside me.

"So," he started, tearing open a bag of crisps. "What do you think about politics?"

I raised an eyebrow. "That is a random question."

"Humor me."

I shrugged. "Politics are complicated and usually corrupt. Why?"

"Just curious." He popped a crisp into his mouth. "Pack politics are even worse, trust me. Everything is about bloodlines and power and ancient grudges that nobody can let go of."

"Like the one between Mooncrest and Silverthorn?" I asked carefully.

His expression shifted. Something darker flickered across his face before he masked it with a casual smile. "You have heard about that?"

"Bits and pieces because people talk."

Caleb leaned back and stretched his arm along the back of the sofa. "It is a long story. It goes back centuries."

"I have got time."

He studied me for a moment, then nodded. "Alright. So, Mooncrest and Silverthorn used to be the best of friends. They fought wars together, traded together, supported each other through everything. But there was one rule both packs agreed on—no intermarriage between their children. It was forbidden."

"Why?"

"To keep the bloodlines, separate. To maintain independence. Who knows." He shrugged. "But rules are meant to be broken, right?"

I did not respond. Just waited for him to continue.

"The Alpha heir of Mooncrest at the time—Darius's great-great-grandfather or something—he and his friends got drunk one night. They crossed into Silverthorn territory and found the Alpha's only daughter. They..." He paused, his jaw tightening. "They assaulted her. Molested her."

My stomach turned. "That is horrible."

"It gets worse," Caleb continued, his voice flat. "When Silverthorn found out, they demanded justice. But Mooncrest claimed it was just bad friends influencing their heir. They refused to punish him properly. Instead, they suggested a marriage to 'make things right.'"

"They forced her to marry her rapist?"

"Exactly." Caleb's eyes hardened. "She got pregnant. And he treated her like dirt. Beat her. Assaulted her repeatedly. Until one day, he killed her with his own hands."

I felt sick. Genuinely, physically sick.

"Silverthorn wanted him executed," Caleb went on. "They wanted blood for blood. But Mooncrest refused to hand him over. So Silverthorn declared war. And they have been enemies ever since."

The room felt colder. I wrapped my arms around myself.

"That is a bitter story," I managed.

"It is the truth." Caleb's expression softened slightly. "But do not worry about it. It is ancient history. Darius and I have our own personal issues that have nothing to do with that."

I wanted to ask what those issues were, but my phone started buzzing violently in my pocket. I pulled it out and saw Samantha's name flashing across the screen. She had called me five times already.

"I have to go," I stood up quickly. "Samantha is going to kill me if I do not get back soon."

"Already?" Caleb looked genuinely disappointed. "I am going to miss you."

"I will see you tomorrow."

I headed towards the door, but something on his desk caught my eye. A folder, slightly open, with bold letters visible on the tab.

Pike Holdings.

My heart skipped. I forced myself to keep walking, to not stare, to act completely natural.

But my mind was racing.

Pike Holdings. Darius’s father company. The one I might possibly need for my revenge scheme.

And Caleb had a folder about them sitting right there on his desk.