Chapter 185 Something is wrong with my wolf

Chapter 185 Something is wrong with my wolf


Chapter 185

RAVENNA

I sat up so fast the chair scraped against the floor.

"What do you mean by that?"

My voice came out sharper than I intended, but panic was already clawing at my chest.

Torren rubbed his face, and for the first time since I'd met him, he looked genuinely uncertain. "I'm confused too, honestly. But I'm certain you were supposed to continue the training until at least the week of the full moon before you shifted."

My hands started trembling. I clenched them into fists on my lap. "My mate grounded me. That's how I shifted."

"That's the problem."

The words hit me like a physical blow.

Torren leaned forward, his elbows resting on his knees, his expression grave. "You were supposed to shift on your own. Not through a bond."

The panic that had been simmering beneath my skin erupted all at once.

"Is something going to happen to me?" My voice cracked. "Am I going to die?"

"No." Torren's hand shot out, gripping my shoulder firmly. "Don't panic. That threat is gone. You won't die."

I exhaled shakily, but my chest was still tight, my breathing uneven.

He squeezed my shoulder once before letting go. "But there are things we need to do to stabilize you."

I nodded, unable to speak past the lump in my throat.

"You need to shift as often as possible from now on," he continued, his tone gentler now. "Run with your mate in your wolf form. Hunt together. And…" He paused, his expression softening slightly. "Mate with each other regularly. It will help balance the bond and keep your wolf stable."

Heat flooded my face immediately.

I looked away, my cheeks burning so hot I thought they might catch fire.

Torren sighed, but there was no judgment in it. "I know it's awkward. But it's necessary. Darius has been denying himself for a long time. And you… you should have gotten your wolf at age five or six not nineteen. Your body and your wolf need time to adjust to each other, and the mate bond will help ground that."

I nodded, still unable to meet his eyes.

He stood and walked over to a cabinet, pulling out several small vials filled with dark, murky liquid. "Take these. One every morning. They'll help keep your wolf grounded whilst I research further and figure out if what happened to you was normal."

I took the vials carefully, my fingers wrapping around the cool glass. "Thank you."

He gave me a small, tired smile. "You're going to be fine, Ravenna. I promise."

I wanted to believe him.

I returned to the sitting room, and the first thing I noticed was the tension.

My father and Darius were on opposite sides of the room, glaring at each other like two wolves ready to rip each other apart.

The air was so thick with hostility I could barely breathe.

"Everyone calm down," I said quickly, stepping between them. "Lessen the fume before someone says something they can't take back."

I turned to my father first. "What's the problem?"

His jaw was tight, his hands clenched into fists at his sides. "Nothing."

I turned to Darius. "And you?"

He crossed his arms, his expression just as stubborn. "Same."

I let out a long, frustrated breath and crossed my arms. "Fine. You can both go on glaring at each other if you want. But no one is allowed to fight. Or else I'm going to get angry. And trust me, neither of you want that right now."

They both looked away, though the tension didn't ease.

I turned back to my father, forcing my voice to stay calm. "How's the pack doing?"

His expression softened slightly, the hard edges of his anger smoothing out. "Things are running smoothly. We're rebuilding."

I nodded, then hesitated. "Do you have any idea who the rogues were? The ones who attacked us?"

Daniel was quiet for a long moment, his brow furrowing deeply.

Then he shook his head. "I don't. But I can help you dig into it if you want. I have resources."

Relief washed over me so suddenly my knees nearly buckled. "Please and thank you."

He reached out and squeezed my hand gently. "Of course."

We returned to the academy, but Theo told us he wasn't coming back until the following day.

He handed Darius the keys to the car with a knowing look. "Drive safe and don't do anything stupid."

Darius smirked faintly. "No promises."

The drive back was quiet at first.

I stared out the window, watching the trees blur past, my mind still tangled up in everything Torren had said.

Then I remembered something I had been wanting to ask for a long time.

"Darius."

He glanced at me briefly before returning his eyes to the road. "Yeah?"

I hesitated, my heart pounding. "Have you been bonded before? Before me?"

His entire body went rigid.

His hands tightened on the steering wheel, his knuckles turning white.

The silence stretched on so long I thought he wasn't going to answer.

Then, finally, he spoke. "Yes."

His voice was so quiet I almost didn't hear it.

My chest ached. "What happened?"

He shook his head, his jaw clenched so tight I could see the muscle twitching. "I don't want to talk about it."

"Darius—"

"It's a terrible thing." His voice cracked slightly. "Just… forget about it. Please."

I stared at him, my heart breaking at the pain written all over his face.

"I can't forget about it," I said gently. "This is the third or maybe second time you’ve brought it up. But you don't have to tell me now. You can tell me when you're ready. When you have the strength to stomach it."

He nodded slowly, his throat working as he swallowed hard.

I could see it in his expression—whatever had happened, it had destroyed him.

He looked so sad. So broken. Like he was barely holding himself together.

I felt terrible for bringing it up.

“He's going to be fine, Moonlight said softly in my mind. You didn't do anything wrong by asking.”

I reached over and placed my hand on his thigh, squeezing gently.

"You have me now," I whispered. "And nothing will ever make me leave your side."

His hand covered mine immediately, his fingers lacing through mine and holding on like I was the only thing keeping him grounded.

"I'll never let you go," he said quietly. "Not for anything."

We were just pulling into the academy when his phone rang.

Darius glanced at the screen, and I watched his entire expression darken.

"What is it?" I asked, dread already pooling in my stomach.

"My father." His voice was flat, emotionless. "He's calling me to an important family gathering."

My heart dropped. "Do you want me to come with you?"

"No."

The word came out so fast, so firm, that I flinched.

He softened immediately, reaching out to cup my face. "I don't know what he's planning. If it's something dangerous, I need to be able to focus on myself. I can't do that if I'm worrying about you."

I got out of the car slowly, my chest tight with worry, and walked with him to his bike in the school car park.

"Are you going to be fine?"

He let out a short, bitter laugh. "What do you think he's going to do? Kill me?"

He paused, and his smile faded. "He wouldn't hurt me that badly. Not to the point of killing me."

"Are you sure?"

He sighed, his shoulders sagging slightly. "I'm going to be fine. I'll be back by midnight."

"Promise me."

"I promise." He leaned down and kissed me, slow and deep, like he was trying to memorize the feel of my lips. "Stay with Dorian and Sam. Don't go anywhere alone."

I nodded, my throat too tight to speak.

I watched him swing his leg over the bike, watched him start the engine, and him drive away.

The sound of his bike faded into the distance, and my heart pounded so hard it hurt.

I regretted not fighting harder to go with him.

“Darius is capable of taking care of himself,” Moonlight assured me, her voice steady and calm. “He's going to be fine.”

But it didn't sit well with me.

Not at all.