Chapter 170 Warnings, Wolves and Messages

Chapter 170 Warnings, Wolves and Messages
Chapter 170

RAVENNA

Torren pointed to the far end of the circle. "Jog from the start to the end."

I stared at him, blinking. "Jogging? Seriously?"

"Yes. Do it."

He sat back down on the wooden stool and pulled something from his bag, beginning to mix it in a small bowl like he had all the time in the world.

I looked down at my bare feet. "Am I doing this barefoot?"

"Yes."

I groaned internally but started jogging anyway.

The ground was hard beneath my feet. Every step felt like a challenge, and I struggled to balance properly. Small stones pressed into the back of my heels, sharp and unforgiving.

When I returned to the starting point, I stopped and turned to him. "I cannot run barefoot. This hurts."

He did not even look up from his mixing. Just ignored me completely.

I sighed heavily and started jogging again.

By the tenth round, I was drenched in sweat. My feet were screaming in pain, my legs were shaking, and my lungs felt like they were about to give out.

I collapsed onto the ground, panting hard. "I am tired. I am not jogging again."

Torren finally looked up. "We only have three weeks to the full moon by my estimation. You have been in the human world for too long. You need to step up to fill the gap. Or else you will not be able to make the full shift."

He stood and demonstrated a flexible stretch, bending forward smoothly and touching his toes, then shifting his weight to one side and extending his leg out in a deep lunge.

"Do this," he instructed.

I grunted and tried to copy him.

I fell the first time. My balance was completely off.

Torren came behind me and positioned me properly, his hands adjusting my hips and shoulders until I was in the right form.

After a few stumbles, I finally got it.

After ten trials, he stepped back. "That is enough."

I collapsed to the floor immediately, heaving for breath.

"You are a bit dramatic," Torren remarked, crossing his arms.

"Wait until I tell my father you tried to murder me," I shot back between gasps.

He chuckled. "Get up."

"One more minute," I wheezed. "Or else I am going to faint."

"Lazy," he muttered, walking back to his stool and sitting down, watching me with an amused expression.

I glared at him from the ground. "Are you a werewolf?"

He replied without missing a beat. "I am a dragon lord."

I laughed despite myself. "Right, of course you are."

I took a deep breath and pushed myself up slowly. "Alright. I am done resting."

Torren settled onto the floor, crossing his legs and spreading his fingers out in front of him. "Do the same."

I copied him, sitting down and crossing my legs, my hands resting on my knees.

"You are going to meditate," he explained. "And try to reach your wolf. Not to talk to her or call her name. But to find where the thread is coming from inside you."

He closed his eyes. "Close your eyes, take a deep breath and et settled in."

I closed my eyes for a moment.

Then I opened them and watched him.

He looked so young. If my father said he was his childhood friend, that meant they were the same age. But Torren looked like he was barely in his thirties. He had a nice build and looks strong but not overly bulky.

"Stop staring," Torren said without opening his eyes. "I know I am attractive but I am too old for you. And for the goddess's sake, your life is at stake, you need to be serious."

My cheeks flushed, and I quickly closed my eyes again.

"I cannot feel anything," I admitted after a few minutes.

"Close your eyes properly," he instructed. "Block everything from the world out of your mind. Make it blank. Then concentrate on feeling your wolf's thread. It is there. You just need to find it."

I tried.

I really did.

But after thirty minutes, I gave up. "I cannot do it."

"That is because it takes time," Torren replied calmly. "But you need to practice this any time you are free and not doing anything."

He stood and handed me the potion again. "Drink this."

I took it and drank, grimacing at the taste.

He grabbed his bag. "We are done for today. Meet me here at six in the morning tomorrow."

I nodded weakly.

He left, and I stayed in the circle for a moment longer, staring at the ground.

I heard footsteps approaching and turned to see my father walking toward me.

He stopped just outside the circle. "Come."

I stood up and rushed into his arms. He kissed my temple gently.

He raised an eyebrow. "So?"

I mimicked the question back at him, raising my own eyebrow. "So?"

We both started laughing.

I grabbed my shoes, and we headed back to the house together. I told him everything about Torren, how he seemed nice but was definitely going to be hard on me.

"You are going to be fine," my father assured me.

I went on to tell him what had happened at school. The girls. The stairs. The hate.

He squeezed my shoulder. "Be strong. Everything is going to pass. You are going to be fine."

I hoped so.

After dinner, I settled into my room, feeling restless and bored.

I grabbed my phone and opened the school feed.

Almost every post today had been about me.

I scrolled through them, my chest tightening with every cruel comment, every mocking picture.

Then I accidentally bumped into a post of a student gushing about how much she was crushing on Darius.

I clicked on it.

The comments were filled with people agreeing with her, calling him hot, saying they wished he would notice them.

I scrolled down and saw Darius had commented underneath.

I clicked on his profile before I could stop myself.

His feed was filled with pictures. Some were group shots with his teammates. Some were him showing off his abs. Some were him at hockey practice, looking intense and focused.

I stared at one picture for too long.

Then I went back and messaged him.

The message showed two ticks immediately. He was online.

I forwarded the post to him and typed: "Nice pic." 

Then I sent a screenshot of the girl's comment.

Blue dots appeared almost instantly.

Darius: What do you want?

I thought for a second, then typed: I am bored. I do not have anyone to talk to.

The blue dots appeared again.

Darius: You tried to kill me today.

I rolled my eyes and typed back: That was my wolf. Not me.

Darius: What do you seriously want?

Me:  To talk.

Darius: I am busy. Do not message me again.

I threw my phone onto the bed and sighed heavily, staring at the ceiling.

How was I supposed to win him back?

I hit my head against the pillow repeatedly. "You fucked up really bad, Raven."

A knock sounded at my door.

I frowned and stood, walking over to open it.

Sam was standing there.

We both stared at each other for a long moment.

Then she walked in without waiting for an invitation. "I hate you. But you are in danger."

My eyes widened. "What?"

"Not me," she clarified quickly. "You. You are in danger."

I frowned. "What do you mean?"

"The school authorities are investigating and researching your wolf," she explained, her voice urgent. "They are asking students questions about your wolf colour and everything else. I came here to tell you."

She turned to leave.

"Sam, it is late," I called after her. "What are you going to do?"

She stopped and turned back slightly. "I care. That is what I am doing."

I stepped closer. "I am sorry for talking to you that way earlier. I was just trying to protect you from getting hurt."

Sam looked at me, her expression softening slightly. "It was not your decision to make."

"I know," I whispered. "I am sorry."

She sighed. "I forgive you."

"Stay," I said quietly. "Please."

She hesitated, then nodded.

We spent the rest of the evening together, talking and laughing like nothing had changed.

My phone pinged.

I opened it.

A picture of Darius filled the screen.

He was fresh from the bath, his brown hair damp and stuck to his face, water droplets still clinging to his skin.

I stared.

Another picture came through immediately.

My eyes widened, and I quickly closed my phone.

"Are you alright?" Sam asked.

I nodded quickly. "Yes. Fine."

I opened my phone again slowly.

Darius had a towel slung around his shoulders. He was bare from the waist up, his abs on full display. My eyes drifted lower. He was wearing low-hanging trousers, showing every line of his manhood...

I blinked.

"That is one hell of a hot picture," Sam remarked from beside me.

I looked up to find her staring at my phone over my shoulder.

My cheeks flushed immediately.

Sam burst out laughing. "You are red!"

"I am not!" I denied quickly.

She grabbed her phone and showed me a picture of Dorian. "This makes me feel better."

Darius sent another text: Do you like it?

Then: Your turn. Take a picture.

I heard a clicking sound and turned sharply.

Sam had taken a picture of me.

"Sam!" I shouted.

She laughed and handed me my phone. "Go fix yourself up first."

I stood and went to the bathroom, arranging my hair and my clothes before taking a picture.

I sent it.

Darius texted back immediately: Goodnight.

I huffed and came out, falling onto the bed. "Darius is so hot. I want him now."

Sam laughed and teased, "Lover girl."

I grabbed a pillow and threw it at her. "Goodnight."

I dropped my phone and closed my eyes, smiling despite everything.