Chapter 79 Dorians real intention
Chapter 079
DARIUS
I could not control Atlas anymore. The wolf inside me was completely out of control, pushing and snarling and demanding things I could not give him.
Watching Ravenna win the second trial, something that was meant only for wolves, had triggered something deep and primal inside both of us that I did not fully understand.
She stood there holding the moonstone above her head like a trophy whilst the crowd went absolutely wild around her.
Her face was flushed with victory, her eyes bright with triumph, and she looked more beautiful than anyone had any right to look after crawling through a dirty pit for an hour.
One of the other competitors walked over to her, a wolf from another pack whose name I did not care to remember. He placed his hand on her shoulder in what was probably meant to be a friendly congratulatory gesture.
Something inside me snapped completely.
I shoved the guy back hard enough that he stumbled and nearly fell.
A snarl ripped from my throat before I could stop it, the sound echoing through the suddenly quiet arena. "Do not touch what is not yours."
The words came out harsh and possessive, my voice distorted slightly by Atlas's presence pushing too close to the surface. Every eye in the building turned to stare at us.
Ravenna's head whipped around at the commotion.
She saw what was happening and immediately stepped between me and the other competitor, her body forming a barrier whilst she looked straight at me with fire blazing in her eyes.
"I am not yours, Darius," she declared firmly, her voice carrying across the silent space.
I could not stop the grin that spread across my face at her words. She needed to take those words back immediately because standing right there in front of me, she was absolutely mine.
Everything in me knew it with complete certainty.
“You are mine." I declared slowly.
"Asshole," she muttered, then flipped her middle finger at me before turning and walking away.
I watched as Trainer Ace called Ravenna up to the raised platform and officially declared her the winner of the second moon trial.
The crowd's reaction was mixed, some cheering whilst others grumbled about a human beating wolves at their own game.
"The final trial will be held after the school returns from the holiday break," Ace announced. "Until then, congratulations to our current leader."
I could not stay there anymore watching everyone celebrate her victory. I turned and left the arena, pushing through the crowd without caring who I shoved aside.
My chest felt too tight, my skin too hot, everything inside me screaming and confused and angry.
Footsteps pounded behind me. "Darius, wait up."
Dorian caught up to me in the corridor outside the arena, slightly out of breath from running. "Are you mad at me because I helped Ravenna win?"
I stopped dead in my tracks and spun around to face him. "Why are you suddenly being so close to Ravenna? Why do you like her so much? Why are you always near her? Why do you help her in class? Why do you take her to dinner?"
The questions poured out of me faster than I could stop them, each one making me sound more desperate and pathetic than the last. I hated how I sounded. Hated what I was revealing.
Dorian stared at me with wide eyes. "Are you seriously jealous right now?"
"No," I snapped immediately, my hands clenching into fists at my sides. "I would never be jealous of you spending time with my enemy. That is ridiculous."
"Darius," Dorian began carefully.
"What?" I demanded, glaring at him. "Why are you staring at me like that?"
"Because you are jealous," he stated simply. "Really, truly jealous. I have never seen you like this before."
"I am not jealous," I insisted, though the words sounded weak even to my own ears.
Dorian stepped closer and lowered his voice so only I could hear. "Are you falling for Ravenna?"
The question hit me like a physical blow. "No. Absolutely not. Do not even think that way."
But even as I said it, I could feel heat flooding my face, betraying everything I was trying to deny. My body was giving me away completely.
Dorian sighed and held up both hands in a calming gesture. "Listen, you need to calm down. You still have time with Ravenna because I am not actually interested in her that way. I am after Samantha. I need Ravenna's help to get closer to her roommate, that is all."
He laughed at whatever expression was on my face, clearly finding my jealousy hilarious. I did not find any of this funny at all.
"Tell Ravenna we are meeting at the library tonight," I ordered, already walking away. "Our usual time for studying."
"Fine, fine," Dorian called after me. "But you really need to sort out whatever this is, mate. It is not healthy."
I ignored him and kept walking.
Several hours later, I sat at our usual table in the library drumming my fingers impatiently against the wood surface. I had arrived early, too restless to stay in my room any longer. My mind kept replaying the events of the day over and over, analysing every moment and hating what it revealed about me.
The library door opened and Ravenna walked in. I looked up and immediately felt my breath catch.
She was dressed in tiny shorts that showed off far too much of her legs and a crop top that left her stomach bare. A beanie was pulled down over her red hair, and she had her bag slung over one shoulder. She looked casual and comfortable and completely unaware of how she affected me.
I stared at her for several long seconds before the words came out without my permission. "You look like a cute teddy bear."
Her eyebrow shot up in surprise. "Are you actually complimenting me right now, Darius? Did you hit your head or something?"
I chuckled despite myself and gestured to the chair across from me. "Just sit down."
She dropped into the seat and pulled out her notebook. "I thought you would be angry that I won today."
"I was angry," I admitted honestly. "But it is fine. You won fairly."
The words tasted strange in my mouth, but they were true. She had earned that victory.
We continued working on our presentation speech from where we had stopped last time, falling into a rhythm that was becoming surprisingly comfortable.
After about an hour of steady work, I found myself breaking the silence with words I had not planned to say. "I am the only child in my family. Since I have always been the only one, I have been under constant pressure from my father to be the absolute best at everything. Every single day is about proving I am worthy to be heir to his empire."
Ravenna looked up from her notes, her full attention on me now. She did not interrupt, just waited for me to continue.
"My father expects certain qualities from me," I went on, the words spilling out easier than I expected. "He wants me to be cold. Commanding. Demanding respect from everyone around me. He wants me to be ruthless in business and unforgiving to anyone who crosses me. Everything I do is measured against his expectations, and nothing is ever quite good enough."
"Is that truly the path you want to follow?" Ravenna asked softly. "Or is it just what he wants from you?"
I opened my mouth to give her the automatic answer, the one I had been trained to give since childhood. But something about the genuine curiosity in her eyes made me pause.
"I have no choice," I finally responded. "This is my duty. My responsibility."
"Every human always has a choice," Ravenna countered gently. "They just choose to ignore it and do what is expected from other people instead of what they actually want for themselves."
Her words hit too close to truths I was not ready to examine. I pulled back suddenly, feeling the familiar walls slamming back into place.
Rhe distance returned between us, cold and protective.
"Do not ever breathe these words to anyone," I warned her, my voice turning cold and sharp. "What I just told you stays between us. Understand?"
She nodded slowly, something like hurt flashing across her face before she hid it.
I cleared my throat and glanced at the clock on the wall. "I think we have been studying too long. We could take a break.”